§ 35-672. Neighborhood Wide Design Standards.

STATEMENT OF PURPOSE

This section focuses on the urban design concepts that connect individual properties and help knit them together into the fabric of the community. These concepts include the basic arrangement of streets and lots, view corridors and circulation patterns. The standards apply to all development in the seven (7) river improvement overlay districts.

(a)

Pedestrian circulation. Pedestrian access shall be provided among properties to integrate neighborhoods.

(1)

Provide sidewalks that link with existing sidewalks on adjoining properties. If no sidewalk currently exists on an adjoining property, the applicant will have discretion in the placement of the sidewalk provided the following criteria are met:

A.

Provide a sidewalk connection from one (1) side of the applicant's property to the other, parallel to the public right-of-way, on the street sides of the property in all river improvement overlay districts

B.

Provide a connection from the street level sidewalk to the Riverwalk or creek at cross streets and bridges and other designated access points. This requirement may be waived if there is already a public connection from the street level to the Riverwalk or creek.

C.

In order to preserve the rural character of "RIO-6," the HPO, in coordination with the development services department, may waive the requirement of sidewalks.

• In "RIO-3," the width of the pathway along the river shall match those widths established in the historic Hugman drawings. If there are no sidewalks in the Hugman drawings, the path will not exceed eight (8) feet in width.

D.

In RIO-7, two (2) distinct public paths, a High Bank Paseo and a Low Bank Paseo exist along the San Pedro Creek. Where a High Bank Paseo condition does not exist along the creekside of a property, a shared sidewalk and/or patio space is strongly encouraged to connect one (1) side of the applicant's property to the other along the top of the bank within the creekside setback established in this section.

Figure 672-1

Figure 672-2

(2)

Link the various functions and spaces on a site with sidewalks in a coordinated system.

Provide pedestrian sidewalks between buildings, parking areas and built features such as outdoor plazas and courtyards. (see Figure 672-1)

Figure 672-3

(3)

Paving materials. Paving materials for pedestrian pathways shall use visually and texturally different materials than those used for parking spaces and automobile traffic.

A.

Paving materials for pedestrian pathways shall be either:

i.

Broom-finished, scored, sandblasted or dyed concrete;

ii.

Rough or honed finished stone;

iii.

Brick or concrete pavers; or

iv.

Other materials that meet the performance standards of the above materials.

B.

Asphalt is permitted for pedestrian pathways that also are designated as multi-use paths by the City of San Antonio. The Transportation and Capital Improvements department will maintain the designated multi-use path locations.

(4)

Street Connections to River or Creek. Retain the interesting and unique situations where streets dead-end at the river or creek, creating both visual and physical access to the river or creek for the public.

(5)

Pedestrian Access Along the Public Pathways Shall Not Be Blocked.

A.

Queuing is prohibited on the public pathway.

B.

Hostess stations shall be located away from the public pathway so as to not inhibit pedestrian flow on the public pathway. That is, the hostess station shall not be located in such a manner to cause a patron who has stopped at the hostess stand to be standing on the public pathway. Pedestrian flow shall be considered "inhibited" if a pedestrian walking along the pathway has to swerve, dodge, change direction or come to a complete stop to avoid a patron engaged at the hostess stand.

C.

Tables and chairs shall be located a sufficient distance from the public pathway so that normal dining and service shall not inhibit the flow of pedestrian traffic. See inhibited definition in subsection B. above.

(b)

Automobile Access and Parking. Automobile circulation should be efficient, and conflicts with pedestrians minimized. Entry points for automobiles should be clearly defined and connections to auto circulation on adjoining properties are encouraged to facilitate access and reduce traffic on abutting public streets.

(1)

Curb Cuts.

A.

Limit curb cuts to two (2) on parking areas or structures facing only one (1) street, and one (1) for each additional street face. The prohibition of additional curb cuts may be waived by the HDRC where the intent of the standards are clearly met and specific site circulation patterns require an additional curb cut, such as on long parcels or at nodes.

B.

Curb cuts may be no larger than twenty-five (25) feet zero (0) inches. Continuous curb cuts are prohibited.

C.

Sharing curb cuts between adjacent properties, such as providing cross property access easements, is permitted.

D.

In RIO-7, block dimensions along San Pedro Creek pose unique challenges in developing pedestrian friendly site plans. The following guidelines should be used in designing site access and circulation.

i.

Primary Pedestrian Frontage Streets—Houston, Commerce, and north side of Nueva St.

a.

New curb cuts are not allowed except:

I.

Lots with no other access.

II.

Lots with block faces over three hundred (300) feet long along Houston, Commerce St., or Nueva St. where the curb cut is part of through block circulation that includes shade trees with an arcade, sidewalk, pedestrian oriented street, or parking street.

ii.

Secondary Pedestrian Frontage Streets—Flores and Camaron.

a.

New curb cuts are only allowed where:

I.

Lots front on Houston, Commerce Street, or the north side of Nueva St.

II.

Lots have no other access.

III.

Lots with block faces over three hundred (300) feet long along Camaron or Flores St. where the curb cut is part of through block circulation that includes shade trees with an arcade, sidewalk, pedestrian oriented street, or parking street.

iii.

All other streets:

a.

Curb cuts are allowed when placed consistent with the Unified Development Code and the Downtown Design Guidelines.

(2)

Location of Parking Areas. Automobile parking in new developments must be balanced with the requirements of active environments. Large expanses of surface parking lots have a negative impact on street activity and the pedestrian experience. New commercial and residential structures can accommodate parking needs and contribute to a pedestrian-friendly streetscape.

A.

Locate parking areas, that is any off-street, ground level surface used to park cars or any parking structure, toward the interior of the site or to the side or rear of a building.

B.

The extent of parking area that may be located along the street, river, or creek edge shall be limited to a percentage of the lot line as per Table 672-1 as measured in a lineal direction parallel to the lot line. All parking within a 30-foot setback from the above mentioned lot line shall comply with the requirements of the table. Where parking is located on corner sites only the lot line along the primary street has to meet the requirements of the table.

C.

Parking lots should be avoided as a primary land use. Parking lots as a primary use are prohibited in RIO-3 and RIO-7 for all properties that fall within one hundred (100) feet of the river or creek right-of-way in all RIO districts.

Table 672-1a

Description	RIO-1	RIO-2	RIO-3	RIO-4	RIO-5	RIO-6
Max. % Coverage of Lot Line*	50%	40%	N/A	40%	40%	30%
Buffering Required?	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes

 

Table 672-1b

Description	RIO-7A	RIO-7B	RIO-7C	RIO-7D	RIO-7E
Max. % Coverage of Lot Line *	40%	N/A	40%	40%	40%
Buffering Required?	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes

 

* Maximum length of parking lot allowed along the property line at the street. If applicable, maximum length of parking lot allowed along the river or creek side edges.

_____

(3)

Screen or Buffer Parking Areas from View of Public Streets, the River, Creek, or Adjacent Residential Uses (see Figure 672-2). Parking lots shall be screened with a landscape buffer as per the illustrations of bufferyards and Table 510-2 if the parking area meets one (1) of the following conditions:

A.

Within a 50-foot setback from the edge of the river or creek ROW use, at a minimum, type E; or

B.

Within a 20-foot setback from a property line adjacent to a street use, at a minimum, type B; or

C.

Within a 20-foot setback of commercial or industrial property that abuts a residential property use, at a minimum, type C.

Figure 672-4

(4)

Parking Structures Shall Be Compatible With Buildings in the Surrounding Area in RIOs 1—6. Parking garages should have retail space or office space on the ground floor of a parking structure provided the retail or office space has at least fifty (50) percent of its linear street frontage as windows or display windows. Parking structures may be made visually appealing with a mural or public art component approved by the HDRC on the parking structure.

A parking garage will be considered compatible if:

A.

It does not vary in height by more than thirty (30) percent from another building on the same block face; and

B.

It uses materials that can be found on other buildings within the block face, or in the block face across the street.

(5)

In RIO-7, Parking Structures should be designed in conformance with the Downtown Design Guide.

A.

Provide an exterior screen comprised of high quality materials that screen the underlying structure and contribute to the overall quality of the built environment. This can include heavy-gage metal screen, precast concrete panels; live green wall (landscaped), masonry, laminated glass or photovoltaic panels.

B.

The ground floor of garages along primary streets or of garage elevations oriented towards the San Pedro Creek shall provide active ground floor uses. 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.

C.

Integrate the design of signage, public art, and lighting with the architecture of the structure to reinforce its unique identity.

D.

Interior garage lighting should not produce glaring sources toward adjacent residential units while providing safe and adequate lighting levels per code.

(6)

Parking Structures Shall Provide Clearly Defined Pedestrian Access. Pedestrian entrances and exits shall be accentuated with directional signage, lighting or architectural features so that pedestrians can readily discern the appropriate path of travel to avoid pedestrian/auto conflicts.

(7)

Parking lots, structures, and hardscape shall not drain directly into the river or creek without installation of appropriate water quality best management practices (WQ BMPs). Acequias shall not be used for any type of drainage.

(c)

Views. The river or creek course (both natural and manmade), and San Antonio's street pattern, creates unique views of certain properties from the public ROW. These properties often occur at prominent curves in the river, or where a street changes direction and a property appears to be a terminus at the end of a street.

(1)

Architectural Focal Point. When a property is situated in such a manner as to appear to be the terminus at the end of the street or at a prominent curve in the river or creek, the building shall incorporate into its design an architectural feature that will provide a focal point at the end of the view. (see Figure 672-3) An architectural feature will be considered to be a focal point through any of the following methods, but not limited to:

A.

Additional height.

B.

Creation of a tower.

C.

Variation in roof shape.

D.

Change of color or materials.

E.

Addition of a design enhancement feature such as:

i.

Embellished entrance areas.

ii.

Articulated corners, especially when entrance is at corner, rounded or chamfered corners ease the transitions from one street facade to the adjoining facade.

iii.

Recessed or projecting balconies and entrances.

Billboards, advertising and signage are expressly prohibited as appropriate focal points.

Figure 672-5

(Ord. No. 95352 § 3 Attachment 2) (Ord. No. 2010-06-24-0616, § 2, 6-24-10) (Ord. No. 2011-03-31-0240, § 2, 3-31-11)(Ord. No. 2015-12-17-1077 , § 2, 12-17-15; Ord. No. 2016-10-13-0798 , § 1(Att. A), 10-13-16)