16.4.2 Streetscape | Durham Unified Development Ordinance

1. Sidewalk shall be provided as follows. When multiple methods are shown as allowed, any allowable method can be used.

	Sidewalk from building face to back-of-curb	Sidewalk from building face to three-foot landscape strip	Sidewalk with a Landscape Stormwater Control Measure (see 16.4.2A.2)
DD-C	✔	—	—
-S1	✔	—	—
-S2	✔	✔	—
CD-C	✔	—	—
-S1	✔	—	—
-S2	✔	✔	—
-P(N)	✔	—	—
CSD-C	✔	—	✔
-S1	✔	—	✔
-S2	✔	—	✔

a. For the Forecourt Frontage Type, sidewalk shall be measured to the frontage of the forecourt and not the building itself.

b. For the Monumental Building Type, the sidewalk shall be a minimum of 12 feet wide, and a landscape strip with a minimum width of three feet can be provided against the back-of curb.

3. For additions or modifications to existing structures on sites with existing sidewalk, sidewalk along all frontages shall be widened to at least 12 feet, unless:

a. Exempt per paragraph 16.4.1C, Exemptions;

b. A wider sidewalk would require the removal of a major specimen tree; or

c. Existing conditions prohibit the widening of the sidewalk.

4. Existing sidewalk width shall not be reduced.

5. For projects that propose removal of the existing structures for construction of new structures, current standards shall apply.

6. Street trees are allowed in the sidewalk area, but shall not conflict with the required clear zone. Pit openings shall not encroach into the required clear zone unless a suspended sidewalk system is utilized.

7. Parking areas, loading zones, bus and valet pull-offs, and other similar features shall not utilize, or encroach into, the required sidewalk area.

8. All sidewalk area, whether within public right-of-way or on private property with an easement, shall meet ADA accessibility standards.

9. Payment-in-lieu shall not be an option to comply with sidewalk requirements.

10. For frontage along freeways and other similar right-of-way where the build-to line is measured from the right-of-way, the following standards shall apply:

a. No sidewalk within right-of-way is required; however, on-site sidewalk shall be required and shall connect to any other existing or proposed sidewalk in right-of-way or on-site. Connections shall also be made to on-site buildings and parking areas.

b. The minimum width shall be six feet.

1. Within the required sidewalk, a continuous, unobstructed area or “clear zone” shall be maintained at all points along the sidewalk as follows:

	Required Clear Zone
DD	5 feet
CD	5 feet
CSD	8 feet

Pedestrian malls shall maintain clear zones per paragraph 16.4.3C, Pedestrian Mall Standards.

2. The clear zone shall parallel the predominant building face, with a maximum variation of 15 degrees. A greater degree of variation is allowed only to the minimum extent necessary to accommodate existing obstructions or other obstructions required for utilities, street trees, or other streetscape amenities.

Bus stop clear zones shall be established pursuant to the requirements of the applicable transit agency. No landscape strip shall be required through the clear zone.

Directional sidewalk accessibility ramps shall be provided at street intersections to direct users across crosswalks rather than diagonally into intersections.

a. Non-directional ramps shall not be permitted.

b. Pedestrian Rights-of-Way Accessibility Guidelines (PROWAG) shall be utilized to comply with this standard, except that ramps shall be perpendicular to the right-of-way, as shown below*.

*Diagrams are per PROWAG Chapter R3, Technical Requirements. Specifications shown are illustrative. All construction shall be to the specifications of the City Public Works Department.

c. Alternative methods found in PROWAG are allowed only if existing conditions prevent the use of ramps described in paragraph b, above.

a. Driveway aprons shall be provided so that sidewalks remain continuous and level for the width of the clear zone.

b. Obsolete/unused driveway aprons and curb-cuts shall be removed.

1. Amenities shall be provided within the streetscape as indicated in the table below and shall be calculated by rounding to the nearest linear foot or receptacle. These standards shall apply whether the amenity is required or provided beyond minimum requirements.

Sub-District	Required Amenity Standards
Sub-District	Seating	Solid Waste Receptacles (trash and recycling bin pair)	Decorative Street Lights	Street Trees	Bus Shelters	Bicycle Racks
Core (-C)	One linear foot per 15 linear feet of street frontage	One per 200 linear feet of street frontage	When existing street lights are replaced or new street lights are installed, they shall meet the specifications in paragraph 16.4.2F, Construction Specifications.	Pursuant to paragraph 16.4.2E, Street Trees. See planting guidelines and details in the Landscape Manual.	Required for development projects consisting of at least 80,000 square feet of building, adjacent to existing or proposed bus stops. Constructions specifications shall be in accordance to the applicable mass transit entity.	As required pursuant to Article 10, Parking and Loading.
Support 1 (-S1)	One linear foot per 20 linear feet of street frontage	One per 250 linear feet of street frontage
Support 2 (-S2)	One linear foot per 25 linear feet of street frontage	One per 300 linear feet of street frontage
Pedestrian Business (-P(N))	One linear foot per 15 linear feet of street frontage	One per 250 linear feet of street frontage

2. Existing streetscape amenities along the street frontage of the development can count towards required amenities so long as they meet all dimensional requirements.

3. Seating shall be 18 to 30 inches high and a minimum of 15 inches deep. Seating that accommodates users on both sides shall be at least 30 inches deep.

4. Ledges and walls can count as seating provided that they meet the dimensional requirements of this section.

5. Streetscape amenities shall be distributed along the full length of the street frontage rather than in one location.

6. Required streetscape amenities shall be provided within the right-of-way or on private property within five feet of the property line, provided that they are publicly accessible.

Commentary: Sight distance triangles required within this Ordinance must be maintained.

7. For projects with multiple street frontages, each street frontage shall have a discrete calculation and requirement.

Along streets with on-street parking, streetscape furnishings shall be located a minimum of 24 inches from the back-of-curb.

9. Streetscape furnishings shall be anchored to the pavement.

1. Landscaping and installation standards within Article 9, Landscaping and buffering, shall apply unless otherwise modified below.

(1) One tree for every 40 feet of street frontage along existing and proposed rights-of-way (not including alleys), private street easements, and pedestrian malls. If understory trees are planted, then the average shall be at least one understory street tree for every 30 feet.

(2) For street frontage along a freeway or other similar NCDOT right-of-way, the requirement shall be one tree for every 20 feet of street frontage.

Trees shall maintain a maximum separation of 100 feet, measured between the centerline of each trunk. If existing obstructions, access points, or sight distance triangles prevent compliance with the maximum separation requirement, the separation can exceed the maximum only to the extent necessary to avoid the obstruction, access point, or sight distance triangle.

(1) Street trees shall be located in the right-of-way or street easement. The Public Works Director in consultation with the City Transportation Director or City Urban Forestry Division, as applicable, or NCDOT, as appropriate, may require an alternate location.

(2) Trees shall be placed along the curb side of the sidewalk. Along streets with on-street parking, street trees shall be set back at least 24 inches from the back-of-curb, measured from the centerline of the trunk.

(3) Unless utilizing a suspended sidewalk system, street tree pit openings shall not encroach into required sidewalk or pedestrian mall clear zones.

A suspended sidewalk system shall be required in the Core and S1 sub-districts of the DD and CD Districts.

Commentary: Street trees provide core functions within the urban environment. Street trees provide shade, aesthetics, and help distinguish the pedestrian way from travel lanes. The alternatives are intended to provide at least two of these functions when such alternatives are allowed. Encroachment agreements with the City or NCDOT, as applicable, may be required.

(1) If an existing easement prohibits the placement of street trees in the prescribed location per paragraph E2, above, an alternative can be provided in lieu of the street tree requirement.

(2) Except in the CSD District, where development incorporates existing buildings and the distance from the back-of-curb to the building face is less than 10 feet, an alternative can be provided in lieu of the street tree requirement.

(3) Street tree alternatives shall not be used for pedestrian malls.

Street tree alternatives specified below shall be used, individually or in combination, and shall comply with the associated standards.

(1) Spacing and location requirements shall be consistent with those required for street trees.

(2) Maintenance of alternatives shall be the responsibility of the property owner(s) of the development site.

Alternative	Standards
Public Art	Shall provide a minimum of 100 square feet of public art along the street frontage for each required street tree. Additionally: 1. Public art shall be permanent and include a maintenance agreement. 2. All-weather materials shall be used. 3. Public art shall not include advertisements, but can include a placard indicating the name of the artwork, the name of the artist, and information about the artwork. 4. Public artwork shall require a recommendation of approval from the Public Art Committee of the Cultural Advisory Board.
Landscape Planters	Shall provide a minimum of two landscape planters with a planting area of at least five square feet each in-lieu of each required street tree. Additionally: 1. Planters must be continually planted and maintained. 2. Planters shall be above-ground constructed of durable all-weather material such as fiberglass, metal, stone, or a cementitious material.
Vegetative Screen and Awning or Canopy	1. The vegetative screen shall be a minimum of 100 square feet along the street frontage in-lieu of each required street tree. Additionally:
	a. The screen shall be composed of landscape material with a minimum of 50% evergreen.
	b. The screen shall be at least 10 feet high.
	2. The awning/canopy shall be a minimum of 10 linear feet along the street frontage in-lieu of each required street tree and shall be a minimum of 5 feet in depth. The awning shall be kept in good repair.

a. Sidewalks shall be constructed of natural concrete with red brick pavers installed along the back-of-curb in a double row stacked sailor course. Corners can be a solid field or herring bone brick pattern with a single sailor border.

b. Where a landscape strip is provided, the pavers shall be provided between the concrete sidewalk and landscape strip.

When a suspended sidewalk system is utilized, concrete or brick pavers shall be used, and break-away collars to expand the pit opening as the tree grows shall be used.

Benches shall be DuMor Bench 92 or Dumor Bench 58, or equal in design and performance, in black finish.

a. Trash receptacles shall be 32-gallon DuMor Receptacle 102 or equal in design and performance in black finish.

b. Recycling receptacles shall be the same as used for trash except a recycling lid (DuMor RC lid/cover in blue, or equal in design and performance) shall be provided.

(1) Street lights shall be Memphis teardrop luminaire on the davit-arm, mounted on the North Yorkshire pole all by Holophane or equal, shall be utilized. The City of Durham’s installation specifications shall be utilized.

(2) Mast arms shall consist of a smooth signal arm mounted on a 16-fluted pole with the Huntington base by Valmont or equal. The Memphis teardrop luminaire on the Atlanta cross-arm, both by Holophane or equal, shall be used atop the mast arm’s pole. The mast arm specification, including pole and luminaire height and arm length, should be confirmed through the City of Durham’s Transportation Department.

(3) Other utility poles shall be a consistent design and material with street lights.

Street lights, mast arms, and other utility poles shall use a metal product approved by the City Transportation Department or NCDOT, as applicable.

For bicycle rack specifications, see paragraph 10.4.4E, Standards for Design Districts.

a. Alternative streetscape requirements to the standard requirements of this section can be established within an approved alternative streetscape plan (ASP).

b. Amenities that are on private property and are not required for satisfying streetscape standards are not subject to this plan.

c. Plan applications and any amendments shall be signed by all property owners, or legally designated representatives, within the plan area.

a. A plan can be approved for an area consisting of at least 10 contiguous acres. Additions to a plan area can be made at any increment.

(1) Right-of-way shall not be included within the area calculation.

(2) For the purposes of this paragraph, properties shall be considered contiguous if right-of-way is intervening.

b. Streetscapes internal to the plan area shall include entire block faces, and block faces shall be contiguous, in order to avoid gaps and “doughnut holes” within the plan area.

c. Where the perimeter boundary of the plan area would not include a portion of a block face, or an entire block face, of property not party to the plan:

(1) The streetscape shall be included in order to encompass the block face, or to create contiguous block faces, to avoid gaps between block faces and provide continuity along the streetscape.

(2) The streetscape receptacles and seating consistent with the plan and other applicable ordinance requirements shall be provided along the streetscapes sections not included in the plan, concurrent with the installation of furnishings within the portion of the block face within the plan area or on a neighboring block face, as applicable.

An ASP shall be approved through the site plan approval process, either as part of the first site plan for the plan area or as a separate plan. In either case, the ASP shall be applicable to all development and plan approvals within the plan area.

The following shall consist of the allowable alternative amenities and associated standards for an ASP:

(1) The ASP shall specify alternative colors(s), design(s), and materials of each alternative streetscape amenity or sidewalk standard identified in the plan.

(2) Amenity design, color, and other construction specifications shall be provided within the plan.

(3) Unless specifically indicated otherwise within the standards below, the standard streetscape requirements and any other applicable Ordinance requirements shall apply.

Signs shall be allowed on amenities in the right-of-way in accordance with paragraph 11.5.1E. Additionally:

(a) Only one sign per amenity shall be allowed; and

(b) The maximum size shall be 36 square inches.

(1) A landscape area between the building and sidewalk, with a minimum sidewalk width of 12 feet from back of curb, is allowed if the landscape area functions as a stormwater BMP and complies with the City Code Stormwater Performance Standards for Development and is approved by the City Public Works Department.

(2) Lighting within sidewalk pavement shall be allowed.

An alternative bench design from paragraph 16.4.2F.3, Benches, is allowed. Materials shall consist of concrete, metal, and/or wood composite.

An alternative design for trash and recycling receptacles from paragraph 16.4.2F.4, Trash/Recycling Receptacles, is allowed subject to the following:

(1) The receptacles shall be of metal construction.

(2) The receptacles shall have openings that are covered by a horizontal surface. No uncovered openings shall be allowed on top of the receptacles.

(3) Trash and recycling receptacles shall be distinguished by color and signage indicating the type of receptacle.

Alternative street lights to those of paragraph 16.4.2F.5, Street Lights and Mast Arms, are allowed within pedestrian malls if they are a minimum of 10 feet from the public right-of-way.

(1) An alternative to the suspended sidewalk system required pursuant to paragraph 16.4.2E.2.d, Suspended Sidewalk System, is allowed if approved with a minor special use permit pursuant to Sec. 3.9, Special Use Permit.

(2) In addition to the review factors in paragraph 3.9.8B, Review Factors, the approving authority shall also find that the alternative provides equal or better stormwater treatment and overall design functionality, including but not limited to supporting pedestrian movement and minimizing impact upon root systems, to that of suspended sidewalk systems designed pursuant to paragraph 16.4.2F.2, Suspended Sidewalks.

An alternative ground-mounted bicycle rack from the required rack pursuant to paragraph 10.4.4E, Standards for Design Districts, is allowed.

Amenity locations shall be specified on the plan.

a. All maintenance, servicing, replacement, and modification of location of alternative streetscape amenities shall be the sole responsibility of the property owners and their successors, including due to any governmental action or work that impacts the amenity.

b. For the purposes of this alternative streetscape plan, a property owners’ association shall be legally established when the alternative streetscape plan will be applied to more than one parcel.

c. A legally binding agreement with the City, reviewed and approved by the City Attorney’s Office and the Public Works Department, shall be in place prior to plan approval and shall be attached to the approved plan. The agreement shall include language that indemnifies the City from and against all charges and any other liabilities pertaining to any of the alternative amenities included in the alternative streetscape plan.

d. The agreement shall be between the City and the property owner or an owners association, and their successors.