HomeMy WebLinkAboutCC Resolution 9570 (Montecito/Happy Valley Design Guidelines)RESOLUTION NO.9 5 7 0
RESOLUTION OF THE SAN RAFAEL CITY COUNCIL
ADOPTING MONTECITO/HAPPY VALLEY DESIGN GUIDELINES
WHEREAS, the San Rafael General Plan 2000 includes an implementing programs for
the preparation of a Montecito Neighborhood Plan, and
WHEREAS, in June, 1994, the City Council directed the Planning Department to begin
work on the neighborhood plan; and
WHEREAS, in early 1995, Planning Department staff met with a small group of
neighborhood leaders and created a short-term, action -oriented and
neighborhood -directed planning process which maximized community
involvement; and
WHEREAS, after an April 29 community workshop, from May through August, 1995,
more than 200 neighborhood residents, property owners and business
owners met to identify guiding principles and implementing actions, and
elected a coordinating committee to compile the draft plan. In response to
concerns about neighborhood design, the Plan contains discretionary
design guidelines developed by staff in conjunction with local designers,
for future infill projects; and
WHEREAS, on October 25 and 29, 1995, the Montecito/Happy Valley Neighborhood
Plan was presented to and endorsed by the neighborhood; and
WHEREAS, on November 20, 1995, residents introduced the Montecito/Happy Valley
Neighborhood Plan to the San Rafael City Council, and the Council
referred the proposed changes to the Planning Commission for its
recommendation; and
WHEREAS, the Planning Commission has reviewed and recommended adoption of the
Montecito/Happy Valley Residential Design Guidelines.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the City Council finds that the
Montecito/Happy Valley Residential Design Guidelines will assist in
implementing Plan policies calling for well designed new projects which
fit in with the area's attractive older homes and provide a "pedestrian
friendly" streetfront, and in addition respect historic resources.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED the City Council does hereby adopt the
Montecito/Happy Valley Residential Design Guidelines, included as
Attachment A to this Resolution, to be used by property owners, design
professionals, the Design Review Board, the Planning Commission and
the City Council in reviewing and approving the design of proposed
development in the Montecito/Happy Valley neighborhood.
I, JEANNE M. LEONCM, the Clerk of the City of San Rafael, hereby certify that the
foregoing resolution was duly and regularly introduced and adopted at a
regular meeting of the City Council of said City held on Monday, the
eighteenth day of March, 1996, by the following vote, to wit:
AYES: COUNCILMEMBERS: Cohen, Heller, Phillips, Zappetini &
Mayor Boro
NOES: COUNCILMEMBERS. None
ABSENT: COUNCILMEMBERS: None
A,
J anne M. Leoncini, City Clerk
Montecito% -)r)v Vallev Neiahborhood Plan
ATTACHMENT A
MONTECITO/HAPPY VALLEY
RESIDENTIAL DESIGN GUIDELINES
The following discretionary Montecito /
Happy Valley design guidelines are to how
to help new development and major
remodels be more compatible with our
attractive older homes, and provide a more
"pedestrian friendly" streetfront. In
addition, they recognize and address the
importance of our historic resources.
Our intents are to encourage better designs
which emphasize a smaller scale character
more consistent with our older homes
rather than the large "blocky" apartments
which interspersed the neighborhood in the
60's and 70's, and to improve the
relationship of new or remodelled
buildings to the street.
Our older buildings have front entries,
often covered or with porches, facing the
street, pitched roofs, and more detailing
around windows and doors. By contrast,
apartment styles we wish to avoid repeat-
ing have flat roofs, entries facing a corridor
or parking lot, large monotonous walls, and
windows with minimal detail interest. The
neighborhood is largely built out. Still,
many of the following design techniques
are applicable to remodels, and are encour-
aged, recognizing they may not be possible
in all cases.
There Is a wide range of "streetscapes"
In Montecito as noted In the examples
below.
Fifth and Mission west of Grand Avenue
A pleasing appearance with well defined,
similar setbacks, homes parallel to streets,
similar building scale and spacing: one- to
two -stories, single family in appearance
with porches, entries to the street, recessed
garages, and pitched roofs, and with
sidewalks and street trees.
Grand Avenue
Also a pleasing appearance with mostly
larger single family homes; pitched roofs,
generous setbacks, street trees and side-
walks. "Rhythm", that is, spacing and size
of homes along the street is broken by two
large, rectangular apartment buildings.
Belle east of Union Street
Many smaller bungalows, varied setbacks,
and a few prominent buildings
Union north of Belle Avenue
No defineabie pattern: smaller homes,
bulky apartments and varied roofs, Park -
Ing and wide driveways in front of buildings
detract from street appearance,
Park north of Belle Avenue
Street has many smaller one- and two-story
buildings as well as rectangular apart-
ments. Pavement in front of some
buildings and high fences next to sidewalk
detract from street appearance.
Valencia Avenue
Three-story apartments are a high wall on
the uphill side; scale is generally low on the
downhill side with some older homes close
to the street and other larger apartments
set further back, Street is narrow. No
sidewalks or street trees.
Page 51
Montecito/H000v Vallev Nela, )rh .
MONTECITO/HAPPY VALLEY RESIDENTIAL DESIGN GUIDELINES
1. Scale. Architectural "scale" means the size of a
Portions of new construction facing the
street should provide similar building
proportions to older homes along the street.
2. Building design. The intent is to encourage
designs which reinforce the smaller scale charac-
ter of existing older homes.
On front facades facing the street, building
designs are encouraged to provide an
appearance similar to our older homes—
with additional units and parking tucked
behind or recessed. All building facades
should be varied and articulated; long
monotonous walls should be avoided.
building relative to the buildings around it.
When the buildings in a neighborhood are about
the same size and proportion, it is said they are
-
"in scale" When a much larger, bulky building
is constructed in this setting, it will overpower
the others.
To achieve a more harmonious relationship
between the existing mix of larger and
smaller buildings in Montecito/Happy
YES
Valley and provide a more integrated char-
acter, design techniques should be used to
break the volume of large buildings into
smaller units. For example, an imposing,
rectangular building can be vertically
divided through architectural features,
setbacks and varying rooflines to appear to
a
be more of an aggregation of smaller
buildings. Transitional elements, such as
stepped facades, roof decks and architec-
_ E-1
tural details will help merge larger
1
buildings into the existing neighborhood.
NO
During remodels of larger apartments,
encourage use of vertical divisions to break
up their mass, particularly on elevations
facing the street.
Portions of new construction facing the
street should provide similar building
proportions to older homes along the street.
2. Building design. The intent is to encourage
designs which reinforce the smaller scale charac-
ter of existing older homes.
On front facades facing the street, building
designs are encouraged to provide an
appearance similar to our older homes—
with additional units and parking tucked
behind or recessed. All building facades
should be varied and articulated; long
monotonous walls should be avoided.
3. Building heights. Dramatic variations in
bicilding heights appear chaotic.
New construction should not vary sig-
nificantly from the existing average
height of nearby buildings. Adjacent
buildings should be considered and
transitional elements included to avoid
overpowering them.
4. Roof Shapes. A roof is the most important
part of any building.
Where possible, relate new roof forms to
those found in the area, except that
additional flat roofs are to be avoided.
There may be limited instances where
a flat roof is appropriate given ad-
jacent buildings.
5. Building Entrances. The pedestrian life of
a building is at its entry. Entrances which
are clearly identifiable and face the street en-
courage contact between neighbors.
Entrances of streetfront units should
orient to the street rather than to
parking lots. Entries should be well-
defined and well lighted for users.
Usable front porches, verandas, over-
head trellis canopies and similar fea-
tures are also encouraged.
6. Windows. Windows are the "eyes" of a
building.
Architectural detailing at all window
jambs, sills, and heads is encouraged.
Window proportions should be consis-
tent with the proportions of the building
and with each other. Windows should
overlook the street to permit surveil-
lance of the street. Window placement
along rear and side elevations should
consider privacy needs of owners and
adjacent neighbors.
�F -)Av Vallev Nelahborhood Plan
"Dutch" Gable Gambrel Mansard
Gable Hip Shed
Examples of different roof shapes
Montecito/H000y Valley Neir, orh�.
NO YES
Recessed garage example
7. Driveways, Parking Areas. Screening of
parking through landscaping and less visible
parking locations is important to reducing its
visual impact on the street. Pedestrian safety
and interest are other major concerns.
Driveway cuts and widths should be mini-
mized. In new projects or major reconstruc-
tions, ground level parking areas should be
recessed or placed to the rear of buildings.
Where front parking is unavoidable, it
should be well screened and landscaped.
Where front yard parking exists, as in the il-
lustration, consider realignment of parking
spaces to be parallel with the street and
screened with landscaping.
8. Gardens. Landscaping provides life for our
neighborhood.
Even small front yards can be enhanced
with shrubs and flowers to contribute to the
overall visual quality of the enighborhood.
Encourage landscaped, irrigated front entry
gardens!
9. Corner buildings. Corner houses are more
important informing the character of streets
than any others on the block as they are the most
highly visible, and begin and end the block.
Design all street facades of corner buildings
with compatible materials, care and atten-
tion to detail.
10. Additions to older homes. Ensure that
additions are architecturally compatible with the
original structure.
Second story additions should respect the
proportions, style and materials of the
original house. Quality of materials and
detailing shouldn't be crude compared to
the original. Proportions of additions
should maintain the directional emphasis of
the original building. The quality of materi-
als and detailing, and roof pitches and
forms of additions should be consistent
with the original building.
11. His torictarchitecturally significant
buildings. Buildings on the San Rafael
Historical/Architectural Survey" as most
recently adopted and shown on Figure 26
are important resources to protect.
Where there are substantial changes to
the facade, the Cultural Affairs Commis-
sion reviews and recommends on the
appropriateness of the proposal.
Encourage protection and renovation
of historic and architecturally significant
buildings to retain significant building
characteristics.
New buildings and major remodels in
the vicinity of architecturally significant
buildings should respect their scale
and design.
M
ALDERSLY
HEAD START
''o/r . _cov Vallev Nelahborhood Plan
12. Fourth Street Pedestrian Guidelines.
Downtown Design Guidelines for "Pedes-
trian -friendly design for Active Pedestrian
Commercial Streets" should be used for
buildings along Fourth Street in Montecito.
(see pages 56 - 58.)
Historical/Architectural Buildings in
Montecito/Happy Valley
Note: Survey area did not include Union, Park or
Belie east of Ridge, and Jewell
Address Status
901-11 Irwin
Good
(French Quarter: August 1978 Historic District)
1232 Irwin
Exceptional
1240 Irwin
Excellent
1018 Grand
Good
1210-12 Grand
Good
1222 Grand
Excellent
1228 Grand
Excellent
1235 Grand
Good
525-7 Belle
Excellent
536 and 558 Belle
Good
(across street from neighborhood boundary)
185 Mlsslon
Good
(High School Administration Building)
Source: San Rafael Historical/Architectural
Survey. City of San Rafael, CA. September 1986.
• 1" T%
Figure 26. Buildings on City's Historical/Architectural Survey
1� +
w.od,
Montecito/Haopv Vollev NPigl ,.,orl� _ .
Downtown Design Guidelines (excerpt)
Pedestrian -friendly design for the Active Pedestrian
Commercial Streets as shown on Map A below.
Fourth Street, and portions of cross streets close to Fourth
are active, pedestrian friendly shopping and mixed use
areas. The intents here are to enliven these commercial
and mixed use areas by encouraging window shopping; by
orienting buildings to the street to increase street activity,
by including usable, active public plazas, and by minimiz-
ing parking lots and driveways which interrupt the
pedestrian flow, and by encouraging appropriate signage.
3. Building Entrances. The pedestrian life of a
building is at its entry.
a. The primary ground floor entrances of non-
residential and any residential uses should
be oriented to the street—or in some cases
public plazas or courtyards—rather than to
parking lots.
b. Ground floor entries should be frequent.
c. Entries should be well-defined, and well -
1. Setback pattern. Buildings should be located to lighted for pedestrian safety.
reinforce the street edge. This means much of the
front or street side facades of the ground floors 4. Windows. Large storefront windows provide views
should extend close to the property line. into the building and a unifying design element.
Exceptions to this pattern are encouraged for Large storefront window display areas should
public plazas or courtyards. be provided at the street level on nonresidential
buildings (i.e., approximately 75% dear glass on
2. Driveways, Parking Areas. Pedestrian safety, the primary street level frontage).
interest and activity are the primary concerns on these
streets. Driveway cuts and widths should be
minimized, and ground level parking areas
should be placed behind buildings.
i. L
Fifth/Mission and Environs _ — — 6
Second/Third and Environs
%,I..4,
MAP A F
DOWNTOWN
PEDESTRIAN
AREAS
Gly or
ning Deportment Son goraal
Plan ( /(ye Pedestrian Commercial Streets See Downtown Design Guidelines Sec. A)
Fifth/Mission and Environs See Downtown Design Guidelines Sec. B)
:' � Second/Third and Environs See Downtown Design Guidelines Sec. C)
Figure 27. Map A of Downtown Design Guidelines
5. Building Design. Building design should provide
interest and variety at the street level, through, for
example, awnings, or in limited instances mar-
quees; as well as entries and window displays as
noted above. Long, monotonous, uninterrupted
walls should be avoided. Differences in facade
treatment between ground level and upper
levels also add visual interest to a building and
are encouraged.
6. Public plazas and courtyards. Where included in
a development, exterior public and semi-public
spaces, such as courtyards or plazas, should enhance
the surrounding buildings and provide amenities for
users. Public spaces should be designed to be
used, not just looked at.
a. Public spaces are an integral part of the
pedestrian system, and should not be sepa-
rated from the sidewalk with walls or stairs.
b. Other sides of the public space should
provide a sense of enclosure, for example,
by defining with buildings, landscaping,
street furniture, railings.
c. The public space should be adequately land-
scaped and include street furniture.
d. The public space should be located to
take advantage of sun, and shield wind
exposure.
e. Shopping or eating opportunities are
encouraged within or adjacent to the
public space.
7. Landscaping. Landscaping adds interest. Color-
ful, small scale plants, including hanging plants
are encouraged in small areas along the
streetfront for variety and interest. Artificial
plants are discouraged.
8. Sun. Sunny areas are important on Fourth Street
for pedestrian comfort and activity. Multi story
building design on the south side of Fourth
Street should consider step backs or other
design techniques to retain sunny sidewalk
areas on the north side of the street.
9. Awnings. Awnings help add color, interest and
continuity to a building and provide weather
protection. If awnings are used, they are encour-
aged to:
a. Provide colors compatible with the colors of
the building and of adjacent buildings.
.]'ol, apv Vallev Nelahborhood Plan
b. i ovide uniform treatment for multi -tenant
buildings.
c. Provide varied awning designs on a block.
d. Avoid internally illuminated awnings.
In addition, the following building code standards are
included for reference and must be met:
e. Minimum Height Above Grade:
8 feet; 14 feet at alleys, parking lots or other
areas with vehicular traffic
f. Horizontal Projection:
7 feet, or 66% of the distance between
the(from the face of the building)buildng
and curb, whichever is less
g. Distance to the curb:
2 feet clearance between the awning and
curb
10. Signs. Appropriate signage enhances the pedestrian
atmosphere and promotes Downtown's image of an
active, interesting high quality shopping district and
business location. Sign standards are included in
the sign ordinance for wall signs, freestanding
signs, etc. These additional guidelines promote
pedestrian oriented signs not specifically de-
scribed in the ordinance.
a. Signs should be designed to be viewed
primarily by pedestrians and persons in
vehicles nearby at the street level, not from
long distances.
b. They should be designed as an integral part
of the building's architectural design.
c. Message simplification, including the use of
graphic symbols, is encouraged. Lettering
should be legible, simple, and appropriate to
the image of the building.
d. Surface brightness or lighting intensity
beyond that necessary to attract nearby
persons is discouraged.
e. Projecting signs are encouraged to provide
signage oriented to the pedestrian passing on the
sidewalk in front of the building.
- They may project up to 48" from the face
of the building, and provide a minimum
clearance of 12" between the building
face and sign (The sign ordinance
Monteclto/Haoov Vallev Nelai . -)ncc
requires that no sign project within 2
feet of the street curb).
- The projecting sign face should gener-
ally be no more than 3 square feet in
size.
- They should be mounted with at least 8
feet vertical clearance from the side-
walk, and at or below the sill of the
second floor window in a multi -story
building, or the eave line of a single
story building.
- They should provide attractive mount-
ing brackets.
- To avoid visual clutter, they should gen-
erally be at least 15' apart.
- Only one face of the sign shall be
counted.
f. Awning signs are often more visible from
passing atttomibiles and from pedestrians from
the opposite side of the street and are also en-
cottraged as interesting alternatives to wall signs
considering the following criteria:
- Allowed wall signage may be trans-
ferred to ground floor awning faces and
sides.
- As with wall signs, lettering must be set
in 10% from the edges of the awning.
- Letter height should be limited (gener-
ally between 6-12").
- Signage/graphics should not over-
whelm the awning: suggested coverage
limits: up to 50% of the face area and
50% of awning side areas.
- Signage on the sides of an awning
count as one sign only.
- To avoid visual clutter, signs on sides of
awnings should generally be provided
where there is 15' or more distance
between awnings.
g. Neon signs add liveliness to the retail commer-
cial environment and are allowed subject to a
design review permit.
h. Addresses assist shoppers. Street numbers up
to 2 sq. ft. in size are (proposed to be)
exempt from the sign ordinance.
CITY ACTIONS AND PROGRAMS
M/HV-a Zoning changes
Implement our residential land use and zoning to keep the neighborhood much as it is,
minimizing additional development in the neighborhood.
M/HV-b Home ownership
Encourage home ownership through proposed rezoning, and through condominium
conversions of existing apartments, to the extent permitted by other City policy.
M/HV-c Support commercial areas
Retain existing mixed use land use categories and zoning districts in the commercial
areas. Consistent with these districts, encourage active ground floor and retail uses on
Fourth Street, and waterfront storefronts and restaurants in the Marine Commercial
Zone.
M1HV-d Redevelop the School District's bus/maintenance yard
Redevelop the San Rafael City School's bus/maintenance yard with a City
Redevelopment Agency -sponsored attractive senior apartment project as generally
described in the Agency's letter of July 24, 1995 with a maximum of 40 units and
adequate parking. The proposal also includes a community room which can be used
jointly by neighborhood and project residents, and an outdoor area located and designed
to be used jointly by Head Start, the neighborhood and project residents. Consistent
with City requirements, the project is subject to design review. It is the neighborhood's
desire to have a meeting room which would accommodate a meeting of 20 people, and
an outdoor area large enough to accommodate appropriate shared outdoor amenities.
MIHV-e Other High School Recreation policies
Support City recreation policies R-21 and R-23 which state that if San Rafael High
School is ever closed or sold, the City would attempt to secure the continued public use
of existing high school recreation facilities, and provide neighborhood park facilities there
as part of any community recreation facilities development.
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Land Use Map , or the Montecito/ Happy Valley Neighborhood
GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENTS