a. Design and Unit Variation. Townhouse, patio homes, and condominium projects shall include design features that differentiate adjoining units and create identity for each unit. This goal shall be achieved through the following requirements:

b. Roofline articulation and wall articulation shall follow the requirements: articulation and windows. All street facing facades shall meet the following minimum standards for articulation, as illustrated in Figure 17.60.120-1. For purposes of this section “articulation” shall mean the emphasis of elements on the face of a wall including a change in setback, materials, roof pitch or height.

c. Windows. All building facades that face public streets shall have windows along at least 25 percent of their horizontal length. If 25 percent actual windows is not feasible because of the nature of the use of the building facade, then the remainder of such walls shall include false windows, either glazing or pattern, and defined by frames, sills, and lintels, or similarly proportioned features.

d. Color. Projects shall include a variety of building colors and materials.

e. Townhomes, Patio Homes and Stacked Condominiums. Townhouses that are attached horizontally shall not exceed six attached units in alignment. Exterior design shall vary for every fifth townhouse group. Patio homes shall vary with no more than two adjacent street facing facades being the same. Stacked condominiums shall vary with projects limited to no more than 50 units per building and no more than two adjacent building facades can be the same or similar. Differentiation is defined as having windows and doors located in different locations, the use of at least 30 percent different materials and/or colors, and for every 60 feet of a building facade, a two-foot vertical recessed section.

f. Foundation. Exposed foundation walls shall not exceed two feet above finished grade at any point and shall include a stucco type finish or brick or stone.

g. Building Materials. Building materials for projects shall consist of at least 40 percent brick, stone, or synthetic stone on all sides of the structure. The balance of the exterior wall area shall consist of brick, stone, glass, decorative integrally colored block, or stucco. All building materials shall be high quality, durable, and low maintenance. Roofs shall be hipped or gabled with a minimum 6:12 pitch.

h. Garages. Garages shall complement the project architecture in terms of design, materials, and colors while following the standards set forth in this section. For townhouse and patio homes, garages shall be recessed from the front facade by a minimum of three feet.

i. Balconies for Townhouses and Stacked Condominiums. It is preferred that railings on balconies should be open rail to maximize natural light penetration. All townhouse and patio home projects shall include a patio with a minimum dimension of eight feet by 10 feet for 100 percent of the units. Stacked condominiums shall include balconies for at least 50 percent of the units with a minimum dimension of six feet by 10 feet.

j. Stairways. All exterior stairways shall be enclosed and screened from view.

k. Architectural Theme. A design theme shall be established for each project such as craftsman or farmhouse styles or be established through a master plan/development agreement.

l. All mechanical equipment, antennas (where possible), loading and utility areas and trash receptacles shall be screened from view with architectural features or walls consistent with materials used in the associated buildings.

m. The exterior walls of all multifamily buildings shall be properly maintained by the owners or the homeowners’ association.

a. Multifamily apartment-style projects shall have a minimum of 100 dwelling units.

b. Color utilization should be sensitive to existing development, with earth tones using colors that reflect natural landscape in which the project is situated. A minimum of four colors per elevation is preferred; three are required.

c. Foundation. Exposed foundation walls shall not exceed two feet above finished grade at any point and shall include a stucco type finish or brick or stone.

d. Building Materials. Building materials for projects shall consist of at least 33 percent brick, stone, or synthetic stone on all sides of the structure.

e. Garages. Garages and carports shall complement the project architecture in terms of design, materials, and colors and shall not be located within the front yard setback.

f. Balconies. It is preferred that railings on balconies should be open rail to maximize natural light penetration. All multifamily apartment style projects shall include balconies for at least 50 percent of the units with a minimum dimension of six feet by 10 feet.

g. Stairways. All exterior stairways shall be enclosed and screened from view.

h. Architectural Theme. A design theme shall be established for each project such as craftsman or farmhouse styles or be established through a master plan/development agreement.

i. Multifamily Development Architecture. The following exterior materials and architectural standards are required for all multifamily apartment developments:

a. No less than 30 percent of the gross project area shall be landscaped and designated for usable open space uses. Usable open space means spaces that serve a recreation function and not leftover nonusable pieces such as landscaped islands in parking lots or property corners with insufficient space to provide a recreation function/lacking a connection to project amenities.

b. Open space areas shall be available to everyone residing in the boundaries of a development with convenient locations and resident access. Open space areas shall be maintained by a homeowners’ association.

c. Open space excludes private balconies, decks, patio areas, recreation buildings, indoor amenities, vehicle parking, streets, park strips, required buffer areas (unless such areas have a recreation function), and sidewalks.

d. Open space may include pathways and outdoor amenities.

e. Open space should be clustered to create usable spaces with a recreation purpose.

f. Each project shall include a larger open space where at least 25 percent of the open space area adjoins a street. Open space should be designed as a system with many components.

g. Open spaces shall be designed for a particular function such as a leisure space with shade and seating. Such spaces should be appropriately sized for the development and shall include at least one usable space with a minimum dimension of 50 feet by 100 feet. Other spaces may accommodate active uses such as a trail, exercise course, or to kick a ball, or a place to gather such as a shaded picnic table with a barbeque. Connected open spaces distributed throughout the development are required.

h. All open space, if not dedicated to the city, will be labeled and recorded as a lot or lots in a subdivision, as common area in a condominium or as a perpetual open space easement to be jointly owned and properly maintained as open space and/or recreation by a homeowners’ association with power to assess and collect fees for maintenance or other assessment and maintenance mechanisms acceptable to the city. Open space shall include recreational improvements such as play courts, swimming pools, tot lots, picnic areas, and walking paths. The city shall determine the acceptability of proposed recreational amenities during the site plan and development approval process. The city may require a bond to guarantee installation of the open space improvements. All open spaces shall be preserved and properly maintained by the owner of record.

a. One playground with a minimum of one multi-function play structure encompassing a minimum of 300 square feet. The size and quality of the playground shall be approved in the site planning process by the community development director.

b. One indoor, centrally located, fully functional social area, no less than 1,000 square feet in gathering space.

c. One swimming pool. Thirty feet by 60 feet minimum size with the size increasing 10 percent for every additional 25 units over 100 units.

d. In addition to the amenities listed above, one amenity for each additional 50 units over 50 must be provided. Choose one from the following list:

a. If not dedicated to the city, recreation spaces will be labeled and recorded as a lot or lots in a subdivision, as common area in a condominium or as a perpetual open space easement to be jointly owned and properly maintained as open space and/or recreation by a homeowners’ association with power to assess and collect fees for maintenance or other assessment and maintenance mechanisms acceptable to the city.

b. The city shall determine the acceptability of proposed recreational amenities during the site plan and development approval process. The city may require a bond for any publicly accessed recreation spaces, to guarantee installation of the open space improvements including all landscaping, pavement, lighting, and amenities if accessed by the public. All open spaces shall be preserved and properly maintained by the owner of record.

a. All townhouse and condominium projects shall be at least 1,200 square feet per unit and shall have a minimum of two and one-half parking stalls per unit.

b. At least one single-car garage shall be provided for each unit. Where units are attached with common wall construction, at least 50 percent of the units per building shall contain a side-by-side two-car garage. Setbacks shall be measured from the building to the edge of the adjacent roadway or sidewalk, whichever is nearer.

c. The front yard setbacks are listed in the lot standards table.

d. Setbacks shall apply to all private and public streets, private driveways, private lanes and alleys.

e. Driveways can be used to meet the parking requirement provided there is at least 20 feet from the garage to the sidewalk or street. Private driveways can only be used to meet the parking requirement for that particular unit.

f. Only areas of the dwelling that have been completely finished shall be counted in the minimum square footage.

a. Parking Lot. Every parking lot with more than 10 spaces and 3,500 square feet shall contain internal landscaped areas.

b. Curbed planters, designed to accept storm water, with two-inch or larger caliper medium to large shade trees, shall be installed at the ends of parking rows. Planters shall be at least five feet wide. The remainder of the island shall be landscaped with additional shrubs, ground cover, decorative gravel, or turf, and shall include an appropriate irrigation system.

c. For every 20 parking stalls there shall be a planter area. This area shall have a minimum of two two-inch caliper medium size trees planted along with grass, shrubs, decorative gravel, or ground cover. Said planter shall be at least five feet wide and the length of two tandem parking spaces.

d. Minimum five-foot landscaped planters shall be provided around building foundations except at building entrances, drive-up windows and loading and utility areas.

e. All landscaped areas adjacent to parking areas shall be curbed and designed to accept storm water.

f. Light poles shall be no higher than 25 feet and all associated fixtures shall be downward directed and shielded.

a. All areas of development not approved for parking, buildings, recreation facilities, or otherwise exempted with site plan approval, shall be landscaped and properly maintained.

b. At a minimum 15 percent of all multifamily developments shall be landscaped. The developer must provide an acceptable, water-wise method of watering all plant materials, in accordance with an approved landscape plan.

c. Landscaped Area. For every 800 square feet of landscaped area and setback area required by this chapter, one shade tree (two-inch caliper or larger) shall be planted. Two 10-gallon ornamental trees may be substituted for every one required shade tree as long as at least half of the required number of shade trees is installed. Facilities, or otherwise exempted with site plan approval, shall be landscaped and properly maintained.

d. A minimum of one tree per 400 square feet of required landscaped yard areas is required in addition to other trees required in this section. A minimum of 30 percent of the required yard area trees shall be minimum seven-foot evergreens. Deciduous trees shall be minimum two-inch caliper. Deciduous and evergreen trees required in this section need not be equally spaced but shall be dispersed throughout the yard areas on site.