Today’s Best Form-Based

Codes

CNU 17 – Denver

FBCI Mission:

To advance the knowledge and use of, and develop standards for, Form-Based Codes as a method to achieve a community vision based on time-tested forms of urbanism.

Blue Springs Downtown Development Code

Downtown Blue Springs, Missouri FBC180 Degree Design Studio

Building Typology

Building Typology

Blue Springs DowntownA 15 year vision

Historic Downtown CoreHistoric Residential Neighborhoods 21st Century Transit Village

Blue Springs DowntownTransect Zones

Blue Springs DDC: Downtown Review Board

Blue Springs DowntownFirst Projects

West Evanston Form-Based Code

Dallas Form Districts

Existing Code Problems

• Unpredictable Outcomes• Districts Do Not Create Urban Places• “One Size Fits All” Approach• Each Project Involves Negotiation • No Districts to Implement Transit-

Oriented Development (TOD)

The Dallas Code is friendly to developments like this . . .

. . . and unfriendly to

developments like this

New Code Approach

forwardDallas! mixed use building blocks provide context for differentiating mixed use standards

Transit Center Urban Mixed Use Multi-Modal Corridor

Campus District Main Street Urban Neighborhood

New Code Approach

• New Districts Designed as Base Zoning Options

• Form-Based Codification – Additional graphics and improved page

layout– Includes Minor Streets Standards

New Code Approach

• Hierarchy of Elements:

– ZONING DISTRICTS: Districts Applied Based on forwardDallas! Policy Guidance

– BUILDING TYPES: Building Types Allowed in Specified Districts

– PERMITTED USES: Uses Allowed in Specified Building Types

New Code Approach

Three New Districts:– Urban Mixed Use (UMU-)

• Low, Medium, High Intensity• 3-Stories . . . 8-Stories . . . 12-stories

– Urban Residential (UR-)• Low, Medium, High Intensity

– Residential Transition (RTN)• Low Intensity Only

New Code Approach

Two Frontages– Shopfront

• Requires single- or multi-story shopfront building with retail on ground floor

• Accommodates large-format retail, not just “main street”

– Mixed Use Shopfront• Requires multi-story shopfront building with

retail on ground floor• Vertical mixing of uses (residential or office

above retail)

Code Format

Building Types by District

Code Format

Building Types

Code Format

Building Types

BuildingTypes

Code Format

Use Regulations

Streets and Streetscape

Variety of streetscape plates can be matched to a variety of street types

Implementation

• Enabling Legislation Only– NOT Location-Specific Zoning Changes– No Map Changes– Each Map Change Considered as a

Rezoning• The Goal is to Enable Good, Urban

Mixed-Use in Specific Target Areas– Around Transit Stations (TOD)– Along Transit Corridors

The View from the Jury: Current issues in FBC writing

• Use of building types: when and how?

• Is enabling urbanism enough?

• The importance of a clear vision?

• Optional codes?