Transcript INTERNATIONAL MUNICIPAL LAWYERS ASSOCIATION

INTERNATIONAL
MUNICIPAL LAWYERS
ASSOCIATION
NEW URBANISM LITE: HOW TO
INJECT NEW URBANIST DESIGN
PRINCIPALS INTO EUCLIDEAN
ZONING SYSTEMS
June 21, 2012
Portsmouth, New Hampshire
NEW URBANISM
New urbanism created in
early 1970s with Andres
Duany and Elizabeth
Plater-Zyberg based on a
critique of communities
created since Euclid.
NEW URBANISM
Standard zoning results
in communities with no
sense of place.
NEW URBANISM
Not walkable like
Boston, New York,
Chicago, San
Francisco, or even
Portsmouth
NEW URBANISM
Based on separation, not interaction of
uses.
NEW URBANISM
Subdivisions and site
plans isolate buildings
and serve automobiles,
not people.
NEW URBANISM
New urbanism
calls for new
zoning principals –
three-dimensional
form-based codes.
NEW URBANISM
The
neighborhood
has a center.
NEW URBANISM
The neighborhood is
walkable, and uses
are mixed. Each
street is threedimensionally zoned
as a transect with
“build to” lines.
NEW URBANISM LITE
Zero lot lines for
commercial uses.
Parking in rear, where
possible.
No snoots.
NEW URBANISM LITE
So why not do it? Because it’s illegal under
standard zoning.
NEW URBANISM
Standard zoning requires separation of uses.
Town road standards require wide streets,
discouraging bikes and pedestrians.
The general public hates sprawl, but fears density –
also financing problems.
NEW URBANISM LITE
Connecticut:
169 towns:
Lab mice for
new urbanist
concepts.
NEW URBANISM LITE
Architectural
review regulations
in zoning codes:
Noank and
Stonington
NEW URBANISM LITE
Adopted to
fend off
teardowns
and
McMansions
NEW URBANISM
Limited to
historic villages
as overlay
zones.
NEW URBANISM
Disapproval of
architectural
plans by
commission: A
basis for denial
of zoning
permit.
NEW URBANISM
Based on comparison of plan with
surrounding properties for scale, front
proportions, openings, building
materials, textures, roof shapes, etc.
NEW URBANISM
Limitations: Is it
authorized under the
standard zoning
enabling act? Buildings
must still conform to
zoning dimensional
requirements.
NEW URBANISM
Village districts:
Special districts
authorized by
statute for
historic New
England
villages.
NEW URBANISM
Must reflect
distinctive
character of
area, as defined
in Plan of
Conservation
and
Development.
NEW URBANISM
All exteriors assessed by special village
commission staffed by architect or certified
planner.
Review criteria includes reinforcing existing
buildings and streets, distinctive open
spaces, vista protection, scale, proportion,
massing, etc.
NEW URBANISM
Limitation is
expense,
particularly for
small towns.
NEW URBANISM
Special development districts allow zoning
overrides for qualified design. Encourage mix of
uses. Allow greater density. Limited to certain
areas of town.
NEW URBANISM
Based on master
plan, site study,
traffic report, and
overall plan of
development.
Prescribes uses and
development.
NEW URBANISM
Limitation:
It is
expensive for
the
developer.
NEW URBANISM
Code-based
zoning:
Hamden,
Connecticut
NEW URBANISM
Focused on two
major
thoroughfares
and supported by
comprehensive
study of
streetscapes.
NEW URBANISM
Includes transects and “build to”
requirements
NEW URBANISM
Mandates shared
parking.
Closely defines road
design.
Building massing
and height
mandated.
NEW URBANISM
Limitations:
Is it legally
allowed?
NEW URBANISM
With seniors wanting
to leave their ranch
houses, the millenials
wanting density, and
the need to limit
sprawl in GHGs, look
for these concepts to
be the basis of the
next generation of
development.