District requirements and standards
A. Generally.
1. No development, as defined in this article, shall be commenced within the waterfront overlay district without the prior approval or recommendation of the planning board pursuant to the provisions of this article.
2. All development in the waterfront overlay district is subject to the provisions of this article in addition to all other provisions of the zoning ordinance. In the event of conflict between a provision of this article and any other provision of the zoning ordinance, the provision of this article shall prevail.
3. The requirements and standards of this section shall apply throughout the waterfront overlay district. Additional requirements and standards are set forth for particular development parcels.
B. Objectives and intent.
1. To accomplish the purpose of the waterfront overlay district, as stated in section 32-147 of this article, this section describes the general objectives and intent of the town in establishing requirements and standards for development and demolition within the overlay district. The provisions in this section are provided for guidance to the planning board and to all who have an interest in property within the district. These guidelines should be followed as closely as possible by the board in interpreting and applying the requirements and standards of this article.
2. Buildings in the waterfront overlay district should be planned to promote opportunities for walking and bicycling as well as private motor vehicles and public transportation.
3. All development in the district should be visually compatible with the immediately surrounding area, in terms of the following factors:
a. Scale of buildings. The scale of a building should be visually compatible with its site and surrounding buildings or the desired character of the district.
b. Facade materials. Acceptable materials should include, wooden clapboards, shingles, patterned shingles, brick, and stone, depending on the architectural style of the building.
c. Site features. The size, placement and materials of walls, fences, signs, driveways and parking areas may have a visual impact on a building. These features should be visually compatible with the building and neighboring buildings.
C. Dimensional requirements.
1. Setbacks. The maximum front setback allowed by the underlying zoning or the average of the actual setbacks of the principal buildings on lots fronting on the same street, whichever is less. Required front setback areas for mixed use residential buildings shall not be paved or used for parking other than driveway access to rear parking. For other buildings, required front setback areas shall not be used for parking.
2. Building size. No building in a large scale development shall exceed eight thousand (8,000) square feet in footprint area unless, (1) the facade on any side exceeding forty (40) feet is interrupted with salient architectural features to scale down building mass.
D. Design requirements.
1. Building facades must contain street level windows and main entrances from the sidewalk. The street side facade of a building shall not consist of an unarticulated blank wall or an unbroken series of garage doors.
2. The exterior of new buildings and additions to existing buildings must be of building materials traditionally used in New England as listed in section 32-151B of this ordinance.
3. New buildings and additions to existing buildings must have a traditional roof form. All mechanical devices located on the roof shall be shielded from view from the street.
4. Exterior lighting shall be designed to minimize impact on neighboring properties. Fixtures illuminating building facades shall be shielded and directed toward the building.
5. Air conditioning and ventilation units, storage areas, exposed machinery installation, service areas, truck loading areas, utility buildings and similar structures shall be designed and screened or located to provide an audio-visual buffer sufficient to minimize adverse impact on other land uses within the development area and surrounding properties.
6. The location and design of all development on a lot shall permit easy and safe access of fire, police, and other emergency vehicles.
7. The layout and design of vehicular, bicycle, and pedestrian circulation, including walkways, interior drives, and parking areas, shall provide for (1) safe general circulation, (2) separation of pedestrian and vehicular traffic, (3) service traffic and loading areas, and (4) safe arrangement and use of parking areas.
8. The design of the landscaping, including plantings, shall define, soften, and/or screen the appearance of parking areas from public rights-of-way and abutting properties, and minimize the encroachment of proposed uses on neighboring land uses. Existing trees and vegetation shall be preserved to the maximum extent reasonably possible.
9. Scenic views and historically significant landscape features, such as stone walls, picket fences and large trees shall be preserved to the maximum extent reasonably possible.
E. Parking and traffic circulation.
1. Parking lots on adjoining commercial lots developed at the same time shall be connected internally to each other to allow for channeled-through traffic between the lots and reduce the need for multiple curb cuts.
2. Parking lots shall be protected with suitable guards, rails, islands, crosswalks, speed bumps, and similar devices deemed necessary for safety by the planning board.
3. Shared parking. Development projects containing mixed uses with staggered peak periods of demand, shall share parking areas. The availability of shared parking on the same lot and/or on-street parking may support a recommendation for a variance from parking requirements. Parking requirements may be satisfied by agreement for shared parking with uses on adjacent lots by obtaining a variance from the zoning board of review conditioned upon continuance of the shared-parking agreement.
4. Parking lots containing ten (10) or more spaces shall be planted with at least one (1) tree or shrub for every five (5) spaces. Trees and shrubs shall be evenly distributed on the periphery of lots or within the lot. To the extent practicable, existing vegetation shall be retained and used.