This is the third part
of a series about design standards for businesses along Valley Center
Road.
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Architectural Styles & Details
New building and extensive remodeling projects are required by the County
Zoning Ordinance to be in compliance with local Design Guidelines.
Again, the big idea is to build in a way that reflects our town’s
history and country heritage, and most importantly, retains the human
scale, variety and individualized details that typify California country
towns that have been built over time.
Valley Center’s Design Guidelines for architecture leave a lot
of room for individual preferences and creativity by encouraging a variety
of “early California” styles, as well as modern interpretations
of these. Architectural styles include Adobe, Mission, Classic Western,
and Monterey; Monterey style combines the Classic Revival architecture
that characterizes the eastern United States with early adobe and mission.
The point of the Guidelines is to assemble the sort of pastiche that
characterizes Ojai, Montecito and Old Palm Springs —rather than
the architectural uniformity, for instance, of Rancho Bernardo.
Good Examples
Good examples of properties—built or renovated recently—that
differ greatly from one another but are still in accord with the Design
Guidelines are easy to find.
On Cole Grade Road: Valley Center High School and Theater (building
and landscaping); St. Stephen Church (building, landscaping and signage);
Countryside Veterinary Hospital (building, landscaping and signage);
and the Valley Center Library (building and landscaping).
On Valley Center Road: The Country Skillet (building, landscaping, and
signage—except for the spot of neon); The Courtyard (building,
landscaping and signage); Fat Ivor’s (building); and Wynn Engineering
(building and signage).
Elements to Be Avoided
The Guidelines pointedly discourage: chain link, razor wire, unfinished
concrete and concrete block, dumpsters, artificial turf, neon and illuminated
plastic signs, and highly reflective or garish colored surfaces.
New construction and renovation project plans need to show substitutes
for these in order to comply with the County Zoning Code and secure
building permits.
Code Compliance
Code compliance in Valley Center has been a mite relaxed along Valley
Center Road since the road construction started.
People say, why put energy into landscaping, signs, and fences when
the entire heart of town is torn to shreds?
Well, true! But, this is the ideal time for planning. In a year, or
so, the road will be finished, existing properties refreshed and remodeled,
and new enterprises built. (In the last year, or so, we’ve seen
some nice looking plans at the Design Review Board!)
Some renovation projects are already in the works. Property owners who
recognize that it’s time for a makeover are getting a jump on
a friendly visit from County Code Enforcement!
The Design Guidelines can help create a distinctive and traditional
small town flavor that most residents value—but it will be Valley
Centerites who do the work! It will take everyone’s enthusiastic
cooperation to make the heart of town as attractive as possible.
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Note: Lael Montgomery is chairman of the Valley Center Design Review
Board and a member of the VC planning group.
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