The purpose of this article is to preserve and protect the character of the city by ensuring that new construction meets the design guidelines of this article. This article is intended to ensure that new construction is consistent with the architectural style, scale and mass of existing buildings in the vicinity. Moreover, new construction should be comparable in design and building materials.

(Sec. 11.1)

(a)

The planning commission shall provide the architectural review functions for the city. It is intended that the review of architectural features of development proposals will be within the context of comprehensive evaluations included in: subdivisions, site plan reviews, conditional use permits (CUP), planned development procedures (PDP), and other project evaluations.

This article shall apply to all new construction in the O, NC, DC, GC, LI, GI and AP zoning districts, and other applications wherein major site plan review is required.

(A)

Submission of development applications. The standard applications required for site plan review, subdivision maps, etc., are the applications for submittal of architectural review items. Submittal requirements are referenced on the standard site plan submittal checklist, which may be amended from time to time. The submittal and review process shall be consistent with the type of process appropriate to the development. No separate forms or reviews are required.

Any decisions regarding architectural review may be appealed to the city council for review.

Items considered for architectural review may include design elements and directives as found in the balance of this section. While adherence to the below-listed standards is mandatory, the city accepts that individual site plans may have combinations of design and materials that are acceptable while not complying with specific items in these sections.

Additional design elements may be determined to be similar and consistent with those listed. In each case the development administrator shall consider the "unlisted" design element's compatibility in the proposed location. He also may determine the design element to be "not permitted" but suitable for conditional use consideration.

(a)

Commercial and institutional buildings.

(1)

Permitted building materials. Commercial and institutional buildings shall have exterior material of brick, stucco, textured masonite, stone masonry, concrete brick, permastone, or glass. Glass block may be used as an accent material. Other similar building materials may be approved by the architectural review board.

(2)

Prohibited building materials. No new commercial or institutional building and no remodeled, enlarged or diminished commercial or institutional building shall have an exterior material of metal, smooth masonite, concrete cinder block, tilt-up concrete, vinyl or wood.

(3)

Trim and accent materials. Trim and accent materials may include architectural metal provided that it does not exceed 15 percent of the exterior material of the building.

(4)

Building colors. Building colors, except for trim colors, shall be subdued earth tones, white or similar suitable colors. Earth tone colors include, but are not limited to, mauve, beige, taupe brown, granite gray, gray blue, greenish blue and dark brown. Florescent colors shall not be allowed. Building colors that are neither specifically permitted nor prohibited by this paragraph may be allowed by the architectural review board if they are deemed similar to a permitted building color. The architectural review board may adopt a list of building colors that are permitted to supplement the list in this paragraph, provided that these additional colors are not specifically prohibited by this paragraph.

(5)

Trim colors/window colors. Trim colors and the colors of window frames shall be earth tones, white or a color that clearly complements the main color of the building. Florescent colors shall be not allowed.

(6)

Roofs. Roofs on buildings with two or more stories may be flat or pitched as approved by the architectural review board. Roofs on one-story buildings shall not be flat or nearly flat except for the center portion of the roof that is not visible from ground level. At least 60 percent of the roof area on a one-story building, when seen in plan view, must be pitched. The pitch of such roof shall have at least a four-foot rise to 12-foot horizontal run but shall not exceed a 12-foot rise to 12-foot horizontal run. All roofs shall be subject to review and approval of the architectural review board for materials, pitch and color. Colors for roof materials shall not deviate from the list of permissible building colors unless such material is a shade of dark gray or black that is not designed to call attention to the building or such material is not visible from any nearby property or roadway.

(7)

Garages. Garages may be front, side or rear-entry although attempts shall be made to design all commercial and institutional buildings such that buildings do not have garage doors facing any street. Garages should conform architecturally to the building and its environs.

(8)

Driveways. Driveways shall be set back at least four feet from the side lot line. Driveways and parking pads shall consist of only stabilized surfaces such as asphalt or concrete. Driveways in agricultural zoned areas in the city limits, five acres minimum, shall be allowed to use rock, gravel, or oil/chip. The parking pad however adjacent to building shall be paved with stabilized surfaces such as asphalt or concrete (minimum 20 feet in length).

(9)

Walkways. All walkways shall consist of stone, brick or concrete.

(10)

Sod required. No slopes shall be permitted in excess of 3:1. Except, however, that sod shall not be required for areas of the site which have a slope exceeding a 3:1 pitch prior to site development and which will remain in an undisturbed natural state. Sod shall be required on all storm water runoff areas.

(11)

Mechanical equipment. All mechanical equipment on commercial and institutional buildings (such as air conditioning units) shall be completely screened from view. All buildings shall be architecturally designed so that roof-mounted equipment is hidden from all sides of the building when the building is ready for occupancy. In addition, any mechanical equipment shall be hidden so that it is not visible from the property line of the business or industrial park or subdivision in which the building is located or from any residential property.

(12)

Front facade. The front facade of every commercial and institutional building excluding window glass shall be comprised of brick or stone masonry unless alternative material is approved by the architectural review board based on the design of the building. All buildings shall present a good, well-maintained frontage, harmonious in design to the surrounding vicinity. If architecturally acceptable, glass could be considered for part of the front facade.

(13)

Facades of one-story buildings. All facades of one-story buildings shall consist primarily of solid materials. The combined area of windows, glass, and decorative glass block shall not exceed 30 percent of the area of any facade on a one-story building unless approved by the architectural review board.

(b)

Industrial and major recreational buildings.

(1)

Permitted building materials. Industrial and major recreational buildings shall have exterior material of brick, stucco, textured masonite, stone masonry, tilt-up concrete, pre-painted steel siding, concrete brick, permastone, or glass. Other metal materials may be approved by the architectural review board provided that other materials are used for part of the building. Glass block may be used as an accent material. Other similar building materials may be approved by the architectural review board.

(2)

Prohibited building materials. No new industrial or major recreational building and no remodeled, enlarged or diminished industrial or major recreational building shall have an exterior material of smooth masonite, concrete cinder block, vinyl or wood.

(3)

Building colors. Building colors, except for trim colors, shall be earth tones, white or similar suitable colors. Earth tone colors include, but are not limited to, beige, taupe brown, granite gray, gray blue, greenish blue and dark brown. Florescent colors shall not be allowed. Building colors that are neither specifically permitted nor prohibited by this paragraph may be allowed by the architectural review board if they are deemed similar to a permitted building color. The architectural review board may adopt a list of building colors that are permitted to supplement the list in this paragraph, provided that these additional colors are not specifically prohibited by this paragraph.

(4)

Trim colors/window colors. Trim colors and the colors of window frames shall be earth tones, white or a color that clearly complements the main color of the building. Florescent colors shall be not allowed.

(5)

Roofs. New roofs shall match the pitch of any existing roof. Roofs shall be subject to review and approval of the architectural review board for materials and pitch.

(6)

Garages. Garages may be front, side or rear-entry although attempts shall be made to design all industrial and major recreational buildings such that buildings do not have garage doors facing any street. Garages should conform architecturally to the building and its environs.

(7)

Driveways. Driveways shall be set back at least four feet from the side lot line. Driveways and parking pads shall consist of only stabilized surfaces such as asphalt or concrete.

(8)

Sod required. No slopes shall be permitted in excess of 3:1. Except, however, that sod shall not be required for areas of the site which have a slope exceeding a 3:1 pitch prior to site development and which will remain in an undisturbed natural state. Sod shall be required on all storm water runoff areas.

(9)

Mechanical equipment. All mechanical equipment on industrial and major recreational buildings (such as air conditioning units) shall be completely screened from view. All buildings shall be architecturally designed so that roof-mounted equipment is hidden from all sides of the building when the building is ready for occupancy. In addition, any mechanical equipment shall be hidden so that it is not visible from the property line of the business or industrial park or subdivision in which the building is located or from any residential property.

(Secs. 11.6.1, 11.6.2; Ord. No. 12-110, § 1, 5-21-12; Ord. No. 18-01, § 1(Att.), 2-20-18)