By Linda Stinnett

A few years ago, El Paso Village in Derby had architectural design which was a throwback to its 1950s roots. Unfortunately, little had been done in recent years; it was nearly empty and attracting few customers to its tenants.

Fast forward to a new owner with a desire to update the structure who buys the original city shopping center. The facade is now a showcase for growing businesses and the parking lot is busy nearly every day.

The shopping center is a prime example of questions debated during a Derby Planning Commission and City Council joint workshop on Thursday evening. For 2-1/2 hours, the city leaders discussed issues of how to create a design criteria which both tells developers how to dress up their plans but gives them the flexibility to work to keep commercial development coming to the city. The resulting conversation also left those involved debating how far government should go in regulating design.

“(We want to) look out for the community,” said Eric Tauer, chairman of the planning commission. “We just try to shape what our future community is going to look like.”

The planning commission has been discussing new design criteria in recent months. Several suggestions members have made include:

• Requiring more than one type of material on a building elevation abutting a street. 

• Requiring the use of Exterior Insulated Finishing Systems, a popular building product, when the building faces the street.

• Categorizing materials which complement each other.

• Requiring more roof line variation in a project to eliminate monotony.

• Requiring more architectural elements to dress up structures.

• Dividing criteria separately for new development and existing to avoid hindering updates of buildings.

• Segregating requirements in different sections of the community.

• Working to soften the corporate image on big box stores, but also helping them blend that image with their surroundings. 

All of those involved agreed they want to have a well planned and good looking community in the future. Commissioner Jack Hezlep noted that K-15 still looks much the same as it did in 1986. He would like to see more regulation so business design blends well 50 years down the road.

“Don’t be afraid to ask for stuff, because they will come through. They are coming because we have the growth,” he said. “You have to use common sense.”

Kelly Farber, planning commission member, said the design criteria could include options which would allow architects to hold down costs but create imaginative design.

“I feel if we put those rules in place we could accomplish a lot with the site plan review,” he said.

But, with every suggestion of regulation, the examples of the best projects in town broke the rules. Tauer used the Hampton Inn as an example of the design which pleases city leaders.

Cheryl Bannon, council member, pointed out that it uses only the EIFS. The architect, though, used imagination to break up the expanse of the building. 

The community also likes the new Olive Garden, she said, It too, uses only one type of material, but has broken large expanses of rock facing with changes in roof lines.

“It’s a thin line of what looks good and what looks plain,” said Randy White, council member. 

Staying flexible with less government intervention is key, according to Chuck Warren, council member and member of a family whose business is developing commercial sites in Derby. 

He used his former real estate office building at Madison and K-15 as an example. The company updated that building from the shell of a former corner gas station by using black Arkansas stone. After a few decades that design was outdated and the company freshened the exterior with EIFS and brick a few years ago.

“Styles change,” Warren said. “I get nervous when government tells you what is attractive.” 

Jim Craig, council member, said he believes additional regulations could harm the system.

“One size does not fit all,” he said. “Don’t eliminate the thinking process.”

Council members did not jump on board the commissioners’ desire to make changes in the site plan review process. Several local commercial properties have made extensive changes to exterior elevations in recent months, but were not required to have a review by the planning commission.

In most of the cases, the commissioners said they were pleased with the final result of the renovations. City staff does review the building permits and, under current regulations, can reject plans which do not meet the character of a neighborhood.

“I’m afraid this is headed down the micromanage way,” said Bannon. “What we’re saying is if you want to make  an improvement, we want to approve it. Isn’t that what we want, an improvement?”

The planning commission and city staff will work to develop design criteria. After the discussion it appeared changes in the site plan review process did not have support to move forward.

User Comments

• over regulations

  "this is a prime example of over regulation by the city government. The city government is going way beyond on this issue. I agree character of the neighboorhood is important. I remeber the old el paso village in the 1970's it was a great shopping place, tough to find a parking place. I am glad to see the new owner put some money into the shopping center to fix it up. I persoanlly would like to see more renivations at older shopping centers like el paso village than new huge shopping centers. "

  Posted by chad Parker on Feb. 22, 2012

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