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• LD-G.3 Encourage attractive building architecture that reinforces the traditional, pedestrian-oriented design character and scale of downtown. • LD-G.6 Design residential projects so that the scale, architecture, and massing enhance and preserve the character of existing residential neighborhoods. • LD-P.2 In order to preserve the historic character of the Downtown, new or remodeled buildings, whether commercial or residential in nature, shall not exceed the maximum prescribed height prescribed for the district in which they are located. Buildings must be pedestrian in scale, as determined through the design review process. Commercial buildings should include design features such as first-story storefront windows, recessed entries, building details, and awnings. For all buildings, techniques such as dormer windows, stepping back upper floors, and modifying design features between building levels should be used to assist in maintaining an overall horizontal design character. Height standards should allow for and encourage varied roof forms, articulation across rooflines, and architectural features and projections such as cupolas, gables, and towers at corners. • LD-P.29 Ensure that development within the Town Square District reflects one or more of the styles of traditional architecture found in the downtown as well as the high-quality design and construction standards of the Downtown Design Guidelines. The perceived size and scale of new buildings should be in keeping with that of existing buildings located elsewhere within the downtown. • LD-P.47 Preserve and enhance the character of downtown residential neighborhoods by avoiding inappropriately-scaled new construction, additions, and excessive lot coverage, and by encouraging architectural elements and details, such as porches, picket fences, flower boxes, and street-facing entrances and windows. • LD-P.48 Encourage additions and second units to be located in the rear of existing homes and designed to maintain the original character of the homes and the visual scale of the neighborhood. • LD-P.49 Require upgrade of existing buildings and landscaping on the same property as part of new residential infill projects. • LD-I.18 Revise, refine, and clarify context sensitive infill guidelines as needed. Staff finds that compatibility and scale policies are sufficient to give decision making bodies, such as the Planning Commission and City Council, the ability and tools to request modifications to proposed projects that are out of scale within their context. Relating to visibility, policy direction is included in the table of recommended revisions to the November 2018 draft Specific Plan with Item 31 in Exhibit E, attached. Specifically, the policy direction notes that if ground-floor residential is located behind commercial properties (in the Downtown Commercial District where ground-floor may be considered and in the Mixed Use-Transitional District), it must be designed to minimize visibility from the commercial street frontage. While the phrase, "minimizing visibility" is subjective and will be determined by the hearing body, there are tools that can be used to aid in an accurate review by the hearing body. As such, staff recommends strengthening the specific plan relating to visibility as follows: • Add an implementation measure to formalize story pole requirements to ensure accurate story poles are installed. Downtown Specific Plan Planning Commission 7 of 15 of 15