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A.
ALL PARKING AND ACCESS
Locate parking areas, loading and vehicular circulation to minimize its visibility.
1.
2.
Parking areas should be integrated into the project it serves. Public parking may
be either a freestanding structure, shared parking or integrated into a project, provided
it is clearly signed as public parking.
3.
Except for the minimum ground-level frontage required to access parking and loading
areas, no parking or loading should be visible on the ground floor of any building
façade that faces a street as seen in Figure 4.1.
4.
Drive-through aisles for fast food or similar should be placed to the rear of the
building.
5.
On-street parking lanes may be converted to travel lanes during rush hour.
6.
Provide on-street parking for visitors and customers.
Locate drop-off zones along the curb or within parking facilities to promote sidewalk
and street wall continuity and reduce conflicts with pedestrians.
7.
Drop-offs, including residential, hotel and restaurant drop-offs, should be provided
either 1) within the off street parking facilities using the parking access or 2)
along the required curb line where there is a full-time curbside parking lane with
no sidewalk narrowing. Exception: where there is no curbside parking lane and off
street drop-off is not feasible, a hotel may have a drop-off lane provided the required
sidewalk width of 48 inches is maintained as shown in Figure 4.4.
Encourage the use of alternate modes of transportation by providing incentives for
reduced automobile use.
8.
Provide secure bicycle parking space for residential, commercial and institutional
building occupants.
Limit the number and width of curb cuts and vehicular entries to promote street wall
continuity and reduce conflicts with pedestrians. See Figure 4.4.
9.
10.
11.
12.
Parking and loading access should be shared with adjacent properties where feasible.
B. STAND-ALONE PARKING STRUCTURES
Architectural Treatment
Parking structures may exhibit the same principles as great building design noted
in previous sections. Providing an exterior screen comprised of high quality materials
that screen the underlying concrete structure can elevate the building's stature and
contribute to the overall quality of Downtown's built environment.
1.
2.
Vertical pedestrian circulation cores (elevator and stairs) should be located on the
primary pedestrian corners and be highlighted architecturally so visitors can easily
find and access these entry points, in order to eliminate pedestrians using the vehicular
ramps.
3.
Parking structures should integrate sustainable design features such as photovoltaic
panels (especially on the top parking deck), renewable materials with proven longevity,
landscaping and storm water treatment wherever possible.
4.
Treat the ground floor along active pedestrian oriented public streets as specified
in Chapter 3: to provide active ground floor uses along the street frontage of the
garage; on all other streets the ground floor treatment should provide a low screening
element that blocks views of parked vehicle bumpers and headlights from pedestrians
using the adjacent sidewalk. Additional treatments such as "live" green walls similar
to a Chia Pet provides for a more aesthetic and pleasing façade.
5.
Signage and way finding should be integrated with the architecture of the parking
structure as seen in Figure 4.7.
6.
Integrate the design of public art and lighting with the architecture of the structure
to reinforce its unique identity. This is especially important for public parking
structures to aid in visitors finding them upon arrival and getting oriented to downtown
Figure 4.8.
7.
Interior garage lighting should not produce glaring sources towards adjacent residential
units while providing safe and adequate lighting levels per code.
Landscape Treatment
8.
In most circumstances, the streetscape elements and landscaping should complement
the building design. If a parking structure is well-designed, it does not need to
be fully screened by dense landscaping in an urban setting.
9.
Alternatively, an additional row of evergreen columnar trees may be provided in a
minimum eight (8) foot wide setback and staggered with the street trees. In combination,
the setback and street trees should screen the parking structure from view.
C. ALLEYS AND BUILDING WALLS FACING ALLEYS
Maintain and enhance alleys.
1.
2.
As a general rule, Downtown alleys should not be gated as they provide pedestrians
with route alternatives.
Use alleys primarily for parking structure vehicular access, loading and service
.
3.
The primary purpose of most Downtown alleys is vehicular access and loading.
4.
Access to parking should be from an alley where one exists or can be provided.
5.
Where there is no alley and the project includes frontage on a street, parking access
should be located mid-block or as far from a street intersection as possible.
6.
Where lots abut pre-existing alleys, alleys should be used to provide vehicular access
to the side or rear of property, including parking, utilities, solid waste disposal,
and/or emergency access.
7.
Alleys should have adequate lighting to ensure a safe pedestrian friendly passage.
Provide access to utilities and mechanical equipment from alleys
.
8.
Electrical transformers should be located to be accessed from an alley where one exists
or can be provided. If located adjacent to a sidewalk, they should be screened and
incorporated into the building.
Design building walls that face alleys to be attractive to those who see them.
9.
While they can be more simply designed than street-facing façades, interior building
walls that face alleys nonetheless should be visually attractive.
10.
Parking levels may be visible but should be designed to alleviate the horizontality
and lack of articulation and to screen lighting from the public rights-of-way and
surrounding residential units, as described in the prior discussion of free-standing
parking structures.
Incorporate green elements in alleys.
11.
Subject to approval by Transportation and Capital Improvements, install permeable
paving to infiltrate storm water and eliminate standing water.
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