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DESIGN

design
Street and urban design guidelines, governing things like the use of awnings, can unify diverse facades and maintain local character.

STRATEGIES FOR GOOD DESIGN

These five strategies can help cities and towns promote well-designed infill.

Plan for Density: Review and update plans and zoning codes so they allow appropriate densities, heights, setbacks, and floor-area ratios in infill locations. Eliminate maximum densities and set minimum heights and densities to make sure land is used efficiently in targeted districts. Integrate a variety of types of homes into existing areas. Give generous density bonuses and allow density credits to be traded among property owners.

Reduce Parking Standards: Update zoning codes and general plans to require fewer parking spaces per housing unit, which will provide more homes and reduce traffic. Ensure the costs of parking are paid by those who use it. Support this with policies that facilitate car-free living.

Establish Urban Design Guidelines: Create street and urban design guidelines, and consider form-based codes, to ensure that new projects by different builders work together to create attractive, walkable neighborhoods, while maintaining local historic character.

Manage Stormwater Wisely: Plan for and proactively manage the city’s stormwater to reduce the likelihood of flooding and keep local waters healthy. Use design strategies that deal with stormwater as a resource rather than a waste product. Assist developers in meeting stormwater requirements.

Design Housing to Meet a Range of Needs: Encourage the creation of a range of
housing and outdoor spaces to accommodate diverse populations of different
ages, cultures, and stages of life. Include design features that incorporate research findings about how people use space.

 

Making the Most of the Infill Site

When planning for infill, cities need to provide the conditions to make it successful. This includes making sure that new development will be dense enough to add life to chosen districts, create safe, walkable streets, and support local businesses and public transportation. This also includes dealing with parking
in a way that will increase foot traffic, decrease car traffic, and free up land for better uses. Streets and developments
can be made more attractive and more environmentally friendly with plantings that filter or absorb stormwater. After the
planning for growth is complete, cities can use design guidelines to specify how new development will occur to make the neighborhood more attractive and preserve its character. These guidelines also can make sure that new housing meets the needs of diverse residents.

“People get too focused on density, as if that’s the only thing that counts. The goal needs to be creating pieces of the landscape— urban or suburban—that you’d want to spend time in, or live in, yourself.”
– John King, Urban Design Writer, San Francisco Chronicle

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