Forsyth County › Unified Development Code

Chapter 21 — Overlay Districts, Article 7 — CASTLEBERRY-BETHELVIEW CROSSROADS OVERLAY ZONING DISTRICT

current as of 2026-04-02currency checked manuallyOfficialofficial source ↗8 sections · full chapter

§ 21-7.1

Purpose.

The purpose of this overlay district is to establish minimum standards for site development, exterior architectural design, landscaping, and signage of buildings that contribute to the district’s overall character within a phased development approach to commercial and residential expansion. This is accomplished through the protection and preservation of the district’s rural qualities, enhancement of commercial growth through unity of design and quality architecture, and the creation of visual interest through landscape and architectural features scaled for pedestrian use. Design standards are intended to ensure coordinated design of building exteriors in order to promote architectural congruence, positively impact adjacent properties, and produce buildings that augment the character and appearance of the area. It is the goal of this overlay to promote freedom in design while establishing a baseline for design compatibility. This goal is in accordance with the County’s objective to encourage landscaping, signage, building design, and other development regulations that enhance the image of the County and create value as stated in the economic development section of the Comprehensive Plan’s implementation program. In addition, the overlay district complies with the respective subarea visions which state that commercial development will take the form of nodes and will adopt appropriate design standards to promote quality development throughout the subarea. The subarea visions also maintain that residential communities will have close proximity to jobs and commercial areas while preserving rural character.

§ 21-7.2

Delineation of District.

The Castleberry-Bethelview Crossroads Overlay District shall consist of those parcels within the circular boundary identified on the Official Overlay District Map of Forsyth County. Where land is classified as an overlay district, the regulations governing development in the overlay district shall apply in addition to the regulations governing development in the underlying base zoning district. In the event of an express conflict between the standards governing a base zoning district and those governing an overlay district, the standards governing the overlay district shall control.

§ 21-7.3

Permitted Uses.

All uses allowed in the underlying zoning districts as established by this Code, except for those listed below, are permitted in the Castleberry-Bethelview Crossroads Overlay District:

(A)Theaters

(B)Electronic game playing centers

(C)Adult entertainment centers

(D)Adult novelty stores

(E)Pawn shops

(F)Pool halls

(G)Tattoo parlors

§ 21-7.4

Design Plan Administrative Review.

Design review shall be performed by County staff. All plans shall address and conform to all provisions set forth under Chapter 21, Article VII. Any numerical nonconformance to the standards contained within this Article shall require the submittal of a variance application in accordance with section 8-6.4 of this Code. Should a design not meet all of the non-numerical standards contained within this Article, then the proposed design must be submitted, for public hearing, to the Forsyth County Board of Commissioners for review and approval as an Alternate Design. In considering whether to approve such Alternate Design, the Board of Commissioners shall consider the Special Considerations set forth in section 8-5.5(F)(2)(b) of this Code. Architectural elevations, exterior finish schedules, and landscape plans must be submitted to the department at the time of application for a land disturbance permit. Lighting plans must be submitted prior to the issuance of a building permit. See Chapter 7 and Chapter 18 for land disturbance and building permit procedures.

§ 21-7.5

Site Design Standards

(A)Landscaping. The intent of this section is to require the integration of all landscape improvements with the overall project site requirements. All plant materials shall be used to enhance the existing area, particularly as viewed from an adjacent right-of-way, and to mitigate development impacts. Landscape plans shall be submitted at the time of application for a land disturbance permit to the department for design review. The following is in addition to Ordinance No. 98 (Tree Protection and Replacement Ordinance) and shall be implemented:

(1)Plant materials shall be selected to blend in form, texture, and scale with the design scheme proposed for the site.

(2)Plant materials shall be used as accent elements at roadside entryways to provide a definite sense of arrival to both commercial and residential properties. These materials shall be clustered while maintaining adequate sight distance to and from the entryway. Entryway plantings shall be compatible with landscape strip species and provide a cohesive transition between landscape plantings.

Unified Development Code of Forsyth County - 21 - 15 -

(3)All landscape design shall incorporate a minimum of 40% evergreen plantings (trees, shrubs, and groundcovers). All landscape design shall also incorporate a minimum of 50% native plant material.

Such plant material must be indigenous to the Southeastern U. S. and be approved by the County arborist.

(4)Landscape Strips. Continuous plantings within 15 foot wide landscape strips along the entire property fronting a public street are required.

(5)Commercial building facades shall be landscaped with trees and tree grate protection devices or other suitable tree protection measures; method of tree protection shall be indicated on plans. Tree placement may be grouped and staggered rather than following a regulated line along the facade.

Minimum installation requires 3.0 caliper inches per 50 linear feet for buildings fewer than 40,000 square feet. See 12-11.5 for installation requirements if structure is 40,000 square feet or greater.

(6)All landscape strips and landscape areas are required to contain a combination of at least two of the following elements to provide a minimum of three levels of scale: vegetative ground cover, herbaceous ornamentals, and low to mid-level shrubs in addition to large canopy trees. Trees shall count towards the tree density requirements as outlined in Ordinance No. 98 (Tree Protection and Replacement Ordinance).

(7)All parking areas shall be screened from 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 areas.

(8)Retaining walls, if necessary, must be faced with stone or brick.

(9)Equestrian-style fencing composed of vinyl and stone masonry columns shall be installed along Castleberry Road and Bethelview Road. Fence design shall conform to construction detail shown below. Stone masonry columns shall be placed fifty (50) feet on center.

Unified Development Code of Forsyth County - 21 - 16 -

(B)Pedestrian and Bicycle Circulation. Pedestrian connections and walkways shall be provided throughout commercial and mixed use developments.

(1)Commercial buildings shall provide organized circulation for pedestrians with a clear walkway, no less than 5 feet in width, from the public sidewalk or right-of-way to main entrances of all principal buildings on the site. At a minimum, walkways shall connect focal points of pedestrian activity such as, but not limited to, street crossings, transit stops, building and store entry points.

(2)All internal pedestrian walkways shall be distinguished from driving surfaces through the use of color and durable, low maintenance surface materials such as pavers, bricks, or scored concrete to enhance pedestrian safety and comfort, as well as the attractiveness of the walkways.

(3)Sidewalks, no less than five (5) feet in width, shall be provided along the full length of the building along any facade featuring a customer entrance, and along any facade abutting public parking areas.

Such sidewalks shall be located at least six (6) feet from the facade of the building to allow for landscaping.

(4)Commercial establishments shall design drive-throughs to minimize vehicular/pedestrian conflicts.

(5)Commercial establishments shall provide bike racks, benches and/or other street furniture to encourage alternative transportation use.

§ 21-7.6

Architectural Design Standards.

The architectural design standards established herein apply to all development requiring a land disturbance permit. They are intended to achieve a base level of quality for architectural and landscape design that is responsive to its context and contributes to the overall character of the overlay district. The architectural criteria listed below establish minimum design standards within the overlay district in order to reduce the impacts of development on adjacent properties. The highest quality of architectural design and innovation is encouraged. These standards are in addition to the design criteria contained in Chapters 11 and 12:

(A)Building Materials and Architectural Treatments. The following design standards, guidelines, and enhancements are established to create a sense of architectural consistency throughout the overlay district, ensure high quality architectural design, and maintain a sense of rural character.

(1)Commercial development shall adhere to an equestrian design theme through the incorporation of at least two of the following design elements: roofline features (gable vents, cupolas, weathervanes, metal pennant flags), facade details (faux or functional barn motif window and door treatments, equestrian designed wall mounts), and landscape (equestrian bollards, water feature, outdoor art installation in addition to required equestrian fencing). Design possibilities include, but are not limited to, those indicated in the photographs below and those listed in Table 21.1.

Unified Development Code of Forsyth County - 21 - 17 -

developments, when adjacent to a residential use or along a street, shall have an appropriate transition or step-down of building scale to reduce and mitigate any potential adverse impacts.

(4)Commercial buildings shall be composed of brick, stone and glass with a maximum of 15% of accent material which may include stucco, exterior insulating finish system (EIFS), painted dimensioned wood or cement based material, such as Hardiplank. Exterior building material, except rear facades that do not face a public right-of-way, shall not be of pre-cast concrete, concrete masonry units, aluminum or vinyl siding, job site tilt up panels, or corrugated steel. An exterior finish schedule identifying building materials used for all building faces shall be submitted for approval with building elevations prior to design review. In addition, elevations should clearly show the location and calculate the amount/percentages of all building materials per facade.

(5)Front facades of commercial buildings shall include pedestrian-scaled architectural elements or details at the first floor level. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

(a)First story delineation through change of materials, colors, or fenestration; blank wall areas cannot exceed five vertical feet without delineation.

(b)canopies/awnings/trellises

(c)outdoor dining areas for restaurant establishments

(d)outdoor benches/seating area(s) for commercial retail

(e)soldier coursing or stonework integrated into the building face Unified Development Code of Forsyth County - 21 - 20 -

(6)Commercial buildings shall include articulation of the primary entry area which shall feature no fewer than two of the following elements:

(a)Overhangs

(b)Canopies

(c)recesses/projections

(d)arcades

(e)corniced parapets over the door

(f)peaked roof forms

(g)arches

(h)display windows

(i)integral planters or wing walls that incorporate landscaped areas and/or places for sitting

(7)Exterior facades of a free standing building located on an outparcel of a larger commercial development and/or accessory commercial structures shall be considered primary facades and shall employ architectural, site, and landscaping design elements which are integrated with and common to those used on the primary structure on the site. However, such guidelines do not apply to any facade(s) facing service courts or other areas generally not visible to the public. Common design elements shall include colors, architectural details and materials associated with the main structure or structures on the larger development.

(8)Roof features. Rooflines on commercial buildings shall incorporate roof features (extensions, and/or projections such as gable, hip, parapet, dormers or others) that achieve visual interest through variation along one third of the entire horizontal length of roofline. These features shall conform to the following specifications where applicable:

(a)Roof features shall not exceed the average height of the supporting walls.

(b)The average height of parapets shall not exceed 15% of the height of the supporting wall and shall not at any point exceed one-third of the height of the supporting wall. Parapets shall feature three dimensional cornice treatments.

(c)The roof pitch of sloped roofs shall be a minimum of 4:12.

(d)Roof styles for multi-building complexes shall be compatible and consistent with roof designs for the entire complex.

(e)Appropriately sized and designed gable vents, cupolas and/or weathervanes in keeping with an equestrian motif, shall be incorporated into the roofline. Illustrative examples are shown in the following photographs:

(9)Material and/or color changes on commercial buildings generally shall occur at a change of plane.

Piecemeal embellishment and frequent changes in material shall be avoided.

(10)New residential development shall use a variety of techniques to avoid the monotonous appearance of identical homes. Such techniques may employ among others, the use of differing front elevations, architectural styles, building exteriors or other techniques to provide a more pleasing appearance to the subdivision. No vinyl or aluminum siding shall be allowed.

(11)New residential development shall respect the scale and character of adjacent residential neighborhoods through attention to views, building scale and orientation, proximity to adjacent uses, location of driveways, noise, lighting and landscape.

(B)Exterior Lighting. All lighting shall be designed to integrate with the overall development character.

A lighting plan is required to be submitted at the time of application for a building permit that addresses and conforms to all provisions set forth in this section. The lighting plan shall address fixture design and location. In addition to 16-4.25, the following shall apply:

(1)Lighting shall be architecturally integrated with the style, material, and color of on-site structures.

Unified Development Code of Forsyth County - 21 - 21 -

(2)Mounting heights and shielding shall be utilized to effectively control glare and light trespass. Light fixtures over 14’ in height shall be full cutoff fixtures. Pedestrian light fixtures 14’ in height or less may be cutoff or semi-cutoff fixtures. See 16-4.25 for light spillage and height regulations.

(3)Lighting shall not blink, flash, or oscillate.

(4)All outside illumination of any building and/or surrounding landscape, except for security purposes, is prohibited after 11:00 P. M. or when the business closes, whichever is later.

(5)All lighting fixtures on a project site shall be from the same family of fixtures with respect to design, materials, finish, color, and color of light and shall complement the architectural theme and materials established by the primary buildings. Compatibility of fixture styles shall be approved by staff.

(6)Architectural lighting of building facades: Building illumination and architectural lighting shall be indirect in character and shall respect and reinforce the architectural treatment of the building.

(a)Upward aimed building facade lighting shall not exceed 900 lumens and shall not require shields. All upward aimed lights shall be fully confined from projecting into the sky by eaves, roofs, or overhangs.

(b)Building facade lighting exceeding 900 lumens shall be shielded, aimed downward, and shall be mounted as flush to a wall as possible.

(c)All lighting shall be fully contained within the vertical surface of the wall being illuminated.

(d)Highly polished surfaces such as glass, marble, glazed tile, glazed brick, porcelain Enamel, and highly reflective metals shall not be lighted directly to minimize reflective glare.

(7)Swivel-mounted luminaries and wall packs are prohibited.

(8)Landscape lighting shall only be utilized to accent landscaping, be pointed away from the property line, and fixtures shall contain extension shields to minimize glare and light source visibility.

(C)Screening. In addition to regulations set for in Chapter 12, the following standards shall apply to commercial development:

(1)All ground mounted mechanical, HVAC, electric and communications transformers and like systems shall be screened from view from any public right-of-way and any residential use by one of the following: placement behind the building, 100% opaque fencing, an earthen berm, and/or a vegetative screen planted according to County buffer standards.

(2)Flat roofs, roof mounted equipment and other accessories shall be screened from public view by a parapet, gable roof, roof screen, or architectural feature. Roof equipment and roof screens shall be finished to match the roof or parapet wall.

(3)Loading areas shall be screened from the public right-of-way and any residential use by placement behind the main building, an earthen berm and/or vegetative screen planted according to County buffer standards.

(4)Drive-throughs and stacking lanes, when contiguous to any public right-of-way, residential use, or pedestrian gathering area shall be obscured from view by placement behind the building, an earthen berm and/or vegetative screen planted according to County buffer standards.

(5)All parking areas shall be screened from view with evergreen shrubs. Shrub height shall be no less than three (3) feet as measured from the top of curb of the parking areas.

(6)Outside storage is prohibited, except for seasonal sales of holiday trees, nursery supplies, and pumpkins. In no instance shall outdoor display obstruct sidewalks or otherwise impede pedestrian movement to the establishment’s entrance.

(7)Storage of shopping carts shall be indoors and/or located adjacent to the building where the carts are utilized. Storage/enclosure shall be made out of masonry to match the exterior building materials. Parking lot corrals are allowed.

(8)Chain link or coated chain link fence is prohibited along road frontage for Castleberry Road and Bethelview Road. If fences are not located along road frontage, but are visible from the right-of-way, fences must be screened by vegetation for their full length and height.

(D)Color. Color shades shall be used to unify and integrate the overall development project.

(1)Vending and ice machines, lock boxes, and other dispensing equipment visible from the public right-of-way shall use only earth tone and/or neutral colors. Fuel dispensing units visible from the public right-of-way shall feature earth tone and/or neutral colors in their overall design. Notwithstanding the foregoing requirement, small functional parts of the fuel dispensing units and reasonable safety features may utilize additional colors for enhanced visibility and safety purposes, subject to the discretion of the director. In addition, any wall or fence shall use only earth tone and/or neutral Unified Development Code of Forsyth County - 21 - 22 -colors. Earth tone colors refer to browns, umbers, sienna, or terracotta and brick tones. Neutral colors refer to blacks, whites, beiges, or grays.

(2)See Table 21.2 for a pre-approved color palette for commercial buildings. Building trim may feature accent colors satisfying the intent of this subsection, subject to approval by staff. If natural brick is used, it shall not be painted.

§ 21-7.7

Signage.

This section establishes minimum standards to promote and ensure a cohesive and unified identification program within the overlay district. A detailed signage plan is required to be submitted that addresses and conforms to all provisions set forth in this section. The signage plan shall address sign dimensions, color scheme, lighting, location of each sign on the building and on the ground, materials, and height. In addition to Ordinance No.

74 (Sign Ordinance), the following shall apply:

(A)All sign designs shall conform to established color guidelines and complement the architecture of the building and site plan in terms of size, shape, color, texture, and lighting.

(B)The architectural color standards of the district apply only to the sign structure not to the sign face.

(C)The size and shape of a sign shall be proportionate with the scale of the structure.

(D)Wall signs shall be flush against the wall, not cover architectural features or details, and not extend beyond the roof line or outer edges of the building.

(E)Where there is more than one sign on a site, signs shall be complementary to each other in shape and have related components and type of construction materials.

(F)Monument signs shall match the principal building material(s).

(G)Any exterior light source shall be completely shielded and directed solely on the sign and not upon any other object or adjacent properties.

(H)Signage shall not have illuminating devices that have a changing light intensity, brightness, or color.

(I)Electronic message boards (EMBs) are prohibited.

§ 21-7.8

Miscellaneous Provisions

(A)No commercial use shall be designated or operated so as to expose residents to offensive odors, dust, electrical interference, and/or vibration.

(B)Outdoor seating areas play equipment, and perimeter fencing shall be of compatible and attractive design that is integrated with the main building architecture.

(C)Amenities such as kiosks, water fountains, and public telephones are encouraged. Outdoor art installations may also be provided in the open spaces, plazas, and along streetscapes to provide visual interest and diversity. The following are illustrative examples of equestrian art and fountain installations that could be adapted for the overlay district:

Unified Development Code of Forsyth County - 21 - 23 -ARTICLE VIII, PEACHTREE PARKWAY-BETHELVIEW ROAD OVERLAY DISTRICT: