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FINAL DESIGN GUIDELINES 170000RP007A Design Guidelines The Village at Hospital Hill Northampton, Massachusetts Applicant: Hospital Hill Development, LLC c/o MassDevelopment 1441 Main Street Springfield, MA 01103 Managing Member: MassDevelopment 43 Buena Vista Street Devens, MA 01432 Member: The Community Builders, Inc. 322 Main Street Springfield, MA 01105 Presented by: Beals and Thomas, Inc. Reservoir Corporate Center 144 Turnpike Road (Route 9) Southborough, MA 01772-2104 In association with: Vanasse & Associates, Inc. Ten N.E. Business Center Drive, Suite 314 Andover, MA 01810-1066 July 17, 2003 Revised July 2, 2004 DJL/kla/170000RP007A table of contents i A. introduction 1 B. PURPOSE OF THE DESIGN GUIDELINES 2 C. MASTER PLAN 3 D. PLANNED VILLAGE DISTRICT 4 E. GOALS 7 F SITE DESIGN STANDARDS 8 G. ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN STANDARDS 23 H. REFERENCES 31 A. introduction The Village at Hospital Hill represents the master planned development of the former Northampton State Hospital. From its inception in the 1850s until the last patients departed in 1993, the Northampton State Hospital was a major treatment center for the mentally ill. At its peak, the campus consisted of 538 acres of land and approximately 970,000 square feet (sf) of building, housed approximately 2,000 patients, and employed some 500 persons. Since the closure of the facility, the City of Northampton and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts have sought to determine how the site might be reused. The Hospital is currently vacant, its buildings in advanced states of disrepair. Surrounding farmlands have been preserved and transferred for agricultural land, open space, other State uses, and sites for future housing. The City of Northampton, its citizens, and elected representatives, with strong support from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, have spent years to determine how to be redevelop the Hospital. The result of years of expense and effort is a Master Plan for The Village at Hospital Hill. The Master Plan envisions a full build-out of approximately 476,000 sf of mixed-use commercial space, comprising a mix of retail, office, light industrial, and research and development/multi-media space, as well as space for live-work studios, a child care center, a possible community center/museum area, and the development of a 60-80 unit assisted living facility for seniors. The Master Plan also includes 207 residential units, 100 of which would be single-family homes and 107 of which would be mixed income rental housing. Overall, the goal of the residential components of the development will be to establish a diverse, mixed-income community, including a mix of housing types, as well as a 50:50 mix of affordable and market rate housing. Best efforts will be made to ensure that clients of the Massachusetts Department of Mental Health occupy 15 percent of the housing units. MassDevelopment, an independent public authority, and The Community Builders, Inc., a non-profit private entity, have joined together to form Hospital Hill Development, LLC, to implement this vision. B. PURPOSE OF THE DESIGN GUIDELINES The Village at Hospital Hill is a master-planned, mixed-use commercial and residential development that draws upon traditional New England town development patterns within a Planned Village District in Northampton, Massachusetts. These Design Guidelines (the Guidelines) are intended to identify fundamental principles to establish and promote an urban village atmosphere and appearance. The Guidelines have been established as a condition of the Special Permit Decision, dated September 26, 2002, issued by the Northampton Planning Board for the establishment of the Planned Village District for The Village at Hospital Hill project. Future development identified by the Master Plan will be designed in accordance with the provisions of the Guidelines in order to promote consistency with the Guidelines and Master Plan, and to facilitate administrative review of proposed project development and phasing. Although the Planned Village District for The Village at Hospital Hill has been zoned and master planned as a cohesive development, the district is separated by Route 66 to establish two areas with distinct development goals and uses. The area designated for residential development within the Planned Village District is located within the area north of the proposed mixed-use development located north of Route 66. The area designated for commercial, light industrial, industrial, and mixed-use development is the area within the Planned Village District along and south of Route 66. These Guidelines have been developed to promote a unified development between these distinctly different areas. In doing so, the Guidelines establish general standards and principles that apply whether the individual proposed development sites are for residential or commercial use. C. MASTER PLAN The Guidelines are intended to establish fundamental principles to facilitate implementation of development and improvements proposed by the Master Plan, provide a framework for the development and guide the review of the projects by the Northampton Planning Board. These improvements are envisioned to be designed to incorporate the unique features of the site while reflecting a sense of traditional New England communities and landscapes. The Master Plan for The Village at Hospital Hill is intended to serve as a general guide for the location, orientation and massing of the proposed site improvements, incorporate a pedestrian-friendly area, and promote preservation of the existing landscape, particularly specimen trees. The Illustrative Master Plan enclosed presents the vision for The Village at Hospital Hill, and is consistent with consensus recommendations provided by the City of Northampton municipal agencies, the Citizens Advisory Committee, State agencies, and the general public. These Guidelines are generally exclusive of roadway design, infrastructure design, and considerations subject to review by the Northampton Planning Board pursuant to the Preliminary and Definitive Subdivision Plan Applications. Implementation and success of The Village at Hospital Hill relies on relief granted by the Northampton Planning Board from the Rules and Regulations Governing the Subdivision of Land in the City of Northampton, Massachusetts to address roadways, parking areas, and dimensional aspects inherent in the Master Plan. At the recommendation of the Northampton Office of Planning and Development, consideration of waivers has been incorporated in the Preliminary and Definitive Subdivision Applications. Variances will be addressed as necessary with the Northampton Zoning Board of Appeals. The intent for the Planned Village District is presented in Section D, and the Goals for the implementation of The Village at Hospital Hill are presented in Section E. Together, these sections describe a vision for The Village at Hospital Hill. In conjunction with the Illustrative Master Plan, the Guidelines describe the vision with specific physical and procedural detail to provide a defined course without creating a rigid document that cannot respond to innovations and revisions. D. PLANNED VILLAGE DISTRICT The Village at Hospital Hill is located within a Planned Village District (PV) in the City of Northampton. It is important to reiterate the intent of the PV as presented in the Zoning Ordinance of the City of Northampton, last amended May 28, 2003: 10.15 Planned Village District: The PV district is designed to encourage economic diversity and vitality, to foster the creation of a village or campus center with coherent development patterns similar to traditional Northampton development, to provide for an environment conducive to a high quality of life, to avoid unnecessary public expense for the extension of services, and to meet other community goals. In addition to the §10.1 Special Permit Criteria and of §11.0 Site Plan Approval Criteria, the Planning Board must find that the following criteria are met before granting a Special Permit in the Planned Village District: Project density and design will ensure that the project serves as a pedestrian-scale mixed village, and not an automobile oriented collection of independent uses. This includes, but is not limited to, the following: Maintaining a village appearance and feel on existing gateway(s) to the Northampton by using buildings to frame the streetscape and avoiding holes in the urban streetscape fabric. Ensuring that housing and village uses are designed to maximize pedestrian circulation within the project and connecting to surrounding areas, both through the design of circulation systems and through the design and layout of land uses. Using building designs and design guidelines to create a compatible and attractive urban village. By using retail, institutional and other land uses to keep the urban village tightly focused and walkable, and maintain a focus on gateway(s) to Northampton and respect surrounding land uses. The project, including any concurrent road improvements, will not decrease the level of service (LOS) of any area roads or intersections below the existing conditions and shall consider the incremental nature of development on the LOS. In reviewing projects the Board shall look at other projects permitted or planned for the PV zone and consider the cumulative impacts. If requested by the applicant, the Planning Board may accept in-lieu-of payments to fund a project’s proportional share of necessary improvements to mitigate off-site traffic impacts, including provision of public transit and pedestrian or bicycle paths, in lieu of requiring off-site improvements, when it finds that such payments, in conjunction with funds from other projects or sources, will be used to fund improvements to mitigate traffic impacts; Landscaping, new buildings, parking, lighting, and other improvements in the Planned Village District must be designed and maintained to minimize the visual intrusion to the surrounding area and to preserve and enhance the existing “campus” layout or be designed to create a new compact and coherent village or campus center appearance. The Planning Board shall find that this criterion is met if: Construction will cause no more than minimal disturbance of existing ridgelines and hilltops and will, to the extent possible, preserve existing specimen trees and other desirable natural features. All permanent mechanical equipment is screened from public view and from views from surrounding properties and ways. The design and appearance of proposed new buildings, renovations, and other improvements are designed for visual compatibility within the site and the surrounding area; or private covenants are established for the development that require adequate architectural controls sufficient to ensure compatibility within the site and surrounding area in the design, construction, and maintenance of improvements. Generally, buildings should be a minimum of two stories in height. All feasible measures to mitigate on-site and off-site traffic impacts must be taken, including measures to facilitate access to existing or likely public transit and to existing or likely off-site pedestrian and bicycle paths. Development must be designed to insure easy access to surrounding parcels in the PV and to the surrounding open space. Where a Planned Village is developed in phases, the residential development (excluding that developed in accordance with the zoning requirements for reuse of historic buildings and units above the first floor) may not exceed the percentage of allowed residential use in PV listed the Table of Use Regulations. The Planning Board may, as part of the Special Permit process, approve a phasing plan where residential use temporarily exceeds the maximum percentage by no more than 20%, if they find: Such approval will advance commercial development, housing for Department of Mental Health clients, or affordable housing aspects of the project and ensure that commercial space is developed in a reasonable time; and If project will not exceed the allowable percentages for more than two years; For the purposes of this section, commercial space shall be considered developed when it is occupied for commercial uses or under an agreement or covenant to be sold and developed within six months and up to 150,000 square feet of commercial space shall be considered developed when the Office of Planning and Development, in consultation with the Department of Public Works, finds that the following criteria have been met: All necessary state and local permits and MEPA review (including the Secretary’s approval of any necessary final EIR), except building permits, have been obtained. All on and off-site road and transportation facilities necessary to serve that development are in place and are committed to the project. All public and private utilities, including water, sewer, storm sewer, electric, phone, cable TV, and any high-speed telecommunications services, are in place to serve the site. The site is totally ready for development and is only waiting actual construction. E. GOALS This section of these Design Guidelines is adapted from the Preliminary Draft Design Guidelines prepared by Calthorpe Associates dated August 22, 2000. Economic Development Support the long-term viability of The Village at Hospital Hill through the creation of balanced and complementary private uses, public facilities and streets. Encourage economic stability by diversifying the Northampton economy, creating jobs and clustering mutually supportive land uses. Diversify and expand local employment and housing opportunities. Land Use Concentrate development at intensities and with a built form that bring together diverse activities and encourage walking for many trips. Provide a complementary mix of land uses, including retail, entertainment, civic facilities, employment, housing and community open space. Integrate diverse citizen-serving open spaces and amenities throughout the Village. Conserve woodlands and sensitive riparian zones Promote a vibrant Village Hill Road corridor that is alive with pedestrian activity throughout the day by encouraging businesses that generate public activity and interest. Community Design and Architecture Make walking convenient, comfortable and safe through the siting and design of buildings, landscaping, streets and parking. Create an attractive and welcoming village identity, especially at the site’s edge. Encourage architectural diversity. Maintain high standards of quality in the construction of building and site features. Respect adjacent residential neighborhoods and emphasize compatibility through design. Infrastructure Create comfortable walking environments along all streets. Reduce automobile traffic by establishing complementary destinations within walkable districts and by encouraging transit use. Establish a network of interconnected local streets that are not overwhelmed by traffic volume and speed, yet accommodate sufficient vehicular traffic. Connect and complement local trail networks. Make new information technologies part of the infrastructure and encourage its integration within civic and private uses. Administration Strive for the timely and orderly implementation of the Master Plan through a comprehensive and integrated set of standards. Address community concerns. F. site DESIGN STANDARDS It is important that development within The Village at Hospital Hill be attractive and compatible in design and form. The uses, intensities, and physical form of each area within the Planned Village should foster a vibrant and pedestrian friendly environment. Street oriented shops and office uses are encouraged in mixed-use districts at a scale suitable for pedestrians. Increased density within the mixed-use and multi-family residential districts fosters greater continuity along the street, as well as a mix of land uses that encourages pedestrian activity. Streets in The Village at Hospital Hill will provide convenient routes for pedestrians that are comfortable and safe. To create an intimate and pedestrian friendly atmosphere, the streets will be lined with building entries and windows, rather than parking lots. Vision for The Village at Hospital Hill Village Hill Road The intersection of Route 66 with the main access roadway to the north and south campuses represents a focal point for The Village at Hospital Hill. For the purposes of these Design Guidelines, Village Hill Road is considered to include this intersection as well as the mixed-use area located along the entry roadway to the North Campus. It is intended to create an attractive village identity at this area to promote a pedestrian interest and vitality. It is intended that Village Hill Road be designed as an inviting promenade for evening strolling and weekend gathering, primarily for residents of the residential units of The Village at Hospital Hill. This vision shall be advanced by implementing various combinations of the following features: All newly constructed buildings shown as retail and mixed use on the Illustrative Site Plan that are within 250’ from the centerline of the Route 66 and South Campus Road intersection shall have at least 75% of the first floor area retail, personal service or other high foot traffic commercial uses that are open and used by the general public OR the building plans shall show that the buildings are clearly designed to be easily converted to retail at a later date, including exterior storefronts, public entrances, large undivided internal spaces and other techniques. In addition, the immediate use shall be designated without curtains or blinds to make the use visible (and interesting) to pedestrians passing by the building. Small retail shops and cafes that are open in the evening and on weekends; these may include a coffee shop, restaurants, deli, video store, convenience grocery, ice cream parlor, cleaners, and beauty salon. Retail uses are intended to be neighborhood in scale to primarily service the business and residential uses of The Village at Hospital Hill. Businesses that generate activity and interest from within The Village at Hospital Hill, such as a day-care center, crafts or furniture maker, and health club. Offices that are visible from the sidewalk, without blank walls, blinds or curtains blocking views into the buildings. Businesses with visibility could include stockbrokers, local radio station, etc. Continuous building structures shall be provided when possible with a goal of creating a near continuous wall similar to the “Typical Village Character” graphic and the “Typical Street Facing Facades” graphic in the Site Design Standards section. Where breaks are necessary for service, pedestrian walkways, plazas, or between buildings, the design must ensure that this continuity is not lost. Courtyards and seating areas along the sidewalk. This may include recessed area at building entrances, benches surrounding a fountain or sculpture, and a gazebo. Shallow setbacks, with main building entrances accessed directly for the sidewalk. Building continuity, without curb cuts or parking lots adjacent to the street. Display windows with changing exhibits to showcase historical exhibits, children’s artwork, event notices, advertising panels, etc. Post office kiosk where people may congregate to collect their mail. Bus shelter with seating. The street shall be designed with shade trees, historic light fixtures with pedestrian oriented light qualities, decorative street signs, attractive paving materials and unique elements that identify the street as a gateway and gathering place. Building Continuity Route 66, which is located through the Planned Village District, is envisioned to have the character of an urban street. To achieve this vision, a distinct, integrated spatial composition of building fronts, spaces and landscaping shall be established. Buildings shall edge the street space in a continuous manner, with minimal distance between individual structures. Service areas are permitted between the buildings only if fully screened from view from Route 66 by dense landscaping and/or walls of a material compatible with the adjacent building façades. Generally, buildings should be a minimum of two stories in height. Buildings shall be positioned as close to the Route 66 right-of-way as physical constraints allow. All new buildings fronting on Route 66 and the mixed use buildings fronting on the north-south road to the first street intersection north of Route 66 or north of the Haskell driveway, whichever is further, shall be two stories or higher along the street. All buildings on the south side of Route 66 on the corner of either the main north-south street or the corner of the park fronting Route 66 shall be two stories for a distance of 125 feet to the south. One story buildings elsewhere on the south campus may be appropriate. Continuous building facades along the south campus road are preferred and encouraged where practicable. Parking lots shall be located in the rear of the buildings and no curb cuts are permitted along the south side of Route 66 between Village Hill Road and South Campus Road except for temporary access for building construction. Land uses situated along Route 66 shall consist primarily of office space (south side) and residences (north side), with optional ground floor walk-in retail uses. Uses such as auto servicing or auto-accessed businesses are not permitted, including drive-through banks or drive-through fast food windows. Implementation of the Village Center The intersection of Route 66 with the main access roadway to the north and south campuses is framed with massings of mixed-use buildings on three of the four corners. A village green is currently proposed at the southwest quadrant, providing the opportunity for a gathering area, as well as a vital pedestrian connection to the north and south campus. Although the Special Permit Decision allows a building to be placed at the village green to increase the density of buildings in the area, the existence of a specimen tree within the village green, and the maintenance of the pedestrian connection to the north and south campuses makes the park the preferred alternative. This area is also proposed to incorporate architectural elements preserved from the former Northampton State Hospital buildings. These architectural elements will serve to invite pedestrian activity within the park, be a reminder of the history associated with the area, and provide both a pedestrian and historical connection to the north and south campuses. To implement the village center the intersection of Route 66 with the main access roadway consistent with criteria of the Planned Village District, the following guidelines are promulgated. No driveways or vehicle access points except the roadways depicted on the Master Plan and temporary access driveway during initial phasing of the development. Building frontages must be located to the sidewalk. Curb cuts shall be minimized. Buildings, landscaped pedestrian ways, parks, and/or pocket parks must provide 95% coverage of the initial 200 feet of the intersections, measured along Route 66 and main access roadway to the north campus and south campus, except as necessary to provide access to historical buildings. (This does not preclude creation of mountable curbs for firefighting access.) No parking lots shall be located along the frontage of Route 66. Incorporate sidewalks on both sides of the main access to the north campus to promote pedestrian activity along the mixed-use areas. Development Intensity An attractive, walkable, compact village contains homes that are grouped close together, emphasizing a sense of community and encouraging communication across front yards and across the street. Instead of open spaces in the form of large, deep front yards, neighborhood squares and parks shall be developed for residents to meet and gather. For commercial land uses, The Village at Hospital Hill shall promote higher intensities and compactness in order to support accessibility by public transit and reduced traffic and parking needs. Dimensional Residential Front yard setback: Street-facing façades shall be a minimum of 10 feet from the edge of sidewalk for detached homes; 0 feet for attached homes; open front porches, bay windows, canopies, and roof overhangs may extend up to 8 feet into the front setback area. Rear Yard Setback: There shall be a minimum of 15 feet between the rear of the residence and parking space or face of garage. A minimum of 225 square feet shall be provided in the rear yard, if a garage is attached to the residence. Garage setbacks: Side – may be attached to adjoining garage, otherwise two feet from property line. Rear – Two feet from alley pavement or rear property line. (See page 15 for Garage Criteria) Commercial Proposed and existing commercial buildings do not have a minimum front or side yard setback requirement. The street-facing facades and secondary facades of these buildings may be located adjacent to the street right-of-way line. Commercial buildings should be built up to the edge of the road right-of-way, except to accommodate a high quality publicly accessible plaza or pocket park, as shown on page 24, street frontages and plaza. Roadways and Vehicular Access Commercial and residential roadways shall to the extent possible, be designed in accordance with the Rules and Regulations Governing the Subdivision of Land in the City of Northampton, Massachusetts. Waivers will be necessary to accomplish the goals and objectives of the village and to preserve the unique character of the land, including historic structures, mature specimen trees, and other significant landscape and topographical qualities. Such waivers shall be sought from the Northampton Planning Board during the subdivision review process. On-street parking, pedestrian amenities and traffic calming measures will be critical for securing street facing architecture and encouraging walking. Modest roadway widths will reduce pedestrian crossing distances and slow traffic without encumbering emergency vehicles or significantly increasing vehicle travel time. Alleys (Common Driveways) will provide local vehicular access to properties and enable street frontages that are not interrupted by curb cuts. While alleys do not preclude emergency vehicles, development should be sufficiently proximate to other streets for emergency access. An unobstructed landscape strip or driveway shall be provided adjacent to the travel lane to permit adequate “back-up” distance from garages. Alleys shall consist of 16-foot clear drive lane. Bikepaths and Walkways Bikepaths shall be separate from sidewalks or, if combined with a sidewalk, shall be 10’ wide and separated from the roadway by a 10’ landscaped strip. Bike trails shall follow the regional trail along the former railroad tracks and other public access trails. Off-street bike trails connecting the Village, Mill River, and community open space are encouraged. Bikepaths and walkways will be designed to provide connections to residential areas, commercial areas, adjacent properties, adjacent pedestrian and bikepath systems, and parking lots. Walkways and sidewalks adjacent to roadways shall be located with consideration to the preservation of existing trees. This design consideration is intended to result in more naturalistic sidewalks, provide separation from the roadway, and promote interest in pedestian travel. Pedestrian Circulation Site sidewalks shall be provided to direct pedestrian movements from parking areas to building entry points and other site facilities. Site sidewalks shall be constructed of materials compatible with and complementary to the building design. Bituminous concrete is not allowed. Crosswalks shall be provided at locations of potential pedestrian/vehicle circulation conflicts. Trails and/or pathways intended for bicycle use shall be a minimum of 10 feet wide except when grade or other factors make 10 feet very difficult, in which case they shall be a minimum of 8 feet wide. Parking Areas Parking demand may be met by considering on-site parking, on-street parking along the perimeter of the project (but not across the street from the project), and/or parking made available by shared parking facilities. Parking lots shall not be incorporated along the Route 66 corridor. One of the following options shall be applied: Parking may be detached from the structure, in a mid-block surface parking lot. Parking may be incorporated within the structure, at least 15 feet behind the street-facing entrance to occupiable space (e.g. retail, office or residential.) Parking may be incorporated within the structure and extend to the front of a building, but must be depressed such that first-floor occupied is not more than 5 feet above the finished grade. Tandem parking spaces (end-to-end) are encouraged for residential uses and can be used to meet the parking requirement. Where a parking lot abuts a street, a project should provide landscaping or plaza at a depth of at least 10 feet. At least 75% of the Landscaped Street Frontage should include one of the following: low shrubs, a low ornamental fence, a low ornamental wall, or, in areas where high pedestrian traffic is anticipated, high quality seating areas. Landscaped Street Frontages shall also include trees generally spaced not more than 30 feet on center. The use of permeable paving to filter and reduce surface runoff is encouraged, particularly in rarely used, seasonal or overflow parking areas. Where possible, drainage should be directed to vegetated areas to filter runoff and maximize groundwater infiltration. Acceptable forms of permeable paving include: turf blocks, compressed stone, and recent innovations in permeable asphalt. Loose gravel is not acceptable. Where curb cuts are permitted, no driveway shall comprise more than 25% of a lot’s street-facing frontage. Minimum parking space size shall be 8.5’ x 18’ for parking areas ; 2 feet of the overhang length may be paved or grass. Handicapped parking spaces shall be provided in accordance with applicable state and federal regulations. Minimum two-way parking space access aisle width shall be of 18 feet minimum. One-way aisle width shall depend upon the angle of parking spaces, but in no case shall the aisle width be less than 12 feet. Parking areas shall be setback a minimum of 10’ from any abutting property boundary outside of the Planned Village District. Parking areas for commercial properties shall be screened by berms and/or plantings from adjacent properties located outside the Planned Village District. Parking lots shall be edged with concrete, granite, or bituminous concrete berm with a six-inch reveal. Parking lots shall include planting strips to interrupt large expanses of pavement. The planting strips shall separate rows of parking spaces from each other and from driveways and shall be at least 6 feet in width. Directional signage shall be provided within parking areas as appropriate. Parking areas shall be striped for traffic control and pedestrian safety. Areas between proposed commercial buildings and parking areas and driveways shall be planted creatively to enhance and complement the design and appearance of the properties. Emergency vehicle access shall be provided sufficient to allow for access of the Northampton Public Safety Officials, including Police and Fire Departments. Garages Garage doors that face a street shall be set back at least 10 feet behind the residential façade. A windowed living space above the garage is encouraged, or the garage shall be set back 40 feet from the street right-of-way. Garage doors shall be attractive with decorative iron or articulated wood panels. The garage façade should not be more than 20 feet in width. The orientation of the street-facing façade of a garage should be considered with the dimensions of the street-facing facade of the associated house. The street-facing façade of the garage should be limited to 67% of the street-facing façade of the house. Loading/Services Area Service areas shall be setback a minimum of 20’ from any abutting property line. Loading/service areas shall be located at the rear or sides of buildings. Loading/service areas shall be separated from pedestrian circulation routes. Trash receptacles shall be located in service areas and screened from view of adjacent properties by plantings, berms, or fences. Provisions for recycling shall be provided. Landscaping Existing trees should be preserved to the extent feasible. All new plantings shall be compatible with existing on-site plant materials. Wherever possible, existing major specimen trees shall remain undisturbed by new construction. However, transplanting existing plant material to new planting areas is acceptable. A list of typical plant materials as a guide for new plantings follows: Botanical Name Common Name Minimum Size Trees: Deciduous Acer rubrum Red Maple 3 – 3 ½” cal. Acer saccharum Sugar Maple 3 – 3 ½” cal. Betula papyrifera Canoe Birch Multi-stem 12 – 14’ ht. Fagus grandiflora American Beech 3 – 3 ½” cal. Liriodendron tulipifera Tuliptree 3 – 3 ½” cal. Quercus palustris Pin Oak 3 – 3 ½” cal. Quercus rubra Red Oak 3 – 3 ½” cal. Tilia americana American Linden 3 – 3 ½” cal. Evergreen Abies balsamea Balsam Fir 10 – 12’ ht. Picea glauca White Spruce 10 – 12’ ht. Pinus strobus White Pine 10 – 12’ ht. Thuja occidentalis Arborvitae 10 – 12’ ht. Flowering Amelanchier canadensis Serviceberry 2 – 2 ½” cal. Cercis canadensis American Redbud 2 – 2 ½” cal. Cornus florida Flowering Dogwood 2 – 2 ½” cal. Malus spp. Crabapple 2 – 2 ½” cal. Prunus spp. Flowering Cherry 2 – 2 ½” cal. Shrubs: Kalmia latifolia Mountain Laurel 2 – 2 ½’ Rhododendron PJM PJM Rhododendron 2 – 2 ½’ Rhododendron Sp. Rhododendron 2 – 2 ½’ Taxus spp. Yew 2 – 2 ½’ Viburnum trilobum American Cranberrybush 2 – 2 ½’ The setback areas located between parking and buildings shall be creatively landscaped to complement and enhance the design and appearance of the buildings. Only temporary Certificates Occupancy will be issued until required landscaping work is done, unless performance guarantees are posted. Automatic irrigation systems supplied by on-site wells or ponds should be provided within significant landscaped areas to the extent possible. Pursuant to the Zoning Ordinance, trees shall be planted within parking areas at a minimum of one (1) tree per 15 parking spaces. Trees should be spread uniformly throughout the parking lot or massed to provide a screen and buffer to adjacent properties. Parking areas for commercial and industrial properties shall be effectively screened with suitable planting or sight impervious fencing on each side which adjoins or faces the side or rear lot line of a lot situated in any Residential “R” district, and residential properties with frontage facing the proposed Earle Street development. Landscaping shall be provided at the corner of Grove Street and Laurel Street to provide screening and a buffer to the development. A combination of deciduous and evergreen trees shall be used to satisfy parking area plantings for multi-tenant residential or commercial buildings. Trees used to satisfy parking area requirements shall be sized based on the standards outlined in the table of typical plant materials. Street trees are to be planted an average of 30’ or less on center. Utilities Utility services to proposed buildings (extensions/connections) shall be provided underground. Overhead electric and telephone service may be considered, however, in residential areas within rear yard easements or in alleys abutting new subdivision streets with overhead utilities. Ensure adequate utility service capacity exists to satisfy anticipated demands. To reduce the demand on municipal waste systems, alternative sources of non-potable water shall be utilized where feasible. These alternative sources may include: water recycling, surface storage, on-site wells, etc. Electric pad-mounted transformers, emergency generators, air conditioning compressors, and other mechanical equipment shall be located/screened so as to minimize visibility and maximize noise attenuation to adjacent properties and high pedestrian traffic areas. Stormwater Management System The course of proposed drainage channels should, where possible, follow drainage patterns of the existing topography, and be consistent with the master drainage plan established for The Village at Hospital Hill. Stormwater management system shall be designed in accordance with the current Department of Environmental Protection stormwater management policy and design guidelines and the Northampton Subdivision Rules and Regulations. Operation and maintenance plans shall be prepared for stormwater management systems. A stormwater pollution prevention plan including sediment control shall be developed prior to initializing construction activities. Stormwater management system design shall infiltrate runoff back into the ground to the extent feasible. Lawn areas should use grassy swales to collect and distribute surface runoff. These should be designed to convey a minimum of ten-year storm frequency. Where grass channels are inadequate, naturalistic channels of riprap may be used. Such channels should be heavily planted to resemble natural beds of small streams. Concrete drainage channels are not acceptable. Grading Vegetated cut or fill slopes shall not exceed a 2:1 slope. The use of riprap to stabilize slopes shall be minimized. Site Improvements Means shall be provided to securely park bicycles. Durable bicycle racks, such as “loop racks” and “ribbon bars” are recommended. They should be sized according to parking requirements. Site furniture shall be provided at logical pedestrian collection areas and should include trash receptacles where appropriate. Bench designs should be consistent with other street furnishings and should use smoothly finished, exterior grade members. Seats should be a “warm” non-conductive material. In addition to benches, concrete seat walls that are effectively integrated into the design of plazas and planters are encouraged. Wooden guide rails shall be used as appropriate to enhance site safety. Site Lighting Site lighting fixtures shall be shielded as necessary to prevent illumination from falling onto adjacent properties. ‘Cobra Head’ type fixtures are prohibited. High-pressure sodium light fixtures shall not be used as a lighting source. Metal halide luminaires shall be used along roadways and sidewalks and within parking areas. Maximum mounting height for site light shall be 25 feet. Suggested heights for light fixtures are 20 feet along Prince Street, Village Hill Road, South Campus Road and Earle Street and 16 feet along all residential streets. Maximum fixture intensity shall be 400 watts. Bollards and/or ground lights shall be used as appropriate to reinforce pedestrian circulation routes, provide additional security/safety lighting at critical areas and highlight site features. Bollards should be consistent with street furnishings. Bollards should be at least 30 inches in height. Collapsible bollards shall be used where emergency vehicles need to gain access but normal traffic is restricted. Light bollards are encouraged in areas with high pedestrian traffic. The site lighting design shall seek to provide a safe/functional environment for employees while minimizing light pollution in the form of sky glow. Maximum design illumination levels are as follows: Parking Areas: One-foot candle (0.5 minimum; 2 average; 0 at site perimeter) Loading/Service Areas: One-foot candles Building Entrances: Five-foot candles Pedestrian Walkways: 0.5-foot candle minimum, 2 average Signs Directional signs shall be provided to direct vehicular and pedestrian traffic. These directional signs shall not exceed ten (10) square feet in area. Directional signs shall be placed so as not to obscure traffic sight lines. Signs may be illuminated but shall not include any flashing, moving, or neon elements; red or green lights or fluorescent colors. Backlighted, acrylic-type light boxes are prohibited. Sustainable Design The Village at Hospital Hill is committed to encouraging the incorporation of environmentally sustainable planning and systems into the formulation of building designs, within the limits of the approved Master Plan and subject to financial or program constraints of individual developers. The reuse of existing buildings avoids the environmental impacts associated with new construction materials and disposal of existing building materials and is, in itself, a “green building” strategy. New project elements will also provide opportunities for implementation of green architecture elements. Hospital Hill Development, LLC will work to develop a protocol for informing prospective buyers of buildings and land about the availability of financing programs and for providing outreach, education, and referrals intended to promote sustainable development as third party end users occupy and develop the site. Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) is a program established and promoted by the U. S. Green Building Council (USGBC). It establishes a rating system for buildings based on the environmental performance of the entire building over the course of the building’s life. The rating system includes a scorecard for assigning points to various “green” building elements such as selection of a sustainable site, water efficiency, energy efficiency, selection of materials, indoor environmental quality, and innovation and design process. A list of potential elements of a sustainable design program includes measures relating to energy conservation, use of recycled and recyclable materials, and incorporation of recycling infrastructure, and water conservation, each of which is incorporated into the LEED program. elements of the LEED program that Hospital Hill Development, LLC anticipates will be incorporated into the design of The Village at Hospital Hill, regardless of whether LEED certification is sought, include: Erosion and Sedimentation Control. Negative impacts on water and air quality will be reduced through the control of erosion on site. Urban Redevelopment. In redeveloping the former hospital site, The Village at Hospital Hill is preserving undeveloped “greenfields” and the natural resources supported therein. Alternative Transportation. The development encourages the use of alternative transportation through several measures including designated parking spaces for shared community cars and connecting the site to community bike and walking paths. Reduced Site Disturbance. The Village at Hospital Hill has been designed to conserve existing natural areas so as to preserve habitat and promote biodiversity. Stormwater Management. Stormwater management systems at the site have been designed to limit disruption of natural water flows by minimizing stormwater runoff and increasing on-site infiltration. Water Use Reduction. Water efficiency will be maximized through the use of low-flow fixtures and through the minimization of potable water use for irrigation. Fundamental Building Systems Commissioning. Fundamental building elements and systems will be designed, installed, and calibrated to operate as intended. Storage and Collection of Recyclables. The reduction of waste generated by building occupants will be facilitated through recycling programs. Building Reuse. Inherent in The Village at Hospital Hill concept is the reuse of specific original hospital buildings. Building reuse conserves materials and cultural resources, reduces waste, and reduces the impact caused by new construction. Construction Waste Management. Solid waste created during demolition and construction phases of the project will be reused or recycled to the greatest extent possible. G. ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN STANDARDS This section has been adapted from the Preliminary Draft Design Guidelines prepared by Calthorpe Associates dated August 2000 and The Community Builders. It is important that all buildings within The Village at Hospital Hill be attractive and compatible in design and materials. While a variety and a sense of identity are encouraged, a building must not consist of materials that are aesthetically incompatible with surrounding buildings and landscapes. General design principles include themes of planned village developments rooted in traditional planning and landscape architecture principles and principles of historic preservation. As such, every reasonable effort shall be made to preserve the distinguishing original qualities of a building, structure or site and its environment. The removal or alteration of historic material, architectural features or trees should be avoided when possible. Distinctive stylistic features or examples of skilled craftsmanship, which characterize a building, structure or site, shall be treated with sensitivity. Contemporary design for alterations and additions to existing buildings shall not be discouraged when such alterations and additions do not destroy significant historical, architectural or cultural material, and when such design is compatible with the surrounding environment. The following principles should be considered during the design of a proposed site plan, recognizing that The Village at Hospital Hill is intended to advance a traditional urban village, focusing on new and existing architecture, streetscape details and associated amenities: Height of buildings Proportions of windows and doors Relationships of building masses and spaces Roof lines Scale of buildings Façade directional expression Architectural details Fenestration Landscape Overview Pedestrian-supportive environments best encourage walking when buildings face streets with frequent entries and windows. Street-facing buildings sited close to the street encourage neighborhood life, enhance the continuity of streets and make streets more inviting through informal surveillance. All building designs must include details in all the following items to demonstrate to the Planning Board’s satisfaction that the design is compatible with the principles of the planned village. Architectural diversity is encouraged and should draw upon regional traditions. Colonial Revival, Queen Anne, and Neo-Romanesque are just a few local styles that incorporate pedestrian-supportive strategies. Contemporary interpretations of these regional traditions may be used to create a cohesive appearance for The Village at Hospital Hill and maintain the opportunity for stylistic variety. Porches, variations in relief, quality construction and other features, while elemental to these regional traditions, also create a streetscape that is visually appealing. These standards apply to new construction only. Renovations shall be expected to follow the spirit of the guidelines as much as possible within the constraints of existing building floor levels, proportions and orientations. Street Frontages For a building to be “street-facing”, it must have windows and primary entrances facing directly onto the street. (Tenants may not close or obstruct these entrances.) On streets where the street-facing building frontage requirement is satisfied, additional buildings may be sited farther back from the street, in accordance with other requirements. Parks or plazas may be used to satisfy a portion of the street-facing building requirement. They must be landscaped with shade trees, furnished with seating areas, and have buildings with windows abutting them. Street Frontages describe locations where buildings and entries must address a required street for a given percentage of its length along a block, or “block face”. (A “block face” is defined as a continuous street segment, delimited by two cross streets – not driveways – or where the roadway makes a significant change in direction.) Public sidewalks are defined as walks that are accessible to the general public and parallel a public street, private street, or parking lot, provided that they are designed in the manner of a traditional streetscape with shade trees and street lighting. Architectural Materials Residential All buildings that are primarily residential shall have the facades constructed of acceptable material that is consistent with the character of the village atmosphere that is being created. Acceptable façade materials for residential buildings include brick; wood siding or cementacious board siding. Vinyl lapped siding is acceptable if used in a manner that will not lead to warping or damage from contact. Artificial stucco materials are acceptable for duplicating stone mouldings and other details, if used in a manner where they would not be damaged from contact or weather. Commercial All newly constructed commercial and mixed-use buildings shall be compatible with the existing buildings in the property to be re-used. This shall be accomplished by materials utilized on the primary facades. These primary building facades shall be of masonry (brick, natural stone or synthetic stone) on a minimum of 20% of the opaque area of the façade. Pre-engineered metal building façades and concrete block faced exterior walls will not be permitted except in restricted areas of the building such as loading dock areas or other areas not visible from streets or public ways, except along the industrial development along Earle Street. Earle Street Industrial Area New building construction located with the industrial area along Earle Street are not subject to these Design Guidelines. BUILDING ORIENTATION Building Relationships Buildings in proximity shall have window and entrance locations that provide privacy between residences while also facilitating a sense of community and security. Examples include window offsets on walls facing each other and low screens between porches that create privacy while seated and a visual connection while standing. No loading area is permitted within 30 feet of a public right-of-way designated as a primary public pedestrian way. Only occupied (residential or commercial) buildings (not garages or mechanical buildings) and open space may be located in this area. Loading areas must be screened with a fence or shrubbery at a minimum height of 5’ at planting and 10’ at maturity. Building Entrances Buildings adjacent to streets, parks or street-facing plazas should have their primary entrances facing the street, park or plaza. Multiple entrances that face streets and parking lots are encouraged to promote a pedestrian-oriented streetscape. Building massing and door surrounds should highlight the location of building entries. Greater height in the form of tower elements, tall openings, or a central mass may be used to accentuate entries. Building entries that do not front directly onto a street should provide a connecting walkway to the street via a plaza or landscaped walkway. The walkway should be well lighted and lined by building windows. The public sidewalk must be visible from the building entry. Office, Mixed-Use and Larger Apartment Buildings Office, Mixed-Use and larger apartment building entrances should be recessed or framed by a sheltering element such as a second-story overhang, portico, awning or deep recess. Door surrounds such as pediments, cornices, and columns can also draw attention to building entrances. Ground floors of retail space may be located between a half-level up and a half-level down from the sidewalk grade. Smaller Residential Buildings Single-family, townhouse and small apartment buildings should have a covered canopy, porch or other “outdoor/indoor transition space” at a minimum 6’ depth and 8’ width. The transition space may be located within a front setback area. Wrap–around, front–to-side porches are encouraged, especially on corner lots. One of the primary interior living spaces (living room or family room) shall face a public sidewalk. Ground floors at the front of residences shall be elevated a minimum of 12 inches above the public sidewalk to facilitate informal surveillance. Windowsills shall be low and porches shall have open railings to allow for visibility of the sidewalk while sitting in the residence. Back yard entrances may be at grade. Parks and Plazas Buildings adjacent to or across the street from a park or plaza should have windows and entrances facing that park or plaza. Transparency All buildings that face a street, park, plaza or connecting walkway shall have windows and entrances covering at least 20% of the ground-floor façade. Building facades that face a street, park, plaza or connecting walkway should not have a section of blank wall exceeding 20 linear feet without a window or entrance. Mechanical Equipment & Service Areas Rooftop Equipment A variety of roof forms are permitted. Mechanical equipment should be integrated into the overall mass of a building and screened behind parapets or recessed into hips, gables or similar features. Plain equipment boxes are not acceptable. Ground-Level Equipment & Service Areas Areas for loading, storage, refuse collection, or mechanical equipment should be located away from streets, parks, plazas, and connecting walkways. Where this is not possible, a service area should either be recessed within a building’s envelope; or it should be placed behind decorative walls, trellises, arcades, trees and/or tall shrubs. Compactors shall typically be located adjacent to loading docks and screened in a similar manner. Each commercial lot shall provide sufficient on-site loading facilities to accommodate site activities, including all loading movement and turnarounds. Fences & Walls Rear fences and rear building facades should not face streets, parks or plazas. Height Fences shall not exceed 42 inches in height within the front setback area and 7 feet elsewhere. Fences located within the side setback areas shall not exceed 42 inches in height within 4 feet of an adjacent building. Fences are limited to a maximum of 3 feet in height within 5 feet of street intersections to protect sight distance. Materials Walls and fences within view of streets, parks, or plazas should be constructed with attractive, long-lasting materials, such as wood, masonry, or stone. Chain link and wire fencing should not be used. Masonry is encouraged where noise may pose a nuisance to abutting uses. Architectural Lighting and Light Control Entrance lighting will be provided for building identification and safety. Monumental lighting or general floodlighting of buildings will not be allowed. Glare should be minimized by providing window coverings, awnings, or sizing. Building mounted lighting shall be designed and positioned so as to direct light downward to illuminate adjacent doors and sidewalks, not outward away from the building. CHARACTER AND QUALITY Regional Traditions Northampton’s rich architectural traditions can be seen in its historic downtown, State Hospital and residential neighborhoods. The region’s unique identity is derived from a period when walking was the primary means of transportation. The Late Victorian, Classical Revival and Colonial Revival style are characteristic of regional architecture. Through contemporary interpretations of regional traditions, The Village at Hospital Hill can incorporate pedestrian-supportive design while harmonizing with regional identity. Building facades are encouraged to have variations in material, texture and relief. To break up smooth facades, windows can be shaded by overhangs, protrude from roofs in dormers, or be incorporated through Victorian-style bay windows. Covered or inset windows will also reduce heat gain in the summer and protect from the elements in the winter. Windows should generally be grouped, vertically aligned, and multi-paned to convey a sense of quality that is consistent with regional styles. Buildings are encouraged to be vertically proportioned and have variations in roof form and massing. Multiple roof forms should be consistent with building function and massing, rather than built for the sake of appearance. Entries should be accentuated through building massing, landscaping, porches and decorated door surrounds. Quality of Construction Materials Building proportions, façade materials, roofing, and details shall reflect the nature of a New England town. Contemporary expressions are acceptable if these criteria are met. Acceptable façade materials include brick; wood siding or cementacious board siding. Vinyl lapped siding is acceptable if used in a manner that will not lead to warping or damage from contact. Artificial stucco materials are acceptable for duplicating stone mouldings and other details, if used in a manner where they would not be damaged from contact or weather. Each building has a primary façade that faces a public sidewalk and three secondary facades, except as follows: a) if the primary entrance does not face a public sidewalk, then the building shall have two primary facades –one that faces the public sidewalk and one that contains the primary entrance. b) if the building is on a corner lot, then that building will have two primary facades and two secondary facades. All primary building façades located in the commercial and mixed-use area south of Route 66 shall be of masonry (brick, natural stone or synthetic stone) on a minimum of 20% of the opaque area of the façade. Pre-engineered metal building façades and concrete block faced exterior walls will not be permitted except in restricted areas of the building such as loading dock areas or other areas not visible from streets or public ways, except along the industrial development along Earle Street. Application and Detailing Buildings should incorporate consistent, pedestrian-scale textures and details on all sides that are visible from public streets and pedestrian pathways. Materials should be properly applied and correctly detailed, especially at the base of buildings, along cornices, eaves, parapets or ridge tops, and around entries and windows. Material changes should not occur at external corners. However, they may occur at interior corners or as a “return” at least four feet from external corners. Primary facades shall consist of masonry (brick, natural stone, or synthetic stone) on a minimum of 20% of the opaque area of the façade. Secondary facades shall consist of materials compatible with the primary façade, in recognition that the facades are visible form public areas. Conformance to Applicable Codes All building construction shall conform to all State and local building codes and regulations. These Design Guidelines do not eliminate the need for the developer, builder or property owner to obtain all necessary permits required by any construction activities. H. REFERENCES “Rules and Regulations Governing the Subdivision of Land in the City of Northampton, Massachusetts”, last revised May 15, 2003, dated May 28, 2003. “Zoning Ordinance City of Northampton”, Office of Planning and Development City Hall, Northampton, MA, last amended June 26, 2003, prepared for the Planning Board by the Office of Planning and Development. “The Village At Hospital Hill Design Guidelines Preliminary Draft” for The Community Builders, Inc. by Calthorpe Associates, dated August 22, 2000. “The Village at Hospital Hill Phase One Report EOEA #12629”, April 30, 2002, prepared for MassDevelopment and The Community Builders, Inc., prepared by Epsilon Associates, Inc. in association with Vanasse & Associates, Inc., Tighe & Bond, and Arrowstreet, Inc. “The Village at Hospital Hill Draft Environmental Impact Report EOEA #12629, April 2003”, prepared for Hospital Hill Development, LLC; prepared by Epsilon Associates, Inc. in association with Tighe & Bond and Vanasse & Associates, Inc. “Rural By Design: Maintaining Small Town Character”, by Randall Arendt, contributing authors, Elizabeth A. Brabec, Harry L. Dodson, Christine Reid, Robert Yaro. Co-sponsored by Lincoln Institute of Land Policy, Environmental Law Foundation & Center for Rural Massachusetts. Published by the American Planning Association. 3Com Corporation Proposal for Master Planning in Marlborough, Massachusetts Design Guidelines The Village at Hospital Hill Northampton, Massachusetts 170000RP007A.doc Scope of Services BEALS AND THOMAS, INC. BEALS AND THOMAS, INC. Table of Contents i Arial 10 Point Title of Report or Proposal City and State document number BEALS AND THOMAS, INC. Table of Contents 3Com Corporation Proposal for Master Planning in Marlborough, Massachusetts Design Guidelines The Village at Hospital Hill Northampton, Massachusetts 170000RP007A.doc 10 Scope of Services BEALS AND THOMAS, INC. BEALS AND THOMAS, INC. A. Introduction 1 3Com Corporation Proposal for Master Planning in Marlborough, Massachusetts BEALS AND THOMAS, INC. Scope of Services 1 BEALS AND THOMAS, INC. B. Purpose of the Design Guidelines 2 BEALS AND THOMAS, INC. C. Master Plan 3 BEALS AND THOMAS, INC. D. Planned Village District 6 BEALS AND THOMAS, INC. E. Goals 7 BEALS AND THOMAS, INC. F. Site Design Standards 22 BEALS AND THOMAS, INC. H. Architectural Design Standards 23 BEALS AND THOMAS, INC. G. Architectural Design Standards 30 BEALS AND THOMAS, INC. H. References 31