14.212.840 Building Design – General.
Intent: To encourage design proposals that are consistent with accepted design principles, incorporate durable building materials, and integrate stylistically coherent architectural detailing.
A. Development shall incorporate elements that reflect the character of the Snohomish community. Justification of the consistency of proposed architectural style, elements, proportions, relationships, or materials with the local context may be required if antecedents within the community are not clear.
B. Buildings shall be “four-sided,” meaning that all façades including side and rear facades should be considered visible (unless facing “blind” onto an adjacent party wall) and should be designed as an architectural façade composition.
C. Architectural styles and stylistic references should be consistent and not combined on one building.
D. Façade massing elements shall be located and arranged according to the building’s architectural style and the function of interior spaces, and should respond to its site.
E. Architectural detailing shall be incorporated on all buildings consistent with the style and scale of the principal building and with the character of the community. Detail elements appropriate to the Snohomish community may include:
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• Knee brace |
• Parapet with cornice |
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• Wide fascia and trim |
• Belt course |
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• Rafter tail |
• Vertical window |
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• Cupola |
• Dormer |
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• Window mullions (except false mullions) |
• Substantial eave and gable projection |
F. Exterior surface materials shall be consistent with the traditional architectural materials and should contribute to the appearance of a 100-year functional building life. Appropriate materials include:
•Wood or long-lasting wood appearance materials, including cement fiber board but not vinyl or similar materials. Wood shakes and shingles, either square or decorative, shall be used only on single-family and townhouse buildings and their outbuildings.
•Masonry, including brick and stone, but not faux stone. CMU is generally not appropriate, except that split-face CMU may be permitted in combination with other materials, e.g., as a base course;
•Metal panels when reflective of historic industrial buildings (not appropriate for single-family and townhouse development);
•Stucco may be used as a contrasting material to another primary surface material but shall not be the predominant surface material. Where used, joint patterns should reflect the overall composition of the building.
•Poured-in-place concrete may be permitted on a limited basis where textured form liners, pigments, stains, and/or special aggregates are used to create visually interesting surfaces. To the degree possible, formwork should shape architectural profiles of walls that create bases, cornices, pilasters, panel frames, and other elements contributing to façade composition and human scale.
G. Except ground-floor storefronts, windows shall reflect historic proportions and trim size and details. Window proportions shall be either square or vertically oriented, with a minimum of 2:1 vertical to horizontal proportion typical. Greater vertical to horizontal proportions are encouraged. Windows inset from the exterior plane are strongly encouraged for all residential development and required for the Center zone. Sills shall be provided on all windows except storefronts. Permanent materials such as wood, precast concrete, and similar shall be used for sills and window and door trims.
H. Unifying architectural approaches shall be used to lay out a window pattern across a façade, such as aligning windows by using common sill or header lines, and/or aligned vertical centerlines of windows and doors between upper and lower floors. The design logic of the window composition within the context of the overall building design must be evident.
I. Sliding doors shall not be located on a street-facing façade.
J. Weather protection at all building entries is strongly encouraged and required for street-facing entries. (Ord. 2451, 2022)