Mount Vernon City Zoning Code
CHAPTER 1110
CB District Architectural Standards
1110.01 PURPOSE.
The purpose of this section is to establish architectural and building design standards for the downtown area of Mount Vernon to preserve the urban characteristics of downtown with clear and objective guidance. Furthermore, it is the purpose of this chapter to:
(a) Safeguard the architectural integrity of the City's existing built environment and allow for future construction, expansion, and renovation of buildings that reflect the predominant massing, form, scale, and height of downtown buildings without requiring the construction of historic styles;
(b) Afford the widest possible scope of continuing vitality through private renewal and architectural creativity within appropriate controls and standards;
(c) To encourage the use or appropriate development of vacant properties, as applicable, in accordance with the character of downtown Mount Vernon;
(d) To encourage investment in historic resources and strengthening of the City's economy;
(e) To enhance the environmental and aesthetic quality of downtown;
(f) To encourage the preservation and continued use of historic public buildings; and
(g) To protect public health, safety, convenience, comfort, prosperity, and general welfare. (Ord. 2024-032. Passed 7-22-24.)
1110.02 APPLICABILITY.
(a) Any new construction of principal buildings within the CB District shall be subject to the regulations of this chapter. This shall include any expansion of buildings that exist with the CB District on the effective date of this
(b) This chapter shall apply to the construction or expansion of any accessory building in the CB District where the building has 200 square feet of floor area or, after construction, will exceed 200 square feet of floor area.
(c) The requirements of this section may be modified or waived upon specific review and approval by the MPC as part of an alternative equivalency review during the review process. See Section 1103.04.
(d) The review of these standards shall take place as part of a zoning permit application for buildings in the CB District.
(Ord. 2024-032. Passed 7-22-24.)
1110.03 GENERAL GUIDELINES.
Any buildings subject to the requirements of this chapter shall be designed with the following guidelines in mind:
(a) Materials should be appropriate for the use of building, for weathering and for relationship to other materials, including those used on adjacent buildings.
(b) Colors and textures should be appropriate for the size and scale of the building, for weathering and for relationship to the site and adjacent buildings.
(c) Architectural details and ornaments should be meaningful to the overall design and appropriate for the size and scale of the building and for weathering.
(d) Mechanical equipment should be considered as it affects rooftop appearance, sidewall openings, sound levels, smoke and other nuisance aspects. Also, mechanical equipment shall be considered as it relates to overhead wires, gas and electric meter stations, and any other visible appurtenances.
(e) Commercial or mixed-use buildings are the principal building type in downtown Mount Vernon. New construction should contain the basic components as illustrated in Figure 1110-A, although the size, shape, style, materials, and details may vary depending on when the building was constructed.
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Figure 1110-A: Typical storefront components of commercial buildings.
(Ord. 2024-032. Passed 7-22-24.)
1110.04 BUILDING ORIENTATION.
(a) Buildings shall be constructed parallel to the street they front unless an alternate orientation is consistent with existing adjacent development.
(b) The primary entrances of buildings shall be oriented:
(1) Towards a street along the perimeter of the development or towards a public space, if located adjacent to the proposed project; or
(2) Towards streets in the interior of the development if none of the building's facades has frontage on a public street.
(Ord. 2024-032. Passed 7-22-24.)
1110.05 BUILDING MATERIALS.
(a) A combination of materials, textures, colors, and finishes should be utilized to create visual interest. Vinyl siding and corrugated metal or steel siding material shall be prohibited. Vinyl may be used for window and door trim as well as on facades that do not face a street.
(b) Exposed metal panels (such as copper, bronze, or other decorative metal) is permitted on building elevations as an accent or as a minor exterior material.
(Ord. 2024-032. Passed 7-22-24.)
1110.06 BUILDING DESIGN AND ASSING.
(a) Building Base, Body, and Cap.
(1) All architectural elevations of principal buildings shall consist of a body and a cap. See Figure 1110-B. A base shall not be required unless a base is present on adjacent buildings, in which case, the proposed building shall contain a base of similar height.
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Figure 1110-B: Illustration of the cap, body, and base of a building.
(2) The body shall occupy the middle portion of the elevation, and should have a height no less than sixty percent (60%) of the average wall height.
(3) The cap shall occupy the highest portion of the elevation and should have a height no less than five percent (5%) of the average wall height. The cap shall not include the roof portion of the building unless the building is to have a mansard roof, in which case, the mansard roof may be counted toward the cap.
(4) The base, where applicable, and cap shall be clearly distinguishable from the body through changes in color, material, pattern, profile, or texture.
(5) The cap shall consist of a cornice, parapet, or mansard roof. Other cap styles are permitted if the ZEO determines that they are similar to styles found on existing buildings in Mount Vernon.
(6) Architectural elevations for all new buildings shall include design, massing, materials, shape, and scale that create a unified design on the premises.
(b) Building Setback, Height, and Width.
(1) Principal buildings shall be set to the back of the sidewalk or the front right-of-way.
(2) Exceptions to the setback requirement above may be made to allow room for outdoor dining areas, landscaped entries, pedestrian plazas, enhanced customer entrances, and similar pedestrian amenities. In no case, shall the buildings be set back more than ten (10) feet from the back of the sidewalk
(3) Open spaces between buildings that create courtyards or walkways to the rear of the property are encouraged.
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Figure 1110-C: Buildings should be built to the back of the sidewalk. Buildings should
not be setback behind the front facade of adjacent buildings unless creating a pedestrian
amenity such as a courtyard or small urban plaza.
(4) The overall height of new construction should relate to that of adjacent buildings. As a general rule, new buildings should generally be the same height as the average height of existing buildings within the vicinity. Buildings located on corner lots may have taller building heights than adjacent buildings to create a focal point for the intersection.
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Figure 1110-D: The height, width, and overall proportions of infill development should be in scale with surrounding buildings. Buildings should also maintain the rhythm of window and door openings.
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Figure 1110-E: The above image illustrates an inappropriate building height due to its inconsistency with the adjacent buildings along the same block face.
(5) The width of a new building shall be designed to continue the established rhythm of the block. If the lot is wider than fifty (50) feet, the building facade shall be broken into smaller bays with architectural details to maintain the building rhythm.
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Figure 1110-F: This image illustrates how existing and new structures divide the entire
facade plane into smaller components through the use of pilasters, storefronts, height
variation, and material variations.
(6) The scale of a buildings proportions and the building's massing shall be similar in character to adjacent buildings.
(7) New buildings or additions shall maintain the same directional expression (horizontal or vertical) as surrounding buildings. Horizontal buildings can be detailed to relate to more vertical adjacent structures by breaking the facade into smaller masses and bays. Strongly horizontal or vertical facade expressions shall be avoided.
(c) Facade Openings (Doors and Windows).
(1) Blank building facades (i.e., those devoid of openings such as windows and transparent doors) along public streets are prohibited. These requirements shall not generally apply to those facades that are not visible from a street or are completely hidden due to topography or natural features preserved as open space.
(2) Building elevations that are visible from a public street should contain window and door openings that occupy at least thirty percent (30%) of the total wall surface area outside of the first-floor area.
(3) Doors and windows should be positioned to create a uniform pattern or visual rhythm along the building elevation.
(4) All doors and windows shall be articulated through the use of lintels, sills, and thresholds.
(d) Roof Styles. The roof shapes and forms of new buildings shall resemble, but shall not necessarily duplicate, the shape, style, and form of roofs for nearby structures. Introducing roof shapes, pitches, or materials not traditionally associated with the area or architectural style shall be prohibited.
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Figure 1110-G: This image illustrates an infill building that would not comply with these
standards of new construction in terms of height, roof styles, window and door patterns,
siding, ornamentation, signage, and most other requirements in downtown.
(e) Mechanical Equipment.
(1) Wall mounted mechanical, electrical, communication equipment, downspouts, gutters, service doors, and other building-mounted utility fixtures, shall be painted and maintained to match the building or be screened from view. All rooftop mechanical equipment, unless screened from view, should match the color of the structure or be visually compatible with the structure.
(2) Mechanical equipment such as transformers and HVAC units should not be located in front yards, unless appropriately screened from view.
(3) All mechanical equipment, including both ground-mounted and roof-mounted equipment, shall be screened from view from adjacent public rights-of-way, as well as from all property zoned or used for residential purposes, to the maximum extent practicable.
(4) Screening elements may include walls (same material and color as principal structure), landscaping, mounds, parapets or enclosures constructed of the same materials used on the majority of the principal structure or any combination or as otherwise approved or required during review. See Figure 1110-H.
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Figure 1110-H: Illustration of the use of walls for the screening of mechanical equipment.
(Ord. 2024-032. Passed 7-22-24.)