Design Review Exception - BLS 7-1-21
STRAIGHTLINE ARCHITECTS | 4521 S. Cloverdale Road, Ste. 102 | Boise, Idaho 83709 | P: 208-991-0855 |
www.StraightlineArchitects.com
July 1, 2021
RE: CITY OF MERIDIAN
ASM DESIGN EXCEPTION
NEW BUILDING
THE BLIND SOURCE
The following exemption request is in regards
to the elevations attached.
The building as situated has both the North and
East facades which require compliance to the
ASM design standards.
Does strict adherence to the standards create
inconsistency in the design objectives of the
proposed development?
Although the proposed development does not
have design standards, the development is
intended for light industrial, hence a certain
building typology and associated exterior
building materials can be assumed.
Does the location of existing buildings or
structures prevent conformance with the
standards of the City of Meridian Architectural
Standards Manual?
The first developed lot & building (adjacent to
the proposed building) was designed by
Straightline and Constructed by Big-D. It is Big-
D’s own building. Their buildings exterior
materials consist only of masonry and an
assortment of metal building panels. No other
exterior building materials were used. The
metal building panel assortment which included
ribbed, smooth rectangular, an textured were
approved as per the ASM as a ‘Field Material’ a
few years ago.
The new proposed building would be using
masonry, pre-fabricated ribbed metal building
panels, custom rectangular metal plate siding,
and cementitious white finished panels.
The ‘MP-4’ rectangular custom metal plate
siding is not a pre-fabricated metal panel
material as per the ASM states. It has
horizontal and vertical joist at panel edges,
much like the adjacent buildings square metal
panels.
Selection of these materials were done
intentionally to be sensitive to the intended use
of the development AND to compliment the
adjacent existing building.
This intentional decision aligns with one of the
overarching intents of the ASM, to create built
environment consistency.
Does the specific use require unique site and
building development that would otherwise
prohibit meeting the intent?
As designed, it does not. However, design
considerations that impact the efficiency of the
building for its intended use were taken to
conform to the ASM criteria.
The standard(s) that are proposed to be
exempt, including the actual text;
The reason the exception is requested; and
how the alternative means for compliance
meet the intent and goals of the requested
standard exemption…
Alan: I talked to our landscape architect
about this, who was the project manager
under a group of architects who helped
write our ASM manual.
Our ASM treats all metal panels equally,
whether its custom finished or in large
panels. If there is more than 20% of MP-4 or
STRAIGHTLINE ARCHITECTS | 4521 S. Cloverdale Road, Ste. 102 | Boise, Idaho 83709 | P: 208-991-0855 |
www.StraightlineArchitects.com
MP-3, it is considered a field material and
you need two other field materials (more
than 20%). I cannot waive this
requirement.
It has always been that the intent of the ASM
prohibiting the use of pre-fabricated metal
panels was to discourage the heavy use of
‘Utilitarian’ ribbed metal panels one would
expect to see on agricultural or warehouse
buildings. From a design standpoint, I am in
agreement with the intent of this requirement
as stated because it makes logical sense.
Having vast areas of utilitarian ribbed metal
panels makes successful Architectural design
difficult, but not impossible.
I am not in agreement with the overarching
literal statement that the ASM applies to all
metal panels.
As stated previously, the adjacent building has
rectangular metal panels as a field material,
along with many, many others I have done in
NORTH ELEVATION PERCENTAGES ABOVE
the past. The Used car facility for Kendal on the
corner of Overland and Meridian road (which
has 4 elevations requiring ASM approval, is
another prominent example.
Please note that the North elevation has a
balance of all building materials and creates a
transition to materials from North to East to
west elevations (all observable from the street).
We would ask that custom metal plate siding
MP-4 be a ‘Field Material’ on the North side and
be considered a ‘Wainscot’ material on the East,
Hence allowing that the attached elevations be
approved.
Respectfully,
Scott Marshall, AIA-NCARB
Principal – Straightline Architects