22.056 Clean Addendum New Sections 21 and 22Table of Contents
Character-Based Zoning Standards
§350-21. Character-Based Zoning: Rules for All Character-Based Districts 1
§350-21.1. Purpose and Intent 1
A. Purpose. 1
B. Intent 1
§350-21.2. Organization, Applicability, Interpretation 2
A. Organization of the Character-Based Zoning Sections (§350-21 and §350-22) 2
B. Applicability 3
C. Meaning and Interpretation of Text and Graphics 3
§350-21.3. Zones and Zoning Map 4
A. Character-Based Zoning Districts 4
B. Zoning Map 4
§350-21.4. General Standards for Character-Based Zoning Districts 4
A. Overview 4
§350-21.5. Overview of Public Realm 5
A. Purpose 5
B. Applicability 5
C. Diagram of Public Realm Zones 5
D. Dimensions and Standards, Overview 6
E. Vehicle Throughway 6
F. Furnishing and Utility Zone 7
G. Pedestrian Throughway Zone 7
H. Public Frontage Zone 8
I. Lot Frontage Zone 9
§350-21.6. Lot Standards 11
A. Lot Dimensions 11
B. Increased Front Setbacks to Provide Required Pedestrian Throughway and/or Public Frontage Zone 11
C. Special Permit to Increase the Maximum Front Setback 12
D. Use of the Lot Frontage Zone 12
E. Building Frontage Occupancy 13
F. Ground Floor Use Limitation Area 13
G. District Transitional Buffer 14
H. Setback Encroachments 14
I. Number of Buildings on a Lot 15
§350-21.7. Buildings 16
A. Applicability and Review of Guidelines in this Section 16
B. Building Orientation on a Lot 16
C. Building Height 17
D. Roofs 18
E. Facades 20
F. Ground Floor Façade Types 22
G. Ground Floor Pedestrian Entrances 29
H. Fenestration 30
I. Building Components 31
J. Building type [Reserved] 35
K. Additional Building Design Standards and Guidelines for the CB Core District 36
§350-21.8. Landscaping 41
A. Standards for Landscape Components in the Lot Frontage Zone 41
B. Sidewalk extension 41
C. Front Plaza 42
D. Front Yard, Terrace or Garden, 42
E. Landscape Path 43
F. Front Ramp 43
G. Fence or Landscape Wall 44
H. Buffer Landscaping 44
§350-21.9. Green infrastructure. 47
A. Purpose 47
B. Green Infrastructure Types 47
C. Allowed Locations 47
§350-21.10. Public Realm Components 48
A. Applicability of Standards for Public Realm Components. 48
B. Public Realm Components and Public Realm Zones 49
C. Street Trees & Tree pits 50
D. Public Seating 50
E. Bicycle parking 52
F. Driveway/Alley Crossings 52
G. Outdoor Café Seating 53
H. Outdoor retail displays 55
§350-21.11. Off-street Parking and Driveways 56
A. Exemptions from and Additions to §350-8 56
B. Driveway 56
C. Parking Placement 57
D. Screening of Side Parking from View from Streets or Sidewalks 57
§350-21.12. Development Types, Block standards 58
A. Development Site. 58
§350-21.13. Pre-Existing Buildings and Site Improvements 60
A. Purpose 60
B. Applicability 60
C. Additions to Non-Conforming Buildings 60
D. New Detached Buildings 60
E. Non-Conforming Building or Site Retrofit 60
§350-21.14. Exemptions from Conflicting Provisions [reserved] 61
§350-22. Character Based Districts 62
§350-22.1. Central Business-Core District (CB-Core) 62
A. Existing and Desired Character 62
B. Intent 63
C. Central Business Architecture Committee Review 63
D. Table of Character-Based Requirements for Central Business-Core District 64
E. Use Table for Central-Business-Core District 68
§350-22.2. Central Business-Side Street District (CB-Side Street) 70
A. Existing & Desired Character 70
B. Intent 71
C. Table of Character-Based Requirements for Central Business-Side Street District 72
E. Use Table for Central Business-Side Street District 76
§350-22.3. Central Business-Gateway District (CB-Gateway) 78
A. Desired Character 78
B. Intent. 78
C. Table of Character-Based Requirements for Central Business-Gateway District 80
E. Use Table for Central Business-Gateway District 84
§350-22.4. Florence Village-Center District (FV-Center) 86
A. Desired Character 86
B. Intent 86
C. Table of Character-Based Requirements for Florence Village-Center District 87
D. Use Table for Florence Village-Center District 91
§350-22.5. Florence Village-General District (FV-General) 93
A. Desired character 93
B. Intent 93
C. Table of Character-Based Requirements for Florence Village-General Districts (FV-General) 94
D. Use Table for Florence Village-General District 98
§350-21. Character-Based Zoning: Rules for All Character-Based Districts 1
§350-21.1. Purpose and Intent 1
A. Purpose. 1
B. Intent 1
§350-21.2. Organization, Applicability, Interpretation 2
A. Organization of the Character-Based Zoning Sections (§350-21 and §350-22) 2
B. Applicability 3
C. Meaning and Interpretation of Text and Graphics 3
§350-21.3. Zones and Zoning Map 4
A. Character-Based Zoning Districts 4
B. Zoning Map 4
§350-21.4. General Standards for Character-Based Zoning Districts 4
A. Overview 4
§350-21.5. Overview of Public Realm 5
A. Purpose 5
B. Applicability 5
C. Diagram of Public Realm Zones 5
D. Dimensions and Standards, Overview 6
E. Vehicle Throughway 6
F. Furnishing and Utility Zone 7
G. Pedestrian Throughway Zone 7
H. Public Frontage Zone 8
I. Lot Frontage Zone 9
§350-21.6. Lot Standards 11
A. Lot Dimensions 11
B. Increased Front Setbacks to Provide Required Pedestrian Throughway and/or Public Frontage Zone 11
C. Special Permit to Increase the Maximum Front Setback 12
D. Use of the Lot Frontage Zone 12
E. Building Frontage Occupancy 13
F. Ground Floor Use Limitation Area 13
G. District Transitional Buffer 14
H. Setback Encroachments 14
I. Number of Buildings on a Lot 15
§350-21.7. Buildings 16
A. Applicability and Review of Guidelines in this Section 16
B. Building Orientation on a Lot 16
C. Building Height 17
D. Roofs 18
E. Facades 20
F. Ground Floor Façade Types 22
G. Ground Floor Pedestrian Entrances 29
H. Fenestration 30
I. Building Components 31
J. Building type [Reserved] 35
K. Additional Building Design Standards and Guidelines for the CB Core District 36
§350-21.8. Landscaping 41
A. Standards for Landscape Components in the Lot Frontage Zone 41
B. Sidewalk extension 41
C. Front Plaza 42
D. Front Yard, Terrace or Garden, 42
E. Landscape Path 43
F. Front Ramp 43
G. Fence or Landscape Wall 44
H. Buffer Landscaping 44
§350-21.9. Green infrastructure. 47
A. Purpose 47
B. Green Infrastructure Types 47
C. Allowed Locations 47
§350-21.10. Public Realm Components 48
A. Applicability of Standards for Public Realm Components. 48
B. Public Realm Components and Public Realm Zones 49
C. Street Trees & Tree pits 50
D. Public Seating 50
E. Bicycle parking 52
F. Driveway/Alley Crossings 52
G. Outdoor Café Seating 53
H. Outdoor retail displays 55
§350-21.11. Off-street Parking and Driveways 56
A. Exemptions from and Additions to §350-8 56
B. Driveway 56
C. Parking Placement 57
D. Screening of Side Parking from View from Streets or Sidewalks 57
§350-21.12. Development Types, Block standards 58
A. Development Site. 58
§350-21.13. Pre-Existing Buildings and Site Improvements 60
A. Purpose 60
B. Applicability 60
C. Additions to Non-Conforming Buildings 60
D. New Detached Buildings 60
E. Non-Conforming Building or Site Retrofit 60
§350-21.14. Exemptions from Conflicting Provisions [reserved] 61
§350-22. Character Based Districts 62
§350-22.1. Central Business-Core District (CB-Core) 62
A. Existing and Desired Character 62
B. Intent 63
C. Central Business Architecture Committee Review 63
D. Table of Character-Based Requirements for Central Business-Core District 64
E. Use Table for Central-Business-Core District 68
§350-22.2. Central Business-Side Street District (CB-Side Street) 70
A. Existing & Desired Character 70
B. Intent 71
C. Table of Character-Based Requirements for Central Business-Side Street District 72
E. Use Table for Central Business-Side Street District 76
§350-22.3. Central Business-Gateway District (CB-Gateway) 78
A. Desired Character 78
B. Intent. 78
C. Table of Character-Based Requirements for Central Business-Gateway District 80
E. Use Table for Central Business-Gateway District 84
§350-22.4. Florence Village-Center District (FV-Center) 86
A. Desired Character 86
B. Intent 86
C. Table of Character-Based Requirements for Florence Village-Center District 87
D. Use Table for Florence Village-Center District 91
§350-22.5. Florence Village-General District (FV-General) 93
A. Desired character 93
B. Intent 93
C. Table of Character-Based Requirements for Florence Village-General Districts (FV-General) 94
D. Use Table for Florence Village-General District 98
Character-Based Zoning: Rules for All Character-Based Districts
Purpose and Intent
Purpose.
The purpose of §350-21 and §350-22, hereafter collectively “the Character-Based Zoning Sections,” is to facilitate building and site improvements, new development, and public realm improvements
that are consistent with the City’s goals for preservation, enhancement, or transformation of various areas in the City–as expressed in:
the Sustainable Northampton Comprehensive Plan,
and/or intent statements in this zoning ordinance,
and/or other topical or area-wide plans that may be adopted by the Planning Board in order to detail or refine the goals and objectives of the Sustainable Northampton Comprehensive Plan.
The Character-Based Zoning Sections establish a range of zoning standards based on established principles of urban design to ensure cohesive design of:
the public realm (streets, sidewalks, public open spaces, etc.),
and private realm (buildings, driveways, off-street parking, private and semi-public outdoor spaces),
with particular attention paid to the interface between the public and private realms.
The Character-Based Zoning Sections also have the following purposes:
To increase flexibility for ground floor uses in selected mixed-use districts
To facilitate the evolution of uses over time, particularly outside of the most central portions of downtown Northampton and Florence Center.
To create more detailed design predictability for buildings, landscaping, and site design.
To create more predictability for streetscape improvements required within the sidewalk and tree belt area and to coordinate public and private investments in these areas.
To streamline permitting by:
reducing the number of projects subject to special permits,
providing explicit design standards so that applicants and review boards know what is desired from project inception
shrinking the area subject to Central Business Architecture Committee review to the historic core of downtown Northampton while expanding the area that is subject to a more detailed
review of architecture via the existing site plan review process by the Planning Board.
Intent
When reviewing site plans and special permits, the permit granting authority shall make a determination that projects meet the following: