Sheffield City Zoning Code
CHAPTER 1115
Architectural Standards
1115.01 PURPOSE.
The purpose of this section is to establish architectural and building design standards that encourage higher quality development and function in order to protect property values and protect real estate from impairment or destruction of value. These architectural and building design criteria can encourage quality development through the use of a variety of design and site techniques while continuing to provide for a wide range of economic development.
(Ord. 2879. Passed 10-23-23.)
1115.02 APPLICABILITY.
The following buildings shall be subject to the standards of this chapter unless otherwise stated, which shall be reviewed as part of a site plan review process:
(a) New multi-family dwellings and rowhouse dwellings in all M-1, C-4, and PUD Districts;
(b) New principal buildings in the C-2, C-3, C-4, and P-I Districts;
(c) New nonresidential, principal buildings in any PUD District, including mixed-use buildings that contain residential uses;
(d) Expansion of any principal buildings that are subject to site plan review and the provisions of this chapter; and
(e) Any accessory building that has more than 500 square feet in floor area that is located within the C-2, C-3, C-4, and P-I Districts.
(Ord. 2879. Passed 10-23-23.)
1115.03 ARCHITECTURAL STANDARDS FOR MULTI-FAMILY AND ROWHOUSE DWELLINGS.
The standards of this subsection shall apply to all multi-family dwellings.
(a) All siding shall be either horizontal or vertical in placement.
(b) Any principal building that is located on a lot with frontage along the North Ridge Scenic Byway shall be designed with a one hundred percent (100%) brick facade along any facade facing the byway.
(c) Front facades shall incorporate variation in mass through one or more of the following methods every fifty (50) feet of facade frontage:
(1) Wall offsets in the form of projections and/or recesses in the facade plane; Wall offsets shall have a minimum depth of two (2) feet;
(2) Bay windows;
(3) Facade color changes;
(4) Use of pilasters, columns, or other detailing to articulate the facades; or
(5) Roofline changes when coupled with correspondingly aligned facade material changes.
(c) In addition to wall offsets, front facades and side facades on buildings on corner lots shall provide a minimum of three of the following design features for each residential dwelling unit fronting onto the street:
(1) One or more dormer windows or cupolas;
(2) A recessed entrance;
(3) A covered porch;
(4) Pillars, posts, or pilasters;
(5) One or more bay windows with a minimum of twelve (12)-inch projection from the facade plane;
(6) Eaves with a minimum of six-inch projection from the facade plane;
(7) A parapet wall with an articulated design, which entails design variation rather than a simple rectilinear form; or
(8) Multiple windows with a minimum of four(4)-inch-wide trim.
Figure 1115-A: Illustrative example of acceptable architectural
design for multi-family dwellings
Figure 1115-B: Illustrative example of unacceptable architectural
design for multi-family dwellings
(d) To the maximum extent practicable, all roof vents, pipes, antennas, satellite dishes, and other roof penetrations and equipment (except chimneys) shall be located on the rear elevations or configured to have a minimal visual impact as seen from the street. See Section 1115.04(h) and Section 1117.06. (Ord. 2879. Passed 10-23-23.)
1115.04 ARCHITECTURAL STANDARDS FOR NONRESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS.
(a) Building Orientation.
(1) Buildings should generally be parallel to the street they front unless an alternate orientation is consistent with existing adjacent development and is approved by the Planning Commission during the site plan review.
(2) The primary entrances of buildings should be oriented:
A. Towards a street along the perimeter of the development or towards a public space if such space is located adjacent to the proposed project; or
B. Towards streets in the interior of the development if none of the building's facades has frontage on a public street; or
C. As approved by the Planning Commission during the site plan review process.
(b) Building Facades. Blank building walls visible from public streets (including alleys adjacent to nonresidential or mixed-use buildings) are prohibited. These requirements shall not generally apply to those walls that are not visible from a street or are completely hidden due to topography or natural features preserved as open space.
(c) Building Materials.
(1) Any principal building that is located on a lot with frontage along the North Ridge Scenic Byway shall be designed with a one hundred percent (100%) brick facade along any facade facing the byway.
(2) A combination of materials, textures, colors, and finishes should be utilized to create visual interest. Vinyl siding and corrugated metal or steel siding material shall be prohibited unless specially approved by the Planning Commission during the site plan review.
(3) Exposed metal panels (such as copper, bronze, or other decorative metal) may be permitted on building elevations if used for an accent or minor exterior material.
(4) Exterior Insulation Finishing Systems (EIFS) shall be prohibited from use on the first floor of any nonresidential building. The Planning Commission shall have the authority to approve the use of EIFS on the first floor during the site plan review process if the applicant can demonstrate that the area coated in EIFS will be protected from damage and maintained to prevent deterioration.
(d) Building Design and Mass.
(1) All architectural elevations of principal buildings shall consist of a base, a body, and a cap. See Figure 1115-C.
Figure 1115-C: Illustration of the cap, body, and base of a building.
(2) The base shall occupy the lowest portion of the elevation and should have a height no less than eight percent (8%)of the average wall height. The base shall be composed of brick, tile, stone or cast or cultured stone, concrete or pre-fab concrete panels, split-face block, or other material if specially approved by the Planning Commission during the site plan review.
(3) The body shall occupy the middle portion of the elevation and should have a height no less than sixty percent (60%) of the average wall height. The body may be composed of brick, stone, cast or cultured stone, stucco (EFIS), or other material if specially approved by the Planning Commission during the site plan review.
(4) The cap shall occupy the highest portion of the elevation, excluding the roof, and should have a height no less than eight percent (8%) of the average wall height, not to exceed the height of the base. The cap may be composed of brick, tile stone or cast or cultured stone, concrete or pre-fab concrete panels stucco (EFIS), or other material if specially approved by the Planning Commission during the site plan review.
(5) The cap shall consist of at least one of the following architectural features: (See Figure 1115-D and Figure 1115-E)
A. A cornice;
B. A parapet;
C. An awning;
D. A canopy; or
E. Eaves.
Figure 1115-D: Example of a cornice (left image) and parapet (right image),
both highlighted in red rectangles.
Figure 1115-E: Example of an awning (left image) and canopy (right image -
highlighted in a red rectangle).
Figure 1115-F: Example of the use of eaves, highlighted in red rectangles.
(6) The base and cap shall be clearly distinguishable from the body through changes in color, material, pattern, profile, or texture.
(7) This section shall not be construed to prohibit metal roofs, flashing, aluminum framing associated with windows, or high-quality metal siding applications such as copper, bronze, or other decorative metal.
(8) Architectural elevations for all new buildings shall include design, massing, materials, shape, and scale that create a unified design on the premises.
(e) Facade Massing.
(1) Offset Required. Front facades sixty (60) feet wide or wider shall incorporate wall offsets of at least two (2) feet in depth (projections or recesses), a minimum of every forty (40) feet. Each required offset shall have a minimum width of twenty (20) feet. See Figure 1115-G.
Figure 1115-G: Illustration of how the facade offset provisions may be applied.
(2) Offset Alternative. The following alternatives can be used in place of the required front facade offsets, as shown in Figure 1115-H:
A. Facade color or material changes following the same dimensional standards as the offset requirements;
B. Pilasters having a minimum depth of one (1) foot, a minimum width of one (1) foot, and a minimum height of eighty percent (80%) of the facade's height; and/or
C. Roofline changes when coupled with correspondingly aligned facade material changes.
Figure 1115-H: The above image illustrates material changes, pilasters, and other architectural features that break up the appearance of a single facade.
(f) Roof Styles.
(1) The height of any pitched roof shall not exceed one-half (½) of the overall building height.
(2) Roof Line Changes.
A. Roofline changes shall include changes in roof planes or changes in the top of a parapet wall, such as extending the top of pilasters above the top of the parapet wall.
B. When roofline changes are included on a facade that incorporates wall offsets or material or color changes, roofline changes shall be vertically aligned with the corresponding wall offset or material or color changes. See Figure 1115-I.
Figure 1115-I: Roofline changes shall be aligned with corresponding wall offsets
and/or material or color changes.
(3) Flat Roofs.
A. When flat roofs are used, parapet walls with three-dimensional cornice treatments shall conceal them. The cornice shall include a perpendicular projection a minimum of eight (8) inches from the parapet facade plane.
B. Thin parapets that extend more than two (2) feet above the roof and have a depth of less than two (2) feet from the facade surface are prohibited.
Figure 1115-J: Parapet walls with cornice treatments are used to disguise flat roofs.
The image on the right illustrates a tall, thin parapet wall that is prohibited.
(4) Asymmetric or Dynamic Roofs.
A. Asymmetric or dynamic roof forms allude to motion, provide variety and flexibility in nonresidential building design, and allow for unique buildings.
B. Asymmetric or dynamic roof forms shall be permitted on nonresidential buildings, provided the criteria for flat roofs in Section 1115.04(f)(3) are met.
Figure 1115-K: Examples of dynamic or asymmetric roof lines
(g) Refuse Facilities. Refuse facilities shall be enclosed by fences or walls that are compatible with the architectural materials and patterns of the principal building or may be screened in a manner allowed in Section 1117.06.
(h) Mechanical Equipment.
(1) Wall-mounted mechanical, electrical, communication equipment, downspouts, gutters, service doors, and other building-mounted utility fixtures shall be painted and maintained to match the building or be screened from view. All rooftop mechanical equipment, unless screened from view, should match the color of the structure or be visually compatible with the structure.
(2) Mechanical equipment such as transformers and HVAC units should not be located in front yards unless appropriately screened from view.
(3) All mechanical equipment, including both ground-mounted and roof-mounted equipment, shall be screened from view from adjacent public rights-of-way, as well as from all property zoned or used for residential purposes.
(4) Screening elements may include walls (same material and color as principal structure), landscaping, mounds, parapets, or enclosures constructed of the same materials used on the majority of the principal structure or any combination or as otherwise approved or required during site plan review. See Figure 1115-L.
Figure 1115-L: Illustration of the use of walls for the screening of mechanical equipment.
(Ord. 2879. Passed 10-23-23.)