§ 6.6.1. General intent for all buildings.

All new primary structures in the Standard Zoning Districts, New Communities Subdistricts, Clear Creek Subdistricts, Olde Town Zoning Subdistricts, and PUD Districts should strive to meet the following goals, unless more specific goals for a particular area or type of building are stated elsewhere, and those more specific goals are inconsistent with the general intent statements below. In the Olde Town Zoning District, these standards may be modified through the design review process based on the standards in § 6.2.5, Olde Town Building Form Standards, and the Design Guidelines for Olde Town Arvada.

A.

Visual Interest and Compatibility. New buildings should create visual interest in ways that are compatible with the architectural character of the surrounding area, through the use of similar elements such as rooflines, materials, colors, window design, building articulation, and other architectural details. This standard shall apply to new buildings that are part of an existing activity center or other unified, planned development, including all development in a PUD zoning district.

B.

Texture and Relief. All buildings should create texture and relief in facades, should avoid large, flat, unbroken, wall planes, and should take advantage of the sun to bring out changes in plane, material, and detail through light and shadow.

C.

Human Scale Detailing. Facades of buildings that face the street should incorporate human scale detailing through the use of reveals, belt courses, cornices, expression of structural or architectural bays, recessed windows or doors, material or material module changes, color and/or texture differences, or strongly expressed mullions.

D.

Public Entries. Primary public entries of buildings should be emphasized through the use of differing colors or materials, arches, arcades, or other architectural treatments. Building entrances used by residents, employees, or the public shall be visible from an adjacent street, where possible.

E.

Materials. All primary buildings should use materials that are durable, economically maintained, and of a quality that will retain their appearance over time.

F.

Colors. Large areas of wall should be subdued in color and not reflective. Bright colors should be used sparingly and limited to accenting a building, and should not be used to act as signs or create "sign buildings" Monotonous color palettes are strongly discouraged.

G.

Mechanical Equipment. For all primary structures except single family residences, rooftop, wall-mounted, and ground-mounted mechanical equipment and appurtenances shall be screened so that they are not visible when viewed from public streets or the ground level of adjacent properties.

( Ord. No. 4373, § 5(Exh. A), 2-4-13 )