CHAPTER.9 Chapter 9
COMMUNITY DESIGN PLAN
Sec. 1. Title
Sec. 2. Purpose
Sec. 3. Definitions
Sec. 4. Applicability
Sec. 5. Community Design Review and Approval
Sec. 6. Exemptions
Sec. 7. Administration and Interpretation of
Regulations and Provisions
Sec. 8. Reserved
Sec. 9. General Intent
Sec. 10. Site Criteria
Sec. 11. Exterior Building Design
the cost of which equals or exceeds fifty (50) per cent
of the value of the structure as established by the most
recent Palm Beach County ad valorem tax bill, either
(1) before the improvement or repair is started, or (2)
if the structure has been damaged and is being
restored, before the damage occurred. For the
purposes of this definition, "substantial improvement"
is considered to occur when the first alteration of any
wall, ceiling, floor or other structural part of the
building commences, whether or not that alteration
affects the external dimensions of the structure.
(Ord. No. 95-04, § 1, 3-21-95)
Sec. 1. Title.
This chapter shall be known and may be cited as
the "Boynton Beach Community Design Plan".
(Ord. No. 95-04, § 1, 3-21-95)
Sec. 2. Purpose.
The purpose of this chapter is to promote
harmony with nature and a pleasant and
comprehensible cohesiveness among development
within the City of Boynton Beach. Through
enforcement of this Community Design Plan, the
local elected officials shall determine the basic
aesthetic character to be achieved in the development
of the community.
(Ord. No. 95-04, § 1, 3-21-95)
Sec. 3. Definitions.
As used in this chapter, the following words and
terms shall have the meaning ascribed thereto:
Addition - An expansion, extension, or increase in the
usable space within a building or facility.
Alteration Any change or modification in
construction.
Substantial, Substantial Improvement - Any repair,
reconstruction, or improvement of a structure or site,
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Sec. 4. Applicability.
A. New Construction. This chapter shall apply
concurrently and in direct relation with the
requirements of Chapter 4, Site Plan Review of these
regulations.
B. Existing Construction. This chapter shall
be applicable under any of the following conditions:
1. When an existing building is proposed
to be enlarged.
2. When exterior alteration or
reconstruction of an existing building is changed
and/or alters the effect of the architectural design of
the building.
3. When an existing building and/or site
is substantially improved.
4. When the occupancy classification of
the building changes as defined by the Standard
Building Code.
(Ord. No. 95-04, § 1, 3-21-95)
Sec. 5. Community design review and approval.
Community design review and approval shall be
regulated by Chapter 4, Site Plan Review, Part III,
Land Development Regulations. However, in
addition to the submittal requirements set forth in
2 Boynton Beach Code
Chapter 4, all projects subject to compliance with the
community design plan shall submit elevation
drawings of all sides of each building proposed to be
developed on the site. Colored elevations will only
be required for the front elevation of a structure when
all sides of a building are consistent in color and
materials. Each colored elevation drawing shall
identify the type of each exterior finish material and
state the color by name, manufacturer and model or
style number. A color sample shall be submitted as
an example along with the color or product identified
on the plans. The sample will be used for the final
site inspection to ensure that the product and color
represented at time of site plan approval. For
projects which require site plan approval, all colored
elevation drawings and/or samples shall be submitted
to the Planning and Zoning Department by the site
plan approval deadline date.
(Ord. No. 95-04, § 1, 3-21-95)
Sec. 6. Exemptions.
Single-family and duplex dwelling units on
individually platted lots shall be exempt from this
chapter.
(Ord. No. 95-04, § 1, 3-21-95)
Sec. 7. Administration and interpretation of
regulations and provisions.
A. The interpretation and application of this
chapter by the Planning and Zoning Department shall
be reasonable and uniformly applied to all property,
except those exempt in Section 6 above, within the
City of Boynton Beach.
B. The regulations and provisions of this
chapter shall be held to the minimum requirements
adopted for the protection and promotion of the
public health, safety, comfort, convenience, order,
appearance, prosperity or general welfare.
C. Whenever the regulations and requirements
of this chapter are at variance with the requirements
of any other lawfully enacted and adopted rules,
regulations, ordinances or laws, the most restrictive
shall apply.
(Ord. No. 95-04, § 1, 3-21-95)
Sec. 8. Reserved.
Sec. 9. General Intent.
A. Buildings, structures and site elements are
not required to match surrounding existing
developments, but shall be in visual harmony with
surrounding developments.
B. Buildings or structures located on separate
parcels and buildings or structures part of a present or
future multi-building complex, shall achieve visual
unity of character and design concepts through the
relationship of building style, texture, color,
materials, form, scale, proportion and location.
(Ord. No. 95-04, § 1, 3-21-95)
Sec. 10. Site Criteria.
A. Building Location.
1. Outbuildings, either located on the
same parcel or an adjacent parcel as the principal
building, shall not be located so as to totally block
from the street, the visibility of any tenant space
within the principal building on the site. Blocking
shall be considered to occur if at the street frontage,
the head-on view of a tenant space within the
principal building is not partially visible.
2. Buildings shall be designed and sited
to fully utilize the site and avoid unusable or
inaccessible open space or parking spaces.
3. Siting and orientation of buildings
must respond to the pedestrian and/or vehicular
nature of the street on which it is located.
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Community Design Plan 3
B. Vehicular and Pedestrian Circulation.
1. Separate vehicular and pedestrian
circulation systems on a site are encouraged.
2. Vehicular and pedestrian circulation
systems on adjacent properties shall be linked to
encourage cross-access.
3. Parking lots and other vehicular use
areas shall be integrated with surrounding structures
and with the building, or group of buildings, that they
serve.
4. Design emphasis shall be given to the
entrances and exits to parking areas, through use of
landscaping.
C. Service Areas.
1. Unloading and loading areas shall be
screened from streets and public view by a buffer
wall or continuous vegetative buffer. Vegetative
buffers shall be comprised of shrub and tree species
having dense foliage and of a size and spacing to
form a continuous screen of plant material as
required by the Landscape Code.
2. All dumpsters and recycling
receptacles shall be located on site so that they are
easily accessible for pickup. No trash receptacles
shall be located in a parking space.
3. All dumpsters, recycling receptacles
and lift stations shall be screened from public view
with a six foot high, concrete block stuccoed wall.
Such enclosure openings shall have gates.
4. Exterior utility boxes, meters,
transformers, etc. shall be screened from public view
by a buffer wall or continuous vegetative buffer as
required by the Landscape Code.
E. Walls, fences, enclosures, and similar
incidental site structures shall resemble, with respect
to color and materials, the design of the principal
buildings and shall be integrated with other site
elements.
F. Exterior Lighting.
1. Lighting fixture height, style, design
and illumination level shall be compatible with the
building design and height and shall consider safety,
function and aesthetic value.
2. Lighting shall not be of an intensity
that produces glare on adjacent properties.
3. Feature lighting emphasizing plants,
trees, barriers, entrances, and exits is encouraged.
4. Lighting may be used to illuminate a
building and its grounds for safety purposes and to
enhance its beauty. However, the visual effect shall
be subtle.
5. Lighting shall not be used as a form of
advertising in a manner that draws more attention to
the building or grounds at night than in the day.
6. Lighting attached to the form of the
exterior of the building or part of the building exterior
or visible from the exterior of the building shall not
be permitted if it is contrary to the architectural style
of the building.
H. Sculptures, fountains, gardens, pools,
trellises and benches shall be encouraged within the
site design.
I. Signs.
1. Signs shall be designed and treated as
part of the architecture of a building and shall be
reviewed at time of site plan review.
2. A single sign style (such as cabinet,
channel, reverse channel) shall be used for wall
signage on all buildings on a site.
3. Sign colors shall be complementary to
the colors of the structure on which it is located. The
number of colors used for tenant signage for multiple
tenant buildings and their outbuildings and outparcels
shall be limited to two, in addition to white and black.
Colors of nationally registered copy of tenants within
the building shall be included in this limitation.
4. Non-word depictions on signs shall be
limited to 20% of the area of the sign erected. Color
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4 Boynton Beach Code
limitations shall not apply to non-word depictions on
signs.
5. Freestanding directory signs, internally
located within the site are encouraged rather than
multiple tenant listings on freestanding identification
signs.
6. Sign lettering shall be easy to read and
in scale with the building or tenant space on which it
is located.
7. Small lettering on freestanding
identification signs located close to entrances shall
not be allowed. Lettering size shall take into
consideration the traveling speed of the adjacent
street.
8. The number of different lettering
styles on tenant signage on multiple tenant buildings
and their outbuildings and outparcels shall be limited
to one in addition to the lettering styles of the
nationally registered copy of all tenants located
within the building and its outbuildings and
outparcels.
(Ord. No. 95-04, § 1, 3-21-95; Ord. No. 96-59, § 2, 1-
21-97)
Sec. 11. Exterior Building Design.
A. Building design approval shall be based on
the use of the structure, its relationship to the site,
and its compatibility with the surrounding natural and
built environment.
B. When a distinct development or
architectural pattern exists within a surrounding two
block area, consistency with that pattern shall be
required, unless the pattern of development is in a
dilapidated condition. This provision shall not
require buildings to be exact copies of each other.
C. Buildings or structures which are perceived
as part of a present or future group of buildings shall
exhibit similar, unifying design elements.
D. When the area involved forms an integral
part of, or is immediately adjacent to, or otherwise
clearly affects the future of any established section of
the city, the design, scale and location on the site shall
enhance rather than detract from the character, value,
and attractiveness of that section of the city.
E. Rooftops will be treated as part of the
building elevation. All rooftop equipment must be
completely screened from view at a minimum
distance of 600 feet.
F. All building designs shall achieve a sense of
human scale through use of insets, balconies, window
projections and other building elements in the design
of a structure.
G. Buildings, which are of symbolic design for
reasons of advertising, unless otherwise consistent
with the criteria herein, shall not be allowed.
Symbols attached to buildings shall not be allowed,
unless they are secondary in appearance to the
building and landscape and are an aesthetic asset to
the building.
H. Drive-up or walk-up windows for
commercial uses shall not be located on a building
facade that faces a public or private street, unless the
following requirements are met:
1. The building facade shall have
windows that occupy no less than 25% of the facade
and that are located at the pedestrian level. A
maximum of 10% of this 25% may be simulated
windows.
2. The building facade shall be modulated
and divided into smaller identifiable pieces to
articulate the plane of the facade.
3. The building facade shall have at least
one offset having a pitched roof.
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Community Design Plan 5
(artwork)
4. A minimum ten (10) foot wide buffer
strip shall be installed between the street right-of-way
and the drive-through lane, along the entire length of
the drive-through lane facing the street, and shall be
provided in lieu of any landscaping required by the
landscape code for vehicular use areas adjacent to a
public right-of-way. The width of the buffer strip
shall exclude utility easements.
5. The landscape buffer strip referenced
above shall contain a minimum two (2) foot tall earth
berm along the entire length of the drive-through lane
facing the street and shall have a slope not to exceed
a ratio of three-to-one (3:1).
6. The landscape buffer strip referenced
above shall be planted with a minimum of one (1)
tree, a minimum of twelve (12) feet tall, for each
thirty (30) linear feet, or fraction thereof, of drive-
through laneage facing the street. In addition, there
shall be planted within this buffer strip a continuous
solid visual screen at least three (3) feet in height
within one year of installation. This screen shall be
comprised of at least two different species of shrubs
planted in groupings or undulating rows. The shrubs
shall be a minimum of three (3) gallons in size with
an 18-24 inch spread, full to base, at time of planting.
Ground cover shall be planted within 25% of the
required area of the landscape buffer strip.
7. The landscape buffer strip referenced
above shall use plant materials that meet the quality
requirements of the city's landscape code.
I. All building facades of a building that face
or are visible from public or private streets shall be
designed to be as attractive in appearance as the front
of the building.
J. Due to the high degree of visibility of
buildings located on Hypoluxo Road, Miner Road,
Congress Avenue, Lawrence Road, Gateway
Boulevard, Quantum Lakes Drive, Old Boynton
Road, Knuth Road, Woolbright Road, Boynton Beach
Boulevard, Winchester Boulevard, High Ridge Road,
Seacrest Boulevard, Golf Road, Ocean Avenue,
Federal Highway, Old Dixie Highway, N.E. 10th
Avenue and S.E. 36th Avenue; most of which are
considered entrances to the City, the following
additional exterior design requirements apply:
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Boynton Beach Code
1. Overhead doors shall not be located on
a building facade(s) that faces any of the above
public or private street.
2. Industrial buildings located on any of
the above streets shall be designed in such a manner
so as to disguise their typical warehouse appearance.
L. See also "Signs", Section 10.I. above.
(Ord. No. 95-04, § 1, 3-21-95; Ord. No. 95-37, § 1,
10-17-95; Ord. No. 96-31, § 1, 5-21-96)
1996 S-3