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Rationale for DPA Establishment
This DPA intends to ensure that new commercial
and multi-family developments along major public
thoroughfares linking the Downtown and Sardis-
Vedder cores are attractive, pedestrian friendly, and
livable.
Objectives
1. To encourage a high standard of site and building
design for all commercial and multifamily
residential developments along the major traffic
corridors linking community cores.
2. To establish guidelines that maintain a consistent
streetscape, promote pedestrian scale and
enhance the urban design of the surrounding
community.
3. To facilitate the orderly development of the area
and to encourage coordination of the siting, form
and volume of new commercial and multi-family
residential buildings and their areas for parking,
storage, signage and landscaping.
Guidelines
1. Character of Buildings
1.1 All buildings, structures and expansions or
additions thereto should be architecturally
coordinated and planned in a comprehen-
sive manner, giving consideration to the
relationship between buildings and open
areas, efficiency of the circulation systems,
visual impact and design compatibility with
surrounding properties and streets.
1.2 The massing of buildings or structures with-
in the designated area should be softened
through facade and roof articulation. Where
extremely large structures are proposed,
consideration should be given to design con-
cepts which break the facade visually into
smaller elements to create greater interest.
Flat, featureless parapet and cornice lines
and box like building forms are not permit-
ted.
1.3 Exterior finish must be attractive and of high
quality; suggested materials include brick,
traditional or acrylic stucco (use of creative
textures is permitted); pre-cast architectur-
al wall panels with suitable textures, as de-
termined by Council; textured cast concrete
block; regular modular concrete block with
stucco parge finish or paint finish; exterior
grade ceramic tiles; glass block masonry;
architectural stained glass; painted and/or
stained wood finishes.
1.4 Exterior finishes that are not acceptable
include: pure white or excessively bright
“primary” colors, unfinished cast concrete
walls, unfinished regular concrete block;
interior grade tiles; unfinished plywood,
chip board, lumber and split cedar shakes;
asbestos or asphalt shingles or panels,
fibreglass panels and large expanses of
corrugated coloured metal used as vertical
siding. Non-coloured galvanized steel
or aluminum are not acceptable roofing
materials.
1.5 Buildings should be painted in soft, muted
colors, such that they can harmonize with
the paint schemes of adjacent buildings
or the surrounding natural environment.
Acceptablecolours includethose inthecolour
palette of the Downtown Contemporary
Commercial Development Permit Area (No.
6-6). Accent or trim color can be strong or
bright, but should not comprise the main
colour of the building, structure or signage.
2. Siting
2.1 All buildings or structures should be oriented
such that their main facade faces the road(s).
Where feasible, a retail “mainstreet” built
form shall be encouraged with the building
near the back of the sidewalk.
2.2 Garbage receptacles and recycling facilities
shall be in the rear yard, and shall be
screened from the road.
2.3 Outdoor storage shall be screened and only
Implementation Guide