Title 17E Environmental Standards
Chapter 17E.060 Shoreline Regulations
Article VIII. Design Standards Specific to Shoreline Districts
Section 17E.060.840 Design Standards Specific to the Great Gorge District
Shoreline Relationships – Human Activ ity.
Purpose.
To recognize that people’s relationship to the riv er and anticipated uses in the Great Gorge district will inform the design of the built environment. The Great Gorge district is a rugged area of steep bluffs, fast water, nativ e plants and wildlife. Passiv e recreational opportunities are interwoven with residential uses. New development along the riv erfront that maintains the natural character of the riv er gorge as a backdrop for recreation activ ities is encouraged. These include walking, bicycling, fishing, kayaking, rafting, observing birds/wildlife, and learning the stories of the riv er through interpretiv e displays.
Along the riv er, new buildings shall provide at least two of the following (R):
Outdoor seating areas.
Benches along pedestrian trail.
Outdoor balconies and decks.
Public viewpoint with interpretiv e signs.
Public art.
Streets, Sidewalks and Trails – Pedestrian Pathways.
Purpose.
To result in a pathway design, reflecting the mostly residential, lower intensity of adjacent development, as well as the modest level of pedestrian activ ity.
Pedestrian pathways shall be at least ten feet wide. (R)
Site Design.
Landscape Character Protection.
Purpose.
To protect, restore, and enhance the natural character of the riv er including its geologic features and nativ e vegetation.
Within the Great Gorge district, it is expected that there will be a very soft, open, informal, “naturalistic” approach to landscape design that reinforces the shoreline environment. Developments will be loosely arranged on the landscape, with a considerable amount of planting, including ground covers, understory, and trees. Landscape designs that include large lawn areas requiring fertilizers and herbicides, or vegetation that is highly consumptiv e of water should be avoided. (C)
Nativ e vegetation should predominate. (C)
If buildings require exposed pilings for support on hillsides, the ground under the building shall be planted with shade tolerant plantings. Exposed soil shall not be allowed. (R)
Exposed pilings should be colored to blend with nativ e rock and the pilings and open space should be screened by tall vegetation. (C)
Impervious Surfaces.
Purpose.
To recognize that the Great Gorge area will have more open development that can allow for more pervious surfaces.
Development shall incorporate ways of capturing and filtering run-off so that when it reaches the riv er, it has been moderately cleaned. This shall be accomplished through creativ e designs of courtyards, greens, planting areas, parking lots, and roof scuppers and other features. Generally, new development shall attempt to achieve at least twenty percent pervious surfaces on the site. The installation of “green roofs” can substitute for ground level treatment. (R)
Pervious Surfaces.
Purpose.
To create a system of spaces integrated with the ecological systems of the shoreline.
Development shall include one or more of the following (R):
Open spaces.
Landscaped courtyards.
Greenways.
Pathways; or
Other spaces that allow for a seamless connection between streets and various uses.
Surfacing of these spaces shall allow for the capture of rainwater and filtration into a natural cleansing system of vegetation and sub-grade materials. (R)
Planting Palette
Purpose.
To recognize the dramatic natural landscape of the Great Gorge setting.
Nativ e plant material is strongly encouraged. Non-nativ e, ornamental trees requiring large amounts of water and maintenance are strongly discouraged. Landscape designs should reflect a “natural” array of plantings, rather than a manicured or formal arrangement. However, there may be a few locations where specimen trees and formal configurations of plantings are appropriate, such as framing a public space or a building entrance. (C)
Rain Gardens.
Purpose.
To incorporate innovativ e methods of capturing and filtering run-off.
Rain gardens should be integrated into planting strips along streets, as well as in exterior landscaped spaces. (C)
Rain gardens shall not be adjacent to or within parking lots if it is determined that they will harm the aquifer. (R)
Building Design – Character Related to the Setting.
Purpose.
To ensure that new buildings are complementary or visually subordinate to the natural splendor of the riv er and falls, including its geologic features and nativ e vegetation.
Building design should not attempt to compete with the natural beauty of the riv er and the shoreline. It is expected that buildings will incorporate materials and colors that will be restrained and blend with nativ e rocks and vegetation. (C)
Lighting – Dark Sky.
Purpose.
To reduce glare and spillover from lighting associated with parking lots or buildings.
All lighting shall be directed downwards, with cut-off designs that prevent light from being cast horizontally or upward. (R)
Building walls shall not be washed with light, nor shall high intensity security lighting be used to flood an area with light. (R)
Parking lots shall be lighted with fixtures less than 22 feet in height. Single, high masts with multiple fixtures shall not be allowed. (R)
Date Passed: Monday, April 19, 2021
Effectiv e Date: Sunday, May 23, 2021
ORD C36034 Section 15