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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2003 01 27 Regular F Proposed Policy fo Interior Partitions COMMISSION AGENDA January 27. 2003 Meeting Consent Information Public Hearinf! Ref!ular X ITEM F MGR. (V-- /Dept. ~ REQUEST: Community Development Department requests that the City Commission consider a proposed policy for interior partitions within the Town Center buildings. This policy is intended to maintain the actual business frontage onto the street, by maintaining the view into the primary areas of the store, in a manner that encourages pedestrian traffic. PURPOSE: The purpose of this Agenda Item is for the City Commission to adopt a policy for both staff and the tenants at the Town Center to follow, to support active and pedestrian-friendly streets and public spaces. This policy is intended to maintain realistic business frontage on the roadways and/or other public spaces, in contrast to the "real" front of the business facing a parking lot. To do this, businesses would not be allowed to place permanent interior partitions closer than 15 feet from the store-front (street-side store front). A special exception would be required to place an interior partition closer to the store front - and only with limitations. In no case would permanent or backdrops of display cases be located closer than 4 feet behind a business front window. CONSIDERATION: Some businesses at the IDC Town Center have constructed interior modifications that place partitions and even rest rooms in close proximity to the front door. This, especially in restaurants, can have the effect of switching the actual front of the building from the street frontage onto the parking lot - as in a shopping center (not a town center). One business applied a dark film over their street-front windows, in an effort to create their business frontage onto the parking lot. January 27, 2003 . Regular Item F Page 2 of2 Window film can easily be removed, but plumbing and permanent partitions are much more expensive and difficult to remedy. In response to staff concerns, Dover Kohl and Partners drafted the attached December 11, 2002, memo to serve as a policy guideline. APPLICABLE CODE: Section 20 - 327. Architectural guidelines. ATTACHMENTS: A - December 11, 2002 Dover Kohl memo RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends the City Commission approve the proposed policy interpretation. If the City Commission, the City Attorney, or both determine that an ordinance is required, staff recommends that this policy apply in the interim. CITY COMMISSION ACTION: Jan-16-03 IO:47A Dover, Kohl & Partners 305 666 0360 P.Ol DOVER, KOHL &: PARTNERS town planning Memorandum To; John Baker City of Winter Springs Cc: Victor Dover From: James Dougherty Date; December 11,2002 Subject: Retail interior configuration rules John, Please see the language below concerning retail interior configurations for the Winter Springs Town Center. Please call with any questions, -James Recardine permanent interior partitions in retail stores: Intent: Within the Winter Springs Town Center, the desire is to achieve active, pedestrian-friendly streets and public spaces. In order to achieve this, streets and other public spaces must be faced by the fronts of buildings. This is especially important along retail frontages. Pedestrian traffic is encouraged by sidewalks that are lined with shop fronts with transparent glass providing clear views to interior sales/display spaces. Any interior partitions which interrupt the view into the primary areas of the store must therefore be limited in their extent. The following rule is designed to encourage the placement of clearly visible sales/display spaces at the fronts of stores abutting the sidewalk. Rules governing interior partitions in retail stores: Interior partitions shall occur no c(oser than 15 feet behind the storefront, to preserve a full room-sized area of habitable space visible from the street. *By special exception only: Interior partitions closer than 15 feet from the storefront may be erected only when approved by special exception. It may be desirable to erect interior partitions closer than 15 feet from the storefront in certain circumstances, in which case the amount of storefront view blocked by these partitions shall total no more than 40% of the width of any individual storefront and no more than 25% of the storefront frontage of the building as a whole. In no event shall partitions, including the backdrops of blind display cases, occur closer than 4 feet behind shopfront windows.