Oneonta City Zoning Code
ARTICLE V
Design Guidelines for Mixed-Use Districts.
§ 300-64 Purpose and intent.
The Common Council of the City of Oneonta declares its intent to adopt design guidelines that apply to nonresidential development and mixed-use development that includes residential components in the Downtown Mixed-Use (MU-1) and the Gateway Mixed-Use (MU-2) Districts. The design guidelines seek to encourage a mix of uses within the designated districts with an emphasis on improved site design, greater economic activity, and more dynamic social interaction. Within the designated districts, regulation will be largely based on form and impact of development as well as use. The guidelines provide design criteria and suggest development approaches, which will help both the City and applicants consider issues of site organization, site design, public spaces and architecture. The purposes are to:
A.
Reduce delays and confusion that developers, property owners, or business operators may encounter during the design phase of the proposed projects.
B.
Continue to attract appropriate development in order to expand the economic and fiscal base of the community in a manner that maintains the unique character of the City with a high quality of life.
C.
Encourage the highest quality of architectural and site design that is compatible with their surroundings.
D.
Encourage buildings that provide an appropriate transition between the commercial areas of the City and the surrounding neighborhoods.
E.
Encourage buildings that are protective of important natural and public spaces.
F.
Encourage conservation of our resources and avoid or minimize adverse impacts to our natural environment.
G.
Establish a clear and consistent method for reviewing plans for new buildings and renovation or exterior alteration of existing buildings and sites.
H.
Minimize land use conflicts.
§ 300-65 Administration and applicability.
A.
Unless otherwise stated, the design guidelines are advisory.
B.
The design guidelines shall apply to all new buildings as well as all buildings or sites that are being replaced or rehabilitated.
C.
Each applicant proposing new land use and development subject to these guidelines should comply with the required guidelines.
D.
Compliance with the following guidelines is strongly encouraged.
E.
The City of Oneonta shall promote the following design guidelines to the maximum extent practicable for the purposes of achieving the goals and recommendations set forth in the Comprehensive Plan, and in accordance with the purpose and intent of the regulations as set forth herein. Economic development will be a major factor in any decisions made by the administering body.
F.
The term "should" or "may" is interpreted as optional.
§ 300-66 Involved district overview.
A.
Downtown Mixed-Use (MU-1)
(1)
The strength, success, character and viability of each community are rooted in its downtown where the central business district creates a hub of activity for the surrounding community and region. The quality historic architecture present on Main Street provides for a readily accessible visual connection to Oneonta's history and vitality. Downtown sidewalks are where people come to shop, eat, visit and to be entertained. All of these important activities require an urban setting that is commensurate with the expectations of its users and residents.
(2)
Downtown Oneonta has a marvelous and mostly intact historic commercial district. The central corridor, Main Street, is a compact, urban streetscape of three- to five-story masonry buildings, with minimal disruption of the continuous facade, creating a sense of enclosure. Constructed mostly during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, they show all the exuberance of a prosperous and bustling economy of an upstate New York community. In addition, many storefronts are vacant or are being occupied by less-than-desirable uses that do not activate the streetscape. While this is mainly due to market-driven impacts, this sense of vacancy detracts from the activity needed to maintain the urban core as an integral aspect of the City's culture and economy. Additional investment in the downtown area, combined with an appropriate set of design guidelines, is required to maintain and improve Oneonta's urban environment.
B.
Gateway Mixed-Use (MU-2). There are three main gateways into Oneonta: Main Street from the east, Chestnut Street from the west and Main Street from the south.
(1)
Eastern Gateway - Main Street.
(a)
The eastern MU-2 corridor is primarily characterized by older stately homes that stretch east to west and emanate from the central business district. These homes are generally two to three stories and reflect their early prominence in the growing town of Oneonta. This district has transformed throughout the years and is notably converting to multiuse structures that are comprised of first floor offices and apartments on the second and third floors. Many of these homes still reflect a high level of investment by the owners and tenants, especially within close proximity to the hospital. Homes on the far western edge of this district are somewhat less vibrant than those to the east. Some homes have been removed and replaced with single-story commercial buildings with flat roofs. Overall, this district still maintains a positive appearance and continues to add to the character and vitality of the urban setting.
(b)
The primary challenge present in this district is the siting of adequate amounts of parking to serve the growing businesses. It is evident that the most unique homes have been preserved while others have been removed to provide for parking. This threat to the visual appearance of the neighborhood should be addressed by the preservation of unique structures and the use of site and architectural design guidelines that perpetuate and promote the existing style of this district. Additionally, appropriate landscape screening guidelines should be implemented to protect the overall character of the streetscape and to protect existing residents that still live in this corridor.
(c)
The depth of the lots located in this district should also be addressed. Some lots in the district extend to adjacent neighborhood streets, parallel to the north and south of Main Street. This relationship needs to be closely addressed to make sure that commercial uses located on Main Street do not have an adverse impact on the homes situated on secondary streets and primarily residential areas and zones.
(2)
Western Gateway - Chestnut Street. This residential corridor is divided between residential and commercial structures, which are located along Chestnut Street. Interest is also provided through the rail line that runs adjacent to this corridor. It is apparent that this portion of the community was developed through a mix of uses, including residential, business, industry and regional transportation. Like the Main Street corridor on the east side of Downtown, there are many two- and three-story buildings as well as old industrial buildings and smaller residential homes. As a result, this corridor offers more flexible design guidelines to enhance the character of the setting and this part of the community.
(3)
Southern Gateway - Main Street.
(a)
Main Street in Oneonta, like most communities in upstate New York, was the historic route through the region that connected other small and vibrant villages. It is common knowledge that interstate roads like Interstate 88 had a dramatic effect on the accessibility and economic health of the towns it bypassed. These routes also established new access points to centers of population and commerce and sometimes created awkward gateways where created and still appear underutilized. Over time these interchanges spawned new commercial activity that may or may not relate to the architectural scheme of its parent village.
(b)
In this situation, this access from Interstate 88 has long been underutilized and presents an opportunity for new investment and, if implemented properly, could add to the visual condition of this part of the City. This district creates an opportunity to provide for new uses that are currently not provided within the City or are not appropriate to the Main Street setting. Through the use of design guidelines, new building could be implemented in a way that would strengthen the adjacent neighborhoods, provide a compelling gateway to downtown and provide for services along Interstate 88.
§ 300-67 General design concepts.
When applicable, projects should incorporate the following design concepts.
A.
Sustainability.
(1)
New buildings and the adaptive reuse of historic buildings should as much as possible use green building technologies for mechanical systems, energy needs and construction materials.
(2)
The adaptive reuse of the valuable historic building stock is an effective sustainable practice and is strongly encouraged.
(3)
Site development technologies that conserve resources and reduce environmental impacts are strongly encouraged.
(4)
Emphasis should be placed on the use of and development of public transportation and pedestrian systems, and the reduction of automobile use wherever possible.
B.
Use integration.
(1)
Development should encourage the full mix of uses as may be allowed within each of the districts that are both pedestrian friendly and amenable to being served by public transportation where it is provided.
(2)
Development should encourage residential uses in conjunction with commercial activities in order to create an active street life, enhance the viability of businesses and reduce traffic.
(3)
Development should provide opportunities for mixed-use developments by permitting existing residential and commercial uses to be combined on unified development sites.
(4)
Street-level facades should include active uses such as shops, restaurants, cafes, fitness centers, exhibition spaces, galleries, meeting space, commercial lobbies, residential entrances, services, etc.
C.
Streetscape and the pedestrian environment
(1)
Building facades at and near the street level should be designed with human-scaled elements and details that promote pedestrian interests, comfort, and safety.
(2)
Projects should look to create a network and continuity of active spaces and avoid disconnected spaces.
(3)
Projects should incorporate streetscape improvements, including appropriate and unified street furniture (e.g., benches, bus shelters, trash receptacles, planting containers, pedestrian lighting, kiosks, etc.), to encourage pedestrian activity, avoiding dull/bleak streetscapes that discourage walking.
(4)
Street trees and pedestrian-scaled lighting (in addition to vehicle area lighting) should be incorporated into designs to enhance the project area and surrounding areas.
(5)
New pedestrian crosswalks should be constructed to enhance connections across streets.
D.
Architectural and massing considerations.
(1)
Projects should complement the City's architectural and cultural heritage by conserving and/or reflecting dominant design elements and characteristics of areas, and maintaining area proportions of scale and mass.
(2)
Public buildings, structures, and spaces should be designed and constructed to the highest standards in order to reflect community values, inspire future development, foster civic pride, and serve as a model to others.
(3)
Scale, massing, and dominant architectural elements should contribute to the overall composition and developing character of the surrounding area.
(4)
Projects should seek to unify architectural elements, details, and materials, such that all components appear integral to the whole.
(5)
Building massing should create a transition of height, bulk, and scale to less intensively developed neighboring properties.
(6)
Advertising features should be oriented towards the pedestrian, and complement the architecture of the building.
(7)
Rooftops should be designed for visual interest and avoid a lack of design attention.
(8)
Climate-sensitive, energy efficient, and environmentally conscious design considerations should be incorporated to create healthier, more productive, and more sustainable places to live and work.
(9)
Projects should complement Oneonta's natural setting and conserve scenic public views and view corridors, whenever possible.
§ 300-68 Design guidelines. [1]
[1]
Editor's Note: Design Guidelines are included at the end of this chapter.