§ 15.40.050. Considerations.

A.

View and the Viewer.

1.

Hillside development is more visible than flatland (level terrain) development. Therefore, the Hillside Development Regulations are designed to make hillside development as visually pleasing as possible.

2.

Panoramic views from hillside roads and public places are as important to the character and amenities of the community as views facing the hillside development. The provision for view opportunities for all residents and visitors plays an important role in creating a positive character for hillside communities.

B.

Camouflage.

1.

Quality hillside development blends manmade and man-introduced factors with the natural environment. Therefore, architecture and landscape shall be harmoniously integrated into the natural environment. (See Exhibit A in appendix to this chapter.)

2.

Compatible architecture responds to the natural environment, incorporating sloped terrain into development rather than eliminating such terrain. Therefore, the scale, form and surface expression of architecture shall either blend with or complement the character and textures of the hillside.

3.

Compatible landscape, like architecture, responds to the natural environment. Vegetation shall be compatible with and responsive to the environmental conditions of the development site. Therefore, vegetation planted within a developed area creates the theme and character of the community and shall blend and unify the architecture.

C.

Compression. ..... Conforming to the gradient of a slope forces development into a more vertical living environment. Such compression limits the utilization of many flatland development concepts. Compact development shall be maintained through methods such as clustering and minimizing setbacks, thereby minimizing grading and making development less obtrusive.

D.

Diversity.

1.

Diversity in design solutions adds the characteristic of variety to hillside development. Meandering streets conforming to the topography, varied setbacks of homes, and individual solutions to traversing slopes, qualities not found in most flatland development, shall be incorporated in hillside development.

2.

Uniform stair-stepping of building pads shall be prohibited. (See Exhibit B in appendix to this chapter.)

E.

Accent and Image. ..... Attention shall be concentrated on significant visual and environment elements, including but not limited to primary and secondary ridgelines, significant vegetation and wildlife habitat, ravines, steep slopes, and important historical or cultural manmade features. Such elements collectively express hillside character. Therefore, preservation or restoration of these elements shall be comprehensively integrated with the hillside development plan.

(Prior code § 27A-46)