Scale and style.

Corner lots. Buildings on corner lots shall be considered significant structures, given that they have at least two front facades visibly exposed to the street. If deemed appropriate by the Planning Board in its design review, such buildings may be designed with architectural embellishments, such as corner towers, steeples, or other features to emphasize their location and serve as a visual focal point for the area.

Walls and planes. Buildings shall avoid long, monotonous uninterrupted walls or roof planes. Offsets including projections, recesses, and changes in floor level shall be used in order to add architectural interest and variety, and to relieve the visual effect of a simple, long wall. Similarly, roofline offsets shall be provided, in order to provide architectural interest and variety to the massing of a building and to relieve the effect of a single, long roof.

Facades.

Roofs. Gable roofs should utilize a minimum pitch of 9/12. Where hipped roofs are used, it is recommended that the minimum pitch be 6/12. Both gable and hipped roofs should provide overhanging eaves on all sides that extend a minimum of one foot beyond the building wall. Flat roofs should provide that all visibly exposed walls shall have an articulated cornice which projects horizontally from the vertical building wall plane. Other roof types should be appropriate to the building's architecture. Architectural embellishments that add visual interest to roofs, such as dormers, belvederes, masonry chimneys, cupolas, clock towers, and other similar elements are encouraged.

Windows/fenestration. Fenestration shall be architecturally compatible with the style, materials, colors, and details of the building, and appropriate to the setting. Windows shall be vertically proportioned wherever possible. To the extent possible, upper-story windows shall be vertically aligned with the location of windows and doors on the ground level, including storefront or display windows. Blank, windowless walls are discouraged. Storefronts are an integral part of a building and shall be integrally designed with the upper floors to be compatible with the overall facade character. Ground-floor retail, service, and restaurant uses should have large-pane display windows, framed by the surrounding wall, and shall not exceed 75% of the total ground-level facade area.

Entrances. All entrances to a building shall be defined and articulated by architectural elements such as lintels, pediments, pilasters, columns, porticoes, porches, overhangs, railings, balustrades, and other features, where appropriate. Any such element utilized shall be consistent with the style, materials, colors, and details of the building as a whole, as shall the doors. Awnings are permitted where they complement the building's architectural style.

Light fixtures. Light fixtures attached to the exterior of a building shall be architecturally compatible with the style, materials, colors, and details of the building and shall comply with local building codes. The type of light source used on the exterior of buildings, signs, parking areas, pedestrian walkways, and other areas of a site, and the light quality produced, shall be the same or compatible. Facades shall be lit from the exterior, and, as a general rule, lights should be concealed through shielding or recessed behind architectural features. The use of low-pressure sodium, fluorescent, or mercury vapor lighting either attached to buildings or to light the exterior of buildings shall be prohibited. Mounting brackets and associated hardware should be inconspicuous. All lights shall be shielded to reflect downward and prevent sky glow.

Lighting. Streetlights shall be decorative and shall blend with the architectural style of the community. Along all commercial or mixed-use streets, parking areas, sidewalks and walkways, decorative light posts shall be provided at regular intervals. Posts shall be spaced at no greater than 80 feet on center on both sides of a commercial or main street. Light posts should be at least 10 feet in height. In parking areas post heights may extend to a maximum of 16 feet.

Facade materials. The primary facade materials shall include either clapboard, decorative shingles with appropriate trim and detailing, stone/masonry, stucco or brick. Manufactured materials that resemble wood, stucco, brick, etc., may be used but should be of a high quality to blend in with existing historically utilized materials. Accents such as projecting, bow, bay and boxed windows are encouraged. Individual facades should generally consist of no more than three materials and/or textures.

Building colors. It is recommended that a color palate be developed for each development utilizing colors that blend or complement those in surrounding uses. Facade colors and design should vary from building to building and not be repeated within any five building frontages on any street. A combination of lighter masonry and darker earth tones are appropriate for commercial brick facades.

Soffit emphasis. In buildings with a soffit, the underside of the overhang is often more visible than the roof and should be articulated. The soffit should therefore receive a greater emphasis and budget than is typically afforded.

Soffits. All building soffits and overhangs shall be designed to provide shade in the summer and allow sunlight to enter the building in the winter. As such, southern and western exposures shall feature exaggerated (wider) soffits.

Utilities.

Rain gutters. It is encouraged that stormwater from roofs be collected on site and reused for irrigation and other uses that require nonpotable water.