ARTICLE XIV-C - SITE DEVELOPMENT AND DESIGN OVERLAY ZONE

Section C-1400. Intent.The Site Development and Design Overlay Zone (overlay zone) is intended to provide a review procedure for new development or alterations to areas of the city with unique architectural, design or landscape feature for the purposes of preserving and promoting proper and consistent land use development within these areas.

Section C-1401. Location.Overlay zones are indicated on the official Springfield Zoning Map.

Section C-1402. Use Regulations.In a Site Development and Design Overlay Zone, the use, sign and parking regulations of the underlying zone shall apply, except as noted below or in other sections of this Article.

1. The following uses and activities require a Special Permit from the City Council:

a. Any use involving the new construction, demolition or exterior rehabilitation or any combination of these activities totaling more than 1,000 square feet.

b. Conversion of residential structures to commercial uses, exclusive of home occupations.

c. Automotive-related uses if allowed by right or by special permit in the underlying zone.These uses include, but are not limited to, a motor vehicle parking lot or garage, motor vehicle service station, mechanical or hand car wash, used automotive sales, automotive rentals, express trucking, truck, trailer and mobile home sales or rental agency, motor vehicle repair shop, auto body shop, brake and muffler shop, tire recapping and retreading, temporary car storage lot, truck stop, junk yard and gasoline filling station.

2. The following uses and activities, not included in C-1402.1, require a Special Permit from the Planning Board:

a. Accessory signs and non-accessory signs, as defined in Article XVIII,

b. Signs pertaining to gasoline filling stations, garages and shopping centers as defined in Article XVIII.

c. Changes, beyond replacement maintenance, to the exterior facade or side wall fronting a public or private right-of-way, including but not limited to changes in roof design, windows, canopy and material.

d. Wireless communications facilities, excepting those facilities requiring a Special Permit from the City Council and excepting roof-mounted facilities extending less than 16 feet above the building height.

Section C-1403.Site Regulations. All proposed uses or activities in an overlay zone are subject to the Area and Height, Parking and Sign Regulations of the underlying zone, except as noted below.

1.Area and Height.All proposed uses or activities must demonstrate compatibility with the prevailing character of the surrounding area and with any approved Design Guidelines for the overlay zone.

2.Parking. Off-street parking areas, in excess of minimum parking requirements, shall be suitably landscaped and curbed.At least 15% of any parking area must be landscaped. Shade trees of four (4) inch caliper set at intervals of twenty (20) feet or less or shrub plantings set at intervals of four feet or less are examples of acceptable landscaping techniques.

3.Sign Regulations.

a. These signs shall not exceed a height of ten (10) feet and shall not exceed twenty (20) square feet per face area or forty (40) square feet in total face area for a sign with two (2) faces.Accessory ground signs mounted on a ground base shall not exceed seven (7) feet in height and shall not exceed thirty (30) square feet per face area including the ground base area and shall not exceed sixty (60) in total face area for a sign with two (2) faces.

b. Accessory wall signs may not exceed two (2) square feet per lineal foot of primary building frontage associated with the use and in no case shall the sign exceed 100 square feet.In the case of accessory wall signs on building frontage on a side street or parking area, the sign shall not exceed of the size of the sign facing the primary building frontage.

c. One (1) non-accessory wall sign is allowed on a parcel.A non-accessory wall sign may not exceed 100 square feet per face area and shall have only one (1) face.

Section C-1404. Special Permit Procedures

1. Special Permit applications under this section are subject to Section 2005.In the event that a petitioner is requesting more than one Special Permit from the City Council for a particular project, the petitioner may combine the petitions at no additional cost.

2. The petitioner is encouraged to arrange a pre-application meeting with the Planning Department.

3.The petitioner shall present a plan that is in keeping with the architectural and design qualities of the overlay zone and that is in keeping with any applicable and approved Design Guidelines and Neighborhood Plans for the area.

4.For a Special Permit from the City Council, the petitioner shall submit six (6) copies of a Site Plan for review. The Planning Department shall distribute one copy of the plan to each of the following departments: Building Department, Economic Development, Public Works and City Council. The Site Plan shall consist of a narrative description of the proposal and four additional components:

a. A Base Plan, showing the parcel boundary, dimensions, existing and proposed buildings, existing and proposed parking areas, curb cuts, utilities, lighting with specifications, waste disposal areas, fences, service areas, abutting parcels and street lines within a 200' radius of the site, and buildings and curb cuts located on abutting parcels.

b. Elevations, at a scale (minimum 1/8"), showing existing and proposed building elevations.Elevations should indicate height, length and design of the facade area as well as the comparative heights of structures on abutting parcels. The elevations should be accompanied by a material and color board.

c. A Landscape Plan, showing the limits of work, existing and proposed tree line, existing and proposed landscape features with planting and maturing size of each type of tree or shrub.

d. A Sign Plan, showing the location, dimensions, height, material and color of existing and proposed signs, with accompanying elevations.

5. In addition to the Site Plan submissions, a traffic impact study shall be prepared at the direction of the Director of Public Works and shall be furnished at the time of application.

6. For a Special Permit from the Planning Board, the petitioner is required to submit four (4) copies of items C-1404.4b. and C-1404.4d.

7. Unless otherwise specified by the Planning Director, the Site Plan shall be no smaller than1" = 20' scale, drawn by a registered architect or landscape architect.At the time of a pre-application meeting, the petitioner may request from the Planning Director a waiver from one or more of the submission requirements.Such request shall be made in writing and shall demonstrate a compelling reason for relief from any submission requirement.

8. The Planning Department, based on input from appropriate city departments, neighborhood councils, associations and revitalization groups, will review and make appropriate recommendations to the petitioner.These recommendations shall be forwarded to either the City Council or the Planning Board at least seven (7) days in advance of the public hearing.

Section C-1405. Standards for Reviewing

1. In addition to the standards for reviewing set forth in 2005.7, the City Council and Planning Board shall consider the following matters in making its decision:

a. The Planning Department's site plan review recommendation.

b. The compatibility of the proposed use or activity with the Master Plan and any applicable Design Guidelines and Neighborhood Plans.

c. The impact of the proposed use or activity upon the delivery of municipal services, including water, sewer, fire protection and police protection.

d. The impact of the proposed use or activity upon traffic circulation, both on-site and on access ways to the site.

e. The impact of the proposed use or activity upon the health, safety and welfare of the surrounding neighborhood.

f. The positive impact of the proposed use or activity on the overall economic development of the overlay zone area.

Section C-1406. Certificate of Occupancy.The Building Commissioner shall issue a Certificate of Occupancy based on compliance with all aspects of the Special Permit, including the Site Plan, with the possible exception of seasonal landscaping, and any further conditions contained within the language of the Special Permit.

Section C-1406. Revocation. The Building Commissioner may revoke the Certificate of Occupancy, the Planning Board and City Council may revoke a Special Permit for just cause.Examples of just cause include, but are not limited to, failure to comply with any conditions attached to the Special Permit, substantial deviation from the Site Plan, false or misleading testimony at a public hearing, failure to comply with applicable city ordinances and regulations.