§ 3.3. OPTIONS TO IMPROVE BUILDING DESIGN.

3.3.1.   Applicability.

The following table summarizes the applicability of this section:

Standard	Applies if the Principal Street Is:	Applies to the Following:
3.3. Options to Improve Building Design	All roadway types	- Development of any commercial use of 10,000 square feet or more that requires a building permit - Development of any commercial use of less than 10,000 square feet that contains any exterior trademarked design feature - Any building zoned for industrial use or warehouse use at the point its use is converted to commercial - VMU buildings with external trademarked design features (not including signs) - Office development is exempt from this section

 

3.3.2.   Building Design Options.

A.

General Requirement.

1.

Each building subject to this section must earn one base point from Table C below, and may be required to earn additional points if certain design features are present.

2.

Developments with multiple buildings are required to earn the applicable number of points for each building. Points may be aggregated among buildings only if the development contains at least 100 lineal feet of VMU building frontage along the principal street.

B.

Additional Requirements for Certain Types of Development. The following shall earn points as specified below, in addition to the base point required in this section. Points in this section shall be earned cumulatively.

1.

A building with exterior trademarked design features shall earn additional points as follows:

a.

Three additional points from Table C if such features are located 12 feet or less above finished grade and there is no prototypical roof or parapet design;

b.

Five additional points from Table C, two of which must come from Group B, if such features are located more than 12 feet above finished grade.

2.

If the building plan depicts any of the design features listed below, one additional point must be earned for each design feature (except as noted):

a.

Building is one story and greater than 20 feet tall, floor to bottom of roof structure.

b.

Building facade exceeds 200 feet in width without entrances every 75 feet.

c.

Individual use is greater than 100,000 square feet.

d.

False fronts or shaped parapets are created to increase the apparent size of the building or house corporate signage or logos. If used, building parapets must not be greater than 50 percent higher than the distance of the building from grade to roof. (For example, a building that is 20 feet tall from the grade to the roof cannot have a parapet greater than 10 feet tall from roof to top of parapet.) (See Figure 40.)

(See Figure 40 set forth in Exhibit A attached to Ord. 20130606-088; Standards for height of false fronts or parapets.)

e.

Concrete block (not including split-faced concrete block) is used on more than 25 percent of a facade visible to the public.

f.

Concrete block (not including split-faced concrete block) is used on more than 75 percent of a facade visible to the public (must earn two additional points).

g.

EIFS is used as a material on the ground floor (below 10 feet).

h.

Pad building with drive-in or drive-through (on a site with a Core Transit Corridor as the principal street).

C.

Table of Design Options.

Option	Description/Comments
Group A: Each option worth 1 point
Achieve star rating under the City of Austin Green Building program.	Each star of the rating qualifies for one point. No double credit for Green Building points from Group B.
Provide for liner stores in building facade. (1 point for each liner store)	See Article 5, Definitions
Provide facade articulation.	See definition D.1. below.
Provide primary entrance design.	See definition D.2. below.
Provide roof design.	See definition D.3. below.
Provide building materials meeting the standards of this section.	See definition D.5. below.
Improve storefronts to new regulatory standard of Section 3.2.2. for glazing type/size and shading.	Applies only for buildings existing at the effective date of this Subchapter.
100% of glazing on ground-floor facades that face any street or parking lot have a Visible Transmittance (VT) of 0.6 or higher.
Complies with neighborhood design guidelines	Group B: Each option worth 2 points
Design building so that at least 75% of the facade facing the principal street consists of storefronts with at least two separate entrances facing the principal street
Provide sustainable roof.	See definition D.4. below.
Integrate solar power generation into building design.	The specific features and design shall be approved by the Director. Examples may include, but are not limited to, rooftop solar panels or Building Integrated Photovoltaics.
Achieve Green Building rating of 2 stars.	Group C: Option worth 3 points
Develop VMU building	While VMU buildings are exempted from the requirements of this section, points are assigned for the purpose of aggregating point values for the mixed use development bonuses described in Article 4. In addition to the three base points associated with the VMU development, one additional point is added if the gross square footage of the VMU building contains a combination of at least 25% residential and 25% office or retail uses. However, no points may be earned for a building that contains external trademarked design features (not including signs).

 

D.

Definitions of Options.

1.

Facade Articulation. For purposes of satisfying the requirements in subsections A. and B. above, "facade articulation" shall consist of one of the following design features, none of which can be trademarked design features (See Figures 41 and 42.):

(See Figure 41 and Figure 42 set forth in Exhibit A attached to Ord. 20130606-088; Examples of facade articulation)

a.

Changes in plane with a depth of at least 24 inches, either horizontally or vertically, at intervals of not less than 20 feet and not more than 100 feet; or

b.

Changes of color, texture, or material, either horizontally or vertically, at intervals of not less than 20 feet and not more than 100 feet; or

c.

A repeating pattern of wall recesses and projections, such as bays, offsets, reveals or projecting ribs, that has a relief of at least eight inches.

2.

Primary Entrance Design. For purposes of satisfying the requirements in subsections A. and B. above, "primary entrance design" shall consist of at least three of the following design elements at the primary entrance (none of which can be trademarked design features), so that the primary entrance is architecturally prominent and clearly visible from the abutting street:

a.

Architectural details such as arches, friezes, tilework, murals, or moldings.

b.

Integral planters or wing walls that incorporate landscape or seating.

c.

Enhanced exterior light fixtures such as wall sconces, light coves with concealed light sources, ground-mounted accent lights, or decorative pedestal lights.

d.

Prominent three-dimensional features, such as belfries, chimneys, clock towers, domes, spires, steeples, towers, or turrets.

e.

A repeating pattern of pilasters projecting from the facade wall by a minimum of eight inches or architectural or decorative columns.

3.

Roof Design. For purposes of satisfying the requirements in subsections A. and B. above, "roof design" shall consist of at least one of the following design elements, none of which can be trademarked design features:

a.

Parapets with horizontal tops having height changes of at least one foot occurring horizontally no less than every 100 feet. (See Figure 43.)

(See Figure 43 set forth in Exhibit A attached to Ord. 20130606-088; Examples of roof design)

(i)

Parapets that do not have horizontal tops must have pitched or rounded tops with a pattern that repeats or varies no less than every 100 feet.

(ii)

All parapets must have detailing such as cornices, moldings, trim, or variations in brick coursing.

b.

Sloping roofs with at least two of the following design elements:

(i)

Slope of at least 5:12.

(ii)

Two or more slope planes.

(iii)

Overhanging eaves extending at least three feet beyond the supporting wall.

4.

Sustainable Roof. For purposes of satisfying the requirements in subsections A. and B. above, a "sustainable roof" is roofing that has one of the following:

a.

For a minimum of 75 percent of the total roof surface, a Solar Reflectance Index (SRI) of 78 or higher for a roof with a slope of 2:12 or less, or 29 or higher for a roof with a slope greater than 2:12; or

b.

For a minimum of 50 percent of the total roof surface, a vegetated roof;

c.

For a minimum of 50 percent of the total roof surface, rainwater collection system; or

d.

For a minimum of 75 percent of the total roof surface, a combination of a vegetated roof with rainwater collection system and SRI- compliant roof meeting the SRI standards in subsection 4.a. above. (See Figure 44.)

(See Figure 44 set forth in Exhibit A attached to Ord. 20130606-088; Example of a sustainable roof)

5.

Building Materials. For purposes of satisfying the requirements in subsection 1, above, "building materials" are defined as limestone or brick. However, the brick color shall not be a trademarked design feature.

3.3.3.   Alternatives to Section 3.3.2.

A.

Large Single-Story Buildings. Instead of complying with Section 3.3.2. above, a single-story commercial building that is 100,000 square feet or more in size may elect as a matter of right to comply with the following standards:

1.

The building facade shall consist of 75 percent masonry (not including concrete blocks), excluding the window area and rear service area on sides visible to the public;

2.

The use of trademarked design features above 12 feet and the use of trademarked roof and parapet design features is prohibited;

3.

The building meets the "facade articulation" requirements as defined in this section;

4.

The building has 40 percent glazing on the front facade and 25 percent glazing and cutouts on each side visible to the public with a Visible Transmittance (VT) of 0.6 or higher; and

5.

The building has a Green Building rating of at least 2 stars.

B.

Pad-site Buildings with Drive-In and/or Drive-Through Services. Instead of complying with Section 3.3.2. above, a pad-site building with a drive-in and/or drive-through services, or a single-use drive-in use not located on a Core Transit Corridor, may comply with the following standards:

1.

The use of trademarked design features (not including signs or paint colors) above 12 feet is prohibited; and

2.

The portion of the building below 12 feet consists of one of the following;

a.

Limestone; or

b.

Brick that has a different color than the trademarked brick color; or

c.

For a building that occupies a pad or portion of a building within a planned project or shopping center, the building has similar design characteristics as the rest of the shopping center. This includes use of similar materials, patterns, rhythms, and proportions to the rest of the center.

3.

Pad sites shall not have any parking located between the building and the street on Core Transit Corridors, Urban Roadways and Suburban Roadways.

Source: Ord. 20060831-068; Ord. 20130606-088.