Design Guidelines for the West Chester Historic District, Borough of West Chester, Pennsylvania

D. GUIDELINES FOR PROTECTING HISTORIC STREETSCAPES
A primary purpose of the Historic District Ordinance and these Design Guidelines is to preserve the historical character of streetscapes within the Historic District. Streetscapes are the public spaces formed by buildings along streets in an urban setting. These outdoor, linear rooms have buildings as walls, street and sidewalk paving as flooring, the sky as a ceiling, lighting provided by the sun by day and street lights by night, and furnishings consisting of vegetation, planters, building stoops and steps, benches, trash receptors, automobile signage, and other accessory items (Figure 74). Streetscapes are dynamic and change with the weather, time of day, and season. The public perception of a neighborhood, city block, or historic district is formed by the quality of the streetscapes. The quality of a streetscape is formed by both the character of the buildings that define the street space and the character of the outdoor ground surfaces, vegetation, walls, fences, and furnishings that enrich the space. In the West Chester Historic District, the historic streetscapes are rich with building-material textures, interesting paving, vegetation, and streets that relate to the pedestrian more than the automobile.

1. Fences
Wood picket, vertical board, stockade, and ornamental iron fences are found in the Historic District (Figures 75 and 76). Split-rail fences, chain-link fences, and plastic fences are not appropriate in the Historic District except on rear areas of lots. Fences along street fronts and near buildings should be refined or ornamental, and should allow views of the yard and building. Fences for rear and side yards may be more opaque. Gates should be designed to swing into the private walkway or driveway, not onto the public sidewalk. Fences along side and rear lot lines may be constructed of rough board, plank, or welded wire fabric (Figure 77).

2. Retaining Walls
Retaining walls visible from a public way should be built with traditional masonry materials (Figure 78). If retaining walls are not visible from the public way, railroad ties, pressure-treated lumber, and decorative concrete block may be considered.

3. Sidewalk Paving
The preservation of historic brick paving along streets is encouraged (Figure 79). If the historic brick paving must be replaced, the installation of new brick paving in traditional brick patterns is highly recommended (Figure 80). New sidewalk paving materials and patterns should be consistent across the breadth of a lot along the street, unless the lot has a driveway.

4. Curb Cuts, Driveways, and Off-Street Parking
Curb cuts and off-street parking areas should be carefully planned to protect the historical character of the district. Curb cuts, driveways, and off-street parking should be located off side or rear alleys, not the street. The removal of mature landscaping and trees to provide parking areas is discouraged.

5. Plant Materials
Landscape plantings that are appropriate for the period of the building are encouraged. New plant materials should not obscure the view of principal facades. Climbing plants that cause deterioration of exterior wall materials should be avoided.

Street trees should be carefully selected for their growth pattern, drought and pollution resistance, and historical character. Trees with very dense crowns, such as Bradford pear trees, are discouraged. In general, deciduous trees such as lindens, gingkos, and sunburst locusts, that have upright growth habits, relatively open crowns, and long lives, are desirable. Oaks, maples, and other large hardwoods are desirable in non-commercial areas.

6. Decks and Patios
Decks and patios should be constructed only on secondary facades. The use of traditional materials such as wood and brick is recommended for the construction of a deck or patio. The use of unpainted/unstained pressure-treated wood or plastic is discouraged.

7. Landscape Planters and Window Boxes
The use of moveable landscape planters on porches and stoops is encouraged. Landscape planters made of red clay, wood, or tinted precast concrete are recommended, and should relate in size and scale to their location.

Window boxes should be anchored in a manner that does not damage historic brick masonry. Window boxes should simple in design and of a color similar to the color of the building window trim. The size should match the width of the window opening.

8. Street Furniture
Street furniture such as benches, trash receptors, and tables should be simple in character, constructed of wood and/or painted metal, and be compatible with the style and scale of adjacent buildings and outdoor spaces.