This document discusses student housing compatibility and design. It defines compatibility as allowing different uses to be located near each other in harmony, not necessarily being the same. Site characteristics like size, scale, height and landscaping can affect compatibility. The land use code provides standards for architectural character, building size/height/materials and operational compatibility. Zone districts have additional standards addressing density, design and height limitations. Examples show how articulation, massing, landscaping buffers and parking placement can achieve compatibility between multi-family and single-family residential.

1. Student Housing Action Plan
Compatibility & Design
Timothy Wilder, Senior City Planner,
Long Range Planning
Courtney Levingston, City Planner, Current Planning
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2. What Compatibility Means
The term “compatibility” refers the
characteristics of different uses or activities or
design which allow them to be located near or
adjacent to each other in harmony.
Compatibility does not mean "the same as."
Rather, compatibility refers to the sensitivity of
development proposals in maintaining the
character of existing development.
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3. Site Characteristics that May Affect
Compatibility:
• Size of complex/ size of • pedestrian or vehicular
structure traffic
• Scale • circulation and access
• Height • parking impacts
• Roof form • landscaping
• Building massing/ bulk • lighting
• Colors/materials
• Architecture/design
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4. Existing Compatibility Standards
• Land Use Code Section 3.5.1
– Architectural character
– Building size, height, bulk, mass, scale
– Privacy considerations
– Building materials
– Building colors
– Building (special) height review
– Operational/physical compatibility standards
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5. Additional District Standards
The Land Use Code
has zone district
specific standards to
address the
density/intensity of
development,
building design, bulk
and massing, and
building height
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6. Zone District Height Limitations
Zone District Number of Stories
Maximum
MMN – Medium Density Mixed-Use Neighborhood 3
LMN – Low Density Mixed-Use Neighborhood 3
NCM – Neighborhood Conservation, Medium Density 2
NCB – Neighborhood Conservation, Buffer 3
NCL – Neighborhood Conservation, Low Density 2
HMN – High Density Mixed-Use Neighborhood 5
CC – Community Commercial 5
NC – Neighborhood Commercial 5
E – Employment 4
UE – Urban Estate 3
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7. Articulation
The multifamily
structure is highly
articulated.
This assists with
compatibility.
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8. Multifamily Articulation and Massing
The buildings
have various
roof plains,
projections and
recesses
helping break
up the mass of
the structure
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9. Pine Street Lofts
• Third story is “stepped
back” – mitigating
height.
• High quality materials
(stone, brick)
• Architectural detailing
(window lentils)
• Shows compatibility
with context
(Downtown)
• Cornice treatment on
flat roof
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10. Cortina: High-density, Multifamily
- height mitigated by base,
middle and top treatments
- high level of articulation
assists with overall
compatibility
- base has some mixed use
(law office)
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11. Massing, Scale, Articulation
Buildings shall either
be similar in size and
height, or, if larger, be
articulated and
subdivided into
massing that is
proportional to the
mass and scale of
other structures. (LUC
3.5.1(C))
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12. Multifamily Building Features
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13. Single-Family Attached Adjacent to
Single-Family Detached
Design features assisting
with compatibility:
– Dormers
– 1 over 1 double
hung windows
– Portico/porch
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14. Brooklyn Park Row Homes
Use of high quality
materials (masonry)
and detailing to assist
in achieving
compatibility
Varying rooflines (flat
with cornices and
pitched with shingles)
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15. Multifamily Parking
Example of
parking interior to
the site
(multifamily
building “wraps”
parking)
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16. Buffer Yard
Providing space
or a “buffer yard”
in between
different types of
uses
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17. Landscaping Buffer Example
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18. Dense Landscaping for Screening
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19. Multifamily Next to Single-Family
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20. MultiFamily Garages – LUC 3.5.2(F)
The Timbers
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21. Compatible Multifamily Garages
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