Item 8: Ordinance Establishing Chambers Special Area Zone

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The external appearance of a building and it's surrounding landscaping and driveway (or parking) are important both in how they please the eye of neighbors and in how they contribute to the hard-to-define "feeling~' residents and visitors have about a neighborhood. In the Westside, the prevalent "traditional" single-family homes, with their generally modest size, sloping roofs, front porches, and a clear orientation to the sidewalk and street evoke the sense that this is a neighborhood where a regular part of your life includes walking arid connecting with neighbors on the sidewalk, on your porch, or standing in your adjacent front yards. In addition to encouraging pedestrian activity, the street orientation of this neighborhood's traditional character also enhances community safety. This benefit arises from the well-established role of "eyes on the street" in discouraging criminal activity. Appearance - Generally applicable; related to neighborhood- wide character {SG} See VPS: 3 - Parking and Garages and 5 - Relationship to Street and Building Fa~ade. Note, however, the VPS memo doesn't include the SGS impact. SGt. House or apartments adjacent to street aren't oriented towards street. New infill entrance(s) don't face the street; no visible front door(s); inappropriate front fa~ade(s); etc. Note: Several of the following items are related to this impact. SG2. "Snout-nosed" (garage in front) dwellings. SG3. Apartment with open garage (carport) underneath, facing street or adjacent dwelling. SG4. Parking (or excessive driveway surface) in front of dwelling structure. Note: See also SG2, Tl, and T2. There is an inherent problem in managing an excessively high zoning requirement for off-street parking as more units are added. The solution should not be to tradeoff the concerns among these related items. Instead, appropriate solutions should recognize that reducing off-street parking and/or permissible infill may be necessary. SG5. Excessive impervious surfaces. New infill covers too much of the site with its footprint, pavement, and other impervious surfaces. An excessive cumulative footprint of buildings, parking, and driveways can prevent adequate private (and publicly visible) green space and fall short of the amount of uncovered ground that a mature shade tree needs in order to thrive. 8G6. Infill on alleys doesn't meet appropriate aesthetic standards. New houses or apartments facing or accessed from the alley fail to meet relevant design standards e.g., orientation to the alley as a "lane," landscaping, etc. See VPS: See also 4 - Alleys. November 1, 2005 Chambers Revisited - Neighbors'Report 26