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<br />1325.05 Design Standards. <br /> <br /> Subd. 8 Additional Design Standards for New Development, Redevelopment, and <br />Modifications to Existing Sites in the B2 and B3 Districts. (revised 04/27/15) Unless <br />preempted by the standards in this section, all other zoning provisions shall apply: <br /> A. Purpose and Intent. The purpose of these additional design standards is to promote <br />a high level of architectural, landscaping, and site design in the business districts of Arden <br />Hills. The City seeks to create a unified, harmonious, and high-quality environment to <br />foster a distinct, positive, and successful image for the City. The criteria by which new <br />development, redevelopment, and site modifications in the Districts shall be judged are as <br />follows: <br /> 1. Consistency with provisions of the comprehensive plan and other guiding plans as <br />amended from time to time; provisions of the zoning ordinance and subdivision ordinance; <br />and all other applicable regulations. <br /> 2. Use of appropriate materials, lighting, textures, colors, and architectural and <br />landscape forms to create a unified, high-quality design concept for each site that is <br />compatible with adjacent and neighboring structures and functions. <br /> 3. Creation of unified site designs, each with a sense of internal order, that provide <br />desirable environments for site users and visitors and the community as a whole and that <br />consider all site elements. <br /> 4. Provision of safe and adequate access from public streets to sites giving ample <br />consideration to the location and number of access points, the safety and convenience of <br />merging and turning movements, and traffic management and mitigation. <br /> 5. Provision of on-site vehicular, bicycling, and pedestrian circulation by way o f <br />interior drives, parking areas, pathways, and walkways adequate to handle anticipated <br />needs and to safety buffer pedestrians and cyclists from motor vehicles. Ample <br />consideration shall be given to the width of interior drives, internal traffic movement and <br />flow, separation of pedestrian, cycling, automobile; and delivery traffic, and the safe, <br />convenient, and practical arrangement of parking spaces. <br /> B. Application. The standards in this Section should apply only to the building or site <br />elements being developed or altered (i.e. a proposal for changes to a building would be <br />required to meet only those standards that pertain to buildings while changes to a parking <br />area would be required to meet the standards for parking areas but not for buildings). The <br />design standards shall be applied proportionately to the degree of change proposed. Upon <br />recommendation from the Planning Commission, the City Council may waive specific <br />design standards based on the scale of the project. The City Council shall make the final <br />determination on the compatibility and consistency with the design standards. <br /> C. Architectural Style and Building Character. Evaluation of a project shall be based on <br />the quality of its design and on its relationship to its surroundings. Site characteristics to <br />be evaluated for this purpose include, but are not limited to, building and landscaping <br />materials, colors, textures, shapes, massing, building components, height, roof-line, and <br />setback. Monotony of design, both within projects and between projects and its