Schodack City Zoning Code

ARTICLE XIX

Town Center

§ 219-191 Purpose of Schodack Town Center Plan.

The Town of Schodack seeks to develop a walkable "town center" along SR 9&20 between exits 10 and 11 on I-90 and across from Town Hall. The goal is to create a rich pedestrian atmosphere with an attractive mix of uses.

It is understood that in order to realize the vision outlined in the Town Center Plan, a form-based zoning will be utilized to place special emphasis on the physical configuration of the built environment and utilize graphics to explain what the desired form and appearance of development should be with an eye toward creating beautiful, highly livable places.

Figure 1: A small pedestrian square on the NE corner of Schuurman Road and SR 9 & 20.

Figure 2: The heart of the Schodack Town Center facing SR 9 & 20.

§ 219-192 Town Center Districts.

The Schodack Town Center Code hereby establishes the Town Center Districts, as shown on the Regulating Plan Map herein. Each Town Center District is defined by characteristics that correspond with building placement, building form, and frontage standards, all of which influence the level of walkability and vibrancy in a particular place.

The Town Center Districts for the Town of Schodack include:

(1)

TC1: Town Center Core.

(a)

This district forms the core of Schodack's Town Center. Priority is placed here on optimizing the physical characteristics of the built environment for increased walkability. While much of the land encompassed by this district was originally built in an automobile-dominant format, the intent is to facilitate a transition of individual parcels over time, each adding up to a vibrant, walkable Town center.

(b)

To maximize vibrancy and walkability, this district features buildings close to the sidewalk, plentiful shade for pedestrians, and parking lots screened from view.

(2)

TC2: Town Center Corridor. This district is located where Schodack's Town Center extends north along the Columbia Turnpike. Buildings are required to be street-oriented, but their placement is somewhat more flexible than in other Town Center districts, to allow adjustment to accommodate features such as wider outdoor terraces and green spaces.

(3)

TC3: Town Center General. This district governs development near the intersection of Interstate 90 and Miller Road. While oriented primarily toward the highway, the built environment in this area is intended to retain key features of walkability.

(4)

TC4: Town Center Edge.

(a)

The intent of this district is to facilitate a transition between the vibrant and urbane TC1 Town Center Core and lower-intensity development and preserve areas on the periphery of Schodack's Town Center.

(b)

Among other adjusted details, buildings in this mixed-use district are predominantly residential, are set slightly farther back from the street and heights and are somewhat shorter than those in the TC1 District.

(5)

TC5: Preserve. The Preserve District consists of property that is primarily wetland. Development within this area is limited primarily due to wetland requirements, wetland buffers, and steep slopes. Limited boardwalk trails may be developed to access the area for recreational purposes.

§ 219-193 Permitted Uses Table.

The allowable uses in each Town Center District are as set forth in Attachment 1: Schedule of Use Table.

§ 219-195 TC-1 Town Center Core.

To maximize vibrancy and walkability, this district features buildings located close to the sidewalk, plentiful shade for pedestrians, and parking lots screened from view.

Figure 3: Illustrative example of buildings and site arrangement in the TC1 Town Center Core District.

Town Center Core examples.

Mixed-use buildings with simple basic massing, well-designed storefronts, and architecturally rich details.	A single-story commercial building with a generous ceiling height.
A street of commercial block buildings of varying heights and widths.	A shopfront building with pedestrian protection from sun and rain provided by a projecting second floor balcony.
Large shopfront windows provide interesting views for pedestrians.	This civic building, while modest in size, has grand proportions.

Town Center Core Form.

Building Placement
Build-to Locations (Distance from Frontage/Property Line)
Front	0' min., 8' max.	Ⓐ
Side Street	0' min., 8' max.	Ⓑ
Interior Side Property Line	0' min.	Ⓒ
Rear	5' min.	Ⓓ

Frontage Buildout
Building Facade at BTL
Front	80% min.	Ⓔ
Side Street	30% min.
Street Facades must be built to the BTL for the first 30' on a corner.

Dedicated Residential Outdoor Open Space
Each residential unit shall be provided with unrestricted access to dedicated outdoor open space	15 square feet min. per unit
Distance from Residential Unit	50' max.
Permitted Configurations	Balcony, Porch, Yard, Courtyard, or Roof Terrace

Building Form
Height
Main Building	22' min.¹	Ⓕ
	4 Stories max.²	Ⓕ
Ground Floor Elev. Above Sidewalk	Comm. 6" max., Res. 24" min.	Ⓖ
Ground Floor Office/Retail Ceiling	14' min. clear	Ⓗ
Ceiling Height	9' min. clear	Ⓘ

NOTES:
¹	Measured from grade to eave or parapet base.
²	See definition of "Story" in Definitions.

Footprint
Depth, ground floor commercial space:	15' min.	Ⓙ

Allowed Frontage Types (See § 219-200C, Facades)
▪ Shopfront	▪ Gallery
▪ Forecourt	▪ Stoop
▪ Porch

Allowed Use Types (See § 219-193, Permitted Uses Table)
Ground Floor	Office/Retail required within 150' of SR 9&20 Frontage Line	Ⓚ
All Floors Otherwise	All Permitted Uses Allowed	Ⓛ

Town Center Core parking and encroachments.

Parking (See § 219-203, Parking Standards)
Parking Location (Distance from Property Line)
Front Setback	30' min.	Ⓜ
Side Street Setback	30' min.	Ⓝ
Side Setback	0' min.	Ⓞ
Rear Setback	5' min.	Ⓟ

District Specific Parking Requirements
Parking Curb Cut Width	15' max.	Ⓠ
No parking spaces are required for buildings that are < 500 sf
Bicycle parking must be provided and in a secure environment, except in residential buildings with 4 units or less.

Other Allowed Encroachments
Balconies, Bay Windows, Awnings, etc.
Front	12' max.	Ⓡ
Side Street	8' max.	Ⓢ
Rear	4' max.	Ⓣ

Miscellaneous
Where a building facade steps back or is absent from the BTL, the BTL line should be maintained and defined by fence, landscape wall or hedge 30" to 54" high.
All buildings must have a primary entrance along the front facade.
Loading docks, overhead doors and other service entries shall not be located on street-facing facades and shall instead be located in rear service areas.

§ 219-196 TC-2 Town Center Corridor.

This district is located where Schodack's Town Center extends north along the Columbia Turnpike. Buildings are required to be street oriented, but their placement is somewhat more flexible than in other Town Center Districts, to allow adjustment to accommodate features such as wider outdoor terraces and green spaces needed.

Illustrative example of buildings and site arrangement in the TC2 Town Center Corridor District.

Town Center Corridor examples.

Rowhouses and shopfront buildings set behind a shared public space.	Shopfront buildings with varying heights lend this street a casual yet urbane feel.
Rowhouses with at-grade ground-floor entrances as well as stoops leading to second floor entries.	Simple architectural forms with strong, upright proportions.
A small apartment building designed to look like a large house.	Rowhouses forming a well-defined edge to the street.

Town Center Corridor form.

Building Placement
Build-to Locations (Distance from Frontage/Property Line)
Front	0' min., 20' max.	Ⓐ
Side Street	0' min., 20' max.	Ⓑ
Interior Side Property Line	0' min.	Ⓒ
Rear	5' min.	Ⓓ

Frontage Buildout
Building Facade at BTL
Front	50% min.	Ⓔ
Side Street	30% min.
Street Facades must be built to the BTL for the first 30' on a corner.

Dedicated Residential Outdoor Open Space
Each residential unit shall be provided with unrestricted access to dedicated outdoor open space	20 square feet min. per unit
Distance from Residential Unit	50' max.
Permitted Configurations	Balcony, Porch, Yard, Courtyard, or Roof Terrace

Building Form
Height
Main Building	16' min.¹	Ⓕ
	3 Stories max.²	Ⓕ
Ground Floor Elev. Above Sidewalk	Comm. 6" max., Res. 24" min.	Ⓖ
Ground Floor Office/Retail Ceiling	14' min. clear	Ⓗ
Ceiling Height	9' min. clear	Ⓘ

NOTES:
¹	Measured from grade to eave or parapet base.
²	See definition of "Story" in Definitions.

Footprint
Depth, ground floor commercial space:	15' min.	Ⓙ

Allowed Frontage Types (See § 219-200C, Facades)
▪ Shopfront	▪ Gallery
▪ Forecourt	▪ Stoop
▪ Porch

Allowed Use Types (See § 219-193, Permitted Uses Table)
Ground Floor	Office/Retail required within 150' of SR 9&20 Frontage Line	Ⓚ
All Floors Otherwise	All Permitted Uses Allowed	Ⓛ

§ 219-197 TC-3 Town Center General.

This district governs development near the intersection of Interstate 90 and Miller Road. While oriented primarily toward the highway, the built environment in this area is intended to retain key features of walkability.

Illustrative example of buildings and site arrangement in the TC3 Town Center General District.

Town Center General examples.

This commercial building features a narrow band of parking.	A strong cornice line and plentiful windows lend this restaurant an urbane feel.
A small commercial building designed in the form of a cottage.	A small apartment building designed to blend with surrounding single-family detached houses.
A low garden wall marks the property line.	A small office building designed as a cottage.

Town Center General form.

Building Placement
Build-to Locations (Distance from Frontage/Property Line)
Front	0' min., 75' max.	Ⓐ
Side Street	0' min., 75' max.	Ⓑ
Interior Side Property Line	0' min.	Ⓒ
Rear	5' min.	Ⓓ

Frontage Buildout
Building Facade at BTL
Front	30% min.	Ⓔ
Side Street	30% min.
Street Facades must be built to the BTL for the first 30' on a corner.

Dedicated Residential Outdoor Open Space
Each residential unit shall be provided with unrestricted access to dedicated outdoor open space	30 square feet min. per unit
Distance from Residential Unit	50' max.
Permitted Configurations	Balcony, Porch, Yard, Courtyard, or Roof Terrace

Building Form
Height
Main Building	22' min.¹	Ⓕ
	3 Stories max.²	Ⓕ
Ground Floor Elev. Above Sidewalk	Comm. 6" max., Res. 24" min.	Ⓖ
Ground Floor Office/Retail Ceiling	14' min. clear	Ⓗ
Ceiling Height	9' min. clear	Ⓘ

NOTES:
¹	Measured from grade to eave or parapet base
²	See definition of "Story" in Definitions.

Footprint
Depth, ground floor commercial space:	15' min.	Ⓙ

Allowed Frontage Types (See § 219-200C, Facades)
▪ Shopfront	▪ Gallery
▪ Forecourt	▪ Stoop
▪ Porch

Allowed Use Types (See § 219-193, Permitted Uses Table)
Ground Floor	All Permitted Uses Allowed	Ⓚ
All Floors Otherwise	All Permitted Uses Allowed	Ⓛ

Town Center General parking and encroachments.

Parking (See Sect. 3-5 Parking Standards)
Parking Location (Distance from Property Line)
Front Setback	0' min., 30' max.	Ⓜ
Side Street Setback	0' min., 30' max.	Ⓝ
Side Setback	0' min.	Ⓞ
Rear Setback	5' min.	Ⓟ

District Specific Parking Requirements
Parking Curb Cut Width	15' max.	Ⓠ
No parking spaces are required for buildings that are < 500 sf.
Bicycle parking must be provided and in a secure environment, except in residential buildings with 4 units or less.

Other Allowed Encroachments
Balconies, Bay Windows, Awnings, etc.
Front	12' max.	Ⓡ
Side Street	8' max.	Ⓢ
Rear	4' max.	Ⓣ

Miscellaneous
Where a building facade steps back or is absent from the BTL, the BTL Line should be maintained and defined by fence, landscape wall or hedge 30" to 54" high.
All buildings must have a primary entrance along the front facade.
Loading docks, overhead doors and other service entries shall not be located on street-facing facades and shall instead be located in rear service areas.

§ 219-198 TC-4 Town Center Edge.

The intent of this district is to facilitate a transition from the vibrant and urbane heart of the Schodack's Town Center to the lower-intensity residential and Preserve areas on the periphery. Buildings in this mixed-use district are predominantly residential, are set slightly farther back from the street and heights and are somewhat shorter than those in the heart of the Town Center.

Figure 4: Illustrative example of buildings and site arrangement in the TC4 Town Center Edge District.

Town Center Edge examples.

This fourplex building type has individual unit entrances, marked by stoops, that are accessible from the sidewalk.	Attached live-work units are a unique building type that can introduce a mix of commercial and residential uses in small increments.
A duplex contains two separate housing units.	Pitched roofs help to give this mansion apartment building a comfortable scale.
Townhouses are attached to neighboring units, forming a well-defined street edge.	A single-family house structure containing a business.

Town Center Edge form.

Building Placement
Build-to Locations (Distance from Frontage/Property Line)
Front	5' min., 30' max.	Ⓐ
Side Street	5' min., 30' max.	Ⓑ
Interior Side Property Line	0' min.	Ⓒ
Rear	5' min.	Ⓓ

Frontage Buildout
Building Facade at BTL
Front	40% min.	Ⓔ
Side Street	30% min.
Street Facades must be built to the BTL for the first 30' on a corner.
Street Facades shall not exceed 50' in width without varying architectural expression.

Dedicated Residential Outdoor Open Space
Each residential unit shall be provided with unrestricted access to dedicated outdoor open space	40 square feet min. per unit
Distance from Residential Unit	50' max.
Permitted Configurations	Balcony, Porch, Yard, Courtyard, or Roof Terrace

Building Form
Height
Main Building	1 Story min.¹	Ⓕ
	3 Stories max.²	Ⓕ
Ground Floor Elev. Above Sidewalk	Comm. 6" max., Res. 24" min.	Ⓖ
Ground Floor Office/Retail Ceiling	14' min. clear	Ⓗ
Ceiling Height	9' min. clear	Ⓘ

NOTES:
¹	Measured from grade to eave or parapet base.
²	See definition of "Story" in Definitions.

Footprint
Depth, ground floor commercial space	15' min.	Ⓙ

Allowed Frontage Types (See § 219-200C, Facades)
▪ Shopfront	▪ Gallery
▪ Forecourt	▪ Stoop
▪ Porch

Allowed Use Types (See § 219-193, Permitted Uses Table)
Ground Floor	Office/Retail required within 150' of SR 9&20 Frontage Line	Ⓚ
All Floors Otherwise	All Permitted Uses Allowed	Ⓛ

Town Center Edge parking and encroachments.

Parking (See § 219-203, Parking Standards)
Parking Location (Distance from Frontage Line)
Front Setback	30' min.	Ⓜ
Side Street Setback	5' min.	Ⓝ
Side Setback	0' min.	Ⓞ
Rear Setback	5' min.	Ⓟ

District Specific Parking Requirements
Parking Curb Cut Width	15' max.	Ⓠ
No parking spaces are required for buildings that are < 500 sf.
Bicycle parking must be provided and in a secure environment, except in residential buildings with 4 units or less.

Other Allowed Encroachments
Balconies, Bay Windows, Awnings, etc.
Front	12' max.	Ⓡ
Side Street	8' max.	Ⓢ
Rear	4' max.	Ⓣ

Miscellaneous
Where a building facade steps back or is absent from the BTL, the BTL line should be maintained and defined by fence, landscape wall or hedge 30" to 54" high.
All buildings must have a primary entrance along the front facade.
Loading docks, overhead doors and other service entries shall not be located on street-facing facades and shall instead be located in rear service areas.

§ 219-199 TC-5 Town Center Preserve.

The preserve district consists of property that is primarily wetland. Development within this area is limited primarily due to wetland requirements, wetland buffers, and steep slopes. Limited boardwalk trails may be developed in order to access the area for recreational purposes.

Town Center Preserve examples.

Sample boardwalks through preserved areas.

§ 219-200 Town Center general standards.

Purpose. These general standards apply to the Town Center Districts, specifying standards for buildings that impact walkability and the quality of the public realm as well as parking requirements and the design of signage, lighting, and public open space.

Buildings standards. New or substantially renovated buildings shall comply with the following:

(1)

Primary entrances. The primary entrance of every building must directly face a street or a public space. A public space may include a central garden or courtyard when that public space opens directly onto the primary street. Additional building entrances are permitted.

(2)

Entry/exit doors. Public entry and exit doors which swing outward shall be recessed into the facade a minimum of three feet where the sidewalk abuts the building.

(3)

Window and door openings. Window and door openings in masonry facades should express a structural lintel above to express the conveyance of building weight. A similar method using wood trim can be used on wood-clad facades.

(4)

Columns/posts. The proportion of structural elements such as columns or posts should be appropriate to the weight they appear to be carrying.

Facades.

(1)

Material changes.

(a)

When materials are combined on a building facade horizontally, heavier materials should occur below lighter materials.

(b)

Changes from one material or color to another along the horizontal direction should occur at "inside corner" transitions.

(c)

Changes in material or color along the vertical direction should occur at a hard-edge "bump-out" transition which gives materials a surface to terminate into.

(d)

Facades with an overabundance of different materials or colors are generally discouraged.

(2)

Wide facades. Building facades longer than 150 feet shall be varied with at least one change of architectural expression.

(a)

These changes in expression may be a vertical element running from the ground plane to the roof, a change in fenestration, color, or texture, or a break in building facade plane or roof line.

(b)

These changes may be subtle or significant but should soften the visual effect of very wide buildings, especially those directly across the street from narrower buildings.

(c)

Strive for an appearance of authenticity when subdividing a large facade into multiple smaller facades resembling distinct buildings.

(3)

Facade transparency. All building facades which face onto a street or public space shall meet the minimum transparency requirements outlined herein. The percentage of transparency per story shall be calculated within the area between finished floor and finished ceiling and shall be a total percentage of doors and windows along that portion of the facade.

(a)

Minimum building facade transparency for ground story (retail): 60% and should allow a view of at least five feet of interior space.

(b)

Minimum building facade transparency for ground story (uses other than retail): 30%.

(c)

Minimum building facade transparency for upper stories: 30%.

Facade transparency requirements for buildings with a retail ground story

Facade transparency requirements for buildings with a non-retail ground story

Frontage types.

(1)

Building frontages in new construction or to enhance existing buildings shall conform with the basic Frontage Types set forth in this section.

(2)

The illustrations and photographs provided are for illustrative purposes, and need not be interpreted literally with regard to architectural styles.

(3)

Individual descriptions and form requirements of each Frontage Type are detailed on the following pages.

(4)

Frontage types: gallery.

A. Description.
The main facade of the building is at the Build-to Location and the Gallery element overlaps the sidewalk, eliminating the need for an awning. This Frontage Type is intended for buildings with ground-floor commercial or retail uses and may be one or two stories in height.

B. Size
Depth, Clear	8' min.	Ⓐ
Ground Floor Height, Clear	11' min.	Ⓑ
Upper Floor Height, Clear	9' min.	Ⓒ
Height	3 stories max	Ⓓ
Setback from Curb	2' min.; 3' max.	Ⓔ

C. Miscellaneous
Galleries must also follow all the rules of the Shopfront Frontage Type.

A gallery with slender metal columns
A wood-framed gallery	A masonry gallery with habitable space on the second floor

(5)

Frontage types: shopfront.

A. Description
The main facade of the building is at or near the frontage line and shall include a canopy or awning element that overlaps the sidewalk along the majority of the frontage. The canopy is a structural cantilevered shed roof and the awning is canvas or similar material and is often retractable.

B. Size
Distance between Glazing	2' max.	Ⓐ
Ground Floor Transparency	See General Standards
Door Recess	5' max.	Ⓑ

C. Canopy or Awning
Depth	4' min.	Ⓒ
Width, Cumulative	70% of facade width min.
Setback from Curb	2' min.	Ⓓ
Height, Clear	8' min.	Ⓔ

D. Miscellaneous
Doors may be recessed as long as main facade is at BTL.
Open ended awnings are encouraged.
Rounded and hooped awnings are discouraged.

A shopfront with a recessed doorway

A shopfront with a chamfered corner entry

(6)

Frontage types: forecourt.

A. Description
The primary portion of the building's main facade is at the Build-to Location while a small percentage is set back, creating a court space. This space can be used as an apartment entry court, garden space, or for restaurant outdoor dining.

B. Size
Width, Clear	12' min.	Ⓐ
Depth, Clear	12' min.	Ⓑ

C. Miscellaneous
Forecourts are especially useful along larger, more auto-dominant thoroughfares in order to provide well-shaped, intimately sized public outdoor spaces.

An elevated forecourt

An elevated forecourt forming a dining terrace

(7)

Frontage types: porch.

A. Description
The main facade of the building is at the build-to Location and the porch projects forward. The porch is used to access a first floor that is elevated above the sidewalk to ensure privacy within the building. A porch is large enough to function as an outdoor living space.

B. Size
Width, Clear	10' min.	Ⓐ
Depth, Clear	8' min.	Ⓑ
Height, Clear	8' min.	Ⓒ
Height	3 stories max.
Finish Level Above Sidewalk	18" min.	Ⓓ

A 2-story porch on an apartment building

A wraparound porch located close to the sidewalk

Appurtenances.

(1)

Each building with a shopfront on the ground story is required to have awnings, balconies, colonnades, or arcades facing the primary streets. See Subsection D, General Standards - Frontage Types, for dimensional requirements.

(2)

When appurtenances are to extend over public sidewalks, the property owner may be required to enter into a right-of-way agreement establishing the property owner's responsibility for repairing any damage that may result from public maintenance or improvements.

Roofs.

(1)

Flat roofs. Flat roof structures shall be bounded by an articulated parapet design which provides a noticeable "cap" to the building.

(a)

The parapet on a single-story facade should express at least six inches in overhang depth, and be at least 18 inches tall. Parapet overhang depth and height for taller facades should be increasingly larger.

(2)

Sloped roofs. Sloped roof structures are encouraged to maintain a pitch between 6:12 minimum and 12:12 maximum for all primary roof areas (not including dormers, entry canopies or similar accessory elements.)

(a)

Roof overhangs are encouraged to be at least six inches deep.

(b)

Dormers and gables are encouraged along front facades to help maintain a prominent facade, reduce the scale of long runs of roof and divert rainwater and snow from entry areas.

Specialty buildings. Within the Town Center Districts, it is anticipated that some automotive-oriented uses may be provided to serve the daily needs of residents. The following criteria shall be used to ensure these uses do not detract from the overall walkability of the district.

(1)

Gas stations. A ground-floor shopfront shall face the street and define the frontage of the lot. All pumps, parking, and drive-through areas must be located behind the shopfront building.

(2)

Drive-through. A ground-floor shopfront shall face the Primary Street. All parking shall be located in the rear and accessed from a rear alley when present. Drive-through windows shall be located to the side or rear of the building.

§ 219-201 Site standards.

Service areas and loading docks. Trash and recycling dumpsters or similar collection areas shall be located in the rear or to the side of buildings and screened from view from adjacent public rights-of-way, properties and pedestrian walkways (not including service alleys).

Mechanical equipment.

(1)

Mechanical equipment, including roof-mounted, facade-mounted, or ground-level-mounted, shall be screened from view from adjacent public spaces (does not include alleys).

(2)

Screening shall be achieved with non-deciduous landscape plantings, architectural building elements or parapet walls.

§ 219-202 Sign standards.

See Article VI, Signs, of this chapter.

§ 219-203 Parking standards.

The parking requirements of this section apply to all properties applying for a permit for the construction, renovation, addition, site plan alteration, or change of use. The intent of the parking standards is to encourage a balance between pedestrian-oriented development and necessary car storage for the Town Center. The goal is to construct neither more nor less parking than is needed.

Parking requirements.

(1)

Parking shall be provided for each use based upon the minimum and maximum requirements outlined by use in the Parking Requirement Chart.

(2)

Parking may be located on the same lot as the use it serves. Required parking may also be located on-street, provided the on-street parking space is directly adjacent to the business within a street, or in a non-adjacent parking lot, provided the space is within 1/4 mile of the building's front door.

(3)

A minimum of one bicycle parking space within a bicycle rack shall be provided for every three vehicular spaces.

(4)

Shared and reduced parking is encouraged in the Town Center. The minimum number of parking spaces required for uses may be reduced with Planning Board approval, if the reduction for these uses can be justified through a parking analysis.

Parking Requirement Chart
Use	Max # of Spaces Permitted in TC1; Min # of Spaces Required TC2-TC5:
Residential	1 per dwelling unit in mixed-use buildings 1.25 per dwelling unit in multi-family residential buildings 2 per single- or 2-family dwelling
Lodging	1 per guest room
Office	3 per 1,000 sq. ft. of office space
Retail	3 per 1,000 sq. ft. of retail space
Civic	TBD by the Town of Schodack
Education	1 per 12 students
Automotive/Transportation	2 per 1,000 sq. ft. of floor area
Other: General	TBD by the Town of Schodack
Other: Agricultural/Industrial	1 per employee on largest shift

Parking access.

(1)

All parking shall be accessed from rear alleys where they exist and/or from side streets if the lot is located on a corner. If no rear alley or side street exists, then efforts should be made to gain access across neighboring properties.

Parking: access by alley

(2)

When access to rear parking must be directly from the primary street, driveways shall be located along the sides of the property lines and designed such that pedestrians crossing on sidewalks always have the right-of-way.

Parking: access by street

§ 219-204 Lighting standards.

Adequate and quality lighting of the sidewalk and street area is essential to creating a safe and inviting streetscape. In addition to Town of Schodack regulations regarding lighting, the following standards and guidelines shall also apply to Town Center Districts:

General lighting standards.

(1)

Lighting fixtures shall be appropriately chosen for the Town Center. There shall also be consistency within the Town Center in creating a unifying scheme of illumination that is appropriate to the scale of the street and the level of evening activity. Lamp styles should not be mixed along any one particular block of a street.

(2)

Light fixtures shall be downcast or low-cutoff fixtures to prevent glare and light pollution.

(3)

In order to conserve energy and reduce long-term costs, energy-efficient lamps shall be used for all public realm lighting.

Street lighting.

(1)

A combination of pedestrian-scaled street light fixtures and intersection street light fixtures may be required to ensure a well-lit street area and to establish a unifying element along the street.

(2)

Pedestrian-scaled fixtures shall be used on all streets in Town Center District frontage areas.

(3)

Intersection-scaled lighting may be used in addition to pedestrian-scaled lights where required by the Town of Schodack.

Pedestrian and Intersection Lighting

(4)

Street lights shall be aligned with street tree placement (generally between 2.5 feet and four feet from the back of the curb). Placement of fixtures shall be coordinated with the organization of sidewalks, landscaping, street trees, building entries, curb cuts, signage, etc.

(5)

The height of light fixtures shall be kept low (generally not taller than 15 feet) to promote a pedestrian scale to the public realm and to minimize light spill to adjoining properties. Light fixtures shall be closely spaced (generally not more than 30 feet on center) to provide appropriate levels of illumination.

(6)

Light poles may include armature that allows for the hanging of banners or other amenities (e.g., hanging flower baskets, artwork, etc.).

Parking lot lighting.

(1)

All fixtures shall be full-cutoff, downward facing.

(2)

Light fixtures located within the interior asphalt area of a parking lot shall not exceed 30 feet in height.

(3)

Light fixtures located along the perimeter edge of a parking area within 50 feet of a property line shall not exceed 15 feet.

Pedestrian walkway lighting.

(1)

Light fixtures located along pedestrian walkways adjacent to parking lots shall not exceed 15 feet in height.

(2)

Light fixtures located along internal pedestrian walkways or paths not adjacent to a parking area shall not exceed 10 feet in height.

Building and security lighting.

(1)

All exterior building or security lighting must be full cutoff, shielded and/or angled downward to focus the light only on the intended doorway or walkway as necessary.

(2)

Security lighting is encouraged to be provided with regular pedestrian light fixtures where visible from the street or public way to match others used on site.

(3)

Building-mounted architectural "accent lights" are encouraged to emphasize architectural character and signage.

(4)

Business owners are encouraged to assist with lighting the sidewalk and to accent their business location by leaving display window and interior lighting on at night. Lighting shall be designed in such a way as to prevent the direct view of the light source to neighboring residential areas.

§ 219-205 Future streets.

Future streets general standards. Street configurations, public or private, shall be as designated on the Future Streets and Civic Spaces Map or as otherwise approved. The precise location and alignment of new streets may be adjusted to allow flexibility in the design of the site plan, but the number of connections provided to surrounding parcels shall not be reduced. The design of new streets and modifications to existing streets shall adhere to the following requirements:

(1)

Improvements to existing thoroughfares shall be coordinated with the Planning and Zoning Director. Some dimensional flexibility is permitted for street types to account for varying ROW widths; however, they shall be designed to have all the basic functional characteristics including roadway width, on-street parking, sidewalks, trails, street trees and landscaped areas shown for their type.

(2)

All streets shall connect to other streets.

(3)

Cul-de-sacs and T-turnarounds are not permitted.

(4)

Dead-end streets are only permitted for those shown on the Future Streets and Civic Spaces Map when the adjacent property has not been developed or redeveloped.

(5)

All streets shall have at least two travel lanes, one in each direction; however, streets around squares may have one travel lane with one-way traffic.

(6)

Where possible, there shall be parking lanes which in addition to on-street parking may be used for "dropoff" areas or bus stops.

(7)

On-street parking lanes shall not be closer than 25 feet to intersections measured from the curb line.

(8)

All streets shall have sidewalks which are a minimum width of five feet and have a continuous unobstructed path of a width no less than 60 inches. This path shall be unobstructed by utility poles, fire hydrants, benches or any other temporary or permanent structures.

(9)

With the exception of fire hydrants, utilities shall run underground, and aboveground projections of utilities shall be placed in rear service areas wherever practicable.

Curb radius. Corner curb radius designs fall into two distinct categories: corners with, and without, on-street parking.

(1)

Streets with on-street parking shall have curb radii of 15 feet maximum. Tight curb radii inhibit drivers from turning corners at high speeds, enhancing safety for pedestrians. The effective turning radius is larger than the curb radius when parking is present. Thus, the effective turning radius can be 30 plus feet when the curb radius is 15 feet.

(2)

Corners without parallel parking require the curb radii to be similar to the turning radii, with the curb radius between 20 feet and 30 feet.

Rear service lanes. Where possible, rear service lanes shall be used for access to parking and services at the rear of lots. See Rear Service Lane Chart for required dimensions.

(1)

Rear service lanes providing access to residential buildings shall be built to residential standards.

(2)

Rear service lanes providing access to nonresidential uses shall be built to non-residential standards.

(3)

Where a rear service lane provides access to a block with both residential and non-residential uses, it shall be built to a non-residential standard.

(4)

Rear service lanes should meet streets with a gutter pan, allowing the sidewalk to continue uninterrupted across a drive.

Rear Service Lane Type	Right-of-Way	Pavement Width
Residential	20' min.	12' to 18'
Non-Residential	20' min.	18' to 24'

§ 219-206 Civic spaces.

Civic space in the form of parks, greens, squares, plazas, playgrounds, or community gardens shall, at a minimum, be located according to the Future Streets and Civic Spaces Map. All designated civic spaces shall be at grade level and shall be accessible to the public.

Location and size of the designated civic spaces shall conform with the Civic Open Space Standards.

Squares and plazas shall be densely shaded and provide seating. Trees and shrubs shall be of sufficient quantity and located as to define a specific geometry of open space and shall promote security by allowing visibility through all areas.

Ground surface shall be a combination of paving, lawn or ground cover integrated in design with trees and shrubs. Fountains, sculpture, and works of art are encouraged. Street furniture shall not obstruct sight visibility triangles at street intersections.

New civic open spaces may be of the following types, which are allowable in various Town Center Districts as indicated by the letter "X" in the following table:

Civic Space Type	Must Front at Least:	Typical Size	Town Center District
Civic Space Type	Must Front at Least:	Typical Size	TC1	TC2	TC3	TC4
Park	1 street	Min. 8 acres			x	x
Green	2 streets	0.5 to 5 acres		x	x	x
Square	3 streets	0.5 to 2 acres	x	x	x
Plaza	1 street	0.1 to 2 acres	x
Playground	0 streets	0.1 to 1 acre	x	x	x	x
Community Garden	0 streets	0.1 to 1 acre	x	x	x	x

§ 219-207 Future streets and civic spaces map.

Map.

Neighborhood Street, Type 1.

Application
Movement Type	Slow
Design Speed	20 mph
Pedestrian Crossing Time	10.2 seconds

Overall Widths
Right-of-Way (ROW) Width	60' to 70'	Ⓐ
Curb Face to Curb Face Width	36'	Ⓑ

Lanes
Traffic Lanes	10'	Ⓒ
Bicycle Lanes	Sharrows
Parking Lanes	8'	Ⓓ
Medians	N/A
Note: On-street parking may be replaced with bicycle lanes on one or both sides with approval.

Edges
Curb Type	6" Raised
Planter Type	4' x 4' tree well adjacent to curb
Landscape Type	Medium Trees, evenly spaced @ 30' o.c. avg.
Walkway Type	12' to 17' sidewalk. (A 6' wide tree lawn may be incorporated adjacent to the curb in TC2, TC3, TC4 & TC5 zones.)	Ⓔ
Lighting	Aligned with street trees

Intersection
Curb Radius	10'
Distance Between Intersections	100' min.; see Regulating Plan
Note: Building placement and form requirements vary depending on Town Center District.		Ⓕ

Neighborhood Street, Type 2.

Application
Movement Type	Slow
Design Speed	20 mph
Pedestrian Crossing Time	9.7 seconds

Overall Widths
Right-of-Way (ROW) Width	70' to 80'	Ⓐ
Curb Face to Curb Face Width	34'	Ⓑ

Lanes
Traffic Lanes	10'	Ⓒ
Bicycle Lanes	6' sidewalk cycle track	Ⓓ
Parking Lanes	7'	Ⓔ
Medians	6'	Ⓕ
Note: Both bicycle lanes may be grouped together on one side of the street with approval.

Edges
Curb Type	6" Raised
Planter Type	4' x 4' tree well
Landscape Type	Medium Trees, evenly spaced @ 30' o.c. avg.
Walkway Type	6' to 11' sidewalk	Ⓖ
Lighting	Aligned with 4' by 4' tree wells

Intersection
Curb Radius	10'
Distance Between Intersections	100' min.; see Regulating Plan
Note: Building placement and form requirements vary depending on Town Center District.		Ⓖ

Neighborhood Street, Type 3.

Application
Movement Type	Slow
Design Speed	20 mph
Pedestrian Crossing Time	8 seconds

Overall Widths
Right-of-Way (ROW) Width	48' to 60'	Ⓐ
Curb Face to Curb Face Width	28'	Ⓑ

Lanes
Traffic Lanes	10'	Ⓒ
Bicycle Lanes	Sharrows
Parking Lanes	8'	Ⓓ
Medians	N/A

Edges
Curb Type	6" Raised
Planter Type	4' x 4' tree well
Landscape Type	Medium Trees, evenly spaced @ 30' o.c. avg.
Walkway Type	10' to 16' sidewalk	Ⓔ
Lighting	Aligned with 4' by 4' tree wells

Intersection
Curb Radius	10'
Distance Between Intersections	100' min.; see Regulating Plan
Note: Building placement and form requirements vary depending on Town Center District.		Ⓕ

Edge Street.

Application
Movement Type	Slow
Design Speed	20 mph
Pedestrian Crossing Time	10.2 seconds

Overall Widths
Right-of-Way (ROW) Width	60' to 70'	Ⓐ
Curb Face to Curb Face Width	36'	Ⓑ

Lanes
Traffic Lanes	10'	Ⓒ
Bicycle Lanes	7' buffered bike lane*	Ⓓ
Parking Lanes	N/A
Medians	N/A

Edges
Curb Type	6" Raised
Planter Type	6' by 8' swale	Ⓔ
Landscape Type	Medium Trees, evenly spaced @ 40' o.c. avg.
Walkway Type	6' to 8' sidewalk	Ⓕ
Lighting	Within 6' to 8' swale

Intersection
Curb Radius	10'
Distance Between Intersections	200' min.; see Regulating Plan
Note: Building placement and form requirements vary depending on Town Center District.		Ⓖ

*	The 7' buffered bike lane may alternatively be replaced with a 7' wide lane of parallel on-street parking, and either a travel lane sharrow or a cycle track.

SR 9&20.

Application
Movement Type	Medium
Design Speed	35 mph
Pedestrian Crossing Time	15 seconds

Overall Widths
Right-of-Way (ROW) Width	62' to 81'	Ⓐ
Curb Face to Curb Face Width	46' to 65'	Ⓑ

Lanes
Traffic Lanes	11'	Ⓒ
Bicycle Lanes	Sharrows	Ⓓ
Parking Lanes	N/A
Medians	10'	Ⓔ

Edges (located within easement adjacent to R.O.W.)
Curb Type	6" Raised
Planter Type	30' swale	Ⓕ
Landscape Type	Medium Trees, evenly spaced @ 30' o.c. avg.
Walkway Type	16' sidewalk min.	Ⓖ
Lighting	Aligned with trees

Intersection
Curb Radius	Existing Configuration
Distance Between Intersections	Existing Configuration
Note: Building placement and form requirements vary depending on Town Center District.		Ⓕ

§ 219-208 Town Center definitions.

APPURTENANCES

Porches, balconies, patios, seating areas, canopies awnings, etc., which extend outward from the facade of a building which do not count as an extension of the facade itself for the purposes of measuring setbacks and build-to locations.

BUILD-TO LOCATION

The specific location or flexible area where the facade of a building must be located, measured as both a minimum and maximum setback distance from the Frontage Line.

BUILDING HEIGHT

Building height is measured from the average front facade grade level to the mean height between the eaves and the roof peak (for sloped-roof structures) and to the top of the parapet (for flat-roof structures.)

CIVIC SPACE

A natural or landscaped outdoor area provided for the purpose of active or passive public recreation. May include publicly accessible outdoor amenities such as a playground, seating area, picnic area, multi-use path and temporary or permanent small outdoor performance space or religious facility.

FACADE TRANSPARENCY

The amount of transparent window glass or other openings in the facade of a building, relative to the overall surface area of the facade. Facade transparency is measured separately for the ground floor levels and upper floor levels. The ground floor area is measured between two feet above the ground to 12 feet above the ground. Facade transparency for upper floors is measured from second finished floor level to the ceiling of the topmost floor.

FRONTAGE BUILDOUT

The percentage of the lot width which must be occupied by building facade along the Build-To Location. For example, a property which is 100 feet wide with a frontage width percentage of 60% would require that at least 60 feet of facade length be maintained in the build-to location. Any additional length of front facade would be allowed to step back farther from the frontage line, if desired. The intent of this requirement is to encourage development to maximize their front facade exposure along the street or public space.

FRONTAGE LINE

The front of a presumed property where a development parcel or property meets with either a public or private right-of-way, street, or public space and is where the front of a building is to be located.

REGULATING PLAN

A map or set of maps that shows the physical locations and boundaries of regulatory items such as Zone Districts, Future Streets, and Civic Spaces subject to regulation by this code.

SETBACKS

The minimum distance a building facade or parking area must be located from a frontage line or public right-of-way. Similar to a Build-To Location, except the building or parking can be located anywhere behind that line.

Schodack City Zoning Code

ARTICLE XIX

Town Center

§ 219-191 Purpose of Schodack Town Center Plan.

Figure 1: A small pedestrian square on the NE corner of Schuurman Road and SR 9 & 20.

Figure 2: The heart of the Schodack Town Center facing SR 9 & 20.

§ 219-192 Town Center Districts.

The Town Center Districts for the Town of Schodack include:

(1)

TC1: Town Center Core.

(a)

(b)

To maximize vibrancy and walkability, this district features buildings close to the sidewalk, plentiful shade for pedestrians, and parking lots screened from view.

(2)

(3)

(4)

TC4: Town Center Edge.

(a)

(b)

(5)

§ 219-193 Permitted Uses Table.

The allowable uses in each Town Center District are as set forth in Attachment 1: Schedule of Use Table.

§ 219-195 TC-1 Town Center Core.

To maximize vibrancy and walkability, this district features buildings located close to the sidewalk, plentiful shade for pedestrians, and parking lots screened from view.

Figure 3: Illustrative example of buildings and site arrangement in the TC1 Town Center Core District.

Town Center Core examples.

Mixed-use buildings with simple basic massing, well-designed storefronts, and architecturally rich details.	A single-story commercial building with a generous ceiling height.
A street of commercial block buildings of varying heights and widths.	A shopfront building with pedestrian protection from sun and rain provided by a projecting second floor balcony.
Large shopfront windows provide interesting views for pedestrians.	This civic building, while modest in size, has grand proportions.

Town Center Core Form.

Building Placement
Build-to Locations (Distance from Frontage/Property Line)
Front	0' min., 8' max.	Ⓐ
Side Street	0' min., 8' max.	Ⓑ
Interior Side Property Line	0' min.	Ⓒ
Rear	5' min.	Ⓓ

Frontage Buildout
Building Facade at BTL
Front	80% min.	Ⓔ
Side Street	30% min.
Street Facades must be built to the BTL for the first 30' on a corner.

Dedicated Residential Outdoor Open Space
Each residential unit shall be provided with unrestricted access to dedicated outdoor open space	15 square feet min. per unit
Distance from Residential Unit	50' max.
Permitted Configurations	Balcony, Porch, Yard, Courtyard, or Roof Terrace

Building Form
Height
Main Building	22' min.¹	Ⓕ
	4 Stories max.²	Ⓕ
Ground Floor Elev. Above Sidewalk	Comm. 6" max., Res. 24" min.	Ⓖ
Ground Floor Office/Retail Ceiling	14' min. clear	Ⓗ
Ceiling Height	9' min. clear	Ⓘ

NOTES:
¹	Measured from grade to eave or parapet base.
²	See definition of "Story" in Definitions.

Footprint
Depth, ground floor commercial space:	15' min.	Ⓙ

Allowed Frontage Types (See § 219-200C, Facades)
▪ Shopfront	▪ Gallery
▪ Forecourt	▪ Stoop
▪ Porch

Allowed Use Types (See § 219-193, Permitted Uses Table)
Ground Floor	Office/Retail required within 150' of SR 9&20 Frontage Line	Ⓚ
All Floors Otherwise	All Permitted Uses Allowed	Ⓛ

Town Center Core parking and encroachments.

Parking (See § 219-203, Parking Standards)
Parking Location (Distance from Property Line)
Front Setback	30' min.	Ⓜ
Side Street Setback	30' min.	Ⓝ
Side Setback	0' min.	Ⓞ
Rear Setback	5' min.	Ⓟ

District Specific Parking Requirements
Parking Curb Cut Width	15' max.	Ⓠ
No parking spaces are required for buildings that are < 500 sf
Bicycle parking must be provided and in a secure environment, except in residential buildings with 4 units or less.

Other Allowed Encroachments
Balconies, Bay Windows, Awnings, etc.
Front	12' max.	Ⓡ
Side Street	8' max.	Ⓢ
Rear	4' max.	Ⓣ

Miscellaneous
Where a building facade steps back or is absent from the BTL, the BTL line should be maintained and defined by fence, landscape wall or hedge 30" to 54" high.
All buildings must have a primary entrance along the front facade.
Loading docks, overhead doors and other service entries shall not be located on street-facing facades and shall instead be located in rear service areas.

§ 219-196 TC-2 Town Center Corridor.

Illustrative example of buildings and site arrangement in the TC2 Town Center Corridor District.

Town Center Corridor examples.

Rowhouses and shopfront buildings set behind a shared public space.	Shopfront buildings with varying heights lend this street a casual yet urbane feel.
Rowhouses with at-grade ground-floor entrances as well as stoops leading to second floor entries.	Simple architectural forms with strong, upright proportions.
A small apartment building designed to look like a large house.	Rowhouses forming a well-defined edge to the street.

Town Center Corridor form.

Building Placement
Build-to Locations (Distance from Frontage/Property Line)
Front	0' min., 20' max.	Ⓐ
Side Street	0' min., 20' max.	Ⓑ
Interior Side Property Line	0' min.	Ⓒ
Rear	5' min.	Ⓓ

Frontage Buildout
Building Facade at BTL
Front	50% min.	Ⓔ
Side Street	30% min.
Street Facades must be built to the BTL for the first 30' on a corner.

Dedicated Residential Outdoor Open Space
Each residential unit shall be provided with unrestricted access to dedicated outdoor open space	20 square feet min. per unit
Distance from Residential Unit	50' max.
Permitted Configurations	Balcony, Porch, Yard, Courtyard, or Roof Terrace

Building Form
Height
Main Building	16' min.¹	Ⓕ
	3 Stories max.²	Ⓕ
Ground Floor Elev. Above Sidewalk	Comm. 6" max., Res. 24" min.	Ⓖ
Ground Floor Office/Retail Ceiling	14' min. clear	Ⓗ
Ceiling Height	9' min. clear	Ⓘ

NOTES:
¹	Measured from grade to eave or parapet base.
²	See definition of "Story" in Definitions.

Footprint
Depth, ground floor commercial space:	15' min.	Ⓙ

Allowed Frontage Types (See § 219-200C, Facades)
▪ Shopfront	▪ Gallery
▪ Forecourt	▪ Stoop
▪ Porch

Allowed Use Types (See § 219-193, Permitted Uses Table)
Ground Floor	Office/Retail required within 150' of SR 9&20 Frontage Line	Ⓚ
All Floors Otherwise	All Permitted Uses Allowed	Ⓛ

§ 219-197 TC-3 Town Center General.

Illustrative example of buildings and site arrangement in the TC3 Town Center General District.

Town Center General examples.

This commercial building features a narrow band of parking.	A strong cornice line and plentiful windows lend this restaurant an urbane feel.
A small commercial building designed in the form of a cottage.	A small apartment building designed to blend with surrounding single-family detached houses.
A low garden wall marks the property line.	A small office building designed as a cottage.

Town Center General form.

Building Placement
Build-to Locations (Distance from Frontage/Property Line)
Front	0' min., 75' max.	Ⓐ
Side Street	0' min., 75' max.	Ⓑ
Interior Side Property Line	0' min.	Ⓒ
Rear	5' min.	Ⓓ

Frontage Buildout
Building Facade at BTL
Front	30% min.	Ⓔ
Side Street	30% min.
Street Facades must be built to the BTL for the first 30' on a corner.

Dedicated Residential Outdoor Open Space
Each residential unit shall be provided with unrestricted access to dedicated outdoor open space	30 square feet min. per unit
Distance from Residential Unit	50' max.
Permitted Configurations	Balcony, Porch, Yard, Courtyard, or Roof Terrace

Building Form
Height
Main Building	22' min.¹	Ⓕ
	3 Stories max.²	Ⓕ
Ground Floor Elev. Above Sidewalk	Comm. 6" max., Res. 24" min.	Ⓖ
Ground Floor Office/Retail Ceiling	14' min. clear	Ⓗ
Ceiling Height	9' min. clear	Ⓘ

NOTES:
¹	Measured from grade to eave or parapet base
²	See definition of "Story" in Definitions.

Footprint
Depth, ground floor commercial space:	15' min.	Ⓙ

Allowed Frontage Types (See § 219-200C, Facades)
▪ Shopfront	▪ Gallery
▪ Forecourt	▪ Stoop
▪ Porch

Allowed Use Types (See § 219-193, Permitted Uses Table)
Ground Floor	All Permitted Uses Allowed	Ⓚ
All Floors Otherwise	All Permitted Uses Allowed	Ⓛ

Town Center General parking and encroachments.

Parking (See Sect. 3-5 Parking Standards)
Parking Location (Distance from Property Line)
Front Setback	0' min., 30' max.	Ⓜ
Side Street Setback	0' min., 30' max.	Ⓝ
Side Setback	0' min.	Ⓞ
Rear Setback	5' min.	Ⓟ

District Specific Parking Requirements
Parking Curb Cut Width	15' max.	Ⓠ
No parking spaces are required for buildings that are < 500 sf.
Bicycle parking must be provided and in a secure environment, except in residential buildings with 4 units or less.

Other Allowed Encroachments
Balconies, Bay Windows, Awnings, etc.
Front	12' max.	Ⓡ
Side Street	8' max.	Ⓢ
Rear	4' max.	Ⓣ

Miscellaneous
Where a building facade steps back or is absent from the BTL, the BTL Line should be maintained and defined by fence, landscape wall or hedge 30" to 54" high.
All buildings must have a primary entrance along the front facade.
Loading docks, overhead doors and other service entries shall not be located on street-facing facades and shall instead be located in rear service areas.

§ 219-198 TC-4 Town Center Edge.

Figure 4: Illustrative example of buildings and site arrangement in the TC4 Town Center Edge District.

Town Center Edge examples.

This fourplex building type has individual unit entrances, marked by stoops, that are accessible from the sidewalk.	Attached live-work units are a unique building type that can introduce a mix of commercial and residential uses in small increments.
A duplex contains two separate housing units.	Pitched roofs help to give this mansion apartment building a comfortable scale.
Townhouses are attached to neighboring units, forming a well-defined street edge.	A single-family house structure containing a business.

Town Center Edge form.

Building Placement
Build-to Locations (Distance from Frontage/Property Line)
Front	5' min., 30' max.	Ⓐ
Side Street	5' min., 30' max.	Ⓑ
Interior Side Property Line	0' min.	Ⓒ
Rear	5' min.	Ⓓ

Frontage Buildout
Building Facade at BTL
Front	40% min.	Ⓔ
Side Street	30% min.
Street Facades must be built to the BTL for the first 30' on a corner.
Street Facades shall not exceed 50' in width without varying architectural expression.

Dedicated Residential Outdoor Open Space
Each residential unit shall be provided with unrestricted access to dedicated outdoor open space	40 square feet min. per unit
Distance from Residential Unit	50' max.
Permitted Configurations	Balcony, Porch, Yard, Courtyard, or Roof Terrace

Building Form
Height
Main Building	1 Story min.¹	Ⓕ
	3 Stories max.²	Ⓕ
Ground Floor Elev. Above Sidewalk	Comm. 6" max., Res. 24" min.	Ⓖ
Ground Floor Office/Retail Ceiling	14' min. clear	Ⓗ
Ceiling Height	9' min. clear	Ⓘ

NOTES:
¹	Measured from grade to eave or parapet base.
²	See definition of "Story" in Definitions.

Footprint
Depth, ground floor commercial space	15' min.	Ⓙ

Allowed Frontage Types (See § 219-200C, Facades)
▪ Shopfront	▪ Gallery
▪ Forecourt	▪ Stoop
▪ Porch

Allowed Use Types (See § 219-193, Permitted Uses Table)
Ground Floor	Office/Retail required within 150' of SR 9&20 Frontage Line	Ⓚ
All Floors Otherwise	All Permitted Uses Allowed	Ⓛ

Town Center Edge parking and encroachments.

Parking (See § 219-203, Parking Standards)
Parking Location (Distance from Frontage Line)
Front Setback	30' min.	Ⓜ
Side Street Setback	5' min.	Ⓝ
Side Setback	0' min.	Ⓞ
Rear Setback	5' min.	Ⓟ

District Specific Parking Requirements
Parking Curb Cut Width	15' max.	Ⓠ
No parking spaces are required for buildings that are < 500 sf.
Bicycle parking must be provided and in a secure environment, except in residential buildings with 4 units or less.

Other Allowed Encroachments
Balconies, Bay Windows, Awnings, etc.
Front	12' max.	Ⓡ
Side Street	8' max.	Ⓢ
Rear	4' max.	Ⓣ

Miscellaneous
Where a building facade steps back or is absent from the BTL, the BTL line should be maintained and defined by fence, landscape wall or hedge 30" to 54" high.
All buildings must have a primary entrance along the front facade.
Loading docks, overhead doors and other service entries shall not be located on street-facing facades and shall instead be located in rear service areas.

§ 219-199 TC-5 Town Center Preserve.

Town Center Preserve examples.

Sample boardwalks through preserved areas.

§ 219-200 Town Center general standards.

Buildings standards. New or substantially renovated buildings shall comply with the following:

(1)

(2)

Entry/exit doors. Public entry and exit doors which swing outward shall be recessed into the facade a minimum of three feet where the sidewalk abuts the building.

(3)

(4)

Columns/posts. The proportion of structural elements such as columns or posts should be appropriate to the weight they appear to be carrying.

Facades.

(1)

Material changes.

(a)

When materials are combined on a building facade horizontally, heavier materials should occur below lighter materials.

(b)

Changes from one material or color to another along the horizontal direction should occur at "inside corner" transitions.

(c)

Changes in material or color along the vertical direction should occur at a hard-edge "bump-out" transition which gives materials a surface to terminate into.

(d)

Facades with an overabundance of different materials or colors are generally discouraged.

(2)

Wide facades. Building facades longer than 150 feet shall be varied with at least one change of architectural expression.

(a)

These changes in expression may be a vertical element running from the ground plane to the roof, a change in fenestration, color, or texture, or a break in building facade plane or roof line.

(b)

These changes may be subtle or significant but should soften the visual effect of very wide buildings, especially those directly across the street from narrower buildings.

(c)

Strive for an appearance of authenticity when subdividing a large facade into multiple smaller facades resembling distinct buildings.

(3)

(a)

Minimum building facade transparency for ground story (retail): 60% and should allow a view of at least five feet of interior space.

(b)

Minimum building facade transparency for ground story (uses other than retail): 30%.

(c)

Minimum building facade transparency for upper stories: 30%.

Facade transparency requirements for buildings with a retail ground story

Facade transparency requirements for buildings with a non-retail ground story

Frontage types.

(1)

Building frontages in new construction or to enhance existing buildings shall conform with the basic Frontage Types set forth in this section.

(2)

The illustrations and photographs provided are for illustrative purposes, and need not be interpreted literally with regard to architectural styles.

(3)

Individual descriptions and form requirements of each Frontage Type are detailed on the following pages.

(4)

Frontage types: gallery.

A. Description.
The main facade of the building is at the Build-to Location and the Gallery element overlaps the sidewalk, eliminating the need for an awning. This Frontage Type is intended for buildings with ground-floor commercial or retail uses and may be one or two stories in height.

B. Size
Depth, Clear	8' min.	Ⓐ
Ground Floor Height, Clear	11' min.	Ⓑ
Upper Floor Height, Clear	9' min.	Ⓒ
Height	3 stories max	Ⓓ
Setback from Curb	2' min.; 3' max.	Ⓔ

C. Miscellaneous
Galleries must also follow all the rules of the Shopfront Frontage Type.

A gallery with slender metal columns
A wood-framed gallery	A masonry gallery with habitable space on the second floor

(5)

Frontage types: shopfront.

A. Description
The main facade of the building is at or near the frontage line and shall include a canopy or awning element that overlaps the sidewalk along the majority of the frontage. The canopy is a structural cantilevered shed roof and the awning is canvas or similar material and is often retractable.

B. Size
Distance between Glazing	2' max.	Ⓐ
Ground Floor Transparency	See General Standards
Door Recess	5' max.	Ⓑ

C. Canopy or Awning
Depth	4' min.	Ⓒ
Width, Cumulative	70% of facade width min.
Setback from Curb	2' min.	Ⓓ
Height, Clear	8' min.	Ⓔ

D. Miscellaneous
Doors may be recessed as long as main facade is at BTL.
Open ended awnings are encouraged.
Rounded and hooped awnings are discouraged.

A shopfront with a recessed doorway

A shopfront with a chamfered corner entry

(6)

Frontage types: forecourt.

A. Description
The primary portion of the building's main facade is at the Build-to Location while a small percentage is set back, creating a court space. This space can be used as an apartment entry court, garden space, or for restaurant outdoor dining.

B. Size
Width, Clear	12' min.	Ⓐ
Depth, Clear	12' min.	Ⓑ

C. Miscellaneous
Forecourts are especially useful along larger, more auto-dominant thoroughfares in order to provide well-shaped, intimately sized public outdoor spaces.

An elevated forecourt

An elevated forecourt forming a dining terrace

(7)

Frontage types: porch.

A. Description
The main facade of the building is at the build-to Location and the porch projects forward. The porch is used to access a first floor that is elevated above the sidewalk to ensure privacy within the building. A porch is large enough to function as an outdoor living space.

B. Size
Width, Clear	10' min.	Ⓐ
Depth, Clear	8' min.	Ⓑ
Height, Clear	8' min.	Ⓒ
Height	3 stories max.
Finish Level Above Sidewalk	18" min.	Ⓓ

A 2-story porch on an apartment building

A wraparound porch located close to the sidewalk

Appurtenances.

(1)

(2)

Roofs.

(1)

Flat roofs. Flat roof structures shall be bounded by an articulated parapet design which provides a noticeable "cap" to the building.

(a)

(2)

(a)

Roof overhangs are encouraged to be at least six inches deep.

(b)

Dormers and gables are encouraged along front facades to help maintain a prominent facade, reduce the scale of long runs of roof and divert rainwater and snow from entry areas.

(1)

Gas stations. A ground-floor shopfront shall face the street and define the frontage of the lot. All pumps, parking, and drive-through areas must be located behind the shopfront building.

(2)

§ 219-201 Site standards.

Mechanical equipment.

(1)

Mechanical equipment, including roof-mounted, facade-mounted, or ground-level-mounted, shall be screened from view from adjacent public spaces (does not include alleys).

(2)

Screening shall be achieved with non-deciduous landscape plantings, architectural building elements or parapet walls.

§ 219-202 Sign standards.

See Article VI, Signs, of this chapter.

§ 219-203 Parking standards.

Parking requirements.

(1)

Parking shall be provided for each use based upon the minimum and maximum requirements outlined by use in the Parking Requirement Chart.

(2)

(3)

A minimum of one bicycle parking space within a bicycle rack shall be provided for every three vehicular spaces.

(4)

Parking Requirement Chart
Use	Max # of Spaces Permitted in TC1; Min # of Spaces Required TC2-TC5:
Residential	1 per dwelling unit in mixed-use buildings 1.25 per dwelling unit in multi-family residential buildings 2 per single- or 2-family dwelling
Lodging	1 per guest room
Office	3 per 1,000 sq. ft. of office space
Retail	3 per 1,000 sq. ft. of retail space
Civic	TBD by the Town of Schodack
Education	1 per 12 students
Automotive/Transportation	2 per 1,000 sq. ft. of floor area
Other: General	TBD by the Town of Schodack
Other: Agricultural/Industrial	1 per employee on largest shift

Parking access.

(1)

Parking: access by alley

(2)

Parking: access by street

§ 219-204 Lighting standards.

General lighting standards.

(1)

(2)

Light fixtures shall be downcast or low-cutoff fixtures to prevent glare and light pollution.

(3)

In order to conserve energy and reduce long-term costs, energy-efficient lamps shall be used for all public realm lighting.

Street lighting.

(1)

A combination of pedestrian-scaled street light fixtures and intersection street light fixtures may be required to ensure a well-lit street area and to establish a unifying element along the street.

(2)

Pedestrian-scaled fixtures shall be used on all streets in Town Center District frontage areas.

(3)

Intersection-scaled lighting may be used in addition to pedestrian-scaled lights where required by the Town of Schodack.

Pedestrian and Intersection Lighting

(4)

(5)

(6)

Light poles may include armature that allows for the hanging of banners or other amenities (e.g., hanging flower baskets, artwork, etc.).

Parking lot lighting.

(1)

All fixtures shall be full-cutoff, downward facing.

(2)

Light fixtures located within the interior asphalt area of a parking lot shall not exceed 30 feet in height.

(3)

Light fixtures located along the perimeter edge of a parking area within 50 feet of a property line shall not exceed 15 feet.

Pedestrian walkway lighting.

(1)

Light fixtures located along pedestrian walkways adjacent to parking lots shall not exceed 15 feet in height.

(2)

Light fixtures located along internal pedestrian walkways or paths not adjacent to a parking area shall not exceed 10 feet in height.

Building and security lighting.

(1)

All exterior building or security lighting must be full cutoff, shielded and/or angled downward to focus the light only on the intended doorway or walkway as necessary.

(2)

Security lighting is encouraged to be provided with regular pedestrian light fixtures where visible from the street or public way to match others used on site.

(3)

Building-mounted architectural "accent lights" are encouraged to emphasize architectural character and signage.

(4)

§ 219-205 Future streets.

(1)

(2)

All streets shall connect to other streets.

(3)

Cul-de-sacs and T-turnarounds are not permitted.

(4)

Dead-end streets are only permitted for those shown on the Future Streets and Civic Spaces Map when the adjacent property has not been developed or redeveloped.

(5)

All streets shall have at least two travel lanes, one in each direction; however, streets around squares may have one travel lane with one-way traffic.

(6)

Where possible, there shall be parking lanes which in addition to on-street parking may be used for "dropoff" areas or bus stops.

(7)

On-street parking lanes shall not be closer than 25 feet to intersections measured from the curb line.

(8)

(9)

With the exception of fire hydrants, utilities shall run underground, and aboveground projections of utilities shall be placed in rear service areas wherever practicable.

Curb radius. Corner curb radius designs fall into two distinct categories: corners with, and without, on-street parking.

(1)

(2)

Corners without parallel parking require the curb radii to be similar to the turning radii, with the curb radius between 20 feet and 30 feet.

Rear service lanes. Where possible, rear service lanes shall be used for access to parking and services at the rear of lots. See Rear Service Lane Chart for required dimensions.

(1)

Rear service lanes providing access to residential buildings shall be built to residential standards.

(2)

Rear service lanes providing access to nonresidential uses shall be built to non-residential standards.

(3)

Where a rear service lane provides access to a block with both residential and non-residential uses, it shall be built to a non-residential standard.

(4)

Rear service lanes should meet streets with a gutter pan, allowing the sidewalk to continue uninterrupted across a drive.

Rear Service Lane Type	Right-of-Way	Pavement Width
Residential	20' min.	12' to 18'
Non-Residential	20' min.	18' to 24'

§ 219-206 Civic spaces.

Location and size of the designated civic spaces shall conform with the Civic Open Space Standards.

New civic open spaces may be of the following types, which are allowable in various Town Center Districts as indicated by the letter "X" in the following table:

Civic Space Type	Must Front at Least:	Typical Size	Town Center District
Civic Space Type	Must Front at Least:	Typical Size	TC1	TC2	TC3	TC4
Park	1 street	Min. 8 acres			x	x
Green	2 streets	0.5 to 5 acres		x	x	x
Square	3 streets	0.5 to 2 acres	x	x	x
Plaza	1 street	0.1 to 2 acres	x
Playground	0 streets	0.1 to 1 acre	x	x	x	x
Community Garden	0 streets	0.1 to 1 acre	x	x	x	x

§ 219-207 Future streets and civic spaces map.

Map.

Neighborhood Street, Type 1.

Application
Movement Type	Slow
Design Speed	20 mph
Pedestrian Crossing Time	10.2 seconds

Overall Widths
Right-of-Way (ROW) Width	60' to 70'	Ⓐ
Curb Face to Curb Face Width	36'	Ⓑ

Lanes
Traffic Lanes	10'	Ⓒ
Bicycle Lanes	Sharrows
Parking Lanes	8'	Ⓓ
Medians	N/A
Note: On-street parking may be replaced with bicycle lanes on one or both sides with approval.

Edges
Curb Type	6" Raised
Planter Type	4' x 4' tree well adjacent to curb
Landscape Type	Medium Trees, evenly spaced @ 30' o.c. avg.
Walkway Type	12' to 17' sidewalk. (A 6' wide tree lawn may be incorporated adjacent to the curb in TC2, TC3, TC4 & TC5 zones.)	Ⓔ
Lighting	Aligned with street trees

Intersection
Curb Radius	10'
Distance Between Intersections	100' min.; see Regulating Plan
Note: Building placement and form requirements vary depending on Town Center District.		Ⓕ

Neighborhood Street, Type 2.

Application
Movement Type	Slow
Design Speed	20 mph
Pedestrian Crossing Time	9.7 seconds

Overall Widths
Right-of-Way (ROW) Width	70' to 80'	Ⓐ
Curb Face to Curb Face Width	34'	Ⓑ

Lanes
Traffic Lanes	10'	Ⓒ
Bicycle Lanes	6' sidewalk cycle track	Ⓓ
Parking Lanes	7'	Ⓔ
Medians	6'	Ⓕ
Note: Both bicycle lanes may be grouped together on one side of the street with approval.

Edges
Curb Type	6" Raised
Planter Type	4' x 4' tree well
Landscape Type	Medium Trees, evenly spaced @ 30' o.c. avg.
Walkway Type	6' to 11' sidewalk	Ⓖ
Lighting	Aligned with 4' by 4' tree wells

Intersection
Curb Radius	10'
Distance Between Intersections	100' min.; see Regulating Plan
Note: Building placement and form requirements vary depending on Town Center District.		Ⓖ

Neighborhood Street, Type 3.

Application
Movement Type	Slow
Design Speed	20 mph
Pedestrian Crossing Time	8 seconds

Overall Widths
Right-of-Way (ROW) Width	48' to 60'	Ⓐ
Curb Face to Curb Face Width	28'	Ⓑ

Lanes
Traffic Lanes	10'	Ⓒ
Bicycle Lanes	Sharrows
Parking Lanes	8'	Ⓓ
Medians	N/A

Edges
Curb Type	6" Raised
Planter Type	4' x 4' tree well
Landscape Type	Medium Trees, evenly spaced @ 30' o.c. avg.
Walkway Type	10' to 16' sidewalk	Ⓔ
Lighting	Aligned with 4' by 4' tree wells

Intersection
Curb Radius	10'
Distance Between Intersections	100' min.; see Regulating Plan
Note: Building placement and form requirements vary depending on Town Center District.		Ⓕ

Edge Street.

Application
Movement Type	Slow
Design Speed	20 mph
Pedestrian Crossing Time	10.2 seconds

Overall Widths
Right-of-Way (ROW) Width	60' to 70'	Ⓐ
Curb Face to Curb Face Width	36'	Ⓑ

Lanes
Traffic Lanes	10'	Ⓒ
Bicycle Lanes	7' buffered bike lane*	Ⓓ
Parking Lanes	N/A
Medians	N/A

Edges
Curb Type	6" Raised
Planter Type	6' by 8' swale	Ⓔ
Landscape Type	Medium Trees, evenly spaced @ 40' o.c. avg.
Walkway Type	6' to 8' sidewalk	Ⓕ
Lighting	Within 6' to 8' swale

Intersection
Curb Radius	10'
Distance Between Intersections	200' min.; see Regulating Plan
Note: Building placement and form requirements vary depending on Town Center District.		Ⓖ

*	The 7' buffered bike lane may alternatively be replaced with a 7' wide lane of parallel on-street parking, and either a travel lane sharrow or a cycle track.

SR 9&20.

Application
Movement Type	Medium
Design Speed	35 mph
Pedestrian Crossing Time	15 seconds

Overall Widths
Right-of-Way (ROW) Width	62' to 81'	Ⓐ
Curb Face to Curb Face Width	46' to 65'	Ⓑ

Lanes
Traffic Lanes	11'	Ⓒ
Bicycle Lanes	Sharrows	Ⓓ
Parking Lanes	N/A
Medians	10'	Ⓔ

Edges (located within easement adjacent to R.O.W.)
Curb Type	6" Raised
Planter Type	30' swale	Ⓕ
Landscape Type	Medium Trees, evenly spaced @ 30' o.c. avg.
Walkway Type	16' sidewalk min.	Ⓖ
Lighting	Aligned with trees

Intersection
Curb Radius	Existing Configuration
Distance Between Intersections	Existing Configuration
Note: Building placement and form requirements vary depending on Town Center District.		Ⓕ

§ 219-208 Town Center definitions.

APPURTENANCES

BUILD-TO LOCATION

The specific location or flexible area where the facade of a building must be located, measured as both a minimum and maximum setback distance from the Frontage Line.

A map or set of maps that shows the physical locations and boundaries of regulatory items such as Zone Districts, Future Streets, and Civic Spaces subject to regulation by this code.

SETBACKS

Schodack City Zoning Code

ARTICLE XIX

Town Center

§ 219-191 Purpose of Schodack Town Center Plan.

Figure 1: A small pedestrian square on the NE corner of Schuurman Road and SR 9 & 20.

Figure 2: The heart of the Schodack Town Center facing SR 9 & 20.

§ 219-192 Town Center Districts.

The Town Center Districts for the Town of Schodack include:

(1)

TC1: Town Center Core.

(a)

(b)

To maximize vibrancy and walkability, this district features buildings close to the sidewalk, plentiful shade for pedestrians, and parking lots screened from view.

(2)

(3)

(4)

TC4: Town Center Edge.

(a)

(b)

(5)

§ 219-193 Permitted Uses Table.

The allowable uses in each Town Center District are as set forth in Attachment 1: Schedule of Use Table.

§ 219-195 TC-1 Town Center Core.

To maximize vibrancy and walkability, this district features buildings located close to the sidewalk, plentiful shade for pedestrians, and parking lots screened from view.

Figure 3: Illustrative example of buildings and site arrangement in the TC1 Town Center Core District.

Town Center Core examples.

Mixed-use buildings with simple basic massing, well-designed storefronts, and architecturally rich details.	A single-story commercial building with a generous ceiling height.
A street of commercial block buildings of varying heights and widths.	A shopfront building with pedestrian protection from sun and rain provided by a projecting second floor balcony.
Large shopfront windows provide interesting views for pedestrians.	This civic building, while modest in size, has grand proportions.

Town Center Core Form.

Building Placement
Build-to Locations (Distance from Frontage/Property Line)
Front	0' min., 8' max.	Ⓐ
Side Street	0' min., 8' max.	Ⓑ
Interior Side Property Line	0' min.	Ⓒ
Rear	5' min.	Ⓓ

Frontage Buildout
Building Facade at BTL
Front	80% min.	Ⓔ
Side Street	30% min.
Street Facades must be built to the BTL for the first 30' on a corner.

Dedicated Residential Outdoor Open Space
Each residential unit shall be provided with unrestricted access to dedicated outdoor open space	15 square feet min. per unit
Distance from Residential Unit	50' max.
Permitted Configurations	Balcony, Porch, Yard, Courtyard, or Roof Terrace

Building Form
Height
Main Building	22' min.¹	Ⓕ
	4 Stories max.²	Ⓕ
Ground Floor Elev. Above Sidewalk	Comm. 6" max., Res. 24" min.	Ⓖ
Ground Floor Office/Retail Ceiling	14' min. clear	Ⓗ
Ceiling Height	9' min. clear	Ⓘ

NOTES:
¹	Measured from grade to eave or parapet base.
²	See definition of "Story" in Definitions.

Footprint
Depth, ground floor commercial space:	15' min.	Ⓙ

Allowed Frontage Types (See § 219-200C, Facades)
▪ Shopfront	▪ Gallery
▪ Forecourt	▪ Stoop
▪ Porch

Allowed Use Types (See § 219-193, Permitted Uses Table)
Ground Floor	Office/Retail required within 150' of SR 9&20 Frontage Line	Ⓚ
All Floors Otherwise	All Permitted Uses Allowed	Ⓛ

Town Center Core parking and encroachments.

Parking (See § 219-203, Parking Standards)
Parking Location (Distance from Property Line)
Front Setback	30' min.	Ⓜ
Side Street Setback	30' min.	Ⓝ
Side Setback	0' min.	Ⓞ
Rear Setback	5' min.	Ⓟ

District Specific Parking Requirements
Parking Curb Cut Width	15' max.	Ⓠ
No parking spaces are required for buildings that are < 500 sf
Bicycle parking must be provided and in a secure environment, except in residential buildings with 4 units or less.

Other Allowed Encroachments
Balconies, Bay Windows, Awnings, etc.
Front	12' max.	Ⓡ
Side Street	8' max.	Ⓢ
Rear	4' max.	Ⓣ

Miscellaneous
Where a building facade steps back or is absent from the BTL, the BTL line should be maintained and defined by fence, landscape wall or hedge 30" to 54" high.
All buildings must have a primary entrance along the front facade.
Loading docks, overhead doors and other service entries shall not be located on street-facing facades and shall instead be located in rear service areas.

§ 219-196 TC-2 Town Center Corridor.

Illustrative example of buildings and site arrangement in the TC2 Town Center Corridor District.

Town Center Corridor examples.

Rowhouses and shopfront buildings set behind a shared public space.	Shopfront buildings with varying heights lend this street a casual yet urbane feel.
Rowhouses with at-grade ground-floor entrances as well as stoops leading to second floor entries.	Simple architectural forms with strong, upright proportions.
A small apartment building designed to look like a large house.	Rowhouses forming a well-defined edge to the street.

Town Center Corridor form.

Building Placement
Build-to Locations (Distance from Frontage/Property Line)
Front	0' min., 20' max.	Ⓐ
Side Street	0' min., 20' max.	Ⓑ
Interior Side Property Line	0' min.	Ⓒ
Rear	5' min.	Ⓓ

Frontage Buildout
Building Facade at BTL
Front	50% min.	Ⓔ
Side Street	30% min.
Street Facades must be built to the BTL for the first 30' on a corner.

Dedicated Residential Outdoor Open Space
Each residential unit shall be provided with unrestricted access to dedicated outdoor open space	20 square feet min. per unit
Distance from Residential Unit	50' max.
Permitted Configurations	Balcony, Porch, Yard, Courtyard, or Roof Terrace

Building Form
Height
Main Building	16' min.¹	Ⓕ
	3 Stories max.²	Ⓕ
Ground Floor Elev. Above Sidewalk	Comm. 6" max., Res. 24" min.	Ⓖ
Ground Floor Office/Retail Ceiling	14' min. clear	Ⓗ
Ceiling Height	9' min. clear	Ⓘ

NOTES:
¹	Measured from grade to eave or parapet base.
²	See definition of "Story" in Definitions.

Footprint
Depth, ground floor commercial space:	15' min.	Ⓙ

Allowed Frontage Types (See § 219-200C, Facades)
▪ Shopfront	▪ Gallery
▪ Forecourt	▪ Stoop
▪ Porch

Allowed Use Types (See § 219-193, Permitted Uses Table)
Ground Floor	Office/Retail required within 150' of SR 9&20 Frontage Line	Ⓚ
All Floors Otherwise	All Permitted Uses Allowed	Ⓛ

§ 219-197 TC-3 Town Center General.

Illustrative example of buildings and site arrangement in the TC3 Town Center General District.

Town Center General examples.

This commercial building features a narrow band of parking.	A strong cornice line and plentiful windows lend this restaurant an urbane feel.
A small commercial building designed in the form of a cottage.	A small apartment building designed to blend with surrounding single-family detached houses.
A low garden wall marks the property line.	A small office building designed as a cottage.

Town Center General form.

Building Placement
Build-to Locations (Distance from Frontage/Property Line)
Front	0' min., 75' max.	Ⓐ
Side Street	0' min., 75' max.	Ⓑ
Interior Side Property Line	0' min.	Ⓒ
Rear	5' min.	Ⓓ

Frontage Buildout
Building Facade at BTL
Front	30% min.	Ⓔ
Side Street	30% min.
Street Facades must be built to the BTL for the first 30' on a corner.

Dedicated Residential Outdoor Open Space
Each residential unit shall be provided with unrestricted access to dedicated outdoor open space	30 square feet min. per unit
Distance from Residential Unit	50' max.
Permitted Configurations	Balcony, Porch, Yard, Courtyard, or Roof Terrace

Building Form
Height
Main Building	22' min.¹	Ⓕ
	3 Stories max.²	Ⓕ
Ground Floor Elev. Above Sidewalk	Comm. 6" max., Res. 24" min.	Ⓖ
Ground Floor Office/Retail Ceiling	14' min. clear	Ⓗ
Ceiling Height	9' min. clear	Ⓘ

NOTES:
¹	Measured from grade to eave or parapet base
²	See definition of "Story" in Definitions.

Footprint
Depth, ground floor commercial space:	15' min.	Ⓙ

Allowed Frontage Types (See § 219-200C, Facades)
▪ Shopfront	▪ Gallery
▪ Forecourt	▪ Stoop
▪ Porch

Allowed Use Types (See § 219-193, Permitted Uses Table)
Ground Floor	All Permitted Uses Allowed	Ⓚ
All Floors Otherwise	All Permitted Uses Allowed	Ⓛ

Town Center General parking and encroachments.

Parking (See Sect. 3-5 Parking Standards)
Parking Location (Distance from Property Line)
Front Setback	0' min., 30' max.	Ⓜ
Side Street Setback	0' min., 30' max.	Ⓝ
Side Setback	0' min.	Ⓞ
Rear Setback	5' min.	Ⓟ

District Specific Parking Requirements
Parking Curb Cut Width	15' max.	Ⓠ
No parking spaces are required for buildings that are < 500 sf.
Bicycle parking must be provided and in a secure environment, except in residential buildings with 4 units or less.

Other Allowed Encroachments
Balconies, Bay Windows, Awnings, etc.
Front	12' max.	Ⓡ
Side Street	8' max.	Ⓢ
Rear	4' max.	Ⓣ

Miscellaneous
Where a building facade steps back or is absent from the BTL, the BTL Line should be maintained and defined by fence, landscape wall or hedge 30" to 54" high.
All buildings must have a primary entrance along the front facade.
Loading docks, overhead doors and other service entries shall not be located on street-facing facades and shall instead be located in rear service areas.

§ 219-198 TC-4 Town Center Edge.

Figure 4: Illustrative example of buildings and site arrangement in the TC4 Town Center Edge District.

Town Center Edge examples.

This fourplex building type has individual unit entrances, marked by stoops, that are accessible from the sidewalk.	Attached live-work units are a unique building type that can introduce a mix of commercial and residential uses in small increments.
A duplex contains two separate housing units.	Pitched roofs help to give this mansion apartment building a comfortable scale.
Townhouses are attached to neighboring units, forming a well-defined street edge.	A single-family house structure containing a business.

Town Center Edge form.

Building Placement
Build-to Locations (Distance from Frontage/Property Line)
Front	5' min., 30' max.	Ⓐ
Side Street	5' min., 30' max.	Ⓑ
Interior Side Property Line	0' min.	Ⓒ
Rear	5' min.	Ⓓ

Frontage Buildout
Building Facade at BTL
Front	40% min.	Ⓔ
Side Street	30% min.
Street Facades must be built to the BTL for the first 30' on a corner.
Street Facades shall not exceed 50' in width without varying architectural expression.

Dedicated Residential Outdoor Open Space
Each residential unit shall be provided with unrestricted access to dedicated outdoor open space	40 square feet min. per unit
Distance from Residential Unit	50' max.
Permitted Configurations	Balcony, Porch, Yard, Courtyard, or Roof Terrace

Building Form
Height
Main Building	1 Story min.¹	Ⓕ
	3 Stories max.²	Ⓕ
Ground Floor Elev. Above Sidewalk	Comm. 6" max., Res. 24" min.	Ⓖ
Ground Floor Office/Retail Ceiling	14' min. clear	Ⓗ
Ceiling Height	9' min. clear	Ⓘ

NOTES:
¹	Measured from grade to eave or parapet base.
²	See definition of "Story" in Definitions.

Footprint
Depth, ground floor commercial space	15' min.	Ⓙ

Allowed Frontage Types (See § 219-200C, Facades)
▪ Shopfront	▪ Gallery
▪ Forecourt	▪ Stoop
▪ Porch

Allowed Use Types (See § 219-193, Permitted Uses Table)
Ground Floor	Office/Retail required within 150' of SR 9&20 Frontage Line	Ⓚ
All Floors Otherwise	All Permitted Uses Allowed	Ⓛ

Town Center Edge parking and encroachments.

Parking (See § 219-203, Parking Standards)
Parking Location (Distance from Frontage Line)
Front Setback	30' min.	Ⓜ
Side Street Setback	5' min.	Ⓝ
Side Setback	0' min.	Ⓞ
Rear Setback	5' min.	Ⓟ

District Specific Parking Requirements
Parking Curb Cut Width	15' max.	Ⓠ
No parking spaces are required for buildings that are < 500 sf.
Bicycle parking must be provided and in a secure environment, except in residential buildings with 4 units or less.

Other Allowed Encroachments
Balconies, Bay Windows, Awnings, etc.
Front	12' max.	Ⓡ
Side Street	8' max.	Ⓢ
Rear	4' max.	Ⓣ

Miscellaneous
Where a building facade steps back or is absent from the BTL, the BTL line should be maintained and defined by fence, landscape wall or hedge 30" to 54" high.
All buildings must have a primary entrance along the front facade.
Loading docks, overhead doors and other service entries shall not be located on street-facing facades and shall instead be located in rear service areas.

§ 219-199 TC-5 Town Center Preserve.

Town Center Preserve examples.

Sample boardwalks through preserved areas.

§ 219-200 Town Center general standards.

Buildings standards. New or substantially renovated buildings shall comply with the following:

(1)

(2)

Entry/exit doors. Public entry and exit doors which swing outward shall be recessed into the facade a minimum of three feet where the sidewalk abuts the building.

(3)

(4)

Columns/posts. The proportion of structural elements such as columns or posts should be appropriate to the weight they appear to be carrying.

Facades.

(1)

Material changes.

(a)

When materials are combined on a building facade horizontally, heavier materials should occur below lighter materials.

(b)

Changes from one material or color to another along the horizontal direction should occur at "inside corner" transitions.

(c)

Changes in material or color along the vertical direction should occur at a hard-edge "bump-out" transition which gives materials a surface to terminate into.

(d)

Facades with an overabundance of different materials or colors are generally discouraged.

(2)

Wide facades. Building facades longer than 150 feet shall be varied with at least one change of architectural expression.

(a)

These changes in expression may be a vertical element running from the ground plane to the roof, a change in fenestration, color, or texture, or a break in building facade plane or roof line.

(b)

These changes may be subtle or significant but should soften the visual effect of very wide buildings, especially those directly across the street from narrower buildings.

(c)

Strive for an appearance of authenticity when subdividing a large facade into multiple smaller facades resembling distinct buildings.

(3)

(a)

Minimum building facade transparency for ground story (retail): 60% and should allow a view of at least five feet of interior space.

(b)

Minimum building facade transparency for ground story (uses other than retail): 30%.

(c)

Minimum building facade transparency for upper stories: 30%.

Facade transparency requirements for buildings with a retail ground story

Facade transparency requirements for buildings with a non-retail ground story

Frontage types.

(1)

Building frontages in new construction or to enhance existing buildings shall conform with the basic Frontage Types set forth in this section.

(2)

The illustrations and photographs provided are for illustrative purposes, and need not be interpreted literally with regard to architectural styles.

(3)

Individual descriptions and form requirements of each Frontage Type are detailed on the following pages.

(4)

Frontage types: gallery.

A. Description.
The main facade of the building is at the Build-to Location and the Gallery element overlaps the sidewalk, eliminating the need for an awning. This Frontage Type is intended for buildings with ground-floor commercial or retail uses and may be one or two stories in height.

B. Size
Depth, Clear	8' min.	Ⓐ
Ground Floor Height, Clear	11' min.	Ⓑ
Upper Floor Height, Clear	9' min.	Ⓒ
Height	3 stories max	Ⓓ
Setback from Curb	2' min.; 3' max.	Ⓔ

C. Miscellaneous
Galleries must also follow all the rules of the Shopfront Frontage Type.

A gallery with slender metal columns
A wood-framed gallery	A masonry gallery with habitable space on the second floor

(5)

Frontage types: shopfront.

A. Description
The main facade of the building is at or near the frontage line and shall include a canopy or awning element that overlaps the sidewalk along the majority of the frontage. The canopy is a structural cantilevered shed roof and the awning is canvas or similar material and is often retractable.

B. Size
Distance between Glazing	2' max.	Ⓐ
Ground Floor Transparency	See General Standards
Door Recess	5' max.	Ⓑ

C. Canopy or Awning
Depth	4' min.	Ⓒ
Width, Cumulative	70% of facade width min.
Setback from Curb	2' min.	Ⓓ
Height, Clear	8' min.	Ⓔ

D. Miscellaneous
Doors may be recessed as long as main facade is at BTL.
Open ended awnings are encouraged.
Rounded and hooped awnings are discouraged.

A shopfront with a recessed doorway

A shopfront with a chamfered corner entry

(6)

Frontage types: forecourt.

A. Description
The primary portion of the building's main facade is at the Build-to Location while a small percentage is set back, creating a court space. This space can be used as an apartment entry court, garden space, or for restaurant outdoor dining.

B. Size
Width, Clear	12' min.	Ⓐ
Depth, Clear	12' min.	Ⓑ

C. Miscellaneous
Forecourts are especially useful along larger, more auto-dominant thoroughfares in order to provide well-shaped, intimately sized public outdoor spaces.

An elevated forecourt

An elevated forecourt forming a dining terrace

(7)

Frontage types: porch.

A. Description
The main facade of the building is at the build-to Location and the porch projects forward. The porch is used to access a first floor that is elevated above the sidewalk to ensure privacy within the building. A porch is large enough to function as an outdoor living space.

B. Size
Width, Clear	10' min.	Ⓐ
Depth, Clear	8' min.	Ⓑ
Height, Clear	8' min.	Ⓒ
Height	3 stories max.
Finish Level Above Sidewalk	18" min.	Ⓓ

A 2-story porch on an apartment building

A wraparound porch located close to the sidewalk

Appurtenances.

(1)

(2)

Roofs.

(1)

Flat roofs. Flat roof structures shall be bounded by an articulated parapet design which provides a noticeable "cap" to the building.

(a)

(2)

(a)

Roof overhangs are encouraged to be at least six inches deep.

(b)

Dormers and gables are encouraged along front facades to help maintain a prominent facade, reduce the scale of long runs of roof and divert rainwater and snow from entry areas.

(1)

Gas stations. A ground-floor shopfront shall face the street and define the frontage of the lot. All pumps, parking, and drive-through areas must be located behind the shopfront building.

(2)

§ 219-201 Site standards.

Mechanical equipment.

(1)

Mechanical equipment, including roof-mounted, facade-mounted, or ground-level-mounted, shall be screened from view from adjacent public spaces (does not include alleys).

(2)

Screening shall be achieved with non-deciduous landscape plantings, architectural building elements or parapet walls.

§ 219-202 Sign standards.

See Article VI, Signs, of this chapter.

§ 219-203 Parking standards.

Parking requirements.

(1)

Parking shall be provided for each use based upon the minimum and maximum requirements outlined by use in the Parking Requirement Chart.

(2)

(3)

A minimum of one bicycle parking space within a bicycle rack shall be provided for every three vehicular spaces.

(4)

Parking Requirement Chart
Use	Max # of Spaces Permitted in TC1; Min # of Spaces Required TC2-TC5:
Residential	1 per dwelling unit in mixed-use buildings 1.25 per dwelling unit in multi-family residential buildings 2 per single- or 2-family dwelling
Lodging	1 per guest room
Office	3 per 1,000 sq. ft. of office space
Retail	3 per 1,000 sq. ft. of retail space
Civic	TBD by the Town of Schodack
Education	1 per 12 students
Automotive/Transportation	2 per 1,000 sq. ft. of floor area
Other: General	TBD by the Town of Schodack
Other: Agricultural/Industrial	1 per employee on largest shift

Parking access.

(1)

Parking: access by alley

(2)

Parking: access by street

§ 219-204 Lighting standards.

General lighting standards.

(1)

(2)

Light fixtures shall be downcast or low-cutoff fixtures to prevent glare and light pollution.

(3)

In order to conserve energy and reduce long-term costs, energy-efficient lamps shall be used for all public realm lighting.

Street lighting.

(1)

A combination of pedestrian-scaled street light fixtures and intersection street light fixtures may be required to ensure a well-lit street area and to establish a unifying element along the street.

(2)

Pedestrian-scaled fixtures shall be used on all streets in Town Center District frontage areas.

(3)

Intersection-scaled lighting may be used in addition to pedestrian-scaled lights where required by the Town of Schodack.

Pedestrian and Intersection Lighting

(4)

(5)

(6)

Light poles may include armature that allows for the hanging of banners or other amenities (e.g., hanging flower baskets, artwork, etc.).

Parking lot lighting.

(1)

All fixtures shall be full-cutoff, downward facing.

(2)

Light fixtures located within the interior asphalt area of a parking lot shall not exceed 30 feet in height.

(3)

Light fixtures located along the perimeter edge of a parking area within 50 feet of a property line shall not exceed 15 feet.

Pedestrian walkway lighting.

(1)

Light fixtures located along pedestrian walkways adjacent to parking lots shall not exceed 15 feet in height.

(2)

Light fixtures located along internal pedestrian walkways or paths not adjacent to a parking area shall not exceed 10 feet in height.

Building and security lighting.

(1)

All exterior building or security lighting must be full cutoff, shielded and/or angled downward to focus the light only on the intended doorway or walkway as necessary.

(2)

Security lighting is encouraged to be provided with regular pedestrian light fixtures where visible from the street or public way to match others used on site.

(3)

Building-mounted architectural "accent lights" are encouraged to emphasize architectural character and signage.

(4)

§ 219-205 Future streets.

(1)

(2)

All streets shall connect to other streets.

(3)

Cul-de-sacs and T-turnarounds are not permitted.

(4)

Dead-end streets are only permitted for those shown on the Future Streets and Civic Spaces Map when the adjacent property has not been developed or redeveloped.

(5)

All streets shall have at least two travel lanes, one in each direction; however, streets around squares may have one travel lane with one-way traffic.

(6)

Where possible, there shall be parking lanes which in addition to on-street parking may be used for "dropoff" areas or bus stops.

(7)

On-street parking lanes shall not be closer than 25 feet to intersections measured from the curb line.

(8)

(9)

With the exception of fire hydrants, utilities shall run underground, and aboveground projections of utilities shall be placed in rear service areas wherever practicable.

Curb radius. Corner curb radius designs fall into two distinct categories: corners with, and without, on-street parking.

(1)

(2)

Corners without parallel parking require the curb radii to be similar to the turning radii, with the curb radius between 20 feet and 30 feet.

Rear service lanes. Where possible, rear service lanes shall be used for access to parking and services at the rear of lots. See Rear Service Lane Chart for required dimensions.

(1)

Rear service lanes providing access to residential buildings shall be built to residential standards.

(2)

Rear service lanes providing access to nonresidential uses shall be built to non-residential standards.

(3)

Where a rear service lane provides access to a block with both residential and non-residential uses, it shall be built to a non-residential standard.

(4)

Rear service lanes should meet streets with a gutter pan, allowing the sidewalk to continue uninterrupted across a drive.

Rear Service Lane Type	Right-of-Way	Pavement Width
Residential	20' min.	12' to 18'
Non-Residential	20' min.	18' to 24'

§ 219-206 Civic spaces.

Location and size of the designated civic spaces shall conform with the Civic Open Space Standards.

New civic open spaces may be of the following types, which are allowable in various Town Center Districts as indicated by the letter "X" in the following table:

Civic Space Type	Must Front at Least:	Typical Size	Town Center District
Civic Space Type	Must Front at Least:	Typical Size	TC1	TC2	TC3	TC4
Park	1 street	Min. 8 acres			x	x
Green	2 streets	0.5 to 5 acres		x	x	x
Square	3 streets	0.5 to 2 acres	x	x	x
Plaza	1 street	0.1 to 2 acres	x
Playground	0 streets	0.1 to 1 acre	x	x	x	x
Community Garden	0 streets	0.1 to 1 acre	x	x	x	x

§ 219-207 Future streets and civic spaces map.

Map.

Neighborhood Street, Type 1.

Application
Movement Type	Slow
Design Speed	20 mph
Pedestrian Crossing Time	10.2 seconds

Overall Widths
Right-of-Way (ROW) Width	60' to 70'	Ⓐ
Curb Face to Curb Face Width	36'	Ⓑ

Lanes
Traffic Lanes	10'	Ⓒ
Bicycle Lanes	Sharrows
Parking Lanes	8'	Ⓓ
Medians	N/A
Note: On-street parking may be replaced with bicycle lanes on one or both sides with approval.

Edges
Curb Type	6" Raised
Planter Type	4' x 4' tree well adjacent to curb
Landscape Type	Medium Trees, evenly spaced @ 30' o.c. avg.
Walkway Type	12' to 17' sidewalk. (A 6' wide tree lawn may be incorporated adjacent to the curb in TC2, TC3, TC4 & TC5 zones.)	Ⓔ
Lighting	Aligned with street trees

Intersection
Curb Radius	10'
Distance Between Intersections	100' min.; see Regulating Plan
Note: Building placement and form requirements vary depending on Town Center District.		Ⓕ

Neighborhood Street, Type 2.

Application
Movement Type	Slow
Design Speed	20 mph
Pedestrian Crossing Time	9.7 seconds

Overall Widths
Right-of-Way (ROW) Width	70' to 80'	Ⓐ
Curb Face to Curb Face Width	34'	Ⓑ

Lanes
Traffic Lanes	10'	Ⓒ
Bicycle Lanes	6' sidewalk cycle track	Ⓓ
Parking Lanes	7'	Ⓔ
Medians	6'	Ⓕ
Note: Both bicycle lanes may be grouped together on one side of the street with approval.

Edges
Curb Type	6" Raised
Planter Type	4' x 4' tree well
Landscape Type	Medium Trees, evenly spaced @ 30' o.c. avg.
Walkway Type	6' to 11' sidewalk	Ⓖ
Lighting	Aligned with 4' by 4' tree wells

Intersection
Curb Radius	10'
Distance Between Intersections	100' min.; see Regulating Plan
Note: Building placement and form requirements vary depending on Town Center District.		Ⓖ

Neighborhood Street, Type 3.

Application
Movement Type	Slow
Design Speed	20 mph
Pedestrian Crossing Time	8 seconds

Overall Widths
Right-of-Way (ROW) Width	48' to 60'	Ⓐ
Curb Face to Curb Face Width	28'	Ⓑ

Lanes
Traffic Lanes	10'	Ⓒ
Bicycle Lanes	Sharrows
Parking Lanes	8'	Ⓓ
Medians	N/A

Edges
Curb Type	6" Raised
Planter Type	4' x 4' tree well
Landscape Type	Medium Trees, evenly spaced @ 30' o.c. avg.
Walkway Type	10' to 16' sidewalk	Ⓔ
Lighting	Aligned with 4' by 4' tree wells

Intersection
Curb Radius	10'
Distance Between Intersections	100' min.; see Regulating Plan
Note: Building placement and form requirements vary depending on Town Center District.		Ⓕ

Edge Street.

Application
Movement Type	Slow
Design Speed	20 mph
Pedestrian Crossing Time	10.2 seconds

Overall Widths
Right-of-Way (ROW) Width	60' to 70'	Ⓐ
Curb Face to Curb Face Width	36'	Ⓑ

Lanes
Traffic Lanes	10'	Ⓒ
Bicycle Lanes	7' buffered bike lane*	Ⓓ
Parking Lanes	N/A
Medians	N/A

Edges
Curb Type	6" Raised
Planter Type	6' by 8' swale	Ⓔ
Landscape Type	Medium Trees, evenly spaced @ 40' o.c. avg.
Walkway Type	6' to 8' sidewalk	Ⓕ
Lighting	Within 6' to 8' swale

Intersection
Curb Radius	10'
Distance Between Intersections	200' min.; see Regulating Plan
Note: Building placement and form requirements vary depending on Town Center District.		Ⓖ

*	The 7' buffered bike lane may alternatively be replaced with a 7' wide lane of parallel on-street parking, and either a travel lane sharrow or a cycle track.

SR 9&20.

Application
Movement Type	Medium
Design Speed	35 mph
Pedestrian Crossing Time	15 seconds

Overall Widths
Right-of-Way (ROW) Width	62' to 81'	Ⓐ
Curb Face to Curb Face Width	46' to 65'	Ⓑ

Lanes
Traffic Lanes	11'	Ⓒ
Bicycle Lanes	Sharrows	Ⓓ
Parking Lanes	N/A
Medians	10'	Ⓔ

Edges (located within easement adjacent to R.O.W.)
Curb Type	6" Raised
Planter Type	30' swale	Ⓕ
Landscape Type	Medium Trees, evenly spaced @ 30' o.c. avg.
Walkway Type	16' sidewalk min.	Ⓖ
Lighting	Aligned with trees

Intersection
Curb Radius	Existing Configuration
Distance Between Intersections	Existing Configuration
Note: Building placement and form requirements vary depending on Town Center District.		Ⓕ

§ 219-208 Town Center definitions.

APPURTENANCES

BUILD-TO LOCATION

The specific location or flexible area where the facade of a building must be located, measured as both a minimum and maximum setback distance from the Frontage Line.

A map or set of maps that shows the physical locations and boundaries of regulatory items such as Zone Districts, Future Streets, and Civic Spaces subject to regulation by this code.

SETBACKS