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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPC Minutes 2019-01-171 Town of Ithaca Planning Committee Thursday, January 17, 2019 Committee Members: Rich DePaolo, Chair; Rod Howe and Pat Leary Board/Staff Members Present: Bill Goodman; Susan Ritter, Bruce Bates, Dan Tasman. Guests: Jamie Gensel (Fagan Engineers) and C.J. Randall (Randall + West) 1. Persons to be heard: None 2. Committee announcements and concerns: None 3. Consider December meeting minutes: Rich moved, Rod seconded; minutes approved with minor edits. 4. Consider revisions to Chain Works District (CWD) Planned Development Zone (PDZ) language: The committee continued review of the PDZ, picking up from the December meeting with Section 271- 17.6 B. addressing design guidelines. At the December meeting the committee requested staff to try to reconcile the CWD PDZ guidelines with similar architectural requirements proposed in the town’s form based code/New Neighborhood Code (NNC) currently in the works. The committee felt that utilizing the same language in the PDZ and NNC would provide more consistency in the Town Code and thus be easier for staff and others to utilize. A review of the staff prepared document comparing the Chain Works District PDZ guidelines with regulations proposed in the town’s New Neighborhood Code was the focus of the meeting. Rich initiated the discussion by stating that he was inclined to assume that the NNC requirements should be incorporated into the PDZ unless there are good reasons not to. The NNC was noted as being much more granular than the PDZ and its language crafted by the town’s working group. The committee reviewed the document, with Dan Tasman introducing each of the building element sections. CWD consultants, C.J. Randall and Jaimie Gensel, reported several provisions in the NNC language where the CWD architect had expressed some concerns. For instance, the NNC requirements for transparency are proposed as 15%-40%. The CWD architect suggested utilizing the NYS Energy Code to guide the upper limit and suggested a lower limit of 25%. After discussion, the committee decided to maintain the lower limit at 15%, but remove the upper limit for each of the building types. The building element sections on roofing, cladding, and windows were largely changed to conform to the NNC, though some specific language from the CWD PDZ was retained and some NNC proposed language was modified by the committee to better fit with the CWD project. Proposed CWD PDZ language dealing with window obstructions and proportions were deemed unnecessary and eliminated. There was no equivalent in the NNC and nothing new was proposed. The awnings section was largely maintained as proposed by the CWD PDZ, with the exception of the first bulleted item, “Awnings should take the form of a traditional wedge…”. Instead, new language combining the PDZ and NNC, proposed by staff in the review document, was approved by the committee. 2 Jamie Gensel recommended changing the reference in the blank wall requirements to the “principal elevation” instead of “the front elevation,” given some unusual building frontage situations. He explained that Chain Drive, for instance, will be a pedestrian entrance/car-way and that while there is a road behind the building, its frontage will face Chain Drive, not the road. Bruce expressed concern with 911 addressing and the needs of emergency vehicles, given that addressing is assigned by the building frontage. Bruce thought a definition for “principal” was needed so that it is clear that some frontages would not be facing the road. C.J. Randall explained that the design focus was on how the public would be interacting with the building and not the traditional idea of street facing frontage. She suggested using “public realm facing elevation” instead of “principal elevation”, which the committee agreed to. In the balcony section, design considerations and language discouraging certain types of balconies was eliminated given that they represented balcony type/features (cantilevered and hanging balconies) that could be desirable and were even depicted in the precedent images. C.J. Randall stated that the CWD architect expressed concern with the dwelling unit individuality guideline (applicable to 3-4 unit house/townhouse) and the requirement for forced articulation. She pointed to typical brownstone rowhouses as being considered attractive, yet not expressing individuality. Rich and the committee felt comfortable with the menu of choices to create individuality. Sue pointed out that the language discouraged stoops, but that these were a more common feature in townhouses/brownstones than are porches. The committee agreed to add stoops back in. Jamie Gensel also noted that topography would also play a role in creating variation and Dan suggested adding “Horizontal articulation for buildings on a slope” as another element for creating individuality. Several additional elements were changed or eliminated in the storefront section to better address applicability to the CWD development. A redlined version of the committee’s complete modifications in reconciling the architectural guidelines in the NNC and CWD (titled “New Neighborhood Code vs Chain Works District PDZ language”) is attached at the end of these minutes. For the site plan modification subsection, in Administration (271-17.8), the committee changed the wording in threshold [1] to the following: “Enlargement of an existing or previously approved structure that increases the square footage by more than 20%, or the construction of more than 2,000 SF gross floor area, whichever is less.” Jaimie Gensel reported that clean up at the Emerson/Chain Works District site had been continuing for several months, but was stopped a week ago when the weather shut things down. The process is taking longer than anticipated. Next steps for the CWD PDZ are to send this on to the Planning Board for a recommendation. 5. Staff Updates: Sue reported that she participated in an Ithaca Board of Realtors sponsored event at the end of the November. The meeting focused on the issue of housing and the constraints to building more housing in the area. Sue stated a major take away for her was the difficulty of local developers ability to financially handle the upfront costs of installing new infrastructure (roads, utilities, stormwater controls, etc.). The idea of creating a revolving loan fund to provide initial financing for infrastructure was discussed. 3 Sue also reported on attending a meeting sponsored by Tompkins County Area Development about Opportunity Zones (OZ). Staff from Sciarabba Walker gave a presentation on this federal program created through the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017. She explained that an OZ was intended to bring new development/investments to areas defined, per Census data, as being economically-distressed. In the town, a large part of the South Hill area has been designated an OZ. The program allows investors to defer payments on big capital gains tax until 2027 and then pay a reduced amount by investing in an OZ project. There is a short window of opportunity on utilizing this program once the rules are finalized and enacted. 6. Discuss next meeting date and upcoming agenda items: Next meeting is Thursday, February 21st at 4:00 pm. 4 Design guidelines for all building types (current title: Building Guidelines) Design of all building types should comply with these requirements. Roof form and materials Roof form If a building has a sloping roof, the most prominent roofline should have a pitch of slope of: Chain Works PDZ draft guidelines require 5:12 for all sloped roofs, and 2:12 for porches, dormers, and attached sheds. (building guidelines – architecture - a) Roof materials A sloping roof surface should use one or more of these materials. Asphalt shingles with a Green roof with an anti- Metal, wood, Chain Works PDZ draft guidelines do not have roof material requirements, although they suggest roof colors that are compatible with surrounding buildings / landscape. (building guidelines – architecture - e) Rooftop equipment screening Rooftop HVAC, utility, and mechanical equipment, enclosures, ducts, or related accessories should have visual screening of the same height or higher to conceal them. Screening should be visually opaque, and architecturally integral to the building (examples: roof well, parapet wall, pitched roof element, architectural roof screen that matches building colors). This does not apply to antennas or solar panels. Color of a plumbing or exhaust vent, pipe, or flue that penetrates a roof should match the roof color. equipment. (building guidelines – architecture - b) Cladding Cladding materials This table shows cladding materials that this PDZ allows for specific building types. 5 P cladding P or S Cladding material Small house Large house 3- Cottage Mansion apartment Townhouse Apartment building Courtyard building Main Street mixed use building General building Large footprint building Architectural wall panel S S S S S S S S S S S “natural” S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P S S S S S S S S S S S Precast masonry, ceramic, or terra cotta trim and cornice P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P S S S S S Siding: horizontal/lap or vertical not plywood-based, or OSB without zinc borate treatment P P P P P P S S S S S Siding: horizontal/lap or vertical P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P Chain Works PDZ draft guidelines now read: (building guidelines – architecture - c) Frontage line facing facades on floors below 50 feet tall or any required stepback, should use a durable outer material with a thickness greater than 1/4 inch. Examples: Brick, stone, wood, cement, and traditional stucco/plaster are almost always thicker than ¼ inch. Thin stucco as applied in many Exterior Insulation and Finish Systems (EIFS), vinyl and aluminum siding, fiberglass and sheet metal panels are frequently thinner than ¼ inch, and would not comply with this guideline. (building guidelines – architecture - d) Frontage line facing facades should be constructed from a material that provides small-scale detail. Either the height or width of any material uninterrupted by a change in color or thickness should be less than 8 inches. (For example, lap siding may be unlimited in length as long as it is no more than 8” high) Alternative larger scale durable façade materials may be allowed through Planning Board review. 6 (building guidelines – architecture - e) Structures should blend in with natural surroundings and with the colors and textures of the existing/adjacent early twentieth century industrial/historic structures through preferred use of stone, brick, concrete and/or natural wood and/or metal siding. In all cases, structures shall be constructed and maintained so predominating exterior wall colors (including the colors of basement walls on the downhill side of the structure) and sloped roof surfacing materials repeat the colors found most commonly in the land, vegetation and historic buildings around the site, at least 65% of the building facade area should have a light reflectance value (LRV) less than 65%. Cladding material change on an elevation Cladding material along a wall or elevation should only change: Where a pilaster, pilaster strip, or similar projecting element that vertically divides a facade, separates the different claddin The Chain Works PDZ draft does not have equivalent guidelines Trim Exterior walls with siding should have the following trim. Outside corners: mitered edges aligning materials on The Chain Works PDZ draft does not have equivalent guidelines Design consistency on visible elevations All building elevations facing a street, courtyard, or the public realm should have a similar style and quality of windows, doors, trim, decorative moldings, and wall articulation. Chain Works PDZ draft guidelines now read: (building guidelines – architecture - i) Architectural variety is important for community character, while primary facades facing thoroughfares should be prioritized, secondary facades visible from other properties should include architectural detailing that is consistent with the primary façade where practical. Windows, awnings, and doors Window and door area (transparency area) 7 An elevation of a principal building or detached accessory unit (not including garage doors or garage door bays) should have the following window and door area. Applicable to: small house, large house, 3-4 unit house, cottage, mansion apartment, townhouse Front, corner side, and public realm-facing elevation: 15%-40% window/door area on each story. Applicable to: apartment building, courtyard building Front, corner side, and public realm-facing elevation: - Upper stories - - Applicable to: Main Street mixed use building, general building, large footprint building, Ground story - apart along street Ground story - general: front, corner side, and public realm-facing elevations: - Upper stories - front, corner side, public realm-- Upper stories - - Chain Works PDZ draft guidelines now read: (building guidelines – windows, awnings, and doors - c) Openings above the first Story should not exceed 50% of the total building wall area, with each facade being calculated independently. (building guidelines – windows, awnings, and doors - i) The maximum distance between functional entries measured along thoroughfare should not exceed 85 feet. (building guidelines – windows, awnings, and doors - j) Residential façade minimum glazing (% front façade area between 2'-12' above the sidewalk) should be at least 30%. (building guidelines – windows, awnings, and doors - k) Commercial façade minimum glazing (% front façade area between 2'-12' above the sidewalk) should be at least 70%. LEED-ND v4 does not address window-to-wall ratio. LEED-BDC v4 (building design and construction) requirements address line of sight visibility from indoors to outdoors, ”spatial daylight autonomy”, and daylight floor area. These are performance-based standards, and vary based on building type and room occupancy. (See LEED-BDC v4 EQ credits: daylight, quality views.) The 40% glazing area maximum, which the New Neighborhood Code draft uses, is based on the 2009 IECC (International Energy Conservation Code). Walkable street prerequisites for non-commercial and mixed use street frontages under LEED-ND v4 include: 8 Clear glass on at least 60% of their façades between 3 and 8 feet above grade for ground-level retail, service, and trade uses that face a public space. 50% or more of the total number of office buildings include ground-floor retail along 60% of the length of the street-level façade; 100% of mixed-use buildings include ground-floor retail, live-work spaces, or ground-floor dwelling units along at least 60% of the street-level façade; and all businesses or community services on the ground floor are accessible directly from sidewalks along the circulation network or other public space, such as a square, park, or plaza, but not a parking lot. Entry doors at the front and corner side elevations should allow visual access to the interior of the building. This requirement is based on Chain Works building guidelines – windows, awnings, and doors - g. There is no equivalent in the New Neighborhood Code. Window obstructions Chain Works PDZ draft guidelines now read: (building guidelines - windows, awnings, and doors - l) A maximum of 20% of the glazing area should be obscured by opaque or translucent obstructions including but not limited to signs, mullions, muntins, decorative architectural elements, screening, frosting, and etching. Signs are not an equivalent to mulions, muntins, or other traditional structural elements of windows. The current PDZ draft wording implies that 20% of a window area should have something blocking it (“should be obscured), including the option of signs in areas where they might not be appropriate. The New Neighborhood Code has no regulations requiring window mullions, muntins, or frosting. The sign regulations for the legality, size and location of window signs. Recommended code language addresses window structural elements below. Window proportions The New Neighborhood Code draft does not regulate window proportions. Windows 6 ft² (not including storefront windows) should be vertical (height greater than width) or square in proportion. This requirement is based on Chain Works building guidelines – windows, awnings, and doors - a. There is no equivalent in the New Neighborhood Code. Windows 20 ft² (not including storefront windows) should have mullions, muntins, or jambs (“multi- pane glass or the appearance of multi-pane glass should be used to break up windows larger than 20 SF”) and framing, dividing them into visually smaller units. This requirement is based on Chain Works building guidelines – windows, awnings, and doors - b. There is no equivalent in the New Neighborhood Code. 9 Awnings Awnings should take the form of a traditional wedge with valence, lateral arm retractable, or concave awning. Awnings should not take the form of vinyl waterfall or bubble awnings. The New Neighborhood Code draft prohibits waterfall and bubble awnings in its sign requirements, because they are often used as a loophole around wall sign size requirements. Awnings should not be backlit. This requirement is based on Chain Works building guidelines – windows, awnings, and doors - d. There is no equivalent in the New Neighborhood Code. Awnings on storefronts should be 4’ deep. Adjustable roll-up awnings are encouraged. This requirement is based on Chain Works building guidelines – windows, awnings, and doors - e. There is no equivalent in the New Neighborhood Code. Shopfront awnings may encroach into the public pedestrian way, if all parts of it are 7’ above grade. This requirement is based on Chain Works building guidelines – windows, awnings, and doors - f. There is no equivalent in the New Neighborhood Code. Blank wall area On the building elevations facing the public realm, front elevation of a building, horizontal separation between window/door openings and other window/door openings or an outside corner on an Chain Works PDZ draft guidelines now read: Maximum length of blank (building guidelines – windows, awnings, and doors - m) Minimum window and door area requirements in the proposed New Neighborhood Code help prevent long blank walls. LEED-ND v4 awards points for rhese are walkable street features for non-commercial and mixed use street frontages. If a façade extends along a sidewalk, no more than 40% of its length or 50 feet (15 meters), whichever is less, is blank (without doors or windows). The “helper” memo offers other suggestions for mitigating long blank walls. Other design considerations 10 These are based on requirements in the draft New Neighborhood Code. There regulations have no equivalent in the draft Chain Works PDZ. Balconies Balconies and porches are not windows, awnings, or doors, so these conceptual guidelines discuss them separately. Balconies should appear to have structural support from columns or architectural brackets, made of or covered by cement, stone, cast iron, wood, steel, aluminum or brick. Cantilevered or hanging balconies, that appear to use cables, chains, or only the building wall for structural support, are discouraged. Chain Works PDZ draft guidelines now read: (building guidelines - windows, awnings, and doors – h) Balconies and porches should be visibly supported by columns, or architectural brackets, made of or covered by cement, stone, cast iron, wood, steel, aluminum or brick. Cantilevered and hanging balconies are common in many adaptive reuse and loft-style projects, but the draft PDZ language implies they are discouraged. If this is the intent, the PDZ language should be specific about it. However, this could have unintended consequences, by discouraging a balcony type that many associate with industrial adaptive reuse. The New Neighborhood Code regulates porches in requirements for building entry and frontage features. It has no specific requirements for balconies. Dwelling unit individuality Applicable to: 3-4 unit house, townhouse Architectural design should include one of or more of these elements. Prominent wing or bay projecting from ea Horizontal articulation for buildings These are recommended guidelines in the New Neighborhood Code draft; not requirements. Building entrance and frontage features Chain World PDZ draft guidelines do not define building frontage types. Required frontage feature 11 A principal building should have a visually prominent entrance on the front elevation, with an allowed frontage feature for the building type. Frontage feature Small house Large house 3- Cottage Mansion apartment Townhouse Apartment building Courtyard building Main Street mixed use building General building Large footprint building Porch Stoop Storefront At-grade entry - - frontage feature not allowed for the building type Porch A porch is a raised, roofed platform that is architecturally integral to a building, forming an articulated entryway and semi-private social space. (A deck, sunroom, or three-season room is not a porch.) Dimensions Requirements The area under a porch and its stairs should be enclosed with a material that is visually solid, or solid-to- A porch should have a door that Stoop A stoop is a small raised platform, structurally and architecturally integral to a building, forming part of an entryway. A deck, or prefabricated metal or fiberglass entrance stair system, is not a stoop. Dimensions Requirements A stoop should have an entrance to the building with one or more of these features. 12 Portico or porte-cochere covering ², with support columns Entry door with a sidelight and transom window, or si Storefront A storefront is a ground floor facade with a highly transparent surface area, designed to serve primarily as a display area and primary entrance for retail, commercial, or service uses. Dimensions Bay width through Requirements A storefront should have all of these features. Corbels, Pp Bottom of display windows should be , with a height of above grade Transparency (window and door coverage) requirements are in the window and door area requirements above. At-grade entry An at-grade entry is a ground level (0 or 1 step) entrance into a building foyer, lobby, or entrance hall. Requirements An at-grade entry should have an entry door with one or more of these features. A structurally and architecturally integral roof, portico, or porte- ft², with support A colonnade, gallery, or A chamfered corner location, with an integral turret, peaked roof form, tower, or parapet with a