Appendix 1. Purpose.

(a)

These design guidelines provide guidance in terms of more subjective considerations, such as district character, design details, or architectural style. They are intended to assist the public, developers, and design professionals in determining the appearance of new development. The design guidelines also serve as criteria for design review by the city staff, advisory boards, the planning commission and city council. The major sections are as follows: Building form, site improvements and landscaping, signs, and lighting.

(b)

Standards and guidelines for the Riverfront District promote new buildings and renovations that create a gracious, historical, urban riverfront character, services, and entertainment market niche. Among other things, the standards and guidelines require buildings to define the Truckee Rive Esplanade and adjacent streets as attractive pedestrian spaces, they prohibit blank building walls and parking areas from disrupting frontages, and they require active, ground-floor commercial uses in the district's core blocks. Aspects of the city's impressive architectural heritage—The Riverside Hotel, the historic Main Post Office, the Virginia Street Bridge, the Courthouse, and others - should be used as contextual reference points for all new construction.

(Ord. No. 5431, § 2, 2-25-03)