Santa Clara Zoning Code § 7.3 Standards (continued)

• B. Specific to Facades in the Neighborhood Edge Overlay. Massing Increments within the Neighborhood Edge Overlay shall be differentiated in the following ways:

FIGURE 7-4 | MASSING INCREMENTS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD EDGE OVERLAY

1. Massing Increments shall be separated by a gap ( G in Figure 7-4 ) of no less than 16’ wide by 20’ deep, per Table 7-1

2. No massing increment facade design may be repeated on the same project elevation A massing increment facade design may be repeated up to three times on a project, provided they are on different sides of the block

3. Architectural style variation between massing increments is encouraged to reinforce a pattern of individual, neighborhood-scale buildings, to better fit in with existing buildings in this zone

4. The use of pitched roofs are encouraged to further relate the buildings to the residential neighborhood scale

5. Any other differentiation that meets the intent of the standard is encouraged

6. Gaps between massing increments may—but are not required to—serve as entries to paseos, courts, side yards, or any other on-site open space Gaps may also serve as small courts or yards and be surrounded on all sides by building

7. See Section 7.3.C regarding when Massing Increments shall and shall not appear as distinct buildings

GAP EXAMPLE —This Gap between Massing Increments serves as a small forecourt, surrounded on all sides by building.

Text read from an image; its layout may differ:
G
Width of
Gap
Depth of
Gap

Text read from an image; its layout may differ:
A
A
A
A
G
G Neighborhood Edge
Overlay
G
Benton Street

GAP EXAMPLE —These Gaps between Massing Increments provide vehicular and pedestrian access into the block.

Text read from an image; its layout may differ:
A
A
A
G
Street G

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C. Massing Increments as Distinct Buildings.

• Depending on the situation, Massing Increments shall appear to be either distinct buildings or distinct parts of a single building, per the standards of this section The intent of these standards is to implement the historic rhythm and character of a historic downtown as envisioned by the community without creating a superficial imitation

1. The following standards regulate when Massing Increments are to appear as distinct buildings or simply as distinct parts of a single building:

• a. When a single project occupies more than 200 linear feet of street frontage, it shall appear as at least 3 distinct buildings

• b. Maximum number of distinct buildings on any single block face

• i. No single project shall appear as more than 4 distinct buildings on any single block face, except for facades in the Neighborhood Edge Overlay, which shall have no maximum number of distinct buildings

• ii. For any project outside the Neighborhood Edge which occupies less than 100 linear feet of street frontage, it shall be designed to appear as a single building

• iii. Exception to the above stated maximum number of distinct buildings: when Massing Increments are located on different properties, are built by different developers or builders, contain distinct programs, and/ or are built at different times, they may appear as distinct buildings, regardless of the resultant number of distinct buildings on the block face

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Massing Increments which appear as DISTINCT BUILDINGS

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Massing Increments which appear as DISTINCT PARTS OF A SINGLE BUILDING OR PROJECT

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2. How to make Massing Increments appear

• as distinct buildings. In addition to meeting the standards in Sections 7.3.A&B , Massing Increments which are required to appear as distinct buildings (per Section 7.3.C.1 ) shall be distinguished according to the following:

• a. There shall be a clearly noticeable difference in facade materials and color between distinct buildings

• b. There shall be a clearly noticeable difference in the type and composition of facade openings and architectural elements between distinct buildings

• c. The building base heights of adjacent distinct buildings shall differ by an entire floor .

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ONE PROJECT COMPRISING MULTIPLE DISTINCT BUILDINGS —While these examples are each just one development project, their adjacent Massing Increments appear as two distinct buildings in order to relate to the historic context and because they host distinct portions of the project's program. They are distinguished using techniques §7.3.C.2.a & b (difference in material and color and difference in the type and composition of facade openings and architectural elements) in addition to those listed in §7.3.A . The example above would be appropriate for the Neighborhood Edge as it has a gap between Increments.

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8 Facade Design