4 Multi-Family Design Standards
CITY 0 F
CHANHASSEN
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PO Box 147
Chal11,asserl MN 55317
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t-f
MEMORANDUM
TO:
Todd Gerhardt, City Manager
FROM:
Kate Aanenson AICP, Community Development Director
C'Jf4/
October 25,2004 .
DATE:
SUBJ:
Code Amendment to Chapter 20, Article XXIII, General Supplemental
Regulations - Design Standards for Multi-Family Developments
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
As the City moves towards development that is anticipated with the construction of Highway
212 and the development in the Bluff Creek Lowlands (2005 MUS A), the Planning
Commission and staff wanted to ensure high quality design in the multi-family
developments. The Commission spent a few months photographing and discussing elements
of good design. Ultimately, standards were drafted into an ordinance format. The Planning
Commission had several work sessions to review the ordinance and held a public hearing on
October 5th.
The design standards apply to all multi-family zoning districts regardless of the underlying
zoning. These standards are in addition to the standards that would apply within each
zoning district. The underlying requirements for items such as height, number of units,
parking ratios, etc. would still apply. The purpose and intent of these standards are to give
additional architectural standards and continuity between projects.
ACTION REQUIRED
City Council approval requires a majority vote of those members present.
PLANNING COMMISSION SUMMARY
The Planning Commission held a public hearing on October 5, 2004, to review the proposed
code amendment. The Planning Commission voted 6-0 to recommend approval of the
amendment. The summary and verbatim minutes are item 1a of the City Council packet.
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends the City Council adopt the following motion:
'The City Council approves the Code Amendment to Chapter 20, Article XXIII, General
Supplemental Regulations - Design Standards for Multi-Family Developments."
ATTACHMENT
Design Standards for Multi-Family Developments
g:\plan\ka\multifamily design standards\exccutivc summary.doc
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DIVISION 9. DESIGN STANDARDS FOR MULTI-FAMILY DEVELOPMENTS
Sec. 20-1085. Purpose.
These design standards govern site planning, placement of building masses, use of
materials, and enables the City to enhance what otherwise might result in low quality
development. These Design Standards will:
(1) Promote high-quality architectural and site design.
(2) Create a unified, harmonious and high-quality visual environment throughout the City.
(3) Protect creek corridors, wetlands, and significant stands of mature trees through the use
of careful site design; protective easements; sensitive alignment and design of
roadways/access and utilities; incorporation of natural features; landscaping and massing
of trees that enhance existing natural features and views; and the practices delineated in
the City's Best Management Practice Handbook.
(4) Foster a distinctive and positive community image, thereby identifying Chanhassen as a
special place with a unique identity in the Twin Cities Region as a whole.
Sec. 20-1086. Intent.
The City intends that all multi-family developments within the City should strive toward
the highest level of quality in both design and construction. The criteria by which new
development in the City shall be judged are as follows:
(1) Consistency with all of the provisions of the Comprehensive Plan, as amended from time
to time; the Surface Water Management Plan; all provisions of the Zoning Ordinance and
Subdivision Ordinance not specifically overridden by the provision of these Design
Standards; and all other applicable land use regulations.
(2) Preservation and enhancement of the natural conditions found on each site to the greatest
extent possible, through minimized removal of trees and other vegetation and soil,
minimized site grading, and application of the practices found in the City's Best
Management Practices Handbook.
(3) Establishment throughout the district of harmonious physical and visual relations among
existing, new and proposed buildings, open spaces, natural terrain, and plant materials
and placement with the intent of creating a unique and unified appearance for the entire
City.
(4) Use of appropriate materials, lighting, textures, colors, and architectural and landscape
forms to create a unified, high-quality design concept for each site that is compatible
with adjacent and neighboring structures and functions, including but not limited to
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natural area, City-owned property, and vacant land subject to future development in
accordance with the Comprehensive Plan.
(S) Creation of unified site designs, each with a sense of internal order, that provide desirable
environments for site users and visitors and the community as a whole and that consider
all site elements including the relationship of buildings to surrounding landform, grading,
architectural design, building orientation, entry treatment, use of material including
variety, articulation detail roof pitch and lighting, landscaping and site elements.
(6) Creation of suitable balance between the amount and arrangement of open space,
landscaping, and view protection and the design and function of man-made features.
Achieving this balance shall take into account screening buffering, size and orientation
of open spaces, personal and property security, wind and solar effects and the protection
of important public ways.
(7) Provision of safe and adequate access to and from sites giving ample consideration to the
location and number of access points from public streets, the safety and convenience of
merging and turning movements and traffic management mitigation.
(8) Provision for on-site vehicular, bicycling, and pedestrian circulation by the way of
interior drives, parking areas, pathways, and walkways adequate to handle anticipated
needs to safely buffer pedestrians and cyclists from motor vehicles. Consideration shall
be given to the width of interior drives, internal traffic movement and flow, separation of
pedestrian, cycling, and automotive traffic, and the safe, convenient and practical
arrangement of parking spaces based on 3 of units and building orientation.
(9) Adequate separation and protection of each site from adjacent properties through
reasonable provisions of surface water drainage, sound and sight buffer, view protection
privacy, and other regulations that are found to have significant effect on any or all of the
properties androadways.
Sec. 20-1087. District Applications.
The Design Standards shall apply to multi-family developments.. With each zoning
district the Design Standards shall be in addition to the underlying requirement. Single-family
lots are exempt from the Design Standards.
Sec. 20-1088. Architectural Style.
(1) Architectural style shall not be restricted. Evaluation of the appearance of a project shall
be based on the quality of its design and in relationship to its surroundings, guided by the
provisions of this section. Site characteristics to be evaluated for this purpose include
building and landscaping, colors, textures, shapes, massing of rhythms of building
components and detail, height of roof line, setback and orientation. Designs that are
incompatible with their surroundings or intentionally bizarre or exotic are not acceptable.
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(2) Monotony of design, both within projects and between adjacent projects and its
surroundings, is prohibited. Variation in detail, form, and siting shall provide visual
interest. Site characteristics that may be used for this purpose include building and
landscaping, colors, textures, shapes, massing of rhythms of building components and
detail, height of roof line, setback and orientation.
(3) All building shall have a minimum of 20 percent of accent material. Accent material may
include brick, stone cut face block or shakes. The use of any EFIS shall not be on the
first story of any building or one story in height.
Sec. 20-1089. Land Use.
All development shall create a unified design of internal order that provides desirable
environments for site uses, visitors and the community. The following design elements shall be
incorporated into a project.
(1) The project shall create a unique neighborhood identity.
(2) Creation of interconnecting neighborhoods in collaboration with adjoining land owners
(Street, walkways, preservation of natural features, parks and gathering places).
(3) Each neighborhood has a focal point or gathering place including parks, greens, squares,
entrance monuments, historic structures (silos/barns) or public furniture (gazeboes,
benches, pergolas).
Entrance
Monument,
distinctive
reflecting
neighborhood
Gazebo -
Gathering
place
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(4) Recreation facilities (playgrounds, tot lots, swimming pools and gardens).
Central fountain,
Arbor. StreetscaDe
Playground
(S) Diversity of product type and design to accommodate different age groups and
individuals in different socio-economics circumstances.
(6) Broad variety of housing choices - twin homes, row houses, town homes, flats above
garages, apartments over shops. garden apartments. senior living opportunities and
condominiums.
(7) Each project shall seek to create a percentage of units shall be affordable by CUlTent
Metropolitan Standards.
Sec. 20-1090. Curb Appeal.
To encourage roadway image or curb appeal projects shall create a variety of building
orientation along the roadways; attractive streetscape and architectural detail. All projects shall
incorporate the following design elements:
(1) Orientation to the street or access road
(a) Setbacks
(b) Spacing between buildings and view sheds.
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Open Space between buildings,
Architectural detail onside of
building, side entrance,
landscaping and architectural
detail
(2) Architectural detail/decorative features
(a) Windows
(b) Flower boxes
(c) Porches, balconies, private spaces
(d) Location and treatment of entryway
Internal orientation
non street frontage
Front porch,
private space, with
Street orientation
Public space for
entry, outdoor
furniture, planters
Prominent
Entrance
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(e) Surface materials, finish and texture
Variety in roof pitch, building orientation, building height and,
articulation, variety of materials and use of balconies
(f) Roof pitch
(g) Building height and orientation
(3) Location of garages
Different roof lines
and architectural
appearance of
garages, berming
between street and
common driveways
(4)· Landscaping including fencing and berming
(S) Street lighting
Street lighting,
decorative,
human scale,
incorporated
into
streetscape
design feature
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(6) Screening of parking, especially in apartment and condominium developments.
Parking lots
screened by
landscaping
or wall or
fencing
(7) Variations/differentiations in units including, but not limited to, color, material,
articulation etc.
Sec. 20-1091. Transportation Diversity.
All developments shall be incorporate multi modal transportation including the following
elements:
(1) Streets with trails incorporated.
(2) Off road trials and bike paths
(3) Provisions for mass transit with bus stops and shelters incorporated into the
developments.
I Bus shelter I
(4) Sidewalk connecting internal developments.
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(a) Undulating sidewalks. Use of pavers or stamped concrete.
(b) On-street parking and use of roundabouts.
(c) Landscaped boulevards or medians.
I Roundabout
Sec. 20-1092. Integration of Parks, Open Space, Natural Historic or Cultural Resources.
(1) Integrate nature and wildlife with urban environment.
(a) Trails and Sidewalks.
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Trails and Sidewalks
(b) Vistas.
(c) Historic Features.
Barns and Silos
(2) Preservation·of natural features that support wildlife and native plants (slopes, trees,
wetlands).
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