Introduction
As stated throughout the Neighborhood Plan, Delano is a neighborhood that is very much unique in Wichita. The history and character that emanates from the period style architecture and the charm and interest created by the "Wild West" heritage of the neighborhood spark imaginings of what was. The sense of significance and timelessness speak to a time of a strong work ethic, good moral character, and the entrepreneurial spirit that founded this great City. They make us dream of what could be. The Delano Neighborhood Plan, along with these guidelines, are put in place to help a neighborhood that is coming back to life realize the dream.

Purpose of Guidelines
Guidelines are needed to provide direction regarding commercial and residential development. In the case of a revitalization effort, they also serve to educate the existing residents and stakeholders, and provide a source of community pride. It is important for community members to realize the impact that certain elements in the public landscape (such as chain-link fence, old cars on blocks, poor maintenance, etc. in the front yard) have on public perception of quality of life, property value, and public safety. A well maintained neighborhood with an active street life and pedestrian interaction provides for a much safer environment.

Guidelines are also put in place to attract quality developers and flush out the "fly-by-night crowd". Guidelines assure developers that their investment is protected, and that adjacent developments by others will realize the same standard of quality and care. Without guidelines there are no assurances and the world-class developers we would like to attract are less likely to make the investment.

By the same token, persons who would like to build homes on vacant lots in the area often have difficulty financing new construction in these areas. If the property values of an area are averaging $50,000 to $70,000 for 80 year old homes, and new construction of a similar size house would cost 100,000 to 150,000 or more, it becomes easy to see why banks wouldn’t want to lend the money. However, overlay districts protected by design guidelines tend to stabilize, then appreciate. It then becomes more plausible to have a successful in-fill initiative. The same is true for renovations and remodels.

Ultimately, the purpose of design guidelines is to implement certain goals and objectives. These guidelines express the design intent, so although a particular situation does not meet the exact letter of the guidelines due to some unforeseen site constraint, if the intent of the guidelines is met then the review committee has the discretion to accept a project proposal. A zone classification does not usually have this flexibility without the process of variances, conditional use permits, or zoning change. A good set of guidelines is to everyone’s benefit.

Delano Neighborhood Guidelines
The Delano Neighborhood is very diverse in terms of its housing, range of land use, economic and social characteristics, and historical assets, and therefore has different levels of needs. These guidelines are set up to be as lenient as possible while providing appropriate direction in specific target areas. Some guidelines will apply neighborhood-wide, termed General Guidelines. Other guidelines are targeted at specific areas such as the Urban Village.

The following design guidelines are set forth with the adoption of this plan as interim guidelines during the development of the Delano Traditional Neighborhood Overlay District and Neighborhood Guidelines. The final guidelines are to be developed as a collaboration between the Steering Committee and the City, with additional input from neighborhood residents and resident property owners (both residential and business). These guidelines are based upon community concerns for preservation, absentee landlords and derelict properties, lack of sufficient code enforcement, and the desire for specific neighborhood improvements. They will also serve as a starting point for neighborhood residents and stakeholders to build upon, revise, and ultimately finalize the Delano Neighborhood Guidelines. The adoption of the final guidelines will coincide with the creation of the overlay district by ordinance.

General Guidelines
These general guidelines are established to primarily address issues of code enforcement issues, gaps in the landscape ordinance, maintenance issues and others that are neighborhood wide. There are many residents of the neighborhood who would like to maintain their property better, but are unable to do so due to physical constraints, financial position, or other valid reasons. Therefore, the 3D will assist these homeowners in locating the appropriate sources to help them accomplish the tasks at hand. This may take the form of volunteer help, locating deferred or low interest loans, etc. This will be an education process for some.

Code Enforcement/ Maintenance Issues:

1. All properties shall be kept in a well maintained condition at all times. This means that all lawn areas visible from a public street shall be kept mown, and be allowed to get no taller than 6" between mowings. Vacant lots shall be mown at no more than 30 day intervals, and kept free of trash, junk parts, cars, and debris. Buildings shall be kept painted, broken windows and screens replaced immediately, and generally kept in a "saleable" condition at all times. "Saleable", for the purpose of these guidelines, means: the exteriors of residential properties meet the requirements for FHA secured loans; the exteriors of commercial properties have no peeling paint, broken windows, or any materials or conditions considered hazardous to the public or employees.

2. Landlords shall be required to keep their properties in a well maintained condition at all times. This means that all lawn areas shall be kept mown, and be allowed to get no taller than 6" between mowings.. Substandard rental units shall be renovated and brought up to code within 90 days of Notice, or condemned.

3. All commercial and/or light industrial properties shall be kept in a well maintained condition at all times. This means that all lawn areas visible from a public street shall be kept mown, and be allowed to get no taller than 6" between mowings. Lots shall be kept free of junk, debris, and trash.

4. Alleys shall be kept clear and free of debris, trash (except in appropriate containers), yard waste, and miscellaneous junk.

5. Long term parking (more than 7 days) of RV’s, buses, campers, boats, and all commercial vehicles will be parked in rear or side yards, screened from the public street right-of-way. Gravel, concrete, or asphalt parking surfaces are required.

6. Chain link fencing shall be restricted to side and rear yards only (located behind the street wall of the building.

Maintenance of Required Landscapes:

1. All landscaping, screening and buffers required or installed per a City approved landscape plan shall be maintained at all times. Plant materials that die shall be replaced in the next planting season (either spring or fall).

Douglas Streetscape Guidelines
Douglas Avenue serves as a primary route into the neighborhood from the downtown area. As travelers approach the neighborhood they should be welcomed into the Delano Business District by an attractive urban environment.

Commercial Streetscape (McLean to Vine, see Plan):

1. Special paving at crosswalks and select intersections.

2. Street Trees centered on the common wall lines of the businesses (approximately on 25' centers). Tree species to be selected for open scaffold, small clean foliage, and hardiness. The open scaffold is important to ensure visibility of the store fronts. The bulk of the canopy should be above 14' at maturity. New trees should be installed at 4" or larger caliper to ensure sufficient size to make a noticeable impact on the streetscape.

3. Accent Trees to be themed with the rest of the landscape treatments to assist in the distinction of identifiable boundaries to the commercial streetscape. New trees should be installed at 2½" or larger caliper to ensure sufficient size to make a noticeable impact on the streetscape.

4. It is recommended that structured soils be specified for all tree wells and raised planters to assure the combination of adequate drainage, water and nutrient retention, and limiting the loss of soil volume over time.

5. New Buildings shall be constructed with the street wall at the front property line (no setback), with parking to the rear. Dual entrances (front and rear) are recommended. The purpose of this guideline is to facilitate the reconstruction of the traditional street wall.

Residential Streetscape (Glenn almost to Meridian, see Plan):
The Neighborhood Plan calls for this segment of Douglas Avenue to become a divided residential boulevard. Ultimately, this will be a street lined with stately trees, creating a vaulted canopy over the roadway.

1. Planting within right-of-way shall be subject to approval.

2. Period lighting used in commercial segment should be continued herein for continuity.

Seneca Streetscape Guidelines
As one of several major arterials serving as an entrance to Downtown and the Museum District, it is important to recognize the impact that a quality streetscape has on a visitor’s perception of our community. The following guidelines are established for new development along Seneca.

1. A 10' ft. landscape setback shall be required on all Seneca Street frontages between Kellogg and Texas Street, and between the abandoned Rail Corridor\Proposed Greenway and Mc Lean on the North.

2. There will be no parking within the landscape setback.

3. New Buildings between Texas (1 block south of Douglas) and the Railway Corridor Park (1 block north of Douglas) shall have the building face set on the property line, with parking to the rear.

Urban Village Guidelines
The Urban Village, yet to be named, should ultimately be a world-class living environment. These guidelines are created for the purpose of guiding the development of this area, whether that development occurs quickly under the hand of one master developer, or more slowly through gradual in-fill and change.

This development will be one that juxtaposes turn-of-the-century charm and character with the contemporary tastes and needs of the 21st Century. An active and vital street life is essential. Smell, Sound, Taste, Sight, and Touch. Every sensory organ must be stimulated and captivated to the point that residents and visitors alike would prefer to walk about, relax, shop, and people-watch, rather than stay at home, go back to their hotel, or eat their lunch in their office. Life and vitality on the streets. This is the potential of the area, and it must start with quality design and construction.

General

1. New structures should be constructed with facades predominantly of tumbled brick, with stone or cast stone accents such as pilaster bases, lintels & sills. This is applicable for the first two floors, whereas higher floors may use other, more contemporary, materials provided they are used in a traditional manner.

2. New buildings of 3000 square feet footprint or larger shall include an elevator to allow greater diversity of upper story uses.

3. Structures taller than 3 stories shall be located to the interior of the Village area, behind lower structures along Seneca and Douglas.

4. New Off-street Parking shall be located to the rear of the building, wherever possible.

5. Off-street Parking adjacent to streets shall have a 10' wide planting buffer and screen wall (along Seneca, and 2nd Street only) at the public right-of-way to screen parked vehicles. Screen walls should be a combination of tumbled brick and ornamental ironwork. Other creative solutions are welcome provided they fit the historical character, meet the screening needs, are durable, and low maintenance.

Commercial

1. The plan indicates a hotel, with bridges across 2nd Street to garages and meeting rooms on the south side. The recent tourism study stated that approximately 500 additional hotel rooms are needed downtown for convention and tourism purposes. The location opposite Exploration place is shown for the purpose of interesting potential developers to that location. It is close enough to walk to Century II, the Hyatt, Exploration Place, the Keeper of the Plains (with the proposed bridges and "Ring of Fire". It also boosts the viability of the River Taxis, Riverwalk Bazaars, and the leasing of the amphitheater for non-public venues such as weddings, corporate dinners, etc. Ultimately it aids in the activation of our (soon to be) world-class waterfront. This hotel should be equivalent to the Hyatt and reflect the world-class quality of Exploration Place. This structure should be limited to ten stories, with surrounding structures stepping down in height towards Seneca.

2. Ground floor commercial/retail shall have high ceilings typical of traditional structures in the area.

3. There shall be no typical "Big-Box" type retail permitted. Larger, multi-department stores shall utilize individual facades to represent the various departments such that the street character is that of multiple stores, although it is actually one store inside. An example of this would be a 40,000 square foot grocer. There might be a "butcher" store window, a "dry goods" window, etc., which conform to the 25' bay interval of the existing buildings. There would probably be 1 primary access from the street side and one access from the parking (rear of building) side. Residential apartments still reside on 2nd floor.

4. A consistent signage program should be developed as part of the design guidelines. This includes development of a way-finding and district identity system. For the purpose of the interim guidelines, signage shall conform to the criteria below.

   Signage Area: 15sf. for wall mount signs (1 per 25' of store front); 12 sf. per face of two-sided projecting wall signs to be located between 1st and 2nd floor, beneath window sills (max projection of 3'); 30sf. for monument signs; no pylon signs; and 3sf. per face of two sided pendant signs hanging from awnings, if any. Signage Materials: may include metals (wrought iron, bronze, copper) wood (teak, oak, redwood), stenciled or stained glass, tile, stone, painted murals, window painting (transom windows) and combinations of these materials. Other materials such as neon, aluminum, etc. will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis, and creative signage is encouraged.

   Note: These signage guidelines do not apply to the replacement of existing signs of existing businesses lost as a result of damage caused by natural events (fire, hail, lighting, wind, etc.) or vandalism.

5. Dramatic night lighting design shall be an integral part of new structures. Provisions for seasonal lighting shall be included on all structures containing a commercial, retail, or office use as well.

6. Flat roof structures shall be design to accommodate rooftop patios, with parapets at guardrail heights.

7. Pitched-roof structures shall have terra-cotta tile, slate or approved simulated equivalents roofing materials. Simulated materials may include lightweight concrete, metal, etc. Standing metal seam will not be accepted, as this is the dominant roofing material of strip centers throughout Wichita. Eaves shall overhang a minimum of 36" with exposed supports.

8. Windows, door stoops, and other openings shall be recessed a minimum of 4 inches to create adequate shadow lines and details.

9. Lintels shall project a minimum of 2" from the face of the building.

10. The use of projecting bricks and/or stone to create patterns is strongly encouraged.

11. A pattern of window boxes, balconets and/or balconies should be created in conjunction with regular windows for 2nd floor tenants. Balconies may vary in size. Small balconies just large enough for two people to stand and watch the street activities below may project out over the public sidewalk up to 30", provided they do not interfere with utility or light poles. Larger balconies that can accommodate chairs or tables shall be recessed into the facade of the building.

Residential

1. Residential uses may take the form of 2-3 story town homes, apartments and condominiums.

2. All rental units must be designed and constructed so that they can be converted to condominium ownership.

3. All residential units shall have balconies. Balconies may vary in size. Small balconies just large enough for two people to stand and watch the street activities below may project out over the public sidewalk up to 30", provided they do not interfere with utility or light poles. Larger balconies that can accommodate chairs or tables shall be recessed into the facade of the building.

Commercial Mixed-Use Guidelines
The intent of the commercial mixed use designation is to encourage true mixed-use facilities wherein there is commercial and /or offices on the ground floor, and residential above. In some cases, the use of upper floors could also be used as office space, however such spaces would then need to be ADA accessible, which presents a challenge to existing structures. The purpose of mixed-use developments is to provide additional studio, one and two bedroom living units which could be rented (or even sold), allowing people to live in the business core, thus creating a more active street life that extends potential business hours. It is a pedestrian oriented environment, with the average daily needs of residents met within walking distance. The following guidelines are established to encourage the in-fill development of properties designated mixed-use commercial in the Delano Neighborhood:

1. For existing two story structures, the second floors, where feasible, shall be converted to a residential use and/or office use. Property Owners interested in this type of remodel should seek assistance from the Neighborhood Development Corporation to determine if they qualify for low interest or deferred loans, and whether or not the improvements might qualify for subsidizing or partial funding from other sources.

2. Where creating living space on the second floor is not feasible, or where the space is used for storage, etc. for the ground floor tenant, the second floor windows should be treated with draperies and blinds to simulate an active second floor space. The window glass should not be painted, covered with tin-foil, or similarly treated fashion that detracts from the overall facade and streetscape appearance.

3. New buildings along Douglas shall have the facades set at the property line with parking and service areas to the rear of the property. In-fill structures should be either 1 or 2 story, with common walls and parking to the rear. Additional stories could be built provided they are set back from the front facade a minimum of 20' for up to an additional 2 floors.

4. There should be front and rear access to the tenant spaces, and either front, rear, or dual access to the 2nd floor residential. 2nd Floor residential shall have secure ground floor entrance lobbies.

5. Where a single story structure is built, the roof structure should be designed to enable the addition of a second floor, or for the use of the roof as a patio/roof garden (containerized) by neighboring residential or office tenants. Essentially, this means that the single-story structure should be designed with a structural roof to allow the sale or lease of air rights for an additional story.

6. New buildings of 3000 square feet footprint or larger shall include an elevator to allow greater diversity of upper story uses.

7. New structures along Douglas should have street facades constructed predominantly of tumbled brick, with stone or cast stone accents such as pilaster bases, lintels & sills.

8. New Off-street Parking shall be located to the rear of the building.

9. Off-street Parking on the drive lanes that access rear parking areas shall have a 6' wide planting buffer and screen wall at the public right-of-way to screen parked vehicles. Screen walls should be a combination of tumbled brick and ornamental ironwork. Other creative solutions are welcome provided they fit the historical character, meet the screening needs, are durable, and low maintenance.

Historic University Avenue Guidelines
University Avenue provides both residents and visitors an opportunity to take a walk back in time. It is important to preserve and enhance that perception by utilizing the existing historic structures as templates for in-fill redevelopment, remodeling and expansion projects.

The Delano CDC should try to acquire those properties that have been developed in a manner inconsistent with the historic structures of the area. These properties should be redeveloped through demolition and either new construction, or perhaps relocation of historic structures located elsewhere in the neighborhood. Relocation, where possible, will help to preserve historic housing stock and facilitate neighborhood improvements simultaneously.

Those properties within 500' of the Friends University property line already have to be reviewed by the historic preservation board, and are required to meet their restrictions. The remainder of the properties along University Avenue should adhere to the same requirements. For example, vinyl siding could be used, however the lap dimension, texturing, etc. would depict the traditional wood lap. The same is true for the size, shape and style of windows, but it could be a vinyl or coated aluminum substitute for the traditional wood window. Building interiors are not affected.

Garages and cottage apartments would be in separate structures located to the rear of the properties. They could possibly be linked to the main structure via a covered walk, subject to design review. Approval of neighboring property owners would be considered beneficial, but not required.

Fencing in the front yard shall be restricted to wrought iron, or 2 ½" wood picket fences, or similar period style fence and shall be no more than 30" in height. There shall be no chain link fencing fronting any public street (whether it is front or side yard).

Residential Guidelines
The street facade of any new in-fill housing shall be consistent with the dominant style on the block. Although the actual configuration of the interior can vary widely, there should typically be a front porch, with a finished floor elevation that is within 6" of the rest of the houses on the block. This height is typically 24" to 30" above finish grade in most areas of the neighborhood.

Garages and storage buildings shall be located to the rear of the property, with the garage doors exiting to the alley or to a driveway to the front alongside the house. With the exception of a few newer homes (last 30 years or so), this is typical for the existing neighborhood residential.

New residential development opportunities are located primarily in the Urban Village area, east of Seneca and north of Douglas. Requirements for this area have already been discussed. Other new development which may arise shall look to the in-fill guidelines for direction.

Guidelines Administration
All projects requiring a building permit shall be reviewed for consistency with the design guidelines. Until such time as the overlay district is established, the interim guidelines shall be the basis for the review. Upon establishment of the overlay district, the final Delano Neighborhood Guidelines shall be the basis for review.

We recommend that a review board be created consisting of three representatives from each of: the Delano Business Association; the Delano Neighborhood Association; and the Delano Clergy Association; plus a representative from City staff.

All new buildings and additions visible from public streets, alleys, or the Greenway Corridor/Railway Park, and all improvements within the neighborhood area along Douglas Avenue, Seneca Street or McLean Boulevard, shall be reviewed by the above board. Other minor remodels, renovations, and site improvements may be reviewed by Planning Department Staff, and do not require the review by the board. Prior to issuance of building permits, a certificate of appropriateness shall be obtained after Review Board and/or staff approval.

Any property owner in the district may appeal the decision of the Review Board to the City Planning Department Staff, and if not satisfied, may appeal the staff decision to the Board of Zoning Appeals.

Alterations that are not visible from public streets, alleys, or public open space shall be exempted from these standards and review procedures.