Development Criteria for
North Park Main Street

North Park Main Street
3074 University Avenue
San Diego, CA 92104

ph: (619) 294-2501,
fax: (619) 294-2502
e-mail: npbid@northparkmainstreet.com
www.northparkmainstreet.com

DEVELOPMENT CRITERIA

The Design Committee has compiled a list of criteria that North Park Main Street wishes to apply to all development in the North Park Business Improvement District. These criteria were distilled from workshops, surveys, and community meetings.

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North Park Main Street:

1. Expects the developer to be supportive of, and responsive to, community input.

2. Expects the developer to consider mixed-use (commercial/residential) development whenever
     possible.

3. Expects the developer to avoid blank walls (see definition of "blank walls").

4. Expects the developer to maintain the small-business/ small-town feel through the development
     and retention of small storefronts (see definition of "storefront").

5. Expects the developer to create and maintain pedestrian character (see definition of "pedestrian
     character").

6. Expects the developer to assure that all planned development be in scale with surrounding
     businesses and  residences (see definition of "building scale").

7. Expects the developer to find creative solutions in designing alternative parking.

FURTHER, North Park Main Street expects all development in the North Park Business Improvement District to give special consideration to the following definitions, characteristics, and recommendations:

I. BLANK WALLS

Definition of "Blank Walls"

A blank wall is a street facade that is characterized by a lack of transparency into which the pedestrian can see. A blank wall:

1.  Does not have glass on a high percentage of the facade, OR

2.  Does not have glass that is transparent, OR

3.  Does not have glass that is maintained (spaced) across the entire facade, OR

4.  Does not have glass that is placed at pedestrian eye-level.

Characteristics

• Garage doors are included as blank walls.

• Fences are included as blank walls.

• Glass display cases and display windows less than three feet deep are included as blank walls when they do not allow the pedestrian to view the interior of a street facade.

• Tinting of a percentage too high to allow transparency, as defined in the Mid-City Planned District Ordinance, constitutes a blank wall.

• Regardless of architectural details, landscaping, or signage; a blank wall remains a blank wall.

Recommendation

Avoid blank walls on all street facades. A street facade is defined here as any wall abutting a dedicated public street.

II. STOREFRONTS

Definition of "Storefront"

A "storefront" is a street facade that:

1.  Is not a blank wall.

2.  Has at least one entrance.

3.  Has the appearance of an independent store and the ability to function as an independent
store without any exterior modification. 

Characteristics

• The average storefront width in the North Park commercial district is approximately 25 feet.

• Storefronts are defined by separate doors, or the appearance of separate facades.

• The height of storefronts should align with the height of adjacent existing storefronts.

Recommendation

Maintain the small-business/small-town feel of the North Park Business Improvement District through the development and retention of small storefronts, especially on 30th Street and University Avenue.

III. PEDESTRIAN CHARACTER

Definition of "Pedestrian Character"

"Pedestrian character" is created by conditions that encourage a continuous pedestrian environment. This is accomplished through people-oriented street frontages and amenities which include attractive trash receptacles, benches, bicycle racks, decorative sidewalks, drinking fountains, kiosks or neighborhood directories, landscaping and trees, lighting, outdoor fountains, plazas, public art, storefronts approximately every 25 feet, and window displays.

Blocks that exhibit pedestrian character do not promote uses that are incompatible with people walking on the sidewalk. Such incompatible uses include, but are not limited to, blank walls and vehicular uses such as parking lots abutting the sidewalk.

Characteristics

Amenities that are conducive to a rich, diverse, and pleasurable walking experience include:

• Attractive trash receptacles

• Benches

• Bicycle racks

• Decorative sidewalks

• Drinking fountains

• Kiosks or neighborhood directories

• Landscaping and trees

• Lighting (from street lamps, bollards, or other creative means)

• Outdoor (decorative) fountains

• Plazas

• Public art

• Storefronts approximately every 25 feet

• Window displays

Recommendation

Developments in the North Park Business Improvement District should create and maintain pedestrian character.

IV. BUILDING SCALE

Definition of "Building Scale"

Building scale is a measurement of proportion in relation to the pedestrian.

Characteristics

• Building scale includes all elements of the proposed project; the footprint of the building and parking facility as well as the height of structures.

• Appropriate building scale promotes the urban experience.

• Building scale is a matter of proportion, not size.

• Building proportion should relate well to the pedestrian.

• Planned development should be in scale with surrounding businesses and residences.

• At present, no one contiguous building in the North Park Business Improvement District exceeds half-a-block of street frontage along University Avenue. Half-a-block is defined as the street to the center alley or, in the absence of an alley, to the point in the block halfway to the next street. This has become the standard of building scale.

Recommendation

Building scale for developments in the North Park Business Improvement District should relate to the pedestrian, should be in scale with surrounding businesses and residences, and should not exceed half-a-block of street frontage along University Avenue.

Developments in the North Park Business Improvement District should comply with parking concepts in the Greater North Park Community Plan and the Mid-City Planned District Ordinance. Incompatible parking uses include, but are not limited to, parking lots abutting the sidewalk.

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