§ 16-34.014. Relationship of building to street.

1.

For purposes of this chapter, sidewalk-level shall be defined as any floor of a building with a finished-floor elevation less than or equal to five feet above the adjacent sidewalk or less than or equal to five feet below the adjacent sidewalk.

2.

Delineation of building floors at third story above sidewalk level and lower shall be executed through windows, belt courses, cornice lines or similar architectural detailing.

3.

The primary pedestrian entrance for pedestrians to access all sidewalk level uses and business establishments with public or private street frontage:

a.

Shall face and be visible from the public street when located adjacent to such street. When located adjacent to a street that functions as an arterial street or a collector street, said entrance shall face and be visible from such street.

b.

Shall be directly accessible and visible from the sidewalk adjacent to such street.

c.

Shall remain unlocked during business hours for nonresidential uses.

4.

A street address number shall be located directly above the primary building entrance, shall be clearly visible from the sidewalk and shall be a minimum of six inches in height.

5.

Along streets that function as arterial streets and collector streets, sidewalk level uses with street frontage shall only be retail, office, institutional, or residential. Said uses shall be provided for a minimum depth of 20 feet from any building façade along the public sidewalk.

6.

Fenestration. (For parking deck requirements see subsection 16-34.018(11)):

a.

Street-fronting nonresidential uses, with the exception of churches and fire stations, along streets that function as arterial streets and collector streets shall meet the following sidewalk level requirements:

i.

Storage, digital industry switchboards, power generators and other relay equipment and rooms housing such equipment shall be permitted, with the exception of a minimum depth of 20 feet of the ground floor street frontage beginning at any building façade along the public sidewalk.

ii.

The length of façade without intervening fenestration or entryway shall not exceed 20 feet.

iii.

Fenestration shall be provided for a minimum of 75 percent of the length of all street frontages:

a.

Beginning at a point not more than three feet above the sidewalk, to a height no less than ten feet above the sidewalk; or

b.

Beginning at the finished floor elevation to a height no less than ten feet above the finished floor elevation when the finished floor elevation is three or more feet above the sidewalk; or

c.

Beginning at a point not more than sidewalk level, to a height no less than ten feet above the finished floor elevation when the finished floor elevation is below the sidewalk.

iv.

Fenestration shall not utilize painted glass, reflective glass or other similarly treated or opaque windows. Entrances may be counted towards fenestration requirements.

b.

Fenestration shall be provided for a minimum of 50 percent of the length of the street frontage for residential uses on all streets and for nonresidential uses, with the exception of churches and fire stations, on all streets other than streets that function as arterial streets and collector streets.

7.

Buildings with residential uses at the sidewalk level shall meet the following regulations:

a.

All primary pedestrian entrances not adjacent to a public sidewalk shall be linked to the public sidewalk with a pedestrian walkway a minimum of five-feet wide.

b.

All such buildings with more than four residential units that are adjacent to the sidewalk shall have individual entrances to such units directly accessible from the sidewalk and shall open directly onto the adjacent sidewalk, park, plaza, terrace or porch adjacent to the sidewalk. All pedestrian walkways providing such access shall be perpendicular to the street, unless topography prohibits, and shall be permitted to share said walkway with one adjacent unit.

c.

Such buildings shall have windows at sidewalk-level on each street frontage façade which are substantially similar in size to the sidewalk level front façade windows.

8.

Sidewalk arcades. Buildings with nonresidential uses at the sidewalk level may have sidewalk arcades, which shall meet the following regulations:

a.

Shall provide an at-grade sidewalk surface.

b.

Arcade supports shall be a maximum width of five feet.

c.

Shall provide a minimum of 25 feet of clear unobstructed space between arcade supports.

d.

A building with a sidewalk arcade shall meet the above requirements of subsection 16-34.014(6).

9.

Fences and walls shall meet the following regulations.

a.

For residential uses adjacent to the sidewalk, fences shall not exceed 42 inches in height when located between the primary building and the street or between any supplemental zone and the adjacent street.

For nonresidential uses adjacent to the sidewalk, fences are prohibited when located between the building and the sidewalk except where specifically authorized elsewhere in this chapter for outdoor dining.

b.

Retaining walls located adjacent to a sidewalk along a public street shall not exceed a height of two feet and the combined height of a fence where otherwise authorized and retaining wall shall not exceed a height of five feet, unless existing topography prohibits retaining walls of a lesser height. Retaining walls shall be finished poured concrete or shall be faced with stone, brick or smooth stucco. See subsection 16-29.001(25)(b).

c.

No walls, except retaining walls, shall be located between the street and any building, with the exception of screening for authorized off-street loading areas.

d.

Fences and walls located between the primary building and the lot line and not exceeding six feet in height may be erected, but shall not be permitted between the primary building and the street.

10.

No barbed wire, razor wire, chain link fence or similar elements shall be visible from any public plaza, ground level or sidewalk level outdoor dining area or public right-of-way.

11.

Gasoline fuel dispenser structures and associated vehicular services such as air pumps and car washes shall not be located between a building and the street.

(Ord. No. 2002-40, § 1, 5-28-02)