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<br />cines, warehouse and indusuial areas have
<br />morphed into uendy artS districts with galler-
<br />ies and rescaurants at sueet level and loft
<br />_lousing above. The form of the buildings has
<br />. emained hidy constant, while internal uses
<br />and activiry patterns have been uansformed.
<br />Under the current, use-based zoning system,
<br />such a chanae would be considered drastic. The
<br />~
<br />land-Lise category has gone from industrial, at one
<br />end of the spectrum, to residential, at the other,
<br />although to the average onlooker, the place looks
<br />pretty much the same. In this example, a form-
<br />based code would regulate the part that had
<br />remained the same-the form of the building
<br />and the configuration of the street and sidewalk.
<br />Use would be regulated, too, but at a secondary,
<br />rather than primary level of the code.
<br />
<br />natural features, and existing and planned
<br />public spaces.
<br />The fi-rst step in coding is to translate the
<br />illustrative plan into a more diagrammatic regu-
<br />lating plan, which indicates what goes where.
<br />This document, while similar in some ways to a
<br />zoning map, is far more detailed. It also omits
<br />any direct labeling of uses, a job that is handled
<br />in the building standards described below.
<br />In one kind of form-based code, the regu-
<br />lating plan assigns a building type or rypes to
<br />each available parcel of land. Other kinds of
<br />regulating plans indicate a range of building
<br />or frontage rypes that may be consuucted in a
<br />certain area.
<br />Clearly, when it comes to detailing the
<br />urban environment, one size does not fit all,
<br />
<br />
<br />In some cities, planners have found ways to
<br />bend land-use zoning to enable this kind of
<br />reuse to promote the revitalization of older
<br />neighborhoods, particularly those with good
<br />architectural "bones." But such modifications
<br />are typically made on a case-by-case basis or
<br />within narrowly defined special districts.
<br />Meanwhile, in new growth areas and in
<br />most existing neighborhoods, use-based zon-
<br />ing remains the law of the land. One result is
<br />the sub urbanization of ciry neighborhoods by
<br />provisions such as setback rules that force houses
<br />t~lf back on their lots and away from each other.
<br />
<br />CeUin;..: down io work
<br />Generally, the creation of a form-based code
<br />is interwoven with a commLlnity visioning
<br />process. The process typically includes a
<br />public design workshop, or charette, lasting
<br />sever:J.1 days. The community's "consensus
<br />.ision" is ~onveyed.through a ;ange of visuals ,
<br />lJ1c1uding perspectlve dr:J.wmgs, sIte analYSIS
<br />diagr:J.ms, :J.nd an illustrative plan. Th:J.t plan,
<br />which resembles an aerial photo, includes
<br />proposed buildings (shown as rooftops), key
<br />
<br />and the new approach to coding recognizes
<br />that. Coding by building rype provides the
<br />freedom to create one set of rules for one
<br />building type and another set for a different
<br />type. For example, a townhouse may function
<br />best with its main floor lifted a half-level
<br />above grade for interior privacy, with a front
<br />stoop for access. Yet a shopfront in the same
<br />neighborhood may be more accessible to cus-
<br />tomers if it is set at grade.
<br />Although public buildings are very important
<br />to New Urbanist designers, they are typically
<br />not coded. Such buildings are usually indicated
<br />in the regulating plan by a conceptual footprim
<br />that serves as a placeholder until an actu:J.l design
<br />is formulated (often years in the future).
<br />
<br />Nub aBld bolb
<br />The physical characteristics of each building
<br />type are summarized in the building stan-
<br />dards-a set of annotated building cross-sec-
<br />tions and plan diagrams assembled on a single,
<br />letter-size sheet. In some cases, all the build-
<br />ing types are combined into a matrix and
<br />formatted as a poster.
<br />
<br />American Planning A.ssuciarlu;1 1 ":J
<br />
<br />t
<br />
<br />Regardless of layout, building scandards
<br />rypically establish these parameters:
<br />Building height is a key standard. A maxi-
<br />mum number ofHoors (or dimension-to-dle-
<br />eave) is set to ensure that a building does not
<br />overwhelm its neighbors. Unlike use-based
<br />zoning, form-based codes also specify a mini-
<br />mum height in order to maintain a proper
<br />sueet wall.
<br />Siting standards control the placement of
<br />structures in relation to fronting streets and
<br />adjacent building lots. Dimensions to front,
<br />side, and rear building lines, as well as the
<br />location and configuration of entrances, park-
<br />ing, yards, and courtyards are specified. Key
<br />building elemems-i.e., windows, doors, and
<br />porches-are also controlled by the standards.
<br />Uses are also part of the building envelope
<br />standards, but the appro:lch here is quite dir..
<br />ferem from conventional zoning. Permissible
<br />uses, stated in general terms (e.g., retail, resi-
<br />dential), are idemified for each building rype
<br />and labeled on the cross-section diagr:J.m.
<br />This approach makes it easy to assign dif-
<br />ferent uses to each floor of a mixed-use devel-
<br />opmem, and avoids the problem of trying to
<br />communicate the same inrormation on a flat
<br />map. (The plethora of colors, stripes, and cross-
<br />hatch patterns on most zoning maps shows
<br />how confusing this can be.)
<br />Thoroughfare standards for a range of recom-
<br />mended street types may also be part of the code
<br />in places where streets are nor individually de-
<br />signed. Such standards are indicated by section
<br />diagrams with dimensions for travel and park-
<br />ing lanes, sidewalks, medians, and planting strips.
<br />Tree alignment and p ropeny lines are also shown.
<br />Finally, many codes include a set of land-
<br />scape standards listing appropriate tree and
<br />groundcover species. Most codes also provide
<br />a glossary that defines terms that are used in a
<br />specific way in the document.
<br />These components constitute the basics of
<br />a form-based code. They conuol the urban
<br />design elements that New Urbanists are most
<br />concerned with. However, some communi-
<br />ties-master-pLll1ned developments, special
<br />retail districts, histOric districts, among others-
<br />may want to exercise a higher level of control
<br />over the appearance of individual buildings.
<br />For this reason, some form-based codes In-
<br />clude architectural st:ll1dards.
<br />This optional "dress code" controls exte-
<br />rior colors, materials, and consuucrion tech-
<br />niques. Particular emphasis is given to clad-
<br />ding, doors, windows. stairs, and roofs. Sryle
<br />may also be included as part of the architec-
<br />tural standards, but not in every case. IvIany
<br />New Urbanisrs choose to avoid direct refer-
<br />
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