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1998, ordinances in Dade County, Orange County, and Jupiter
<br />(enacted in 1991, 1993, and 1995 respectively) had yet to
<br />complete a single residential unit in a TND project.
<br /> This type of PUD zoning system essentially penalizes developers
<br />of TND projects and encourages conventional sprawl. New
<br />urbanist architect Andres Duany says it is "madness" for a profit-
<br />driven builder to open himself to these kinds of bureaucratic delays
<br />and scrutiny when conventional development is an available
<br />option. IfTND projects continue to be accommodated by a PUD
<br />rezoning process that may involve any number of variances, and
<br />take as long as three or four years for final development approval,
<br />conventional suburban development will remain unchanged. The
<br />current zoning and development approval process may have to be
<br />changed radically--perhaps through simplification--to fully realize
<br />the potential design benefits of new urbanist development.
<br />
<br />Mixed-use ~ ·
<br />building design:
<br />Fort Collins City Plan
<br />and Code. Relatively diverse ' -
<br /> mix of uses in structure, adding '
<br /> second-floor uses, creating pedestrian-
<br /> j~iendly environment.
<br />
<br /> Fort Collins, Colorado, has taken a giant step in that direction.
<br />Late last year, Re city, long a pioneer in planned development
<br />zoning, amended its comprehensive plan and zoning code not only
<br />to accommodate, but to actually require TND design and
<br />development within the city. TND development is subject only to
<br />site plan administrative approval under fixed, but fairly flexible,
<br />performance standards. A PUD rezoning is not required for TND
<br />development, and conventional low-density development is no
<br />longer an available option.
<br /> The Fort Collins zoning code contains mandatory urban design
<br />elements relating to block size, streets, sidewalks, build-m lines,
<br />and housing mix. It provides for neighborhood centers in each
<br />quarter-section of land, promotes multimodal transportation
<br />opportunities, and unlike all other zoning codes, provides
<br />
<br />Edward Ziegler is Professor of Law and President of the Rocky
<br />Mountain Land Use Institute at the University of Denver College
<br />of Law. Greg Byrne is Director of Community Planning &
<br />Environmental Services for the City of Ft. Collins, Colorado.
<br />
<br />"minimum" density requirements for residential development. To
<br />promote compact, orderly, and sequential development, and to
<br />avoid the sprawl of leapfrog development, the development code
<br />also requires that new development be contiguous with existing
<br />development and that adequate public facilities exist (or be
<br />provided) contemporaneously with new development..
<br /> Many new systems acquire some sort of motto or slogan, a
<br />quick shorthand way to express the heart ora complex strategy.
<br />In Fort Collins, city officials often find themselves saying,
<br />"We're building a city, not a suburb." Somehow, it helps to
<br />clarify issues and offer solutions to thorny problems.
<br /> Listed below are a few of the many issues debated during the
<br />adoption of City Plan, the new comprehensive plan for the
<br />community. The solutions reflect what people believe will help
<br />"build a city."
<br />
<br />· Neighborhoods--They are the building blocks of all
<br /> communities and cover more land area than any other type
<br /> of land use. They are more than single-family houses, and ar'e
<br /> not isolated from one another, or from other parts of the
<br /> city. They incorporate many land uses and are tied together
<br /> by a complete transportation system.
<br />
<br />· Density---A significant component of sprawl is Iow
<br /> residential density. Fort Collins's code requires minimum
<br /> densities higher than typical sprawl development--about five
<br /> dwelling units per acre in low-density zones and 12 dwelling
<br /> units per acre in medium-density zones.
<br />
<br />· Single-family Design--Auto domination tends to result in
<br /> the "garagescape" so many people find objectionable.
<br /> Although many new urbanist projects have rigid architectural
<br /> controls, design standards are limited to the garage, which
<br /> must be recessed from the front facade. It can be attached,
<br /> detached, street accessed, or approached from an alley. The
<br /> home may have a front por. ch that extends. Many solutions
<br /> are possible. The garage simply cannot protrude. This tends
<br /> to emphasize the human scale elements of the facade.
<br />
<br />· Multifamily Design--These housing types are critical to the
<br /> mix and variety in the neighborhood. For them to be
<br /> accepted, design standards had to be raised. Entries should
<br /> face the street, blank walls should not. Residents must be
<br /> able to use the sidewalk system without competing with cars.
<br /> In Iow-density areas, buildings are limited to six units.
<br />· Gated Entries--Residential developments with gated entries
<br /> are prohibited.
<br /> Blocks--In the older parts of Fort Collins, like most cities,
<br /> blocks are set offby surrounding public streets. They
<br /> typically contain seven to 10 acres. Throughout the '70s,
<br /> '80s, and '90s, block size increased to huge proportions,
<br /> often hundreds of acres of labyrinthine streets impenetrable
<br /> to through movement. In Fort Collins, block size is limited
<br /> to 12 acres in Iow-density areas. In commercial areas, blocks
<br /> will be smaller: four to seven acres.
<br />
<br /> Streets--This is the most prevalent form of public land. The
<br /> design takes into account both the street amenities (detached
<br /> sidewalks, street trees, etc.) as well as the effect that private
<br /> development has on the public space.
<br /> Commercial Buildings--Placement of commercial buildings
<br /> is critical to the creation of effective pedestrian zones. The
<br /> code requires "build-to" lines, bringing the facade to the
<br /> street, and mandates direct pedestrian connections from
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