Page 150 - Michigan City, IN US Highway 421 Corridor Plan

5.3 Design Guidelines

Forecourt Dooryard
A. Frontage Intent Statement A. Frontage Intent Statement
Forecourts are open areas located at primary building entrances. Dooryard fronts are located in front setbacks and provide small
They may be designed as gardens or as a paved courtyard. landscaped and paved yards at building entrances. In residential
Frontages utilizing a forecourt must also comply with the settings dooryards can be enclosed by low walls, fences or
minimum frontage occupancy standards outlined in Section hedges.
5.3.1, Block Type Development Guidelines.
B. Entries
B. Entries
Attached residential development should have primary entries
The forecourt shall enter from the adjacent sidewalk. Building directly accessible from the street. For other developments
entries opening onto the forecourt shall be at the finished floor (multi-family, mixed use, commercial or industrial) access to a
of the forecourt or may be raised up to three feet above the sidewalk should be provided at all common building lobbies or
forecourt. entrances.
C. Dimensions C. Dimensions
Forecourts shall be set at grade or may be elevated up to 18 Not applicable.
inches above the adjacent sidewalk. Forecourt Section Dooryard Section
Forecourts are open areas located at primary building entrances. D. Paving and Landscaping Dooryard fronts are located in the front setbacks and provide small
Depth of the forecourt shall be between 10 and 40 feet. Dooryards should be planted with grass, shrubs or other ground landscaped and paved yards at building entrances.
cover. Walks shall be paved with an appropriate hardscape
Width of the forecourt shall be between 20 and 40 feet. material. In residential areas low retaining walls, fences or
hedges may enclose a dooryard. Walls and hedges shall
D. Paving and Landscaping
not exceed three feet in height measured from the adjacent
Forecourts may be planted with grass, shrubs, or other sidewalk.
groundcover, or be paved. All walks shall be paved.
E. Furnishing Zone
E. Furnishing Zone Loose furniture is permitted in dooryards.
Outdoor furniture is permitted in forecourts. High quality, durable
fixed benches and planter pots are encouraged. Water features Additional Standards and Guidelines
are permitted.
Where block type standards permit dooryard frontages and stoop
F. Additional Standards and Guidelines frontage, elements of these frontage types may be combined.
Outdoor amenities including fixed tables, chairs, benches, F. Storefront Guidelines
planters, public art and water amenities are encouraged.
This standard addresses the design of building frontages, such
Forecourts shall not be covered with a fixed or retractable roof, as maximum length of a blank wall.
but tables with umbrella shades are permitted.
Forecourts may be gated.

G. Storefront Guidelines
Not applicable.

Forecourt Illustrative Photo Dooryard Illustrative Photo
Forecourts may be planted with grass, shrubs, or other ground cover, or Dooryards should be planted with grass, shrubs or other ground cover. Walks
paved. All walks shall be paved. shall be paved with an appropriate hardscape material.

5-31

Adopted: August 16, 2016 Implementation 5.0