Title
Architectual Review Board Waiver N Heatherwilde Blvd at SH-45 (ARB1704-01)
Summary
The Applicant is requesting an Architectural Waiver to the Campus Industrial (CI) District's Architectural Design Requirements for all structures at the southeast corner of the intersection of N Heatherwilde Boulevard and SH-45. (ARB1704-01) The waiver would allow for all structures on the property to substitute the permitted 15 % accent materials in lieu of the 15% required primary masonry, which would accompany the allowed 85% of secondary materials for Campus Industrial (CI) structures. The City of Pflugerville’s Unified Development Code requires all buildings in the Campus Industrial (CI) zoning district to be constructed with the following breakdown of building materials: a minimum of 15% primary masonry, a maximum of 85% secondary masonry, and a maximum of 15% accent materials. The Applicant strongly believes the Code’s required 15% of primary masonry wouldn’t benefit the architectural integrity of the structures and overall theme of the high-tech designs. Also, the waiver would allow for all structures on the property to create secondary “employee entrances” along the side facades with a 6’-8” x 16’-8” horizontal projection, instead of the required 10’ x 30’ horizontal projections at all “customer entrances” located on buildings more than 50,000 square feet. The Applicant only intends for the side entrances to be utilized by employees; therefore, not requiring such distinctive and large entrances as the primary entrances for customers.
Staff Recommendation
The proposed architectural designs meet the intent of the UDC in terms of providing the following objectives: a mixture of desirable building materials on the exterior building facades; horizontal and vertical articulation; and architectural details and amenities which strengthen the human-scale of larger structures. The staff recognizes the strong design intentions of the project, which respond to the evolving economy and high-tech architecture; the opportunity to showcase the industrial building park due to its proximity to SH-45; and the importance of fostering an engaging human-scale for the large, high-tech structures. As future Campus Industrial (CL) developments are proposed, the City of Pflugerville can observe the architectural trends of the large, contemporary research and development centers and react accordingly.
Staff recommends the approval of the proposed architectural waiver to allow for (1) the utilization of ribbed high density EIFS panels as a lighter weight accent material above entry glazing in lieu of heavy weight primary masonry materials at the 15% required primary masonry minimum and (2) the creation of secondary “employee entrances” along the side facades with a 6’-8” x 16’-8” horizontal projection in addition to a 6’ wide x 13’-4” long cantilevered aluminum, instead of the required 10’ x 30’ horizontal projections at all “customer entrances” located on buildings more than 50,000 square feet.
Drafter
Abigail Rose, Planner II