Page 10 - San Marcos, TX Design Manual
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        Design Guidelines                                                                                       APPENDIX






         Transit       Variety and creativity in building   Additional height at the street wall may be  Additional height may be appropriate here
         neighborhood  design, including height, is   appropriate where the building maintains   where the building maintains a sense of
         oriented      appropriate in this context. Taller   a sense of human scale and a pedestrian-  human scale and maintains a pedestrian-
         Development   buildings may be appropriate in   friendly streetscape.    friendly streetscape.
                       this context as long as the height
                       at the street is designed with the
                       pedestrian in mind. An increased
                       density at and surrounding the
                       future rail stop is desired.
         Approach      The intent for the Approach design   Additional height is inappropriate in the   Additional height may be appropriate where
                       context is to create an entry corridor  first and second layers. The intent for   it does not directly impact residential
                       that celebrates community heritage  the approach area is to provide corridors   neighborhoods. The building should maintain
                       and welcomes visitors to downtown  between the highway and downtown.   a sense of human scale and a pedestrian-
                       San Marcos as they exit the highway                        friendly streetscape.
                       and move toward the Downtown
                       Core. New design is scaled to
                       be compatible with traditional
                       buildings along Guadalupe and
                       LBJ. approach area is to provide
                       corridors between the highway and
                       Downtown.
         Midtown       Promote high-density mixed use   Additional height may be appropriate   Alternatives may be considered where taller
         Entertainment   development to complement   where the building maintains a sense   structures will provide greater residential
         District      Downtown.                   of human scale and pedestrian-friendly   opportunities within proximity to campus
                                                   streetscape.                   and key views are sufficiently maintained
                                                                                  and alternative forms of transportation
                                                                                  connections to campus have been
                                                                                  accomodated.

                                                                    in section 4.3.5.3 of the Land Development Code by adding
                                                                    additional Expression Tools and Building Elements.
        Section A.1.4.2   Varied Upper Floor Massing Requirement.
                                                                C.  Guidelines. In order to ensure a human scale is established in
        A.  Specific to CD-5D Applicability. The following guidelines are   the design of new buildings, incorporate strategies outlined in
            specific to CD-5D.                                      Table 1.2 as well as the following guidelines:

        B.  Overview. Buildings in CD-5D are typically three stories or   1.  Establish a sense of human scale in the design of a new
            less in height, although taller building heights can occur and   building.
            are somewhat common in the third layer, depending on the
            design context. In most cases a range of building heights occur   2.  Reduce the overall perceived mass of a new building by
            across a single block face. As the desired density increase   dividing it into smaller modules.
            is incorporated, it is important that new, taller structures not
            dominate the street front. Taller buildings should vary upper   3.  Design each building module to reflect building widths and
            floor massing to provide variety in building height as perceived   heights seen historically in the downtown.
            from the street and to maintain a sense of pedestrian scale
            at the sidewalk. If an alternative to the varied upper floor
            massing requirements is requested, the building shall exceed
            the minimum requirements of the blank wall area outlined






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