The following standards apply to all development occurring within the RM district and are intended to promote high standards of design.

        1.    Architectural treatment of structures, including materials, colors, and dimensions, should be compatible with the surrounding neighborhood.  The following standards should be considered in the design of multiple family residential developments:

a.     Building Facades.  Building facades shall be designed utilizing varying setbacks, projections, balconies, and by varying the pattern and location of windows and doors on the building face.  The following design techniques are encouraged:

        b.    Setbacks should be varied within individual structures.

        c.    Floor plans should be reversed on adjacent units within the same structure.

d.    There should only be a maximum of two adjacent units with identical wall and roofline planes.

    e.     Long, unbroken facades and box-like building forms are discouraged.

2.     Doorways and Windows.  Doors and windows shall be clearly articulated on the face of the structure.

Methods for articulating windows include wood framing, insets, and shutters. Doorways can be articulated with insets and wood framing, along with the use of doors with distinctive patterns or carving.  When possible, multiple family buildings should face onto streets, rather than turned sideways on the lot.

3.     Building Materials.  Materials used for multiple family developments should be durable and lowmaintenance.  Where possible, materials should emulate distinctive features of surrounding existing development.

4.     Exterior Stairways.  Stairways should be designed as an integral part of the overall structure and should incorporate materials used in the main building.  Prefabricated stairways composed of concrete and open wroughtiron railing is discouraged.

    1.    Parking lots, driveways and entries should be designed to blend in with the overall project:

a.     Parking areas.  Long, unbroken rows of parking spaces are discouraged.  Where possible, individual attached garages (with garage doors) for each unit are preferred. Otherwise, dispersed parking lots and heavy landscaping can serve to break up large parking areas.

        b.     Parking rows shall be broken up with a landscape island every eight spaces.

c.     Project Entryways.  Special treatment should be given to project entryways, including the use of landscaping, walls, fountains, signs and other architectural features such as arbors and trellises.  Entryway paving should be given special treatment, such as stamped paving, colored paving, or cobblestones.

d.     Parking areas shall be screened from view from adjoining properties and street rightofways by means of a solid fence, wall, landscaping, or architectural feature.

    Extreme care must be taken to ensure that multiple family development in existing neighborhoods is compatible in appearance with existing residences, especially single family dwellings.

    1.    Setbacks.  Front yard setbacks for infill development should be the average of that for adjacent properties.  If one adjacent property is vacant, then the average shall be calculated using the next adjacent occupied parcel.

    2.     Architectural Design.  New infill development should incorporate distinctive architectural features and maintain the scale and proportions of existing neighborhood dwellings, including building materials and colors, roof pitch and style, porches, window and doorway design, and other important elements.

    In addition to the following requirements, projects shall be landscaped in accordance with the requirements contained in Chapter:196  Landscaping.

    1.    All outdoor areas not used for parking, walkways or other features shall be landscaped, but not less than ten percent of the total site area of each parcel shall be landscaped.

    2.    A children's play yard with play equipment shall be required for all multiple family projects of ten units or more, and must be reviewed and approved by the Planning and Building Director, and Parks and Community Services Director.  This condition shall not apply to senior citizen housing or other housing excepted by the City of Tulare.

    3.     Street trees shall be planted in accordance with the tree type and planting schedule available from the Parks and Community Services Department.  Street trees shall be planted no more than 40 feet apart.

E.     Miscellaneous.

    1.    Wherever multiple family residential uses abut commercial uses, industrial uses, or other undesirable features such as freeways, a solid seven foot tall block wall and dense landscaping shall be provided along abutting property lines and special consideration shall be given to location and orientation of the residential structures so as to minimize any harmful effects created by nearby nonresidential uses.  Along streets designated as arterial or primary thoroughfares, the Planning Commission may require proposed uses to backup to the roadway.

    2.    Adequate onsite lighting shall be required when deemed necessary.  All onsite lighting shall be directed away from abutting properties to reduce glare.  Adjustment of lighting fixtures may be required after they have been installed.

    3.     Trash Enclosures.  All trash disposal containers shall be surrounded and screened by a solid six foot tall fence, wall or similar architectural feature.  Where possible, trash enclosures shall be further screened with landscaping.  Additional treatments, such as a trellis or arbor, are encouraged.