12/23/2003 Ordinances 8883
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ORDINANCE NO. 8883
An ordinance to amend Chapter 36 of the Grand Island City Code; to add Section
36-42 pertaining to Gateway Protection Corridor Overlay District; to amend the Official Zoning
Map of the City of Grand Island; to repeal any ordinance or parts of ordinances in conflict
herewith; and to provide for publication and the effective date of this ordinance.
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
GRAND ISLAND, NEBRASKA:
SECTION 1. Section 36-42 of the Grand Island City Code is hereby added to
read as follows:
~36-42. Gateway Corridor District (Overlay District) - GCO
Intent: The City of Grand Island has established basic site and building development criteria to be
implemented within the boundaries of this overlay district. These criteria include, but are not limited to the
following: landscaping, building material selection, lighting, and interior street development. The purpose for
regulating these issues is to provide for a cohesive and properly developed entrance into the City of Grand Island
from the Interstate corridor. Guiding development in this manner promotes the general health, safety and welfare of
the residents within the zoning jurisdiction of the City, by providing quality design and construction that will also
aid in the protection of past and future investment in the corridor.
Purpose: The purpose of these criteria is to establish a checklist of those items that affect the physical
aspect of Grand Island's environment. Pertinent to appearance is the design of the site, building and structures,
planting, signs, street hardware, and miscellaneous other objects that are observed by the public.
The criteria contained herein are not intended to restrict imagination, innovation or variety, but rather to
assist in focusing on design principles that can result in creative solutions that will develop a satisfactory visual
appearance within the city, preserve taxable values, and promote the public health, safety and welfare.
(A) Geographic Area:
The Gateway Corridor Overlay District extends generally to Wood River Road or the southern
portion of the Grand Island Extraterritorial Jurisdiction. The overlay districts generally are one-half mile
wide and centered along U.S. Highway 281 south ofSchimmer Drive and South Locust Street south of U.S.
Highway 34.
If a site is partially covered by said overlay district, and then the entire portion of the site facing
the Gateway Corridor is to be covered by these regulations. For a graphically defined area, see the Official
Zoning Map.
(B) Criteria For Application:
All commercial developments consIstmg of more than one principal building, mixed-uses,
multiple-pad development and/or similar shall be required to meet the zoning requirements for a
Commercial Development (CD) Zone or the Travel Development (TD) Zone. The CD or TD process and
rezoning shall be in conjunction with Preliminary and Final Plat review and approval. The design criteria of
this section shall be met as part of the subdivision approval.
All industrial developments consisting of more than one principal building, mixed-uses, multiple-
pad development and/or similar shall be required to meet the zoning requirements of the Industrial Estates
(ME) zone. The design criteria of this section shall be met as part of the subdivision approval.
Approved as to Form tl
December 24, 2003
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ORDINANCE NO. 8883 (Cont.)
All commercial or industrial developments consisting of one principal building with single or
mixed uses in an existing zone shall comply with the design criteria of this section. This would include
additions and exterior remodeling of existing structures.
All residential subdivisions shall be required to meet the landscape and site treatment criteria
wherever the proposed development is adjacent to an arterial or frontage road. The criteria shall be
implemented for the entire frontage, including entrances into the development. Exception: Single-family
dwelling units within this Overlay on property zoned for Agricultural or Transition Agriculture shall be
exempted from these criteria.
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(C) Criteria for Appearance.
(1) Relationship of Buildings to Site: The site shall be planned to accomplish a desirable transition
with the streetscape and to provide for adequate planting, safe pedestrian movement, and parking areas.
(a) Site planning in which setbacks and yards are in excess of standard commercial
zoning restrictions is encouraged to provide an interesting relationship between buildings.
(b) Parking areas shall be treated with decorative elements, building wall extensions,
plantings, berms, or other innovative means so as to screen parking areas from view from public
ways.
(c) Without restricting the permissible limits of the applicable zoning district, the height
and scale of each building shall be compatible with its site and existing (or anticipated) adjoining
buildings.
(d) Newly installed utility services, and service revisions necessitated by exterior
alterations, shall be underground.
(2) Relationship of Buildings and Site to Adjoining Area (Outside of Subdivision)
(a) Adjacent buildings of different architectural styles shall be made compatible by such
means as screens, sight breaks, and materials.
(b) Attractive landscape transitions shall be designed to be compatible to adjoining
properties.
(c) Harmony in texture, lines and masses is required. Monotony shall be avoided.
(3) Landscape and Site Treatment. Landscape elements included in these criteria consist of all
forms of planting and vegetation, ground forms, rock groupings, water patterns, and all visible
construction except building and utilitarian structures.
(a) Where natural or existing topographic patterns contribute to beauty and utility of a
development, they shall be preserved and developed. Modification to topography will be permitted
where it contributes to good site design and development.
(b) Grades of walk, parking spaces, terraces, and other paved areas shall provide an
inviting and stable appearance for walking and, if seating is provided, for sitting.
(c) Landscape treatments shall be provided to enhance architectural features, strengthen
vistas and important axis, and provide shade. Spectacular effects shall be reserved for special
locations only.
(d) Unity of design shall be achieved by repetition of certain plant varieties and other
materials and by correlation with adjacent developments.
(e) Plant material shall be selected for interest in its structure, texture, color, and for its
ultimate growth. Plants that are indigenous to the area and others that will be hardy, harmonious to
the design and of good appearance shall be used.
(f) Site must be serviced by an underground or approved irrigation system and all plant
material shall be kept in good health and maintained. If plant material dies, it shall be replaced.
(g) Parking areas and traffic ways shall be enhanced with landscaped spaces containing
trees or tree groupings.
(h) Use of walls, fencing, planting, or combinations of those shall accomplish screening
of service yards and other places that tend to be unsightly. Screening shall be equally effective in
winter and summer.
(i) Exterior lighting, when used, shall enhance the building design and the adjoining
landscape. Building fixtures shall be of a design and size compatible with the building and
adjacent areas. Lighting shall be restrained in design and excessive brightness avoided. Lighting
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ORDINANCE NO. 8883 (Cont.)
shall be designed to a standard that does not impact adjoining properties, especially residential
areas.
U) All fencing within this Overlay shall be defined including height, type and materials
within the development plan.
(k) Fencing within the District and as part of an Industrial Development may be required
to be a solid fence.
(1) All signs shall meet the Sign Design Criteria within the City of Grand Island Sign
Code.
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(4) Building Design
(a) Architectural design and style are not restricted, however architectural style should be
consistent throughout the subdivision. Evaluation of the appearance of a project shall be based on
the quality of its design and relationship to surroundings.
(b) Buildings shall have good scale and be in harmonious conformance with permanent
neighboring development.
( c) The primary building material for all portions of the structures shall be negotiated
with the City. However, sample materials shall include but not be limited to materials of high
quality, such as brick (clay), stucco, wood, glass, split faced concrete masomy units (CMU) with
integrated color pigmentation, pre-engineered structures provided the exterior skin meets the
criteria for appearance for the area as defined in the subdivision agreement or approved by the site
design and review committee, and stone material native to Nebraska. The materials shall be
similar and compatible throughout the entire development. The Grand Island staff and/or design
review architect may allow other primary building designs (of good architectural character, i.e.
CMU, poured-in-place concrete) for portions of the building not visible from public areas. Other
secondary building materials shall have good architectural character and shall be selected for
harmony of the building with adjoining buildings.
(d) Materials shall be selected for suitability to the type of buildings and the design in
which they are used. Buildings shall have the same materials, or those that are architecturally
harmonious, used for all building walls and other exterior building components wholly or partly
visible from public ways.
(e) Materials shall be of durable quality.
(f) In any design in which the structural frame is exposed to view, the structural materials
shall be compatible within themselves and harmonious with their surroundings.
(g) Building components, such as windows, doors, eaves and parapets, shall have good
proportions and relationships to one another.
(h) Colors shall be harmonious and shall use only compatible accents.
(i) Colors shall be of low reflectance and shall not be of high-intensity or metallic colors
unless the colors are true to the materials being used.
U) Mechanical equipment or other utility hardware on roof, ground, or buildings shall be
screened from public view with materials harmonious with the building, or they shall be so located
as not to be visible from any public ways.
(k) Exterior lighting shall be part of the architectural concept. Fixtures, standards, and all
exposed accessories shall be harmonious with building design.
(1) Refuse and waste removal areas, service yards, storage yards, and exterior work areas
shall be screened from view from public ways, using materials as stated in criteria for equipment
screening.
(m) The style and material of the signs shall be included within the development plan.
(n) Monotony of design in single or multiple building projects shall be avoided. Variation
of detail, form, and siting shall be used to provide visual interest. In multiple building projects,
variable siting of individual buildings may be used to prevent a monotonous appearance.
(0) Building orientation shall be toward an arterial street, unless it is demonstrated that
this would not be feasible.
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ORDINANCE NO. 8883 (Cont.)
(D) Factors for Evaluation:
The following factors and characteristics, which affect the appearance of a development, will govern the
evaluation of a design submission:
(1) Conformance with ordinances and the Building Design Criteria.
(2) Logic of design.
(3) Exterior space utilization.
(4) Architectural character.
(5) Attractiveness of the material selection.
(6) Harmony and compatibility.
(7) Circulation-vehicular and pedestrian.
(8) Maintenance aspects.
(E) Process
(1) Commercial Development Zone application. All general commercial developments on
property not already zoned for commercial uses within the Gateway Corridor District shall be required to
apply for rezoning under the criteria in ~36-37 of this chapter.
(2) Industrial Development Zone application. All industrial developments within the Gateway
Corridor District shall be required to apply for rezoning to ME-Industrial Estates zone under the criteria in
~36-33 of this chapter.
(3) Individual commercial or industrial buildings and additions or exterior remodeling of existing
buildings shall be subject to site plan and design review by a committee consisting of the Hall County
Regional Planning Director, the Grand Island Building Department Director, one (1) planning commission
member representing the City of Grand Island, and if appointed, a design review architect representing the
City of Grand Island. This committee can request additional input from surrounding property owners and
near-by business improvement districts as ex-officio members of the design review committee.
(4) Subdivision approval. All new commercial buildings or developments within the Gateway
Corridor Overlay shall be on properly subdivided lots. As a condition of subdivision approval, all said
commercial and/or industrial buildings or developments shall comply with the provisions of the Gateway
Corridor Overlay District. The developer shall place maintenance provisions required by this section within
all restrictive covenants.
(5) Pre-application conference. A pre-application conference with city staff to give the applicant
an opportunity to discuss plans before a great deal of time or money is expended.
(6) Application for design review. The applicant needs to fill out the "Application for Certificate
Approval" and submit it along with the required submittals. See Administrative Forms for a listing of
required submittals.
(7) Certificate of Approval. Upon a successful review, the City of Grand Island will issue to the
applicant a Certificate of Approval. A copy of this will need to be included with the Building Permit
documents in order to receive a Building Permit.
(8) Appeals. In the event, where the Applicant, City staff and/or a design review architect
representing the City, or the site plan and design review committee cannot come to an agreement, the
Applicant may appeal the decision by requesting an amendment to the subdivision agreement from the
Grand Island City Council.
(9) Certificate of Occupancy Permit. After the building permit is issued, all design requirements
must be completed as approved in order for a Certificate of Occupancy to be issued.
(10) Maintenance of Design Requirements. The applicant needs to maintain the design
requirements for the life of the project. In the event that they fail to do so, the City may revoke the
Occupancy Permit.
(11) Fees. Fees may apply to each individual step as established by separate ordinance.
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ORDINANCE NO. 8883 (Cont.)
SECTION 2. That the Official Zoning Map of the City of Grand Island,
Nebraska, as established by Section 36-7 of the Grand Island City Code is hereby ordered to be
changed, amended, and completed in accordance with this ordinance.
SECTION 3. Any ordinances or parts of ordinances in conflict herewith be, and
hereby are, repealed.
SECTION 4. That this ordinance shall be in force and take effect from and after
its passage and publication in pamphlet form, within fifteen days in one issue of the Grand Island
Independent as provided by law.
Enacted: December 23,2003.
Attest:
Qf\DL ~D~
RaNae Edwards, City Clerk
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