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Home My WebLink About12-14-17 Public Comment - S. Stewart (on behalf of the professional design community) - UDC Update, Building DesignFrom:Shea Stewart To:Jeff Krauss; I-Ho Pomeroy; Cyndy Andrus; Carson Taylor; Chris Mehl Cc:Agenda; Tom Rogers; Martin Matsen; Chris Saunders Subject:UDC - Article 5 Building Design - Blank Walls Date:Thursday, December 14, 2017 5:39:19 PM Attachments:Blank Wall Treatments-Design Community Letter and Exhibits to the Commission-12-14-2017.pdf City Commissioners, Please see the attached letter and exhibits (digital copy for your records) regarding the updated UDC section concerning “Blank Walls”. The Bozeman design community is happy to provide more information if needed. Please let us know if you have any questions or concerns. Thank you, Shea Shea Stewart, AIA, LEED A.P. intrinsik architecture, inc. 111 north tracy avenue bozeman, montana 59715 t. 406.582.8988 f. 406.582.8911 www.intrinsikarchitecture.com 14 December 2017 Bozeman City Commission RE: UDC Update SUBJECT: Article 5 Section 38.530.070 – Blank Wall Treatments Dear City Commissioners, While respectful of your direction to include the above-mentioned section in the pending UDC updates, the design community is very concerned with the proposed language and requests your consideration of the following input. • While many of the related sections that regulate building façade design elements are clearly identified as applying strictly to first story building facades facing public streets and common spaces this language is absent from the blank wall section. It seems unreasonable to prohibit this condition on the sides or backs of buildings on private property that are not facing public spaces. • The dimensions defining blank walls should be enlarged. 15’x10’ is prohibitively small on medium and large buildings. • The section includes a very limited list of items that would be considered as appropriate blank wall “treatments”, however, the list is insufficient and omits many additional valid design strategies. It’s also unclear as to how this section of the code will be applied. The intent, definition, and treatment methods are poorly written and provide little guidance. It appears that many (perhaps most) of Bozeman’s buildings would not comply with these standards, and we question how they would be applied to new projects. For example: • Would a 15’ (wide) x 40’ (tall) stair tower wall count as one blank wall, or 4 blank walls? • How would the five methods of treatments apply to such a condition? • Are blank walls that include signage exempt from this section? • Does this only apply to blank walls on the first floor? Attached are several diagrams illustrating such conditions that appear to be incompliant with this section as written (please see Exhibit A). We’ve also attached an edited version with our suggestions to clarify the intent, definition, and treatment of blank walls (please see Exhibit B). We’re happy to provide any assistance we can with the final editing of this document. Please feel free to reach out with any questions. Thank you, Submitted by Shea Stewart, AIA On behalf of the Professional Design Community Attachments 15'X10' 15'X10' 15'X10' 15'X10' 15'X10'15'X10' 15'X10'15'X10' 15'X10' 15'x10' 15'x10' 15'x10'15'x10'15'x10' 15'x10' 15'x10'15'x10'15'x10'15'x10'15'x10' 15'X10' 15'X10' 15'X10' BOZEMAN CO-OP UNTREATED BLANK WALLS = 12 15'x10' 15'x10' 15'x10' 15'x10' 15'x10' 15'x10'15'x10' 15'x10' 15'x10' 15'x10' 15'x10' 15'x10' 15'x10' 15'x10' BOZEMAN PARKING GARAGE UNTREATED BLANK WALLS = 27 BOZEMAN UDC RE-ORGANIZATION - DRAFT Page 433 December 14, 2017 UDC update 7-28-2017 draft Red Strike out - Original code to be edited or omitted Green - Proposed re-written or added text Sec. 38.530.070. – Blank walls treatments. A. Intent. 1. To promote building facades that enhance the pedestrian experience. 1. To avoid untreated blank walls. 2. To retain and enhance the character of Bozeman’s streetscapes. B. Blank wall definition. A wall within a single plane (including building façades and retaining walls) is considered a blank wall if it is over 16 ten feet in height, has a horizontal length greater than 30 15 feet, and does not include a transparent window or door. Figure 38.530.070.B Blank wall definition C. Untreated Blank walls at the ground floor and facing visible from a public street, pedestrian- oriented space, common usable open space, or pedestrian pathway must include one of the following treatments: are prohibited. Methods to treat blank walls may include: 1. Display windows with at least 16 inches of depth to allow for changeable displays. Tack on display cases do not qualify as a blank wall treatment. 2. Landscape planting bed at least five feet wide or a raised planter bed at least two feet high and three feet wide in front of the wall with planting materials that are sufficient to obscure or screen at least 60 percent of the wall’s surface within three years. 3. Installing a vertical trellis in front of the wall with climbing vines or plant materials. 4. Installing a mural as approved by the review authority. 5. Special building detailing that adds visual interest at a pedestrian scale. Such detailing must use a variety of surfaces; monotonous designs will not meet the purpose of the standards. 6. Installing permanent amenities such as bike racks or benches in front of the wall. 7. Sculptural expression of building materials or building elements. REMOVE OR UPDATE ILLUSTRATION BOZEMAN UDC RE-ORGANIZATION - DRAFT Page 434 December 14, 2017 UDC update 7-28-2017 draft 8. Use of weather protection features. 9. Use of structural expression. 10. Change in building material or siding style. 11. Articulation of a single building material through varying colors, textures, or incorporating joints or an integrated trim pattern. For large visible blank walls, a variety of treatments may be required needed to meet the intent of the standards. Departures to the provisions in this section will be considered, provided the design whole façade and applicable blank wall treatment methods meet the intent of the standards. C. Conditions exempt from these standards include: 1. Firewalls along property lines 2. Fire rated egress enclosures 3. Mechanical and service entry screening 4. Walls designated for signage 5. Buildings within the M-1, M-2, and PL1 districts Departures to the provisions in this section will be considered provided the integration of blank walls and overall façade composition meets the intent of the standards. Figure 38.530.070.C Acceptable and unacceptable blank wall treatments. Note in the far right example, the display cases don’t meet the 16” depth requirement, nor does the design meet the intent of the standards.