Page 178 - Des Moines - Zoning, Planning and Design Ch 134, 135

135-2. DeSiGN reQUireMeNtS DRAFT

Building Facade Elements

B. Materials. The materials permitted for public way
facades, above, shall be utilized for the portions of
the facade with a public entrance.
c. transparency requirement. Public building
entrance facade area, minimum 20 feet wide, shall
utilize one of the following:
1. On Storefront buildings, a minimum 40 percent
transparency is required for the ground floor
facade entrance, and the door shall be a
minimum of 40 percent transparent.
2. On any other building, the minimum
transparency required for upper floors of the
street facade shall apply to the rear ground floor
entrance area, and the door shall be a minimum
of 45 percent transparent.
D. Awnings and Signs. Awnings and signs are
encouraged. When awnings and signs are utilized
on the front facade, the same material and design
is required to be continued on entrance portions of
rear parking lot facades.

2.3.8 GArAGe DOOrS
The following applies to all garage doors that face
streets.
A. N and NX Districts. Garage doors facing streets, Figure 2.3-I. Examples of Rear Facade Treatment on Parking Lots
where permitted, in N or NX districts shall meet the
following requirements:
1. The garage door shall be recessed a minimum of
3 feet from the dominant facade of the principal
building facing the same street.

2. In the N2 district, the garage door shall be an
upgraded door style, such as a carriage-style
door, glass door, or a traditional wood-look door
with windows.
B. Other Districts. In all districts except N or NX,
where permitted, garage doors facing streets shall
be recessed a minimum of 5 feet from the dominant
facade of the principal building facing the same
street.

2.3.9 BUilDiNG ArticUlAtiON
The following applies to all building types except the
House building types.
A. Building Facade Variety. See Figure 2.3-J.
Downtown buildings 300 feet in width and all Building Variety
other buildings 120 feet in width or greater along Building Variety Increment Increment
1

1 These are based upon 30’ storefront increments (see
vertical divisions in building types). A 90 to 100 foot Figure 2.3-J. Building Variety
building is a comfortable scale (3 per 300-foot block).

135-2-8 DRAFT AuGuST 3, 2017