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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2800-C North Mountain PlanIntroduction The initiation of this neighborhood Plan was directed by the City Council of the City of Ashland. A Steering Committee, comprised of residents and property owners, was formed and the guidelines were developed as a joint effort by the Steering Committee and Community Development Department's Planning staff members. Throughout the process and during three study sessions, additional input from the Ashland Planning Commission was given to staff and formulated into this document. In addition, the City received a grant from the Oregon Department of Land Conservation and Develop- ment (DLCD) and the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) for the hiring of the consulting firm Lennartz & Coyle, Architects & Town Planners. Lennartz & Coyle completed a four day planning charrette with the citizens of Ashland to formulate the basic land use principles for the North Mountain Neighborhood. Location and Character The North Mountain Neighborhood Plan Area contains approximately 53 acres and is located south of Interstate 5 and north of the North Mountain Avenue/Hersey Street intersection. Access to the area is provided via North Mountain Avenue. The characteristics of the area consist of rolling terrain and pas- tures, the Bear Creek Flood Plain, possible jurisdictional wetlands, and approximately nine residences dot the landscape. The area has been included in the Ashland City limits for many years, but has experi- enced limited growth due to a lack of public facilities including: sewer, water, and paved streets. When the City's Comprehensive Plan was prepared in the late 1970% this area was given a large lot zoning designation to discourage urbanization until full urban services were available. Therefore, the zoning has been RR.5 (half acre zoning) for more than 20 years. Recently, the construction of a Senior Housing complex consisting of multiple housing types has begun east of the subject area. The land use pattern and building architecture of the Senior Housing project is similar to the Design Standards established within this document. Purpose of the Design Standards The purpose of the plan is to provide a comprehensive set of design standards, policies, and regulations to guide future development within the identified plan area. Through the use of the standards a greater sense of neighborhood can be accomplished, as well as accommodating all forms of transportation, in- cluding walking, bicycling and busing. Page 54 - North Mountain Neighborhood "Draft Design Standards* A. Housing 1. Architectural Design 2. Orientation 3. Repetitive Elevations 4. Building Setbacks 5. Garage & Accessory Structure Setbacks 6. Terracing 7. Porches 8. Driveways 9. Accessory Residential Units Neighborhood Central 1. Transitional Architectural Design 2. Architectural Character 3. Building Setbacks & Height 4. Parking: location, Design & Joint lJse 5. Mixed Uses Street Types & Design 1. Street Types 2. Planter Strips 3. Street Lighting 4. Street Furniture Open Space and Neighborhood Focal Points 1. Open Space 2. Neighborhood Focal Points North Mountain Neighborhood "Design Standards- 11/96" - Page A. Housing The following design standards are intended to describe specific site planning and design principles for residential developments. While the standards are specific, the intent is not to limit innova- tire design, but rather provide a framework for clear direction and minimum standards. Architectural Design Residential dwelling's street elevations shall be broken with re- veals, recesses, trim elements and other architectural features for interest. In addition, two of the following nine design features must be provided along the front of each residence: 1. Dormers 2. Gables 3. Recessed entries 4. Covered porch entries 5. Cupolas 6. Pillars or Posts 7. Bay window (min. 12" projection) 8. Eaves (min. 6" projection) 9. Off-sets in building face or roof (min. 16") Orientation One of the best ways to make a residence and neighborhood welcoming is to orient the primary elevation towards the street. Without having to incorporate significant architectural features to embellish the front of a residence, a front door, framed by a simple porch or portico, clearly visible from the street creates not only neighborly friendliness, but also neighborhood awareness. Repetitive Elevations Excessive repetition of identical floor plans and elevations are not interesting and lack imagination. The information age allows today's architects and design professionals to generate diverse, attractive and functional house plans at a minimal expense. Excessive repetition of identical floor plans and elevations shall be discouraged within the North Mountain Neighborhood. A-I A-3 A-4 Page 56 - North Mountain Neighborhood "Draft Design Standards' Building Setbacks All building setbacks, other than garages or accessory units ac- cessed from an alley, shall be subject to the setback standards established in Chapter 18.30 of the Ashland Municipal Code. Garage & Accessory Structure Setbacks To create a better streetscape appearance and a more interesting neighborhood, the focus of the North Mountain Neighborhood should be on the houses rather than garages or accessory struc- tures. Design and setback standards shall ensure each feature is discrete and not overwhelming. Where no alleys are present, garages should be located a mini- mum of 15' behind the primary facade and a minimum of 20' from the sidewalk. Garages or accessory structures adjacent to an internal property line (i.e., neighbor' s residence) should main- tain a minimum first floor side yard setback of 4' and a second floor setback of 6', excluding dormers. No side yard setback is required when two or more garages are attached by a common wall between the property line. Garages or accessory structures accessed from the alley should have a minimum 4' rear yard set- back (see Illustrations A-6 & 7). Garage width should be kept to a minimum whenever possible. Although not an overly "roomy" width, a 22' wide garage, from end to end, accommodates two standard sized vehicles. For addi- tional storage needs, expansion of the garage's depth should be considered. Common wall garages shall have one of the facades offset by 3' in order to avoid linear repetition. Terracing Grading for new homes and accessory structures should be mini- mized wherever possible. The design of these buildings should incorporate sensitive design elements which work with the natu- ral grade instead of changing the grade to work with the building. Terracing, as shown in Illustration A-8 to the right, should be incorporated into the design of each lot' s development. "Terraces" help ease transition between the public and private space. A-6 A-7 A-8 alle, North Mountain Neighborhood "Design Standards- 11/96" Page 57 Porches Porches are by far the most common architectural element added to a street friendly house. Porches encourage social interaction with neighbors and provide a cool place to sit on hot evenings, acting like an outside room. Columns and railings define the edges or "walls" of this room. Porches should be large enough to allow at least one person to sit facing the street - 8 feet wide - and deep enough to allow a per- son to stand while the door is opening - 6' deep. Porches with dimensions less than 8' X 6' are often used as storage areas for bikes, barbecues, etc., and do not realistically function as ~out- door rooms" (see Illustration A-9). Where possible, perches shall be incorporated into building de- signs within the North Mountain Neighborhood. Driveways A narrow driveway width has many advantages to the streetscape. A narrower driveway with less concrete is visually more attrac- tive, creates a more accommodating pedestrian environment, in- creases on-street parking, and increases the number of street trees. Single home driveways should be no greater than 9' wide (mea- sured at street). Where no alley is present and two garages share a common wall, a common driveway 12' in width may be used, but shall serve both garages. Accessory Residential Units Accessory residential units, in the form of garage apartments or backyard cottages, shall be a special permitted use within por- tions of the NM zoning district. These small rental units provide affordable housing interspersed with more expensive housing. Considerate design and placement standards shall be incorporated into the development of accessory residential units. When adja- cent to a side property line the second floor area should be stag- gered and minimized. However, with the addition of a dormer, this point could be achieved without an additional setback or mini- mizing floor area. IA-9 ,l~ 8*uddm.m Page 58 North Mountain Neighborhood HDraft Design Standards* B. Neighborhood Central Neighborhood Central District In addition to the following, refer to the Site Design and Use Standards, Section II-C, for the neighborhood central develop- ment standards: Transitional Architectural Design The completion of the neighborhood central area will likely take several years. The residential areas of the plan and neighboring sites will likely need to be fully developed in order for the eom- mercial uses to be viable. Until that time, new buildings shall be constructed to accommodate residential uses, but designed in a way that will allow a simple transition to commercial use. Architectural Character The architectural character of the commercial buildings should reflect their importance as a focus of the North Mountain Neigh- borhood. Rather than taking on a residential appearance, these buildings should emulate a traditional storefront appearance. Ashland has many storefront buildings which should be looked at for reference but not duplication. These buildings have a simple and flexible form, yet have a strong architectural identity. Building Setbacks & Height Buildings shall be built up to the front and side property lines. Along the front, exceptions will be allowed to create courtyards, seating areas for cafes, or other special uses (see Illustration B-3). These areas should be designed to further the activity along the streets. Arcades, awnings, bays, and balconies shall extend over walkways to form a continuous covered walk. In only rare cases should the facade of the second story extend beyond the first floor's front setback. A side yard property setback should only be considered when the building is adjacent to a residential zone or pedestrian access is needed from a rear parking area. A side yard setback accom- modating a rear parking area shall only occur at mid-block be- tween two buildings (see Illustration B-4). North Mountain Neighborhood "Design Standards- 11/96~ Page 59 Transit Facilities The neighborhood central area will need a transit shelter which not only serves patrons of the commercial businesses, but also serves the neighborhood's residents. The general design of the facility should be consistent with the City's adopted bus shelter design. While transit service is not presently available to the neighbor- hood, the overall density of the area will ulitimately support it. The integration of a transit shelter within the neighborhood cen- tral area will further its use. Mixed Uses Second story apartments over ground floor shops are encour- aged wherever possible. Bays and balconies are encouraged to provide outlooks and create an articulated rhythm and visual interest (see Illustration B-7). B-S ]I_ 11-"_ IL__JL._I ] I 'rRADrrI01qAL STREET [qE'rwoRK B-7 Page 60 - North Mountain Neighborhood "Draft Design Standards" C. Street Types & Design Street Types Several types of residential streets are planned for in the North Mountain Neighborhood. These streets would extend through the planned area to accommodate not only multi-modal move- ment, but also a variety of circulation options. Greenway Drive The Greenway Drive, as shown in Illustration C-l, has a 49' fight- of-way which provides for a travel surface of 28', an 8' planting strip, and two sidewalks. The sidewalk on the residential side is 5' and on the side of the Bearcreek Greenway an 8' sidewalk is shown. In cases where medians are identified on the North Moun- tain Neighborhood Plan, the median width shall be 8' and the two travel lanes 10'. Neighborhood Access Street The primary type of street traversing the neighborhood is the Neighborhood Access Street. This street has a 48' fight-of-way which provides for a 15' travel surface, 7' parking bays, two 8' planting trips and two 5' sidewalks (see Illustration C-2). Alleys One of the most important features making up a successful neigh- borhood is the alley. Alleys allow parking to be located at the property's rear. By making this shift the negative impacts of "ga- rage proliferation", pedestrian and vehicle conflicts at curb-cuts and excessive amounts of hard surface are removed. In addition, the front of the home and the street have the maximum opportu- nity for social interaction. The alley's cross section (C-3) identifies a 20' fight-of-way. The improved width is 12' with two planted or graveled four foot wide strips. The cross section also identifies garages and/or accessory units with a 4' rear yard setback. Pedestrian Accessways The North Mountain Neighborhood offers many natural and built amenities. The Pedestrian Accessway, separate from the Bear Creek multi-use path, will entice the pedestrian into a quick and convenient alternative route. Ashland has several pedestrian C-I J 8' 28' 8' 5' Bear walk travel lane planterWalk Creek parking both Floodplain sides GREENV~AY DRIVE 49' ROW C-2 5' 8' 7' 15' 8' 5' planter travel lane planter walk parking one walk side NEIGHBOBHOOD ACCE~ STREET 48' ROW C-3 structur~ 4' 4' 12' 4' setback clearance travel clearance lane fence (no setback) ALLEY - 25 ROW C-4 low fence t~li or wall I 3' 6' 3' setback walk setback PEDESTRIAN ACCIgSSWAY 12' ROW North Mountain Neighborhood "Design Standards- 11/96" - Page 61 accessways, the most notable, the Alice Peil Walkway located off of Granite Street. The Pedestrian Access cross section (C- 4) identifies a 12' right-of-way. Neighborhood Commercial Street As the focal point of the North Mountain Neighborhood, the commercial street area should portray a strong "sense of place". This is the place where neighbors will comfortably socialize on the sidewalk or plaza area before and after they patronize their neighborhood market, coffee shop, video store, etc. The neighborhood's commercial street cross section (C-5) shows a 45' right-of-way improvement. A 10' wide sidewalk, a 17' deep parking space (angled 60 degrees), and an 18' one way travel lane. Street trees planted within the sidewalk and be- tween the parking area and the pedestrian path are also shown.- The appropriate tree spacing should be no greater than 30'. North Mountain Avenue As the entrance to the neighborhood and the primary access route, North Mountain Avenue shall have significant design components that evokes a welcome and inviting feeling. Illustration C-6 to the right identifies a tree-lined street which provides not only an efficient vehicle, bicycle and pedestrian thoroghfare, but also creates an attractive environment. Planter Strips All development fronting on streets shall be required to plant street trees in accordance with the Street Tree Standards of Chapter 18.72, Site Design and Use Standards. Large stature street trees should be used to provide a canopy effect for resi- dential streets, while smaller stature trees may be more appro- priate along alley frontages. The planting strips will also be planted with low lying ground cover and street trees that can- tilever over the travel lanes and sidewalks. Street Lighting North Mountain, East Nevada, Greenway Drive (new), and streets within the Neighborhood Commercial Overlay shall incorporate pedestrian scaled lighting as shown in the Illustra- tion C-8. Light poles and illuminating fixtures shall be decora- tive in design and shall be similar in design to the lights on Oak 10' 17' sidewalk angled with tree parking lg' one way lane COMMERCIAL STREET 4S' ROW C-6 valk bike & travel ~avel & bike walkI planter lane median lane planter / / NOaTH MOUnTAIn AW~ - ~' ~OW ~ / C-7 Page 62 North Mountain Neighborhood "Draft Design Standards" Street, between 'A~ and ~B" Streets. Wherever possible, light poles shall be centered within the planter strips and between street trees to increase illumination east on the sidewalk and street. Light bollards shall be used to illuminate pedestrian acxe~sways. Lighting fixtures for pedestrian use along residential streets and alleys may be attached to building walls, porches, carports or pa- tio walls. Street Furniture Outdoor hardscape elements such as benches, bollards, trash re- ceptacles, mail boxes, light poles, etc. shall be consistent through- out the project area. The use of treated, stained wood, indigenous stone or rock, exposed aggregate concrete and painted steel is acceptable for the construction of street furniture. C-9 North Mountain Neighborhood "Design Standards- 11/96" - Page 65 D. D- l Open Space and Neighborhood Focal Points A variety of open space types are located within the North Moun- tain Neighborhood and each type should be designed based upon their environmental impact and benefiting attributes. Open space types within the area include the Bear Creek Floodplain, pocket parks, pedestrian accessways, a commercial common (plaza) and street medians. Each type of open space shall be accessible to the general public at all times. Except for pedestrian accessways and a small picnic area, use of the Bear Creek Floodplain shall be kept to a minimum. No build- ings shall be permitted in the area except for a small gazebo type structure associated with the picnic area. Whenever possible, pocket parks and pedestrian accessways shall be linked to formulate a more interesting and invitable alterna- five. Each should be designed around natural features minimiz- ing their impact, but increasing their appeal. Developments fronting these areas are encouraged as long as vehicular access is from an alley. Street medians or small pocket medians shall be designed with large stature trees, shrubs and perennials flowers as an accent (see Illustration D-2). Use of turf shall be minimized wherever possible. An irrigation system shall be installed at the time of plant installation. A plaza or commons area, similar to the plaza in the downtown, shall be incorporated within the Neighborhood Commercial Over- lay Zone. The area shall be designed to provide adequate shad- ing for comfortable midday summer use and sunny areas for win- ter use. Hardscape areas shall be centrally located, but minimized whenever possible. Benches, newsracks, kiosks and other street furniture shall be located within the area. The area shall enclose and define the central space of the com- mercial core. The relationship of the maximum height of the sur- rounding buildings to the width of the plaza area should fall be- tween 1:1 and 1:5 to assure spacial definition (see Illustration D- 3). D-1 i~street trees ~- sidewalk - / flowers / Page 64 - North Mountain Neighborhood "Draft Design Standards" Neighborhood Focal Point The intersection of Greenway Drive and North Mountain Av- enue should serve as a neighborhood focal point. Special right- of-way design considerations shall be incorporated into the de- velopment of these streets. Illustration D-4 to the right shows typical neighborhood identification features with a median island, neighborhood identification monument, detractive concrete pat- terns, landscaping, gateways etc. North Mountain Neighborhood "Design Standards- 11/96" Page 65