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HomeMy WebLinkAboutOrd 1025 Approving Architectural Standards Solana HillsChapter 1: Architectural Standards – Solana Hills 1.1 OVERALL INTENT 1.1 General: The Architectural Standards for Solana Hills are intended to produce a visual identity for the community that emerges from the topography, the history, and the building practices of the Town of Westlake. These Architectural Standards specify the materials and the configurations permitted for all building walls, all roofs, all openings, and other building elements, in order to produce visual compatibility and promote a unique identity for the community. These Architectural Standards shall take precedence in case there is a conflict with any code, regulation, or standard for architecture and landscape architecture existing in the Town of Westlake, Texas Code of Ordinances. The Town Planner shall have administrative authority to resolve any conflicts in the codes, regulations, and standards to promote the shared objectives and goals for Solana Hills. Exceptions to these Architectural Standards shall require review and a recommendation from the Development Architect and approval from the Town Planner. Variances to any provisions for building use, building setbacks, building height, and other related land development regulations shall be processed in accordance with the applicable regulations and rules existing in the Town of Westlake, Texas Code of Ordinances. For the purposes of interpreting these Architectural Standards, the Development Architect shall mean “a person that is licensed as a professional architect and that is an employee or a representative of the developer, the homeowners’ association, or either of their successor assigns.” 1.2 Architectural Style: A single architectural style is not required for any construction, but the architectural style for all construction and all renovations shall be consistent throughout the project. All materials and their details and applications shall be consistent on all sides (e.g., the front façade, the side façade, and the rear façades). No floorplan or front façade shall be repeated in the Solana Hills development for any detached single-family residence, except that townhouses may have repeated floorplans. The front façade of townhouses shall be architecturally distinguished from adjacent units by changes in exterior finish material, exterior color, roof planes, et cetera to the satisfaction of the Town Planner. 2.FRONT FAÇADES 2.1 General: The front façade is the building façade facing the street and where the principal entrance (i.e., the main point of access for pedestrians into the home) is provided. A minimum of 15 percent and a maximum of 40 percent of the total building wall area of the front façade shall contain openings for doors and windows. 3.ROOFS 3.1 Roof Materials: All roofs shall be clad in clay tile, concrete tile, slate, or terra cotta tile. Metal may only be used as a roofing material provided that it complements an architectural style to the satisfaction of the Town Planner and the Development Architect. Synthetic roof materials shall only be permitted subject to review and approval by the Town Planner. 3.2 Massing: Roof massing shall be symmetrical or asymmetrically balanced. Roofs are generally required to be simple in form and appear logical to construct. Their design should relate logically to the design of the floorplan. Changes or articulation in roof planes must correspond to exterior architectural features of the house (e.g., porches, covered entries, balconies, bay windows). 3.3 Roof Forms: Roofs shall be symmetrically pitched with a minimum angle of 8:12, except that dormers and sheds may be pitched with an angle between 2:12 and 5:12. Low-slope (i.e., flat) roofs may only be permitted for townhouses. All flat roofs shall be surrounded on all sides by a horizontal parapet wall no less than 42 inches high where the roof deck meets the parapet wall. 3.4 Overhangs and Protrusions: Roof overhangs shall be a minimum of 18 inches and shall be consistent in depth across the primary mass of the roof. Secondary roof overhangs or protrusions shall correspond to architectural features of the façade and shall have consistent horizontal and vertical alignment to create a balanced order and rhythm to the roof massing to the satisfaction of the Town Planner. 3.5 Roof Penetrations: Roof penetrations such as flues, vents, pipes, skylights and chimneys shall not be visible from the street, the front façade or primary elevation, unless a chimney is provided. All roof penetrations shall be painted to match the roof if not enclosed in a concealing structure. 3.6 Roof Details: Roof details including, but not limited to, dormers, gables, and balcony overhangs shall be in keeping with the architectural style of the home and shall have consistent horizontal and vertical alignment to create a balanced rhythm across the home to the satisfaction of the Town Planner. Dormers shall be functional (i.e., habitable) to allow actual window openings and head heights for upper-level spaces. 4.GARAGES 4.1 Materiality: Garage doors shall be clad with wood or wood with glass panels. Metal-framed garage doors with glass panels shall only be permitted subject to review and approval by the Town Planner. Vinyl or metal panel garage doors shall be expressly prohibited. 4.2 Massing and Orientation: Garages shall be oriented to the side or to the rear of the lot where possible. Garage doors oriented to the front of the lot are only allowed in a motor vehicle forecourt or porte-cochere setting. 4.3 Garage Doors: Garage doors shall not exceed 12 feet in width and shall be inset a minimum of eight inches from the plane of the adjacent building wall. 4.4 Sloped Sites: Where a house is proposed to built on a sloped site, the garage may be constructed below or partially below grade to minimize visual impact of blank façades. ORDINANCE 1025 EXHIBIT A SOLANA HILLS RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT ARCHITECTURAL STANDARDS Chapter 1: Architectural Standards – Solana Hills 5. FENESTRATION – DOORS AND WINDOWS 5.1 General: Windows and doors shall be designed in scales and patterns that are complementary to the form of the home and expressive of the internal organization of the home. Window and door styles shall be consistent with the overall architectural style of the home to the satisfaction of the Town Planner. 5.2 Composition: Fenestration shall be arranged with consistent horizontal and vertical alignment. All façades shall have sufficient fenestration to create visual interest and to prevent the appearance of blank building wall areas. 5.3 Main Entrance: The principal entrance shall be clearly defined and easily identifiable from the street or the open space. Front doors shall be of a substantial scale and design, reflecting the architectural style of the home. Side light and transom windows may be provided to enhance the visual impact of the principal entrance and to provide natural light. Recessed or covered entryways may be provided to protect from the sun, the rain, and other climate conditions as well as to provide a sense of depth. 5.4 Door Materials: All exterior doors shall be made of wood, metal-clad, steel, aluminum, or fiberglass clad. Doors made of wood shall either be sealed and stained or shall be painted. Synthetic materials shall be expressly prohibited. Trim shall be consistent in material, color, and proportion on all sides of the home. 5.5 Door Dimensionality: Doors that are set in façades with exterior finish materials of stone, brick, or stucco shall be recessed a minimum of 12 inches in depth to present a visual thickness to the adjacent wall. All doors shall have a minimum height of eight feet. 5.6 Window Materials: Windows shall be wood, vinyl-clad wood, metal-clad, steel, aluminum, or fiberglass clad. Metallic finishes such as clear- anodized aluminum are not permitted. Glass may be coated or lightly tinted to control heat gain but reflective, mirrored, colored, or etched glass surfaces are prohibited. 5.7 Unique Door and Window Geometry: All openings for doors and windows shall be vertical in proportion and rectangular in shape, with the exception of transom windows and sidelights. Only one arched or circular window shall be permitted on each façade. 5.8 Window Dimensionality: Windows that are set in façades with exterior finish materials of stone, brick, or stucco walls must be recessed a minimum of six inches in depth to present a visual thickness to the adjacent wall. 6. EXTERIOR FINISH MATERIALS AND DETAILS 6.1 General: No more than two exterior finish materials shall be present on any façade, excluding bay windows, balconies, shutters, trim, and other similar architectural details and features. 6.2 Materials: A minimum of 85 percent of the total building wall area, excluding openings for doors and windows, shall be exterior finishes of brick, stone, or stucco (three-coat), with each façade being calculated independently. Wood, metal, or cementitious fiber board may only be used as accent exterior finish materials, excluding openings for doors and windows, and shall be limited to a maximum of 15 percent of the total building wall area, with each façade being calculated independently. All retaining walls, screening walls, and other similar building walls shall be constructed of brick or stone (or brick or stone veneer). Cementitious fiber board is restricted to use on townhome façades only. Cementitious fiber board shall not be used on any detached single-family façade. No other exterior finish materials, including synthetic materials, shall be permitted on any façade or wall of any residential unit, outbuilding, or other accessory structure. 6.3 Material Changes: The heavier of the exterior finish materials on a single façade shall be located below the lighter material (e.g., stone located below brick; brick located below stucco; and stucco located below metal and wood). Transition in the exterior finish materials shall only run horizontally across the entire length of the building façade, except that building attachments and projections may differ in material from the building volume, with the attachment or the projection being of a lighter material, except for chimneys, where the projection may be of a heavier material (e.g., brick, stone, and / or stucco). 6.4 Foundations: Foundation walls that are above grade by more than six inches shall only be clad with stone or brick. Faux stone and faux brick shall be expressly prohibited. Foundation vents or access points shall be concealed or made to be an appropriate decorative detail. Plastic or galvanized metal vents or covers shall be expressly prohibited. 6.5 Brick and Stone Cladding: All brick exterior finish material shall be fired-clay and shall be of integral color and unpainted. All stone exterior finish material shall be native to the region and shall be of integral color and unpainted. All painted brick and stone exterior finish materials shall be subject to review and approval by the Town Planner. All stucco exterior finish materials shall be masonry and may be of integral color or painted. All brick and stone exterior finish materials shall be laid in load-bearing configurations. Wainscotting shall be expressly prohibited. 7. GUTTERS, DOWNSPOUTS, TRIM, ORNAMENTATION 7.1 Gutters and Downspouts: Gutters and downspouts shall be integrated into the overall form of the house and must be in keeping with the architectural style. Downspouts shall occur at building corners unless the locations are part of a deliberate design intent. Gutters and downspouts shall match the color and materiality of other trim and decorative elements and shall be consistent across the architectural composition to the satisfaction of the Town Planner. Plastic or other non-metal gutters and downspouts shall be expressly prohibited. Chapter 1: Architectural Standards – Solana Hills 7.2 Trim and Ornamentation: Trim elements and architectural ornamentation shall be provided in way that enhances the visual interest of the home, and be compatible with the overall architectural style. Details shall be applied consistently across all façades. Trim and ornamentation details shall be limited to exposed timber or steel beams and trusses; corbels, brackets and kickers; exposed rafter tails; lintels or headers over openings in masonry walls; architectural attic vents; highly crafted closure details; and other similar details subject to review and recommendation by the Development Architect and approval by the Town Planner. 8. PORCHES, BALCONIES, OUTDOOR SPACES 8.1 General Intent: Porches, balconies and other forms of private outdoor spaces must be in keeping with the architectural style of the home and contribute to a well-balanced and proportional façade. 8.2 Materials and Composition: Porch floors shall be made of brick, stone, or wood; and balcony floors shall be made of wood. Lattice screening shall not be permitted. Structural elements must be designed to appear appropriately massive to meet a structurally logical design; balconies shall provide visual support (i.e., metal or wood brackets) Chapter 2: Site and Landscape Design 1. DRIVEWAYS 1.1 Materiality: Appropriate paving materials for driveways and vehicular forecourts include: colored, stamped, exposed aggregate, broom finish and/or patterned concrete; pre -cast concrete pavers that blend with the natural environment or complement adjacent paving types; native stone; decomposed granite or decorative gravel with a concrete apron; turf block. The following materials shall be expressly prohibited: untextured uncolored concrete; asphalt (unless banded or bordered with concrete); white angular gravel; faux stone. 1.2 Size and Compositions: Driveways shall not exceed 12 feet in width. Parking and turn- around areas must be screened from off-site views by plantings or landscape elements. A maximum of one driveway entry / cut is permitted for each home. 2. GRADING 2.1 General Guidelines: Where feasible, building foundations and main floors are to step with the existing topography to create split floor levels rather than one flat building pad. All cuts, fills, and retaining walls shall be designed to provide smooth transitions at the top and bottom of slopes that appear as extensions of the natural landform, protecting as many existing trees as possible. Natural appearing slopes are to be used instead of structures wherever feasible. Cut and fill slopes are to be re-vegetated with plantings compatible with the surrounding environment. Elevation changes are preferred to be accomplished with the home’s foundation in lieu of retaining walls, but due to significant grade changes inherent to the site, both techniques may be used in combination. 3. RETAINING WALLS 3.1 Materials: All retaining walls shall be constructed of brick or stone (or brick or stone veneer) and shall not exceed four feet in height. 4. SCREENING WALLS, FENCES, GATES 4.1 Wall Materials: Screening walls located in front yards or side yards abutting a street shall not exceed four feet in height; and screening walls located in side yards that do not abut a street or in the rear yard shall not exceed eight feet in height. All screening walls shall be constructed of brick or stone (or brick or stone veneer). 4.2 Fences: Fences shall not be allowed, unless otherwise approved by the Town Planner. All fences shall be decorative in nature and match the architectural style of the home to the satisfaction of the Town Planner. Fences shall have a maximum horizontal top rail height of six height brick or stone columns are allowed as part of a fence. No fence shall be placed in the front yard. 4.3 Gates: Gates shall be designed to be architecturally cohesive with the wall or fence on which they are placed, as well as the overall architecture of the home. Gates shall be made of decorative steel, iron or ferrous wrought iron, or wood. Gates made of wood must be stained and sealed. 5. WATER FEATURES, SPAS, POOLS 5.1 General Intent: Pools, spas, and plunge pools shall be located in the side yards and rear yards to minimize visibility from the street and/or adjacent lots. These elements should augment outdoor spaces and be in keeping with the architectural style of the house. Pools, spas, and similar water features shall be visually connected to the home and designed to be an integral part of the house’s exterior design. Water features such as small ponds, waterfalls and streams shall appear natural and not contrived to the satisfaction of the Development Architect. They shall be made of materials that appear indigenous to the site and be landscaped in such a way that they appear to have occurred naturally. 5.2 Pools and Spas: Swimming pools may not be located in the front or side yard unless enclosed in a courtyard. Pool safety measures must be taken in accordance with local government regulations. Pool and spa covers are to be dark and muted in color to recede from view. Pools and spas are to be set down into the ground, or within terraces or decks. Above grade pools or spas are not permitted. Equipment enclosures are to appear as extensions of the home and/or located below grade. 6. PLANTING DESIGN 6.1 General Guidelines: Each lot shall be landscaped, at a minimum, with two hardwood shade trees, or four per corner lot as set forth in the Town of Westlake Code of Ordinances. Ten five-gallon shrubs are required per lot. Manicured or groomed yards and non-native plantings are to be restricted to spaces confined by buildings, walls, native plantings, or other well-defined edges so as to be minimally visible from the street. Plant materials are to use a mix of sizes and be spaced in natural, informal patterns. All trees and plant materials shall be selected from those listed in the Town of Westlake, Texas Code of Ordinances. 7. EXTERIOR LIGHTING 7.1 General Requirements: All exterior light fixtures, either attached to the home or installed elsewhere on the site must be limited in their impact in order to preserve the night time dark sky by minimizing the visibility of the lamp or light source. Fixtures shall be low intensity with indirect light sources to the extent required for safety and subtle accenting. All exterior light fixtures shall be shielded such that no direct light is allowed to exit the light fixture horizontally. Light from one property shall not be allowed to spill onto an adjacent property, including security lighting and motion- activated lighting. Exterior lighting shall comply with the regulations and the rules existing in the Dark Sky Ordinance as adopted by the Town of Westlake. Pole-mounted lights shall not be more than eight feet tall and shall be subject to approval by the Town Planner. Up-lighting shall be expressly prohibited.