City of Sycamore

Urban Design Guidelines

And

Action Plan

September, 2001

Table of Contents

*Title*	*Page*
Introduction	3

Guidelines
Article One: Planned Unit Development and Subdivision Design	5

Article Two: Single-Family and Two-Family Residential Uses	8

Article Three: Multiple Family Uses	9

Article Four: Commercial Uses	10

Article Five: Industrial Uses	12

Article Six: Public and Institutional Uses	13

Article Seven: Storm Water Detention Systems	15

Article Eight: Parking Lots	16

Article Nine: Signage	18

Article Ten: Accessory Uses	20

Introduction

"Urban Design" refers to the appearance of a community as well as the layouts and functional relationships of our streets, neighborhoods, private and public buildings, common areas and open spaces. Either by design or by a coincidence of unrelated private choices, our community will leave an impression. It will be based, of course, on how people are treated when they visit our town. The impression we leave will also be based on physical images such as the perceived bulk and height of structures, the relationship between buildings and open spaces, the facilities for getting around the community whether on foot or by bicycle or by motor vehicle, the locations and layouts of shopping areas and business centers, and the appearance of our public facilities.

During the public forums that preceded the adoption of the Comprehensive Plan in May, 2000 and in subsequent Plan Commission and City Council meetings dealing with proposed developments, local residents have voiced a deep concern for the look of the Sycamore community. Generally speaking, most residents want to retain a small town feel while accommodating managed growth on our periphery.

How can this be accomplished? The Comprehensive Plan proposes the following general objectives:

a careful definition of the desired uses at the community’s "edges."
physical "connections" between old and new parts of town in the form of sidewalks and bikepaths and open space development.
more subtle "connections" in the form of compatible architectural designs encouraged during the P.U.D. approval process.
the clustering of new commercial development at strategic arterial and collector crossroads rather than at many remote locations.
revitalizing the downtown with an improved streetscape and preserving our historic neighborhoods to strengthen the community’s "core".
minimizing the visual impact of larger commercial and industrial buildings with residential-style roof planes, wall articulation, better entry definition, and landscaping.
encouraging shared driveways rather than multiple access points to commercial and industrial subdivisions.
promoting durable exterior finishes of natural materials such as masonry or wood on larger buildings.
developing and funding a multi-year plan for infrastructure repairs to enhance the community’s appearance and better serve existing businesses and residences.

The Comprehensive Plan (Chapter Three) provides a series of planning goals and objectives to achieve these ends. The Plan also anticipates a continuing commitment to community planning that includes the development of sub-area plans and very general design guidelines that promote an attractive urban community.

This document proposes urban design guidelines that are intended to encourage more attention to appealing existing designs and a more creative integration of building layouts and natural features in new developments. They are also intended to promote

a sharper focus on the human scale, or how favorably people confront the local built environment;
a higher concern for the potential conflicts between pedestrians and vehicles;
more attention to the scale and arrangement of new buildings and their relationship to existing buildings; and
more interest in how natural features might present opportunities rather than development constraints.

Urban design elements include roadways, signage, parking lots, utilities, plantings, and open spaces. A creative arrangement of such elements can lead to results that reflect the pride of the property owners and developer as well as the community at large.

Article One

Planned Unit Development and Subdivision Design

Guideline: Provide parks and open space featuring bikepaths and pedestrian paths connecting with neighborhoods and green spaces as well as neighborhood services (e.g. schools, neighborhood commercial districts).

Action: Implement through the subdivision review process using the City’s Greenway Plan as a guide. Collaborate with the Sycamore Park District and developers to identify major bikeway links with public easements before logical pathways are compromised by subdivided lot lines.

Guideline: Provide attractive entry features such as masonry walls with integrated signage and ornamental foliage, using building materials and landscaping that will be commonly seen in the new development.

Action: Require elevation and plan views of entry features as part of subdivision or P.U.D. approval process.

3. Guideline: Minimize the visual impact of utilities such as overhead wires and poles. This will reduce visual clutter and make homes and businesses more visible.

Action: With the participation of local utilities, decisions can be made as the preliminary plan and plat are being prepared for final review.

4. Guideline: In the design of new subdivisions and planned developments, draw attention to natural features through "viewsheds" or visual corridors.

Action: Implement through the annexation and subdivision process.

5. Guideline: Along new collector streets and minor arterials, require deeper setbacks with the provision of a wider parkway on at least one side for a paved bikepath accented with trees.

Action: Adopt revisions to Article 12.07 of the Sycamore Zoning Code, "Landscape Requirements."

6. Guideline: Provide for substantial landscape buffers between various types of uses. This would include transitions between commercial and industrial uses, commercial or industrial and residential uses, and between different types of residential uses. Areas featuring single-family detached homes should be buffered from townhouse developments. A combination of berms, walls, landscaping, and yard depths can be used to establish a compatible "fit"between new and adjacent uses.

Action: Adopt revisions to Article 12.07, "Landscape Requirements," and Article 13.10, "Planned Unit Development," of the Sycamore Zoning Code.

Guideline: Strive for diversity in building design. In past decades, the slower evolution of small subdivisions led to a mix of building scale, building heights, and parcel sizes. Today, as large farm tracts are purchased for development, upfront development costs are enormous and there is a stronger economic incentive to build out a property as quickly as possible. As a result, subdivisions tend to replicate the look of developments in most metropolitan suburbs, and the unique feel of a community is diminished.

Action: In addition to unique entrance features, attractive landscape buffers along arterials, and connecting links of attractive bike paths and pedestrian walkways, more attention should be given to land use at the community’s edges to promote a distinct image consistent with the character of the city’s core. Some communities encourage estate belts that invite the feeling that one is travelling toward a central core. Others are becoming more prescriptive in terms of residential design along such corridors. The diverse "Sycamore look," below, suggests a design preference for the community’s edges.

Article Two

Single-Family and Two-Family Residential Uses

1. Guideline: New developments and subdivisions should feature lot areas, lot dimensions, and housing types that are compatible with surrounding neighborhoods.

Action: Implement through the review of subdivisions and planned developments at the staff, Plan Commission, and Council levels. Amend Title 10, Section 10-2-2 of the City Code to assure that preliminary plans and plats depict the sizes and dimensions of all adjacent lots around the periphery of the proposed development for reference.

2. Guideline: Developments should be designed with a variety of façade and elevation views to avoid the dominance of garages on the street side of buildings.

Action: Work with developers to offer a variety of visual elements. Varied garage arrangements are more achievable on wider lots or corner lots, but some variety can be achieved on smaller lots by thrusting the living space forward from straight-in garages.

3. Guideline: Developments should feature variety in architectural details to distinguish individual homes. Such variety should extend to side and rear elevations, as well as front or street elevations.

Action: Some developers feature a variety of front facades but repetitive rear views in their subdivisions. A review of representative building elevations could be a part of the staff report to the Plan Commission during the public hearing process.

4. Guideline: Two-Family and Single-Family developments should be buffered through such features as increased setbacks at common lot lines and landscaping.

Action: Revise Section 12.07 of the Sycamore Zoning Code.

Article Three

Multiple Family Uses

1. Guideline: If multiple family buildings are constructed adjacent to existing developments, their architectural designs should be generally compatible with the scale and bulk of structures in the adjacent neighborhood(s).

Action: Vary roof lines and use door and window shapes and sizes that replicate the more architecturally significant features of adjacent buildings.

2. Guideline: Provide "density with dignity." Reduce the perceived density of attached townhouses, condominiums, or apartment buildings.

Action: Provide a variety of roof and building lines, a variety of exterior building finishes and materials, varied garage arrangements, and maximal landscaping opportunities to soften building sizes. Consider the need for privacy in the alignment of bedroom windows in opposing buildings, and as they may relate to parking areas.

3. Guideline: Integrate "green" or open areas with building layouts to provide for the convenience and recreation of residents.

Action: Encourage pedestrian and bike paths throughout the development to link buildings with other buildings; buildings with parking areas; and buildings with neighborhood parks, shopping areas, or common areas. Assure that open spaces are located in safe, convenient, and observable locations.

4. Guideline: Minimize the visual impact of common off-street parking areas.

Action: Require additional guest parking to be provided in rear yards in higher density developments, or on wider streets. Revise Section 12.07 of the Sycamore Zoning Code to increase the aggregate interior landscaping for additional parking in multiple family developments when minimum parking requirements are met.

Article Four

Commercial Uses

1. Guideline: For large-scale commercial buildings, the architectural design shall maintain a human scale through variations in wall planes, a variety of building materials, sharpened entry definition, varying roof planes, and the creative layout of windows and other wall openings. Windowless walls should be avoided on front facades or sides facing public ways. Where large blank walls are unavoidable, changes in colors and building materials or additional landscaping should be provided to soften the visual effect. Dominant building colors and materials should be applied to all sides of the building.

Action: Encourage voluntary compliance through the site plan and building review process.

Guideline: Minimize parking areas in front yards or corner side yards.

Action: Refer to Article Eight of these guidelines for more detail.

3. Guideline: Increase landscaping within commercial developments to soften the visual impact of larger buildings, longer driveways, and large parking areas. For example, landscape buffers can be established along street frontages regardless of the size of adjacent parking areas or other buffering requirements. In addition, landscaped corridors can be established along entry drives and within parking rows, rather than simply at the end of parking rows. Such additional landscaping can be established without hindering sight lines between streets and buildings or streets and principal signage.

Action: Revise Article 12.07, "Landscape Requirements," of the Sycamore Zoning Code.

4. Guideline: Ensure that building improvements in the Central Business District are compatible with the existing pattern of historic structures and open spaces.

Action: In the short term, consider the formulation of more detailed design guidelines that are unique to Sycamore’s downtown area. Over the longer term, consider the adoption of an historic preservation ordinance.

Article Five

Industrial Uses

1. Guideline: Provide landscaped buffer areas between different types of industrial uses, as well as between industrial and commercial uses, or between industrial and residential uses. For example, in light manufacturing zoning districts a variety of retail uses can be established along with more traditional manufacturing uses. Such uses may not be compatible from a design standpoint, although they may be identified as allowable uses in the Zoning Code.

Action: Revise Article 10.01 and 10.02 of the Sycamore Zoning Code to bring landscaping requirements for Light and Heavy manufacturing districts into line with the landscaping requirements for "ORI" Office, Research, and Light Industrial zoning districts.

2. Guideline: Consider the adoption of design criteria for industrial buildings in specific corridors with high public visibility, including the Bethany Road corridor and the future extension of Oakland Drive.

Action: A developer’s voluntary submittal of conceptual site and architectural plans for buildings in such highly-travelled areas for Plan Commission review will invite detailed suggestions.

3. Guideline: Perimeter landscaping should be provided for all parking lots regardless of size.

Action: Revise Article 12.07 of the Sycamore Zoning Code.

4. Guideline: Provide bike path links and pedestrian sidewalks to and from industrial lots so nearby commercial and residential neighborhoods can be more connected.

Action: Address as part of any subdivision, re-subdivision, or planned unit development review.

Article Six

Public and Institutional Uses

1. Guideline: Public, civic, and institutional buildings should provide green space and landscaping in excess of conventional commercial developments.

Action: Since capital allocations for public improvements typically go through a public hearing process, site plans for development or redevelopment of public and civic spaces should undergo rigorous scrutiny.

2. Guideline: New public structures should be architecturally bold and serve as or community landmarks.

Action: Fiscal constraints will typically restrain innovation in design and construction. However, some economies can be found in non-institutional exterior features such as pitched roofs, residential-style fixed or operable windows, and natural, long-lasting materials such as wood, masonry, or brick.

3. Guideline: Parking areas should be more visible through attractive directional and lot signs. Low and articulated screening walls or landscape "fencing" around public parking lots will offer a more pleasing street edge without creating security problems.

Action: Try to incorporate some phased lot improvements as part of a multi-year City capital plan.

4. Guideline: Encourage more attractive City entryways.

Action: Install distinctive, lighted, and landscaped entrance signs along each arterial leading into the City. Investigate more detailed zoning restrictions for properties along well-defined corridors, in order to moderate conflicting uses and promote more compatible uses over time.

Article Seven

Storm Water Detention Systems

1. Guideline: Wet and dry detention ponds should be landscaped features, with minimal rip-rap on side slopes and a natural shape rather than a standard geometric shape.

Action: During the site review process prior to Plan Commission consideration, the developer should consider such a project amenity.

2. Guideline: Avoid development impacts in floodplain or flood-prone areas.

Action: Prohibit building in undeveloped floodplain areas except for park and recreational facilities, or where one hundred fifty percent (150%) of the displaced flood storage is provided in an adjoining floodplain or floodway area as approved by FEMA.

Article Eight

Parking Lots

1. Guideline: As indicated in Articles Three, Four, Five and Six, above, and as noted at various points in the Comprehensive Plan, parking areas significantly affect the look of a parcel or a neighborhood. Perimeter screening or landscaping is desirable in all zoning districts. In addition raised, landscaped islands at intermediate points in long parking rows are recommended in larger parking lots.

Action: Revise Article 12.07 of the Sycamore Zoning Code.

2. Guideline: Wherever possible, minimize parking spaces in front yards or corner side yards in multiple family residence districts, commercial districts, and industrial zoning districts.

Action: Seek cooperation during the Plan Commission review of individual site plans.

3. Guideline: Take into account all four seasons when planning parking lots to account for snow storage, heavy rains, and autumn leaves.

Action: Developers should be encouraged to provide landscaping that is tolerant of salt and snow; to provide green space for snow storage; to select tree varieties that shed minimal foliage; and to minimize storm water ponding in driving aisles after hard rains that will inconvenience motorists and pedestrians.

4. Guideline: In larger lots, pedestrian safety is an issue. Provide marked crossings to warn drivers of pedestrians.

Action: Address during plan review process.

5. Guideline: In larger, planned commercial developments, encourage shared lots with internal cross-easements to provide legal access between adjacent parcels.

Action: Implement on a case-by-case basis during the review of subdivision plats.

Article Nine

Signage

1. Guideline: In planned commercial developments and integrated strip centers with more than one lot, encourage monument-style signs where ground signs are permitted. Limit pylon or pole signs to the "C-3" Highway Business Districts and allow only one per planned development, advertising only the name and location of the commercial center and the names of the tenants. On one-lot subdivisions with a single tenant or owner in the "C-3" Highway Business District, pylon signs may be permitted.

Action: Revise Section 11.08.01 of the Sycamore Zoning Code for clarity on this point.

2. Guideline: For signs over eight feet in height, establish a stronger relationship between the sign and the ground with landscaping or a more solid base of materials that match the principal buildings in the development. This will soften the visual transition between vertical and horizontal planes.

Action: Revise Section 11.08.01 of the Sycamore Zoning Code.

3. Guideline: In the "C-2" Central Business District, the design of wall signs shall bear some relation to the historical architectural features of the district.

Action: In the short term, consider the formulation of more detailed design guidelines that are unique to Sycamore’s downtown area. In the longer term, consider the adoption of an historic preservation ordinance.

Article Ten

Accessory Structures

1. Guideline: Dumpster enclosures, utility sheds and other accessory structures should be landscaped and designed to match the architecture, finish, durability, and color of the building(s) they serve.

Action: Give more attention to the design of such structures during the subdivision review process. Revise Section 4.11 of the Sycamore Zoning Code.

2. Guideline: Loading areas, outdoor storage, refuse enclosures, HVAC equipment, drive-through queues, and other accessory uses should be located in the side or rear yards whenever possible.

Action: Promote attention to such details during the site plan review process. If voluntary compliance is not routinely achieved, some revisions to the Zoning Code may be necessary.