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HomeMy WebLinkAbout#2026-005 Staff Report - Amendments1 Town of Barnstable Planning and Development Department Staff Report Proposed Zoning Amendment #2026-005 DMS and DV Building Height Zoning Amendment Staff Response to Board Suggestions Date: November 14, 2025 To: Planning Board Members From: Jim Kupfer, AICP, Director of Planning and Development Kyle Pedicini, Assistant Director of Planning and Development At the September 22, 2025 Planning Board meeting members discussed proposed zoning amendment #2026-005, which seeks to revise height restrictions in the Downtown Main Street (DMS) and Downtown Village (DV) zoning districts. The amendments seek to eliminate the fourth - story step-back requirement while lowering the overall maximum building height from four stories to 3.5 stories. Planning Board members expressed concerns that the zoning amendment as written would not accomplish its intent. Specifically, it was noted that these new regulations may not actually achieve the intended effect of lowering overall building heights but rather would have the effect of incentivizing peculiar building designs. Board members suggested that setting an overall building height for each district, to be measured from the natural mean grade, would be a more appropriate amendment. As such town staff have developed possible amendments to address board comments. These amendments seek to clarify the building height definition in these districts, as well as setting a maximum building height that cannot be exceeded. As a starting point for the discussion a 56 -foot maximum was selected, as the tallest new development in these districts stands at 55.5 feet. Furthermore town staff is also offering suggested edits to the Downtown Neighborhood (DN) District to establish a building height limit in order to maintain consistency with the other downtown Hyannis zoning districts. Town of Barnstable, MA Downloaded from https://ecode360.com/BA2043 on 2025-10-30 § 240-24.1.5. Standards for all Districts. A. Building standards. 1. Frontage types. (a) Buildings must have at least one frontage type except if otherwise specified. Buildings on corner lots must have two frontage types, one for each frontage. (b) Frontage types are permitted as specified by Table 11.1 (c) Multiple frontage types may exist for buildings that have more than one principal entrance. 2. Buildings must have at least one principal entrance located on the facade. (a) Multistory buildings with ground floor commercial space(s) must have one principal entrance for each commercial space in addition to any principal entrance(s) necessary for any upper stories. 3. Buildings may not exceed the maximum number of stories as specified for each district. (a) Each individual story of a building must comply with the minimum and maximum story height specified for each district. (b) Story height is measured vertically from the surface of the finished floor to the surface of the finished floor above. When there is no floor above, story height is measured from the surface of the finished floor to the top of the structural beam or joists above or the top of the wall plate, whichever is more. (c) The ground story is always counted as one story, except that a single ground story over 18 feet in height is counted as two stories. (d) Each upper story is counted as one additional story, except that any upper story over 16 feet is counted as two stories. (e) Basements are not counted as one story unless the finished floor of the ground story is five feet or more above the average ground level of the lot. (f) Habitable space located directly under a pitched roof is counted as a 0.5 story. (i) The roof rafters of a half story must intersect the wall plate or top of wall frame of the exterior walls at a height no more than two feet above the finished floor of the half story. (g) Nonhabitable attic space located under a pitched roof is not counted a half story. (h) Pitched roofs with a slope greater than 12:12 require a special permit. Town of Barnstable, MA Downloaded from https://ecode360.com/BA2043 on 2025-10-30 Figure 1. Building Height 4. Buildings may not exceed the maximum building height specified for each district, as applicable. 1. Editor's Note: See § 240-24.1.13, Tables. Town of Barnstable, MA § 240-24.1.5 § 240-24.1.5 Downloaded from https://ecode360.com/BA2043 on 2025-10-30 (a) Building height is measured as the vertical distance from the average finished ground level to the top of the structural beam or joists of the uppermost story.For the purposes of this section Building height shall be defined as follows: The vertical distance between the elevations of the natural mean grade and the highest point of the roof. The natural mean grade is calculated by taking the average of the existing grade at the proposed building footprint corners. 5. Nonhabitable architectural features including, but not limited to, mechanical and stairwell penthouses; vents or exhausts; solar panels or skylights; belfries, chimneys, cupolas, parapets, spires, and steeples are not included in any building height or story calculations and are permitted on roofs. 6. Building components are permitted as specified by Table 12.2 7. Facades must have fenestration as specified for each district, as applicable. (a) Fenestration is calculated as a percentage of the area of a facade. (b) For buildings with ground story commercial spaces, ground story fenestration is measured between two feet and 12 feet above the finished floor of the ground story. (c) For all other buildings and all other building stories, fenestration is measured independently for each story, corresponding with the top of a finished floor to the top of the finished floor above. 8. Fenestration enclosed with glass may be included in the calculation if it meets the following criteria: (a) For ground story fenestration, glazing must have a minimum 60% Visible Light Transmittance (VLT) and no more than 15% Visible Light Reflectance (VLR) as indicated by the manufacturer. (b) For upper story fenestration, glazing must have a minimum of 40% VLT and no more than 15% VLR as indicated by the manufacturer. B. Use provisions. 1. General. (a) The use of real property is permitted as specified by Table 1. (i) Table 1 is organized by broad use categories and specific uses that may be regulated differently than other uses from the same category. (ii) Use categories are intended to include uses with similar functional, product, or physical characteristics; the type and amount of activity; the manner of tenancy; the conduct of customers; how goods or services are sold or delivered; and the likely impacts on surrounding properties. (iii) Where Table 1 identifies a category followed by "except as follows" any use that meets the definition of that use category is permitted by right, while the specific uses identified in the list under that category are either not permitted, are permitted with limitations, or require a special permit despite belonging to the same use category. Town of Barnstable, MA § 240-24.1.5 § 240-24.1.5 Downloaded from https://ecode360.com/BA2043 on 2025-10-30 2. Editor's Note: See § 240-24.1.13, Tables. Town of Barnstable, MA § 240-24.1.5 § 240-24.1.5 Downloaded from https://ecode360.com/BA2043 on 2025-10-30 (iv) Where Table 1 identifies a category followed by "as specified below" the specific uses listed under the category are the only land uses permitted from that use category. (b) The Building Commissioner shall classify the actual use of land or structures using the defined use categories specified on Table 1. Also see § 240-24.1.4, Definitions. (i) Real property may have one or more principal use(s). (ii) Once classified into a use category, the use of land or structures in the same manner cannot also be classified into another use category. (iii) The use of land or structures in a manner that is inconsistent with a permitted use category or specific use type specified on Table 1 is prohibited. (iv) Unless classified as a specific use that is not permitted in a zoning district, an existing nonconforming use may be changed to another nonconforming use that is from the same use category as the existing nonconforming use by special permit. (v) A nonconforming use may not change to a different nonconforming use that is from a different use category than the existing nonconforming use. (c) Accessory uses are permitted as set forth in Article V of the Barnstable Zoning Ordinance. Table 1. Use Category Specific Use DMS DV DN DH HH TC HC Commercial services (except as follows) P P N P P P P Automobile maintenance and repair N N N N N N N Boat storage and repair N N N N P N N Contractor services N N N N N N N Funeral services N N N N N N N Marina N N N N P N N Commercial parking N N N N N P SP Public transportation maintenance N N N N N SP N Town of Barnstable, MA § 240-24.1.5 § 240-24.1.5 Downloaded from https://ecode360.com/BA2043 on 2025-10-30 Table 1. Use Category Specific Use DMS DV DN DH HH TC HC Recreational facility SP SP N SP SP SP SP Self-storage facility N N N N N N SP Veterinary services SP SP N N N N P Cultural services (as specified below) — — — — — — — Arts and culture establishments P P N N P P P Fraternal and social organizations P P N N P P P Performing arts and theaters P P N N P P P Artist live/ work P P P N P P N Food and beverage services (except as follows) L L N SP L L SP Brewery/ distillery L N N N N N N Hospital N N N P N N N Office (except as follows) P P L P P P P Health care clinic P P L P P N P Research and development P P N P P N P Residential (as specified below) — — — — — — — Multiunit dwelling L L L N L L N Two-unit dwelling P P L N N N N Single unit dwelling N P P N N N N Town of Barnstable, MA § 240-24.1.5 § 240-24.1.5 Downloaded from https://ecode360.com/BA2043 on 2025-10-30 Table 1. Use Category Specific Use DMS DV DN DH HH TC HC Retail sales (except as follows) L L N SP L L SP Boat sales N N N N SP N N Gasoline sales N N N N N N N Motor vehicle sales N N N N N N N Visitor accommodations (as specified below) — — — — — — — Hotel/motel P N N N P N P Bed-and- breakfast N P P N P N N P Permitted by right SP Special permit N Not permitted L Permitted with limitations (see district) C. Parking standards. 1. Applicability. (a) Parking is required based on the intended use of floor area within a building at construction permitting and not for the subsequent establishment, change, or expansion of any permitted use; or the renovation of any existing principal building. 2. General. (a) Accessory parking must be provided as specified by Table 2 and is calculated as the sum of all required spaces, including any adjustment specified for on-site shared parking. (i) Commercial parking uses are exempt from Table 2. (b) Relief from the parking requirements of Table 2 requires a special permit. (c) In its discretion to approve or deny a special permit authorizing relief from the minimum parking requirements of Table 2, the Planning Board shall consider conditioning the special permit upon one or more of the following: (i) Elimination or reduction of existing curb cuts and driveway aprons. Town of Barnstable, MA § 240-24.1.5 § 240-24.1.5 Downloaded from https://ecode360.com/BA2043 on 2025-10-30 (ii) Establishment of a shared driveway or cross-access connection between abutting parking lots with a binding easement and joint maintenance agreement defining the responsibilities of abutting property owners sharing access. 3. Location. (a) Accessory parking spaces must be located on the same lot as the building they support and may be provided within a principal building or outbuilding or as surface parking. (b) Motor vehicle parking of any type is prohibited within the frontage area of a lot and any required landscape buffer. (i) Real property in the Highway Commercial (HC) district or in the Downtown Hospital (DH) district is exempt. Table 2. Minimum Required Accessory Parking Spaces Use Category DMS DV DN DH HH TC HC On Site Shared Parking Adjustment1 Commercial services (per 1,000 square feet) 0 4 N/A 4 4 4 4 Reduce by 50% the required spaces for commercial services where mixed with residential uses on the same lot Cultural services (per 1,000 square feet) 0 4 4 4 N/A 4 4 Reduce by 20% the required spaces for cultural services where mixed with residential uses on the same lot Food and beverage services (per 1,000 square feet) 0 4 N/A 4 4 4 4 — Hospital (per 3 beds) N/A N/A N/A 1 N/A N/A N/A — Town of Barnstable, MA § 240-24.1.5 § 240-24.1.5 Downloaded from https://ecode360.com/BA2043 on 2025-10-30 Table 2. Minimum Required Accessory Parking Spaces Use Category DMS DV DN DH HH TC HC On Site Shared Parking Adjustment1 Office (per 1,000 square feet) 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 Reduce by 50% the required spaces for office where mixed with residential uses on the same lot Residential or artist live/ work (per DU) 1 1 1 N/A 1 1 N/A — Retail sales (per 1,000 square feet) 0 4 N/A 4 4 4 4 Reduce by 20% the required spaces for retail sales where mixed with residential uses on the same lot Visitor accommodation (per room) 1.25 s 1.25 1.25 N/A 1.25 N/A 1.25 — D. Site standards. 1. Forecourts. (a) Driveways and passenger drop-offs are permitted in forecourts by special permit. (i) Real property in the Downtown Hospital (DH) district is exempt. (b) Garage entrances, parking spaces, loading and service areas, exhaust vents, mechanical equipment, and refuse or recycling storage are not permitted in forecourts. 2. Landscaping. (a) Lot area uncovered by structures or impermeable surfaces must be landscaped. (b) New canopy trees must be at least 14 feet in height or three inches in caliper when planted. (c) New understory trees must be at least 10 feet in height or 1.5 inches in caliper when planted. Town of Barnstable, MA § 240-24.1.5 § 240-24.1.5 Downloaded from https://ecode360.com/BA2043 on 2025-10-30 (d) New evergreen trees must be at least six feet in height when planted. (e) Vegetation must be low-water-use and low-maintenance plant species that are indigenous to Cape Cod. Plant species should be capable of withstanding seasonably wet conditions and provide habitat value for wildlife. (f) Landscaped areas must be maintained, irrigated, and fertilized. Vegetation should be organically maintained to every extent practicable. (g) Vegetation may not obscure any driveways, vehicular entrances, or roadway intersections. (h) Mulch may not be placed in a manner that will wash into catch basins or drainage pipes. (i) All site plan and special permit applications for development or modifications that meet or exceed the thresholds established in § 240-24.1.3B2(b)(i) must submit a landscape plan(s) signed and stamped by a MA registered landscape architect. (j) The Building Commissioner shall not issue a certificate of occupancy until the landscaping has been installed in accordance with the approved plans unless the property owner posts security to the Town of Barnstable for 150% of the estimated cost of installation of the landscaping. (k) All development and/or modifications that meet or exceed the thresholds established in § 240-24.1.3B2(b)(i) shall provide financial security for 150% of the estimated cost of plant installation for the duration of three years after planting has been installed and must be provided prior to issuance of any certificate of occupancy in a form acceptable to the Town Attorney's Office. The cost estimate shall be prepared by a qualified professional and submitted to the Director of Planning and Development for approval. Upon completion of planting, the applicant must request an inspection. The three-year maintenance period commences upon approved inspection. Partial release of the security may be authorized after approved inspection, not to exceed 50%. The full security shall be returned to the applicant or their successors after three years upon final inspection by the Director of Planning & Development. The Town reserves the right upon noncompliance with this section to pursue all available legal and equitable remedies to compel compliance. (l) Any fractional value required for plant materials is rounded up to the next whole number. 3. Stormwater management. (a) Rain gardens should be used to the maximum extent practicable. Rain gardens are defined as landscaped areas designed to absorb and filter stormwater runoff from impervious surfaces. 4. Signs. (a) All development shall comply with the applicable signage requirements contained Town of Barnstable, MA § 240-24.1.5 § 240-24.1.5 Downloaded from https://ecode360.com/BA2043 on 2025-10-30 in Article VII, Sign Regulations, at §§ 240-59 through 240-89, inclusive, of the Barnstable Zoning Ordinance. Internally illuminated signs are prohibited in the Downtown Hyannis Zoning Districts. 5. Outdoor lighting. (a) All outdoor lighting must be directed only on site. (i) The trespass of light at any lot line may not exceed 0.1 footcandle, except that the trespass of light at any lot line abutting a lot in Downtown Neighborhood (DN) district may not exceed 0.05 footcandle. (ii) At driveways, lighting may be up to 0.5 footcandle at the front lot line. (iii) Outdoor lighting may not cause glare that impacts motorists, pedestrians, or neighboring premises. (b) Light fixtures must have a total cutoff of all light at less than 90° and a beam cutoff of less than 75°. Attached building or wall pack lighting should be screened by the building's architectural features or contain a 45° cutoff shield. (c) Electrical service for lighting on posts or poles must be located underground. 6. Fences. (a) Fences greater than four feet in height in the frontage area and seven feet in height in all other locations at any point along their length require a special permit except that where fencing that is higher than seven feet is needed to screen mechanical equipment, the Building Commissioner may allow a greater height as determined through the site plan review process. (b) Fences may be no more than 50% open. (c) Fence posts and supporting rails must face inward toward the property being fenced and the finished face must be oriented towards the abutting lot. 7. Vehicular access. (a) Driveways, vehicular entrances to parking lots or structures and curb cuts must comply with the minimum or maximum width specified for each district. (b) Drive-throughs require a special permit and are only permitted for the following uses: (i) Banks (a specific use of the commercial service use category). (ii) Pharmacies (a specific use of the retail sales use category). (c) All new curb cuts require a special permit. (d) The interior width of a curb cut (between the curb stones or flares) may be no wider than the driveway, vehicular entrance, or loading facility it serves, unless a greater width is determined to be appropriate by the Building Commissioner during the Town of Barnstable, MA § 240-24.1.5 § 240-24.1.5 Downloaded from https://ecode360.com/BA2043 on 2025-10-30 Site Plan Review process based upon unique operational requirements of the proposed use. (e) A driveway apron may be installed within a sidewalk of an improved way, but the grade, cross slope, and clear width of the pedestrian walkway must be maintained between the driveway apron and the abutting driveway. (f) The appearance of the pedestrian walkway (i.e., scoring pattern or paving material) must indicate that, although a vehicle may cross to enter a property, the area traversed by a vehicle remains part of the sidewalk. 8. Utilities. (a) All mechanical equipment must be screened from view from adjacent lots and public rights-of-way and integrated into or compatible with the architectural design of the building. E. Surface parking lot design standards. 1. Applicability. (a) This section is applicable to the construction of any new surface parking lot and the expansion or modification of an existing surface parking lot containing 21 or more parking spaces that increases the number of parking spaces by five or more. 2. General. (a) To reduce traffic congestion and increase convenience for customers, employees, and residents, development is encouraged to provide direct vehicular connections between abutting parking lots so that motor vehicles can move between properties without re-entering the public street. (b) To increase walkability and reduce conflicts between pedestrians and motor vehicles, development is encouraged to provide access to rear parking lots via driveways that are shared between abutting properties or multiple properties on the same block face. 3. Surface parking lot landscaping. (a) One three-inch minimum caliper low-water-use, low-maintenance tree must be provided for every five parking spaces and must be located within 10 feet of the parking lot. Trees shall be maintained and irrigated as necessary and planted within at least 50 square feet of permeable area. Existing trees located in the interior of parking lots are credited toward this requirement. (b) A front landscaped buffer at least 10 feet wide must be provided between any parking lot and any lot line abutting an improved way and must include the following features over the span of 50 linear feet: (i) One canopy tree. (ii) One understory or evergreen tree. Town of Barnstable, MA § 240-24.1.5 § 240-24.1.5 Downloaded from https://ecode360.com/BA2043 on 2025-10-30 (iii) Five medium shrubs and five small shrubs or a fence or wall a maximum of four feet in height. (c) A side/rear landscaped buffer at least six feet wide must be provided between any side or rear lot line and any parking lot with five or more parking spaces, excluding any vehicular connections to abutting parking lots and must include the following features over the span of 50 linear feet: (i) Two understory or evergreen trees. (ii) Three large shrubs and five small shrubs or a fence or wall at least six feet in height. (d) A landscaped buffer at least 10 feet wide must be provided between any building and any parking lot with 10 or more parking spaces, excluding building entrances, service and loading areas, and utility locations, and must include the following features over the span of 50 linear feet: (i) Two understory or evergreen trees. (ii) Four medium shrubs. (iii) Six small shrubs. (e) At least 10% of any parking lot with 10 or more parking spaces must be landscaped. Lot area required as a landscape buffer is excluded from the calculation of the parking lot area. (f) Landscape islands abutting a single row of parking spaces must be at least six feet in width and the same length as the parking spaces. Each island must include one three-inch minimum caliper, low-water-use, low-maintenance tree. (g) Landscape islands abutting a double row of parking spaces must be at least eight feet in width and the same length as the parking spaces. Each island must include two three-inch minimum caliper, low-water-use, low-maintenance trees. Town of Barnstable, MA Downloaded from https://ecode360.com/BA2043 on 2025-10-30 § 240-24.1.6. Downtown Main Street District (DMS). A. Intent. 1. The Downtown Main Street District is intended to promote the continuation of a walkable, pedestrian-oriented downtown environment with continuous active streetscape. Development is characterized by mid-rise (two- to four-story) mixed-use buildings, continuous street walls and variety of materials with parking visually minimized. Land uses are mixed residential and active commercial, including retail, restaurant, office, hospitality, cultural and institutional. B. Lot standards. 1. Newly platted lots must be dimensioned as specified by Table 3. 2. Building facades must have a minimum width that is equal to a percentage of a lot's width and is specified as the facade buildout by Table 3. (a) Facade buildout is calculated by dividing the total width of all facades by the lot width and may be cumulatively calculated by multiple buildings. (b) The open space of a forecourt is considered part of the building for the purpose of measuring building width and facade buildout. (c) The SPGA may provide relief from the facade buildout requirements; the Board must find the issuance of the special permit is consistent with the design and infrastructure plan. Facade Build Out Single Building per Lot = A ÷ B C. Building standards. Multiple Buildings per Lot = (A + A) ÷ B 1. Multiple principal buildings are permitted per lot. 2. Principal buildings are permitted as specified by Table 3. (a) Additional principal buildings are exempt from the required maximum front setback. Town of Barnstable, MA § 240-24.1.6 § 240-24.1.6 Downloaded from https://ecode360.com/BA2043 on 2025-10-30 3. Principal building facade(s) must be built parallel to any primary front lot line, at or between the minimum and maximum front setbacks. 4. Any building contributing toward the frontage buildout for any lot fronting Main Street between Ocean Street and Sea Street must provide ground story commercial space that is at least 20 feet in depth for 100% of the total width of the building, excluding lobby entrances and other means of egress associated with the use of upper stories. 5. Awnings, canopies, signs, balconies, and nonhabitable architectural features of a building may project over the public sidewalk but must provide at least eight feet of clearance and a license from the Town Manager in accordance with Barnstable General Ordinances, Part 1, Chapter 121, § 121-6J is required. 6. The fourth story of any building must be recessed ("stepped back") from the facade of the stories below at least eight feet. 7. Mechanical and stairwell penthouses and building systems equipment must be setback from any exterior wall a distance that is equal to their height. 8. Facades may not have any blank wall areas without fenestration or architectural surface relief greater than 20 feet measured both vertically and horizontally for all stories of a building for any facade. 9. Loading and service areas may not be visible from any public sidewalk of Main Street. D. Design guidelines. 1. The development of any new principal building should include a pedestrian passage connecting the sidewalk at the front of the property to any parking areas to the rear of the building, to every extent practicable, where no such pedestrian passage exists within 200 linear feet of the building's principal entrance. Town of Barnstable, MA § 240-24.1.6 § 240-24.1.6 Downloaded from https://ecode360.com/BA2043 on 2025-10-30 2. When provided, pedestrian passages may be designed as an open-air passage between buildings, a covered atrium providing continuous protection from the elements, or as an up to two-story passage through a building. E. Use provisions. 1. Limitations. (a) Occupation of a single commercial space greater than 5,000 square feet by any food and beverage service or retail sales use requires a special permit. (b) The maximum number of dwelling units permitted for any multiunit dwelling residential use is determined by the permitted dimensions of the building and the actual motor vehicle parking spaces provided on a lot as required by Table 2. F. Site standards. 1. Driveways, vehicular entrances to parking lots or structures, and curb cuts may be no wider than 24 feet. G. Landscape standards. 1. A front landscape area is not required if the front setback is zero. When a setback is greater than zero, those portions of the setback not occupied by pedestrian amenities and public spaces shall be landscaped including one canopy tree to be planted every 30 feet of frontage of the property. 2. A side or rear landscaped area at least six feet wide must be provided along any side or rear lot line abutting a lot in Downtown Neighborhood (DN) district and must include the following features over the span of 50 linear feet: (a) Two understory or evergreen trees. (b) Three medium shrubs and three small shrubs or a fence or wall at least six feet in height. H. Parking standards. 1. For development on any through lot fronting Main Street, parking access must be provided from the non-Main-Street frontage. Town of Barnstable, MA § 240-24.1.6 § 240-24.1.6 Downloaded from https://ecode360.com/BA2043 on 2025-10-30 Table 3. DMS Dimensional Standards Lot Building Form Lot width 30 feet minimum E G - Building width 180 feet maximum Lot coverage 100% maximum F - Number of stories 3.5 or 4 maximum1 Facade buildout (minimum) — G H - Ground story height — Primary frontage 80% minimum Commercial 14 feet minimum Secondary frontage 40% minimum Residential 10 feet minimum Setbacks - Principal Buildings H I - Upper story height 10 feet minimum A - Primary front setback 0 foot minimum 15 feet maximum Building Features B - Secondary front setback 0 foot minimum 15 feet maximum Ground story fenestration — C - Side setback 0 foot minimum Primary frontage 60% minimum D - Rear setback 0 foot minimum Secondary frontage 15% minimum Building Height E – Number of Stories 3.5 or 4 maximum1 Upper story fenestration 15% minimum F – Building Height 56 feet maximum Blank wall 20 feet maximum Commercial space depth 20 feet minimum 1 See § 240-24.1.6C6 (fourth story step-back). Town of Barnstable, MA Downloaded from https://ecode360.com/BA2043 on 2025-10-30 § 240-24.1.7. Downtown Village District (DV). A. Intent. 1. The Downtown Village District is intended to promote mixed land uses that support the downtown core and reestablish or preserve traditional neighborhood forms and pedestrian orientation. Development is characterized by mid-rise (two- to four-story) single-use buildings and detached and semi-detached residential buildings. B. Lot standards. 1. Newly platted lots must be dimensioned as specified by Table 4. 2. Lot coverage may not exceed the maximum specified by Table 4. 3. Building facades must have a minimum width that is equal to a percentage of a lot's width and is specified as the facade buildout on Table 4. (a) Facade buildout is calculated by dividing the total width of all facades at or forward of the maximum front setback by the lot width and may be cumulatively calculated by multiple buildings. (b) The open space of a forecourt is considered part of the building for the purpose of measuring building width and facade buildout. (c) The SPGA may provide relief from the facade buildout requirements; the Board must find the issuance of the special permit is consistent with the design and infrastructure plan. Facade Build Out Single Building per Lot = A ÷ B C. Building standards. Multiple Buildings per Lot = (A + A) ÷ B 1. Multiple principal buildings are permitted per lot. 2. Principal buildings are permitted as specified by Table 4. (a) Additional principal buildings are exempt from the required maximum front setback. 3. Principal building facade(s) must be built parallel to any primary front lot line, at or Town of Barnstable, MA § 240-24.1.7 § 240-24.1.7 Downloaded from https://ecode360.com/BA2043 on 2025-10-30 between the minimum and maximum front setbacks. 4. The fourth story of any building must be recessed ("stepped back") from the facade of the stories below at least eight feet. 5. Mechanical and stairwell penthouses and building systems equipment must be set back from any exterior wall a distance that is equal to their height. D. Use provisions. 1. Limitations. (a) Occupation of a single commercial space greater than 5,000 square feet by any food and beverage service or retail sales use requires a special permit. (b) The maximum number of dwelling units permitted for any multiunit dwelling residential use is determined by the permitted dimensions of the building and the actual motor vehicle parking spaces provided on a lot as required by Table 2.1 E. Site standards. 1. Driveways, vehicular entrances to parking lots or structures, and curb cuts may be no wider than 24 feet. F. Landscape standards. 1. A front landscape area is not required if the front setback is zero. When a setback is greater than zero, those portions of the setback not occupied by pedestrian amenities and public spaces shall be landscaped including one canopy tree to be planted every 30 feet of frontage of the property. Table 4. DV Dimensional Standards Lot Building Form Lot width 30 feet minimum E G - Building width 120 feet maximum 1. Editor's Note: See § 240-24.1.5, Standards for all Districts. Town of Barnstable, MA § 240-24.1.7 § 240-24.1.7 Downloaded from https://ecode360.com/BA2043 on 2025-10-30 Table 4. DV Dimensional Standards Lot coverage 80% maximum F - Number of stories 3.5 or 4 maximum1 Facade buildout (minimum) — G H - Ground story height — Primary frontage 80% minimum Commercial 14 feet minimum Residential 10 feet minimum Setbacks - Principal Buildings Upper story height 10 feet minimum A - Primary front setback 0 foot minimum 15 feet maximum Building Features B - Secondary front setback 0 foot minimum 15 feet maximum Ground story fenestration — C - Side setback 0 foot minimum Primary frontage 15% minimum D - Rear setback 0 foot minimum Secondary frontage 15% minimum Building Height E – Number of stories 3.5 or 4 maximum1 Upper story fenestration 15% minimum F – Building height 56 feet maximum Blank wall 20 feet maximum Commercial space depth 20 feet minimum 1 See § 240-24.1.7C4 (fourth story step-back). Town of Barnstable, MA Downloaded from https://ecode360.com/BA2043 on 2025-10-30 § 240-24.1.8. Downtown Neighborhood District (DN). A. Intent. 1. The Downtown Neighborhood District is intended to promote the traditional uses and form of the neighborhoods adjacent to downtown that are characterized by a variety of 19th and 20th century detached and semi-detached residential building types. B. Lot standards. 1. Newly platted lots must be dimensioned as specified by Table 5. 2. Lot coverage may not exceed the maximum specified by Table 5. C. Building standards. 1. One principal building and multiple outbuildings are permitted per lot. 2. Principal buildings and outbuildings are permitted as specified by Table 5. (a) The third story in a single-family or two-family dwelling can only occur within habitable attic space. D. Use provisions. 1. Limitations. (a) Office and Health Care Clinic uses are permitted only for lots fronting South Street, School Street, or High School Road. (b) Two-unit dwellings are prohibited for lots fronting only Brookshire Road or King's Way. (c) Multiunit dwellings are permitted in the DN District with a maximum of four dwelling units permitted in any one building per lot. In addition, one accessory dwelling unit may be permitted per lot. Multiunit dwellings shall be prohibited for lots fronting on only Brookshire Road or King's Way. E. Site development. 1. Development on corner lots must comply with the provisions of § 240-41 of the Barnstable Zoning Ordinance. 2. Curb cuts may be no wider than 12 feet. 3. Outdoor lighting must be shielded and provide total cutoff of all light at the boundaries of the lot under development. 4. Fences greater than four feet in height in the frontage area and seven feet in height in all other locations at any point along their length require a special permit. F. Landscape standards. 1. A perimeter green space of not less than 10 feet in width shall be provided, such space Town of Barnstable, MA Downloaded from https://ecode360.com/BA2043 on 2025-10-30 § 240-24.1.8 § 240-24.1.8 to be planted and maintained as green area and to be broken only in a front yard by a driveway. Table 5. DN Dimensional Standards Lot Building Form Lot width 20 feet minimum E - Number of stories 3 maximum1 Lot coverage 50% maximum F E - Ground story height 10 feet minimum Setbacks - Principal Buildings G F - Upper story height 10 feet minimum A - Primary front setback 10 feet minimum 20 feet maximum Building Height G – Number of stories 3 maximum1 B - Secondary front setback 10 feet minimum 20 feet maximum H – Building height 42 feet maximum C - Side setback 10 feet minimum D - Rear setback 20 feet minimum Setbacks - Outbuildings Front setback 60 feet minimum Side setback 3 feet minimum Rear setback 3 feet minimum 1 See § 240-24.1.8C2(a)