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