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1. Overview. This Section provides general development standards for maintaining and enhancing the character of downtown Frederick, including building height, setbacks, and storefront standards. This section further guides development in downtown Frederick through a form based approach by providing building and frontage typologies for all development in downtown Frederick. All new development must comply with these form based types. Section 15.6 (Development Standards) provides the detailed schematics and dimensions for development standards of downtown Frederick, while Section 15.7 establishes "building block" typologies that best display the desired building character for downtown Frederick. Building types refer to the building massing, layout, and use. Frontage types refer to the architectural style of the front facade of a building (the part of the building that faces the street). Together, these two typologies shape building character and the building’s relation to semi-public spaces, areas accessible to the general public but designed for use by residents.

2. Allowed Building Types. The following building types are intended to provide a variety of flexible building styles appropriate for the small town character of Frederick that can be used to guide future development. These provisions work in coordination with the underlying district and other development standards. Allowed building types in the different districts are listed in Table 15.7-1 (Allowed Building Types) and defined below. Building types are organized by intensity from most (Half-Block Liner) to least (Front Yard Housing) intense. An "X" means that the building type is allowed; a blank cell means that the building type is not allowed.

Table 15.7-1. Allowed Building Types 

D-A Zone

D-B Zone

Half-Block Liner

X

X

Infill

X

X

Terraced

X

X

Multi-Family Faux House

X

Duplex, Triplex, and Fourplex

X

Side Yard Housing

X

Side Yard House

X

Courtyard Housing

X

Front Yard Housing

X

3. Building Type Descriptions.

Half-Block Liner. An attached building with a frontage of approximately one-third to one-half the length of a downtown block, and zero side yard setbacks. It is used for mixed-use, residential, and commercial development land uses.

Infill. An attached building with a frontage that is less than one-third the length of a downtown block, and zero side yard setbacks. It is used for mixed-use, residential, and commercial development.

Terraced. A mixed-use, residential, or commercial building characterized by individual units that are accessed via multi-leveled outdoor terraces. The terraces are intended to be semi-public spaces that are extensions of the public realm.

Multi-Family Faux House. A multi-family faux house building type is a detached building that has a street appearance of a large house which contains more than four dwellings. Each dwelling is individually accessed from a central lobby, which in turn is accessed directly from the street.

Du/Tri/Fourplex. A du/tri/fourplex is a building type that contains two, three, or four dwelling units. Each unit is individually accessed directly from the street.

Side Yard Housing. A building or group of buildings containing dwelling units arranged on a lot in a row with the first unit facing the street. The primary entrance to each unit is from the side yard or, in the case of units facing the street, the front yard.

Side Yard House. A detached building designed as a single dwelling unit. A Side Yard House is flanked by a side yard accessed via a walkway to the yard area.

Courtyard Housing. A group of dwelling units arranged to share one or more common courtyards upon a qualifying lot in any zone. Dwellings take access from the street or the courtyard(s). Dwelling configuration occurs as townhouses, apartments, or apartments located over or under townhouses. The Courtyard is intended to be a semi-public space that is an extension of the public realm.

Front Yard Housing. A detached building designed as a single-family residence, duplex, triplex, or fourplex. Front Yard Housing is accessed from the sidewalk adjacent to the street build-to line.

4. Allowed Frontage Types. Frontage type refers to the architectural composition of the front facade of a building; particularly, the frontage type concerns how the building relates to surrounding semi-public spaces, areas accessible to the general public but designed for use by residents. The downtown Frederick frontage types are intended to enhance social interactions in the historic downtown retail core while simultaneously providing appropriate levels of privacy in residential areas. Allowed frontage types in the different districts are listed in Table 15.7-2 (Allowed Frontage Types) and defined below. Frontage types are organized by intensity, from most (Arcade) to least (Neighborhood Yard) intense. An "X" means that the frontage type is allowed; a blank cell means that the frontage type is not allowed.

Table 15.7-2. Allowed Frontage Types 

Allowed Frontage Types

D-A Zone

D-B Zone

Arcade

X1

X

Gallery

X

X

Storefront

X

X

Neighborhood Yard

X

Notes:

1Arcade Frontage type only allowed on 5th Street if the sidewalk is a minimum of 10' wide.

5. Frontage Type Descriptions.

Arcade. An Arcade frontage is characterized by a facade which is aligned close to or directly on the right-of-way line with the building entrance at the sidewalk grade, and with an attached colonnade that projects over the public sidewalk and encroaches into the public right-of-way. The upper stories of the building may also project over the public sidewalk and encroach into the public right-of-way. The sidewalk must be fully absorbed within the colonnade so that a pedestrian may not bypass it. This frontage is typically appropriate for retail use. In the case of 5th Street the current sidewalk width is insufficient to accommodate this type of development encroaching upon the sidewalk, therefore this frontage would need to be accommodated on private property.

Arcade Frontage Dimensions

Characteristic

Feet

Depth (minimum, from build-to line to inside column face)

10

Height (minimum clear)

10

Percentage of Building Front

75 – 100%

Gallery. A Gallery frontage is characterized by a facade which is aligned close to or directly on the right-of-way line with the building entrance at the sidewalk grade, and with an attached colonnade that projects over the public sidewalk and encroaches into the public right-of-way. The sidewalk must be fully absorbed within the colonnade so that a pedestrian may not bypass it. The colonnade may project over the public sidewalk, provided that the upper stories of the building do not also project over the public sidewalk. This frontage is typically appropriate for retail use. In the case of 5th Street the current sidewalk width is insufficient to accommodate this type of development encroaching upon the sidewalk; therefore this frontage would need to be accommodated on private property.

Gallery Frontage Dimensions

Characteristic

Feet

Depth (minimum, from build-to line to inside column face)

10

Height (minimum clear)

10

Percentage of Building Front

75 – 100%

Storefront. A Storefront frontage is characterized by a facade which is aligned very close to the public right-of-way line with the building entrance at sidewalk grade. Storefront frontages have substantial glazing on the ground floor, and provide awnings or canopies cantilevered over the sidewalk. Building entrances may either provide a canopy or awning, or alternatively, may be recessed behind the front building facade.

Storefront Frontage Dimensions

Characteristic

Measurement

Awning Depth (minimum projection, over the sidewalk)

5 feet

Height (from ground level to the bottom of the awning)

8 foot minimum, 12 foot maximum clear

Percentage of Building Front

50% minimum

Neighborhood Yard. A Neighborhood Yard frontage is characterized by deep front yard setbacks. The building facade is set back substantially from the front property line. The resulting front yard can be either fenced or unfenced. This frontage type is appropriate for residential uses.

Neighborhood Yard Frontage Dimensions

Setback

Feet (from setback to property line)

Minimum

10

Maximum

20