Design Standard Guidelines - Prince George's County Planning ...

Design Standards
Goal
To create a human-scale town center through attractive
development that creates a sense of place and supports
commercial and residential vitality.
Applicability
The design standards apply to all new development and
improvements on properties located within the Mixed-
Use-Town Center Zone, unless otherwise noted,
including:
• Buildings
• Additions
• Exterior renovations
• New entrance and window treatments
• Signs
• Fencing
The design standards replace requirements that are
set forth in the Zoning Ordinance and the Landscape
Manual. These standards set requirements for site,
building, and public space design, including build-to
lines, fencing, buffers, landscaping, parking, streetscape,
building height, massing and openings, signage, lighting,
stormwater management, parks, and plazas. Subdivisions
shall be reviewed for compliance with relevant standards
such as those affecting circulation.
How to Use
The M-U-TC Zone is intended to be flexible and allow
the applicant alternatives to strict application of all of
the design standards when developing in accordance with
the goal, design principles, and intent statements of the
development plan. These shall be used to evaluate the
conformance of each proposal with specific standards in
the M-U-TC development plan. The term “applicant” in
the design standards shall include the developer and the
applicant’s heirs, successors, and/ or assignees.
As set forth in Section 27-108.01 of the Zoning
Ordinance, “the words ‘shall,’ ‘must,’ ‘may only,’ or ‘may
not’ are always mandatory standards and not discretionary.
The word ‘may’ is permissive. The words ‘including’ and
‘such as’ do not limit a term to the specified examples, but
are intended to extend its meaning to all other instances
or circumstances of like kind or character.”
Streetscape improvements on private land and the
provision of easements shall be the responsibility of the
applicant and must be coordinated with the Town of
Riverdale Park and other appropriate agencies.
The following are exempt from the full or partial review
for conformance with the design standards:
Additions of less than 250 square feet in gross floor area.
Additions of less than 250 square feet GFA and additions
to single-family residential dwellings shall be exempt
from the requirements of the Building Placement and
Streetscape Section.
Routine maintenance.
Routine repainting or repair of legally existing
development or improvements shall not be subject to
the design standards.
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Cafritz Property Design Standards Guidelines