HomeMy WebLinkAbout8. Design Review Guidelines Exterior Mechanical
Development Services Department
250 Madison, Suite 3
Port Townsend, WA 98368
360-379-5095 Fax 360-344-4619
HISTORIC DESIGN GUIDELINES
for
Exterior Mechanical System Elements
PURPOSE
These DESIGN GUIDELINES are established for the following purposes:
1. To supplement land use regulations which encourage and promote public health, safety and welfare of the citizens of Port Townsend.
2. To provide guidance to urban design decisions that will promote development of high environmental and visual quality throughout the City.
3. To assist applicants in the preparation of development applications.
4. To assist decision-making by the Historic Preservation Committee in the review of development applications.
5. To provide guidance on appropriate exterior mechanical system installations that maintain historical authenticity and character throughout the National Landmark Historic District.
INTRODUCTION
As buildings within Port Townsend’s National Landmark Historic District undergo renovation and adaptive reuse, the replacement, upgrading and installation of new exterior mechanical
system elements will be necessary. The careful siting of these elements, such as propane tanks and stove vents, gas and electrical meters, exterior pipes and conduit, is critical for
maintaining the architectural integrity of the district. When the renovation or reuse project is small in scale, an administrative process can be used to adequately address concerns
about aesthetic and visual impacts.
Exterior mechanical systems, for purposes of these guidelines, are defined as:
All mechanical, electrical, plumbing, gas and HVAC systems, including the tanks, pipes, wires, conduits, meters and service boxes appurtenant thereto, that are installed on or near a
building’s exterior and routed into the building to provide some form of utility service.
GUIDELINES
The Historic Preservation Commission has adopted the following level of review for exterior mechanical systems in the Historic Overlay District:
The following shall be exempt from design review:
Normal maintenance and repair of existing mechanical systems on the exterior of buildings. Included with this exemption is the replacement of mechanical system elements so long as they
do not involve an increase in size or pipe length from what exists on the building.
The following shall be subject to administrative review, at the DSD Directors discretion, when:
New exterior mechanical elements comply with the guidelines stated below:
Installations that are not in public view from a dominant pedestrian sidewalk and/or street right-of-way;
Installations are done, or can be conditioned, in a manner that clearly minimizes disturbance of a building’s significant architectural features. Efforts that minimized disturbance
of such significant features include:
Underground placement of pipes, wires and conduit where possible;
Route selection of pipe, conduit or other mechanical system that avoids or minimizes disturbance to architectural features;
Such installations, where possible, can be painted, screened or otherwise camouflaged to minimize aesthetic impacts
The following shall be subject to HPC review:
Exterior mechanical element installations involving rooftop equipment
that would extend above the parapet.
Adopted by Ordinance 2871
November 29, 2004
P:\DSD\HPC\Final HP Design Guidelines Binder 2.1.05\DRG-mechanical.doc