Downtown Design Information

Delafield Downtown Information from the Municipal Code

https://library.municode.com/wi/delafield/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=COOR_CH52ZO_ARTIISIPLAPRE_S52-63DEGUSPDEREDI

Downtown Delafield District design guidelines. The following criteria shall be met when changes are proposed to an existing site plan, unless waived by the plan commission:

a. The Downtown Delafield District boundary shall encompass all structures on both sides of the streets and all corners of the intersections within the boundary further described:

Commencing at Stocks Drive and Genesee Streets, north to Wells Street, west to Dopkins Street, north to the Bark River, east along the river to Genesee Street, north to St. John’s Street, south to the Bark River, east to Oneida Street, south to Milwaukee Street, east to Oneida Street, south to Wells Street, west to Genesee Street and south to Stocks Drive.

b. All buildings designed for retail use shall have storefront windows and display areas constituting at least 40 percent of the first floor facade.

c. All nonresidential uses that are new structures, or modifications, or additions to existing structures shall be required to demonstrate compatibility with surrounding architecture and exhibit traditional influence indicative of architectural styles and detailing found in the Delafield region at the time of city incorporation. Predominant architectural styles in the downtown district are Colonial, Neo-classical, Federal, Victorian and Greek Revival. New structures should incorporate such features as:

          1. Pitched roofs;

          2. Ornamental spires and rooftop ornamentation;

          3. Use of horizontal wood siding or similar manmade material that replicates wood with four- to five-inch laps;

          4. Use of white or other colors compatible with the approved Historic Downtown Delafield District color palette.

d. All buildings with occupied floors above the ground floor shall have window openings on the street facades displaying an organized rhythm of window openings.

e. New construction shall maintain the compatible overall size, height, scale, and orientation of other buildings on the same block.

f. Owners of existing structures shall be encouraged to maintain original materials similar to those used originally on historic structures. If vinyl, aluminum, or other similar modern siding materials are used on historic buildings, the style shall be four- to five-inch lap. Concrete block, artificial stone and artificial brick veneers shall be prohibited.

g. No new backlit signs or awnings shall be permitted. If sign lighting is needed, the preferred lighting is either ground lighting or mounted arm lighting. Existing legal nonconforming backlit signs and backlit awnings shall be considered grandfathered.

h. Preferred signage areas include traditional sign panels above storefront windows, signage painted or applied to windows, small unlit projecting signs, and signage placed on traditional canvas awnings.

i. Signage shall be oriented to the pedestrian versus the automobile.

j. Maximum size for a flush wall mounted sign shall be 25 square feet.

k. The preferred form of parking in the downtown area is the "parking courtyard," which places the parking areas on the interior or rear of the blocks rather than along the street frontage.

l. Parking lots fronting on public streets or on residential zoned areas shall be screened from the streets and sidewalk or adjoining residential property either by walls or plantings or both. If walls are used, then the material shall be compatible with the walls of the existing adjacent buildings. Walls shall be at least 24 inches high.