On this page:
Project Overview
Landscape Guidelines
Architectural Guidelines
Click here to see example plans
PROJECT OVERVIEW
In 2005, Keep Bulloch Beautiful began developing a master plan for highway beautification along the Highway 67 and Highway 301 corridors from Interstate 16 to Veteran’s Memorial Parkway. The master plan was developed with input from members of the Keep Bulloch Beautiful Commission, property owners along the involved corridors and county employees. Landscape plans and guidelines were prepared by Dan Fischer with EMC Engineering and architectural plans and guidelines were prepared by Frank D’Arcangelo with Martin Rule & Associates.
The goal of this master plan is to offer examples and guidelines for property owners to follow in constructing or renovating businesses along the two corridors. Studies have shown that customers will pay up to 10% more, visit more often, stay longer and travel greater distances to reach businesses with attractive store fronts, landscaping and green space around their properties. In addition, businesses with large shade trees around them can reduce their energy costs by up to 30% in summer
and 25% in winter.
To provide incentive to business owners wishing to enhance their property with landscaping and/or architectural improvements, Keep Bulloch Beautiful offers a matching grant program to assist with the financial costs associated
with property improvements.
In addition to the master plan, Keep Bulloch Beautiful hopes to be instrumental in the passage of a county corridor ordinance that would guide the construction and landscaping of new businesses along the corridor. These new businesses would raise the standard of appearance for the corridors leading into Bulloch County.
LANDSCAPE GUIDELINES
The following guidelines and illustrations are intended to provide suggestions and examples of landscape enhancements that may be utilized by the owner/developer in preparing a landscape plan for a new or existing site. The goal is to promote an increase in the quality of landscape design and to improve the visual appeal of existing and proposed developments along the highway 67 and 301 corridors.
LANDSCAPE PLANS
Planting designs shall clearly indicate the outline of proposed planted areas and the plants within them. All plant species shall be labeled including quantity, size, and spacing. A plant schedule is recommended along with appropriate notes, legend, and planting details. Tree selections shall be from the Bulloch County Tree Ordinance and all other plants shall be suitable for the area and local site conditions. Due to the desire to preserve the rural character of the corridor native plant selections are highly recommended as well as a design approach with informal planting arrangements and curvilinear bed lines.
FOUNDATION PLANTINGS
All building fronts and sides shall have a landscaped area between the exterior wall and parking lots. This helps to soften the hardline edges of the building and pavement and creates an opportunity to greatly enhance the visual setting of the building. The planting width shall be a minimum of six feet in order to allow enough space for at least two rows of smaller plants with opportunities for larger shrubs at corners and along bare walls. A variety of evergreen shrubs should be utilized along with perennial and seasonal color accents. Where space allows trees may be utilized to help frame the building and to provide shade for the building as well as shading for pedestrians along sidewalks and parking areas.
SIGNAGE
Quality landscaping around signage provides an ideal opportunity to increase the appeal of the streetscape while attracting the attention of a passer-by to the business. The quantity and type of plants selected should be in scale with the size of the sign, whether it be on a pole or monument style base. A planting bed of colorful annuals or perennials in front of small to medium evergreen shrubs is highly desirable. A small flowering tree or additional larger evergreen shrubs at the base of a pylon sign will help provide scale and added variety to the sign area.
ENTRY ISLANDS
The establishment of entry islands and medians provides an ideal opportunity for attractive landscaping. Depending on the size of the area a variety of plant materials is encouraged. For small scale islands a plant bed of groundcovers, small shrubs and a small to medium size tree is recommended. Pockets of annuals and/or perennials may be added for increased color and interest particularly if there is a sign in the island. For larger islands of at least ten feet in width the I corporation of one or more canopy trees should be considered. Plantings should be grouped together in a common plant bed and spaced close enough to allow plants to gradually fill in and grow together. Turfgrass should be avoided in small islands due to it high maintenance, but may be used around plant beds in larger areas to help provide visibility, direct sightlines, and complement plantings.
PARKING LOTS
Vehicular parking areas shall be provided with a combination of perimeter and interior landscaping in order to provide shade and buffering. Perimeter plantings are intended to minimize the view of large expanses of pavement and vehicles from the street. They shall be comprised of an informal planting of a variety of types and sizes of shrubs and trees. A single row of shrubs forming a hedge is not recommended since it reinforces the harshness and straight lines of the parking lot. Parking lots shall be designed with interior tree islands of at least 200sf. in size to accommodate large canopy trees for shade. No more than 15 parking spaces shall separate tree islands. Additional smaller islands and medians are also encouraged to help break up the expanse of pavement and provide additional shading for vehicles and pedestrians.
OTHER PLANTINGS
The visual character of a site may be improved with planting of trees and larger shrubs along property lines and within other open areas of the development. If properly placed they can provide a backdrop for the building, frame views to the building, provide screening of undesirable adjacent property, and buffer outdoor storage areas. Every effort should be made to save existing trees and natural areas around the perimeter of the development. If possible large specimen trees shall be preserved within the property through careful site planning and protection during construction activity.
ARCHITECTURAL GUIDELINES
The goal of the architectural guidelines is to increase the quality of building design and to improve the visual appeal of existing and proposed developments along the highway 67 and 301 corridors. The architectural guidelines are set forth to establish and preserve architectural integrity through the main corridors into Bulloch County. The guidelines are intended to discourage the use of unaltered pre-engineered metal buildings as retail and commercial storefront. The guidelines are not meant to prohibit the use of the pre-engineered metal buildings but are to encourage the enhancement of the visual appeal of the buildings.
ARCHITECTURAL PLANS
Building plans shall be to scale and describe all exterior components of the building. The plans shall include a floor plan, a minimum of three elevations preferably at ¼”to the foot scale, and a “Key Plan” describing the relationship of building to adjacent properties and roads. The floor plan shall include a scale, north arrow and dimensions. The elevations shall be graphic representations of the exterior of the building. They shall incorporate materials outlined in the materials section of these guidelines. They shall include a scale, façade materials, window and door type and locations, roof slope and material.
BUILDING DESIGN
Buildings shall be compatible in proportion, shape, and color to the adjacent buildings. Particular attention shall be placed on the façade facing the corridor. Buildings shall have an architectural front entrance feature, front porch, or a canopy over the front entrance. Buildings with front facades 50’ or longer shall have an architectural element or building articulation to break up the space of the building. Particular attention shall be given to balance, proportion, materials, texture, and color. Building facades visible from the corridor shall take precedence over those not visible.
BUILDING MATERIALS
The exterior of the building shall be constructed from permanent materials with brick
being the preferred material.
A. Wall materials shall be brick veneer, stucco (or EIFS), wood or metal. Preengineered metal siding will be permitted only on walls not readily visible
from corridor.
Brick is the preferred façade material under these guidelines. Attention shall be placed on the detail of the brickwork. Soldier bricks over the doors and windows, a soldier or rowlock belt course, and brick pilasters at regular intervals all add visual appeal to the building façade.
Split face block is acceptable under these guidelines. Split-faced block can be left its natural color, painted or used in conjunction with brick as an attractive cost effective building façade.
Stucco (or EIFS), is acceptable under these guidelines. Attention shall be placed on the stucco color, texture, and pattern of the control joints to ensure an attractive building façade.
Wood, cementitious or vinyl siding is acceptable under these guidelines. Wood and cementitious are preferred and vinyl shall be used sparingly on commercial buildings.
B. Walls & Fencing: Walls or fencing may be incorporated and shall be constructed of brick, textured masonry or stucco. Pressure treated wood, or vinyl coated chain link fencing with integral slats may be used for gates on refuse or recycling containment areas.
C. Doors and windows shall be of Commercial quality.
D. Accent materials and details may be constructed of wall materials listed above and may also include vinyl coated canvas awnings, cast stone elements and balconies with metal railings.
E. Roofing materials visible from rights of way may include metal, clay tile, concrete tile and architectural style asphalt or fiberglass shingles. Pre-engineered metal roofing, built-up roofing or membrane roofing shall be concealed from primary view.
F. Texture and color of exterior materials shall be designed to enhance building massing and balance and to avoid aesthetic conflict.
G. Building equipment, such as condensers or transformers shall be concealed from primary view by buildings, walls, fencing or landscaping. Through-wall or window air conditioners shall be concealed from primary view.
H. Loading and unloading areas shall be concealed from primary view.
I. Refuse containers shall be located at the rear of developments and screened or walled from view.
J. Postal equipment and communications devices shall be concealed from primary view.
The following illustrations provide examples of potential landscape and architectural enhancements for five strategic sites existing along the highway 67 and highway
301corridors. The selected developments represent a variety of building types and land uses that are typical along the corridor and present a wide range of opportunities for improvement.
