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A. Purpose.

1. To encourage the use of durable, high-quality, and urban building materials that minimize maintenance cost and provide visual interest from all observable vantage points.

2. To promote the use of a distinctive mix of materials that helps to articulate facades and lends a sense of depth and richness to the buildings.

3. To place the highest priority on the first floor in the quality and detailing of materials at the pedestrian scale.

B. Quality Building Materials. Applicants must use high-quality durable materials. This is most important for the base of buildings, particularly for commercial and mixed-use buildings where the facade is sited close to sidewalks. Stone, brick or tile masonry, architectural concrete or other similar highly durable materials must be used for at least the bottom two feet of the first-floor facade on nonresidential and mixed-use buildings (excluding window and door areas).

C. Special Conditions and Limitations for the Use of Certain Cladding Materials.

1. Concrete block (a.k.a. concrete masonry unit or CMU) may be used as a secondary cladding material on all street-facing building elevations if it is incorporated with other permitted materials.

DEPARTURES will be considered for alternative designs that use concrete block as the primary, but not the only, cladding material, provided the design incorporates a combination of textures and/or colors to add visual interest. For example, combining split or rock-facade units with smooth blocks can create distinctive patterns. The figures below illustrate acceptable concrete block use/designs.

Figure 19.63.060(C)(1)

Acceptable concrete block use/design.

CMU is the primary cladding for the corner element above, but secondary to brick on the main facades. The corner element uses a combination of decorative split-faced CMU closer to the sidewalk and smooth-faced CMU that is colored to look more like traditional white terra cotta tiles.

The above facade illustrates an acceptable alternative example, as CMU is used as the primary cladding material. Note the use of split-facade CMUs above each of the awnings and coupled with the use of smooth-facade CMUs on the vertical columns (which employ black accent tiles for added interest).

2. Metal siding may be used on all street-facing building elevations, provided it complies with the following standards:

a. It must feature visible corner molding and trim and does not extend to the ground level of nonresidential and mixed-use buildings and no lower than two feet above grade for residential buildings. Masonry, concrete, or other durable material must be incorporated between the metal siding and the ground plane.

b. Metal siding must be factory finished, with a matte, nonreflective surface.

c. Within the C and CBD zones, metal may only be used as a secondary cladding material if it is incorporated with other permitted materials.

DEPARTURES will be considered, provided the material’s integration and overall facade composition meet the purpose of the standards.

Figure 19.63.060(C)(2)

Acceptable metal siding examples.

The use of metal siding in each example above is secondary to masonry. The left and right images are more contemporary in character, whereas the middle image is more rustic and industrial, with more refined windows.

3. Standards for the Use of Exterior Insulation and Finish System (EIFS). Such material/finishes may be used when it complies with the following:

a. EIFS is limited to no more than 20 percent of the total facade area and may not be the primary cladding material on nonresidential and mixed-use buildings in the CBD, C, MMU, and CM zones.

b. EIFS must feature a smooth or sand finish only.

c. EIFS must be trimmed in wood, masonry, or other material and must be sheltered from weather by roof overhangs or other methods.

d. EIFS must not be used on the ground floor of the following building elevations:

i. Ground level facades containing nonresidential uses in the CBD, C, MMU, and CM zones.

ii. Other ground level building elevations containing nonresidential uses in the CBD, C, MMU, and CM zones when facing parks or containing primary building entrances.

Concrete, masonry, or other highly durable material(s) must be used for the subject ground level building elevations to provide a durable surface where damage is most likely.

DEPARTURES will be considered, provided the material’s integration and overall facade composition meet the purpose of the standards.

Figure 19.63.060(C)(3)

Acceptable and unacceptable EIFS examples.

Left image: Note the use of brick and decorative concrete block on the ground level and EIFS on the second floor. The window treatments visible on the second floor add depth and interest to the facade. Right image: EIFS is between the window and sidewalk—this design is prohibited.

4. Cementitious wall board paneling/siding may be used, provided it meets the following provisions:

a. Cement board paneling/siding may not be used on ground level facades containing nonresidential uses.

b. Where cement board paneling/siding is the dominant siding material, the design must integrate a mix of colors and/or textures that are articulated consistent with windows, balconies, and modulated building surfaces and are balanced with facade details that add visual interest from the ground level and adjacent buildings.

DEPARTURES will be considered, provided the material’s integration and overall facade composition meet the purpose of the standards.

Figure 19.63.060(C)(4)

Acceptable and unacceptable cementitious wall board examples.

The above building uses cementitious wallboard in different textures and colors to help articulate the facade. The white color replicates the board and batten style in the left image and green color in the right image effectively replicates horizontal wood siding.

The wallboard board panels covering a large area in a single color would not meet the purpose of the standards. The right image is a better example and combines larger panels (dark maroon color) with horizontal wallboard board siding (beige color) as effective articulation features. Below is a similar acceptable example.

Another acceptable wallboard example replicating board and batten style with horizontal siding integrated with different colors and roofline modulation.

(Ord. 3040 § 2 (Att. A), 2019)