PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION AGENDA ITEM
ACTION REQUESTED:
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Provide feedback on the Downtown Design Standards (2011)
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DEPARTMENT: Transportation, Engineering and Development
SUBMITTED BY: Gabrielle Mattingly, Community Planner
ENTITLEMENTS REQUESTED:
Not applicable.
BOARD/COMMISSION REVIEW:
Seeking Planning and Zoning Commission (PZC) feedback.
BACKGROUND:
July 21 PZC Meeting
On July 21, 2021, PZC input was sought regarding staff's current interpretation of the Code with respect to determining which design elements on a building fa?ade should be included in the calculation of signage. Staff had been interpreting the Code such that any painted fa?ade area and/or the new accent material would be included in the calculation of maximum allowable wall signage if those features help to identify or are associated with the business brand; this interpretation was applicable to buildings in the Downtown and Citywide. However, because staff had noticed a shift in business branding and fa?ade design proposals which could not meet this standard, staff sought PZC input to determine if the current interpretation was still appropriate.
On July 21st, the Commission discussed staff's interpretation of the code and the applicability of both the Downtown and Citywide Design guidelines and raised concern that a change to the interpretation may lead to a myriad of bright colors throughout the City, particularly within the Downtown, and requested bright colors continue to be limited in application. The Commission further explained that fa?ade updates of individual tenants within shopping centers should be cohesive in terms of style and color with the entire center. Staff responded that the Downtown Design Standards and Citywide Design Guidelines will continue to be enforced and noted these guidelines limit the use of bright colors as accents and require neutral colors to be used as the primary base color. The Commission unanimously agreed that staff's interpr...
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