Setbacks & Building Placement

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Bartholomew Henderson
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1 Setbacks & Building Placement This design element addresses how the factors of setbacks and building placement affect the size and placement of mul modal transporta on infrastructure and create a comfortable human environment within a site Setbacks A setback is used to create a buffer area which protects buildings or structures from the road by mi ga ng noise levels, by providing a safety zone and by improving aesthe cs through landscaping or screening. Setbacks are a func on of the area type, land use and the func onal classifica on of the road. The setback area and the right-of-way buffer area do not serve the same func on. Setbacks are not intended to accommodate the future widening of the road therefore they should be measured from the ul mate right -of-way. See RIGHT-OF-WAY ULTIMATE design element. If no ul mate right-of-way exists, then setbacks should be measured from the exis ng right-of-way. The use of a setback measured from the ul mate right -of-way allows for the future expansion of a road while preserving the property and the building values when the road is widened. SETBACKS The minimum distance from the street right-ofway line to the lot line that establishes the area within which no structure can be erected. Recommenda ons On roads of similar classification, there should be consistent setback in all adjacent zoning districts. Setback values should be determined according to the functional classification of the roadway. The following chart is suggested as a reference in determining setbacks. The process of determining setbacks is complex. This chart should only be used as a guide: Growth Area Rural Areas RES COM IND OFF RES COM IND OFF Arterial Collector Local RES: Residen al COM: Commercial IND: Industrial OFF: Office Chester County Mul modal Handbook

Good setback example. Poor setback example. BUILDING PLACEMENT The rela ve loca on of a building or buildings and other site elements on a lot or property.

of any community or development (Pennsylvania Standards for Residen al Site Development, Pennsylvania Housing Research/ Resource Center, 2007).

2 Good setback example. Poor setback example. BUILDING PLACEMENT The rela ve loca on of a building or buildings and other site elements on a lot or property. Building Placement How a building looks, its placement on a site and its rela onship to adjacent structures and the immediate surroundings are some of the most significant influences on the character of any community or development (Pennsylvania Standards for Residen al Site Development, Pennsylvania Housing Research/ Resource Center, 2007). According to the PHRC, the following factors should be considered when placing buildings on a site: Setbacks Orientation Building Design Lot Size While these may be the primary factors for determining where buildings are placed, the rela onship between the buildings and the circula on system u lized to access the building(s) is another factor that should be considered towards the crea on of outdoor spaces and a comfortable human scale environment. Parking lots, driveways, walkways, trails, etc. not only provide access to, but also limit where people may congregate in the outdoor environment. For example, a design principle of many corporate parks constructed in the 1980 s era placed the parking, main building entrances, and any pedestrian walkways on the opposite side of the buildings from the primary road frontage. While the design intent may have been to create the look of a green campus-like environment, the lack of pedestrian facili es on the frontage side results in a rela vely sterile exterior due to a lack of apparent 128 Chester County Mul modal Handbook 2016

human ac vity. There is simply no way to tell if these developments are full of life or if they are completely empty since the frontage always has the same appearance.

3 human ac vity. There is simply no way to tell if these developments are full of life or if they are completely empty since the frontage always has the same appearance. This appearance has a direct effect on the marketability of the space within those buildings. Successful developments achieve a balance between the func onality of the vehicular circula on system and the comfort and safety of the pedestrian environment, including minimizing conflict points. The sooner one may enter a comfortable pedestrian environment connec ng to a building from the me they exit their car, the be er the human experience will be for that Building heights are another factor affec ng the pedestrian experience. According to ITE s Designing Walkable Urban Thoroughfares: A Context Sensi ve Approach Buildings are the primary feature of urban contexts that create a sense of defini on and enclosure on a thoroughfare an important urban design element that helps create the experience of being in a city and in a place that is comfortable for pedestrians. The threshold when pedestrians first perceive enclosure is a 1:4 ra o of building height to thoroughfare width typical of low density environments. In denser urban contexts, height-to-width ra os between 1:3 and 1:2 create an appropriate enclosure on a thoroughfare. Illustra on of height to width ra os that create a scale on thoroughfares that is comfortable to people and encourages walking (human scale). Human scale ra os fall between 1:3 and 1:2 as measured from the building fronts. Source: CCPC, 2015 Chester County Mul modal Handbook

While building heights and the inter-rela onship of mul ple buildings plays a significant role in crea ng outdoor spaces, pedestrian environments require the combina on of subtle yet effec ve

Recommenda ons Always consider the relationship between building placement and both pedestrian and vehicular site circulation and how it will impact not only safety but also the pedestrian friendly

4 While building heights and the inter-rela onship of mul ple buildings plays a significant role in crea ng outdoor spaces, pedestrian environments require the combina on of subtle yet effec ve barriers such as curbing, fences, railings, bollards, plan ng beds and/or trees to provide the necessary separa on from vehicular circula on to create a safe and comfortable space. Recommenda ons Always consider the relationship between building placement and both pedestrian and vehicular site circulation and how it will impact not only safety but also the pedestrian friendly experience of the Provide for outdoor gathering spaces where appropriate, particularly in commercial and employment centers, urban centers, and suburban centers. These spaces help to create the appearance of vitality within a Commercial development incorpora ng outdoor gathering spaces. Ground level view of commercial development above. 130 Chester County Mul modal Handbook 2016

5 Employment center with rear entrances and parking, no pedestrian facili es along frontage. Ground level view of the employment center. Chester County Mul modal Handbook

CHAPTER 4: LAND USE PLAN

CHAPTER 4: LAND USE PLAN A. LAND USE PLAN MAP The Mountain View Targeted Neighborhood Plan Land Use Plan Map (LUPM) illustrates the goals of this plan in map form. The LUPM identifies locations and intensities