HomeMy WebLinkAboutORD 31-24 OBJECTIVE DESIGN STANDARDSORDINANCE NO.31-24
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF
THE CITY OF ORANGE ADOPTING
OBJECTIVE DESIGN STANDARDS BY
REFERENCE IN TITLE 17 FOR QUALIFIED
HOUSING PROJECTS
WHEREAS,the State of California has adopted numerous bills,including,but not limited
to, Senate Bill 9 ("SB 9"), Senate Bill 35 ("SB 35"), Senate Bill 330 ("SB 330") and Assembly
Bill 2162("AB 2162"),which limit or restrict discretionary review of certain qualifying residential
projects; and
WHEREAS, State Housing Law continues to evolve, multi-family housing projects with
affordable components are required to be ministerially approved; and
WHEREAS,when a project qualifies, cities are permitted to apply only"objective design
standards," which are intended to provide concise, quantifiable, objective standards for those
qualifying projects; and
WHEREAS, the City applied for and received a Senate Bill 2 ("SB 2") grant, which was
utilized to engage the services of a consultant with special expertise in the creation of objective
design standards; and
WHEREAS,on or about April 25,2023,the City entered into an agreement with AECOM
to provide these services and, from May 2023 to March 2024, worked with AECOM to create
objective design standards for qualifying projects; and
WHEREAS, the City's Adopted 2021-2029 Housing Element indicates as a goal that the
City will adopt objective design standards and provide a ministerial process of future qualifying
projects in compliance with Housing Policy Action 2E: Facilitate Infill Construction; and
WHEREAS, on March 20, 2024, the Design Review Committee (DRC) at a public
meeting reviewed and comment on the draft objective design standards. Staff included DRC and
public comments and proposed edits in this ordinance where appropriate; and
WHEREAS, Objective design standards shall serve to supplement the existing
development standards of the Zoning Ordinance and further the goals, polices, and actions of the
Orange General Plan,which encourages high quality design and the quality of life that an enhanced
built environment fosters; and
WHEREAS, on October 21, 2024, the Planning Commission reviewed the objective
design standards and considered any public comments; and
NOW, THEREFORE,THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF ORANGE DOES
HEREBY ORDAIN AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION I:
This Ordinance is not a project under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA)
per State CEQA Guidelines Section 15378,because it involves administrative activities of the City
that will not result in direct or indirect physical changes in the environment. For this reason, no
further CEQA documentation is required.
SECTION II:
The Objective Design Standards, attached hereto as Exhibit "A" and incorporated herein
by reference, shall apply to qualifying projects identified as eligible by State law.
SECTION III:
A new Section 17.10.095 shall be added to read as follows:
17.10.095 Objective Design Standards for Qualifying Projects.
A. Objective design standards are defined in State law to mean design standards which involve
no personal or subjective judgment by a public official and are uniformly verifiable by
reference to an external and uniform benchmark.
B. The objective design standards adopted shall apply to all projects where, upon applicant
request and demonstration of eligibility, state law limits the city's design standards to
objective design standards" and/or where state law or the Orange Municipal Code provides
for ministerial approval process.
C. Notwithstanding any other provision of the Zoning Ordinance, ministerial design review for
qualifying housing projects shall be performed administratively,without a public hearing, and
shall be based on objective design standards, unless an applicant voluntarily seeks to deviate
from, or not comply with, adopted objective design standards, or requests additional review
process, in which case the City's Zoning Ordinance, subjective design review criteria, and
discretionary review process would apply.
D. As part of the ministerial design review process, staff may impose conditions of approval as
deemed necessary to ensure that the proposal conforms to the general plan and other applicable
objective standards in plans or policies adopted by the City Council and to ensure that the
development meets the requirements of the zoning district where the project is located, as well
as any other applicable provisions of Zoning Ordinance; and, to ensure the proposal complies
with the objective design standards as adopted by reference in the Zoning Ordinance.
SECTION IV:
Section 17.14.250 is hereby amended to read as follows:
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17.14.250 Old Towne Design Standards.
Developments within Old Towne shall conform to the Historic Preservation Design Standards for
Old Towne Orange or, as applicable to qualifying multi-family housing projects, the Historic
Preservation Objective Design Standards, as may be adopted and amended by resolution of the
City Council and incorporated into this Zoning Ordinance by reference. Refer to Section
17.17.030 for delineation of the limits of the Old Towne District.
SECTION V:
A new Section 17.14.290 shall be added to read as follows:
17.14.290 Objective Design Standards for Residential Projects.
Qualifying multi-family housing projects shall conform to the City of Orange's Multifamily
Objective Design Standards, which may be adopted, and amended, by resolution of the City
Council, and incorporated into the Zoning Ordinance by reference.
SECTION VI:
Section 17.17.060 shall be amended to read as follows:
17.17.060 Development Standards.
A historic district zone includes additional regulations and uses over base zoning of a particular
area to encourage historic preservation and complementary new development.To promote orderly
development and preservation within historic districts the following standards and their
amendments shall apply: Historic Preservation Design Standards for Old Towne Orange, Historic
Preservation Objective Design Standards (as applicable to qualifying multi-family housing
projects),the Southwest Project Area Design Standards,the Orange Eichler Design Standards,the
General Plan's Historic Preservation Element sample guidelines including the Secretary of the
Interior's Standards and Guidelines for Rehabilitation.
SECTION VII:
A new Section 17.19.235 shall be added to read as follows:
17.19.235 Objective Design Standards for Mixed-Use Projects.
Qualifying multi-family housing projects shall conform to the City of Orange's
Multifamily Objective Design Standards, which shall be adopted, and amended, by resolution of
the City Council, and incorporated into this Zoning Ordinance by reference.
SECTION VIII:
If any section, subdivision, paragraph, sentence, clause or phrase of this Ordinance is for
any reason held to be invalid or unconstitutional, such decision shall not affect the validity of the
remaining portions of this Ordinance. The City Council hereby declares that it would have passed
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this Ordinance, and each section, subdivision, paragraph, sentence, clause and phrase thereof,
irrespective of the fact that any one(or more) section, subdivision, paragraph, sentence, clause or
phrase had been declared invalid or unconstitutional.
SECTION IX:
The City Clerk is hereby directed to certify the adoption of this Ordinance and cause the
same to be published as required by law. This Ordinance shall take effect thirty (30) days from
and after the date of its final passage.
ADOPTED this 10th day of December 2024.
Dame R. Slater, Mayor, City of Orange
ATTEST:
Pamela Coleman, City Clerk, City of Orange
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
e Vigliotta, City Attorney
STATE OF CALIFORNIA )
COUNTY OF ORANGE )
CITY OF ORANGE
I, PAMELA COLEMAN, City Clerk of the City of Orange, California, do hereby certify
that the foregoing Ordinance was introduced at the regular meeting of the City Council held on the
26th day of November, 2024, and thereafter at the regular meeting of said City Council duly held
on the 10th day of December, 2024 was duly passed and adopted by the following vote, to wit:
AYES: COUNCILMEMBERS: Slater, Barrios, Dumitru,Tavoularis, Bilodeau,
Gutierrez, Gyllenhammer
NOES: COUNCILMEMBERS: None
ABSENT: COUNCILMEMBERS: None
ABSTAIN: COUNCILMEM o
C.y\
Pamela Coleman, City Clerk, City of Orange
4
I
EXHIBIT A
OBJECTIVE DESIGN STANDARDS
City of Orange
Multi-Family Objective Design
Standards
September 2024
C City of
Orange
AECOM
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Contents
II. Multi-Family 2
Form & Scale 3
Frontages 9
Open Space 12
Site Planning and Operation 13
Glossary 17
1
OP O N.
II. Multi-Family
In 2023, the City of Orange retained AECOM to create a set of objective design standards that could be
applied to multi-family development in the City. The initiative seeks to maintain compliance of the City's
land use policies with changes to California State law. In doing so, the initiative also seeks to contribute to
both the streamlining of housing production in the City to improve affordability, while maintaining the high
quality of new development that the City of Orange community and future occupants require.
This document contains a set of objective standards specific to multi-family projects in the City for certain
multifamily housing projects to implement State Housing Laws. The standards were customized with the
help of City Staff, taking into account the City's existing design standards and experiences in the process
of reviewing recent multi-family projects.
This document provides the City with a variety of objective standard options to potentially adopt after further
City review and community engagement. The standards may also be implemented as a replacement or to
add supplementary detail specific existing standards.
Notes for City Staff
In the instance of a conflict between the standards in this document and those in the City of Orange
Municipal Code, this document shall prevail.
The notation of a Code Section in brackets prior to the recommended standard indicates the replacement,
either wholly or partially, of that existing standard from the City of Orange Municipal Code, with the text
recommended i.e. [17.14.070].
Terms that are Capitalized are defined in the Glossary at the end of the document.
Where an 'OR' is indicated in the standards, the document is providing options for the City to utilize based
on further discussion of its preferences for this area of the standards. The City should utilize one option or
the other; options are not intended to be implemented together.
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Form & Scale
Front / Street Setbacks
17.14.070] Buildings shall be set back from the Front Property Line as specified in the City of Orange
Municipal Code Chapter 17.14. A minimum of 50 percent of ground-floor Building Frontage shall be placed
at or within 5 feet of the front setback.
Property line
0
A minimum 50%of
ground-floor building
frontage shall be at or within Within 5'of front setback
5'of the front setback Front setback
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Landscaping Within Setbacks
17.14.090 E] All setbacks shall be Landscaped with the exception of driveways, pedestrian paths, patios,
fire laddering pads, and utility pads.
Alternatively, projects may utilize the following minimum landscape area percentages within the setback
area. These areas shall be Landscaped and a minimum of one shade tree per area shall be located within
the front setback. The shade tree shall have a box size of 36 inches or greater.
Building Frontages with shared entrances to internal circulation (lobby) 50%0
Building Frontages with individual residential unit entrances 40%
With a stoop taller than 30 inches 25%
Building Frontages with shared entrances to internal circulation:
Common lobby
entrance
Sheet
Minimum of 50% ,
landscape frontage i
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Building Frontages with individual residential unit entrances:
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Minimum of 40%
landscape frontage
Building Frontages with individual residential unit entrances,with a stoop taller than 30 inches:
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Minimum of 25% '
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Street Stepbacks
On street-facing façades, at least 70% of the building shall be stepped back above the second story by a
minimum of 5 feet, measured from the setback line.
At least 70%of building
footprint shall step back
above the secondary
story
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Stepback depth
at least 5'
Interior / Rear Stepbacks
17.14.070(j) & 17.14.100] On façades immediately facing residentially occupied R1, R2, MH, or
commercial zoning districts, the building shall be stepped back 5 feet from the setback line for each story
above the first story. This standard shall not apply when a project adjoins a mixed-use zoning district. In
cases where the development abuts the rear yard of a single-family residential district, and where the
proposed development exceeds one story in height, a setback of 20 feet shall be required.
5'
5
h 5'
11
1 IISetback
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Modulation
Building Length / Façade Break
Street-facing elevations shall be no longer than 100 feet in length,without providing either a Façade Break,
or a Building Break:
i)A Façade Break shall have a depth of no less than 10 feet. Additionally, a Façade
Break shall have a width of no less than 10% of the building length or 20 feet,
whichever is the greater.
ii)A Building Break shall provide not less than 15 feet of building separation.
Buildings of 5 stories or higher shall provide a Building Break of not less than 20
feet of building separation.'
iii) These areas shall be activated with planted landscape material, and a maximum
of 25 percent of the area may be paved.
Façade planes adjacent to R1 and MH zoning districts shall not exceed 50 feet in length without a Façade
Break of at least 5 feet deep and 10 feet wide.
Minimum break
depth of 10'
Minimum break
width of 20'
Minimum break of 15'
Zbetween buildings
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Street facing
elevation is no more '•\ \ \\
than 100'without a S
Facade Break f
M -
Street-facing
a
Too, /
elevation is no more
than 100'without a
Building Break
I
Orange Municipal Code Section 17.14.120 should be referenced for separation requirements where internal facing windows
between buildings are involved.
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Façade Modulation
Development of more than 2 stories shall incorporate at least three of the following architectural elements
on street-facing façades and any facade immediately facing residentially occupied R1, R2 or MH zoned
sites:
a) A sloped roof with a pitch greater than 3/12;
b) Flat roofs with a minimum 2-foot vertical height differentiation, each with a minimum of 10 feet in
length and depth;
c) A top-level stepback of at least 2 feet for a minimum of 25 percent of the length of the façade;
d) A terrace at least 5 feet in depth and 8 feet in width, open to the sky, at least every 50 feet;
e) Balconies over 20 percent of the elevation;
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Frontages
Ground Floor Entrances
Residential ground floor units located adjacent to a street shall have an entrance, either individual to the
unit or via a common lobby, facing the primary street. Entrances shall have a minimum 3-foot by 3-foot
covered landing area at the same grade as the interior floor.
Entrances shall incorporate at least three of the following:
a) Recession at least 2 feet from the building façade;
b) Overhead projection of at least 2 feet in depth (e.g. porch roof);
c) A sidelight window, adjacent window, or door with a window;
d) At least one step, up or down, from the pedestrian pathway;
e) Paving material, texture, or pattern differentiated from the pedestrian pathway.
Ground Floor Elevation
Buildings shall have a finished floor between two and four feet above the nearest public sidewalk elevation.
On Sloping Sites, up to 25 percent of units may have finished floors up to 6 feet above the nearest sidewalk.
Paths
17.14.110 B.2.c] Pedestrian pathways to all primary entrances and common areas shall have a minimum
clearance of 4 feet in width, including to lobbies, open space, parking, and refuse collection areas.
Where located parallel to a driveway, a change of material or pattern shall distinguish pedestrian pathways
from vehicular travel lanes.
Walls and Fences
17.12.070 A] Freestanding walls, fences, and raised planters taller than 30 inches shall be set back a
minimum of 18 inches from the property line, separated by Planted Area. "L" shaped footings facing the
building shall be utilized to facilitate rooting for shrubs and plants. Footings shall not be in the planter area,
unless depth is 36 inch minimum. Trees shall not be planted in a constricted area less than 3 feet in
diameter.
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Facades
Composition
Street-facing façades shall include at least three of the following:
a) Datum lines along the length of the building (e.g. cornice) at least 6 inches in depth;
b) Repeated projections (e.g. architectural detail, shading)at least 6 inches in depth;
c) Balconies over 20 percent of the elevation;
d) Screening (e.g. lattices, louvers);
e) Change in materials (excluding trim, windows, doors, and railings).
t,0%,
Repeated
projections
f I rig r, _Datum lines
along length
Balconies over
20%of elevation
Transparency
Street-facing facades shall incorporate glazing for at least 20 percent of the overall façade, including at
least 15 percent of the ground level.
Windows
Windows shall be recessed at least 2 inches from the face of the façade.
Windows shall have a visible transmittance(VT)of 0.5 or higher. Mirrored, tinted or highly reflective glazing
is prohibited.
Vinyl windows are prohibited.
Materials
A minimum of two materials shall be used on any building façade, in addition to glazing, railings, and trim,
and shall correspond to variations in building plane:
A predominate material shall cover at least 40 percent of any building façade, excluding windows.
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Color
No more than four colors shall be applied to the building façade (one predominate color and up to three
secondary colors), excluding art(e.g. a mural).
Balconies
17.14.090 C.2.] Balconies shall project a maximum of 5 feet from the building façade and shall not be
located within 6 feet of any interior property line.
Side-loaded townhomes shall incorporate at least one street-facing balcony.
Lighting
Lighting shall be located to illuminate only the intended area, and a minimum of 90 percent of lighting shall
be directed downward.
Lighting shall not extend beyond an interior property line. Lighting shall make use of blinders and shades
to direct lighting onto the project site and minimize the impact of glare to adjacent properties.
Screening
17.14.1000] Screening of mechanical equipment:
A. Mechanical and air conditioning equipment shall be shielded and screened from view from
adjacent streets and properties. The screening shall be integrated architecturally with the building.
Ground-mounted equipment shall be screened with a solid wall, solid fence, or sufficient
Landscaping to a height at least one foot above the equipment. Otherwise, such equipment shall
be enclosed in a building.
B. All mechanical equipment shall be baffled for sound.
C. Mechanical equipment shall not be located in required setback areas. (Ord. 08-11, 2011)
I
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Open Space
Site Landscaping
At least 15 percent of the overall site shall be Planted Area. In addition, the standards specified in City of
Orange Landscape Standards and Specifications shall apply.
Private Open Space
Distribution: All Private Open Space shall be outdoors and may be located within a required setback or
stepback.
Common Open Space
Distribution: A minimum of 70 percent of Common Open Space shall be outdoors, and a minimum of 80
percent of outdoor Common Open Space shall be open to the sky.
A maximum of 30 percent of Common Open Space shall be indoors (i.e. lounges, fitness centers,
and similar). Indoor Common Open Space shall not include spaces primarily used for circulation.
Landscaping: A minimum of 25 percent of Common Open Space shall be Planted Area.
Trees: A minimum of one 24-inch box tree per project or for every 500 square feet of outdoor Common
Open Space, whichever is greater, shall be planted within the Common Open Space, excluding rooftop
decks. Landscape maintenance shall be performed in such a manner as to allow all trees to retain their full
canopy height for screening and full canopy breadth for shade at point of maturity, except as required for
public safety purposes.
Hardscape: A maximum of 25 percent of Common Open Space may be paved in standard concrete, with
the remainder using enhanced paving such as brick, natural stone, unit concrete pavers, textured/colored
concrete, or similar.
Water Features: No more than 5 percent of Common Open Space shall be decorative water features, such
as fountains or reflecting pools.
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Site Planning and Operation
Easements
Projects shall not construct structures on any portion of a lot identified by the City as being subject to an
easement.
Driveways
A maximum of one two-way driveway shall be permitted on sites with less than 200 feet of Primary Street
Frontage.A maximum of two two-lane driveways shall be permitted on sites with 200 feet or more of Primary
Street Frontage.
A minimum of one two-way driveway shall be located on a secondary street or alley, where available.
Driveways and associated curb-cuts shall have a minimum width of 25 feet and a maximum width of 30
feet.
For sites accessed directly from a road classed as Arterial Highway, the standards in Section 17.34.110G.
of the City of Orange Municipal Code shall prevail in the event of a conflict with this section.
The minimum distance between driveways on the same lot shall be 50 feet.
Controlled entrances to parking (e.g. gates) shall be located to allow at least 30 ft of space for a queuing
vehicle. If the project requires a traffic study or is accessed via an Arterial Highway, this distance may be
increased and is subject to approval by the Community Development Director.
A landscape buffer of 6 feet minimum shall be placed between the driveways and adjacent buildings.
7-
Property Line
Driveway entrance-..Driveway entrance
from secondary \ from secondary
street or alley Distance between
street or alley
driveways more
than 50'
Lot 2 j Lot
6
m I m
8
y
Driveway entrance \
Co
from primary street \ I
II
Frontage 200'or more Frontage less than 200'
two driveways) Primary Street (one driveway)
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Surface Parking Setbacks
17.34.120]
Surface parking areas shall be set back a minimum of 30 feet from the Primary Street Frontage, 10 feet
from any Secondary Street Frontage, 10 feet from any adjacent residential zoning district, and 5 feet from
interior property lines.
Parking areas shall be designed to prevent any portion of a vehicle parking within, or overhanging, these
minimum setbacks.
Parking shall be buffered by permitted non-parking uses or a Landscaped setback of 30 feet adjacent to
the property line, except for vehicle/pedestrian access.
10'setback from
residential zoning
district Driveway entrance
Property Line
N
I
10'setback from
Surface Parking secondary frontage
m
m
m
v
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Minimum of 30'setback
J from primary frontage
Primary Street
Surface Parking Landscaping and Trees
17.34.130H.]
A minimum of 10% percent of the parking area shall be Landscaped and Planted Area, in addition to any
Landscaped setbacks. This area shall be distributed throughout the parking area.
A minimum of one shade tree for every 4 vehicle parking spaces shall be planted and evenly distributed
throughout the parking area. In the case of carports for each free standing carport,two additional trees shall
be located within the surface parking or circulation area.
Landscaped setbacks shall include hedges or shrubs with a minimum height of 3 feet at the time of planting
that form a continuous visual screen to block vehicle headlights.
Structured or Podium Parking Setbacks
Structured parking (including underground) shall be set back a minimum of 10 feet from any adjacent
residentially occupied zoning district.
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Above ground parking shall be buffered by permitted non-parking uses, such as habitable area,
Landscaped area, lobby area, or circulation space, with a minimum depth of 30 feet adjacent to the primary
street property line, except for vehicle/pedestrian access.
Semi-subterranean parking shall not extend beyond the overstory building façade and may not project
higher than four feet above sidewalk elevation.
Structured Parking Landscaping
17.34.130H.]
A minimum of one screening tree for 20 horizontal feet of parking structure elevation shall be planted and
evenly distributed across the length of the structure elevations, integrated with other lower-level
Landscaping.
Landscape green walls shall be utilized to screen the structure.
The parking structure footings and foundations shall allow for planning of vegetative material, including
trees along the perimeter of the structure.
Emergency Vehicle Circulation and Setbacks
Vehicular access points to a project shall be designed to be consistent with the Orange City Fire
Department's Fire Master Plans for Commercial and Residential Development. See requirements for
necessary turning radii, setback requirements to be accounted for during site planning, particularly on
streets with Landscaped medians.
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Site Servicing
Waste Storage, Collection Areas and Circulation
All waste enclosures shall be designed in accordance with the requirements of the California Government
Code and the City's current Public Works Department Trash Enclosure Standard Plan No. 409. Enclosures
shall accommodate separated trash, recyclable and green waste containers.
Where the above requirements cannot be met by a development, any shortfall in onsite storage shall be
compensated for with a commensurate increase in collection occurrences. The details of waste collection
schedules shall be submitted to the City in the form of a Waste Management Plan with the project
application.
Waste collection areas shall be located such that a waste collection truck does not need to reverse for more
than 50 feet. Where more than 50 feet is necessary, a truck turn bay shall be required.
Transformers and Utilities
Transformers and utilities shall be accommodated on-site and screened from public view and neighboring
properties.
Rooftop equipment, including solar photovoltaic, shall be screened from public view and be integrated into
the building design.
Mechanical Equipment and Utilities: Fire Department backflow prevention devices, water meters,
transformers, and other utility-related equipment are prohibited in the front yard unless completely screened
in a manner that is incorporated into the design of the development. This provision does not apply to water
tanks and landscaping equipment such as irrigation and sprinkler control systems.
1) If air conditioning units or vents are located on the front façade, they shall not project more than 6 inches
from the face of the building.
2) If on a rooftop or in a yard, the equipment must be screened from view from the street with a wall,fence,
or Landscaping.
Mechanical Equipment and Utilities: Fire Department backflow prevention devices, water meters,
transformers, and other utility-related equipment shall be shown on the development plans for review and
approval.
Water Quality Best Management Practices
Development shall implement the Low Impact Development(LID) principles adopted by the City of Orange
and be consistent with the requirements set out in Chapter 7 of the City of Orange Zoning Ordinance,
the Orange County Drainage Area Management Plan (DAMP) and City of Orange Local Implementation
Plan (LIP).
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Glossary
Some of the terms used throughout this document are defined below:
Arterial Highway refers to a street identified as an 'arterial highway' by the Orange County Master Plan of
Arterial Highways (MPAH).
A Building Break refers to a setback or separation, that splits a building into multiple building forms.
Building Frontage means the length of that portion of a building, abutting a street.
Common Open Space means land within or related to a development, neither individually owned nor
dedicated for public use, which is intended for the common use or enjoyment of all residents of the
development and may include such complementary structures and improvements as are necessary and
appropriate.
A Façade Break refers to a setback in a single façade plane to create multiple façade planes.
Front Property Line is the boundary of a lot with Primary Street Frontage,after accounting for any identified
easements or dedications. Easements or dedications are identified by the City in the City of Orange
Masterplan of Streets and Highways and any applicable Street Plans.
Landscaping / Landscaped means an area devoted to or developed and maintained predominantly with
native or exotic plant materials including lawn, ground cover, trees, shrubs, and other plant materials; and
also including accessory decorative outdoor landscape elements such as pools, fountains, paved or
decorated surfaces (excluding driveways, parking, loading, or storage areas). Artificial turf is considered
Landscaping provided it maintains a natural appearance where the grass-like surface covering replicates
lush natural grass in appearance and function. No other artificial plant material shall be considered
Landscaping for the purpose of this definition.
Lot Frontage means the length of that portion of a lot, abutting a street.
Minimum Setback Line means the minimum setback identified as required for a particular building
elevation or element.
Planted Area is an area of natural ground with uninterrupted soil depth that can accommodate root systems
for larger vegetation and is permeable to allow water absorption. Planted Area excludes areas where there
is a structure less than 2 feet underneath, pools and non-permeable paved areas.
Primary Street Frontage means the main street address or Lot Frontage that provides the principal access
to a particular lot
Private Open Space means an open space, fenced or otherwise, which is reserved for the exclusive use
by the occupants of a single specified dwelling unit.
Residential Common Space refers to those spaces within a residential building that are for access and
use of residents of the development and might include Common Open Space,common rooms, lobby areas,
stairwell and circulation areas and garbage collection areas.
Secondary Street Frontage means the secondary street address or second frontage for a lot, which may
include a side street or alley.
Sloping Site refers to parcels with a grade change of 10% or more, along the length of the Lot Frontage.
17
City of Orange
Mixed-Use Objective Design Standards
September 2024
1Criatyofnge
A=COM
Contents
Mixed-Use 2
Form & Scale 3
Frontages 10
Open Space 14
Site Planning and Operation 15
Glossary 19
1
0444.
0
Mixed-Use
In 2023, the City of Orange retained AECOM to create a set of objective design standards that could be
applied to mixed-use and multifamily development in the City. The initiative seeks to maintain compliance
of the City's land use policies with changes to California State law. In doing so, the initiative also seeks to
contribute to both the streamlining of housing production in the City to improve affordability, while
maintaining the high quality of new development that the City of Orange community and future occupants
require.
This document contains a set of objective standards specific to multifamily or mixed-use projects for certain
multifamily housing projects to implement State Housing Laws in the City of Orange's Urban Mixed Use
UMU) and Neighborhood Mixed Use (NMU) zones. The standards were customized with the help of City
Staff, taking into account the City's existing design standards and experiences in the process of reviewing
recent mixed-use and multi-family projects.
This document provides the City with a variety of objective standard options to potentially adopt after further
City review and community engagement. The standards may also be implemented as a replacement or to
add supplementary detail specific existing standards.
Notes for City Staff
In the instance of a conflict between the standards in this document and those in the City of Orange
Municipal Code, this document shall prevail.
The notation of a Code Section in brackets prior to the recommended standard indicates the replacement,
either wholly or partially, of that existing standard from the City of Orange Municipal Code, with the text
recommended i.e. [17.19.120].
Terms that are Capitalized are defined in the Glossary at the end of the document.
Where an 'OR' is indicated in the standards, the document is providing options for the City to utilize based
on further discussion of its preferences for this area of the standards. The City should utilize one option or
the other; options are not intended to be implemented together.
2
Ape p4
A MCA
Form & Scale
Front / Street Setbacks
In UMU and NMU zoning districts, buildings shall be located within 5 feet of the Front Property Line for at
least 70 percent of the Building Frontage along the primary right-of-way and 50 percent along any
secondary right-of-way, excluding alleys.
Per section 17.19.120 (g) of the City of Orange Municipal Code, the maximum setback may be increased
to accommodate sidewalk-oriented pedestrian amenities such as a plaza, fountain, outdoor dining, or
enhanced landscaping, including street trees, subject to approval by the Community Development Director.
Residential units on the ground floor shall have a minimum setback of 5 feet.
Property line \
r-
Within 5'of front
setback
Front setback)
141111140V11.11°:
seek
a
Y,
rreat
A minimum 70%of the
A minimum 50%of
primary frontage shall be at or
secondary frontage shall be
within 5'of the front setback
at or within 5'of the front
setback
Landscaping Within Setbacks
17.19.090.B] For buildings set back 5 feet or more, a minimum percentage of the setback area shall be
Landscaped with trees,shrubs,and/or groundcover,either in the form of in-ground Landscaping or planters,
as follows:
Building Frontages with shared entrances to internal circulation 50%
Building Frontages with individual residential unit entrances 40%
With a stoop taller than 30 inches 25%
Building Frontages with commercial tenant entrances No minimum
With outdoor dining No minimum
For residential ground floor uses only, a minimum of one shade tree per area shall be located within the
front setback. The shade tree shall have a box size of 24 inches or greater.
3
c
lim f
Building Frontages with shared entrances to internal circulation:
I` Common lobby
1 \ entrance l
Qef
Minimum of 50%
landscape frontage
Building Frontages with individual residential unit entrances:
6,4. k i Iti6'
et hi. ,
iI1 ka
Minimum of 40%
landscape frontage i
I
Building Frontages with individual residential unit entrances, with a stoop taller than 30 inches:
sty
e6t
Minimum of 25%
Ianscaped
5
Interior Side and Rear Setbacks
17.19.120] Buildings shall be set back a minimum of 15 feet from adjacent Residential zoning districts.
Adjacent to residentially occupied R1, R2, MH,or commercial zoning districts, buildings shall not be located
within a plane sloping upward and inward at a 45-degree angle measured from the vertical, starting 25 feet
above the existing grade along the property line. Uses allowed within the stepback include balconies,
terraces, shade structures, and similar open space features. In cases where the development abuts the
rear yard of a single-family residential district, and where the proposed development exceeds one story in
height, a setback of 20 feet shall be required.
45'
25ft
may
Setback
Streetwall
Street-facing facades shall meet or exceed 25 feet in height (or 2 stories in height)for at least 75 percent
of building along public rights-of-way, unless the overall building height is lower than 2 stories.
Streetwall is defined as any street-facing facade, excluding appurtenances, within 5 feet of the minimum
setback and is not required to be continuous.
eef
r
Frontage meeting Streetwall height of
minumum streetwall at least 25'or
height for at least 75% 2 stories
6
mop oy
Street Stepbacks
Street-facing facades greater than 4 stories shall be stepped back a minimum of ten feet from the Minimum
Setback Line. Uses allowed within the stepback depth include balconies, terraces, shade structures, and
similar open space features.
Sfeof
Stepback depth
at least 10'
Maximum height
of 4 stories
Interior/Rear Stepbacks
17.19.080 B.1.b] On façades immediately facing residentially occupied R1, R2, MH, or commercial zoning
districts, the building shall be stepped back 5 feet from the setback line for each story above the first story.
In cases where the development abuts the rear yard of a single-family residential district, and where the
proposed development exceeds one story in height, a setback of 20 feet shall be required. This standard
shall not apply when a project adjoins a mixed-use zoning district.
5'
5,
17 5'
Setback
7
s..,r4t
i
Roofline Variation
Buildings may exceed the height limit by up to 14 feet for a maximum of 25 percent of a building's footprint.
This allowance is not applicable within interior/rear setbacks or stepbacks and may not be used in
conjunction with a concession for building height through density bonus.
Up to 25%of building
footprint may exceed
height limit of 14'
Hei ht
limit
r'
SGc'er
Modulation
Façade Modulation
Street-facing façades and façade planes adjacent to R1 and MH zoning districts measuring 50 feet or longer
shall modulate a minimum of 25 percent of the area above the ground floor between 5 and 12 feet in depth
from the primary façade plane,defined as the vertical plane above the ground floor with the greatest surface
area.
Modulation shall be a minimum depth of 5 feet, may be recessed or projected, and is not required
to be continuous or open to the sky.
Exception for facades that meet all of the following standards:
1) All windows shall be recessed at least 4 inches.
2) The maximum façade length shall be 100 feet.
3) The façade shall use a textural material of brick, stone, precast concrete, Venetian plaster,
hand-troweled stucco, or porcelain tiles at least 12 by 4 inches. Ceramic tiles, porcelain tiles
less than 12 by 4 inches, standard stucco, or flat, polished stone shall not qualify.
4) Façade shall employ a tripartite division in which the façade is organized into three horizontal
sections with a base, middle, and top.
a) The middle section shall be differentiated from both the base and the top through a change
in façade plane of at least 4 inches, or a consistent horizontal band that projects at least 4
inches from the façade.
b) The top section shall use a cornice that is at least 1 foot in depth.
8
o 1:44+
0
cttairi
Building Length / Façade Break
Street-facing elevations shall be no longer than 100 feet in length, without providing either a Facade Break
or a Building Break:
i)A Façade Break shall have a depth of no less than 10 feet. Additionally, a Façade
Break shall have a width of no less than 10% of the building length or 20 feet,
whichever is the greater.
ii)A Building Break shall provide no less than 15 feet of building separation. Buildings
of 5 stories or higher shall provide a Building Break of not less than 20 feet of
building separation.'
iii) These areas shall be activated with planted landscape material, and a maximum
of 25 percent of the area may be paved.
Façade planes adjacent to R1 and MH zoning districts shall not exceed 50 feet in length without a Façade
Break of at least 5 feet deep and 10 feet wide.
Minimum break
depth of 10'
Minimum break
width of 20'
Minimum break of 15'
between buildings
Street facing
elevation is no more
than 100'without a S
Facade Break fd+
tiia+,
700.
elevation is no more
than 100'without a
Building Break
Corner Treatments
Corner-facing facades of 75 feet or longer shall incorporate at least two of the following elements within 50
feet of the building corner along the street facing Building Frontage/s:
a) A building entrance;
b) A change in height of at least 4 feet for an area 10 feet by 10 feet minimum;
c) A change in façade plane on upper stories of at least 5 feet in depth;
d) A change of façade material or texture(excluding windows, doors and railings);
e) A public open space or outdoor dining.
1 Orange Municipal Code Section 17.19.090.B should be referenced for separation requirements where internal facing windows
between buildings are involved.
9
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51/40.
M L)
Frontages
Ground Floor Height
Ground floor commercial, non-residential, and Residential Common Spaces shall have a minimum height
of 15 feet, measured floor-to-floor. Ground floor residential units shall have a minimum height of 10 feet,
measured floor-to-floor.
Ground Floor Elevation
Ground floor commercial, non-residential, and Residential Common Spaces shall be located within 2 feet
above or below sidewalk elevation. Primary entrances shall be located at sidewalk elevation.
On parcels with a grade change of 10% or more along the length of the parcel line adjacent to the
commercial boulevard, a maximum of 60 feet of commercial Building Frontage may be up to 36 inches
higher or lower than the finished grade of the adjacent sidewalk, and the remainder shall not exceed 24
inches higher or lower than the finished grade of the adjacent sidewalk.
Ground Floor Entrances
17.19.080 B.3.D] Street-facing façades shall provide a minimum of one entrance per 100 feet of Building
Frontage. These entrances shall open directly onto the sidewalk or another public open space, and be
distinguished by at least one of the following:
a) Awning/canopy;
b) Porch/portico;
c) Trellis; or
d) Architectural element that creates well-defined entrance.
Recessed Entrances
Primary building entrances shall be set back at least 30 inches from the façade. Secondary building
entrances shall be setback at least 30 inches from the public right-of-way.
Transparency
Street-facing façades shall incorporate glazing for a certain percentage of the Building Frontage between
2 and 8 feet in height from sidewalk elevation.Windows shall provide views into display, lobby, sales,work,
or similar active areas.
For non-residential and Residential Common Space uses, at least 60 percent of the Building Frontage shall
be transparent.
For ground floor residential units, at least 15 percent of the Building Frontage shall be transparent.
Blank Walls
Windowless expanses of walls on the ground floor shall not exceed 20 feet in length. Blank walls over 10
feet in length shall be enhanced by one of the following:
a) Pattern, motif, etching, or similar decoration;
b) Landscaping that covers at least 50 percent of the wall area;
c) Trellis or similar projection;
10
rpP O
J~ems
d) Public art approved by review authority.
Security Devices
Any security devices(i.e. roll-up doors)shall be designed to be fully concealed and hidden from view during
business hours.
Paths
Pedestrian pathways to all primary entrances and common areas shall have a minimum clearance of 4 feet
in width, including to lobbies, open space, parking, and refuse collection areas.
Where located parallel to a driveway, a change of material or pattern shall distinguish pedestrian pathways
from vehicular travel lanes.
Walls and Fences
17.12.070 A] Freestanding walls, fences, and raised planters taller than 30 inches shall be set back a
minimum of 18 inches from the property line, separated by Planted Area. "L" shaped footings facing the
building shall be utilized to facilitate rooting for shrubs and plants. Footings shall not be in the planter area,
unless depth is 36 inch minimum. Trees shall not be planted in a constricted area less than 3 feet in
diameter.
Façades
Composition
17.19.080 B.3.a)] Street-facing façades and any facade immediately facing residentially occupied R1, R2,
MH sites shall include at least three of the following:
a) Datum lines along the length of the building (e.g. cornice)at least 6 inches in depth;
b) Repeated projections (e.g. architectural detail, shading)at least 6 inches in depth;
c) Balconies over 20 percent of the elevation;
d) Screening (e.g. lattices, louvers);
e) A change in material or texture (excluding trims, windows, doors, and railings).
1
Repeated -----
projections r
Steel Datum lines
along length
Balconies over
20%of elevation
11
roe 044
AN
Transparency
17.19.080 B.3.b] Street-facing façades shall incorporate glazing for at least 30 percent of the façade,
including ground floor transparency.
At least 30%of façade shall be transparent
II P I
DD TEL_
III _ m
II 1
Windows
Windows shall be recessed at least 2 inches from the face of the façade. Flush windows may be allowed
subject to approval by the Community Development Director.
Windows shall have a visible transmittance(VT)of 0.6 or higher. Mirrored,tinted or highly reflective glazing
is prohibited.
Vinyl windows are prohibited.
Materials
17.19.080 B.2] A minimum of two materials shall be used on any building facade, in addition to glazing,
railings, and trim, and shall correspond to variations in building plane.
A primary material shall cover at least 40 percent of any building façade, excluding windows.
Color
No more than four colors shall be applied to the building facade (one predominate color and up to three
secondary colors), excluding art(e.g. a mural).
Balconies
Balconies shall not be located within 10 feet of any interior property line.
Balcony Projections
Balconies shall project a maximum of 5 feet from the building façade.
12
oryo<
Roof Decks
Roof decks located within 25 feet of a Residential zoning district shall be set back a minimum of 5 feet from
the building edge.
The sum of all roof decks on a single building shall not exceed 60 percent of the roof area to allow for
mechanical equipment including solar panels.
Lighting
All structures, entrances, parking areas, common open spaces, and pedestrian pathways shall be lit from
dusk to dawn.
Lighting shall be located to illuminate only the intended area, and a minimum of 90% of all lighting shall be
directed downward.
Lighting shall not extend beyond an interior property line. Lighting shall make use of blinders and shades
to direct lighting onto the project site and minimize the impact of glare to adjacent properties.
13
4.pP 0444.
Open Space
Site Landscaping
At least 15 percent of the overall site shall be Planted Area. In addition, the standards specified in City of
Orange Landscape Standards and Specifications shall apply.
Private Open Space
17.19.080 E]
Distribution: All Private Open Space shall be outdoors and may be located within a required setback or
stepback.
Common Open Space
17.19.090]
Distribution: A minimum of 70 percent of Common Open Space shall be outdoors, and a minimum of 80
percent of outdoor Common Open Space shall be open to the sky.
A maximum of 30 percent of Common Open Space shall be indoors (i.e. lounges, fitness centers,
and similar). Indoor Common Open Space shall not include spaces primarily used for circulation.
Landscaping: A minimum of 25 percent of Common Open Space shall be Planted Area.
Trees: A minimum of one 24-inch box tree per project or for every 500 square feet of outdoor Common
Open Space, whichever is greater, shall be planted within the Common Open Space, excluding rooftop
decks. Landscape maintenance shall be performed in such a manner as to allow all trees to retain their full
canopy height for screening and full canopy breadth for shade at point of maturity, except as required for
public safety purposes.
Hardscape: A maximum of 25 percent of Common Open Space may be paved in standard concrete, with
the remainder using enhanced paving such as brick, natural stone, unit concrete pavers, textured/colored
concrete, or similar.
Water Features: No more than 5 percent of Common Open Space shall be decorative water features, such
as fountains or reflecting pools.
14
Site Planning and Operation
Easements
Projects shall not construct structures on any portion of a lot identified by the City as being subject to an
easement.
Driveways
17.34.110]
A maximum of one two-way driveway shall be permitted on sites with less than 200 feet of Primary Street
Frontage.A maximum of two two-way driveways shall be permitted on sites with 200 feet or more of Primary
Street Frontage.
A minimum of one two-way driveway shall be located on a secondary street or alley, where available.
Driveways and associated curb-cuts shall have a minimum width of 25 feet and a maximum width of 30
feet.
For sites accessed directly from a road classed as Arterial Highway, the standards in Section 17.34.110G.
of the City of Orange Municipal Code shall prevail in the event of a conflict with this section.
The minimum distance between driveways on the same lot shall be 50 feet.
Controlled entrances to parking (e.g. gates) shall be located to allow at least 30 ft of space for a queuing
vehicle. If the project requires a traffic study or is accessed via an Arterial Highway, this distance may be
increased and is subject to approval by the Community Development Director.
A landscape buffer of 5 feet minimum shall be placed between the driveways and adjacent buildings.
Property Line
Driveway entrance-,Driveway entrance
from secondary from secondary
street or alley Distance between
street or alley
driveways more
than 50'
Lot 2 Lot 1
y
1
I I
of , Driveway entrance
from primary street—N 1 I
I I n
Frontage 200'or more
primary Street
Frontage less than 200'
two driveways) one driveway)
Surface Parking Setbacks
17.34.120]
Surface parking areas shall be set back a minimum of 30 feet from the Primary Street Frontage, 10 feet
from any Secondary Street Frontage, 10 feet from any adjacent residential zoning district, and 5 feet from
interior property lines.
15
4+
F o
e'
i
Parking areas shall be designed to prevent any portion of a vehicle parking within, or overhanging, these
minimum setbacks. Parking shall be buffered by permitted non-parking uses or a Landscaped setback of
30 feet adjacent to the property line, except for vehicle/pedestrian access.
10'setbackfrom
residential zoning
district Driveway entrance
Property Line
v
I
10'setback from
Surface Parking secondary frontage
I Li
y
T to
V
cQ
CO
Minimum of 30'setback
J from primary frontage
Primary Street
Surface Parking Landscaping and Trees
17.34.190, 17.34.130H.]
A minimum of 5 percent of a surface parking area shall be Landscaped and permeable, in addition to any
Landscaped setbacks. This area shall be distributed throughout the parking area.
Landscaped setbacks shall include hedges or shrubs with a minimum height of 3 feet at the time of planting
that form a continuous visual screen to block vehicle headlights.
Structured or Podium Parking Setbacks
17.34.120]
Structured parking (including underground) shall be set back a minimum of 15 feet from any adjacent
residential zoning district.
Above ground parking shall be buffered by permitted non-parking uses,such as habitable area, landscaped
area, lobby area, or circulation space, with a minimum depth of 35 feet adjacent to the primary street
property line/s, except for vehicle/pedestrian access.
Semi-subterranean parking shall not extend beyond the building façade and may not project higher than
four feet above sidewalk elevation.
16
sae 044.4.0
Structured Parking Landscaping
17.34.190, 17.34.130H.]
A minimum of one screening tree for every 20 feet of parking structure perimeter shall be planted and
evenly distributed across the length of the structure elevations, integrated with other lower-level
landscaping. This Planted Area shall have a minimum width of 5 feet.
Landscape green walls shall be utilized to screen the structure.
The parking structure footings and foundations shall allow for planning of vegetative material, including
trees along the perimeter of the structure.
Emergency Vehicle Circulation and Setbacks
17.34.120]
Vehicular access points to a project shall be designed to be consistent with the Orange City Fire
Department's Fire Master Plans for Commercial and Residential Development. See requirements for
necessary turning radii, setback requirements to be accounted for during site planning, particularly on
streets with landscaped medians.
17
of Oihs
Site Servicing
Waste Storage, Collection Areas and Circulation
All waste enclosures shall be designed in accordance with the requirements of the California Government
Code and the City's current Public Works Department Trash Enclosure Standard Plan No. 409. Enclosures
shall accommodate separated trash, recyclable and green waste containers.
Where the above requirements cannot be met by a development, any shortfall in onsite storage shall be
compensated for with a commensurate increase in collection occurrences. The details of waste collection
schedules shall be submitted to the City in the form of a Waste Management Plan with the project
application.
Waste collection areas shall be located such that a waste collection truck does not need to reverse for more
than 50 feet. Where more than 50 feet is necessary, a truck turn bay shall be required.
Transformers and Utilities
Transformers and utilities shall be accommodated on-site and screened from public view and neighboring
properties.
Rooftop equipment, including solar photovoltaic, shall be screened from public view and be integrated into
the building design.
Mechanical Equipment and Utilities: Fire Department backflow prevention devices, water meters,
transformers, and other utility-related equipment are prohibited in the front yard unless completely screened
in a manner that is incorporated into the design of the development. This provision does not apply to water
tanks and landscaping equipment such as irrigation and sprinkler control systems.
1) If air conditioning units or vents are located on the front façade, they shall not project more than 6 inches
from the face of the building.
2) If on a rooftop or in a yard,the equipment must be screened from view from the street with a wall, fence,
or Landscaping.
Mechanical Equipment and Utilities: Fire Department backflow prevention devices, water meters,
transformers, and other utility-related equipment shall be shown on the development plans for review and
approval.
Water Quality Best Management Practices
Development shall implement the Low Impact Development(LID) principles adopted by the City of Orange
and be consistent with the requirements set out in Chapter 7 of the City of Orange Municipal Code,
the Orange County Drainage Area Management Plan (DAMP) and City of Orange Local Implementation
Plan (LIP).
18
or o14
Glossary
Some of the terms used throughout this document are defined below:
Arterial Highway refers to a street identified as an 'arterial highway' by the Orange County Master Plan of
Arterial Highways (MPAH).
A Building Break refers to a setback or separation, that splits a building into multiple building forms.
Building Frontage means the length of that portion of a building, abutting a street.
Common Open Space means land within or related to a development, neither individually owned nor
dedicated for public use, which is intended for the common use or enjoyment of all residents of the
development and may include such complementary structures and improvements as are necessary and
appropriate.
A Façade Break refers to an interruption in a single façade plane to create multiple façade planes.
Front Property Line is the boundary of a lot with Primary Street Frontage, after accounting for any identified
easements or dedications. Easements or dedications are identified by the city in the City of Orange
Masterplan of Streets and Highways and any applicable Street Plans.
Landscaping / Landscaped means an area devoted to or developed and maintained predominantly with
native or exotic plant materials including lawn, ground cover, trees, shrubs, and other plant materials; and
also including accessory decorative outdoor landscape elements such as pools, fountains, paved or
decorated surfaces (excluding driveways, parking, loading, or storage areas). Artificial turf is considered
Landscaping provided it maintains a natural appearance where the grass-like surface covering replicates
lush natural grass in appearance and function. No other artificial plant material shall be considered
Landscaping for the purpose of this definition.
Lot Frontage means the length of that portion of a lot, abutting a street.
Minimum Setback Line means the minimum setback identified as required for a particular building
elevation or element.
Planted Area is an area of natural ground with uninterrupted soil depth that can accommodate root systems
for larger vegetation and is permeable to allow water absorption. Planted Area excludes areas where there
is a structure less than 2 feet underneath, pools and non-permeable paved areas.
Primary Street Frontage means the main street address or Lot Frontage that provides the principal access
to a particular lot
Private Open Space means an open space, fenced or otherwise, which is reserved for the exclusive use
by the occupants of a single specified dwelling unit.
Residential Common Space refers to those spaces within a residential building that are for access and
use of residents of the development and might include Common Open Space,common rooms, lobby areas,
stairwell and circulation areas and garbage collection areas.
Secondary Street Frontage means the secondary street address or second frontage for a lot, which may
include a side street or alley.
Sloping Site refers to parcels with a grade change of 10% or more, along the length of the Lot Frontage.
19
Historic Preservation Design
Standards Updates
September 2024
City of
range
AECOM
op°1G
4.41191
IV. Historic Preservation Standards
In 2023, the City of Orange retained AECOM to create a set of objective design standards that
could be applied to mixed-use and multi-family development in the City. The initiative seeks to
maintain compliance of the City's land use policies with changes to California State law. In doing
so, the initiative also seeks to contribute to both the streamlining of housing production in the City
to improve affordability, while maintaining the high quality of new development that the City of
Orange community and future occupants require.
As an extension of the task and in consultation with City Staff, AECOM has reviewed the City's
Historic Preservation Design Standards Policy, dated December 12, 2018. The Policy outlines the
City's position for which mixed-use and multi-family development occurring specifically in the Old
Towne Historic District zones should conform, and as such the Policy is aligned with the objective
standard exercise AECOM was retained for.
This section of the document contains a set of objective standards specific to projects in the Old
Towne Historic District in the City for certain multifamily housing projects to implement State
Housing Laws. The standards were customized taking into account the City's existing Historic
Preservation Design Standards and experiences in the process of reviewing recent multi-family
projects.
Historic Preservation Policy Statement
Orange is a special place to live in part because of the historic buildings that help to create the
neighborhood character. The purpose of these updated design standards is to preserve the
distinct sense of place and unique character of the community through the implementation of
local, state, and federal guidance for historic preservation. These standards are intended to
complement the City of Orange's Cultural Resources and Historic Preservation Element and seek
to further protect the historic setting and integrity of Orange's historic buildings and
neighborhoods.
The Historic Preservation Design Standards apply to all properties located within the Historic
District. For historic properties, an evaluation of existing conditions and project compliance with
the Secretary of Interior's Standards for Rehabilitation and the applicable City historic
preservation design standards shall be conducted. In the case of projects involving non-historic
properties (non-contributors), the project shall be evaluated with respect to potential impacts on
the integrity of the historic district. This report must be prepared by a historic preservation
professional meeting the Secretary of Interior's Professional Qualifications Standards.
Consultants may be selected from the City's list of qualified historic preservation professionals.
2
4.0V
044ivv
Exterior Architectural Details and Building
Materials
1. Exterior historic architectural features and building materials shall be preserved through
maintenance and repair before utilizing replacement.
a. Work undertaken to stabilize, conserve, repair, or maintain existing historic features and
materials shall be physically and visually matching with the historic feature.
b. The replacement of intact or repairable architectural details features and building materials
is prohibited.
c. Removal or covering over distinctive architectural features and examples of skilled
craftsmanship is prohibited. Distinctive architectural features that are particularly important to
the character of a historic building shall be retained and/or replaced in kind if too deteriorated
to repair. Distinctive features may include decorative elements such as brackets, exposed
rafter tails, and columns, or the pattern of materials used in construction, such as decorative
shingles, masonry, or stonework.
d. Historic finishes shall not be altered. Unpainted historic masonry, concrete, or wood
elements shall not be painted. Similarly, wood elements that were painted or stained
historically shall maintain the same finish to protect the materials from deterioration.
2. Exterior historic features and materials shall be repaired in place and in kind to the greatest
extent feasible'.
a. Repairs shall maintain as much historic material as possible by patching, splicing,
consolidating, or otherwise reinforcing deteriorated materials.
b. When cleaning or repairing exterior historic materials using physical or chemical treatments,
use the gentlest means possible. Treatments that cause damage to historic materials is
prohibited.
3. Exterior historic materials that are too deteriorated to be repaired as determined by an
evaluation prepared by a historic preservation professional meeting the Secretary of Interior's
Professional Qualifications Standards, shall be replaced in kind.
a. Replacement shall be limited to only those portions of the historic feature that are
deteriorated beyond repair.
b. Replacement of historic elements shall match the historic design, materials, scale, size,
proportion, finish, texture, details, and profile.
1 Per federal guidance for projects involving historic properties,work designed to conform to the greatest extent feasible with the
California State Historic Building Code, [State of California,Title 24,Building Standards,Part 8]as well as Secretary of the Interior's
Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties with Guidelines for Preserving, Rehabilitating, Restoring&Reconstructing
Historic Building are considered to result in minimal or no adverse effects to a historic property.
3
r°"oR
d ilk
C. Non-historic materials such as vinyl siding or synthetic stucco, are prohibited as substitute
materials for use on a historic building.
d. Replacement of an exterior historic material with a substitute material shall be allowed if
the substitute material matches in appearance and properties (such as finish and density)and
does not damage the remaining historic material, per the criteria described in National Park
Service Preservation Brief 16: The Use of Substitute Materials on Historic Building Exteriors.
4. Removal of inappropriate, non-historic architectural features and/or building materials that are
not consistent with the historic design is permissible.
a. In some cases, these later additions/alterations may be obscuring original historic materials
and/or character-defining features.
5. If historic features are missing, replacement shall be based on historic documentation, such as
historic photographs or physical evidence, such as remnant marks on the building. If none are
available, the design of replacement details shall match with the architectural character of the
building and match with the size, scale, and materials of the historic building and its setting.
6.Adding architectural details or elaborate decorative elements that do not match the architectural
style of the building or are not based on documentary or physical evidence from the building's
history are prohibited.
4
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ar,'cP'
Standards for Historic Building Features
Roofs
1. The historic roof form shall be preserved and maintained.
a. Changing the slope or configuration of a historic roof is prohibited.
b. Other decorative and functional details including vents, corbels, dormers, finials, built-in
gutters, collectors, downspouts, and chimneys shall be preserved and repaired as necessary
to prevent deterioration.
2. Historic roofing materials shall be preserved.
a. Deteriorated sections of historic roofing materials, shall be replaced with in-kind or with a
substitute material to match the existing.
3. Replacement roofing materials shall match the scale, texture, and color to materials used
historically.
4. New dormers shall be minimally visible from the public right-of-way2 and not damage or obscure
character-defining features.
5. New skylights shall not be visible from the public right-of-way and not damage or obscure
character-defining features. New skylights shall be low profile. Dome skylights are prohibited in
the historic district.
6. New roof vents shall be minimally visible from the public right-of-way and not damage or
obscure character-defining features.
7. Adding facias, cutting off exposed rafter tails or boxing in exposed rafters is prohibited except
in the case of changes to the eaves required by the Building Department to increase fire
resistance.
Windows and Doors
1. Historic windows and doors shall be preserved and maintained.
a. A project shall not alter the location, number, size, pattern, muntin, mullion, type(casement,
single-or double-hung, etc.), or proportion of historic windows and doors on elevations.
b. Historic metal grillwork or decorative bars on windows shall be retained.
c. Door and window screen material and design shall match with the architectural style of the
historic building.
2 For the purposes of these design standards, public right-of-way includes streets,sidewalks,alleyways,and paseos.
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d.Awnings and shutters shall be installed only on historic buildings with documentation and/or
physical evidence of historic use. The replacements shall be similar in materials, design, and
operation to those used historically and match the shape of the window on which they are
installed.
2. Historic windows and doors with signs of damage or deterioration shall be repaired, rather than
replaced.
a. Repairs shall follow the recommendations of the National Parks Service(NPS)Preservation
Brief 9 — The Repair of Historic Wooden Windows and other applicable federal historic
preservation standards and technical guidance from NPS Technical Preservation Services.
b. If glass in historic windows or doors must be replaced, the new glass shall match the same
visual characteristics as the historic glass (e.g. clear glass for clear glass, stained glass for
stained glass). Installing non-historic reflective coatings or dark tints on windows is prohibited.
Frosted or opaque glass window films may be applied on side or rear elevations if privacy
from adjacent properties is a concern.
3. A historic window or door that is too deteriorated to repair shall be replaced in kind.
a. The replacement window or door shall use the physical evidence of the feature to match
the size, shape, arrangement of panes, glazing in a door and/or door surround, materials,
method of construction, frame, sills, surrounds, and profile of the historic feature.
4. Restoring original windows and doors that have been removed or altered shall be undertaken
when documentary(photographs, drawings, etc.)and/or physical evidence exists for an accurate
restoration.
a. If a window or door has been replaced with non-historic materials, a new window or door
that matches with the size, scale, material, and design of the building may be installed in its
place.
Mechanical Systems
1. Exterior mechanical equipment shall be located in areas minimally visible from the public right-
of-way.
a. Equipment mounted directly on a historic building shall be attached using the least invasive
method, without damaging character-defining features.
b. Roof-mounted equipment can only be installed on flat roofs provided the equipment is
screened from public view by parapet walls and is prohibited on sloped roofs.
c. Mechanical equipment placed at ground level or shall be placed to the rear or side of a
property and screened from public view.
d. If locating mechanical equipment at the rear or side of the historic building is infeasible, the
equipment shall be placed at ground level and screened from public view by a decorative
equipment screen or other architectural treatment.
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2. Rooftop solar panels shall be located in areas minimally visible from the public right-of-way.
a. Rear-facing roofs of primary historic buildings or rooftops of detached garages or accessory
buildings are the most appropriate locations for solar panels.
b On flat roofs with parapet walls, solar panels may be installed on the full extent of the roof,
provided that the panels are screened from public view by the parapet walls.
c. On sloped roofs, solar panels shall be installed on the rear 50 percent of the roof of the
primary building.
d. On corner lots, for buildings with sloped roofs, solar panels shall be installed on the interior
25 percent of the roof of the primary building.
e. If the permitted locations for solar panels in Standard 2c or 2d cause the installation to be
visible from the public right-of-way, panels shall be configured to the extent feasible parallel
to the roof plane, with minimal profile, no roof overhang, and no alteration of the existing roof
shape or slope.
f. Solar panels shall be parallel to the roof plane, shall not extend more than 10 inches above
the roof surface, and shall not overhang or alter existing rooflines.
g. Solar panels shall be attached to roofs using the least invasive method possible, without
damaging character-defining features.
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Standards for Historic Residential Buildings
Relationships of buildings to each other, setbacks, existing grade, fencing patterns, views,
driveways, walkways, lighting, and street trees all contribute to the character of historic
streetscapes.
Landscape, Planting, and Setting
1. The historic setback of front and side yards of shall be retained and match the historic block
pattern.
2. Historic walkways, historic scoring, driveways, and other hardscape features in the front yard
shall be preserved.
a. Historically unpainted walls, curbs, or planters shall not be painted.
3. Repairs or expansion of paving or hardscape features shall match the historic features in
materials, color, texture, scoring pattern, and finish.
4. Paving parkways, front yards, and side yards that were historically unpaved shall be prohibited.
5. Parking areas shall be located at the rear of the site and shall be screened from public view by
fencing or landscaping.
6. Historic driveways and their configuration and material shall be retained and preserved through
repair/maintenance or replace in kind.
7. Retain and preserve historic fencing and walls of front yards. New or replacement front yard
fencing shall be installed, provided it matches with the architectural style of the building and
materials used during the period of significance of the historic building and is consistent with the
prevailing pattern of fencing in the streetscape, including design, setback, and existing planting
strips.
a. Chain-link with tube steel, vinyl, composite board, and plastic fencing materials are
prohibited.
b. New fences or walls shall have a two-foot wide planter between the property line and
fencing.
8. Rear yard opaque fencing for privacy is permissible, provided that the period of significance,
style, scale, design, and materials match with the historic building and the neighborhood.
a. If a six-foot rear or side yard fence is located next to the street, the fencing shall match with
the prevailing pattern of fencing in the streetscape, including material, setback, and existing
planting strips. If there are no other fences on the block, the style and materials shall reflect
the period of significance to the architecture of the house. A two-foot wide planter shall be
located between the property line and fencing.
9. Historic trees and hedges, shall be maintained and preserved.
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10. Artificial turf is prohibited in parkways, front yards, and side yards visible from the public right-
of-way.
Porches
1. Historic porches shall be preserved.
a Maintain the location, shape, details, posts, railings, balustrades, and decorative brackets
of the historic porch.
b. Repair deteriorated decorative elements or replace missing elements to match the existing.
c.. Alterations for accessibility shall be designed and built to be minimally visible and to require
minimal alterations to historic materials and features, while allowing equal access to the
building.
2. Original steps shall be preserved. If the steps are too deteriorated for repair, they shall be
replaced utilizing materials to match the original design.
3. All or part of a historic porch or entrance shall not be enclosed in areas visible from the public
right-of-way.
4. Guard rails are prohibited unless there is documentary or physical evidence that a guardrail
existed on a porch historically, or there is a safety issue to be addressed.
5. The addition of a handrail for safety at the front steps is allowed, if the handrail matches in
design, uses materials matching with the historic building, and installation does not destroy any
character-defining features or materials of the historic building.
Garages and Accessory Buildings
1. Historic accessory buildings shall be preserved.
a. Changes to accessory buildings shall comply with the Standards for Historic Building
Features.
b. A one-story addition to the side or rear of an accessory building may be an appropriate way
to provide additional parking or storage area.
C. The addition of a new second floor or substantial modifications to the rooflines of historic
garages or accessory buildings are prohibited.
d Adding small dormers to an existing roof are appropriate, provided that the scale, design
and materials of the dormers match with the architecture of the historic accessory building.
i. Dormers shall not be on the same wall plane as the story below of the historic building.
ii. The total sum of dormers shall not be greater than 25% of the roof plane width.
e. Historic garage door design, type, and materials shall be preserved and maintained even
when converting to a non-utility use.
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i. A replacement of a non-historic garage door shall match with the materials and design
of the historic accessory building.
2 A historic accessory building may be relocated on the property subject to the following:.
a. The new location of the accessory building on the lot shall maintain the historic relationship
between houses and accessory buildings that are typical of the Historic District. Relocation
shall not substantially change the prevailing development pattern of houses and accessory
buildings in the neighborhood. Accessory buildings shall be relocated within rear yards only
and should not be relocated in front or side of the house.
b. Relocation shall maintain the original orientation of the building to the street.
c. Relocation shall retain the existing driveway.
3. The majority of historic accessory buildings can be preserved and rehabilitated. In limited
cases, a historic accessory building may be too deteriorated to be repaired. If a property owner
believes that a historic accessory building cannot be repaired, the property owner may submit a
report to the Historic Preservation Planner requesting demolition and reconstruction of the
building.
a. The report shall include:
i. A detailed analysis of the condition of the existing building and feasibility of repairs by a
qualified licensed structural engineer and/or historic preservation contractor meeting the
Secretary of Interior's qualifications.
ii. A comprehensive proposal for accurate reconstruction and reuse of salvaged historic
materials from the building.
b. The report will be reviewed by the Historic Preservation Planner who will make a
recommendation to the Design Review Committee on the proposed demolition and
reconstruction.
c. The request for demolition of a historic accessory building shall comply with the project
review process outlined in the Demolition Review Ordinance (OMC 17.10.090).
d. No building may be demolished without prior approval and a demolition permit.
4. New garages and accessory buildings shall be similar in massing, scale, and design to historic
garages and accessory buildings in the historic district.
a. New garages and accessory buildings shall be detached from the primary historic building
and within the rear yard.
b. New garages or accessory buildings shall be designed to architecturally match with the
historic residence and shall be subordinate in comparison to the existing primary building
including lower in height, narrower in width, and smaller in area.
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14, GI
Standards for Historic Commercial Buildings
Setting and Building Features
1. Historic sidewalk features, including street lights, shall be preserved.
a. Historic sidewalks may include any unique score patterns, textures or materials that shall
be preserved. If the sidewalks cannot be repaired, it shall be replaced in kind including
dimensions of historic sidewalk.
2. Historic primary entrances shall be preserved whether or not it is used as the primary entrance
for the use.
3. When commercial uses occupy historic residential buildings, the front yard landscaping shall
be retained and historic paving shall remain.
a. Parking in the front yard is prohibited.
b. Pedestrian-oriented uses, such as outdoor dining, are permissible in the front yard area of
the private property, provided that the use can be accommodated with limited additions of
paving or non-porous surfaces and does not affect any character-defining features of the
historic building or setting.
4. Exterior light fixtures shall be compatible with the architectural style of the building.
a. Animated or flashing lights are prohibited.
b. Colored lights are prohibited, except for exposed neon used in signage.
c. LED Lighting shall have a warm color temperature not to exceed 3,000 Kelvin.
d. Light sources on building and site lighting shall be shielded to prevent glare and light spill
onto neighboring properties.
5. Trash enclosures and utility and service cabinets shall be integrated into the design of the
building and site and shall be located at secondary elevations or in alleyways.
6. The height of a new building, or an addition to an existing building, shall not exceed two stories,
30 feet, or the height of adjacent historic buildings, whichever is the lesser height.
a. In the Plaza Historic District and Downtown Core, a new story is not permitted on the top
of an existing historic building.
b.
7. In the Plaza Historic District, new construction with exposed sloped roofs is prohibited.
8. In the Plaza Historic District, a consistent building street wall with zero setbacks shall be
maintained by all new construction.
a. Recessed entrances, matching the pattern of historic storefronts in the Plaza, shall be used.
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9. In the Downtown Core and Spoke Streets, new construction shall match with the prevailing
pattern of setbacks of surrounding properties on the same block.
10. For new construction, a 15-foot landscape area is required between all parking areas and any
public right of way. Landscaping shall provide visual screening for parked cars.
11. For existing construction, landscape areas shall be provided between all parking areas and
any public right-of-way to the greatest extent feasible. Landscaping shall provide visual screening
for parked cars.
Storefronts
1. Historic commercial storefronts and their component elements, such as display windows,
bulkheads, transoms, prism glass, doors, pillars, pilasters, and other character-defining features
shall be preserved.
a. Altering the location, number, size, pattern or proportion of historic openings, particularly
on primary elevations is prohibited.
b. Interior spaces shall be designed so that new partitions do not impact the appearance of
the historic storefront.
2. Transparent, clear glazing shall be used for ground floor storefronts. Reflective coatings or dark
tints on storefront glazing are prohibited.
3. New replacements of non-historic storefronts shall be based on evidence of the historic
appearance of the building or the pattern and features of surrounding historic storefronts.
a. Recessed entrances at new storefronts shall be used in the Plaza Historic District and are
encouraged in other locations.
b. New storefronts in the Plaza and Downtown Core shall maintain the existing pattern of
glass at the building wall along the sidewalk. Removing storefront glazing to create recessed
outdoor areas at the front of commercial buildings is prohibited on historic buildings unless it
has a documented history of a recessed storefront in that location.
4. New security bars and roll-down gates are prohibited.
5. Awnings shall be of color, size, scale, design, and operation to those used historically. Awnings
shall be constructed of historic period materials.
a. An awning shall fit within each of the building's structural bays, exactly over the display
windows. Awnings shall be of materials used historically
b. Internally illuminated awnings or vinyl awnings are prohibited.
c. New awnings shall use anchors and attachments through the mortar joints only, that do not
damage the historic building materials and/or building. Where awnings are added to masonry
construction, make attachments through the mortar joints only.
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6. Reconstructing historic storefronts that have been removed or altered shall be undertaken only
if documentation and/or physical evidence is existing.
a If a historic opening has been replaced with non-historic materials, a new one that matches
with the architectural style of the building shall be installed in its place. Design of the
replacement shall be based on available photographic evidence. If no such evidence exists,
the replacement should be based on a combination of physical evidence (indications in the
building of the building) and evidence of similar elements on buildings of the same
architectural style in the historic district. The new opening matches size, shape, design and
materials of similar openings of nearby historic buildings.
7. Mechanical equipment, including, but not limited to electrical meters, fire risers, valves shall be
located behind the storefront.
Signage
1. Historic signs, including painted wall signs, shall be preserved and shall not be painted over,
covered, defaced or removed.
a. The City maintains a list of historic painted signs in the Plaza. Consult the Historic
Preservation Planner prior to starting any work on a painted sign on a historic building.
b. Any signs uncovered during the process of rehabilitation or restoration shall adhere to the
standards outlined in this section.
2. New signs shall be made of traditional materials such as wood or metal used in a traditional
way.
a. Plastic signs and plastic faces on signs are not permitted.
b. Painted signs are allowed on existing painted surfaces. Painted signs are prohibited on
unpainted masonry surfaces.
c. If an alternate sign material is proposed, it shall match with the design, texture, reflectivity,
durability and color of a traditional sign material.
3. New signs shall not conceal or diminish architectural features of the building.
4. Traditional sign locations include belt courses above storefronts, on transom panels, on wall
surfaces above second floor windows, projecting from the face of the building, on awning
valences, or windows.
5. Sign installation shall not damage historic materials.
a. Mounting brackets and hardware shall be anchored into mortar joints only, not into the face
of masonry units.
b. All attachments penetrating historic materials shall use materials that prevent rust and
deterioration.
6. Signs shall be externally illuminated.
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a. Internally illuminated signs are not permitted, with the exception of halo-lit channel letters.
b. Neon is permissible for blade or wall signs. LED replicating the appearance of neon is also
permissible.
c. External illumination shall be from concealed sources or from matching metal fixtures.
7. One wall sign is permitted per tenant on each building elevation.
a. A wall sign is limited to a maximum of one square foot for each lineal foot of the tenant's
street frontage.
b Maximum total sign length is 20 feet.
c. Letter height shall be no more than 24 inches tall.
d. Multiple lines of text are permitted, provided the sign area requirements are met.
8. One blade sign is permitted per tenant, in lieu of a wall sign.
a. A blade sign is limited to 15 square feet in area for each face.
b. The sign shall have at least 8 feet of vertical clearance between grade and the lowest point
of the sign.
c. A sign may project over the public right of way, provided that the sign meets the
requirements of Orange Municipal Code 17.12.040.D.12.
9. One hanging sign, oriented toward pedestrians, is permitted per tenant, in addition to the
permitted wall or blade sign.
a. A hanging sign is limited to 8 square feet in area for each face.
b. A sign may project over the public right of way, provided that the sign meets the
requirements of Orange Municipal Code 17.12.040.D.12.
10. Reversible painted or interior decal signs are appropriate for use on window and door glazing.
a. Window sign area counts as part of the total allowable area for wall signs.
b. A window sign with a solid background is limited to no more than 10 percent of the glazing
area.
c. A window sign with lettering only is limited to no more than 20 percent of the glazing area.
11. Printed or painted lettering is permissible on an awning valance, subject to all restrictions for
wall signs.
a. Awning signage counts as part of the total allowable area for wall signs.
b. Signage on the upper face of the awning is not permitted.
c. Signage on the awning valence should be no more than 50 percent of the valence area.
12. Freestanding signs are prohibited in the Plaza or in the Downtown Core for properties fronting
Glassell Street or Chapman Avenue.
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13. One freestanding monument sign is permitted for properties outside of the Plaza or Downtown
Core, in lieu of a wall or blade sign.
a A freestanding sign is limited to 12 square feet in area for each face, excluding the base
building.
b. A freestanding sign is limited to 42 inches in height.
14. Signs for commercial uses in formerly residential buildings shall not obstruct architectural
features and shall match with the scale and appearance of the building. In these cases,
freestanding monument signs are preferred.
15 Digital signage is prohibited in the Plaza or in the Downtown Core
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4.
1.
CA
Standards For New Construction Related to
Historic Buildings
Additions to Historic Buildings
1. Additions shall be designed to be subordinate and secondary to the historic building and those
adjacent including lower in height, narrower in width, and smaller in area.
a. Additions shall be designed to match with the mass, scale, and volume of the historic
building and adjacent historic buildings.
2. Additions shall be located at the rear 50% of the historic building to minimize their visibility from
the public right-of-way.
a. Vertical additions are prohibited on top of any historic building.
b. Additions to side elevations shall incorporate a clear setback from the elevation facing the
public right-of-way to minimize visibility.
3. The addition shall be differentiated from the historic building.
a. The addition shall be differentiated from the historic building requiring an offset, with
materials, and features sharing similar physical characteristics, scale, and textures.
b. The addition must maintain the visual features and mass of the building as well as the
overall streetscape pattern. Do not obscure, alter or demolish character-defining features in
order to accommodate new additions. Additions shall be in areas that are not visible to the
public. Do not make additions to primary façades. Set back side additions clearly from the
primary façade to distinguish the existing building.
4. Additions to historic buildings shall use traditional building materials complementary to the style
of the historic building or the period of significance of the Historic District.
a. The texture, color and detailing of traditional building materials on an addition shall be
compatible with the style or period of construction of the main building but shall not be an
exact match. New building materials on the addition shall differ from the historic materials in
size, scale, and/or profile in order to avoid creating a false sense of history.
5. Roof forms, including pitch and eave depth, shall match with the existing historic building.
a. New dormers shall be designed in a style that matches with the architectural style of the
historic building.
6. Window and doors openings in an addition shall be based on the alignment, rhythm, size,
shape, and pattern of openings on the historic building.
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7. An addition shall be designed to avoid obscuring and/or demolishing/damaging character-
defining features and not result in the loss of historic materials and character-defining features of
the historic building.
a. If the addition were removed in the future, the essential form and integrity of the historic
building shall be unchanged.
b. The roofline of the historic building shall be retained on elevations visible from the street.
Infill Construction in A Historic District
1. The location of new primary and secondary buildings on a lot within a historic district shall
match the historic pattern of front and side yard setbacks.
a. New buildings in front of a historic building is prohibited. New buildings along the side of a
primary building are prohibited.
b. New buildings that are taller than surrounding existing buildings shall break up its mass into
smaller components or modules. Step down the height of a taller new building when located
adjacent to an existing shorter building.
2. New buildings shall match in massing, scale, and form to surrounding contributing buildings in
the historic district on the same block.
a. Properties with new construction shall use the average Floor Area Ratio of historic
properties on the surrounding street as a model for compatible new development.
3. The height and roof form of a new building shall match the surrounding historic buildings.
a. Roofing materials and details shall be similar to those found on historic properties.
b. Dormers shall be similar in size and style to historic properties.
4. A new primary building shall have a main entrance and façade parallel to and facing the street.
5. The progression of public to private spaces from the street shall be maintained.
a. A sheltered building entrance or front porch is appropriate to create a transitional space
from the street to the interior of the building.
6. New construction window and door openings shall be based on the alignment, rhythm, size,
shape, and pattern of openings of adjacent historic buildings.
7. The use of traditional building materials found on historic buildings in the Historic District shall
be used on new construction and match with the size, scale, design, texture, reflectivity, and
durability of historic materials used on comparable historic buildings in the Historic District.
a. Alternates to traditional building materials shall be permissible if matching with the design
and appearance of comparable historic features on similar contributing buildings in the
Historic District.
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8. The height, mass and scale of new secondary buildings shall be subordinate to the primary
historic building and/or to an adjacent contributor to a historic district.
a. The height of secondary buildings shall not exceed the height of the primary historic
building.
b. The building features and details shall not match and be simpler than those on the primary
historic building on the lot and/or adjacent contributors of a historic district..
9. Infill construction shall adhere to the sections on Standards for Historic Residential Buildings—
Setting or Standards for Historic Commercial Buildings — Setting.
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OF OR.
Standards For Noncontributing Buildings in
Historic Districts
1. Non-contributing properties shall comply with the Standards for Historic Residential Buildings
Setting or Standards and for Historic Commercial Buildings — Setting.
2. Non-contributing properties shall comply with the Standards for Historic Building Features —
Mechanical Systems.
3. Front porches are a common feature of historic residences in Old Towne. Removing or infilling
an existing front porch on a non-contributing building is prohibited in the Historic District.
4. The primary building shall have a main entrance and facade oriented toward the street.
5. Windows and doors shall match with the building's predominant architectural style or with
historic buildings in the Historic District.
6. The use of traditional building materials found on historic buildings in the Historic District shall
be used for non-contributing buildings.
a. Exterior materials shall match with the size, scale, design, texture, reflectivity, durability and
color of traditional materials used in the Historic District.
b. Alternatives to traditional building materials may be considered, if the alternative material
match with the building's predominant architectural style or with comparable contributing
buildings in the Historic District.
c. Vinyl windows are prohibited for use on non-contributing buildings.
7. The use of elaborate architectural details or ornamentation that does not match with the
noncontributing building's predominant architectural style or surrounding contributing buildings
shall be prohibited.
8. Additions to non-contributing buildings adjacent to a contributor of a historic district shall match
with the mass, scale and setbacks of the existing building and surrounding historic properties.
a. An addition to a non-contributing building adjacent to a contributor of a historic district shall
not exceed the height and massing of the adjacent historic building.
b. An addition to a non-contributing building in a historic district shall not be within the
established setback of contributing historic buildings on the block.
c. Simple roof forms that reflect the form of the non-contributing building and surrounding
historic buildings shall be used in the design of additions to non-contributors.
d. Second-story additions to a one-story building are prohibited.
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