(A)Landscaping. The following is in addition to the Tree Protection and Replacement Ordinance.
Landscape strips along rights-of-way.
(1)For all properties, a minimum twenty (20) foot wide landscape strip paralleling the road frontage shall be provided along the proposed future rights-of-way of Atlanta Highway (State Route 9), McFarland Parkway, and Mullinax Road. Plantings within twenty (20) foot wide landscape areas are required. A minimum of ten (10) feet of the required twenty (20) foot landscape strip shall be located outside of utility easements to accommodate the required trees and shrubs.
(2)Landscape strips along the side and rear lot or lease lines. In commercial and industrial districts, landscape strips shall be required along all side and rear lot or lease lines. Each required landscape strip shall meet an average width of ten (10) feet with no portion of the landscape strip less than six
(6)feet in width.
(3)Minimum buffer and minimum building setback performance standard, as provided in Table 12.2 for properties along a residential, Office Residential, or Agricultural districts.
(4)Minimum buffer and minimum building setback performance standard, as provided in Table14.2, for properties abutting a residential, Office Residential, or Agricultural district.
(5)All landscape strips and landscape areas are required to contain a variety of overstory trees with an understory of shrubs and herbaceous materials. Trees shall count towards the tree density requirements of the Tree Protection and Replacement Ordinance. All landscape strips shall contain a minimum of one overstory tree and fours shrubs per forty (40) linear feet of strip length. All Unified Development Code of Forsyth County - 21 - 10 -proposed shrubs shall be a minimum of three-gallon container size and two (2) feet in height at time of planting. All proposed overstory trees shall be a minimum three-inch caliper at time of planting.
Trees and shrubs may be grouped or staggered and need not be evenly spaced within the strips.
(6)All landscape design shall incorporate a minimum of forty (40) percent evergreen plantings.
(7)Creation of a multifunctional landscape, incorporating detention, retention, and infiltration is recommended.
(8)The required fences shall be incorporated into the design of the frontage landscape strip and shown on the landscape plan.
(B)Board Fences. Board fences shall be installed along Atlanta Highway (State Route 9), McFarland Parkway and Mullinax Road.
(1)For all properties, four board style black fences shall consist of a minimum of 1-inch thick, 4-inch wide fence board affixed to 4-inch posts spaced a maximum of ten (10) feet apart. The board fences shall be a minimum of four (4) feet and a maximum of six (6) feet in height. Natural stone or brick masonry columns may be used in the fence design.
(2)Fence materials shall be comprised of treated lumber, fiber cement, vinyl or steel.
(3)Chain link or coated chain link fencing is prohibited along the road frontage.
(4)Individual lots of record within residential or agricultural districts are exempt from this requirement.
(C)Architectural Building Materials. The following design standards are established to create architectural consistency throughout the overlay district.
(1)Exterior building materials on all commercial and industrial development visible from the right-of-way shall consist of a minimum of seventy (70) percent per vertical wall plane of brick, natural or pre-cast stone, stucco, pre-finished colored architectural masonry with a rough-hewn texture, and glass. If multiple establishments are designed for location within one contiguous structure, the minimum percentage requirements may be satisfied with reference to the entire facade rather than individual facade fronts.
(2)Accent wall materials on all commercial development shall not exceed thirty (30) percent per vertical wall plane. Accent building materials include, but are not limited to, stucco, thin brick, and durable and painted dimension wood. If multiple establishments are designed for location within one contiguous structure, the percentage pertains to the entire facade rather than individual facade fronts. Smooth faced or painted concrete masonry units, efis, aluminum siding, vinyl siding, and corrugated steel are prohibited.
(3)Metal coping and metal framing for windows and doors is acceptable.
(4)Retaining walls must be faced with stone or brick.
(5)For the Atlanta Highway-McFarland Parkway-Mullinax Road Overlay District Warehouse Facade Zone as identified on Exhibit B: Official Overlay District Map of Forsyth County, the following architectural design requirements shall also apply to non-residential buildings within all commercial zoning districts and Restricted Industrial District (M1). Exemption to these requirements shall only be permitted for any remodel of or addition to an existing structure. In the event of a conflict between design requirements noted in (a) and (b) below and other architectural regulations noted within this Code, this section shall control:
(a)All building sides are to be faced with tumbled brick or brick that is installed according to German smear or weep mortar joint construction techniques.
(b)Metal entry doors, awnings, canopies, gutters, gooseneck exterior lighting and other decorative elements that are non-structural, architectural details attached to a building facade shall be dark in color with a minimum of three such elements incorporated for every building. Metallic tones of silver, gold, light bronze, bright copper and painted effects that result in a non-muted or lightened appearance shall be prohibited.
Unified Development Code of Forsyth County - 21 - 11 -
Table 21.6 PERFORMANCE STANDARDS
| Minimum landscaped open space | 25% |
|---|
| Minimum front yard landscape strip paralleling road frontage | 15 feet |
| Minimum front building setback/ front yard from dedicated right-of-way | 40 feet |
| Minimum rear setback | 25 feet |
| Minimum side setback | 10 feet |
Convenience Market/Store 4 3
Drive –Through Restaurant 8 2
Free Standing retail 3 2
General Office Building 3 2
Gymnasiums, Physical Fitness, Health Spas, 8 3 Dance Studio Hotels, Motels and Extended Stay Hotels or 1.5 per guest room 1.2 per guest room Motels Industrial: factory, manufacturing, processing, 2 1 assembling
Medical Clinic/Office 6 3
Personal Service/Salon 3 2
Places of Worship 8 3
Restaurant, full service (sit-down) 9 5
Shopping Center 5 3
Warehouse, Storage 1 1
Many uses and mixed-use projects have a large To be determined by the variability in parking demand. At the option and director, based on a expense of the applicant a parking generation parking generation 1 study may be presented to county staff to study by an engineering validate the parking demand. firm.
Unified Development Code of Forsyth County - 21 - 12 -
(2)Shared Parking on adjacent property. Flexible parking design, to include shared parking arrangements, are encouraged. See chapter 17 of this Code.
(3)Pervious Parking. Gravel parking surfaces may be permitted for uses which require parking an average of less than three days per week during a month; places of worship (not schools); and outdoor recreational facilities with low parking demand. Pervious parking pavers are permitted for all uses. The use of pervious pavers must be approved by the County Engineer. Any conversion from pervious parking to impervious parking surfaces requires the approval of the county engineer and may require additional modifications.
(4)Automobile Screening. All parking areas shall be screened from public view with evergreen shrubs.
Shrubs shall be no less than three (3) feet in height as measured from the top of curb of the parking area.
(5)Accessory uses of parking lots and loading areas. Parking and loading areas shall not be used for the sale, storage or repair or dismantling of any equipment, materials or supplies. Semi-tractor trailers may not be used for on-site sales.
(6)Accessible parking spaces. Accessible parking spaces shall comply with all requirements of the State of Georgia.
(7)Parking space and aisle specifications. Parking space and aisle specifications shall comply with chapter 17-2.8, with the exception that the percentage of compact auto parking spaces, may equal up to thirty (30) percent of the entire parking area.
(E)Service, refuse collection and dumpsters. Service areas, storage areas, and refuse enclosures shall be oriented away from view from the right-of-way and screened from public areas. Service areas and loading areas shall be separated from the primary vehicular and pedestrian circulation areas. All refuse enclosures shall be enclosed on three sides by a brick, masonry, or cementious wall. Chain link fencing is prohibited.
(F)Off-Street Loading areas. Loading and unloading areas shall be located and designed so that delivery vehicles can maneuver safely to and from the public right-of-way without obstructing or interfering public right-of-way or any parking space or parking lot aisle.
(1)No area allocated to loading facilities may be utilized to satisfy requirements for off-street parking, nor shall any portion of any off street parking area be used to satisfy the area requirements for loading.
TABLE 21-6.A Loading Area Requirements Gross leasable Area of Building Number of Spaces 5,000 – 19,999 1 20,000 – 39,999 2 40,000 -129,999 3 130,000 + 4
(2)Loading area minimum dimensions shall be twelve (12) feet x fifty-five (55) feet, with fourteen (14)
feet of height clearance.
(G)Bicycle Parking Facilities. All commercial and public uses shall provide one bicycle parking space for every fifty (50) vehicle parking spaces provided; with a minimum of two stalls (a rack) per business address, where the structure is larger than 5000 square feet.
(H)Mechanical Systems. HVAC, utility cabinets, and other mechanical systems must be screened in a manner that is architecturally comparable to the building. Parapet heights should remain in proportion to the overall height of the building.
(I)Architectural and Landscape lighting. In addition to article 16-4.25 Outdoor Lighting, architectural lighting may be used to highlight special features and to enhance ground level pedestrian areas. Lighting an entire building facade or major portion thereof is prohibited.
Unified Development Code of Forsyth County - 21 - 13 -
(J)Motor Vehicle Stacking.
(1)Table 21-6.B Stacking Capacity Requirements Use Minimum Vehicle Stacking Capacity per drive-through lane Car Wash – self-service or 4 vehicle spaces staffed Food Service 4 vehicle spaces All other uses 3 vehicle spaces
(2)Each stacking space shall be a minimum of nine (9) feet in width and eighteen (18) feet in length.
(3)Stacking lanes must be striped and marked.
(4)All drive-throughs shall be provided with a by-pass lane a minimum width of nine (9) feet.
(5)Drive-through window(s) are prohibited on the side of a building facing a residential district.
(K)Screening of Open Storage Yards. All areas devoted to outside storage of vehicles, merchandise or equipment shall be screened from view from the right-of-way. Screening may be accomplished by vegetation, a masonry wall, fence or combination of fencing and vegetation. Fences or walls may not exceed eight (8) feet in height. Chain link fencing is prohibited.
(L)Outdoor display of vehicles, equipment, and merchandise. Open storage or display of vehicles, equipment, and merchandise to be rented, leased or sold shall not be visible along no more than fifty
(50)percent of the frontage of the property abutting the right-of-way, excluding approved driveways.
(M)Canopies. A variety of business offer patrons the safety and convenience of canopies.
(1)The overall height of canopies should not exceed twenty (20) feet.
(2)All elements of canopies that are not operational should be architecturally integrated by use of color, material, and architectural detailing.
(3)Lighting under canopies shall not exceed thirty (30) foot-candles.
(N)Setback Reduction. The front yard building setback requirements (Table 21.6) may be reduced without ARTICLE VII, CASTLEBERRY-BETHELVIEW CROSSROADS OVERLAY ZONING DISTRICT:
TABLE 21-6.A Loading Area Requirements
| Gross leasable Area of Building | Number of Spaces |
|---|
| 5,000 – 19,999 | 1 |
| 20,000 – 39,999 | 2 |
| 40,000 -129,999 | 3 |
| 130,000 + | 4 |
| Use | Minimum Vehicle Stacking Capacity per drive-through lane |
| Car Wash – self-service or staffed | 4 vehicle spaces |
| Food Service | 4 vehicle spaces |
| All other uses | 3 vehicle spaces |