Agenda - Planning Commission - 07/09/2015 - Work Session

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Ramsey Town Center Development Guidelines 13 Public Realm/Streetscape Guidelines Site Development Guidelines Public realm/streetscape guidelines define the visual character and physical improvements for all public spaces within the Town Center. These guidelines also provide the general framework and examples for design of proposed quasi -public and private space located within each development parcel. Public realm/streetscape guidelines focus on the following elements: • Parks, plazas and other public gathering spaces • Street/sidewalk character and streetscape elements • Bicycle/pedestrian connections (on - street and off-street) • Residential courts, pocket parks and other private green space The goal is to foster a safe and interesting public realm that will invite pedestrian activity, promote traffic calming, increase transit use and encourage community gathering. Street trees, lighting and decorative fencing provide the backbone for streetscape improvements. Added detail, such as special pavements, street furniture, public art and layered plantings will highlight specific nodes or uses. Materials, colors and intensity of improvements can vary for each sub- district, but should also reflect the desired character and identity of the entire Town Center. Site development guidelines describe the relationship between building edge and public space. These guidelines imply a strong link between architecture and site - how buildings define, or are defined by the spaces around them, and the visual and physical connections between the private and public realm. Site development guidelines focus on the following elements: • Land Use — proposed mix of uses defined in the Zoning Code • Building Placement— street frontage, set back and orientation all contribute to a continuous edge, while providing some flexibility to add interest with recessed or projected elements • Parking Strategies — district parking solutions to support a mix of uses Issues related to density, land use, safety and security, access, public space and views inform decisions about building placement, scale and massing. Various combinations of these pieces come together to define the unique character and identity of each sub- district within the Town Center. Architectural Guidelines Architectural guidelines describe the character, quality and design direction for proposed buildings within each sub- district. Architectural guidelines focus on the following elements: • Building design, character and expression — buildings should not imitate historic examples, but rather promote the integration of both traditional and contemporary styles • Scale — provide emphasis and detailing to create interest and promote `human scale' experience for the pedestrian • Proportion — provide a harmonious relation of one part to another (or parts to the whole) • Massing — include a variety of building forms, building types and building heights • Materials — maintain regional traditions and local building techniques with a preference toward masonry and other natural materials • Windows and doors — emphasize transparency of streetside fagade • Street presence — buildings should be placed parallel to the street, should contribute to the vitality of the street scene, should minimize blank walls along the public right of way and should consider all street frontage (including buildings at corners) as primary elevations These architectural guidelines suggest an important balance between design continuity, desirable variety and the notion that buildings should complement, and perhaps contrast, but not compete with one another. The lasting appeal of the final outcome must be grounded in the authenticity of the design and the acceptable level of `messiness' that comes with creating a real downtown over time; `faux' second floors, stage set or themed solutions, and large faceless buildings are not acceptable.