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New exterior color standards are now in effect for commercial properties in Madera, requiring property owners to choose from a city-approved palette when constructing, expanding, rebuilding or repainting buildings..

The standards were adopted unanimously by the Madera City Council and apply to commercial-zone districts. Current properties are not required to repaint, even if their current colors fall outside of the approved palette.

Kirk Atamian, a commercial real estate broker with RE/MAX, said he supports the standards and believes they could improve the appearances of Madera’s commercial areas and eventually property values.

“I’m all for it, only because some of these colors are getting out of hand in the town, and it is more uniform,” Atamian said. “I think it’s a great idea. You know, I’ve been on both sides of it. I’ve been on the side of someone trying to sell a building next to a building that’s like a bright color that sticks out, and you’re trying to be more professional.”

Atamian previously owned a building painted bright green for his Cricket store, but later repainted it a more neutral color after the business closed.

The standards require exterior façade colors to be subtle, neutral or earth-toned and prohibit high-intensity and fluorescent colors. Brighter colors may be used for trim and accents on up to 10% of a building’s façade.

Madera’s approved palette includes 88 base colors and 91 trim colors. Atamian said the rules could help prevent individual buildings from standing out in ways that detract from surrounding properties.

Atamian said he hopes the standards, combined with ongoing downtown improvements, will help Madera create more cohesive commercial areas similar to those in downtown Clovis and Visalia.