TOWN OF WOLFVILLE CORE COMMERCIAL DESIGN GUIDELINES

Transcription

1 TOWN OF WOLFVILLE CORE COMMERCIAL DESIGN GUIDELINES

2 TOWN OF WOLFVILLE: CORE COMMERCIAL DESIGN GUIDELINES Prepared for The Town of Wolfville Prepared by FOTENN ConsultantS=Inc 223 McLeod Street Ottawa, ON K2P 0Z8 January 2016 FOTENN The information contained in this document produced by FOTENN is solely for the use of the Client identified above for the purpose for which it has been prepared and FOTENN undertakes no duty to or accepts any responsibility to any third party who may rely upon this document. All rights reserved. No section or element of this document may be removed from this document, reproduced, electronically stored or Transmitted in any form without the written permission of FOTENN Consultants Inc. QUALITY INFORMATION DOCUMENT REF TOWN OF WOLFVILLE: CORE COMMERCIAL DESIGN GUIDELINES DATE JAN REVIEWED BY PREPARED BY MICHELLE BLOM MICHAEL STOTT SARAH BUTTON SARAH MILLAR REVISION HISTORY REVISION REVISION DATE DETAILS APPROVED BY 1 JAN DRAFT MICHAEL STOTT 2 3 4

3 TABLE OF CONTENTS 1.0 INTRODUCTION BUILT FORM GUIDELINES HERITAGE RESOURCES DESIGN GUIDELINES STREETSCAPE DESIGN GUIDELINES URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES EVALUATION CHECKLIST 64 i

4 Figure 1: Main Street Wolfville

5 Town of Wolfville Core Commercial Design Guidelines SECTION 01 INTRODUCTION 1.0 INTRODUCTION 1.1 ABOUT THE GUIDELINES The Core Commercial Design Guidelines have been prepared by FOTENN Planning and Design for the Town of Wolfville. The guidelines are intended to create a more compact and diverse built form while maintaining and protecting The Town of Wolfville s unique character. The Guidelines also provide the Town of Wolfville, land owners, developers, and the public with a useful tool to improve the design of new development projects and in construction of upgrading existing heritage areas. The Core Commercial Design Guidelines should be read within the context of the Municipal Planning Strategy and Land-Use Bylaw. The Guidelines explain the principles Wolfville s Planning Advisory Committee will use to review applications. It does not reproduce all of the specific requirements of the Municipal Planning Strategy, Land-Use Bylaw, The Nova Scotia Building Code Regulations or the Development Permit process. 1.2 MUNICIPAL PLANNING IMPLEMENTATION The following development projects within the C-1 Zone require a development agreement form of municipal approval, and are subject to design review by the Planning Advisory Committee: New building construction with a total floor area in excess of 1000 square feet; Building additions in excess of 10% of the total floor area of the existing building; and Alterations to an existing building which include: alterations of the front façade and/or street-facing façade; changes to windows or doors; changes to exterior cladding materials or changes to roof lines. In the case where the Core Commercial Design Guideline s contradict any provisions in the Municipal Planning Strategy, Nova Scotia Building Code Regulations or Land Use By-law, the Land-Use Bylaw, Nova Scotia Building Code Regulations and Municipal Planning Strategy will prevail. 1.3 DOWNTOWN WOLFVILLE AREA BOUNDARY Figure 2 depicts the boundary of the Core Commercial Designation as identified in the Municipal Planning Strategy (2016). The Core Commercial Design Guidelines address all lands within this boundary. 5

6 SECTION 01 INTRODUCTION Town of Wolfville Core Commercial Design Guidelines DYKELAND ST WOLFVILLE HARBOUR RAIL TRAIL HIGHLAND AVE ELM AVE CORE COMMERCIAL BOUNDARY FRONT ST LINDEN AVE CENTRAL AVE MAIN ST SUMMER ST GASPEREAU AVE HARBOURSIDE DR LOCUST AVE SEAVIEW AVE WILLOW AVE MAIN ST VICTORIA AVE 0 40M Figure 2: Town of Wolfville Core Commercial Boundary 6

7 Town of Wolfville Core Commercial Design Guidelines SECTION 01 INTRODUCTION 1.4 DESIGN PRINCIPLES Character: Clear development patterns and continuous built form within a neighbouvrhood allows understanding of how an area is organised and how to navigate throughout it. The existing scale and rhythm of buildings and open spaces provide a sense of place that should be respected within new development. The Pedestrian Environment: Commercial and recreational activity in the downtown is dependent on pedestrian scale streets which support businesses and provide comfortable and safe environments for pedestrians. Diversity: A diverse community includes a range of housing types, land uses and architectural style. New development should reflect local values, history and culture, but also contribute to being a unique eclectic community with distinct features. Continuity and Enclosure: Continuous street walls, enclosed public spaces, and active ground floor façades define streets and public spaces creating a more active, vibrant and attractive environment. Quality of Public Realm: A quality public realm design can create a safe and vibrant community. Projects should promote public spaces and routes that are attractive, safe, uncluttered and work effectively for all in society. Integrating Sustainability and Resiliency: Sustainable communities are able to endure and remain diverse and productive through social, economic and cultural influences. Sustainable urban design provides greater connectivity for pedestrians, cyclists and public transit users. 7

8 SECTION 01 INTRODUCTION Town of Wolfville Core Commercial Design Guidelines 1.5 PREVIOUS STUDIES Previous Studies often provide direct recommendations for improvements to municipal planning documents or processes. These can represent years of public consultation. The Town of Wolfville has completed a large body of previous work that has contributed to the update to the Core Commercial Design Guidelines. Three documents which were referenced and used in this document are: Downtown Wolfville Architectural Guidelines (1992); Imagine Wolfville s Downtown (2014); Residential Architectural Guidelines (); and Active Transportation Plan (2015) Figure 3: Main Street Wolfville 8

9 Town of Wolfville Core Commercial Design Guidelines SECTION 01 INTRODUCTION Figure 4: Core Commercial Area looking East 9

10 SECTION 02 BUILT FORM GUIDELINES Town of Wolfville Core Commercial Design Guidelines 2.0 BUILT FORM GUIDELINES 2.1 INTRODUCTION Wolfville takes great pride in its ability to shape its future and its quality of life. Wolfville s downtown has a compact urban character with an attractive mix of buildings, parking and pedestrian areas, and a vibrant local economy. A sense of historical continuity in its architecture is highly valued by residents, and is immediately apparent to visitors. The architectural history of Wolfville s downtown began with New England Planter influences in the late 1700 s. The district saw significant construction of Victorian buildings during the 19th century, added 1920 s store front architecture and several examples of the art deco and art nouveau styles, and has accommodated contemporary design from the post war period to the present. While there is respect for the town s heritage there is nevertheless, an eclectic nature to the architecture of the downtown born of its diverse historical influences. The Built Form Guidelines represent an update to the existing Downtown Wolfville Architectural Guidelines. The updated guidelines are intended to incorporate the existing content from the 1992 document, while adapting to changing best practice as well as reflecting current development and intensification goals for the downtown. Figure 6: Wolfville Main Street Aerial 10

11 Town of Wolfville Core Commercial Design Guidelines SECTION 02 BUILT FORM GUIDELINES Figure 7: Core Commercial Building Samples 11

12 SECTION 02 BUILT FORM GUIDELINES Town of Wolfville Core Commercial Design Guidelines Figure 8: Precinct Six of the Area Specific Design Standards 12

13 Town of Wolfville Core Commercial Design Guidelines SECTION 02 BUILT FORM GUIDELINES 4 DYKELAND ST WOLFVILLE HARBOUR 2.2 DOWNTOWN CHARACTER AREAS In 2014, extensive public consultation was undertaken to develop the Downtown Redevelopment Concept Plan. This visioning exercise created a 10-year plan for how Wolfville s downtown should look and feel. The final document, Imagine Wolfville s Downtown, provides a concept plan and action items for achieving desired changes across 8 character areas in the downtown area. HIGHLAND AVE ELM AVE 3 FRONT ST LINDEN AVE CENTRAL AVE SUMMER ST MAIN ST 5 GASPEREAU AVE HARBOURSIDE DR 1 LOCUST AVE 2 SEAVIEW AVE WILLOW AVE VICTORIA AVE The Core Commercial Design Guidelines used these 8 character areas as a starting point to identify 5 character areas and two gateway areas in the downtown. While these Design Guidelines apply to all of Wolfville s downtown, each of the character areas has its own characteristics and urban design priorities. This section of the Design Guidelines presents specific considerations for each character area that draw from and build on the Downtown Redevelopment Concept Plan. CORE COMMERCIAL BOUNDARY 0 50M Figure 9: Character Areas 13

14 SECTION 02 BUILT FORM GUIDELINES Town of Wolfville Core Commercial Design Guidelines 1. MAIN STREET CHARACTER AREA Characteristics + Opportunities Consistent building wall at the street edge; DYKELAND ST Ground floor commercial and retail uses; 1-3 storeys in height; Large areas of windows at street level; Opportunity for redevelopment and additions. Urban Design Priorities Orient and position buildings to further define the streetscape and reinforce the existing street wall; Use inner side yards for patios, informal seating, pedestrian connections and public art; HIGHLAND AVE ELM AVE FRONT ST LINDEN AVE 0 75M CENTRAL AVE SUMMER ST MAIN ST HARBOURSIDE DR GASPEREAU AVE LOCUST AVE WOLFVILLE HARBOUR SEAVIEW AVE WILLOW AVE VICTORIA AVE Seek opportunities to provide views to the harbour; Figure 10: Precinct One Boundaries Include retail or service uses on the ground and second floor; Increase density by including residential uses on the second floor and above; Extend streetscaping improvements throughout this area on both sides of Main Street. 14

15 Town of Wolfville Core Commercial Design Guidelines SECTION 02 BUILT FORM GUIDELINES 15

16 SECTION 02 BUILT FORM GUIDELINES Town of Wolfville Core Commercial Design Guidelines 2. WATERFRONT CHARACTER AREA Characteristics + Opportunities Provides the only public access to the water in Wolfville; DYKELAND ST Provides important vehicular and pedestrian connections to unique recreational cultural and natural habitat area; Provides strong visual connection to the Dykelands landscape; Opportunity to improve pedestrian connections to Main Street. Urban Design Priorities Celebrate and highlight entries to the trail network and Waterfront Park with signage and landscape elements; Streetscape treatments should be improved around adjacent developments, including parking areas; Enhance key pedestrian connections to trails and parking areas. HIGHLAND AVE ELM AVE FRONT ST LINDEN AVE 0 75M CENTRAL AVE SUMMER ST MAIN ST HARBOURSIDE DR GASPEREAU AVE LOCUST AVE WOLFVILLE HARBOUR SEAVIEW AVE WILLOW AVE VICTORIA AVE Figure 11: Precinct Two Boundaries 16

17 Town of Wolfville Core Commercial Design Guidelines SECTION 02 BUILT FORM GUIDELINES 17

18 SECTION 02 BUILT FORM GUIDELINES Town of Wolfville Core Commercial Design Guidelines 3. FRONT AND ELM STREET CHARACTER AREA Characteristics + Opportunities Has a variety of building forms, uses, and densities, including cultural and public gathering spaces, and small startup businesses; Opportunity to become a denser, more coherent mixed-use area that complements and supports Main Street; Opportunities for new development on underused or vacant parcels. Urban Design Priorities Orient and position new buildings to define the streetscape along Front Street; Preserve existing through-block connections to Main Street and provide new through-block connections to the Rail Trail; DYKELAND ST HIGHLAND AVE ELM AVE FRONT ST LINDEN AVE 0 75M CENTRAL AVE SUMMER ST MAIN ST HARBOURSIDE DR GASPEREAU AVE LOCUST AVE WOLFVILLE HARBOUR SEAVIEW AVE Figure 12: Precinct Three Boundaries WILLOW AVE VICTORIA AVE Seek opportunities to provide views to the harbour; Enhance laneways and parking areas with landscaping; Increase density by including residential uses on the second floor and above; Streetscape improvements throughout this area can reinforce its distinctive but supporting role as part of downtown; Wayfinding signage to indicate trail connections. 18

19 Town of Wolfville Core Commercial Design Guidelines SECTION 02 BUILT FORM GUIDELINES 19

20 SECTION 02 BUILT FORM GUIDELINES Town of Wolfville Core Commercial Design Guidelines 4. LARGE-FORMAT CHARACTER AREA Characteristics + Opportunities Separated from the concentrated portion of downtown by the Rail Trail; DYKELAND ST The only part of Wolfville with capacity for large retail; Contains low-rise buildings with large floor plates and lots of surface parking areas; May present opportunities to improve downtown parking; Could be better integrated with the rest of Downtown. Urban Design Priorities Incorporate new mixed use development into areas adjacent to the rail trail; Formalize and improve the existing pedestrian connection from Dykeland Street across the Rail Trail to the Farmer s Market; HIGHLAND AVE ELM AVE FRONT ST LINDEN AVE 0 75M CENTRAL AVE SUMMER ST MAIN ST HARBOURSIDE DR GASPEREAU AVE LOCUST AVE WOLFVILLE HARBOUR SEAVIEW AVE Figure 13: Precinct Four Boundaries WILLOW AVE VICTORIA AVE Dykeland Street would benefit from improved streetscaping, including sidewalks, lighting and landscaping. 20

21 Town of Wolfville Core Commercial Design Guidelines SECTION 02 BUILT FORM GUIDELINES 21

22 SECTION 02 BUILT FORM GUIDELINES Town of Wolfville Core Commercial Design Guidelines 5. LIVE/WORK CHARACTER AREA Characteristics + Opportunities Has an architectural character similar to the adjacent residential neighbourhood; DYKELAND ST Buildings here were originally constructed as large single-family homes; No consistent building line at the street, though setbacks are relatively consistent; Some houses have been converted into home businesses; Significant tree canopy remains; Limited opportunities for new development, but potential for conversions,redevelopment and additions. Urban Design Priorities Ensure conversions, redevelopment and additions maintain the primarily residential character of the neighbourhood; HIGHLAND AVE ELM AVE FRONT ST LINDEN AVE 0 75M CENTRAL AVE SUMMER ST MAIN ST HARBOURSIDE DR GASPEREAU AVE LOCUST AVE WOLFVILLE HARBOUR SEAVIEW AVE WILLOW AVE VICTORIA AVE Figure 14: Precinct Five Boundaries Enhance streetscaping and/or wayfinding to reinforce that this area is part of downtown; Formalise through-block connections to Main Street. 22

23 Town of Wolfville Core Commercial Design Guidelines SECTION 02 BUILT FORM GUIDELINES 23

24 SECTION 02 BUILT FORM GUIDELINES Town of Wolfville Core Commercial Design Guidelines GATEWAYS West Gateway Create a a new arrival sequence to Downtown from the West; DYKELAND ST Reinforce the transition from Acadia University to the Town, and from the Town to the University; Preserve views into Main Street. East Gateway Create a new arrival sequence to Wolfville from the East; Preserve views into Main Street, through parkland to the Harbour and Blomidon, and and provide a transition into Downtown from adjacent residential areas; Provide landscaping on the North side of Main Street to compliment Willow Park. HIGHLAND AVE ELM AVE FRONT ST LINDEN AVE 0 75M CENTRAL AVE SUMMER ST MAIN ST HARBOURSIDE DR GASPEREAU AVE LOCUST AVE WOLFVILLE HARBOUR SEAVIEW AVE WILLOW AVE VICTORIA AVE Figure 15: Precinct Five Boundaries 24

25 Town of Wolfville Core Commercial Design Guidelines SECTION 02 BUILT FORM GUIDELINES 25

26 SECTION 02 BUILT FORM GUIDELINES Town of Wolfville Core Commercial Design Guidelines 2.3 SITE DESIGN STANDARDS FOR ALL BUILDINGS A. BUILDING FRONTAGE AND SETBACKS New buildings should reflect the local spatial arrangement and separation distances of the existing street wall. New development should reflect the existing streetwall height through building height or building stepbacks. EXISTING STREETWALL New buildings and major additions should be constructed to the front lot line. Orient and position buildings to define the streetscape on public streets and internal driveways to assist in creating active pedestrian environments. Large side yards in the streetscape should be avoided as they can create undesirable gaps within the streetscape. Building constructed to the front lot line to define the streetscape and reflects the existing streetwall height. Figure 16: Street wall PROPOSED BUILDING FRONT LOT LINE Figure 17: Building massing held within the street wall limits 26

27 Town of Wolfville Core Commercial Design Guidelines SECTION 02 BUILT FORM GUIDELINES B. PEDESTRIAN ACCESS AND WALKWAYS Barrier-free access from the building entrance to the public sidewalk shall be provided. Pedestrian amenities such as linkages to parking lots and significant streets, gardens and Main Street are highly encouraged. New construction should maintain existing pedestrian walkways and linkages in the existing fabric. When building frontages are set back from the site line, a change in paving should indicate pedestrian friendly and barrier free access to the building entrance. Figure 18: Building massing held within the street wall limits 27

28 SECTION 02 BUILT FORM GUIDELINES Town of Wolfville Core Commercial Design Guidelines Figure 21: Porous hardscaping elements for water runoff C. SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT PRACTICES Buildings should be sited to minimize the destruction of existing vegetation. All healthy existing trees with diameters in excess of 150mm above grade should be indicated on architectural plans. Building improvements to the site should minimize the disruption to topography. Sustainable development practice includes greater connectivity for pedestrians, cyclists and public transit users. Green building technologies and materials are strongly encouraged in new construction. Figure 20: Green building design; Green rood and solar energy panels Green roofs or reflective roof surface materials are encouraged to avoid heat island effects. It is encouraged to include water catchment and filtration in landscaping elements to improve stormwater collection in the urban center. Site design should minimize surfaces which are impervious and use porous pavement and landscaped areas to decrease water runoff. Shade trees and coniferous shrubs should be provided to adjacent sidewalks, pedestrian walkways and throughout parking areas. Figure 19: Indoor bicycle facilities D. BICYCLE FACILITIES Parking areas for bicycles which do not interfere with pedestrians are preferred. Place bicycle parking facilities in highly visible areas close to transit stops, building entrances, and major public spaces. Larger developments should include on-site bicycle parking which should be placed in a highly visible location near the main entrance of the building. Allocate bicycle storage indoors if applicable. 28

29 Town of Wolfville Core Commercial Design Guidelines SECTION 02 BUILT FORM GUIDELINES E. PARKING LOT LOCATIONS To preserve a continuous street frontage, the amount of lot frontage occupied by parking should be minimized. Wherever possible, locate surface parking areas behind buildings and screened from the view of the public realm. Parking areas should be organized into small bays, rather than large surface lots. If surface parking must be located at the front of the lot, the parking lot should not occupy more than 30% of the lot frontage. parking lot access F. PARKING LOT ACCESS Rear lane access to parking amenities is preferred with the number of vehicular entrances held to a minimum. Vehicular access shall be from an alley or midblock connetion on a connecting street Curb cuts and vehicular entries should be llimited to the minimum width required Parking and loading access should be shared where feasible Entrances to underground parking should be located behind buildings Incorporate direct barrier-free and convenient pedestrian circulation routes within surface parking lots. Barrier-free and convenient pedestrian circulation routes to parking locations from public sidewalks. Rear lane access to parking amenity with vehicular entrances held to a minimum. Surface parking located behind building and screened from the public realm. PROPOSED BUILDING SECONDARY STREET PROPOSED BUILDING SECONDARY STREET PROPOSED BUILDING RETAIL STREET RETAIL STREET RETAIL STREET Accessible parking spaces should be available in close proximity to barrierfree access ways. SECONDARY STREET 29

30 SECTION 02 BUILT FORM GUIDELINES Town of Wolfville Core Commercial Design Guidelines G. PARKING LOT SCREENING Provide a minimum 3m wide landscaped buffer along the entire edge of the parking area for screening. Design landscaped areas that continuously screen parked vehicles visible from the street through the use of low walls, hedges and/or fences. SECTION The Landscape buffers and/or screening shall be decorative and support the streets existing character. Ensure landscape elements are low enough to allow visual surveillance of the parking area. Where applicable, apply irrigation systems within the surface parking landscape buffers. 30

31 Town of Wolfville Core Commercial Design Guidelines SECTION 02 BUILT FORM GUIDELINES UTILITY HIDING IMAGE H. REFUSE AND UTILITY AREAS Service bays, utilities (hydro transformers, utility meters, HVAC equipment and satellite dishes) and storage yards should be located at the side or the rear of the building. Mechanical equipment should be contained within the roof structure. Where this is not possible, the penthouses should contain the equipment and be obscured from public view. Garbage and recycling bins should be stored internally wherever possible. Any exterior garbage and recycling should be located in the rear or side of the building contained within a garbage enclosure. I. FENCING AND NOISE WALLS In the downtown area fences should be avoided unless used to mask parking and utility areas. If fences are necessary, they should be set back from lot lines so as not to block vision of pedestrians and vehicles. Fences should be limited to 1.75 metres in height to relate to the pedestrian scale. Noise walls are strongly discouraged. If the noise wall is necessary screen the noise wall with decorative plantings. UTILITY HIDING IMAGE 31

32 SECTION 02 BUILT FORM GUIDELINES Town of Wolfville Core Commercial Design Guidelines 2.4 BUILDING DESIGN STANDARDS FOR ALL BUILDINGS A. BUILDING HEIGHT Building height within Downtown Wolfville is held between 3-5 stories. The floor-to-floor height of the ground floor should be 4.5 metres to encourage retail usage at grade. Common height lines of adjacent structures should be respected so that new construction can blend within the existing streetscape. B. BUILDING MASSING If new development exceeds the height of adjacent buildings, stepbacks will be used for an appropriate transition of scale. Front façade stepbacks should be a minimum of 1.5 metres and reference the average cornice line of adjacent buildings. Ensure an appropriate transition of building heights by providing a maximum angular view plane of 45 degrees. COMMON ROOFLINES TO ADJACENT BUILDINGS 4.5 METRE GROUND FLOOR AXO EXAMPLE BUILDING SET BACKS SECTION FOR HEIGHT BUILDING IN BETWEEN 3-5 STORIES 1.5 METRE SETBACK Addition height added to frame retail streets and to terminate important visual axis Incorporate expressive massing to accentuate the corner and address multiple street frontages SECTION STEPBACK TRANSITION 32

33 Town of Wolfville Core Commercial Design Guidelines SECTION 02 BUILT FORM GUIDELINES C. CORNER BUILDINGS Use corner building developments to frame existing retail streets using additional height and appropriate setbacks. Within a corner condition, building massing should address both frontages through expressive architectural features. Use height variations in portions of the massing to emphasize building entrances and architectural features and create visual cues for site orientation. Locate and design corner gateway developments to terminate important visual axes. CORNER BLDG ELEMENTS Incorporate vertical elements, expressive massing and architectural features to accentuate the corner. On corner sites, respond to the setback pattern and alignment of neighbouring buildings on both streets. In corner conditions, commercial uses on the ground floor should wrap the corner to provide continuous shop frontage. IMAGES IMAGES Figure 22: Best Practices of Building Design Example 1 33

34 SECTION 02 BUILT FORM GUIDELINES Town of Wolfville Core Commercial Design Guidelines 2.1 GROUND FLOOR TREATMENTS B. GROUND FLOOR TREATMENT ALONG RETAIIL STREETS Refer to the Town of Wolfville Land Use By-Law for the designation of the Central Commercial Area Ground floor space shall be designed to accommodate retail, professional office, and live-work uses. The primary entrance for each streetlevel tenant space should be provided from the fronting street. The tradition of approximately 75% of the wall surface being occupied by windows should be respected for the principle façades at the ground floor level. Buildings should have a minimum ground floor height of 4.5 metres, measured floor-to-floor from average grade. For active commercial and retail uses at grade include transparent glazing 0.5 metres above grade and at least 2.5 metres in height. In corner conditions, where active uses are required, commercial or office uses should wrap the corner. In instances where a mixed use building establishes a transition to a residential area, residential uses may be provided beyond this point. 34

35 Town of Wolfville Core Commercial Design Guidelines SECTION 02 BUILT FORM GUIDELINES C. GROUND FLOOR TREATMENT FOR ALL STREETS Along other streets, at least 75% of the ground floor street frontage shall be designed to accommodate the following uses: retail, cultural, professional office, live/work units, with individual entries along the street, and/or other active space such as recreation rooms or common rooms. The ground floor treatment for these uses should provide windows that occupy at least 50% of the façade The main building entrance should be located on a public and active street. Street wall massing, articulation and detail, street level building entrances and storefront windows and doors, as well as the use of quality materials and decorative details, shall be used to promote pedestrian-scaled architecture along the street. 35

36 SECTION 02 BUILT FORM GUIDELINES Town of Wolfville Core Commercial Design Guidelines 2.5 ARCHITECTURAL DETAILING AND CHARACTER A. FACADE Building façades should be designed with a variety of architectural elements including wall planes and rooflines, human scale proportions, large windows and porches/ entryways. of bays defined by vertical elements such as changes in materials, building projections, columns or other vertical architectural elements. Exterior window air-conditioners should be avoided in all development. New construction should respect the traditions of first floor base lines, large storefront windows, recessed entries, and vertical window orientation on the second and third floors. Provide architectural expression and design elements such as cornice lines, window bays, entrances, canopies and fenestration in pattern, scale and proportion that relate to neighboring buildings and engage the pedestrian realm. New buildings wider than 7.5 metres should include a series of bays defined by vertical elements such as changes in materials, building projections, columns or other vertical architectural elements. FACADE VARIATION AND MASSING Long monolithic façades should be avoided with a maximum horizontal width of 7-8 metres wide If the façade exceeds 7-8 meters include a series 36

37 Town of Wolfville Core Commercial Design Guidelines SECTION 02 BUILT FORM GUIDELINES D. WINDOWS AND DOORS Window placement, size, material and style should help define architectural style and integrity. Windows should be recessed from the exterior building envelope. Ground floor glazing should be transparent and non-reflective. Above the ground floor glazing should have the minimum reflective coating needed for energy efficiency standards. Non reflective coating or tints and are preferred. Vertical window orientation on the floors above ground level Buildings wider than 7.5 metres should includes a series of bays defined by verticle massing elements Pedestrian Weather Protection ADDRESS EXISTING CORNICE LINES Inset balconies integrated into the facade that do not increase the visual building mass New construction should include large storefront windows and recessed store entries. Barrier-free building entrances should be provided within new construction. Architectural treatments may include the use of prominent sills, mouldings, flower boxes, soldier courses, and/or shutters. TRANSPARENT GLAZING AT LEAST 2.5 METRES IN HEIGHT 75% OF THE GROUND FLOOR OCCUPIED BY WINDOWS Figure 23: Best Practices of Building Design Example 2 37

38 SECTION 02 BUILT FORM GUIDELINES Town of Wolfville Core Commercial Design Guidelines E. EXTERIOR FINISHES Materials should be varied from building to building to help create diversity and reduce scale. The preference is for use of traditional materials such as wood brick or stucco. Vinyl Siding, plastic, plywood, concrete block, tinted and mirrored glass, and metal siding are strongly discouraged. Painting or factory finished metal should be used with caution. F. COLOUR USE Colour use should complement colour palettes from adjacent buildings and public spaces. Where applicable, preferably on architectural features such as window frames, door frames, shutters, cornice and other mouldings, use vibrant colour accents to create visual interest. 38

39 Town of Wolfville Core Commercial Design Guidelines SECTION 02 BUILT FORM GUIDELINES G. BALCONIES Along commercial/retail street frontages, avoid projecting balconies on the front façade of the building. Avoid balcony arrangements which increase the visual building mass substantially. Wrap around balconies are generally discouraged. Inset or partially inset balcony arrangements which are integrated into the façade of the buildings are preferred. Minimize visual impact through the use of clear glazing. 39

40 SECTION 02 BUILT FORM GUIDELINES Town of Wolfville Core Commercial Design Guidelines 3.0 HERITAGE RESOURCES DESIGN GUIDELINES 3.1 INTRODUCTION 40

41 Town of Wolfville Core Commercial Design Guidelines SECTION 02 BUILT FORM GUIDELINES Figure 24: Core Commercial Building Samples 41

42 SECTION 02 BUILT FORM GUIDELINES Town of Wolfville Core Commercial Design Guidelines 2.2 HERITAGE OVERLAY Figure 25: Core Commercial Area Looking South 42

43 Town of Wolfville Core Commercial Design Guidelines SECTION 02 BUILT FORM GUIDELINES 3.1 HERITAGE ELEVATION 43

44 SECTION 02 BUILT FORM GUIDELINES Town of Wolfville Core Commercial Design Guidelines 3.1 GUIDELINES FOR HERITAGE ADDITIONS AND EXTENSIONS A. HEIGHT Additions are limited to 2 storeys above the existing building height. The existing building and extension can not go above 5 stories. B. SETBACKS AND SETBACKS Any extensions will be built to the same property line as the existing building. Any addition abover three stories should step back 2.5 metres from the façade of the existing building on all side. C. WINDOWS AND DOORS The original windows and doors should be repaired and enhanced if possible. If they must be replaced, the new windows and doors should replicate the existing configuration and materials used in the original construction. 44

45 Town of Wolfville Core Commercial Design Guidelines SECTION 02 BUILT FORM GUIDELINES D. MATERIALS Repairs and renovations to existing heritage buildings should use the same or similar materials to the original structure. E. CORNICES Cornices and rooflines should be repaired using similar materials to the original structure. 45

46 SECTION 02 BUILT FORM GUIDELINES Town of Wolfville Core Commercial Design Guidelines 3.2 GUIDELINES FOR INFILL WITHIN HERITAGE CONTEXT F. HEIGHT The maximum height for buildings in the core commercial is (3-5 stories). If the development exceeds more than one storey greater than its neighbour, the remaining floors should be set back. G. SETBACKS AND SETBACKS Infill adjacent to existing heritage buildings should respect the existing streetwall and build to a similar setback. If the development exceeds more than one storey greater than its neighbour, the remaining floors should stepback 2.5 metres. H. WINDOWS AND DOORS The proportion of glazing arreas in heritage infill should respect the pattern of windows of its neighbouring buildings 46

47 Town of Wolfville Core Commercial Design Guidelines SECTION 02 BUILT FORM GUIDELINES I. MATERIALS Infill buildings should respect the neighbouring historic material uses by using similar or complimentary materials in construction. Complimentary accent materials include: steel, copper, glass and painted or unpainted wood. Historic materials in the Core Commercial Area include: brick, wood detailing, wood siding, and stone. Materials that should be avoided are: stucco, vinyl siding, exterior insultation and highly reflective or tinted glass. J. CORNICES Cornices of neighbouring buildings should be mirrored or referenced in new construction 47

48 SECTION 03 STREETSCAPE DESIGN GUIDELINES Town of Wolfville Core Commercial Design Guidelines 3.0 STREETSCAPE DESIGN GUIDELINES 3.1 INTRODUCTION Commercial and recreational activity in the downtown is dependent on pedestrian scale streets which supports business and provides access to sll modes of transportation including pedestrians, cyclists, public transit and motorists. The Streetscape Design Guidelines are based on general best practices to provide guidance on future streetscape improvements. Streetscapes should be designed to make travel safe and comfortable for all users and to encourage environmentally friendly ways of travel. Figure 26: Main Street, Wolfville 48

49 Town of Wolfville Core Commercial Design Guidelines SECTION 03 STREETSCAPE DESIGN GUIDELINES Figure 27: Best Practice Streetscape Examples 49

50 SECTION 03 STREETSCAPE DESIGN GUIDELINES Town of Wolfville Core Commercial Design Guidelines 3.2 STREETSCAPE DESIGN GUIDELINES FOR ALL STREETS A. SIDEWALKS AND CROSSWALKS Walkability is a key of vibrant and active downtown cores. Facilitate and encourage pedestrian movement and are vital to creating a safe and healthy environment in the downtown. Provide continuous, unobstructed, and barrier-free sidewalks on both side of a street. UTILITY EDGE ZONE Secure a sidewalk zone of at least 3 metres wide and a pedestrian clearway of 1.8 metres wide. Street crossings extend sidewalk materials to indicate a pedestrian friendly zone 1.8 MINIMUM PEDESTRIAN CLEARWAY FURNITURE AND PLANTING ZONE Incorporate traditional paving materials, such as standard concrete, for the majority of the sidewalk surface treatments.incorporate non-traditional paving material to signify special locations, assist in wayfinding and to define pedestrian priority routes. Barrier-free crossings and traffic calming are encouraged where appropriate. Street crossing should incorporate curb ramps and extend sidewalk materials to indicate a pedestrian friendly zone and encourage traffic calming. Tree branches should be elevated 2.0 metres above the pedestrian clearway. TO BE UPDATED Pedestrian scale lighting 3 METRE RIGHT-OF-WAY Figure 28: Best Practices of Streetscape Example 1 50

51 Town of Wolfville Core Commercial Design Guidelines SECTION 03 STREETSCAPE DESIGN GUIDELINES B. STREET TREES AND LANDSCAPING Wherever possible, plant trees along both sides of all streets. Position street trees to avoid conflict with pedestrian and vehicular movement as well as underground utilities. Trees should be placed between the sidewalk and the road. Screened buffers in the form of plantings, berms and wall should be used to screen parking and utility areas from the public view. Where possible select street trees which are native and non-invasive and well suited to urban conditions. Provide street trees with regular spacing to a continuous street tree canopy. It is encourage to maximize on-site storm water infiltration, capture and reuse through landscaping elements. Wherever possible, include permeable or porous paving materials such as joint pavers, pre-cast turf grid units and porous concrete/asphalt. 51

52 SECTION 03 STREETSCAPE DESIGN GUIDELINES Town of Wolfville Core Commercial Design Guidelines C. STREET FURNITURE Incorporate site furnishings along pedestrian connections to provide amenities at convenient and comfortable locations. Select site furnishing which compliment and coincide with the adjacent streetscape elements. 52

53 Town of Wolfville Core Commercial Design Guidelines SECTION 03 STREETSCAPE DESIGN GUIDELINES D. LIGHTING The intensity and location of light for parking and pedestrian areas should be at the minimum necessary to provide safe and visible spaces. Ground oriented pedestrian scale lighting along pedestrian walkways is strongly encouraged. Installing energy efficient pedestrianscale lighting with shielded fixtures and automatic shut-off devices are preferred. Warm lighting colours are encouraged. Install lighting fixtures where illumination levels do not exceed 0.0lux. Coordinate the placement of lighting with landscaping elements to avoid the screening of illumination and shadow effects. Enhance significant façades and important public elements with accent lighting. Ensure the height and placement of the lighting standard prevents glare and light spillage into adjacent properties. 53

54 SECTION 03 STREETSCAPE DESIGN GUIDELINES Town of Wolfville Core Commercial Design Guidelines E. STREET RETAILING AND PATIOS Design and construct patios and outdoor retail displays to be compatible with the surrounding streetscape elements and architectural qualities of surrounding buildings. TO BE UPDATED Signs should be consistent in scale, materials, and style within one building Patios and street retailing should not obstruct the sidewalk clearway or vehicular movement. Maintain barrier-free access for persons with disabilities. There should be a 1 metre wide ramping slope entrance onto the patio area. Patio fencing should not exceed 1.6 metres in height. F. AWNINGS AND CANOPIES Incorporate canopies and awnings on building façades and umbrellas within patio spaces to provide protection from inclement weather. Coordinate pedestrian weather protection with neighbouring buildings shelter and continuous visual patterns. In general, locate weather protection at the first floor (6 meter maximum) and provide a width of three metres. 1.5 METRE DECORATIVE FENCING PATIO DOES NOT OBSTRUCT PEDESTRIAN RIGHT- OF-WAY Figure 29: Best Practices of Streetscape Example METRE WIDE RAMP ENTRANCE 54

55 Town of Wolfville Core Commercial Design Guidelines SECTION 03 STREETSCAPE DESIGN GUIDELINES 2.1 PUBLIC ART Public art installations can provide orientation, vibrancy, identity, interest and a sense of place for residents and visitors when placed in prominent locations. Select locations that will best showcase the installation including culturally significant sites, gateway location, public gathering spaces, highly visible locations and significant redevelopment sites. Views to significant public art should be preserved and enhanced within new development and streetscaping. All mediums of public art should be incorporated into public spaces including sculpture, frieze, murals, canopies, surface treatments and other means of design reinforcement. 55

56 SECTION 04 CORE COMMERCIAL DESIGN GUIDELINES CHECKLIST Town of Wolfville Core Commercial Design Guidelines 4.0 URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES EVALUATION CHECKLIST TO BE UPDATED 56

57 Town of Wolfville Core Commercial Design Guidelines SECTION 04 CORE COMMERCIAL DESIGN GUIDELINES CHECKLIST 57

58 SECTION 01 INTRODUCTION Town of Wolfville Core Commercial Design Guidelines LIST OF FIGURESOSSWALKS Figure 1: Main Street Wolfville 4 Figure 2: Town of Wolfville Core Commercial Boundary 6 Figure 3: Main Street Wolfville 8 Figure 4: Core Commercial Area looking East 9 Figure 6: Wolfville Main Street Aerial 10 Figure 7: Core Commercial Building Samples 11 Figure 8: Precinct Six of the Area Specific Design Standards 12 Figure 9: 8 Precincts Addressed in the Area Specific Design Standards 13 Figure 10: Precinct One Boundaries 14 Figure 11: Precinct Two Boundaries 15 Figure 12: Precinct Three Boundaries 16 Figure 13: Precinct Four Boundaries 17 Figure 14: Precinct Five Boundaries 18 Figure 15: Precinct Six Boundaries 19 Figure 16: Precinct Seven Boundaries 20 Figure 17: Precinct Eight Boundaries 21 Figure 18: Best Practices of Site Design Example 1 23 Figure 19: Best Practices of Site Design Example 2 25 Figure 22: Mid-Rise Corner Building Sample 26 Figure 21: Heritage Extension Sample 26 Figure 20: Mid-Rise Building Sample 26 Figure 23: Best Practices of Building Design Example 1 27 Figure 24: Best Practices of Building Design Example 2 29 Figure 25: Core Commercial Area Looking South 31 Figure 26: Main Street, Wolfville 32 Figure 27: Best Practice Streetscape Examples 33 Figure 28: Best Practices of Streetscape Example 1 35 Figure 29: Best Practices of Streetscape Example 1 37 Figure 30: Core Commercial Area looking east 41 58

59 Figure 30: Core Commercial Area looking east

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