Scenic Corridor Recommendations: Draft 10/5/98
Recommendations re: Adjacent Development Issues
Walls Buildings Signs Views Drainage
Issue: Walls
Current Policies: Zoning limits height. Stipulations often require 8" block walls, painted and stucco on both sides.
Recommendations:
Perimeter walls along the setback are discouraged. No continuous walls of any kind should be allowed since any walls must contain openings for wildlife.
Walls at the edge of the setback or within 50' of the setback should be 3-4' high above the natural grade and shall have a maximum height of 4'.
No Walls shall be higher than 6 feet and the minimum setback for any 6-foot wall should be over 150 minimum from the ROW (50 feet beyond the scenic drive setback).
Avoid canyon effect by using design solutions that create an open natural feeling. Consider wrought iron fencing alternatives.
Walls should be located so scenic views are maintained.
Walls should blend with the desert terrain by undulating, following contours, using natural materials, and using colors that blend with the vegetation.
Rationale. Wall along streets can obstruct views into the desert and detract from the scenic beauty of the natural environment. Continuos high perimeter walls contribute to a canyon effect and block views of both the local vegetation and distant mountains. The scenic corridor policies attempt to eliminate most of the negative impacts of walls on the visual character of the corridor without trying to prohibit the use of walls by residential or non-residential owners.
Issue: Buildings
Current Policies: Height determined by zoning. Upper Desert and Hillside landforms have color and material standards in ESL (Environmentally Sensitive Land Ordinance). Non-residential reviewed by DRB (Development Review Board).
Recommendations:
To preserve views, the maximum height of buildings adjacent to the landscape setback and/or on the perimeter of a development shall be 18' OR height will be limited by an inclined plane that is calculated to preserve mountain views.
Adopt design standards for buildings to blend with the natural landscape in form, lines, colors, materials and textures.
Rationale. Any improvements that are easily seen from scenic corridors will impact the character and quality of the experience users will have traveling along the corridor. The appearance, height, and placement of the adjacent development do impact the scenic corridor. Visible buildings detract from the feeling of openess and block views of distant mountains. Large parking lots scar the landscape and interrupt the vegetation that is a major part of the scenery people are looking for on a scenic drive.
Issue: Signs
Current Policy: Sign ordinance in zoning sets the standards.
Recommendations:
Any type of sign should be limited in both size and numbers on adjacent development and must be located outside both the ROW and setback. .
Rationale. This policy is similar to the right-of-way policy which aims at keeping signs to a minimum because they detract from the natural character objective.
Issue: Views
Current Policies: Viewpoints are identified on ESL Special Features maps to be used to analyze visibility of development from established points of view.
Recommendations:
A line of sight to view the mountains should be maintained from scenic corridors.
Rationale. Views from the corridor are as important as views along the corridor. The natural beauty of the desert, mountains, washes and rock outcrops should be visible from as many points as possible along the corridors.
Issue: Drainage
Current Policies: Functional standards for engineering basins and channels.
Recommendations:
No basin within 200' of scenic setback. Sides of basin should be curved horizontally and vertically to resemble the surrounding terrain.
Drainage basins should only be installed where the need can be demonstrated.
Rationale. It is considered desirable to have drainage basins designed to blend into the terrain and to place them where there visual impact are kept to a minimum, similar to the policies for the other two components of the scenic corridors.
