§ 27A-209. General Design Principles of Urban Centers and Corridor Nodes.

(a)

Building Façades should be aligned and close to the Street. Buildings form the space of the Street.

(b)

The Street is a coherent space, with consistent building forms on both sides. Buildings facing across the Street-Space contribute to a clear public space and Street-Space identity.

(c)

Multimodal, complete Streets incorporating well-designed pedestrian, bicycle, transit, and auto facilities are essential elements of the Urban Centers and Corridor Nodes.

(d)

Consideration of the natural environment is paramount in the Urban Centers and Corridor Nodes. All new development should be designed in accordance with best practices of environmentally-sensitive site design and sustainability. Development within the Urban Centers and Corridor Nodes shall demonstrate consideration of the natural environment through several means, including the environmental infrastructure Functional Overlay, Regulating Plan, and Permit Site Plan application.

(e)

Regulated Environmental Features shall be preserved, protected, and restored to a natural state to the fullest extent possible.

(f)

Buildings oversee the Street-Space with active fronts. This overview of the Street-Space contributes to safe and vital public spaces.

(g)

In an urban environment, property lines are generally physically defined by buildings, walls or fences. Land should be clearly public or private—in public view and under surveillance or private and protected from view.

(h)

Buildings are designed for neighborhoods, towns, and cities. Rather than being simply pushed closer together, buildings should be designed for the urban situation within towns and cities. Views are directed to the Street-Space and interior gardens or court-yards to highlight these key amenities for the community and reinforce visual surveillance and sense of communal ownership of these spaces.

(i)

Vehicle storage and parking (excluding on-Street parking), garbage and recycling storage, and mechanical equipment are kept away from the Street-Space.

(CB-1-2010)