§ 21.50.320. Public hearing site plan review—Large retail establishment.

A.

Intent. The standards in this section promote architectural variety, compatible scale, access amenities, and mitigation of negative impacts. These standards govern site plan review by the planning and zoning commission for large retail establishments. Where these standards conflict with other provisions of this title, these standards and the terms of site plans approved under this section shall govern.

B.

Vehicular access. Primary vehicular access shall be from a street designated collector or greater on the official streets and highways plan. Secondary vehicular access may be from a street designated less than a collector on the Official Streets and Highways Plan, provided the applicant demonstrates that any traffic and visual impacts on adjacent residential and commercial areas are sufficiently minimized.

C.

Traffic Impacts. The applicant shall have a professional entity perform a Traffic Impact Analysis (TIA) and traffic mitigation measures for approval by the commission.

D.

Drainage. A site drainage and grading plan shall be submitted and approved as required by this Code along with the site plan.

E.

Visual and noise buffers. The large retail establishment shall provide a landscape plan that provides acceptable visual and noise buffers, including at least 25-foot wide buffer landscaping, to separate the commercial development from abutting residentially-zoned areas.

F.

Outdoor storage or display areas. Products stored or displayed outside shall not be visible from abutting R-zoned property. Areas for the outdoor storage and sale of seasonal inventory shall be permanently defined and screened with walls and/or fences. The height of stored materials shall not exceed the height of the screening wall or fence. Materials, colors, and the design of screening walls and/or fences and their covers shall be complementary to those used as predominant materials and colors on the building. Commercial trailers, shipping containers, and similar equipment used for transporting merchandise, shall remain on the premises only as long as required for loading and unloading operations, and shall not be maintained on the premises for storage purposes.

G.

Trash collection and recycling. Trash handling and recycling shall be screened from public streets and pedestrian ways, internal pedestrian sidewalks, and adjacent R-zoned property by landscaping or architectural features in conformity with the external design and materials used by the establishment. Screening shall be designed to abate noise and to confine loose trash. The commission may limit hours of trash collection as necessary to reduce the effects of noise or traffic on surrounding residential and commercial areas.

H.

Snow storage or removal. A plan for snow storage or removal from the site shall be submitted and approved. Use of sidewalks for snow storage shall be prohibited. Use of landscaped areas for snow storage may be allowed under the approved snow storage landscaping plan. The commission may impose such restrictions on snow removal operations as are necessary to reduce the effects of noise or traffic on surrounding residential and commercial areas.

I.

Parking. A detailed parking plan shall address the convenience and safety of patrons, adequate winter lighting, and landscaping amenities and the configuration of parking spaces, walkways, and other amenities. Aesthetic features, landscaping, and the design of parking areas shall, wherever practicable, reduce the appearance of large expanses of parking from neighboring streets and enhance the view of the establishment from its principal point(s) of access. The number and configuration of parking spaces may be determined by the commission as necessary to achieve these standards. Additional landscaping and community spaces may be required where the applicant wishes to provide parking that exceeds the minimum standards of this title. The site shall not allow storage or overnight camping of trailers or recreational vehicles.

J.

Pedestrian access. The establishment shall provide sufficient accessibility, safety, and convenience to pedestrians, customers and employees. Unobstructed sidewalks shall link the site to existing public sidewalks, its entrances, adjacent transit stops, and abutting residential and commercial areas. Sidewalks shall also be provided along the full length of any building where it adjoins a parking lot. Sufficient sidewalks or barriers shall be provided between parked cars and buildings to prevent vehicles from protruding into reasonable pedestrian passage. Sidewalks shall be separated from adjacent streets by an area sufficient for snow storage and to provide a buffer for pedestrians from vehicular traffic.

K.

Community spaces. Appropriate interior and exterior public areas shall be provided and maintained for customers and visitors to the site to congregate and relax.

L.

Delivery and loading spaces. Delivery and loading operations shall be designed and located to mitigate visual and noise impacts on adjacent R-zoned property or commercial areas. The commission may limit hours of delivery and loading as necessary to reduce the effects of noise or traffic on surrounding residential and commercial areas.

M.

Exterior signs. An exterior sign plan which respects the needs of the establishment to establish its location as well as the higher aesthetic aspirations of the community in general and the immediately surrounding areas shall be submitted for approval. Signs shall be architecturally treated to compliment the building architecture. Pole signs, rotating signs, and flashing signs shall be prohibited.

N.

Outdoor lighting. A photometric and outdoor lighting plan to mitigate negative impacts on adjacent uses shall be submitted for approval.

O.

Northern design elements. The commission may require the provision of design elements that address Anchorage's distinct geography, low light angles, length of days, cold temperatures, wind, snow and ice.

P.

Aesthetic characteristics.

1.

Facades and exterior walls, including side and back walls. The building shall be designed in order to reduce the appearance of massive scale or a uniform and impersonal appearance and to provide visual interest. Long building walls shall be broken up with projections or recessions. Along any public street frontage, the building design should include windows, arcades, or overhangs along at least 60 percent of the building length. When appropriate, architectural treatment, similar to that provided to the front face, shall be provided on the sides and rear of the building to mitigate any negative view from abutting properties and/or streets. The site plan shall ensure buildings have complexity at street level with human scale by providing features such as changes in building form at entrances, and providing windows, enhanced trim and architectural detail.

2.

Detail features. The design shall provide architectural features that contribute to visual interest at the pedestrian scale and reduce the massive scale effect by breaking up the building wall, front, side, or rear, with color, texture change, and repeating wall offsets, reveals, or projecting ribs.

3.

Roofs. The roof design shall provide variations in roof lines and heights to add interest to, and reduce the massive scale of, large buildings. Parapet walls shall be architecturally treated to avoid a plain or monotonous style.

4.

Materials and colors. The buildings shall have exterior building materials and colors which are aesthetically pleasing and compatible with the overall site plan. Construction material shall provide color, texture and scale.

5.

Entryways. Entryways shall be designed to orient customers and add aesthetically pleasing character to buildings by providing inviting customer entrances that are protected from the weather.

6.

Screening of mechanical equipment. Roof or ground-mounted mechanical equipment shall be screened to mitigate noise and views in all directions. If roof mounted, the screen shall be designed to conform architecturally with the design of the building, whether it is with varying roof planes or with parapet walls. Ground-mounted mechanical equipment shall be screened. The screen shall be of such material and be of sufficient height to block the view and noise of the equipment.

Q.

The planning and zoning commission shall schedule a meeting to act on an application within 90 days after receipt of a "complete" application.

R.

If a large retail establishment is located on a commercial tract, the site plan for the large retail establishment shall include, and govern the improvement of, the entire commercial tract.

S.

Use of the parking lot for the display and sale of new and/or used vehicles is permitted and is not subject to subsection F of this section. Such use shall comply with the following requirements:

1.

The vehicle display area shall be shown on the large retail establishment site plan.

2.

The vehicle display area shall not occupy required parking or landscaping areas. The vehicle display area may occupy required snow storage areas only from May 1 through September 30.

3.

The vehicle display area shall comply with subsection I of this section. The vehicle display area shall not adversely impact vehicular or pedestrian circulation within the parking lot or access to the parking lot.

4.

No building shall be erected in the vehicle display area. Any area used for a temporary office shall be shown on the large retail establishment site plan.

(AO No. 2001-80, § 11, 5-8-01; AO No. 2002-60, § 6, 7-16-02; AO No. 2005-96, § 1, 10-11-05)

Editor's note

The intent of AO No. 2001-80 as amended is to provide guidelines that will be applied uniformly to all applicants to the extent possible. See AO No. 2001-80, § 11. Subsection M. made effective June 19, 2001, by AO No. 2001-111.