Warsaw City Zoning Code
§ 405.100
Multifamily and Townhouse Design Standards.
[Ord. No. 211 § 2, 12-21-2015; Ord. No. 527, 12-26-2023]
A.
Purpose. The purpose of the multifamily and townhouse residential design standards is to preserve the quality and character of the built environment in the City. More specifically, the purposes of this Section are to:
1.
Encourage high-quality development as a strategy for investing in the City's future;
2.
Emphasize the City's unique community character;
3.
Maintain and enhance the quality of life for the City's citizens;
4.
Shape the City's appearance, aesthetic quality, and spatial form;
5.
Protect and enhance property values;
6.
Provide property owners, developers, architects, builders, business owners, and others with a clear and equitable set of parameters for developing land; and
7.
Promote the sustainability of both the structure and the overall community.
B.
Applicability.
1.
The design standards in this Section apply to all new dwellings intended or constructed to be occupied by three (3) or more households, including individually constructed buildings, townhomes, and multiple buildings constructed as parts of a larger development.
2.
Section 405.060(B), Applicability, identifies how these provisions apply to redevelopment and infill development.
C.
Site Design.
1.
Building separation. The minimum separation between multifamily buildings, including accessory buildings, on the same lot or development parcel is fifteen (15) feet.
2.
Building orientation.
a.
Individual buildings within a multifamily development shall be oriented to:
Fig. 405.100-A: Building orientation on site
(1)
Common open space, such as interior courtyards or on-site natural areas or features;
(2)
Perimeter streets;
(3)
Other residential buildings; or
(4)
Through-access drives.
b.
Multifamily buildings in a single development shall be clustered or grouped to form neighborhoods.
3.
Common space.
a.
Developments with at least four (4) units shall provide one hundred fifty (150) square feet of private common open space for each multifamily dwelling unit. A minimum of forty percent (40%) of the open space shall be usable for recreation, including swimming pools, sport courts, or playgrounds with equipment. Required landscaping is excluded from open space calculations.
b.
To the maximum extent practicable, common open spaces, such as gardens, courtyards, recreation or play areas, shall contain a minimum of three (3) of these features:
Fig. 405.100-B: Common open space with play structures
(1)
Seasonal planting areas;
(2)
Trees;
(3)
Pedestrian-scaled lighting;
(4)
Gazebos or other decorative shelters;
(5)
Seating;
(6)
Play structures for children; or
(7)
Natural features or areas, unless the City determines that for preservation reasons the buildings should avoid the feature or area.
4.
Pedestrian circulation.
a.
Circulation patterns. Sidewalks shall be provided as necessary for efficient pedestrian circulation within the project and to neighboring properties pursuant to Section 405.080, Mobility and Connectivity Development Standards.
b.
Walkway location and design.
(1)
Sidewalks shall be separated from vehicular traffic where possible.
(2)
Sidewalks shall be constructed of attractive, durable materials, such as decorative concrete or brick pavers.
(3)
Sidewalk widths shall be compatible with anticipated uses, but in no instance shall be less than five (5) feet wide as a minimum standard.
5.
Stormwater management. The requirements of Section 405.070, Stormwater Management and Natural Area Protection Standards, shall be incorporated during site design.
D.
Building Design.
1.
Maximum building length. The maximum length of any multifamily building shall be one hundred fifty-six (156) feet or six (6) townhouse units, whichever is less.
2.
Facade design. Multifamily buildings with a facade length of greater than forty (40) linear feet shall incorporate a variety of different wall planes and roof planes and shall feature a minimum of two (2) of the following design elements in the design of the front facade (See Figure 405.100-C.):
Fig. 405.100-C: Façade design
a.
Bay windows;
b.
Covered porches or balconies;
c.
Structural offsets of a minimum of four (4) feet from the principal plane of the facade;
d.
Accent materials, such as brick, stone, or stucco with banding highlights; or
e.
Window grills and shutters.
3.
Patio. All ground floor units shall be provided with a minimum six-foot-by-ten-foot patio or balcony directly accessible from the unit. At least fifty percent (50%) of all units above ground-floor level shall be provided with a minimum four-foot-by-ten-foot balcony directly accessible from the unit.
4.
Building materials. All construction shall be of durable high-quality materials and shall meet the following standards:
a.
If vinyl exterior siding is used, it shall have a manufacturer's warranty of a minimum of fifteen (15) years.
b.
Metal is not permitted as a primary facade material. This Section does not prohibit the use of metal siding designed to look like clapboard siding.
c.
Architectural aluminum or steel panels (designed to ensure absence of any deformation or oil canning) are permitted, but use of architectural aluminum or steel panels should be limited to specific architectural elements or features.
5.
Transparency. At least twenty-five percent (25%) of all walls facing a public street shall contain windows or doorways.
6.
Roof.
Fig. 405-100-D: 4/12 pitch roof
a.
Minimum roof pitch on all townhouses, duplexes and multifamily dwellings is 4/12. No flat roofs are permitted.
b.
Multifamily residential buildings shall be designed to avoid any continuous roofline longer than fifty (50) feet. Rooflines longer than fifty (50) feet shall include at least one (1) vertical elevation change of at least two (2) feet.
c.
The incorporation of a variety of roof forms is strongly encouraged. Upper-level residential floors may be incorporated into the roof form to reduce the apparent height and mass of buildings.
d.
The height of each multifamily building taller than thirty-five (35) feet shall be stepped down from its highest roofline at least one (1) full story on any end of the building located within fifty (50) feet of a street right-of-way or an adjacent area zoned or used for single-family residential.
7.
Building access. Multifamily buildings shall provide concentrated unit access points. Monotonous access balconies and corridors running the length of the exterior of a building are prohibited.
E.
Parking Location And Layout.
Fig. 404.100-E: Parking location
1.
Parking internal to development.
a.
To the maximum extent feasible, garage entries, carports, parking areas and parking structures shall be internalized in building groupings or oriented away from street frontage.
b.
Parking areas and freestanding parking structures (detached garages or carports) shall not occupy more than thirty percent (30%) of each perimeter public street frontage of a multifamily development.
c.
To the maximum extent practicable, freestanding parking structures that are visible from perimeter public streets shall be sited so that the narrow end of the parking structure is perpendicular to the perimeter street.
2.
Covered parking.
Fig. 405.100-F: Change in roof line on parking structure
a.
Multifamily development shall provide covered parking to meet a minimum of fifty percent (50%) of the required parking identified in Table 405.110-1, Off-Street Parking. The Director may reduce or waive this requirement for low-income housing.
b.
Carports and common garages shall be limited to sixty (60) feet in length.
c.
Detached garages and carports shall incorporate compatible materials, scale, colors, architectural details and roof slopes similar to those of the primary multifamily buildings.
F.
Storage Space.
1.
Intent.
a.
To ensure multifamily developments provide sufficient storage for residents so that balconies and garages may be used for their original purpose.
b.
To reduce parking impacts resulting from undersized garage spaces and a lack of storage.
c.
To ensure parking is used for parking and not for storage.
2.
Design standards. Multifamily developments shall provide a minimum of thirty-two (32) feet of exterior storage space per unit. Storage may be provided through one (1) or more of the following:
a.
Increased garage dimensions that allow for storage in front of parked vehicles;
b.
Storage units incorporated above detached garage structures or within the multifamily building;
c.
Storage closets within units, aside from bedroom closets; or
d.
Detached storage buildings or sheds.