The purpose and intent of this subchapter is to ensure that the general design, layout and appearance of buildings and structures are compatible with their surroundings and aid the orderly and harmonious development of the city.

(Prior Code, § 54.02) (Ord. 2-92, passed - -1992; Ord. 19-2015, passed 10-21-2015; Ord. 06-2022, passed 3-16-2022; Ord. 10-2025, passed 9-17-2025)

   (A)   All proposals in commercial or manufacturing zones shall be subject to the provisions of this subchapter.

   (B)   Regardless of the zone underlying the land use, the following uses, including any accessory uses thereto, shall be subject to the provisions of this subchapter:

      (1)   Multi-family dwellings; and

      (2)   Public and quasi-public uses.

   (C)   The following shall be submitted as part of all applications for projects subject to the provisions of this subchapter, further details of which are found in this subchapter:

      (1)   A preliminary site plan containing the following:

         (a)   A statement containing the proposed use and whether it complies with current zoning.

            1.   Building locations.

            2.   Setbacks, including front, rear, and both sides, for every proposed building.

            3.   Access points and traffic circulation, including fire access.

            4.   Landscape areas.

            5.   Proposed fencing and gates.

            6.   Outdoor storage.

            7.   Dumpster areas and dumpster enclosures. All dumpsters that are visible from the adjacent public right(s)-of-ways, parking lots, or access drives shall be fully enclosed with opaque fencing or walls.

            8.   Natural features, including hillsides, wetlands, floodplains, or other prominent natural features.

            1.   Building materials and colors;

            2.   Architectural features, if applicable per § 157.734; and

            3.   Elevation drawings shall also contain a table showing ratios and percentages of each material/color and percentages of architectural features, if applicable, that meet the standards set out within this chapter.

         (d)   Landscaping plans shall contain a table showing types, numbers, and percentages of each landscape material, the number of trees and shrubs, per § 157.988(A), and the percentage of total site landscaping.

         (h)   Preliminary stormwater plans, including stormwater storage location, type of storage, proposed overflows, and other details to allow the city to understand how stormwater will be handled within the property.

         (i)   Outdoor lighting plan in compliance with §§ 157.775 through 157.785.

         (j)   UDOT conditional access permit approval or minutes from a UDOT pre- application meeting, if applicable.

      (2)   The Development Review Committee (DRC) shall review all preliminary site plan applications and make a recommendation to the Planning Commission regarding compliance, findings, and conditions. The Planning Commission may approve, approve with conditions, or deny a preliminary site plan based on the applicant's ability or inability to meet or sufficiently address the requirements within this chapter and all applicable development standards adopted by the city.

      (3)   Once the applicant has received approval of their preliminary site plan from the Planning Commission, they shall proceed to prepare civil drawings and improvement plans and shall present those to the City Engineer and Community Development Director. The DRC shall review the improvement plans, provide comments to the applicant, and shall make a recommendation to the City Engineer and Community Development Director. The City Engineer and Community Development Director shall approve, approve with conditions, or deny improvement plans.

      (4)   No final site plan application can be approved without the City Engineer's and Community Development Director's approval of improvement drawings. Each applicant shall submit as part of a final site plan application improvement drawings, stamped by a licensed civil engineer. These drawings shall demonstrate the site's compliance with the West Haven Code, compliance with public utility providers' standards, preliminary site plan approval conditions, and vehicle access and parking.

   (D)   After preliminary site plan approval or approval with conditions by the Planning Commission, the applicant shall submit a final site plan application and supporting construction drawings to the city in a format specified by the city within 12 months. Before the submittal of a final site plan and improvement plan, the applicant shall address each condition from the preliminary site plan approval. All applications for final site plan approval shall be reviewed by the Development Review Committee. The Planning Commission shall be the land use authority for the final site plan and shall either approve, approve with conditions, or deny a final site plan based on findings and compliance with all applicable code and standards, with the following exceptions:

      (1)   All buildings or combination of buildings which total over 40,000 square feet on a single parcel. After first being presented to and receiving a recommendation from the Planning Commission, the City Council shall review and may approve, deny, or approve with conditions site plans for these buildings.

      (2)   Any requests for building materials not otherwise considered as a primary or secondary material. After first being presented to and receiving a recommendation from the Development Review Committee, the Planning Commission shall review and may approve, deny, or approve with conditions any requests for alternate building materials.

   (E)   The Planning Commission shall determine whether the proposed architectural and site development plans submitted are consistent with this subchapter and with the general objectives of this subchapter and shall give or withhold approval accordingly. Denial may be appealed to the Hearing Officer.

   (F)   No building, occupancy, or other land use permit shall be issued until the proposed project has received approval under the terms of this subchapter.

(Prior Code, § 54.04) (Ord. 2-92, passed - -1992; Ord. 19-2015, passed 10-21-2015; Ord. 06-2022, passed 3-16-2022; Ord. 10-2025, passed 9-17-2025)

   (A)   Projects subject to conditional use and/or planned unit development approval shall have site plan and design review incorporated into such review. Such projects shall be required to meet the requirements of this subchapter.

      (1)   The city shall require an updated preliminary site plan and final site plan for existing commercial, industrial, institutional/civic, or multi-family sites if the property owner proposes to do any of the following.

         (a)   Add additional building(s), paved parking areas, or other material changes to the site.

         (b)   Change the use to a use type that the site's infrastructure, parking, or access points do not reasonably support.

         (c)   Change from a permitted use to a conditional use in the underlying zone.

         (d)   Change from one conditional use to another conditional use in the underlying zone.

         (e)   Switch to a use that has a reasonably higher impact.

      (2)   The Planning Commission may waive certain site development standards that do not impact the health or safety of the public for an existing or modified site, allowing an applicant to update a site without necessitating significant or unreasonable changes to the existing layout.

      (3)   The Planning Commission may approve a preliminary and final site plan approval at the same meeting if the site does not require updated improvement plans.

   (C)   The City Engineer may waive improvement plan requirements in full or in part for sites that have already been developed, and the existing facilities and infrastructure can support the proposed site plan and use.

   (D)   The Planning Commission may waive landscaping requirements if the applicant provides a letter from the water provider stating that the provider can't supply water for landscaping or for an existing site with pre-established landscaping.

(Prior Code, § 54.06) (Ord. 2-92, passed - -1992; Ord. 19-2015, passed 10-21-2015; Ord. 06-2022, passed 3-16-2022; Ord. 10-2025, passed 9-17-2025)

   The Planning Commission and Development Review Committee shall consider the following matters, and others when applicable, in its review of applications and where the plan is found deficient the plan design shall be amended or conditions imposed to mitigate such deficiencies when considering:

      (1)   Does the site plan comply with the City Engineering Design Standards and Specifications related to traffic ingress, egress and internal circulation?

      (2)   A traffic study shall be required, if in the opinion of the Planning Commission, with input from the Development Review Committee, such would be necessary.

      (1)   The following landscaping shall be provided in each project subject to the provisions of this subchapter:

      (2)   Where possible, developers are encouraged to preserve existing, healthy trees.

      (3)   Developers are encouraged to take current drought and other environmental conditions into account when preparing a landscaping plan.

      (4)   Landscape plans shall include a minimum of three items from the following list:

         (a)   Trees;

         (b)   Decorative rock and boulders (gravel and pea gravel are not permitted);

         (c)   Shrubs;

         (d)   Groundcover; and

         (e)   Grass (artificial or other).

      (1)   All buildings shall be designed with breaks in the facade. This may be accomplished through a change in building materials, actual breaks in the facade, a mix of roofline projections.

      (2)   All mechanical equipment shall be screened so as to not be seen from any public right-of-way adjacent to the project.

      (3)   Developers are encouraged to keep in mind visual compatibility with existing development when preparing the site layout and architectural elevations of proposed buildings.

      (4)   Buildings which are located within 100 feet of the centerline of the following roads shall be designed so it appears the front of the building faces the street, regardless of how the building is actually oriented:

         (a)   2550 South;

         (b)   Midland Drive;

         (c)   4000 South;

         (d)   3500 West;

         (e)   1900 West;

         (f)   2100 South/Wilson Lane;

         (g)   1800 South; and

         (h)   Hinckley Drive.

(Ord. 2-92, passed - -1992; Ord. 19-2015, passed 10-21-2015; Ord. 06-2022, passed 3-16-2022; Ord. 10-2025, passed 9-17-2025)

   Design approval may include such other conditions consistent with the considerations of this subchapter as the Commission or Planning Director deem reasonable and necessary under the circumstances to carry out the intent of this subchapter.

      (1)   Building exteriors shall be designed and constructed with primary and secondary building materials from the list of building materials in division (C) below.

      (2)   The front elevation, as well as any other elevation which faces the street shall be constructed of a minimum of 60% primary materials, with a maximum of 40% secondary materials.

      (3)   Windows and doors shall be excluded from the calculation of exterior building material requirements. Non-functioning, decorative only windows may be included in the calculation of building materials.

      (4)   A maximum of six colors for the primary materials may be permitted.

      (5)   Secondary materials shall be of a complementary hue and shade to primary building materials. A maximum of four accent colors may be allowed for secondary materials.

      (6)   A minimum of 15% of the front elevation, as well as any side or rear elevation which faces the street or major corridor, shall consist of upgraded architectural features as defined in division (C) below. See division (B) below for those streets which constitute major corridors.

      (7)   Non-primary elevations which do not face the street or major corridor shall consist of at least 5% upgraded architectural features as defined in division (C) below. See division (B) below for those streets which constitute major corridors

         (a)   Architectural insulated metal panels;

         (b)   Brick;

         (c)   Concrete masonry unit (CMU), if it is textured to have the appearance of a different material;

         (d)   Glass;

         (e)   Rock;

         (f)   Stone (may be natural or manufactured);

         (g)   Fiber cement siding, if used in a craftsman style of architecture; and

         (h)   Engineered wood siding, if used in a craftsman style of architecture.

         (a)   Concrete;

         (b)   Non-insulated corrugated and ribbed metal;

         (c)   Fiber cement siding, if used in a non-craftsman architectural style;

         (d)   Engineered wood siding, if used in a non-craftsman architectural style;

         (e)   Stucco;

         (f)   Tile; and

         (g)   Wood.

         (a)   Alternating brick patterns;

         (b)   Archways;

         (c)   Awnings;

         (d)   Bays;

         (e)   Canopies;

         (f)   Corbels;

         (g)   Cornices;

         (h)   Decorative art (must be permanent);

         (i)   Donners;

         (j)   Pillars;

         (k)   Porte Cocheres;

         (l)   Porches;

         (m)   Porticos;

         (n)   Shutters; and

         (o)   Timbers.

(Ord. 2-92, passed - -1992; Ord. 19-2015, passed 10-21-2015; Ord. 06-2022, passed 3-16-2022; Ord. 10-2025, passed 9-17-2025)

   Prior to the issuance of any building permit, the developer shall enter into an escrow agreement with the city wherein security shall be provided for any on and off-site public improvements. Occupancy shall not occur until all improvements have either been installed or guaranteed for future installation.

(Prior Code, § 54.14) (Ord. 2-92, passed - -1992; Ord. 19-2015, passed 10-21-2015; Ord. 06-2022, passed 3-16-2022; Ord. 10-2025, passed 9-17-2025)

   If construction of any development for which design approval has been granted has not commenced within 12 months from date of approval, the approval shall be deemed automatically revoked. Upon application, an extension of time may be granted by the Planning Commission, provided such application is made prior to the expiration/revocation of the initial approval.

(Prior Code, § 54.16) (Ord. 2-92, passed - -1992; Ord. 19-2015, passed 10-21-2015; Ord. 06-2022, passed 3-16-2022; Ord. 10-2025, passed 9-17-2025)

   Upon request of the applicant, modifications to the approved plan may be made by the Planning Commission, it is found that the modification will meet requirements of this subchapter. The Planning Commission may revoke or modify a design approval which does not conform to any requirement of the approved permit.

(Prior Code, § 54.22) (Ord. 2-92, passed - -1992; Ord. 19-2015, passed 10-21-2015; Ord. 06-2022, passed 3-16-2022; Ord. 10-2025, passed 9-17-2025)