The Community & Highway Service area can be generally described as the area encompassing all properties at the southeastern portion of the USH 41/141 and CTH B exit, extending south to the Suamico River.

Development in this area includes a gas station, fast food restaurant, coffee shop, day care center and banking institution.

Recommended Uses

Given the strong influence of the highway as a market force for auto-oriented businesses like gas stations, fast food restaurants, and convenience stores, the Town should encourage additional development of this nature at this location. Moreover, given that this exit is a prime local traffic collector for area residents, community service businesses should also be encouraged.

Since this exit represents the only introduction many people will have to the Town of Suamico, all development in the proposed Community and Highway Service Area must be well landscaped and buffered from adjacent areas. Strong signage controls, lighting restrictions, building materials standards, and landscape buffers must be enforced to minimize the impact of the development in this area. These requirements can be enforced through the use of the Planned Commercial Zoning District.

Based on the market research presented in Chapter 2 and the existing residential development patterns to the east, it is recommend development include a mixture of:

· Highway Motorist/Tourist Businesses

o Gas stations with associated accessory uses like convenience stores, restaurants and car washes

o Lodging facilities

o Restaurants

· Family-Oriented Businesses Catering to Local Residents

o Video/DVD rental stores

o Restaurants

o Grocery store

o Garden center

o Hardware

 

 

 

Renovation to existing buildings and new construction within the Community and Highway Service Area should adhere to the following design guidelines to provide continuity and continue the established theme. Architecture should include thematic references to strip commercial centers and small office facilities that tie into key architectural elements of the Historic Hamlet and Velp Avenue Corridor buildings.

· Building Design and Materials- Prototypical designs in this area of the Town Center should include such architectural features as:

o Vertical wood board and batten siding;

o Decorative asphalt and metal roofs;

o Storefront strip mall windows with mullion divisions;

o Brick, limestone and field stone exterior facade materials; and

o Awnings and overhangs to enhance the storefronts.

Roof pitches should be consistent with existing structures in the Historic Hamlet and Velp Corridor. The commercial structures should incorporate roof pitches ranging from 8:12 to 12:12. Porches, overhangs and shed roofs should have shallower pitches of 4:12 to 6:12. Rooflines should incorporate cupolas, dormers, gable-end ornamentation or scalloping, finials and weather vanes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Paint, stain and trim colors used should be in keeping with the existing and proposed Historic Hamlet and Velp Corridor buildings. Color palettes should be in the ranges of dark reds, greens, browns and blacks. Orange, yellow, and light pastels can be used as accent colors. Natural wood and exposed galvanized metal should be considered for major façade and roof treatments as well. Access to the existing and new commercial buildings should consider setbacks to incorporate landscaping and off-street parking lots in near proximity to the buildings.

 

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Streetscape Elements- It is important that the architectural context and historic feel of the Historic Hamlet be carried through to the street furnishings of the Community and Highway Service Area. The design of street furniture and amenities for the parking and pedestrian areas will reflect a unique theme, image and identity for the Community and Highway Service Area. Historic theme based light poles, fixtures, and street furniture should be incorporated into the parking and pedestrian areas. Colored and stamped concrete should be applied in areas to emulate Ashlar Stone on crosswalks, pedestrian sidewalks and building entrances. Entrance or "gateway" signage should be incorporated into the roadway geometry to announce to motorists and pedestrians that they have arrived at the Suamico Town Center. Traditional signage materials of brick, wood and stone should be considered for gateway or entrance signage.

 

· Landscaping Features- Landscape materials and species should be carefully selected to accentuate the character of the area and match with the existing plantings. Recommended species include but are not limited to:

o Spruce, pine and fir trees for border definition and wind block;

o Ash, Japanese tree lilac and locust trees for streetscape and parking lot applications where harsh conditions make it difficult for trees to grow properly;

o Honey suckle and lilac for screening;

o Magnolia, staghorn sumac and autumn brilliance serviceberry in applications where clusters of small ornamental trees are desired;

o Clematis and ivy should be used for creeping vine applications; and

o Small shrubbery installations should consider winterberry, hosta, mockorange and dogwood species.

Shrub roses, azaleas and rhododendrons can be considered, but should be used only in protected locations and as recommended by landscape professionals.

There are several design features that should contribute to a unified look and feel for the Town Center and help bridge the geographical and perceived gap between the distinct themes of the Town Center.

· Entrance signage or "gateways" should be visible and welcoming to residents and visitors alike. The signage should be presented as subtle variations from a common design theme. The shape, size and location of the entrance signs should be consistent. Different construction materials should be used to accentuate the area of the Town where the sign is located. Sign materials for the Community and Highway Service Area should incorporate the approved building materials for the district. The Community and Highway Service Area signs may play off of the standard sign shape used in the other theme areas but be constructed of brick, wood, stone and metal.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

· Sidewalk improvement projects must consider integration of standard gray concrete with colored, stamped, or patterned concrete. In the Community and Highway Service Area the preferred pattern would be Ashlar stone. This concrete pattern should be introduced into sidewalks, cross walks, parking lot islands and building entrances. Standardization in colored pigment choices for the concrete should be considered but slight variation in the stamping patterns is expected. Texturing and finishing of the standard gray concrete surfaces should also be uniform. Broom finishes, picture framing and trowel patterns are simple ways to add interest to concrete at relatively low cost.

· Lighting fixtures should be selected for their application and thematic location within the Town Center. Fixtures will need to be different sizes, heights and wattages for their respective applications. Fortunately, several manufacturers produce fixtures that complement one another in certain applications. The Community and Highway Service Area lighting needs will be greater than in any other theme area, given the anticipated larger scale of development. Nevertheless, a historic theme should prevail in the lighting fixtures. One common amenity that may be the same on all light poles is the application of banners, hanging pots, flag pole holders and festoon power outlets for lighted Christmas decorations.

· River Trail and Boardwalk- A trail system should be developed to help link pedestrians to the distinct theme areas within the Town Center and to provide an amenity for recreation. The trail system should use similar enhancement features that are present in each of the commercial areas to help create a unified design theme. Trailhead structures, pavement, lighting, banners, signage and furniture should be selected to reinforce continuity. Additional information about the trail system is provided in chapter 4.

· Landscape Buffering- Plant material selection along the trail and in the Community and Highway Service Area should help to enforce a unified theme for the Town Center and soften the transition between commercial zones. Plants selected should be considered for their heartiness, maintenance characteristics, and should not hinder visibility or create a safety concern. Species described for each commercial zone should be considered for the transitional areas as well.

It is expected that the scale of development in the Community and Highway Service Area will be greater than in any of the other areas in the Town Center. Fortunately, the Community and Highway Service Area is bounded by USH 41, CTH B, and the Suamico River on the west, north and south sides. These features are strong boundaries that separate the Community and Highway Service Area from nearby residential areas. The eastern boundary presents more of a challenge since residential development is immediately adjacent to this boundary. To minimize the impact of new development on existing residential areas to the east, special landscaping consideration must be given to provide adequate buffers. This is particularly important in parking areas to block the headlights of cars pulling into and out of these areas with landscape screens. Furthermore, landscaping should serve as a stormwater management tool to minimize the impact of development on adjacent properties. Consideration should also be given to the use of coniferous trees as a visual screen between proposed commercial uses immediately adjacent to residential development.