Laserfiche WebLink
Charlottesville Historic Conservation District Design Guidelines NEW CONSTRUCTION AND ADDITIONS Building Location – setback and orientation spacing 1.Align a new building close to the average building setback line on the same street, if established, or consistent with the surrounding area. 2.Maintain existing consistency in average spacing between buildings on the same street.3.The front elevation should be respectful of the neighborhood characteristics and features of adjacent buildings. Building Scale – height and massing 1.Keep the footprint, and massing of new buildings consistent with the neighborhood characteristics and compatible with the character of buildings on the same street. 2.Keep the height and width of new buildings within the prevailing average height and width.Exceptions up to 200% of the prevailing height and width in the surrounding neighborhood may be approved when contextually appropriate. 3.An addition needs to be perceived as an addition and therefore should not visually overpower the existing building in scale and design. 4.An accessory building should appear secondary to the main building in scale and design.4.5. Multi-lot Larger buildings (commercial or multi-family) otherwise permitted by zoning should be designed and articulated to be compatible with the scale of the majority of adjacent buildings on the same street or block. Building Form – roofs and porches 1.Roof forms should be respectful of reference contributing buildings on the same street or surrounding area. Other roof forms may be approved when contextually appropriate. 2.If many of the contributing buildings on the same street have porches, then the design of a new residence should include including a porch or similar form of similar width and depth. in the design of a new residence is strongly recommended. Building Openings – orientation, doors and windows 1.A single entrance door (or both doors, if a two -family dwelling, or main entrance if of a multifamily dwelling) facing the street is recommended. 2.Window and door patterns and the ratio of solids (wall area) to voids (window and door area)of new buildings should be compatible with contributing buildings in the surrounding area. 3.Windows should be simple shapes compatible with those on contributing buildings, and should be oriented vertically (taller than they are wide). which are generally vertically oriented in residential areas. Building Materials and Textures 1.The selection of materials and textures for a new building should relate architecturally to the district, Charlottesville locality, and should be compatible with and complementary to neighboring buildings. 2.Sustainable Long-lasting, durable and natural materials are preferred, including brick, wood,stucco, and cementitious siding and trim, and standing seam metal roofs. Clear glass windows (VLT of 70% or more) are preferred. Building Paint 1.The selection and use of colors for a new building should be coordinated and compatible with adjacent buildings, not intrusive.