Policy 11.2 Well Designed Built Environment: Update design standards through legislative updates to <br />local land use regulations so that they provide for gradual transitions between different uses and scales <br />and incorporate pedestrian scale design through building design, size, scale, and site layout <br />requirements. <br />Policy 14.1 Compatibility Transitions: Enhance compatibility through development standards such as <br />height and scale transitions, setbacks, buffering with trees, and window offsets between adjacent <br />properties that are zoned differently through legislative updates to local land use regulations. <br />The proposed Code Amendments implement these Neighborhood Plan policies by providing transition <br />standards between different uses/scales/zones and incorporating pedestrian scale design through <br />building design, size, scale, and site layout requirements for C-2 zoned properties within both city limits <br />and the Neighborhood Plan Boundary as follows: <br />• Design Standards: <br />o Transition Standards: Apply transition standards (setbacks, landscaping, and/or fencing) <br />to new buildings and building additions that increase the square footage of floor area by <br />20% or more for any development on property abutting Low Density Residential (R-1) <br />zoned land. <br />o Building Orientation: Require buildings fronting River Road to provide a main entrance <br />facing that street or to the corner where River Road and another street intersect. <br />o Building Fagade: Increase the minimum percentage of the street facing building fagade <br />that must be within the maximum front yard setback, from 25% to 80%. <br />o Building Walls/Window Coverage: Require minimum percentage of windows along the <br />ground floor of street facing facades and prohibit blank walls of more than 20 linear feet <br />of any fagade. <br />o Weather Protection: Require weather protection features over all building entrances. <br />• Building Height: Limit building height to 65 feet (current limit is 120 feet). <br />The proposed Code Amendments also implement these policies by prohibiting the establishment of <br />certain uses on C-2 zoned properties located within both the city limits and within the River Road -Santa <br />Clara Prohibited Uses Area [see Map 9.2161(11)]. Prohibiting these uses reflect long-term priorities for <br />both the River Road and Santa Clara Neighborhood Organizations and are in line with creating a more <br />walkable, pedestrian -friendly corridor, consistent with the Neighborhood Plan, as well as the City's <br />transportation and climate goals. The River Road -Santa Clara Prohibited Uses Area excludes a section of <br />River Avenue between River Road and the Beltline. Carving out this area is consistent with the intention <br />of the Code Amendments because these properties are not along the River Road corridor, are adjacent <br />to the wastewater treatment plant, and close to the Beltline Highway, therefore less likely to create an <br />active walkable area. <br />River Road -Santa Clara Urban Facilities Plan (1987) <br />The proposed Code Amendments are consistent with policies in the River Road -Santa Clara Urban <br />Facilities Plan. <br />Policy 2.3(1) Maintain and enhance the compatibility of adjacent land uses through the use of <br />appropriate buffering mechanisms, such as landscaping standards. <br />14 <br />