Form-Based Codes 101

Form-Based Codes Committee

City of South Burlington

July 12, 2012

Priorities & Possibilities Walkable

Reduce current grid of car-dependent sprawl by presenting the streets as a destination in themselves

Mixed-Use Daily and civic needs within proximity to each other (office,

retail, grocery) Compact

Preservation of natural and scenic areas while developing urban areas for density

Diverse Mixed housing and non-residential options invite diversity

of incomes, ages, and demographics

Function Follows Form – The What & Why Emphasis on buildings, facades, street composition, dimensions Specify building massing, height, and relation to street and public

spaces & street and sidewalk widths Emphasize mixed uses Regulatory focus on form, instead of density & use Prescriptive not proscriptive Primarily works to define and create a “place” Enables more fine-grained placemaking (transect) Greater attention to streetscape, public realm & role of individual

buildings in shaping public realm More predictability for both the public, land owners, and

developers Concise, organized, and written for non-planners to understand Up-front public participation during code creation limits the need

for discretionary review

Key Components Regulating Plan

Designates key locations or “zones” where different building form standards apply

Zones often based on the Transect

Definitions/ Glossary Annotated glossary to make specific language clear and accessible to public

Public Space/ Street Standards Design specifications for elements within the public realm (streets,

landscaping, parks)

Building Form Standards Controls building placement, orientation, features & functions such as height,

massing, setbacks, parking, and the use of buildings

Architectural Standards (optional) Standards and guidelines controlling external architectural materials and

quality

Land Use Continuum/ Spectrum: Introducing the Transect Urban to rural transect or cross section

Natural science- to planning: draws a cross section through different habitats to better understand their relationships on a spectrum/ continuum

Used to better understand where different uses and building types fit well in relation to their context

Allows for a common understanding that relates development characteristics to places within the urban fabric

Establishes a common language that allows developers, planners, and residents to comprehend the context for different uses and building types

Sustainability & Quality of Life

Urban agriculture & community gardens Green roofs Alternative energy sollutions Natural infiltration

Rain gardens Green streets Flow-through planters

FBC Implementation

1. Existing conditions analysis and inventory

2. Public visioning/ charrette

3. Regulating Plan and zones

4. Develop urban standards (streets, blocks, building placement, height, land use, etc.)

5. Develop architectural standards (building or frontage typologies, etc.)

6. Illustrate standards

Additional Resourcesavailable at www.sburl.com Sample communities’ codes Annotated web resources South Burlington initial draft code South Burlington consultant presentations Committee information