• New construction as defined in §5-2;
• Substantial reconstruction and rehabilitation of properties;
• Alterations to existing building façades such that the appearance of the building is changed.

The Planning and Zoning Commission’s authority shall include, but not be limited to, the following:

1. 1. The design and placement of buildings;
   2. The maintenance of public views;
   3. The design, paving materials, and placement of public roadways;
   4. Other elements that the Planning and Zoning Commission deems appropriate to maintain and protect the scale, architecture, and historic features of the Village District.

The Planning and Zoning Commission will review the application for Site Plan Review using the criteria within this §36, including §36-2, Design Principles and Standards, as the basis of its review.

A site rezoned by the Planning and Zoning Commission to Village District Overlay shall continue to bear its original district designation, but with the initials VDO appended to indicate a Village District Overlay designation. Designation as a Village District Overlay or the removal of such designation shall be considered a change of zone.(813, 03/27/2023)

• The parcel to be added must be contiguous with the existing Village District boundary and within the boundary of Westport Center as depicted in the Westport Plan of Conservation and Development;
• The characteristics of the existing building and site must be consistent with §36-2.1 Design Principles;
• The dimensional characteristics of the existing building and site must be consistent with other buildings in the Village District with respect to height, setback from front lot line, and building massing.

The approval must be certified by the Planning and Zoning Commission and recorded in the land records of the Town of Westport at the expense of the record owner. The approval must contain the following information:

• Owner of record;
• Description of the premises to which it relates;
• Reasons for the decision.

A Compliance Alternative must accomplish the relevant Design Principle. The Applicant must submit documentation that indicates the specific proposed alternative method or standard that will be used, why the Design Standards are not applicable to the application, and how the project is fully compliant with the Design Principles. Approval by the Planning and Zoning Commission of a Compliance Alternative is discretionary, but shall not be unreasonably withheld if the Applicant has provided sufficient documentation to justify such request. The use of the Compliance Alternative must be by mutual consent between the Joint Committee, Planning and Zoning Commission and the Applicant.

Buildings that are used as single-family homes within the Village District do not have to comply with the following standards: §36-2.3.3 (2) - Placement and Treatment of Entries; §36-2.3.3 (6) - Transparency; §36-2.3.3 (7) - Awnings and Signage; §36-2.3.5 - Parking; and §36-2.3.6 - Streetscapes and Sidewalks.

The Design Standards provide design requirements for all applicable projects. Projects shall be approved if they meet the Design Standards and all other applicable guidelines and requirements.

The Joint Committee shall submit a report and recommendation to the Planning and Zoning Commission within thirty-five days of the receipt of the application. The basis for the recommendation of the Joint Committee shall be the compliance of the application with provisions of §36-2.3 Design Standards.

The Planning and Zoning Commission will enter this report and recommendation into the public record and consider it as part of their deliberations. Any delay in the submission of the report will not alter any other time limit imposed by the regulations.

Any report or recommendation from an outside specialist, such as those listed under §36-1.4 Advisory Opinion, shall also be entered into the public hearing record.

As part of any approval of a Compliance Alternative under §36-2.2 Compliance Alternative, the Planning and Zoning Commission must provide a written determination and finding that the alternative approach meets the objectives of the Design Principles. Such determination should state the applicable Design Standards, the reason for granting an alternative, the applicable Design Principles, and how the alternative meets the Design Principles. The Planning and Zoning Commission may request a recommendation from the Joint Committee that the Compliance Alternative conforms with the Design Principles.

Figure 36A Setbacks for Infill Buildings

Figure 36A Setbacks for Infill Buildings

Figure 36A Setbacks for Infill Buildings

Figure 36A Setbacks for Infill Buildings

3. Building Orientation – Buildings shall be oriented with the primary building façade(s) facing the primary street frontage(s) of the site. Building massing and façades shall be designed to frame streets and public spaces to provide a sense of spatial enclosure and to define street edges. Building entrances, storefronts and windows shall be oriented to the primary street(s) with transparency to streets and public spaces.
4. Design Treatment of Edges – Buildings that are not physically adjoined to abutters shall treat side yards and the spaces between buildings in a manner consistent with existing patterns of use, in terms of setbacks and use. Landscaping shall be used to define street edges and to buffer and screen edges that may have a negative visual impact, such as parking or loading areas. Access driveways and curb cuts using side yards may be combined between adjoining properties to access parking for multiple buildings at the interior of the block.

Figure 36B Relationship to existing contents and building form.

Figure 36B Relationship to existing contents and building form.

Figure 36B Relationship to existing contents and building form.

Figure 36B Relationship to existing contents and building form.

2. Building Form – The shape and massing of new and renovated buildings shall provide a balance among building height, story-height, building width and block width. The shape and massing of the building shall complement the abutting structures and define the edges of streets and open spaces. See Figure 36 B.
3. Scale – The scale of proposed new or substantially rehabilitated buildings shall be compatible with the surrounding architecture and landscape context. Elements that may help to relate building massing proportionally shall include: articulated building bases through a change in material or color; placement of windows in a regular pattern; articulation of building entries with canopies, porches or awnings, and façade and roof projections (such as bay windows or dormers).
4. Proportion – The proportions of building elements shall be generally compatible with existing structures and the features and components of the façade.
5. Height – Infill buildings visible from public streets, public spaces, walkways, bikeways or the Saugatuck River shall continue the patterns of height of adjacent existing properties. Where the discrepancy between the proposed height and existing height patterns is greater than ten feet, the Joint Committee shall review design proposals with the Applicant for context sensitivity based upon the following: articulation of façade; building mass, scale, bulk and proportion; or other building massing considerations.
6. Building Roofs – Roofing materials visible from public streets, public spaces, walkways, bikeways or the Saugatuck River shall be of high quality and durable, including, but not limited to: slate, copper, ceramic slate tile, clay tile, concrete tile, or ribbed metal or architectural asphalt shingle. Flat horizontal roofs are exempted from this standard. Roofing materials shall not call undue attention to the roof itself with bright or contrasting colors, unless historically documented. Building mechanical equipment located on building roofs, sites, or other locations shall be not be visible from the street.

Figure 36C Façade Design and Relationship to existing context

Figure 36C Façade Design and Relationship to existing context

Figure 36C Façade Design and Relationship to existing context

Figure 36C Façade Design and Relationship to existing context

2. Placement and Treatment of Entries – Entrances shall be oriented to the primary street frontage and address the street with an active and welcoming entry composition that is integrated into the overall massing and configuration of the building form. Building and shop entrances shall be recessed to a minimum depth equal to the width of the door to prevent doors from swinging into the sidewalk. Building entries may add components to the building façade such as storefronts, canopies, porches, and stoops and shall provide a high level of visibility and transparency into ground floor uses. See Figure 36 D.

Figure 36D Placement and Treatment of Entries

Figure 36D Placement and Treatment of Entries

Figure 36D Placement and Treatment of Entries

Figure 36D Placement and Treatment of Entries

3. Façade Materials – Materials shall be selected to be compatible with or complementary to the Village District. Materials on the façade that are subject to deterioration (plywood or plastic) shall be avoided or removed and replaced. Building façade exterior materials, including architectural trim and cladding, shall be of high quality and durable, including but not limited to: stone, brick, wood, metal, glass, sustainable cement masonry board products and integrated or textured masonry. Exterior material may not include vinyl siding. Uninterrupted, multi-level glazing may not be used as a primary façade design treatment. Repairs and alterations must not damage or destroy materials, features or finishes that are important in defining the building’s historic features. Deteriorated historic features shall be repaired rather than replaced. Where the severity of deterioration requires replacement of a distinctive feature, the new feature shall match the old in design, color, texture, and other visual qualities and, where possible, materials. Replacement of missing features shall be substantiated by documentary, physical, or pictorial evidence.
4. Roof Parapet and Cornice Lines – Building cornice lines shall be maintained, preserved or recreated to define building façades and create façade components consistent with historic parapet or cornice lines as originally designed and built in Village District. See Figure 36 E.

Figure 36E Roof Parapet and Cornice Lines

Figure 36E Roof Parapet and Cornice Lines

Figure 36E Roof Parapet and Cornice Lines

Figure 36E Roof Parapet and Cornice Lines

5. Proportion and Pattern of Windows – Original window patterns and openings shall be preserved or restored, including conservation and repair to preserve historical details, in the redevelopment of existing structures. New construction shall acknowledge and respond to existing adjacent window patterns in proportion, scale, rhythm and number of openings. See Figure 36 F.

Figure 36F Proportion and Pattern of Windows

Figure 36F Proportion and Pattern of Windows

Figure 36F Proportion and Pattern of Windows

Figure 36F Proportion and Pattern of Windows

6. Transparency – Building façades facing the principal street or public open space shall have at least 25% of the overall façade in transparent windows and at least 40% of the ground floor façade in transparent windows. Along the secondary façades that face pedestrian alleys or connections, façades must achieve at least 15% transparency. Windows on the ground floor of the primary façade shall not be mirrored or use tinted glass or be obstructed by curtains, shades, or blinds. See Figure 36 G on next pg.

Figure 36G Transparency

Figure 36G Transparency

Figure 36G Transparency

Figure 36G Transparency

7. Awnings and Signage – Awnings and signs may not obscure important architectural details by crossing over pilasters or covering windows. Multiple awnings or signs on a single building shall be consistent in size, profile, location, material, color and design. On multi-tenant buildings the awnings and signs shall be allowed to vary in color and details, but shall be located at the same height on the building façade. See Figure 36 H.

Figure 36 H Awnings and Signage

Figure 36 H Awnings and Signage

Figure 36 H Awnings and Signage

Figure 36 H Awnings and Signage

(813, 03/27/2023)

Figure 36 I Parking Placement

Figure 36 I Parking Placement

Figure 36 I Parking Placement

Figure 36 I Parking Placement

2. Screening and Landscaping – Parking areas shall be separated from the street with landscaped buffers of between five feet and eight feet in width. Parking areas on secondary streets may also be screened by other site components, including fences, gates, walls, permanent planters, or hedges. Landscaped medians shall be provided between parking spaces to break up the impervious surfaces and mitigate the visual impact of parking. No landscape island shall be less than 6’ wide with a minimum width of 10’ is required for planting strips with trees. See Figure 36 J.

Figure 36 J Screening and Landscaping

Figure 36 J Screening and Landscaping

Figure 36 J Screening and Landscaping

Figure 36 J Screening and Landscaping

3. Structured Parking – Structured parking, where provided, shall be at the interior of a block, surrounded on visible edges by active uses to avoid inactive street edges created by the parking structure. Alternatively, the structured parking could be arranged such that the ground floor area facing the main street is available for commercial space.
4. Curbs and Curb Cuts – Granite curbs shall be used to protect planting areas and to define sidewalks, walkways, and parking area edges. Curb cuts shall be minimized and combined whenever possible. Every curb cut shall provide a continuous and uninterrupted pedestrian walkway.

Figure 36 K Sidewalk Configuration

Figure 36 K Sidewalk Configuration

Figure 36 K Sidewalk Configuration

Figure 36 K Sidewalk Configuration

3. Special Paving – Unit pavers may be used to enhance the visual aesthetic of sidewalks, pathways, and plazas. Existing brick or pavers shall be maintained or replaced and shall be introduced if adjacent sidewalks are brick. When employed, unit pavers should be selected and set in a manner that limits uneven surfaces or joints that would become an impediment to accessibility. An acceptable method includes providing a sub-base of wire-mesh reinforced concrete below the setting bed, and mortared joints. See Figure 36 L.

Figure 36 L Special Paving

Figure 36 L Special Paving

Figure 36 L Special Paving

Figure 36 L Special Paving

4. Passageways – Passageways through buildings that connect the principal streets to parking shall include displays relevant to adjacent businesses, public art, and/or wayfinding signage related to the Village District and lighting that provides a safe environment for pedestrians.
5. Street Furniture – Permanent street furniture including light fixtures, benches, bike racks, trash and recycling receptacles, and newspaper stands shall be integrated with street and sidewalk circulation to ensure adequate clearances, access and convenience of the location of these amenities. Street furniture shall be clustered at convenient locations that are plainly visible and accessible and must be located such that the minimum 4-’0” sidewalk clearances are maintained.
6. Public Art – Public art may be used to define and punctuate public spaces. Art installations shall maintain clearances in public spaces, and be constructed of materials that are durable, easily maintained and that do not present safety hazards.
7. Sidewalk Cafés – Where sidewalk width is constrained at location of sidewalk use for outdoor cafés, the Planning and Zoning Commission may reduce the minimum clear width of the sidewalk to 3’ for a maximum length of 10’. After a 5’ interval of a minimum width of 4’, the minimum clearance of 3’ may be allowed for another 10’. The goal is to maintain the balance for clear width of pedestrian activity and the extension of outdoor cafés into the public space.(813, 03/27/2023)