Town Center Urban Design Overlay District Design Guidelines
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Introduction The Purpose of Design Guidelines The Rockville Town Center Master Plan, which was approved and adopted on October 22, 2001 by the City of Rockville, Maryland, recommends the creation of Design Guidelines for use in an Urban Design Overlay District (see below). The boundary of this district corresponds with the desired urban areas within the Town Center Planning Area, and although this document will address specific components of the shaded area in the center of this district, the following guidelines will be applied as a framework to all subsequent phases within the Urban Design Overlay District. Additional design guidelines will be created to address each new phase as it develops. The following Urban Design Guidelines are intended to provide guidance for developers and designers as they begin to plan and design the Rockville Town Center. The guidelines are not intended to be requirements, but principles that should be studied and followed. Exceptions to the guidelines will be considered if the design as proposed meets or exceeds the intent of the guidelines, and the purpose of the Town Center Master Plan. The guidelines shall apply to both public and private development within the Urban Design Overlay District. Master Plan Goal Create a daytime, evening, and weekend activity center that is easily identifiable, pedestrian-oriented, and incorporates a mix of uses and activities. Introduction Rockville Town Center Section 1.0 Table of Contents Introduction Section 1.0 The Purpose of Design Guidelines Table of Contents Section 2.0 - Section 1.0 - Section 8.0 Section 2.1 - Section 9.0 - Section 14.0 Section 2.2 District Guidelines Section 3.0 Rockville’s Guidelines - District Guidelines Section 3.1 - Solution 1 Section 3.2 - Solution 2 & 3 Section 3.3 - Solution 4 Section 3.4 - Solution 5 Section 3.5 - Solution 6 Section 3.6 - Solution 7 Section 3.7 Concept Plan Section 4.0 The Program - Ground Floor Plan Section 4.1 - Upper Level Plan Section 4.2 - Program Summary Section 4.3 Key Urban Elements Section 5.0 Critical Elements of a Great Place - Key Urban Elements Section 5.1 - Primary Elevations Section 5.2 - Secondary Elevations Section 5.3 - Significant Corners Section 5.4 - Secondary Gateways Section 5.5 - Vias/Connections Section 5.6 Key Elements By Block Section 6.0 Rockville “Block” Design - Block Matrix Section 6.1 - Block 1 Section 6.2 - Block 2 Section 6.3 - Block 3A Section 6.4 - Block 3B Section 6.5 - Block 4 Section 6.6 - Block 5 Section 6.7 Key Streets Section 7.0 Rockville Street Design - Maryland Avenue Section 7.1 - Market Street Section 7.2 - N. Washington Street Section 7.3 - Beall Avenue & Middle Lane Section 7.4 Parking Guidelines Section 8.0 - Structured Parking Section 8.1 Table of Contents Rockville Town Center Section 2.1 Table of Contents Architectural Vocabulary Section 9.0 Defining the Rockville Style - Base Layer Section 9.1 - Color Layer Section 9.2 - Architectural Detail Layer Section 9.3 - Storefront Layer Section 9.4 - Sidewalk Layer Section 9.5 - Landscape Layer Section 9.6 - Maryland Avenue Section 9.7 - Market Street Section 9.8 The Town Plaza Section 10.0 Rockville’s Centerpiece - Plaza Layout Section 10.1 - Plaza Edges Section 10.2 - Plaza Design Section 10.3 The Library Section 11.0 - Library Guidelines Section 11.1 Storefront Guidelines Section 12.0 The “Face” of the Street - Storefront Guidelines Section 12.1 - Storefront Character Section 12.2 - Storefront Entries & Doors Section 12.3 - Storefront Materials Section 12.4 - Storefront Lighting Section 12.5 - Storefront Awnings Section 12.6 - Storefront & District Signage Section 12.7 Streetscape Elements Section 13.0 Furnishing the Street - Streetscape Elements Section 13.1 - Street Paving Section 13.2 - Sidewalks Section 13.3 - Curbs & Curb Ramps Section 13.4 - Street Lighting Section 13.5 - Special Effect Lighting Section 13.6 - Seating & Benches Section 13.7 - Fountains Section 13.8 - Public Art Section 13.9 - Kiosks Section 13.10 - Tree Grates & Planting Pots/Planters Section 13.11 - Trash Receptacles Section 13.12 - Bicycle Racks & Bollards Section 13.13 - Utility Accessories & Newspaper Racks Section 13.14 Site Criteria (City of Rockville) Section 14.0 - Site Layout Section 14.1 - Building Scale & Massing Section 14.2 - Fenestration Section 14.3 - Architectural Detailing Section 14.4 - Parking Design & Signage Section 14.5 Table of Contents Rockville Town Center Section 2.2 District Guidelines Urban Design District Guidelines (from the Rockville Town Center Master Plan; approved and adopted on October 22, 2001) 1. Celebrate Maryland Avenue as the Town 4. Encourage high quality materials in all Center centerpiece through the use of aspects of site and building development. outstanding and creative design solutions. 5. Incorporate open space (landscaping and/ 2. Celebrate Washington Street as a high or plazas) into private building plans. quality, mixed-use street that serves as an appropriate transition to the residential 6. Create streetscapes and public spaces neighborhoods. that feel comfortable to pedestrians. 3. Bring buildings up to the street edge and 7. Utilize traditional storefront design reinforce a sense of urban enclosure by techniques wherever possible; maximize placing parking behind buildings. opportunities for street activity by incorporating open and inviting ground floors. SOLUTION 3. Form a limited network of continuous streets “edged” by SOLUTION mixed-use entities with parking SOLUTION oppurtunities situated behind. 1. Create a tree-lined street with wide 2. Support a full-service grocery sidewalks that clearly connect Beall store that services the needs of Avenue and East Middle Lane. the residential community. SOLUTION 6. Develop streetscape dimensions and materials that allow for a comfortable relationship between pedestrians and vehicles. SOLUTION 4. Prepare a “catalog” of acceptable elements and materials for use in defining architectural and streetscape items. SOLUTION 7. Encourage street level retailers to express their identities in ways SOLUTION that appeal to both pedestrians Create a central landmark “Plaza” and vehicles. 5. that addresses the needs of a successful public space. District Guidelines Rockville Town Center Section 3.1 District Guidelines 1. Celebrate Maryland Avenue as the Town Center centerpiece through the use of outstanding and creative design solutions. SOLUTION: Create a tree-lined street delineated by distinctive paving that clearly connects Beall Avenue and East Middle Lane (north to south), but more importantly, creates an added connection to the new Town Plaza and plentiful, convenient parking (east to west). Maryland Avenue Solution 1 Rockville Town Center Section 3.2 District Guidelines 2. Celebrate North Washington Street as a high quality, mixed-use street that serves as an appropriate transition to the residential neighborhoods. SOLUTION: Provide a full-service grocery store that services the needs of the residents in and around the Town Center, and incorporate new residential opportunities above the street level retail. 3. Locate buildings at or on the street edge and reinforce a sense of urban enclosure by placing parking behind buildings. SOLUTION: Form a limited network of continuous streets edged by mixed-use buildings including retail and residential buildings with parking opportunities situated in the centers of these blocks. This will also fulfill the usually problematic need for centralized parking opportunities. In the case of the new Town Plaza, a similar mixed-use approach including the location of the new regional Library, helps to create a vital urban core. 2. 3. North Washington Street Solution 2 & 3 Rockville Town Center Section 3.3 District Guidelines 4. Encourage high quality materials in all aspects of site and building development. SOLUTION: Prepare a “catalog” of acceptable elements and materials that address general issues such as building and storefront treatments, as well as specific issues including recommenda- tions for seating and benches, street lighting, kiosks and carts, paving materials, planters and planting pots, bollards and more. NOTE: The “catalog” is included in this document in Section 13.0 Streetscape Elements and addresses the elements listed above. Solution 4 Rockville Town Center Section 3.4 District Guidelines 5. Incorporate open space (landscaping and/or plazas) into private building plans. SOLUTION: Create a central landmark “Plaza” that provides for the needs of a successful public space and allows for flexibility in function for the changing needs of the community. By incorporating strong, clear connections to the Plaza and other urban anchors in the development, the Plaza will become the core of Rockville Town Center. Library Solution 5 Rockville Town Center Section 3.5 District Guidelines 6. Create streetscapes and public spaces that feel comfortable to pedestrians. SOLUTION: Develop and specify streetscape dimensions and materials that allow for a comfortable relationship between pedestrian and vehicular traffic.The focus will be on the “pedestrian zone” on both sides of the street. Ample circulation area is provided for flexible arrangements including outdoor seating and other desirable site furnishings. Flexible Parking Pedestrian Zone Pedestrian Zone Market Street Section Solution 6 Rockville Town Center Section 3.6 District Guidelines 7. Utilize traditional storefront design techniques wherever possible; maximize opportunities for street activity by incorporating open and inviting ground floors. SOLUTION: