§ 16-18R.025. Additional requirements for Subareas 5 and 6.

The following additional requirements apply to all properties located within Subareas 5 and 6. Please refer to the SPI 18 Mechanicsville: Development Controls Table and the SPI 18 Mechanicsville: Sidewalks Table, and section 16-18R.017, driveway curb cuts, driveways and parking structures for additional requirements.

1.

Front yard general requirements:

a.

Front yard setback: setbacks shall be no closer to the public or private street than the closest and no farther from the street than the farthest building built before 1945 of like use on that side of the block.

b.

Patio decks shall not be permitted within the front yard or half-depth front yard;

c.

Off-street parking shall not be permitted within the front yard or half-depth front yard.

d.

Driveways shall extend 20 feet beyond the front façade of the principal structure and shall have a maximum width of ten feet in the front yard.

2.

All front façades, front porches, front steps and front doors of the principal structure shall face and be parallel to the lot frontage. Wrap around front porches are permitted.

3.

The primary pedestrian entrance of the principle structure:

a.

Shall face and be visible from a public or private street and shall be located on the front façade.

b.

Each individual unit shall be linked to the sidewalk with a pedestrian walkway which shall be between three and four feet wide.

c.

Front doors shall be comprised of rectangular wood and glass panels consisting of a two-thirds wood lower portion and one-third glass upper portion, or shall be a solid wood door with two or three wood panels.

4.

Porches:

a.

Front porches on the principal structure shall be required, and shall be a minimum of 50 percent of the width of the house with a minimum depth of eight feet. Porches may be enclosed with screen wire only, provided that the main characteristics of the porch such as balustrades, columns or porch railings, and front doors are visible;

b.

Side porches in the half-depth front yard shall be a minimum of four feet in depth. Porches may be enclosed by glass windows or screen wire only, provided all the main features of a porch are maintained in place.

c.

Porches, terraces and stoops shall have a maximum finished floor height of 24 inches above finished-grade, unless existing topographical considerations render this requirement unreasonable, subject to the provisions in section 16-25.002(3);

d.

Porches shall not extend more than ten feet into the front yard and five feet into the half-depth front yard.

e.

Porches facing a public or private street shall consist of the following:

i.

Steps shall have closed risers and ends and cheek walls. Said check walls shall consist of masonry, brick, three-part hard coat stucco or stone to match the foundation material of the principal structure. Access ramps shall be located on the side elevation.

ii.

Railings, columns, and posts shall not consist of unpainted wood or ornamental metal, and shall have the following minimum dimensions:

a)

Columns and posts shall be a minimum of six inches wide and shall have base and cap components.

b)

Pickets shall be at least two inches wide and two inches deep.

c)

Railings shall include top and bottom horizontal members. The top railing shall consist of two elements. The upper element shall measure two inches by six inches and the lower element shall measure two by four inches. The bottom railing shall measure two inches by four inches.

5.

Patio decks, balconies and upper level terraces:

a.

Patio decks shall be permitted only when located to the rear of the principal structure and shall be permitted at any level.

b.

Balconies and upper level terraces shall be permitted.

6.

Limitations on projections into required yards and open spaces shall be in conformance with section 16-28.008.

7.

Roofs:

a.

North of Ormond Street, the roof form above the front façade of the principal structure shall be front gabled and/or hipped. Roof pitch shall be a minimum of 8:12. Roof pitch above porches shall not be restricted.

b.

Roofing material shall be asphalt shingles, or metal when existing houses on the same block have metal roofs.

c.

Skylights shall be located in the rear only.

8.

Fenestration:

a.

North of Ormond Street:

i.

Any façades that face a public or private street shall consist of fenestration that shall be no less than 15 percent and no greater than 40 percent of the total surface wall area. Façades that do not face a public or private street shall consist of fenestration that shall be no less than ten percent of the total surface wall area. Windows may be individual or grouped. No individual window unit shall exceed 28 square feet. Within each individual window unit, no individual window sash, either fixed or operable, shall exceed 16 square feet.

ii.

Windows shall be double-hung.

iii.

Each double-hung window shall be surrounded by wood trim between four and six inches wide and shall include a bottom sill. Windows grouped together shall have center mullions two inches wider than the side trim.

b.

South of Ormond Street: Any façades that face a public or private street shall consist of fenestration that shall be no less than 15 percent and no greater than 80 percent of the total surface wall area. Façades that do not face a public or private street shall consist of fenestration that shall be no less than ten percent of the total surface wall area.

c.

Height of window sills on the public or private street fronting façade shall be no less than two and one-half feet and no more than three and one-half feet above finished floor elevation. Windows on said façade shall have a minimum height of three feet.

d.

All windows shall include windowpanes recessed a minimum of two inches from the adjacent façade, unless the façade is constructed as a glass curtain wall. Glass curtain walls shall not be permitted north of Ormond Street.

e.

Flat "snap-in" muntins and muntins sandwiched between layers of glass are prohibited.

9.

Façade materials shall consist of horizontal wood clapboard siding, horizontal hardiplank siding (cementious siding), brick, or stone. Painted wood fish-scale style shingles are permitted on the face of gables.

10.

Chimneys:

a.

Shall begin at-grade.

b.

Shall be faced with brick, horizontal wood clapboard siding, horizontal hardiplank (cementious siding), stone, cast stone, or three-part hard coat stucco.

11.

Foundations:

a.

The first floor of the principal structure, including public or private street-facing porches, shall be on foundations and elevated above the grade between two and four feet, unless existing topography is greater, as measured at the front façade of the structure. Slab on grade is not permitted.

b.

Foundations shall constitute a distinct building design element and shall contrast with the front façade material. Brick, stone, or three-part hard coat stucco shall be permitted. Standard, unfinished concrete block and stacked stone is prohibited.

12.

Garage entrances are prohibited on the front façade. Single car-width garage entrances shall be permitted on the half depth front yard façade of the structure. Double car-width garage entrances shall be permitted only on the rear façade of the structure.

13.

Accessory structures, such as carriage houses, smoke houses, tenant and alley houses, private garages, carports, and mechanical equipment shall be located to the side and/or rear of the principal structure within the buildable area of the lot and shall not project beyond the front of the principal structure. Accessory structures shall not exceed 20 feet in height and 22 feet in width. If mechanical equipment is visible from a public street, screening with appropriate plant or fence materials is required.

14.

Fences: The finished side or front side of one-sided fences shall face the public or private street.

15.

Retaining walls shall be provided at the back of the required sidewalk where retaining walls exist on adjacent lots. Said walls shall match the height of the adjacent retaining walls, unless existing typography requires the wall height to change.

16.

Asphalt paving is prohibited for walkways and driveways.

17.

Building height:

a.

Elevators or stairways constructed to access the roof shall not extend higher than ten feet above the roof line of a flat roof. Said elevator or stairway shall not exceed ten percent of the horizontal floor area of the roof, or 50 square feet, which ever is less.

b.

Parapet walls shall not extend more than 42 inches above the roof line of a flat roof.

18.

Grading:

a.

Grading shall not excessively or unnecessarily alter the natural topography of the site, with the exception of grading necessary to protect and preserve the structural integrity of a structure.

b.

New grades shall meet existing topography in a smooth transition, and shall not be increased.

(Ord. No. 2007-67(07-O-1792), § 1(Att. A), 11-13-07)