Chapter 18.11
GATEWAY (G) OVERLAY DISTRICT
Sections:
18.11.030 Development standards.
18.11.010 Purpose.
The Gateway (G) Overlay District is intended to foster the creation of aesthetically pleasing gateways by which people can orient themselves and have a sense of arrival to the City of San Carlos. (Ord. 1438 § 4 (Exh. A (part)), 2011)
18.11.020 Applicability.
The standards and regulations of this chapter apply to all areas of the City identified as gateways on the Zoning Map. (Ord. 1438 § 4 (Exh. A (part)), 2011)
18.11.030 Development standards.
Development in the G Overlay District is subject to the following standards:
A. Primary Gateways.
1. Holly Street East of El Camino Real. This gateway, at Holly Street and Industrial Road, is a point of entry to the City for vehicular traffic traveling on Highway 101. It also serves as the closest point of entry to downtown for vehicles traveling along the freeway.
a. West of Industrial Road. Buildings must be located in accordance with the required setbacks within thirty feet of every corner. Public plazas or landscaped areas may be at the street corner provided buildings are built to the edge of the public plaza or landscaped area.
i. Building. Building elements with greater vertical emphasis must be used on corners.
ii. Public Plaza. The public plaza must be open to the sky, adjacent to and accessible from a public sidewalk and have a minimum horizontal dimension of twenty feet.
iii. Landscaped Area. The landscaped area shall have a minimum horizontal dimension of twenty feet and include landscaping and a gateway feature. Landscaping shall be low growing, up to a maximum of three feet in height. The gateway feature may include signage, public art, and water features. Water features shall be designed to be attractive, even when water is not in use.
b. East of Industrial Road. A landscaped area with a minimum horizontal dimension of twenty feet shall be provided within twenty feet of every corner. Landscaping shall be low growing, up to a maximum of three feet.
2. San Carlos Avenue at El Camino Real. This gateway, at the intersection of San Carlos Avenue and El Camino Real, marks the entrance to downtown and is located in proximity to the historic train depot and Drake building. As a multi-modal center, gateway landmarks or features at this location shall be oriented towards pedestrians, transit users, bicyclists, and cars.
a. Buildings must be located in accordance with the required setbacks within thirty feet of the corner. Public plazas may be at the street corner provided buildings are built to the edge of the public plaza.
i. Building. Building elements with greater vertical emphasis must be used on corners.
ii. Public Plaza. The public plaza must be open to the sky, adjacent to and accessible from a public sidewalk and have a minimum horizontal dimension of twenty feet.
b. Design. Design of the building or gateway landmark or feature shall reflect and complement the style of the train depot and Drake Building. This may be accomplished through the incorporation of architectural style, colors, and materials of the train depot and Drake Building.
c. Orientation. The gateway landmark or feature shall be oriented to face public streets and engage and facilitate access by vehicles, bicycles and pedestrians from adjacent neighborhoods and mass transit locations.
3. North and South El Camino Real. The North El Camino Real gateway is located at El Camino Real and F Street (in Belmont). The South El Camino Real gateway is located at El Camino Real and Eaton Avenue.
a. North El Camino Real. Buildings must be located in accordance with the required setbacks within thirty feet of the corner. Public plazas or landscaped areas may be at the street corner, provided buildings are built to the edge of the public plaza or landscaped area.
i. Building. Building elements with greater vertical emphasis must be used on corners.
ii. Public Plaza. The public plaza must be open to the sky, adjacent to and accessible from a public sidewalk and have a minimum horizontal dimension of twenty feet.
iii. Landscaped Area. The landscaped area shall have a minimum horizontal dimension of twenty feet and include landscaping and a gateway feature. Landscaping shall be low growing, up to a maximum of three feet in height. The gateway feature may include signage, public art, and water features. Water features shall be designed to be attractive, even when water is not in use.
b. South El Camino Real. A landscaped public plaza or a public gathering area must be located on the east side of El Camino Real in the South El Camino Real gateway area. The landscaped public plaza or gathering space shall include amenities such as benches, trash receptacles, and lighting. Gateway features and landmarks appropriate in this area include:
i. Vertical landscaping;
ii. Linear signage elements that are engaging to vehicles, bicycles and pedestrians; and
iii. Large scale linear elements such as dimensional letters or icons.
4. Brittan Avenue at Highway 101. This gateway, at the City boundary where Highway 101 meets Brittan Avenue, is the second point of entry to San Carlos for vehicular traffic traveling on Highway 101. Landscaped setbacks are the primary design element required at this City gateway.
a. Landscaped Setbacks. A landscaped setback, a minimum of fifteen feet wide and with common street trees provided, shall be provided along the frontage of Brittan Avenue, between Highway 101 and Industrial Road.
B. Secondary Gateways.
1. Location of Secondary Gateways.
a. Industrial Road. The northern gateway on Industrial Road occurs at the San Carlos/Belmont city boundary, adjacent to Belmont Creek. The southern gateway on Industrial Road occurs at G Street (in Redwood City).
b. North and South Alameda de las Pulgas. The northern gateway on Alameda de las Pulgas occurs at the intersection of Alameda de las Pulgas, San Carlos Avenue, and Cranfield Avenue. The southern gateway on Alameda de las Pulgas occurs at Eaton Avenue.
c. North and South Crestview Drive. The northern gateway on Crestview Drive occurs at the San Carlos/Belmont city boundary. The southern gateway on Crestview Drive occurs at Edmond Drive.
2. Gateway Feature. A landscaped setback with a minimum horizontal dimension of fifteen feet shall be located within fifteen feet of every corner in the gateway. If the lot is not a corner lot, the landscaped setback shall be located at the corner of the lot along the street frontage and city boundary.
C. Reduction Through Design Review. The requirements of this section may be reduced or waived through design review if the review authority finds the design criteria in Section 18.11.040 have been met. (Ord. 1438 § 4 (Exh. A (part)), 2011)
18.11.040 Design criteria.
In order to approve a design review application for development in the G Overlay District, the review authority shall find that all of the following criteria have been met:
A. A sense of entry to the City has been created through distinctive building massing and design, architecture, streetscape design, public art, signage, landscaping, lighting, pavers, and/or other means; and
B. Where appropriate, building corners are emphasized at site entries with vertical architectural elements and massing to create a balanced and well-defined physical gateway. (Ord. 1438 § 4 (Exh. A (part)), 2011)