§ 12.1.7. Streetscape Design Standards

Includes standards for placement of street trees, light poles and street furnishings.

I.

STREET TREES:

An owner shall install, irrigate and maintain street trees along an adjacent street right-of-way.

a)

all new trees shall be shade trees (non-utility compatible), unless conflict with utilities exist; see I (f). Refer to the Environmental Criteria Manual (ECM) Appendix 'F', for approved street trees species.

b)

street trees must be in scale with adjacent buildings and must be placed so as to create a continuous canopy at maturity.

c)

trees shall have a minimum of 5-inch caliper (measured 12 inches above the root ball) at installation, with a typical canopy height of 14 to 16 feet for Class I Shade trees. Minimum clearance for tree limbs and branches must be 7′-6″ above the level of the sidewalk to avoid potential conflict with pedestrians. Trees shall be trimmed proportionally to an ultimate clearance height of 14′-0″ above the sidewalk and street at maturity.

d)

trees shall be installed 4′-0″ O.C. back from face of curb, parallel to the curb.

e)

the standard tree spacing is 22′-0″ O.C. If existing conditions preclude the standard spacing, shade trees may be planted at a distance not to exceed 30′-0″ O.C.; utility compatible trees spacing shall not exceed 24′-0″ O.C.

f)

where existing utilities are in conflict with in-ground planting of shade trees, applicant shall:

- plant utility compatible trees in above grade planters if both overhead and underground utilities are in place;

- plant utility compatible trees in-ground, if conflict is with overhead lines;

- plant shade trees in above grade planters, if conflict is with underground utilities.

g)

a minimum pedestrian clear zone width of 5 feet will be provided between the edge of a tree grate/planting bed and any walls/planters and/or other vertical element associated with a development (refer to COA Detail 710S-6A). If above grade planters are used, the minimum pedestrian clear zone shall be 6 feet (as per COA Detail 432S-7D).

h)

a new tree planted in a sidewalk must have a 6 feet x 6 feet tree grating which shall comply with COA Standard Detail 437S-2. A different plant bed configuration with or without a tree grate, may be approved by the Planning and Development Review Department, based on specific needs and an alternative form of equivalent compliance.

II.

PEDESTRIAN SCALE STREET LIGHTING:

All development shall provide pedestrian scale street lighting along an adjacent street right-of-way.

a)

the standard pedestrian scale street light pole spacing is 44′-0″ O.C.; lights may be placed as far apart as 72′-0″ O.C. if existing conditions preclude the recommended spacing.

b)

on corner properties, the distance between the corner and the first light pole shall not exceed 25′-0″.

c)

light poles shall be installed 4′-0″ O.C. back from face of curb, aligned with the street trees.

d)

A minimum spacing of 11′-0″ O.C. shall be maintain between a light pole and a street tree.

e)

the "Pecan Street Light Pole" is the University Neighborhood Overlay fixture.

III.

STREET FURNISHINGS:

Street furnishings, including benches, bike racks and trash receptacles, shall be provided by any development located within the Dobie, Guadalupe and Inner West Campus Sub-districts.

In the Outer West Campus Sub-district, only developments with greater than 150 linear feet of cumulative street frontage shall be required to provide street furnishings described here.

Within a given project, the street furnishings will compliment each other and the development they are a part of.

Permitted finishes shall be one or a combination of the following: decay resistant hardwoods (benches slats only), and corrosion resistant finishes such as aluminum, cast iron, stainless steel or galvanized steel.

Whenever applicable, street furnishings will be anchored with rust-resistant fasteners and treated with rust prohibitive coating, zinc epoxy primer, and powdercoat finish for superior corrosion resistance. All surfaces shall be pretreated with a grafitti preventer.

The street furnishing requirements are as follows:

a)

Trash Receptacles: A minimum of one (1) receptacle shall be provided:

• For mid-block properties, the receptacle shall be located within 12 feet of a primary entrance(s), aligned with lights and trees.

• For corner properties, two (2) additional receptacles shall be provided adjacent to the corner ramps, facing both streets, (as per COA Standard Detail 432S-8C).

b)

Bike Racks: A minimum of four (4) bike racks, in addition to those required in other sections of the code.

• Bike racks shall be installed perpendicular to the curb, 4′-0″ O.C. back from face of curb, aligned with trees and light poles (as per COA Standard Detail 710S-6A).

• Bike racks shall be Class III, Type 1 inverted "U"(1-2 spaces only) - as per COA Standard Detail 710-S-1 (page 1 of 3).

• Racks shall be made of continuous welds, with smooth edges. Finishes shall be one of the following: cast aluminum, stainless or galvanized steel or plastic color coated carbon steel.

• Stainless steel tubing shall be 1 ½ inch,

• When applicable, a fade resistant powder coat finish color shall use RAL color standards for compatibility with other products.

c)

Benches: A minimum of two (2) 5-foot wide benches with middle arm shall be installed per street frontage:

• Standard placement: perpendicular to the curb and aligned with the trees and light poles, and facing each other arranged in a conversational grouping (as per COA Standard Detail 432S-9C),

• If existing conditions preclude the standard placement benches may be placed parallel to the building, facing the street, within 6 inches of the building exterior wall (as per COA Standard Detail 432S),

• Finishes may be metal or a combination of metal frame with wood slats.

• Only hardwoods that are responsibly produced, durable and resistant to fire, moisture, insects, decay or vandalism i.e. Redwoods, shall be used. Stained, painted or varnished wood shall not be allowed.

• If a corner property, two (2) benches will be installed along each street frontage for a total of four (4) benches minimum.