Specified building materials. Percentage of windows. Exterior trash enclosures.

These will be a few of the topics of discussion on Tuesday during a public hearing before the Albert Lea Planning Commission set up to review a proposed building design ordinance for the city.

The ordinance, sent back to the Planning Commission by the Albert Lea City Council in August, addresses specific design standards for vertical surfaces, including the fronts, sides and rears of future buildings in the city’s main business corridors.

Council members said while design standards are important to develop in the city, they need to be reviewed more before being passed into an ordinance.

Business leaders in the community have also come forward with concerns for the ordinance, saying it is too restrictive.

History of Albert Lea’s proposed design ordinance

Community Development Director Bob Graham said Albert Lea residents have expressed a desire for design standards for many years.

Because the quality of building design often defines how people perceive a community, design has probably been an element in every comprehensive plan since the 1940s, Graham said.

On several occasions in the past in Albert Lea, community leaders have recognized that the entrances to the community could be improved to encourage people to enter the city.

“People in their mind have an idea of what good design is, but it’s hard to put into an ordinance,” Graham said.

In 1998, the city started a process to develop what ended up being the Interstate Development District, and the idea of a design ordinance resurfaced.

There’s also been a push for quality design because of the Albert Lea Listens process and the Land Between the Lakes Action team, he said. Likewise, the comprehensive plan has suggestions that the city can improve its design standards in the community.

Most recently — in light of the AARP/Blue Zones Vitality Project — the idea of a design ordinance also resurfaced in the walkability audit by national transportation expert Dan Burden.

“We now see ourselves as a vitality center,” Graham said. “What does that mean to people when they drive into our community? Do they see it in our buildings?”

He said most people would agree that the city needs design standards, but when it comes to spelling out exactly what those should be, that’s what becomes difficult.

Graham said he researched design ordinances in other cities and attempted to draft an ordinance for the Albert Lea Planning Commission with what he and the commission members have hoped to see thus far.

What’s in the ordinance?

The current proposal states the ordinance will affect future building design and construction in the B-2 Community Business District, which includes East and West Main Street, Blake Avenue, South Broadway Avenue and Bridge Avenue.

On South Broadway Avenue, specifically, it includes both sides of the road south of Front Street to Seventh Street and then on the east side of the road from south of Seventh Street to Margaretha Avenue, according to Freeborn County zoning maps. The downtown is in a separate district.

The proposed ordinance first discusses what new buildings should be made of.

It states “all building vertical surfaces facing a public street shall have finishes made of noncombustible, non-degradable and low-maintenance construction material, including but not limited to face brick, architectural or decorative block, natural stone, specifically designed pre-cast concrete or synthetic stucco, natural stucco or comparable material.

“Materials must be colored during the manufacturing process and or integral to the materials. Painting of materials is not permitted.”

It continues by stating that all vertical surfaces of buildings in the district that face a public street should have 50 percent of the first floor level in windows. Signs put in windows should not exceed 10 percent of the window space, and any interior displays should not block visibility into the building by more than 10 percent as well.

Other sides of buildings not facing a public street should be fully finished with materials compatible in color and design to the front.

It prohibits metal or wood-sided buildings within the district.

Lastly, it states, “The roof should be designed to reduce the apparent exterior mass of the building, add visual interest and be appropriate to the architectural style of the building.”

Any equipment on top of the roof should not be visible from a street side of the building and should be incorporated into the roof design.

Buildings should also include an exterior trash enclosure to screen all trash containers that is compatible with the architecture and materials of the building.

What is good design?

Albert Lea-Freeborn County Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Randy Kehr, who recently met with Graham, two members of the Planning Commission and a few other business owners, said he thinks the ordinance is so simple that it becomes “enormously restrictive.”

Many other details need to be included, such as whether a business that is remodeling would need to follow the guidelines, he said. Right now, this is not addressed.

The city should aim to encourage building renovations and upgrades, especially in the South Broadway Avenue area, but he’s afraid a strict ordinance might discourage that.

“It makes common sense that you want to encourage them to renovate their buildings and not discourage them,” Kehr said.

He also talked about the window requirement, which could be a challenge for any retail establishment, he said.

“From a retail standpoint, it doesn’t take into consideration merchandising their product,” Kehr said. “If you have every wall having to have 50 percent windows, any retailer coming into town loses that space for retailing and selling of his goods.”

He showed pictures of several businesses built in the last 10 years and pointed out that he considers them to be attractive buildings. Then, he pointed out factors — such as metal siding or a lack of windows — that would have kept them from keeping up with the guidelines had they been a new business.

“There’s just problems with it, in that the buildings most people find attractive that have been built in the last 10 years don’t fit the ordinance,” Kehr said.

Albert Lea Economic Development Agency Executive Director Dan Dorman echoed that thought.

“I think the majority of the stuff that’s happened in the last 10 years the community is happy with,” Dorman said. “What is it that’s happened that we’re against?”

Graham said the ordinance is not meant to attack the appearance of existing businesses.

“I’m not unhappy with what has taken place,” he said. “And I wouldn’t say the Planning Commission in general is unhappy with what’s taken place.”

The goal is to let a future developer know what’s acceptable, he noted.

“It’s about what people want their community to look like, and can they put it in words,” Graham said. “It’s not about criticizing anything that’s been done in the past.

“We’re not suggesting that all of the buildings that don’t meet this particular suggested standard will become nonconforming and that you can’t do anything with them. We’re not saying those are bad buildings. We’re saying if someone were building something new, what would the community expect in terms of a standard? Are we willing to raise the bar?”

Dorman said he thinks the goal for the ordinance should be to come up with a zoning ordinance that’s clear to someone concerning what they can and can’t do in a majority of instances. Then, if someone wants to do something contrary to the ordinance, they can go through a more formal review process.

“My concern with the way this is written, everything would end up going through some type of review process,” Dorman said. “Do we really want something where everything is an exception, or do we want something that fits a majority of the cases?”

Kehr noted he thinks the ordinance needs to address the building materials that are appropriate — in his opinion steel siding is an appropriate wall covering for a commercial building.

“Your building is part of your merchandising plan,” he said. “I don’t think retailers set out to build an unattractive building. Part of what draws people to your business is how your building looks.”

A percentage range should also be considered for the window requirements, he said.

The key is finding a balance, he said.

Dorman said he hopes people will drive around town, look at buildings and pick out which design standards they think are positive and which they think are negative.

He said he thinks the ordinance needs to consider how to increase tax base, which will in turn effect property taxes.

Graham said he doesn’t think a design ordinance will keep businesses from developing.

“It may define developers, but I don’t think it’s going to stop development from taking place, he said. “Most of the design has already been done by simple negotiation.”

All three men encouraged people to attend the public hearing to voice their opinions about a design ordinance.

“If something is adopted that the community really doesn’t want, then it’s almost impossible to enforce,” Graham said. “The community needs to come and tell the commission what they would like to see.”

The public hearing will be at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday in Room 109 of City Hall.