10-12-05 Meeting of the Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone Number One minutes

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Staff Report April 20, 2006 Architectural & Building Standards Facade Ordinance DISCUSSION PAPER Back!!round: City Council has directed the staff and the Planning and Zoning Commission to consider adding architectural and building standards (facade ordinance) to Chapter 106 of the Code of Ordinances. The purpose is to enhance the overall impression of the City, to have quality developments along major thoroughfares, and eventually attract new sustainable businesses to La Porte. Recent developments have generated preliminary discussion on possible controls on architectural standards or fayade on buildings fronting the major corridors or thoroughfares throughout the City. These discussions centered on the Main Street District as a way to facilitate interest in redevelopment of the Downtown area. Issues arose over the proliferation of metal buildings along the City's major access ways, which may detract from upscale development and negatively impact prospective developments. Staff analyzed the situation thoroughly and presents this item to the Planning and Zoning Commission for discussion and further guidance to Staff for possible changes to the Code of Ordinances relating to architectural and building standards in La Porte. Existin!! Reauirements: Current ordinances allow some controls to be included with Special Conditional Use Permits (SCUP) associated with uses listed as "conditional" within certain zoning districts and for construction within Planned Unit Developments (PUD), which normally follow some form of developer's agreement. No such control, however, is associated with construction of a development whose use is "permitted" within a certain zoning district. The building must meet building codes, but the City cannot enforce architectural and building standards or fayade material. Analvsis: Several cities in the area have approached this issue by adopting fayade ordinances, which define standards to be used on new construction fronting major thoroughfares. Typically, these ordinances mandate the use of a combination of brick, masonry and glass to a certain percentage to achieve the desired effect.