Legislation Details

File #: ID 24-4125    Version: 1 Name:
Type: Informational Item Status: Agenda Ready
File created: 2/6/2024 In control: City Council
On agenda: 2/13/2024 Final action:
Title: Discussion and Direction to Planning Staff Regarding Possible Added Design Standards of Metallic Exterior Materials on Commercial Buildings (Chris Gilbert)
Attachments: 1. Planning & Zoning Meeting Minutes - 2023-12-20

COUNCIL COMMUNICATION

 

 

TO:                                          Honorable Mayor and Council

 

FROM:                     Jeff Thuneman, Development Services Director

 

 

SUBJECT:Title

Discussion and Direction to Planning Staff Regarding Possible Added Design Standards of Metallic Exterior Materials on Commercial Buildings (Chris Gilbert)

Body

 

FUNDING SOURCE:

N/A

 

PURPOSE:

The purpose of this communication is to request direction from the City Council regarding pursuit of a number of possible options for the use of corrugated metal on commercial building facades.

 

BACKGROUND:

Lake Havasu City Development Code does not directly address metallic exteriors on commercial buildings. Section 14.04.07.C of the City Code determines applicability as follows:

 

 

Therefore, any project, including the majority of commercial/retail buildings that do not meet any of the previously listed exceptions, are subject to the design standards that follow in this same code section and shown below:

As can be seen in subsection (2) above, the list of “high quality, durable, materials” includes adobe, brick, stone, or cementitious materials that can survive the desert climate, but does not specifically include metallic siding. Additionally, these materials may not shine or glare for safety reasons. This would preclude all unpainted metallic siding just for safety reasons. Subsections (4) and (5) also make construction with metallic exteriors more challenging to meet the entryway and wall articulation standards requiring different materials to be used other than the principal exterior material.

 

Metallic siding technology has improved in recent years and with the rapidly increasing cost of constructing a commercial building, it is not uncommon to see this as the principal exterior material. Identifying some form of commercial metallic exterior material design standards could make sense. Some national retail store chains only typically build metal commercial buildings or a hybrid stone/brick and metallic exterior material (where codes prohibit all metallic exteriors).

 

Everyone is familiar with the typical corrugated metallic exterior building look that would be quite obvious in Lake Havasu City’s commercial areas such as the example in Figure 1:

 

Figure 1

 

These types of buildings constructed entirely of metallic exterior materials are typically very boxy with low roof pitches and require a significant amount of maintenance to prevent fading, rusting, staining, and all sorts of impact damage that occurs over time. These types of structures are not prohibited in appropriate zones such as LI, Light Industrial, and I, Heavy Industrial zones, which tend to be away from the principal commercial corridors of Lake Havasu City.

 

These structures also struggle to meet the requirements of Code Section 14.04.07.C (4) and (5) which require using alternate materials and wall articulation for entryways, roof overhangs or shade covers for windows, and projections, recesses, and alternate materials for longer wall sections.

 

Figure 2 is a photo of an almost entirely metal panel construction building that does not look at all like the typical example above and would fit well into Lake Havasu City’s commercial districts. It is important to note however, that maintenance would continue to be an issue as the building ages, unlike with adobe, brick, or stone, due to the desert environment.

 

Figure 2

 

There is also a common hybrid exterior type that uses a stucco, brick, or stone full wall height wainscoting with the entire roof design being corrugated metallic panels as can be seen in Figure 3. Again, this is not a directly addressed concept in our development code but is extremely common nationwide. The same issues apply as with the all-metallic exterior building as this style tends to be very boxy in design and would struggle to meet the requirements of Code Section 14.04.07.C (4) and (5) regarding entryways, roof overhangs, or shade covers for windows, and projections, recesses, and alternate materials for long wall sections.

 

Figure 3

 

Finally, there is the hybrid type that uses a partial wainscot instead of a full wall height wainscot. This style typically limits the wainscot height to the bottom of the windows around the building as can be seen in Figure 4. Again, this is not a directly addressed concept in our development code but is extremely common nationwide. The same issues apply as with the all-metal building and the full wall height wainscot as this style tends to be very boxy in design and would struggle to meet the requirements of Code Section 14.04.07.C (4) and (5) regarding entryways, roof overhangs, or shade covers for windows,

and projections, recesses, and alternate materials for long wall sections.

 

Figure 4

 

All these building styles use some form of corrugation in the design of them. But as can be seen from the example photos, there is a very large difference between how each style is likely to be perceived by the viewer.

 

The Planning Commission recommended the City Council provide direction to staff that clarifies the Development Code in respect to metal facades when these questions come up from developers and the public. The minutes of the December 20, 2023, Planning Commission meeting are attached to this report.

 

Staff requests direction from the City Council as to which of the following options are acceptable to inform subsequent public hearing actions before the Planning Commission and Council on this matter. The menu of options is as follows:

 

1.                     Make no changes to the Development Code. (Note - no motion is necessary for this option)

2.                     Permit only architecturally unique designs including metallic components as shown in Figure 2.

3.                     Permit above ground floor metal facades as shown in Figure 3.

4.                     Permit Primarily metallic façades with brick/stone/stucco, etc., wainscots as shown in Figure 4.

5.                     Permit a specific combination of styles as depicted in Figures 2 through 4.

 

COMMUNITY IMPACT:

Minimal impact is expected on the community as a whole with some level of corrugated metal development on commercial buildings. 

 

FISCAL IMPACT:

N/A

 

ATTACHMENTS:

Planning & Zoning Commission Meeting Minutes - 2023-12-20

SUGGESTED MOTION:Recommended Action

I move to direct Planning staff to develop the appropriate changes to the Lake Havasu City Development Code (Title 14) that clarifies and establishes new language where necessary to address metallic exteriors on qualifying commercial structures consistent with Option __________ listed in the Staff Recommendation.