New Commercial, Industrial Design Standards Adopted
At its Aug. 1 meeting, the Hugo City Council approved a resolution implementing new commercial and industrial design guidelines developed by the Planning Commission.
Council also amended the city’s Zoning Ordinance to include a requirement that commercial and industrial construction standards incorporate the city’s new design guidelines by reference.
Both the Economic Development Authority and the Planning Commission agreed, a staff memo stated, that there was a way to create design guidelines to encourage quality architecture in Hugo without discouraging businesses to locate in the city.
Standards largely consist of pictures of buildings that do, and do not, incorporate desired design elements. Those elements are: four-sided design; wall and roof projections, faced details and windows; varied but compatible building colors; dei ned entry areas; integrated signage; utility and equipment screening; and architecturally compatible lighting and rooftop drainage systems.
The document makes exceptions for the expansion of existing commercial and industrial uses that do not currently have access to public utilities, with the idea that adhering to more stringent requirements would make future redevelopment of those sites more dii cult once utilities are extended.
