City of Mount Vernon. Urban Renewal Plan. South Fourth Avenue East Third Street

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1 City of Mount Vernon South Fourth Avenue East Third Street Prepared for: Mount Vernon Urban Renewal Agency City Hall Mount Vernon, New York Prepared by: Ferrandino & Associates Inc. Planning and Development Consultants Three West Main Street, Suite 214 Elmsford, New York July 2013

2 Table of Contents I. Introduction... 1 II. Description of Urban Renewal Area... 1 A. Boundary Description... 1 B. General Description... 1 III. Plan Objectives... 1 IV. Proposed Land Uses and Development Controls... 2 A. Proposed Land Uses... 2 B. Development Controls... 2 V. Conformity with the Comprehensive Plan and Other Local Objectives... 2 A. Proposed Comprehensive Plan... 2 B. Mount Vernon Community Development Action Plan VI. Proposed Methods or Techniques of Urban Renewal... 3 A. Redevelopment... 3 B. Rehabilitation... 3 VII. Proposed Land Acquisition, Demolition and Removal of Structures... 5 A. Land Acquisition... 5 B. Changes in Land Acquisition... 5 C. Relocation... 5 VIII. Standards and Controls for Redevelopment... 5 A. Building Controls... 5 B. Site Planning and Architectural Expression... 6 C. Site Plan and Design Review... 6 D. Redeveloper s Obligations... 6 IX. Proposed Public, Semi Public or Community Facilities... 7 X. Proposed Amendments to Existing Codes and Ordinances... 7 UR PUD S4 South Fourth Avenue East Third Street ned Unit Development Overlay Zone Objective Purpose Eligibility Boundary Applicability Establishment of Sub districts... 8

3 A. Townhouse Preservation Sub district (UR PUD S4 TP) Purpose and applicability Boundaries Use Requirements Requirements... 8 B. South Fourth Avenue East Third Street ned Unit Development District (UR PUD S4) Purpose and applicability Boundaries Use Requirements Standards Building Entrances Buffers Density Bonus Merging Tax Lots Off Street Parking Space Requirements Alternate methods of providing parking Usable Open Space Green Standards Design Standards Design Exceptions and Waivers Supplemental Development Standards Occupancy Restrictions C. Review Process D. Application Process XI. Proposed Program of Code Enforcement XII. Proposed Timetable for the Effectuation of the XIII. Other Provisions Necessary to Meet Requirements of Applicable State and Local Laws A. Duration of Controls B. Procedure for Changes in the as Approved C. Provisions to Preserve the Integrity of the Plan... 20

4 Exhibit A.... i Map 1: South Fourth Avenue East Thrid Street Urban Renewal Area Boundary... ii Official Urban Renewal Area Project Boundary Map (Perimeter Survey)... iii and Boundary Description... iv Exhibit B.... ix Map 2: Existing Building Conditions Map... x Exhibit C... xi Map 3: Lots to be Acquired Map... xii and List of Properties to be Acquired...xiii Exhibit D.... xv Map 4: Lots To Be Transferred... xvi and List of Properties To Be Transferred... xvii Exhibit E.... xviii Map 5: Lots Not to be Acquired Map... xviiiix and List of Properties Not to be Acquired... xx Exhibit F.... xxi Map 6: Proposed Zoning Map... xxxi and Sub district Properties List... xxiii Exhibit G.... xxv Map 7: Disposition Map... xxvi Appendix A. Urban Design Guidelines

5 I. Introduction In accordance with the requirements set forth in Article 15 of the General Municipal Law of the State of New York, this South Fourth Avenue East Third Street has been prepared to promote and regulate development within the Urban Renewal Area defined below. It is based, in part, on the findings of the October 18, 2012 Mount Vernon East Third Street South Fourth Avenue Blight Determination Study. II. Description of Urban Renewal Area A. Boundary Description The boundaries of the Mount Vernon South Fourth Avenue East Third Street Urban Renewal Area are shown on Map 1, Mount Vernon South Fourth Avenue East Third Street Urban Renewal Area Boundary Map, in Exhibit A and are described in the attached Boundary Description (Exhibit A). B. General Description The subject area includes a variety of residential, commercial and retail, mixed use, institutional and public assembly, manufacturing, industrial and warehouse uses, and vacant land. Many of the properties are in poor or deteriorated condition (see Map 2 Existing Building Conditions in Exhibit B). In order to declare the subject area an Urban Renewal Area, a Blight Determination Study was completed. 1 This study determined that of the 67 properties in the proposed urban renewal area, 39 or 58 percent were found to have some degree of blighting influence on the neighborhood. In addition, during the field survey for the Blight Determination Study it was noted that there were several inconsistencies between existing land use and the zoning. These inconsistencies constitute nonconforming uses or illegal uses occasioned by unauthorized conversions. III. Plan Objectives This has been designed to implement the City s planning and economic development goals of increasing the commercial amenities and offerings for residents and stakeholders, increasing the number of employment opportunities for residents and stabilizing the City's tax base. Activities for the South Fourth Avenue East Third Street Urban Renewal Area will accomplish the following objectives: The redevelopment of the area in a comprehensive manner. The elimination and improvement of substandard buildings and other deteriorated and obsolete structures. The development of new mixed use commercial, office, residential and related uses in the South Fourth Avenue East Third Street Urban Renewal Area to create an attractive and visually appealing environment adequately served by nonresidential, public and semi public facilities including sufficient and readily accessible off street parking. 1 Mount Vernon East Third Street South Fourth Avenue Blight Determination Study prepared by Ferrandino & Associates Inc., July 2012 and adopted by the Mount Vernon City Council on October 18, Ferrandino & Associates Inc. 1 July 2013

6 The provision of a substantial number of new multi family ownership and rental housing units in areas accessible to public transit and services. The development of new public and semi public uses, including off street parking. The creation of a strong commercial corridor through the provision of physically attractive mixed use buildings or structures enhanced by uniform design standards. The improvement and upgrading of existing buildings to remain in the project area through the application of minimum property rehabilitation standards 2 to effectively blend with the proposed redevelopment. The overall improvement of streetscape. The creation of jobs. The removal of impediments to land assemblage for the orderly development of the City. IV. Proposed Land Uses and Development Controls A. Proposed Land Uses The consists of the proposed mixed use development of mixed income ownership and rental housing with ground floor retail/commercial space, as well as offices and associated off street parking. In addition, it is anticipated that several existing residential properties will be rehabilitated. B. Development Controls The development controls will be based on prescribed regulations found herein. V. Conformity with the Comprehensive Plan and Other Local Objectives A. Proposed Comprehensive Plan The development of mixed income housing, commercial and office facilities, and off street parking on South Fourth Avenue and East Third Street all of which is described within this and is compatible with the City of Mount Vernon s proposed Comprehensive Plan. The proposed Comprehensive Plan identifies East Third Street and South Fourth Avenue between East First Street and East Fourth Street as a Higher Intensity Planning Area. These are areas where mixed use high density development is warranted. As such, this is compatible with the proposed Comprehensive Plan because the seeks to appropriately rezone the entire area, create greater commercial amenities for residents and capture the economic leakage that occurs within the City, all of which generates greater employment and livable wage opportunities for City residents. This is compatible with the City s proposed Comprehensive Plan because it also fosters the preservation of culturally significant structures. The as identified in the sub district recognizes the Moderne Flats on South Third Avenue which require rehabilitation strategies for the improvement and preservation of these structures. 2 Minimum standards include: the elimination of code violations, the removal of health and safety issues such as lead paint and asbestos abatement, and improvement of the property s energy efficiency including bonafide preventative maintenance for the property. Ferrandino & Associates Inc. 2 July 2013

7 B. Mount Vernon Community Development Action Plan 2009 South Fourth Avenue East Third Street The development described within this meets all five themes, identified in the Mount Vernon Community Development Action Plan, to guide future development in the City: Rezoning, Transit Oriented Development, Building Restoration and Adaptive Re use, Sustainable Practices and Employment Generation. VI. Proposed Methods or Techniques of Urban Renewal A. Redevelopment All property designated for acquisition, disposition or transfer under this Plan will be made available for private redevelopment or public improvements. The proposes mixed use development for the area. The City, as part of its disposition, acquisition or transfer of property for mixed use, may consider in its approval any or all of the following: The number of residential units; The type and amount of commercial uses and space; The number of commercial tenants; Whether units (commercial or residential) are ownership, rental, condominium or cooperative units; The estimated initial rents or selling price for such units; Income restrictions, if any; Restrictions on future rents or resale prices, if any; The basis upon which consideration for the sale or lease of the property is to be determined. B. Rehabilitation All improvements on properties to be acquired will be demolished, removed or rehabilitated to permit proper redevelopment unless further investigation indicates that they are not needed to achieve specific project objectives. Properties identified as not to be acquired are subject to the provisions of this Urban Renewal Plan. If a building on the not to be acquired property list (Map 5, Exhibit E) is destroyed, replaced or undergoes major renovation, or if such properties are acquired, the proposed UR PUD S4 district regulations shall be applicable to such properties (see Section IX of this Plan). All properties in the rehabilitation area, which are not to be acquired, will be required to meet minimum property rehabilitation standards 3 and comply with the Urban Design Standards (Appendix A) of this Plan. Such properties may be acquired if the owners thereof do not rehabilitate their properties in accordance with such standards and to the extent necessary to achieve the objectives of this Mount Vernon South Fourth Avenue East Third Street. The rehabilitation program shall be carried out by the Mount Vernon Urban Renewal Agency and the City of Mount Vernon in accordance with all of the rights and powers granted under the General Municipal Law. All properties in the rehabilitation area which are not to be acquired shall be inspected 3 Minimum standards include: the elimination of code violations, the removal of health and safety issues such as lead paint and asbestos abatement, and improvement of the property s energy efficiency including bonafide preventative maintenance for the property. Ferrandino & Associates Inc. 3 July 2013

8 for structural and other physical defects constituting a violation of the minimum property rehabilitation standards. Where minor deficiencies exist, the Mount Vernon Urban Renewal Agency and the City of Mount Vernon, where appropriate, will take the necessary steps to effect their remedy by enforcement of the applicable code and ordinance provisions. Where, on the basis of such inspections, a determination is made that the deficiencies would constitute a hazard to the health, safety and welfare of the community or would hinder or obstruct the accomplishment of the objectives of this, the Mount Vernon Urban Renewal Agency and the City of Mount Vernon shall employ all available tools to arrest and correct those deficiencies. This may include a binding agreement with the owner for the repair and rehabilitation of such property, setting forth the repair and improvements necessary to eliminate the deficiencies, pursuant to which the owner will undertake to make such repairs and improvements within a reasonable time to be specified in the agreement, and in accordance with the Urban Design Guidelines of this, for the time period of the Plan. In the event that the tools for urban renewal, including said agreement, are unsuccessful to accomplish the goals and objectives of this Plan, the Mount Vernon Renewal Agency reserves the right to acquire the property and either: 1. Demolish the structure or structures thereon and dispose of the land for redevelopment at its fair market value for uses in accordance with this ; or 2. Sell or lease the property at its fair market value subject to rehabilitation in accordance with this ; or 3. Rehabilitate the property and sell it at fair market value. For the purpose of facilitating rehabilitation improvements, the Mount Vernon Department of Planning and Community Development, under the auspices of the Mount Vernon Urban Renewal Agency, operates the following two programs through its U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Community Development Block Grants Program: Mount Vernon Small Property Residential Rehabilitation Program A technical assistance and low interest loan program that primarily benefits low to moderateincome families for the rehabilitation of buildings that contain one to four units. Mount Vernon Residential Rehabilitation Program A low interest loan program that benefits property owners of multi unit structures throughout the City; at least 51 percent of the building tenants must be considered income eligible 4 in order for funding to be considered. Both programs require that at least 75 percent of the rehabilitation loan is used to remove code violations, health and safety issues such as lead paint and asbestos abatement, and to improve the property s energy efficiency including bonafide preventative maintenance for the property. 4 Income eligible is defined as a household income not to exceed 80% of the Income limits for Westchester County as established by HUD. Ferrandino & Associates Inc. 4 July 2013

9 VII. Proposed Land Acquisition, Demolition and Removal of Structures A. Land Acquisition Within designated areas, this Plan provides for the acquisition of properties by either private developers or the City of Mount Vernon. All of the properties within the Urban Renewal Area, as shown on Map 3, Exhibit C Lots to be Acquired for Redevelopment, and on Map 4, Exhibit D Lots to Be Transferred will be acquired for clearance and redevelopment. Parcel acquisitions will take place in order to create developable lots for projects designed to address the objectives set forth above. All properties will be acquired in full fee title. Any parcels transferred by the City or the Mount Vernon Industrial Development Agency or the Mount Vernon Urban Renewal Agency will be subject to separate negotiations involving the air rights to those parcels. The properties will be acquired through the employment of the best of all available options including, but not limited to, private purchase, standard acquisition by the City or Urban Renewal Agency through negotiations, and property swap for those property owners who currently own property within the Urban Renewal Area. The use of eminent domain is a power granted to the Urban Renewal Agency by the Constitutions of the United States of America and the State of New York and will be reserved as a method of last resort for acquisition. B. Changes in Land Acquisition Exhibit C, Map 3 and Exhibit D, Map 4 identify properties designated for acquisition under this Plan. There may be changes in such acquisition under the following circumstances: Detailed architectural or engineering studies or title search information may indicate the need to acquire minor additional parcels of land or amend acquisition boundaries in order to effectuate the Plan. C. Relocation Based on a preliminary assessment, approximately 36 households and 14 businesses located within the proposed Urban Renewal Area may need to be relocated, of which an undetermined number of households may qualify for new housing and would be given first preference to same. The City of Mount Vernon will oversee the overall administration of relocation activities, which shall be undertaken and financed by the designated redeveloper(s). Those activities include detailed surveys, in accordance with the policies, procedures and requirements applicable to funding sources utilized for acquisition and other project components; including possible compliance with the Federal Uniform Acquisition and Relocation Act. VIII. Standards and Controls for Redevelopment A. Building Controls Building controls will be based upon those set forth in the new UR PUD S4district regulations, found in Section X of this Plan. Ferrandino & Associates Inc. 5 July 2013

10 B. Site Planning and Architectural Expression South Fourth Avenue East Third Street Site plans shall reflect the goals listed in Section III. Plan Objectives. Property owners and designated developer(s) will be given freedom of concept, design and layout as prescribed in the zoning regulations included in this Plan (see Section X) and Urban Design Guidelines (Appendix A). All structures, facilities and public areas must reflect distinguished architectural expression and techniques (including landscaping) in order to signify attractiveness, quality and performance. C. Site Plan and Design Review Following official designation by the Mount Vernon Urban Renewal Agency, the designated developer(s) shall submit plans for review by the Urban Renewal Agency. Site plans shall include specific documentation outlining; Grading Drainage Circulation Parking and loading areas Recreation and open space areas Street tree plantings along street frontages, fences and walls, if any Landscaping and public areas Exterior design of building, structures and signs Lighting/photometric plan including location of fixtures; type, height and style of fixtures; intensity of light and radius of light Site plans may be amended from time to time through the same process as the original review. D. Redeveloper s Obligations To prevent speculation in land holding in the Urban Renewal Area, all developers will be required to begin and complete the building of all proposed improvements within a reasonable time following their acquisition of the land. To prevent discrimination by redevelopers in the use of property in the project, each conveyance of lease will contain a covenant binding the purchasers (or lessees), and their successors in interest not to restrict the sale, lease or occupancy of any real estate in the project on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, sexual orientation, disability or any other legally protected class. The land acquired by the Mount Vernon Urban Renewal Agency will be disposed of subject to a land disposition agreement or agreements between the Agency and the designated redeveloper(s). The redeveloper(s) will be required, by the contractual agreements, to observe the controls and development objectives as contained in this and the proposed UR PUD S4 district regulations. The redeveloper(s) will further be required to submit a redevelopment schedule satisfactory to the Urban Renewal Agency. The agreements with the developer(s) will include requirements for adherence to all applicable, local, State and Federal laws. In addition, in accordance with this Plan, the following provision or provisions of similar intent will be included in the land disposition agreement: The purchase of the land by the redeveloper(s) is for the purpose of redevelopment in Ferrandino & Associates Inc. 6 July 2013

11 accordance with this and not for speculation. South Fourth Avenue East Third Street The construction of improvements will be begun and completed within a reasonable time as determined by the Mount Vernon Urban Renewal Agency. IX. Proposed Public, Semi Public or Community Facilities The City will oversee and install, or cause the private redeveloper to install, necessary public facilities, such as, but not limited to, water, storm and sanitary sewer lines and execute street widening, if determined to be necessary during the SEQRA review. Utilities are required to be underground and any aboveground equipment shall be located away from major pedestrian streets and corners. Equipment boxes and vaults must be placed in back of the sidewalk and where landscaping can minimize or screen their impact. Relocation and provisions for private and public underground utility systems will be made, as needed, to adequately serve redevelopment undertaken in accordance with this Plan. The costs of relocating the underground utility lines will, where appropriate, be borne by the utility companies, pursuant to the appropriate laws, regulations and ordinances concerned with the redevelopment of the project area. X. Proposed Amendments to Existing Codes and Ordinances UR PUD S4 South Fourth Avenue East Third Street ned Unit Development Overlay Zone 1. Objective To effectuate this, the following zoning district is hereby created to encourage economic growth through mixed use development and the preservation of architecturally and culturally significant buildings within the Urban Renewal Area. 2. Purpose The purpose of the South Fourth Avenue East Third Street ned Unit Development Overlay Zone (UR PUD S4 District) is to preserve the special character of architecturally and culturally significant structures while fostering the development of high rise mixed use structures within the South Fourth Avenue East Third Street Urban Renewal Area. South Fourth Avenue is a unique and premier shopping street within the City's downtown; accordingly, the enhancement, growth and expansion of this shopping street is essential to the future growth and stability of the area. To further this objective, a sub district is hereby established to preserve the architecturally and culturally significant "brownstone" style urban flats that fall within the Urban Renewal Area. The intent is foster this type of unique urban housing along the streets that are directly adjacent to the high rise mixed use structures. Although the UR PUD S4 Zoning District is developed in a coordinated and unified fashion, the sub district has a tailored purpose and site development standards reflective of its location, function and desired appearance. 3. Eligibility The UR PUD S4 District is hereby established as an Overlay Zone with potential applicability to any property which meets the following eligibility requirements: Ferrandino & Associates Inc. 7 July 2013

12 a. Eligible parcels for the UR PUD S4 zoning shall consist only of those parcels located in the area officially designated as the South Fourth Avenue East Third Street Urban Renewal Area and deemed appropriate for urban renewal by the City Council of the City of Mount Vernon. 4. Boundary The boundaries of the UR PUD S4 District shall be fixed by amendment to the official City Zoning Map as authorized by the City Council, wherever this District is applied. A metes and bounds description, including Section, Block and Lot of all parcels, of each such District shall be kept on file in the Office of the City Clerk. The boundaries shall include all properties indicated in Exhibit F, Map 6 Proposed Zoning Map. 5. Applicability In accordance with Section of the Zoning Code, the City Council may from time to time, on its own motion or on petition by applicants and after public notice and hearing as required by law, act to amend, repeal or change the existing regulations, provisions and rezone property to the UR PUD S4 South Fourth Avenue East Third Street ned Unit Development Overlay Zone District established under this Chapter. 6. Establishment of Sub districts The following sub district is hereby established as a part of the UR PUD S4 Zoning District, and represents a physical character area within the designated Urban Renewal Area. A. Townhouse Preservation Sub district (UR PUD S4 TP) 1. Purpose and applicability The purpose of the Townhouse Preservation Sub district is to preserve the architecturally and culturally significant brownstone style urban flats that fall within the Urban Renewal Area through the use of preservation and rehabilitation strategies. 2. Boundaries The boundaries shall include all properties specifically listed in Exhibit F. 3. Use Requirements Multifamily residential uses, not to exceed three units, shall be permitted in the Townhouse Preservation Sub district. 4. Requirements a. Rehabilitation Under this sub district, redeveloper(s) and/or property owner(s) shall make every effort to preserve, maintain and restore all structures within this sub district. As such, any exterior alteration, restoration, reconstruction, demolition or new construction of properties in this subdistrict will maintain the materials, height, bulk, setbacks, light fixtures, signs, sidewalks, fences, steps, paving or other exterior elements which affect the appearance and cohesiveness of the "Moderne Flats". In the event that a building(s) or structure(s) of which or a portion of which is destroyed or damaged by any means to an extent of 75 percent or less, the building(s) or structure(s) shall be reconstructed as prescribed in the aforementioned. Ferrandino & Associates Inc. 8 July 2013

13 b. Reconstruction South Fourth Avenue East Third Street In the event that the redeveloper(s) and/or property owner(s), at the discretion of the Building Commissioner, determine that a building(s) or structure(s) of which all or a portion of which is destroyed or damaged by any means to an extent of greater than 75 percent or less of the replacement cost of the entire building or structure used in connection therewith at the time of the reconstruction, the redeveloper(s) and/or property owner(s) may elect one (1) of the following: To reconstruct as prescribed in this Plan; To merge the parcel into the overall South Fourth Avenue East Third Street Urban Renewal Planned Unit Development District and follow all regulations as prescribed in this Plan provided that the redeveloper(s) and/or property owner(s) demonstrate to the City Council that efforts to find a purchaser interested in acquiring the property(ies) for preservation purposes have failed and that property is incapable of earning a reasonable return; or To follow the existing underlying zoning designation. c. Deviations and Waivers. To account for any unforeseen or unusual circumstances, building design deviations or waivers as prescribed in this Plan may be waived by the City of Mount Vernon Architectural Review Board provided that the redeveloper(s) and/or property owner(s) demonstrates: That the proposed design exception will not substantially impair the intent of the City s long range planning strategy. That the proposed design will not present a substantial detriment to the public health, safety and welfare of the community. That the proposed design will enhance the aesthetic value of the overall design, the site itself and the surrounding area. That the proposed design will advance the purposes of this. d. Obtaining Approval of Design Exceptions and Waivers. The applicant shall demonstrate to the satisfaction of the City Council the following approval of an exception or waivers: The goals and objectives of this and the City's long range planning strategy shall be further advanced. The project will have no adverse impact on physical, visual and spatial character of the surrounding area. The project will enhance the physical, visual and spatial character of the streetscape. B. South Fourth Avenue East Third Street ned Unit Development District (UR PUD S4) 1. Purpose and applicability Ferrandino & Associates Inc. 9 July 2013

14 The purpose of the UR PUD S4 district is to preserve the special character of architecturally and culturally significant structures while fostering the development of high rise mixed use structures within the South Fourth Avenue Urban Renewal Area. 2. Boundaries The boundaries shall include all properties specifically listed in Exhibit F. 3. Use Requirements a. Permitted Principal Uses 1. Multifamily dwellings 2. Community purpose buildings 3. Business, professional or governmental offices 4. Business incubator space 5. Stores and shops exclusively for sales at retail for the performance of customary personal services 6. Museums and/or art galleries 7. Theaters and/or concert halls 8. Office space for physicians, surgeons and dentists 9. Retail laundries or retail dry cleaners 10. Bakeries, retail 11. Restaurants 12. Restaurants, carry out 13. Restaurants, fast food (excluding drive up window service) 14. Day care centers 15. Nursery Schools 16. Banks 17. Public Schools 18. Health and fitness centers, including ancillary services such as wellness, physical rehabilitation facilities and prevention health education activities 19. Municipal uses of the City of Mount Vernon and uses of other governmental agencies as regulated by b. Permitted Accessory Uses 1. Uses and structures which are clearly incidental and customarily accessory to the permitted principal use on the lot on which they are located 2. Office in residence of a professional person and customary home occupations as regulated by A c. Uses allowed by Special Permit Ferrandino & Associates Inc. 10 July 2013

15 1. Churches, mosques, synagogues or other places of worship 2. Universities, colleges and private schools 3. Business or/or trade schools 4. Bars, nightclubs and catering halls 5. Bowling alleys and billiard halls 6. Funeral parlors 7. Medical and/or dental laboratories 8. Hotels or motels South Fourth Avenue East Third Street 9. Manufacture and/or assembly of products for retail sale on premises only 4. Standards The following standards are hereby established as the minimum or maximum requirements, as the case may be, but may be made more restrictive where such is determined appropriate by the City Council based upon consideration of the particular circumstances of the individual application to satisfy the purposes as set forth in this Plan. a. Building height. A maximum of 120 feet in height from the finished grade and not more than 11 stories. The minimum base height shall not be less than 20 feet. For every 10 stories there shall be a minimum setback of 10 feet. i. The number of floors shall include all floors located above the finished grade. Portions of the building, such as basements or podiums that are substantially or partly submerged, shall not be counted as a floor as long as they do not extend more than five feet above grade. Floors that extend more than five feet above grade shall be counted as a floor b. Coverage. The maximum lot coverage per individual lot or lots comprising the development site shall be 80 percent for buildings and 100 percent for all impervious surfaces. c. Lot Area. The minimum lot area shall not be less than 5,000 square feet. d. Lot area per dwelling unit. The minimum lot area per dwelling unit shall be 300 square feet. e. Lot Width and Frontage. The minimum lot width and frontage shall be 50 feet. f. Setbacks. i. Front Yard Setback. At least 70 percent of the aggregate length of the street wall shall be located at the property line. ii. iii. Secondary Front Yard Setback. The maximum secondary front yard setback shall not exceed the property line. Side Yard Setback. The maximum side yard setback shall not exceed the property line. iv. Rear Yard Setback. The minimum rear yard setback for structures shall be 20. g. Primary Front Yard. i. Primary Front Yard on Corner Lots. The owner of lots having frontages on intersecting streets, ingress and egress shall be along East Third Street or South Fourth Avenue to Ferrandino & Associates Inc. 11 July 2013

16 ii. accommodate public access. Primary Front Yard on Through Lots. The owner having frontages on more than one street, ingress and egress shall be along South Fourth Avenue. 5. Building Entrances a. The building(s) shall have at least one primary entrance facing a street; secondary entrances shall be directly accessible by a sidewalk or plaza. b. Main building entrances shall open directly to the outside c. Every building shall have at least one entrance that does not require passage through a parking lot or garage to gain access. d. Entrances to residential, office or other upper story uses shall be clearly distinguishable in form and location from retail or ground floor uses. 6. Buffers Any application to construct or alter a structure in this Urban Renewal Area shall include provisions for a buffer screening area along any lot line abutting a privately owned lot in a residence district. The Mount Vernon Planning Board may allow for the construction of a wall, fencing, landscaping and/or any other item that in its judgment will appropriately screen the activity involved or structure(s) involved from the neighboring residential property. Where such a buffer screening is required, it shall be of a design, materials, location, type, height, spacing and arrangement to the satisfaction of the Planning Board. These requirements may be waived by the Planning Board in situations where the Planning Board determines that adjoining land uses, abutting street(s), topographic features or existing vegetation satisfy the same purpose. The plan and specifications for such buffer screening shall be filed with the plans for the use of the lot. All required landscaping shall be properly trimmed and maintained in healthy growing condition at all times. 7. Density Bonus Upon approval by the Planning board, an applicant may be granted a density bonus by providing additional storied setbacks which would enhance the visual and aesthetic value of any structures. In such instances where the Planning Board finds the proposed to be acceptable, the applicant shall be afforded a bonus not to exceed three (3) additional stories of building height. 8. Merging Tax Lots A property owner who owns two or more contiguous parcels of land and seeks the use of the UR PUD S4 zoning designation shall merge all associated tax lots for municipal regulation and tax purposes through the Office of the City Tax Assessor. 9. Off Street Parking Space Requirements a. The total parking requirement shall be the sum of all individual requirements for uses. A joint use parking agreement, if executed according to the standards set forth below, would allow a reduction in the total requirement for a building or project. b. Number of Required Parking Spaces i. The minimum number of parking spaces required for multifamily dwellings shall be: 0.75 Ferrandino & Associates Inc. 12 July 2013

17 ii. iii. iv. South Fourth Avenue East Third Street per dwelling unit; except that for senior housing 0.25 per dwelling unit. The minimum number of parking spaces required for office and commercial/retail space shall be: 1 per every 1,000 square feet of office and commercial/retail space The minimum number of required parking spaces for all other permitted principal uses and uses allowed by special permit shall be determined by the City Council as part of its review of a proposed development concept plan. Municipal parking spaces displaced by a UR PUD S4 development shall be replaced at a ratio of 1:1 and shall be provided as public parking spaces in a location to be determined by the City Council as part of its review of a proposed development concept plan. c. Location of Required Parking Spaces ii. i. The Planning Board may allow all or part of the required parking spaces to be located: (i) on site; (ii) in a municipal garage or lot within 500 feet of the dwelling units or other permitted uses for which the parking spaces are required, as measured from the edge of the site to the closest edge of the municipal garage or lot; or (iii) a combination of both (i) and (ii), the amount of parking spaces provided in each category to be determined by the Planning Board as part of its review of a proposed development concept plan. Where the Planning Board approves the location of such parking spaces on a lot different from the lot occupied by the structure or use served, the Planning Board shall require a legal instrument, in form and filing, satisfactory to the Corporation Counsel assuring the continued use of said parking spaces in connection with the uses or structures served. d. Joint use parking facilities are encouraged. Uses may provide more than the maximum number of parking spaces if the additional spaces are provided as part of a joint use parking facility. However, if the joint use parking facility is a surface parking lot, the total number of spaces in the surface lot shall not exceed the sum of maximum spaces allowed for all individual uses sharing the facility. This limit shall not apply to a multilevel parking garage that is used as a joint use facility. Joint use of required parking spaces may occur where two or more uses on the same site or on separate sites are able to share the same parking spaces because their parking demands occur at different times. Joint use of required parking spaces is allowed if the following documentation is submitted in writing to the Planning Board as part of a building permit application or site plan review: i. The names and addresses of the uses and of the owners or tenants who are sharing the parking; ii. iii. iv. The location and number of parking spaces that are being shared; An analysis showing that the peak parking demands for the different uses occur at different times, and that the parking area will supply at least the minimum number of required spaces for each use during its respective peak parking times; and A legal instrument such as an easement or deed restriction that guarantees access to the joint parking for all uses. 10. Alternate methods of providing parking a. Applicability. In the UR PUD S4 District any applicant required to provide off street parking in connection with a use, building or structure, may make an application by special use permit to Ferrandino & Associates Inc. 13 July 2013

18 provide an alternative means of satisfying the off street parking requirements for that use, building or structure, as provided herein. b. Fee in lieu of parking. i. In lieu of providing all or a portion of the required off street parking spaces, an applicant may request the Planning Board to accept, following an affirmative vote in favor thereof by the Planning Board, a cash payment to the City of Mount Vernon Parking Reserve Fund to satisfy the number of parking spaces required in this chapter. The Planning Board may at its discretion accept all or a portion of the offered fee in lieu of parking in substitution for all or a portion of the required parking spaces. Where appropriate, it may require the submission of studies and plans demonstrating that practical considerations preclude the provision of such parking spaces by the applicant. ii. iii. iv. The amount of the fee in lieu of parking required in such cases shall be established and reviewed on an annual basis by the Planning Board and approved by the City Council, based on the projected construction cost for municipal provision of the required parking spaces, operating costs where the parking spaces are not revenue producing and any loss in taxes resulting from municipal provision of such parking spaces. Provision may be made for periodic payment of an amount to cover operation and maintenance costs. By acceptance of the fee in lieu of parking, the City of Mount Vernon undertakes to provide parking of a type, location and quantity appropriate for the particular use within a reasonable period of time, taking into account the existing supply and demand for parking in the area of said use. The City may charge for the use of such spaces an amount generally consistent with the charge for other publicly provided parking in the same area. At least that portion of the fee in lieu of parking which is based on the projected construction cost shall be placed in the City of Mount Vernon Parking Reserve Fund. The expenditure of revenues from such parking Reserve Fund shall be limited exclusively to those actions designed to increase the quantity and/or quality of parking spaces available to serve properties within the district in which the fee in lieu of parking has been accepted. 11. Usable Open Space Except as provided herein, all structures shall be developed so that at least 10 percent of the total area of the development remains permanently as usable open space. a. For purposes of this section, usable open space is defined as an area that: i. Is not encumbered with any substantial structure; ii. Is not devoted to use as a roadway, parking area, sidewalk or above ground stormwater retention/detention area; iii. Is either: iv. Properly planted or landscaped, or Enhances the pedestrian environment Is capable of being used and enjoyed for purposes of informal and unstructured recreation and relaxation; Ferrandino & Associates Inc. 14 July 2013

19 v. Is legally and practicably accessible to the residents of the development from which the required open space is taken, or to the public. b. These areas may include, but are not limited to, active and passive recreation areas, tot lots and community gardens on individual plots, green roofs, and hardscaped courtyards that may include water features, benches or low walls with seating areas, free standing planters, public art or other pedestrian space or design features integrated into the overall design of the development. Such areas shall be shown on the site plan. c. Structures on less than 10,000 square feet are not subject to open space requirements unless the project is part of or subsequently becomes a part of a series of projects or phases of a larger development, in which case the original project shall be joined with all subsequent projects or phases in order to determine the required open space for the whole. 12. Green Standards Some green standards and strategies are included in the attached Urban Design Guidelines (Appendix A). The City of Mount Vernon is currently developing specific green standards that once adopted will be applicable to the South Fourth Avenue East Third Street Urban Renewal Area. 13. Design Standards The placement, pattern, scale, size and rhythm of window and door openings on building facades and the architectural details, including materials, trims, bands and cornices, determine the appeal of a building. The relationships of these architectural features from one building to another set and define the character of a neighborhood and provide a human scaled backdrop to the street space. The design standards below and the Urban Design Guidelines set forth in Appendix A are meant to complement and reinforce this, and to assist in achieving the goals set forth in the Plan. a. Buildings shall maximize the number of street level façade openings for windows and doors. b. Buildings shall maximize upper level façade openings for punched in windows, or glass and metal curtain wall. (Note: a glass block filled wall opening is part of the solid wall surface and not considered a window). c. Building shall set ground floor window frames at a height above the finished grade to reflect traditional Main Street building qualities. d. Buildings shall recess all window frames, particularly along the ground floor, from the typical wall plane surface to provide a shadow line and accentuate the ground floor. e. All windows shall exhibit proportional scale that appropriately indicates functions within the building. f. Buildings shall delineate change in surface material by a reveal or a recess detail. g. All sides of a building open to public view shall employ architectural features such as window, a variety of colors, patterns and complex massing to achieve interest especially at the pedestrian level. Flat, blank walls along public right of ways shall be prohibited. Ferrandino & Associates Inc. 15 July 2013

20 h. Architectural massing refers to the way a building is shaped. Building designs featuring a single geometric shape, such as a simple rectangle, shall not be allowed. Complex massing shall be used for all structures proposed. The requirement for complex massing may be met by building designs featuring a variety of parapet heights, varying building wall setbacks or balconies, a variety of roof forms at different heights and an irregular building footprint. i. Each building on a site shall have clearly defined, highly visible ground floor entryways featuring no less than three of the following: Entryways shall be recessed or projected along the street level façade of the typical wall plane Canopies or porticoes Overhangs Recesses or projections Raised corniced parapets over the door Peaked roof forms Arches Outdoor patios Planters Wing walls, and Any other architectural detail or feature that accentuates the entryways for the public 14. Design Exceptions and Waivers Deviation from the development requirements, provisions, standards and regulations set forth above may be necessary in unusual circumstances. To account for these circumstances the Architectural Review Board has the ability to waive or allow an applicant to deviate from standards set forth in Section X of this Plan based on an existing conditions hardship or a special reasons hardship. a. Existing Conditions Hardship and/or Special Reasons Hardship. In instances where the applicant is confronted with hardships arising from an existing condition of the land or instances where the applicant incidentally creates the hardship to enhance the building and site design, the City Council may grant exceptions from certain bulk, parking or design requirements, provided the applicant demonstrates that: The proposed design exception will not substantially impair the intent of the City s long range planning strategy. The proposed design will not present a substantial detriment to the public health, safety and welfare of the community. The proposed design will enhance the aesthetic value of the overall design, the site itself and the surrounding area. The proposed design will advance the purposes of this. b. Obtaining Approval of Design Exceptions and Waivers. The applicant shall demonstrate, to the satisfaction of the Architectural Review Board, the following for approval of an exception or waiver: The goals and objectives of this and the City s long range planning strategy shall be further advanced. Ferrandino & Associates Inc. 16 July 2013

21 The project will have no adverse impact on physical, visual and spatial character of the surrounding area. The project will enhance the physical, visual and spatial character of the streetscape. 15. Supplemental Development Standards a. There shall be set aside an area or areas for recreational purposes exclusively for the use of occupants of the development and their guests. These areas may include, but are not limited to, green roofs, community room(s), sitting areas and group game areas, active and passive recreation areas, tot lots, and community gardens on individual plots. Such areas shall be shown on the site plan and/or within the proposed buildings. b. Where a UR PUD S4 District approved pursuant to this authorization results in the permanent preservation of open spaces or the creation of commonly used lands or facilities, including streets and driveways and parking lots, their location, design, ownership and use shall be as approved as part of the application review process, using as a guide the purposes set forth in this Plan and in 37 of the General City Law. c. Utilities are required to be underground and any aboveground equipment shall be located away from major pedestrian streets and corners. Equipment boxes and vaults must be placed in back of the sidewalk and where landscaping can minimize or screen their impact. Relocation and provisions for private and public underground utility systems will be made, as needed, to adequately serve redevelopment undertaken in accordance with this Plan. The costs of relocating the underground utility lines will, where appropriate, be borne by the utility companies, pursuant to the appropriate laws, regulations and ordinances concerned with the redevelopment of the project area. d. Adequate facilities shall be provided for the removal of snow, trash, garbage, recyclables and for the general maintenance of the development. When the method of disposing of trash and other solid wastes is by means of industrial type receptacles (dumpsters), all such receptacles shall be located on permanent platforms that shall be well distributed to serve the development. All receptacles shall be suitable enclosed on three (3) sides by opaque screening or other treatment to be approved by the Planning Board in its site plan review. e. Artificial lightening of the grounds shall provide illumination sufficient for the convenience and safety of all residents. However, such outdoor lighting shall not project light onto, nor shall sight sources be visible from, adjacent properties. No outdoor light source shall be more than ten (10) feet above the ground level underneath it. f. Parking areas shall be paved in accordance with the Zoning Ordinance. Sidewalks shall be provided along all internal and external street frontages. Internal roadways shall have a minimum width which is in accordance with the City s standards. g. The City of Mount Vernon shall have the right to require that the applicant or owner execute such agreements and covenants as it may deem to be required. Said agreements or covenants shall be recorded in the County Clerk s office and constitute a covenant running with the land. Such covenant or agreement may be modified or released only as set forth in said covenant or agreement or by the City Council. 16. Occupancy Restrictions Within the UR PUD S4 district, affordable housing shall be limited to occupancy for income Ferrandino & Associates Inc. 17 July 2013

22 eligible persons or families according to Federal income guidelines as set forth by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) or any other requirements under the financing for the project (when the project is financed using government funding), and the Land Disposition Agreement (LDA). C. Review Process Following approval by the City Council of the South Fourth Avenue East Third Street Urban Renewal Planned Unit Development Overlay Zone to be included in the text of the Mount Vernon Zoning Ordinance, the application for development approval within a UR PUD S4 District shall follow a twophased review process: Application for the placement of the South Fourth Avenue East Third Street Urban Renewal Planned Unit Development Overlay Zone (UR PUD S4) and approval by the City Council; and Application for site plan and/or subdivision approval by the Planning Board and Architectural Review Board within the approved UR PUD S4 District. Timing of the submission of rezoning, site plan and Certificate of Appropriateness applications to the City Council, Urban Renewal Agency, Planning Board and Architectural Review Board will be coordinated to minimize the length of the review process. D. Application Process Bulk standards that include the floor to area ratio, maximum building height, lot coverage, minimum setbacks and parking requirements are specified within this Plan. In reviewing any application for a UR PUD S4 zone development, the Planning Board shall be guided by standards set forth in these regulations and comparable uses and good planning practice, to ensure that the resulting development shall be compatible with the surroundings and assure the stability of the uses proposed to be developed for the site. Prior to proceeding with any application for the establishment of a UR PUD S4 District, the developer shall first submit an application to the Commissioner of Planning and Community Development, along with the following support materials for the Commissioner s recommendation to the City Council: 1. A preliminary development concept plan of the proposed development showing all proposed buildings and uses on the site, proposed building spacing and yard setbacks, the proposed location and design of all streets, driveways, parking lots, screening, landscaping, open spaces and recreational areas, proposed architectural features of all buildings, and the relationship of the proposed development to adjacent land, health, safety and general welfare of the community. 2. Such plans shall be accompanied by a brief analysis, in written form, explaining the proposed development concept and the planning purposes which will be derived for the City and the immediately surrounding neighborhood in accordance with this. The City Council shall refer all applications for UR PUD S4 zoning designation to the Planning Board for review and report as to whether the establishment of such zone will be in accordance with the standards contained herein and will be of benefit to the City by satisfying the intent and purposes as set forth in this Plan. Upon close of the public hearings and completion of the SEQRA process, if the rezoning request is approved by the City Council, site plans shall be submitted to the Planning Board and Certificate of Appropriateness applications submitted to the Architectural Review Board. Such plans shall be Ferrandino & Associates Inc. 18 July 2013

23 approved by the Planning Board and the Architectural Review Board in accordance with the municipal zoning code, prior to issuance of a building permit. XI. Proposed Program of Code Enforcement Code Enforcement is currently provided by the Department of Buildings, the Department of Public Works and the Office of the City Clerk. The goal of Code Enforcement is to protect the health and safety of residents and the City overall, as well as to promote economic and community development efforts. The scope of these services has grown over time to address a wide range of municipal code violations related to construction and land uses on private property and in the public right of way Citywide. A municipality is empowered under New York State General Municipal Law Article 15 A to develop and carry out methods and techniques relating to urban renewal that lead to the arrest and prevention of conditions of deterioration and blight. While the majority of code enforcement activities are complaint driven, the City sees its efforts as both a problem solving tool and a service to support urban renewal. The City s goal to partner with other agencies and the public to provide a proactive referral and resource pipeline while advancing the goals of urban renewal will be enhanced through the adoption a concentrated code enforcement program focusing on the Urban Renewal Area. The provisions of the code shall apply to all matters relating to structures and premises and shall be construed to secure and safeguard the public safety, health and general welfare. All requirements of the New York State Building Code, Fire Code, Property Maintenance Code, Plumbing, Mechanical and Fuel Gas Code and the Residential Code will be enforced in accordance with the New York State Division of Code Enforcement and Administration. All applicable sections of the City of Mount Vernon Municipal Code will also be enforced as required. XII. Proposed Timetable for the Effectuation of the Effectuation of this Plan will start immediately upon adoption by the City Council of the City of Mount Vernon and will be implemented in an expeditious manner, as to be determined by the Urban Renewal Agency. XIII. Other Provisions Necessary to Meet Requirements of Applicable State and Local Laws A. Duration of Controls The land restrictions and controls of this and any modification thereof shall run with the land and shall be binding on all parties and all persons claiming under them for a period of not less than forty (40) years from the date of approval of the by the City Council of the City of Mount Vernon. B. Procedure for Changes in the as Approved The provisions of this may be modified or amended or additions made thereto at any time by the City Council of the City of Mount Vernon, provided that any such changes, amendments, or additions made subsequent to the sale or lease of land in this Urban Renewal Area by the City of Mount Vernon shall be concurred in by the owners or lessors of the land sold or leased by the City and Ferrandino & Associates Inc. 19 July 2013

24 which land is directly affected by such changes, amendments or additions. C. Provisions to Preserve the Integrity of the Plan South Fourth Avenue East Third Street In order to preserve the integrity of this, the Building Commissioner of the City of Mount Vernon shall notify the Mount Vernon Department of Planning and Community upon receipt of any applications for a permit for building construction or alteration or for a Certificate of Occupancy for a structure or use within this Urban Renewal Area. Pursuant to Section 503(h) of the General Municipal Law, for a period of three years from the approval of this Plan by the City Council, or of any amendments hereto, the Building Commissioner shall not issue a building construction or alteration permit or a Certificate of Occupancy for a structure or use within this Urban Renewal Area without having first obtained the consent of the Department of Planning and Community Development, unless the construction, alteration or use is necessary for the immediate protection of the public health and safety. The Commissioner of Planning and Community Development shall consent to the issuance of certificates and permits upon determination that the proposed construction, alteration or use is not inconsistent with this or amendments hereto. Ferrandino & Associates Inc. 20 July 2013

25 Exhibit A. Map 1: South Fourth Avenue East Third Street Urban Renewal Area Boundary Official Urban Renewal Area Project Boundary Map (Perimeter Survey) and Boundary Description Ferrandino & Associates Inc. i July 2013

26 Ferrandino & Associates Inc. ii July 2013

27

28 File No W.O. No Doc. No. UR27JN13BD.doc Created: June 28, 2013 Revised: August 5, 2013 Printed: September 18, 2013 Figure No(s.) 1000 Author: SRM DESCRIPTION OF PROPERTY prepared for The City of Mount Vernon Description of South Fourth Avenue-East Third Street Urban Renewal Area City of Mount Vernon, New York ALL that certain parcel of land situate in the City of Mount Vernon, County of Westchester and State of New York that is a portion of the lots and streets as shown on that certain map entitled Map of the Village of Mount Vernon which was filed in the Westchester County Clerk s Office on December 22, 1851 as Map No. 144 that is bounded and described as follows: BEGINNING at the point which is the intersection of the centerline of South Sixth Avenue and the centerline of West Third Street, also known as Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard West, which point occupies coordinate position N 755, (y) E 675, (x) of the New York State Coordinate System, East Zone (NAD 83, expressed in feet). THENCE from the said point of beginning along the centerline of West Third Street N 73 25'10" E feet Ferrandino & Associates Inc. iv July 2013

29 to a point in range with the division line between the lands now or formerly of Ellis & Byrd on the west and the lands now or formerly of Louis Ellis on the east. Thence though East Third Street and continuing along said divison line N 16 34'50" W feet to a point. Thence along the divison line between the lands now or formerly of 158 Fourth Avenue, LLC on the north and other lands of 158 Fourth Avenue, LLC on the south, crossing South Fourth Avenue and continuing along the division line between the lands now or formerly of KLL Realty of New York Inc. on the north and the lands now or formerly of Tolia on the south N 73 25'10" E feet to a point and the lands now or formerly of Vernon Associates I LLC. Thence along said lands S 16 34'50" E feet and N 73 25'10" E feet to a point. Thence continuing, partially along said lands and partially through East Third Street, also known as Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard East S 16 34'50" E feet to a point in the centerline of East Third Street. Thence along the centerline of East Third Street N 73 25'10" E feet to a point in the centerline of South Third Avenue. Thence along the centerline of South Third Avenue S 16 34'50" E feet to a point in range with the divison line between the lands now or formerly of White, on the north and the lands now or formerly of Milio Cousins, Inc on the south. Thence through South Third Avenue and continuing along said division line and along the lands now or formerly of Horton, the lands now or formerly of Armour Estates and the lands now or formerly of Duen & Yuk Ferrandino & Associates Inc. v July 2013

30 S 73 25'10" W feet to a point and the lands now or formerly of the City of Mount Vernon. Thence along said lands and also along the lands now or formerly of Mount Vernon Industrial Development Agency S 16 34'50" E feet to a point. Thence along the lands of the City of Mount Vernon and continuing through South Third Avenue N 73 25'10" E feet to a point in the centerline of South Third Avenue. Thence along the centerline of South Third Avenue S 16 34'50" E feet to a point in the centerline of East Fourth Street, which point occupies coordinate position N 755, (y) E 676, (x) of the New York State Coordinate System, East Zone (NAD 83, expressed in feet). Thence along the centerline of East Fourth Street S 73 25'10" W feet to a point in the centerline of South Fourth Avenue. Thence along the centerline of South Fourth Avenue N 16 34'50" W feet to a point in range with the division line between the lands now or formerly of CMF Realty LLC on the south and the lands now or formerly of Rossi on the north. Thence through South Fourth Avenue and continuing along the said divison line Ferrandino & Associates Inc. vi July 2013

31 S 73 25'10" W feet to a point. Thence along the lands now or formerly of DeVico, the lands now or formerly of Kennedy, the lands now or formerly of Pone, the lands now or formerly of Logan, the lands now or formerly of Lashley, the lands now or formerly of Palmiotto, the lands now or formerly of Davis, the lands now or formerly of Anderson, the lands now or formerly of Major, the lands now or formerly of Stanley & Hines and the lands now or formerly of Brown N 16 34'50" W feet to a point. Thence along the division line between said lands of Brown on the south and the lands now or formerly of Coley & Henry on the north and continuing through South Fifth Avenue S 73 25'10" W feet to a point in the centerline of South Fifth Avenue. Thence along the centerline of South Fifth Avenue N 16 34'50" W feet to a point in range with the division line between the lands now or formerly of Daniel & Young on the south and the lands now or formerly of Mount Vernon Industrial Development Agency on the north. Thence through South Fifth Avenue and continuing along said division line S 73 25'10" W feet to a point and the lands now or formerly of Altagracia Medina. Thence along said lands S 16 34'50" E feet to a point. Thence along the division line between said lands and the lands now or formerly of Castellanos & Minaya on the north and the lands now or formerly of Jones on the south and continuing through South Sixth Avenue S 73 25'10" W feet Ferrandino & Associates Inc. vii July 2013

32 to a point in the centerline of South Sixth Avenue. Thence along the centerline of South Sixth Avenue N 16 34'50" W feet to the point or place of beginning, containing acres, more or less. NOTE: The bearings, distances and areas used herein are referred to the New York State Coordinate System, East Zone (NAD 83/96). Users of this information should divide said distances by a scale factor of in order to obtain level ground feet and divide said areas by 'squared' to obtain level ground areas. Prepared by BADEY & WATSON Surveying & Engineering, P.C. U.S. Route 9 Cold Spring, New York (845) (V) (845) (F) Ferrandino & Associates Inc. viii July 2013

33 Exhibit B. Map 2: Existing Building Conditions Map Ferrandino & Associates Inc. ix July 2013

34 Ferrandino & Associates Inc. x July 2013

35 Exhibit C. Map 3: Lots to be Acquired Map and List of Properties to be Acquired Ferrandino & Associates Inc. xi July 2013

36 Ferrandino & Associates Inc. xii July 2013

37 Properties To Be Acquired City/IDA owned properties Map Key Address Block/Lot Property Size (sq ft) S. 5 th Ave. 3084/4/IDA 3, S. 5 th Ave. 3084/37/IDA 3, S. 5 th Ave. 3089/1/UR 4, S. 4 th Ave. 3089/14/IDA 6, S. 4 th Ave. 3089/16/IDA 3, S. 4 th Ave. 3089/17/CMV 5, S. 4 th Ave. 3089/18/IDA 5, S. 4 th Ave. 3109/34/CITY 2, S. 4 th Ave. 3109/35/CITY 1, S. 3 rd Ave. 3109/9/CITY 4, E. 3 rd St. 3110/19/CITY 2,890 Subtotal 43,855 Private properties Map Key Address Block/Lot/Owner Property Size (sq ft) S. 6 th Ave. 3084/1/Saratoq LTD. 3, W. 3 rd St. 3084/2/Altagracia 3, W. 3 rd St. 3084/3/L.S.Y. Corp 1, S. 6 th Ave. 3084/36/Castellanos 3, S. 4 th Ave. 3088/21/Caribbean Rest. 2, S. 4 th Ave. 3088/22/Mattress Shop 2, S. 4 th Ave. 3088/23/Menibel 3, W. 3 rd St. 3088/24/Big Lou 1, W. 3 rd St. 3088/25/Bird s Nest Rest. 3, S. 5 th Ave. 3089/38/Cooley 3, S. 5 th Ave. 3089/39/Commodore 6, s. 5 th Ave. 3089/40/Commodore 7, S. 5 th Ave. 3089/41/Commodore 2, S. 5 th Ave. 3089/42/Palmiotto 2, S. 5 th Ave. 3089/43/Holland 5, S. 5 th Ave. 3089/44/MVP 3, E. 3 rd St. 3109/1/Mist Realty 6, S. 4 th Ave. 3089/3/MVP 6, S. 4 th Ave. 3089/4/MVP 1, S. 4 th Ave. 3089/5/MVP 3,051 Ferrandino & Associates Inc. xiii July 2013

38 S. 4 th Ave. 3089/6/MVP 20, S. 4 th Ave. 3089/6/MVP S. 4 th Ave. 3089/6/MVP S. 4 th Ave. 3089/6/MVP S. 4 th Ave. 3089/11/MVP 5, S. 4 th Ave. 3089/12/MVP 2, S. 4 th Ave. 3089/13/MVP 2, E. 3 rd St. 3109/2/Chuen 3, E. 3 rd St. 3109/3/Horton 3, E. 3 rd ST. 3109/4/White 3, S. 3 rd Ave. 3109/8/Chullickel 10, S. 3 rd Ave. 3109/10/Nwo Prop. 6, S. 4 th Ave. 3109/16/Lithograph 73, S. 3 rd Ave. 3109/18/Henry 4, S. 4 th Ave. 3109/20/Hamilton 2, East 4 th Street 3109/36/Lithograph 3, S. 4 th Ave. 3110/20/Mulbrook Realty 2, S. 4 th Ave. 3110/21/New Hope 2, S. 4 th Ave. 3110/22/Lau 2, S. 4 th Ave. 3110/23/Tolia 2,633 Subtotal 229,609 Ferrandino & Associates Inc. xiv July 2013

39 Exhibit D. Map 4: Lots To Be Transferred and List of Properties To Be Transferred Ferrandino & Associates Inc. xv July 2013

40 Ferrandino & Associates Inc. xvi July 2013

41 Properties To Be Transferred City/IDA/URA owned properties Map Key Address Block/Lot Property Size (sq ft) S. 4 th Ave. 3109/29/IDA 7, S. 4 th Ave. 3109/30/IDA 13, S. 4 th Ave. 3109/31/IDA 2, S. 4 th Ave. 3109/32/CITY 5, S. 4 th Ave. 3109/33/CITY 2,258 Subtotal 31,436 Ferrandino & Associates Inc. xvii July 2013

42 Exhibit E. Map 5: Lots Not to be Acquired Map and List of Properties Not to be Acquired Ferrandino & Associates Inc. xviii July 2013

43 Ferrandino & Associates Inc. xix July 2013

44 Properties Not To Be Acquired Private properties Map Key Address Block/Lot Property Size (sq ft) W. 3 rd St. 3089/2/Church of God 1, S. 3 rd Ave. 3109/11/Onymoria 2, S. 3 rd Ave. 3109/12/Chin 2, S. 3 rd Ave. 3109/13/American Res 2, S. 3 rd Ave. 3109/14/American Res 2, S. 3 rd Ave. 3109/15/Lathenan 2, S. 4 th Ave. 3089/19/West. Comm. 6, S. 4 th Ave. 3089/20/West. Comm. 4, S. 4 th Ave. 3089/21/West. Comm. 2, S. 4 th Ave. 3089/22/West. Comm. 4, S. 4 th Ave. 3089/23/Rossi Fence 3,492 Subtotal 33,516 Ferrandino & Associates Inc. xx July 2013

45 Exhibit F. Map 6: Proposed Zoning Map and Sub district Properties List Ferrandino & Associates Inc. xxi July 2013

46 Ferrandino & Associates Inc. xxii July 2013

47 Properties in the Townhouse Preservation Sub district List Private properties Map Key Address Block/Lot Property Size (sq ft) S. 3 rd Ave. 3109/11/Onymoria 2, S. 3 rd Ave. 3109/12/Chin 2, S. 3 rd Ave. 3109/13/American Res 2, S. 3 rd Ave. 3109/14/American Res 2, S. 3 rd Ave. 3109/15/Lathenan 2,120 Subtotal 10,523 Properties in the South Fourth Avenue East Third Street ned Unit Development District List City/IDA/URA owned properties Map Key Address Block/Lot Property Size (sq ft) S. 5 th Ave. 3084/4/IDA 3, S. 5 th Ave. 3084/37/IDA 3, S. 5 th Ave. 3089/1/UR 4, S. 4 th Ave. 3089/14/IDA 6, S. 4 th Ave. 3089/16/IDA 3, S. 4 th Ave. 3089/17/CMV 5, S. 4 th Ave. 3089/18/IDA 5, S. 4 th Ave. 3109/34/CITY 2, S. 4 th Ave. 3109/35/CITY 1, S. 3 rd Ave. 3109/9/CITY 4, E. 3 rd St. 3110/19/CITY 2, S. 4 th Ave. 3109/29/IDA 7, S. 4 th Ave. 3109/30/IDA 13, S. 4 th Ave. 3109/31/IDA 2, S. 4 th Ave. 3109/32/CITY 5, S. 4 th Ave. 3109/33/CITY 2,258 Subtotal 75,291 Private Properties Map Key Address Block/Lot Property Size (sq ft) S. 6 th Ave. 3084/1/Saratoq LTD. 3, W. 3 rd St. 3084/2/Altagracia 3, W. 3 rd St. 3084/3/L.S.Y. Corp 1, S. 6 th Ave. 3084/36/Castellanos 3,750 Ferrandino & Associates Inc. xxiii July 2013

48 S. 4 th Ave. 3088/21/Caribbean Rest. 2, S. 4 th Ave. 3088/22/Mattress Shop 2, S. 4 th Ave. 3088/23/Menibel 3, W. 3 rd St. 3088/24/Big Lou 1, W. 3 rd St. 3088/25/Bird s Nest Rest. 3, S. 5 th Ave. 3089/38/Cooley 3, S. 5 th Ave. 3089/39/Commodore 6, s. 5 th Ave. 3089/40/Commodore 7, S. 5 th Ave. 3089/41/Commodore 2, S. 5 th Ave. 3089/42/Palmiotto 2, S. 5 th Ave. 3089/43/Holland 5, S. 5 th Ave. 3089/44/MVP 3, E. 3 rd St. 3109/1/Mist Realty 6, S. 4 th Ave. 3089/3/MVP 6, S. 4 th Ave. 3089/4/MVP 1, S. 4 th Ave. 3089/5/MVP 3, S. 4 th Ave. 3089/6/MVP 20, S. 4 th Ave. 3089/6/MVP S. 4 th Ave. 3089/6/MVP S. 4 th Ave. 3089/6/MVP S. 4 th Ave. 3089/11/MVP 5, S. 4 th Ave. 3089/12/MVP 2, S. 4 th Ave. 3089/13/MVP 2, E. 3 rd St. 3109/2/Chuen 3, E. 3 rd St. 3109/3/Horton 3, E. 3 rd ST. 3109/4/White 3, S. 3 rd Ave. 3109/8/Chullickel 10, S. 3 rd Ave. 3109/10/Nwo Prop. 6, S. 4 th Ave. 3109/16/Lithograph 73, S. 3 rd Ave. 3109/18/Henry 4, S. 4 th Ave. 3109/20/Hamilton 2, East 4 th Street 3109/36/Lithograph 3, S. 4 th Ave. 3110/20/Mulbrook Realty 2, S. 4 th Ave. 3110/21/New Hope 2, S. 4 th Ave. 3110/22/Lau 2, S. 4 th Ave. 3110/23/Tolia 2, W. 3 rd St. 3089/2/Church of God 1, S. 4 th Ave. 3089/19/West. Comm. 6, S. 4 th Ave. 3089/20/West. Comm. 4, S. 4 th Ave. 3089/21/West. Comm. 2, S. 4 th Ave. 3089/22/West. Comm. 4, S. 4 th Ave. 3089/23/Rossi Fence 3,492 Subtotal 252,602 Ferrandino & Associates Inc. xxiv July 2013

49 Exhibit G. Map 7: Disposition Map Ferrandino & Associates Inc. xxv July 2013

50 Ferrandino & Associates Inc. xxvi July 2013

51 APPENDIX A: URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES South Fourth Avenue East Third Street Mount Vernon, New York Prepared by Ferrandino & Associates Inc. July 2013

52 Appendix A South Fourth Avenue East Third Street Urban Design Guidelines Table of Contents A. Introducon....1 Purpose of Urban Design Guidelines.. 1 Who will use them?...1 How with they be used?...1 B. Exisng Condions..1 C. Design Guidelines.2 Site Planning...2 Architectural Expression.4 Streetscape..7 Public Amenies.10 Landscape Design..11 Green Standards and Strategies..12 Ferrandino & Associates Inc. i July 2013

53 Appendix A A. INTRODUCTION South Fourth Avenue East Third Street Urban Design Guidelines Purpose of Urban Design Guidelines The South Fourth Avenue East Third Street area of Mount Vernon is an undeniably urban area which serves as both a commercial corridor and home to many of Mount Vernon s residents. The implementaon of urban design guidelines, along with the stricter enforcement of exisng building and zoning regulaons, will create an environment of structures that is aesthecally pleasing and ensure that the area grows into a vibrant mixed use community. This appendix is meant to complement and reinforce the, and to assist in achieving the goals set forth in the Plan. Who will use them? These urban design guidelines should be used by anyone who has a role in the design and construcon of the built environment within the South Fourth Avenue East Third Street Urban Renewal Area, including: urban planners, urban designers, architects, landscape architects, engineers, and project sponsors who include government agencies, building owners and private developers. How will they be used? The use of these guidelines in no way replaces the UR PUD S4 zoning requirements for the South Fourth Avenue East Third Street Urban Renewal Area laid out in the Plan. These urban design guidelines apply to anyone who is proposing, designing or reviewing development in the South Fourth Avenue East Third Street Urban Renewal Area. The implementaon of the design guidelines will help to ensure that the area fulfills the vibrant and unified vision of the neighborhood. When reviewers are applying these guidelines, they will need to keep in mind some important consideraons: Each project is unique and poses its own complexies. The guidelines that are crical for one project may not be for another. Reviewers need to be flexible when applying the guidelines, taking into account the unique design issues of each project. Illustraons are just examples. Reviewers should consider whether the design soluon meets the intent of the standard. B. EXISTING CONDITIONS The subject area includes a variety of land uses, several of which are inconsistent with the underlying zoning and as such constute non conforming and illegal uses.. Many of the properes are in poor or deteriorated condion. In order to declare the subject area an Urban Renewal Area, a Blight Determinaon Study was completed. This study determined that of the 67 properes in the proposed urban renewal area, 39 or 58 percent were found to have some degree of blighng influence on the neighborhood. Ferrandino & Associates Inc. 1 July 2013

54 Appendix A C. DESIGN GUIDELINES South Fourth Avenue East Third Street Urban Design Guidelines All new projects in the South Fourth Avenue East Third Street Urban Renewal Area should abide by the new UR PUD S4 zoning in addion to the following urban design principles: Encourage the development of a mix of uses to support a vibrant public realm Design for the human scale to create a rich and welcoming pedestrian experience Build on historic assets to retain the character of the neighborhood Establish a sense of place Work with local businesses and residents to make physical improvements to the streetscape Site Planning Site planning guidelines primarily address the organizaon of a project s components: the locaon of buildings, parking lots, open space and service areas. Good site planning can minimize a project s impacts on its neighbors, and help support a high quality of life for residents of the neighborhood. The current state of the South Fourth Avenue East Third Street Urban Renewal Area is not conducive to new development. These guidelines seek to enhance the current framework of the neighborhood by: 1. Orienng buildings to the streets Orient buildings to create and define public spaces along East Third Street and South Fourth Avenue which will encourage intense pedestrian traffic and acvity. Focus should be placed upon these two streets to help define the character of the whole neighborhood. Orienng buildings to the street helps to create a defined street wall. In general, build up to the sidewalk with a connuous street wall; however, larger developments should be allowed to pull back from the street edge to create plazas and gracious entry fore courts which enlivens the streetscape and creates spaces for pedestrians to interact. 2. Providing aesthecally pleasing structures Encourage new development that will respect and enhance the visual character of the Urban Renewal Area. Building design should have a contextual similarity to create a cohesively styled community and enhance the retail focus of the area. A blank street wall deadens the streetscape and makes for an inhospitable pedestrian experience A large building that pulls back from the street to create a entry plaza opens up the street and welcomes pedestrians to connue down the street Ferrandino & Associates Inc. 2 July 2013

55 Appendix A 2. Emphasizing human scaled design at the street level South Fourth Avenue East Third Street Urban Design Guidelines Building designs should take into account the size, texture and arculaon of physical elements that match the size and proporon of humans and, equally important, correspond to the speed at which humans walk. Include visually smulang details in the façade of a building that promote a vibrant pedestrian environment that encourages walking. Architectural details can include, but are not limited to: ornate or detailed brick work, window details, pediments, cornices, lighng, hand rails and fencing, downspouts and paving materials. New development should aempt to balance visual details to provide interest to both the pedestrian and the driver. Decorave details such as this fanciful light fixture and ornate fencing in Hoboken, NJ (le) or the beauful under ling of the window balcony in Madrid, Spain (right) add interest for the pedestrian, but are oen overlooked by a motorist. 3. Parking and services Where possible, locate parking off street. Provide pedestrian paths from parking areas to important public spaces. Parking garages, while frequently necessary, oen deaden the street environment. To avoid this, encourage design that will reduce the visual impact of structural parking by placing retail or other acve uses at the street level of garages, or screening the garage with vercal landscaping or other aracve cladding. Locate trash and delivery areas away from customer entrances and other public spaces. Service areas should be screened from sidewalks and streets by well landscaped shrubs and/or fencing. Parking garage with decorave cladding (le) and landscaped parking and service entrance (right) in Hoboken, NJ. Ferrandino & Associates Inc. 3 July 2013

56 Appendix A Architectural Expression South Fourth Avenue East Third Street Urban Design Guidelines Guidelines in this secon address the exterior elements of buildings, the components that define the look of the building, such as roofs lines, windows, modulaon and details. The guidelines insure that any new development in the area integrates seamlessly into the area, through appropriate and compable design, while adding to the neighborhood s economic viability. It is understood that the South Fourth Avenue East Third Street area has an eclecc mix of buildings and uses, but through these design guidelines, the relaonships among individual buildings, uses, sizes and styles can be bridged through responsible and responsive design. There are several general concepts that can help guide this process: 1. Adapve Reuse The recycling of buildings acknowledges the embodied energy of structures, the reuse of these buildings is oen greener than tearing them down and building anew. Oen these structures will require modificaons to their exterior building envelopes or sites in order to be financially viable in their new use. Contemporary alteraons and addions should be allowed to pre exisng or architecturally significant buildings or sites, provided that they don t substanally alter or harm disnguishing qualies and features, and are compable in terms of scale and character. The Townhouse Preservaon Sub district included in this Plan is intended to retain and enhance the character of the neighborhood by preserving and rehabilitang the Moderne Flats properes located on South Third Avenue (see properes specifically listed in Exhibit F). These buildings help establish the character of the neighborhood. While some of these structures are in decent condion and efforts should be made to retain them, others may be too deteriorated, to the point that rehabilitaon is not economically viable. For properes not included the Townhouse Preservaon Sub district careful consideraon should be made on a case by case basis to determine which buildings (or what parts of buildings) could be reused. The modern infill townhouse in Hoboken, NJ (le) takes cues from the surrounding homes in its use of a cornice and the alignment of its windows. The Moderne Flats (right) in the South Fourth Avenue East Third Street Urban Renewal Area are targeted for rehabilitaon. 2. Building Heights East Third Street and South Fourth Avenue have a variety of building heights, presently ranging from one story to four stories, although in certain areas buildings share a similar height. Under the UR PUD S4 zoning, sites have an as of right building height maximum at 120 feet which is significantly higher than currently found in the neighborhood. Ferrandino & Associates Inc. 4 July 2013

57 Appendix A South Fourth Avenue East Third Street Urban Design Guidelines It is recommended that maximum building heights be located at the intersecon of East Third Street and South Fourth Avenue and taper back down to the more common neighborhood scale of four to five stories along each street. However, buildings do not have to be all one height, or taper uniformly; some building height variaon enlivens the skyline and allows various uses to be accommodated in the neighborhood. Infill development should respect the heights of adjacent buildings. An infill development which does not follow this standard will exaggerate the present inconsistencies. Clockwise from upper le: An infill building doe not need to be as tall as the buildings on either side, as long as the street wall is maintained; buildings do not need to taper uniformly from the highest at the intersecon down to the more residenal oriented neighborhood scale along the street; however, infill buildings which do not respect the scale of their surroundings will break up the pedestrian street wall. 3. Maintenance of the street wall Building massing and orientaon can help place a strong visual emphasis on the street and create a sense of enclosure that is appropriate to an urban seng while relang to the pedestrian. Many properes in the South Fourth Avenue East Third Street neighborhood are vacant; this breaks up the street wall and makes the area less appealing to pedestrians. Ideally, buildings should be at least three stories tall at the street with setbacks to accommodate greater heights. Vacant properes screened by boards or fencing in the South Fourth Avenue East Third Street Urban Renewal Area (le and center) break up the street wall and make the streetscape less appealing to pedestrians. Large buildings maintain the street wall (right), but can overwhelm the pedestrian if not designed properly; set backs above a certain height help to alleviate this problem. Ferrandino & Associates Inc. 5 July 2013

58 Appendix A 4. Arculaon and Modulaon South Fourth Avenue East Third Street Urban Design Guidelines New development should aempt to reflect the exisng character of the street through the arculaon and modulaon of their façade. The paern and proporon of windows, doors and other elements plays an important role in determining a street s architectural character. In the case of a large site, the visual appearance of the structure should be made to resemble a series of smaller facades of width similar to the exisng built stock. This can be done through building design that features a variety of parapet heights, varying building wall setbacks or balconies, a variety of roof forms at different heights, and an irregular building footprint. This large development on Columbia Pike in Arlington, Virginia is visually broken up by the changes in materials, cornice depths, window shapes and the bays of the arcade to resemble several narrower buildings. The overall design gives the impression of a more tradional commercial street rather than one overwhelmingly large mixed use development. Photo credit: Columbia Pike infill Penrose Grocery by Bre VA, flickr.com 5. Consider each new project a long term investment Each new building should be considered a long term addion to the neighborhood so the exterior design and building materials should exhibit permanence and design excellence that will connue to be architecturally relevant. The design and materials used should complement the surrounding architecture and contribute to the overall development of a neighborhood character. This infill townhouse (le) uses materials, such as brick and iron, that complement the older homes to either side of it while maintaining a more modern design aesthec. The two newer buildings (right), located near the Highline Park in the Meatpacking District of Manhaan, exhibit a contemporary high quality design that characterizes the new identy of this neighborhood. In both cases the exterior design and building materials exhibit permanence and design excellence while not mimicking the historic structures surrounding them. Ferrandino & Associates Inc. 6 July 2013

59 Appendix A The Streetscape South Fourth Avenue East Third Street Urban Design Guidelines These streetscape guidelines are intended to help improve the character of the South Fourth Avenue East Third Street area s public spaces. While sidewalks in the area are generally in fair condion, the overall walkability of the neighborhood remains low. The few stores that might draw pedestrian traffic are oen separated by vacant or boarded up street fronts which discourage pedestrians from further exploring the neighborhood. In addion, while some intersecons in the Urban Renewal Area have mechanized crossing signals, most cross walks are unmarked, making it less safe for pedestrians to cross streets. When designing and reviewing the streetscape of a project, it is important to consider five design qualies that make for a good walking environment: Character the quality of a place that makes it disnct Enclosure the degree to which streets and other public spaces are visually defined by buildings, walls, trees or other vercal elements Human scale the size, texture and arculaon of physical elements that match the size and proporon of humans, and equally important, correspond to the speed at which humans walk Transparency the degree to which people can see or perceive objects and acvity especially human acons beyond the edge of the street Complexity visual richness of a place. The complexity of a place depends on the variety of the physical environment The guidelines address issues of street level uses and design, street wall transparency, sidewalks and landscaping. 1. Acvate ground floor The current state of exisng store fronts on South Fourth Avenue and East Third Street does not invite pedestrian acvity and as such lowers the economic producvity of the neighborhood. Providing complementary and adjacent ground floor uses animates the public realm. View east on East Third Street (le) with vacant storefronts does not encourage pedestrian traffic, unlike, this street in Dublin, Ireland (right) where aracve storefronts with complementary uses draws pedestrians along the street. Ferrandino & Associates Inc. 7 July 2013

60 Appendix A Spaces for ground level uses should be designed to engage the passerby with the acvies taking place inside. Sidewalks should appear safe, welcoming and open to the general public. Some general rules to follow when designing an acve streetscape include: South South Fourth Fourth Avenue East Third Third Street Street Urban Plan Urban Urban Design Design Guidelines a. Taller storefronts: A ground floor that is higher than other stories of the building can help create a visual sense of space and openness that aracts pedestrians. Store fronts should generally be 12 feet or higher. b. Street wall transparency: To create a visually aracve and open streetscape in general, 60 percent of ground floor commercial space should be transparent. Greater street wall transparency creates more interacon among pedestrians and the commercial acvies happening inside the store fronts. Greater transparency also maximizes opportunies for daylighng of ground floor spaces. c. Maximize openings: Buildings should maximize the number of street level façade openings for windows and doors to help break up the street wall and provide visual interest for the pedestrian. Major entryways to buildings should be highly visible and should incorporate at least three of the following: recessed or projected entryway, canopies or porcoes, overhangs, raised corniced parapets over the door, peaked roof forms, arches, outdoor paos, planters, wing walls, and any other architectural detail or feature that accentuates the entryways for the public. Rear and side elevaons should be enhanced for public access, where feasible. d. Non retail windows: While the majority of ground floor uses should be local retail, there will inevitably be some non retail ground floor uses. These uses should not turn their back on the street, creang a deadening effect on the street acvity level, but should instead aempt to interact with the street. 2. Materials used should be of high quality The ground floors of these buildings (top) in Hoboken, NJ are taller than the floors above which visually opens up the storefronts in what are otherwise solid looking brick buildings. The entrance to this realtor s office (above) is emphasized by the use of the corner recess, while the connuous wall of glass around the corner opens up this office space and interacts with the street. This new river esplanade in Hoboken, NJ (below) incorporates high quality materials such as brick and iron in its design, creang a successful public space even on cold days. Materials used to build and fit out streets and streetscape should be of high quality. Each new development should be considered a long term addion to the neighborhood; in addion to the exterior design and materials for new buildings, the streets and sidewalks should exhibit permanence and design excellence. Design and materials used should complement the local architectural style, and be consistent throughout the Urban Renewal Area. (Please refer to the City s Municipal Code Chapter 230 for approved surfacing and paving materials.) Ferrandino & Associates Inc. 8 July 2013

61 Appendix A 3. Design all streets and walks for safe and comfortable movement South Fourth Avenue East Third Street Urban Design Guidelines All streets and sidewalks should be designed for safe and comfortable movement of pedestrians and to meet ADA accessibility requirements. The New York State Department of Transportaon s (NYS DOT) standard minimum accessible width for sidewalks is 4.5 feet exclusive of the curb. The City of Mount Vernon requires a minimum of seven feet from the building line to the curb line in front of a store E.(1). Sidewalk widths in the South Fourth Avenue East Third Street area may vary from street to street depending on the uses fronng on those streets, but they should be consistent for the length of the street and integrate with exisng pedestrian facilies beyond the Urban Renewal Area. Further design guidance for sidewalks can be found in the NYS DOT Highway Design Manual. Crosswalks in the Urban Renewal Area should be clearly marked and signals already installed at some intersecons should be med to allow pedestrians of all levels of mobility safe me to cross the street. Some upgrades have already been made to certain intersecons within the Urban Renewal Area, including the med signal and ADA curb cuts located here at the intersecon of South Fourth Avenue and East Third Street (le). Not all intersecons will need automated signals, but every intersecon within the Urban Renewal Area should at least have painted crosswalks as seen in this intersecon (right) in Hoboken, NJ. 4. Incorporate canopies and awnings Canopies and awnings should be incorporated into facades to provide shade and shelter from inclement weather while providing visual interest to the pedestrian. The design should allow for sunny sidewalks in the winter and shady areas in the summer. 5. Pedestrian scaled lighng Pedestrian level exterior fixtures are encouraged at areas of pedestrian circulaon. Street lighng (tall, less frequent lights for the vehicular poron of the street) can be combined with pedestrian lighng (shorter, more frequent fixtures), which is a highly preferable method for providing both street and pedestrian lighng in commercial areas. Coordinate lighng fixture design with other street amenies to unify and contribute to a disnct district identy. This street in Ireland (le) incorporates awnings, decorave sidewalk pavers, signage and decorave lights to create a pleasant and welcoming atmosphere for pedestrians. Decorave street lights that incorporate street signage and banners (right) help to create a disnct downtown identy in Hoboken, NJ. Ferrandino & Associates Inc. 9 July 2013

62 Appendix A Public Amenies South Fourth Avenue East Third Street Urban Design Guidelines The success of urban places is dependent on the quality of its public streets, plazas, parks and other important civic spaces that support public life. Access to public amenies helps to set successful public spaces apart from the unsuccessful. These guidelines discuss how place making features and public amenies can lend a unique identy to certain areas. 1. Define the place New development should provide elements that help define the South Fourth Avenue East Third Street intersecon as a place. The special elements could be provided on facades, within public open spaces, or on sidewalks. One or more of the following should be incorporated into each project, as appropriate: a. Public art: the inclusion of public art into a project can help set a place apart from the streetscape, and creates a focal point for pedestrians to gather. Works that celebrate local history and mark gateways, access points, or other important public places and buildings should be encouraged. b. Special paving and/or landscaping treatment: delineang a plaza or secon of the streetscape through landscape design or special paving helps to define that space as a place. c. Public seang: including public seang benches, ledges, broad stairs, planters and the like especially near public open space can help enliven the street and allow people to look, rest, eat, read or meet. (Far le clockwise) New bus shelter in Hoboken, NJ; trash and recycling cans in Bryant Park, Manhaan; decorave sidewalk pavers and ulity cover in Barcelona, Spain; large sculpture in a plaza in Barcelona; bench on the Esplanade in Hoboken, NJ 2. Adequate trash and recycling facilies Adequate facilies for the removal of trash, garbage and recyclables should be provided for pedestrians on the sidewalks. Receptacles should be clearly marked, aracve and accessible. 3. Aracve and safe transportaon infrastructure Transit use can be encouraged by providing aracve and safe pedestrian conveniences at transit stops. Several design intervenons could be installed along East Third Street, and other transit corridors in the Plan area, in appropriate locaons for residenal use. Ferrandino & Associates Inc. 10 July 2013

63 Appendix A Landscape Design South Fourth Avenue East Third Street Urban Design Guidelines 1. Street trees Street trees are a valuable urban resource, as they provide shade in the summer, clean the air, help reduce urban heat island effect, and can reduce stormwater runoff. Because street trees are located on the busy interface between humans and nature, and are thus vulnerable to environmental and physical damage, the selecon of appropriate street tree species is very important. It is recommended that street trees be hardy species (preferably nave), tolerant to compacon, salt and air polluon to maximize the tree s chance for survival. The New York City Parks Department has a list of approved species for planng that includes trees suitable as street trees which include: the red oak, the pin oak and the scarlet oak among many others. It is recommended that street trees be planted 30 feet apart, alternang sides of the street to provide the opmal shading, in pits at least six square feet for a tree three inches in diameter (however, oak trees need a pit at least 6 feet by 10 feet). The larger the space that a tree s roots have to grow the healthier the tree will be. Street trees have an average life span of 13 years (Moll, 1992). They face a range of environmental challenges including, soil compacon from pedestrians, salt from snow removal, pet wastes and air polluon, while undersized tree pits can prevent street trees from spreading their roots for stabilizaon and to find water. There are a range of soluons that can help street trees survive; pit guards (le) prevent pedestrians and pets from walking on the trees soil, while permeable pavers (right) allow more water to reach a trees roots. 2. Nave Plants A well landscaped urban environment provides many benefits including clean air, reduced urban heat island effect, reduced stormwater runoff and provides visual interest to the pedestrian. The selecon of plant species is an important step when designing a successful landscape. Urban landscapers must take into account the locaon, available sunlight, sources of water and soil types of an area when designing. Drought tolerant, hardy, nave species are recommended; the New York City Parks Department has a list of plants nave to the metropolitan region. 3. Green infrastructure Green infrastructure is the combinaon of non structural and structural stormwater management strategies that create an integrated method for dealing with stormwater at its source rather than aer it has been channeled downstream. Green infrastructure techniques include: pervious paving materials, green roofs, and bio swales. Features such as green roofs oen provide other benefits beyond reduced stormwater runoff, such as increased insulaon for a building which reduces heang and cooling costs. Green infrastructure strategies should be employed wherever possible. The Highline in Manhaan (le), ulizing mostly nave and naturalized plants, provides visual appeal during all four seasons of the year. Permeable pavers, such as the ones pictured here in Hoboken, NJ (right) are appropriate for driveways and parking lots to reduce stormwater runoff. Ferrandino & Associates Inc. 11 July 2013