| A. | Proposed or redeveloped buildings located at the Borough's gateways shall mark the transition into and out of the Borough in a distinct fashion, using massing, added height, contrasting materials and/or architectural embellishments to obtain this effect. Buildings located at gateways to a community green area or the Downtown commercial area shall mark the transition to such areas in a distinct fashion, using massing, added height, contrasting materials and/or architectural embellishments to obtain this effect. |
| B. | Focal points, or points of visual termination, shall generally be occupied by more prominent, monumental buildings and structures by virtue of enhanced height, massing, distinctive architectural treatments or other distinguishing features. |
| C. | Buildings shall define the streetscape through the use of uniform setbacks already established for a particular block. The building line shall be generally continued across side yard setback areas between buildings, where applicable, by using landscaping. The streetscape shall also be reinforced by lines of closely planted shade trees, and may be further reinforced by walls, hedges or fences that define front yards. |
| D. | Exterior public and semi-public spaces, such as courtyards or plazas, shall be designed, to enhance surrounding buildings and provide amenities for users, in the form of textured paving, landscaping lighting, street trees, benches, trash receptacles and other items of street furniture, as appropriate. Courtyards shall have recognizable edges defined on at least three sides by buildings, walls, elements of landscaping, and elements of street furniture, in order to create a strong sense of enclosure. |
| E. | Buildings shall be considered in terms of their relationship to the height and massing of adjacent building, as well as in relation to the human scale. |
| F. | Buildings shall be located to front towards and relate to public streets, both functionally and visually, to the greatest extent possible. Buildings shall not be oriented to front toward a parking lot. |
| G. | Spatial relationships between buildings and other structures shall be geometrically logical and/or architecturally formal. On a lot with multiple buildings, buildings located on the interior of a site shall front towards and relate to one another, both functionally and visually. A lot with multiple buildings may be organized around features such as courtyards, greens or quadrangles that encourage pedestrian activity and incidental social interaction among users. Smaller individualized groupings of buildings are encouraged. Buildings shall be located to allow for adequate fire and emergency access. |
| H. | The acoustical, thermal, visual and tactile properties of the paving materials proposed shall be appropriate to the proposed functions of pedestrian circulation. Modular masonry materials, such as brick, bluestone, and concrete pavers, or gridded cast-in-place materials, such as exposed aggregate concreted slabs shall be used, whenever possible, on sidewalks, pedestrian walkways and pathways, and public or semi-public plazas, courtyards or open spaces. Asphalt, and non-aggregate exposed concreted slabs should be avoided. |
| I. | Walls and fences shall be architecturally compatible with the style, materials, and colors of the principal building and adjacent buildings. Stone walls or brick walls with a stone or cast stone cap are encouraged. Wood fences, decorative metal or cast iron fences, and stone piers shall be encouraged. Solid wooden fences are permitted in rear and side yards only. Highway-style guard rail, stockade or chain-link fencing such as barbed wire or razor wire are prohibited in all districts. |
