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Commission declines to adopt new Maryland Farms building-color standards, leaving review to planning commission
Summary
Staff summarized a planning commission request to consider exterior design standards for Maryland Farms. Commissioners discussed trade-offs between additional predictability and the planning commission’s existing discretionary review and expressed support for maintaining current discretion rather than adopting prescriptive color standards.
City staff briefed the commission on a request from the planning commission to consider specific exterior design standards for the Maryland Farms area. The planning commission’s request grew from recent facade and color-change cases in the office park and raised questions about whether the city should adopt a stricter palette or guidance.
Staff outlined several considerations: defining the geographic boundary of “Maryland Farms,” deciding which building types and zoning districts would be subject to standards, and whether standards should cover only building exteriors or also site improvements. Staff noted palette work is technical and that staff lacks an in-house color/palette expert; the presentation included examples of recent exterior renovations in the Maryland Farms area showing a range of lighter accent colors and facade treatments.
Commissioners discussed the trade-offs. Several commissioners and the city attorney said that too-prescriptive standards could be difficult to administer, limit future redevelopment flexibility, and risk unintended consequences. Others noted planning commission discretion has produced acceptable outcomes in prior cases and cited examples. The city attorney expressed support for maintaining the existing review and not adopting new prescriptive standards.
After discussion the commission indicated it did not wish to adopt detailed Maryland Farms exterior-paint or palette regulations at this time and was comfortable leaving the standard review and discretion with the planning commission. Staff said the city will continue to process facade alterations under current code and that more comprehensive consideration of design and land-use objectives could occur as part of a future long-range planning process (e.g., a 2040 plan).
