Onondaga City Zoning Code
§ 285-32
West Seneca Turnpike Corridor design overlay requirements.
[Added 3-19-2001 by L.L. No. 5-2001]
A.
Purpose. The Town Board hereby makes the following statements of purpose with respect to the establishment of special West Seneca Turnpike Corridor design overlay requirements in the Town of Onondaga:
(1)
To encourage and promote the public health, safety and general welfare of the citizens of the Town, including the development and coordination of municipal growth and services.
(2)
To supplement land use regulation to encourage the most appropriate use of land throughout the West Seneca Turnpike Corridor, lessen traffic congestion and accidents, secure safety from fire, provide light and air, prevent the overcrowding of land, avoid undue concentration of population, promote a coordinated development of the unbuilt areas and conserve and restore natural beauty and other natural resources.
(3)
To encourage originality, flexibility, innovation in site planning and development, including the architecture, landscaping and graphic design of proposed developments in relation to surrounding areas.
(4)
To discourage monotonous, drab, unsightly, dreary and inharmonious developments, minimize discordant and unsightly surroundings and visual blight and avoid inappropriate and poor quality design.
(5)
To promote orderly growth, protect and enhance property values and other environmental and aesthetic considerations which generally enhance rather than detract from standards and values of the comfort and prosperity and the preservation of natural beauty and other natural resources, which are the proper concern of local government, and to promote and enhance construction and maintenance practices that will tend to enhance environmental and aesthetic quality.
(6)
To aid in assuring that structures, signs and other improvements are properly related to their sites and the surrounding sites and structures, with due regard to the aesthetic qualities of the natural terrain and landscaping and that proper attention is given to exterior appearances of structures, signs and other improvements.
(7)
To protect and enhance the West Seneca Turnpike Corridor's pleasant environments for living and working and thus support, stimulate and promote the desirability of investment and occupancy in business and other properties.
(8)
To stabilize and improve property values and prevent blight to help provide an adequate tax base to the Town to enable it to provide required services to its citizens.
(9)
To foster civic pride and community spirit by reason of the Town's favorable environment and thus promote and protect the peace, health and welfare of the Town and its citizens.
(10)
Preserve the mixed business/residential character of this area of the Town.
(11)
To provide certain criteria and guidelines for development in the West Seneca Turnpike Corridor in order to preserve its unique character.
(12)
To preserve the aesthetic qualities of the West Seneca Turnpike Corridor and to give it a "hamlet" or "village" feel.
B.
West Seneca Turnpike Corridor design overlay requirements; application.
(1)
Application; designation.
[Amended 3-2-2009 by L.L. No. 1-2009]
(2)
The provisions of this section are intended to address design criteria only and are in addition to any zoning district regulations, review criteria or approvals otherwise required.
(3)
Scope.
(a)
The Planning Board shall review all applications for site plan approval, special permit uses, variances and subdivisions, prior to any final action by the board of primary jurisdiction for such actions, in order to assure compliance with this section.
(b)
The Planning Board shall be authorized to develop expanded and/or additional review criteria and forward their recommendation for the consideration of the Town Board.
(c)
In reviewing any application pursuant to this section, the Planning Board may waive any of the criteria set forth herein when it finds that so doing will have no detrimental impact on surrounding properties or the West Seneca Turnpike Corridor or on the public health, safety and welfare and that such waiver is in keeping with the purposes set forth herein.
(d)
The "board of primary jurisdiction" shall be the Board of the Town (Town Board, Zoning Board of Appeals or Planning Board) charged with consideration of the application (site plan, special permit, variances and subdivisions) under the Town's local laws, rules and regulations.
C.
Approval required.
(1)
Planning Board review in accordance with the provisions of this section is mandatory.
(2)
No approval by any board of primary jurisdiction shall be given for projects requiring Planning Board review hereunder until the Planning Board has completed its review of such application and has offered its recommendations pursuant to this section.
(3)
No permit or approval shall be issued for any development or projects requiring Planning Board approval hereunder until the Planning Board has completed its review of such application and has offered its recommendations with regard to the proposed development or project.
(4)
Any approval granted by a board of primary jurisdiction absent compliance with this section shall be null and void and of no effect.
(5)
The Planning Board shall render its recommendation to the board of primary jurisdiction within 45 days of its receiving a complete application.
D.
Criteria. Among the criteria the Planning Board should consider in making its recommendation to the board of primary jurisdiction are the following:
(1)
Site design objectives.
(a)
Sites should be developed in a coordinated manner to complement adjacent structures through placement, architecture, colors and size/mass.
(b)
Whenever possible, buildings on the same site should be clustered and incorporate plazas, courtyards, pocket parks and other pedestrian use areas.
(c)
Sites should be designed to avoid the appearance of domination by automobiles. Positive methods to achieve this concept include:
[1]
Orienting buildings to fronting streets and placing parking at the rear and/or sides.
[2]
Designing the required parking area into smaller, discrete, connected lots rather than large, single-use lots.
[3]
Providing well-defined pedestrian walkways through parking areas and from public sidewalks into the site. Well-defined walkways use pavers, changes in color, texture and composition of paving materials and vertical plantings such as trees and shrubs. The minimum width of walkways shall be five feet.
[4]
Parking areas shall be designed to be partially screened from view from adjacent streets and building occupants. Screening can be accomplished through a number of methods, including:
[5]
All measures should be designed to accomplish the intended screening while allowing adequate safety and surveillance of the parking areas.
(d)
Where appropriate, site plans shall be designed to provide vehicle and pedestrian connections with adjacent sites.
(e)
To the extent practical, all new utilities should be installed underground.
(2)
Building design objectives.
(a)
No single architectural style is required. However, reliance on or use of standardized "corporate or franchise" style is strongly discouraged. No flat roofs.
(b)
Buildings should reflect an individual design that has considered site location, conditions and surrounding development. Building design should provide a sense of permanence and timelessness. High-quality construction and materials should be used to ensure that buildings will not look dated or worn down over time. Building designs should reflect an individual style and form and not merely current trends.
(c)
A consistent visual identity shall be applied to all sides of buildings visible to the general public. In these areas, all building sides shall have an equivalent level of quality of materials, detailing and window placement. Abrupt ending of architectural details shall be avoided with no radical change in details or features or materials.
(d)
Long blank walls are to be avoided. Positive methods to achieve this objective include changes in colors and materials, placement of windows, use of awnings and canopies and architectural details and features such as corners, setbacks and offsets. Windows at ground level may be tinted; however, reflective and mirrored windows are not allowed.
(e)
Buildings facing streets shall incorporate pedestrian-scaled entrances. Pedestrian-scaled entrances are those that provide an expression of human activity or use in relation to building size. Doors, windows, entrances and other features should be designed to respond to the size of the human body and not give the appearance of anonymity or overwhelming the building's users.
(f)
Modulation (defined as a measured setback or offset in a building face) shall be incorporated to reduce overall bulk and mass of buildings. The planes of exterior walls should not run in one continuous direction more than 50 to 60 feet without an offset or setback.
(g)
Large buildings should have height variations to give the appearance of distinct elements.
(h)
Building design shall incorporate traditional building materials such as wood, masonry, stone, heavy timbers, brick and other natural-appearing materials.
(i)
Building colors should accent, blend with or complement surroundings. Bright or brilliant colors should be reserved for trim and accents.
(j)
Landscape areas or planting beds having a minimum width of five feet should be provided around perimeters to separate buildings from surrounding pavement areas.
(k)
Outdoor storage areas, mechanical equipment, utility vaults and trash receptacles must not be visible from adjacent streets and pedestrian walkways.
(l)
Outdoor mechanical equipment shall be appropriately screened from view and sound to adjoining properties. The method of screening shall be architecturally integrated with the building with respect to materials, color, shape and size.
(m)
Site services should be located on the least visible side of a building or site or within interior building spaces.
(n)
Ground-level outdoor enclosures shall be composed of materials similar to the main structure.
(o)
Materials used for site features such as fences, screen walls and signs should be appropriate to the zone district where the development is located and should complement building design through materials, color, shape and size.
(p)
Developments should provide transition with adjacent uses, especially regarding building location, size and scale. No single building or development should dominate adjacent uses in terms of size, bulk, view blockage or shading.
(3)
Sign objectives.
(a)
Building signs.
[1]
Individual letters rather than cabinet signs are preferred.
[2]
Backlit individual letters are a preferred alternative.
[3]
Sign colors should be coordinated with building colors.
[4]
Signs should be compatible in scale and proportion with building design and other signs.
[5]
A specific sign program or concept should be designed for multiple-tenant buildings or complexes. Color and letter style shall be coordinated when businesses share the same building, and consistent sign patterns (placement on buildings) shall be utilized.
[6]
Exposed neon tubes are acceptable for nonletter sign elements, but are discouraged for letters.
[7]
Sign size shall be consistent with the regulations contained in the "Town of Onondaga Zoning Law of 1994," as amended.
[8]
Monument structure is preferred over pole-mounted signs; maximum total height of 10 feet.
[9]
Wood construction is preferred.
(4)
Landscaping objectives.
(a)
Landscaping should provide unity of design through repetition of plants and coordination with adjacent developments.
(b)
Landscape materials should be hardy species that are adaptable to local conditions, easily maintained and drought-tolerant. Use of native plants is strongly encouraged.
(c)
The design for parking areas shall include deciduous and evergreen trees to provide shade and break up expanses of asphalt. One tree, a minimum of two- to three-inch caliper at the time of planting, shall be required for every two to four parking spaces. There should be no more than 10 spaces between landscape islands or medians.
(d)
Landscape islands or medians shall have no dimension narrower than four to five feet.
(e)
Interior landscaping is required for parking lots containing 10 or more spaces at a ratio of 20 square feet of landscape area for every 100 square feet of parking area. All landscaped areas should be protected by wheelstops or curbing, or be of sufficient width to prevent damage to plants by overhanging vehicles.
(f)
Existing vegetation should be incorporated into overall site design and preserved to the maximum extent possible, especially in front yards.
(g)
Required perimeter setback areas shall be densely landscaped with a combination of trees and shrubs, which form a 90% ground cover within three years of planting.
(h)
For every 20 square feet of landscape area: three shrubs and either one deciduous tree, two- to three-inch caliper at time of planting, or one evergreen tree, having a minimum height of 10 feet at the time of planting. Tree spacing shall be as follows:
(i)
Interior site landscaping is required to define pedestrian ways, enclose outdoor gathering and seating areas and reduce building mass.
(j)
Architectural features such as low walls, fountains and sculptures may be used in places where planting areas are limited or restricted.
(k)
Project entrances should be enhanced through changes in paving materials such as brick payers, textured and colored concrete, providing entry structures and unity in planting of trees and shrubs.
(l)
Individual trees along walkways and along sidewalks in the internal portions of projects should be planted in tree wells or planter boxes.
(m)
Open stormwater detention facilities should be incorporated into project landscaping and open space where geographically feasible.
(n)
Open stormwater detention facilities shall be landscaped and screened.
(5)
Lighting objectives.