This report is an exploration of theoretical and applied aspects of form-based coding. First, it presents an in-depth look at conventional zoning, conditions surrounding its origins around the turn of the twentieth century, the system of legal precedents that supports zoning, the evolution of the zoning “toolkit”, and the scope of zoning policies which are prevalent today. Second, form-based codes are defined and differentiated from conventional codes as well as design guidelines. The organizing principles on which FBCs are based are explained and the components of FBCs are described. Issues and controversy surrounding FBCs are discussed. Third, diverse case studies from around the country are carried out in order to examine how form-based codes are developed and applied in various real-world contexts. Case studies are presented in two different tiers, primary and secondary. Primary case studies involve in-depth research, whereas secondary case studies receive a brief, overview-style treatment. Primary case studies are: St. Lucie County, Florida and Sarasota County, Florida. Secondary case studies are: Leander, Texas; Peoria, Illinois; Montgomery, Alabama; Arlington County, Virginia; Hercules, California; and Miami, Florida. Fourth, conclusions are drawn from the research and point towards best practices in form-based coding. The report concludes that form-based codes are not a cure-all, should be developed in the context of a visioning process, and should strike a balance in terms of regulation. Additionally, market factors play a major role. The high cost of coding is a major concern. Furthermore, code writers should be prepared to educate the public as part of their profession. / text

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Master of Regional and Community Planning / Department of Landscape Architecture/Regional and Community Planning / John W. Keller / Form-based codes are gaining in popularity and provide a much needed and adequate alternative to more commonly used zoning regulations. Analysis shows the inadequacies and negative consequences that zoning regulations have created over the past 100 years of use within the United States. The focus being that traditional zoning regulations create undesired and unsustainable communities. A progression of form-based codes from their origins to the use of form-based codes today shows how they can be used to influence and shape the built environment. Further examination of the evolution of form-based codes reveals the guiding principles and elements of more modern codes. When compared to traditional zoning regulations, form-based codes can assist in designing a better quality built environment by creating more conscious, significant and sustainable places and spaces within our communities. By looking at current ways in which form-based codes are implemented we can begin to define best management practices and speculate on the future of form-based codes.

As an emerging urban design tool, form-base codes have been increasingly used by urban planners and designers since the 1980s. Focusing on the actual built environment, form-based codes can provide more predictable results of future development and help planners to more easily communicate with people through detailed diagrams to develop consensual visions. Despite all of these advantages, however, there is no study identifying the advantages of form-based codes over conventional codes in both quantitative and qualitative ways. This thesis proposes what aspects of form-based codes have a positive impact on community revitalization compared with conventional zoning and the differences between the regulation systems by establishing evaluation criteria - sustainability, connectivity, diversity, and design optimization and compactness. For clearer analysis, physical standards in both regulation systems will be considered, and those standards will be directly applied to the actual community development project, the Fort McPherson Redevelopment Plan.

Form-based codes are evaluated with criteria often requiring additional clarification. To better identify form-based code evaluation criteria, this thesis identifies the major intentions of form-based codes from the literature and focuses on the first intention, quality of life. The form-based code literature relates quality of life to three principles with underlying parameters: neighborhood with a center and edge, proximity to daily needs, and walkability. Neighborhood refers to the identification of walkable districts of about .25 mile radius with a clear center and edge. Proximity to daily needs requires diversity of uses in proximity to residential uses so that residents travel short distances to address daily needs. Walkability is a more complex principle with numerous impacting parameters effective only when working in tandem with each other. A selection of six case studies from award-wining form-based codes test the presence of the three quality of life principles in form-based code practice and the findings are discussed. All six case studies incorporated the three quality of life principles with some differences in all form-based planning process phases. Neighborhood is used as equivalent to a .25 mile pedestrian shed. The value of the concept of neighborhood edge in from-based codes remains unclear, however, since few case studies included it and needs to be explored further. Neighborhood with a center and edge therefore can be rephrased to a .25 mile pedestrian shed with a center. The .25 mile pedestrian shed alone is a fundamental parameter in all 3 quality of life principles and all case studies incorporated this parameter. Proximity to daily needs parameters as identified are also incorporated in all case studies. Walkability parameters that require building adaptations to walkable environments were present in all case studies. Walkability parameters, however, addressing standards for sidewalks and streets, were uncommon in some studies and, as a result, application of walkability parameters varied across case studies. Therefore, satisfying the quality of life form-based code intention, the 3 principles of pedestrian shed with a center, proximity to daily needs, and walkability can be used as part of the set of criteria to assess form-based codes. All 3 principles point to the direction of sustainability in an effort to create cities that are efficient to manage and highly appropriate for daily human function.

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Throughout history planning codes and standards have been used to regulate the built environment for health, power, order, and economic reasons. More recently, in the urban design and planning field, planning codes and standards have emerged to become tools in the process of “placemaking”. The concept of placemaking builds from the desire of humans to create places, not spaces, which are unique, attractive, identifiable, and memorable. It is a concept that is comprised of visual and social components, recognizing the need for both in the creation of successful places. In the field of urban design and planning, form-based codes (FBCs) and design guidelines have emerged to become two types of planning tools used in the process of placemaking. This study explores the relationship between FBCs, design guidelines, and placemaking, investigating it through an extensive literature review, and then in the context of the case of Hayward, California through an update of the City’s Downtown design requirements and guidelines. To frame the update of the Hayward’s Downtown design requirements and guidelines this study used an exploratory methodology that combined quantitative and qualitative methods. Archival research was conducted to provide a historical narrative of the City and the Downtown area and a documents analysis was conducted to reveal information about existing Downtown policies and programs. Community participation through the crowdsourcing platform of MindMixer was used to collect community input and feedback about concepts of place in Downtown. The data analysis and findings from these methods were combined with findings from the literature review to formulate recommendations that were used in the update of Hayward’s Downtown design requirements and guidelines document. Keywords:

After a 100-year history, traditional zoning practices are being challenged as a contributing factor in a number of social, heath and economic problems facing cities in the United States. In this context, form based codes have emerged as a possible alternative way for cities to guide development. Growing out of the New Urbanist movement, form based codes frequently mix uses, allow for a greater variety of housing types and encourage development that is both denser and more compact. Despite an established literature which links land-use regulations, and zoning in particular, to fiscal outcomes, the impacts that form based codes have on public finance in the growing number of cities which have adopted them has yet to be fully investigated. The goal of this research is to examine if and how form based codes alter property tax and sales tax generation in the cities that adopt them. To examine the relationship between form based codes and public finance a series of two multivariate regression analyses were conducted using historic property and sales tax data. The first regression analysis was performed using the full list of 122 cities which have adopted form based standards from between 1984 and 2009. In an attempt to limit the diversity of sample cities and improve the ability to generalize results a second regression analysis was performed using a smaller list of 47 cities with populations between 50,000 and 200,000 thousand that had adopted form based standards between 1984 and 2009. The results of the first analysis established that a statistically significant positive relationship existed between the presence of form based standards which were implemented citywide and observed property tax revenue both in total and on a per capita basis. Similarly, a statistically significant positive relationship between the presence of form based standards implemented at the neighborhood level and total property tax revenue was observed. No significant relationship was found between the presence of neighborhood level standards and per capita property tax revenue. Further no significant relationship was found between form based standards and sales tax revenue. In general, these findings support the theory that form based codes and the development they allow, does alter the amount of property tax a city collects, but does not support the theory that form based codes affect sales tax revenues by facilitating the development of a more conducive urban, walkable environment or for any other reason. The results of the second regression analysis using data from cities with populations between 50,000 and 200,000 showed a significant positive relationship between the presences of citywide form based standards and total property tax revenue and per capita property tax revenue. Analysis of sales tax data showed a positive relationship between total sales tax revenue and the presence of form based standards at the neighborhood level. No other significant relationship between form based standards and sales tax revenue was observed. Similar, to analysis of all cities, the results for cities with population of 50,000 to 200,000 support the theory that form based codes and the development they allow does alter the amount of property tax a city collects, and that form based codes do not affect sales tax revenues except in the case of codes adopted at the neighborhood level, where a generally positive relationship was identified at the 10% confidence interval. Following this multivariate regression analysis, a case study of Saratoga Springs, New York was completed. Located in the far reaches of the Albany Metropolitan Area, Saratoga Springs developed as a popular tourist destination in the mid 1800’s. After experiencing economic decline in line with that of its peer cities in the mid to late 20th century, Saratoga Springs has experience a boom and now boast some of the highest home values in Upstate New York. In 2003 the city was one of the first in country to adopt form based standards, which have guided a significant amount of development in the city’s historic downtown as the city re-emerged as a popular tourist destination. Since the adoption of form based standards in Saratoga Springs both property tax and sales tax receipts have doubled.

Los Angeles is experiencing a loss of inventory with Industrial land due to adaptive reuse and property conversion. The primary factors behind the conversions are inconsistent land use regulations and a strong market demand for residential property. In an effort to streamline land use regulation, the city will create a new zoning code. In conjunction with the zoning update, the purpose of this project will be to develop a form-based code for the Los Angeles Arts District. The new land use regulation will explore methods to preserve job producing industrial space and accommodate the growing residential market in the area. Data for this study was collected and presented as a site analysis. The study also includes a literature review that examines the history of land use regulation in Europe and the United States. The site analysis for the Arts District includes an investigation of circulation patterns, economic factors, development profile, community input, and review of planning documents. Research includes a chronological investigation of the Arts District’s history, land use policies, and regulations. The study indicates that the Arts District, though primarily industrial, contains multiple residential nodes. Additionally, it reveals that industrial jobs and building stock are at risk from new development. The purpose of The Arts District Form-Based Code, as the new land use regulation, is to create a predicable development pattern that improves the quality of the built environment.

American cities have only recently come of age in the global sense. Therefore, most of our land use regulations have emphasized greenfield development issues over those of a mature city. The next wave of city building is redensification. This thesis argues that modern day, Euclidian zoning needs to be replaced in order to make the case for a sustainable mix of residential diversity, density, and affordability. Conventional zoning relies on simplistic measures to regulate density and shape the form of neighborhoods. Initially used primarily as a way to make the field of planning appear scientific and rational, these measures do not create functionally flexible neighborhoods for the changing needs of the twenty first century. Urban spaces should be thought of as a language, composed of pieces that evolve with cultural norms. Zoning must evolve to reflect current societal values, with an emphasis on environmental issues, while meeting the needs of changing market structures if cities are ever to sustainably house their populous. Zoning's inflexibility towards cultural shifts uses antiquated assumptions to force contemporary city design into a regulatory straight jacket. Using case studies within the city of Los Angeles because of its history in side-by-side integration of single family homes with a range of residential densities and supportive commercial uses, the thesis investigates three primary questions. First, under what zoning ordinances did the Los Angeles neighborhoods evolve and what lessons in functionality can be taken from their design? Second, looking at both conventional zoning and newer, form-based regulatory techniques, how does zoning affect the variety of housing types available? And third, what would a flexible zoning framework, created to support the future development of an evolving regional urbanization process and a changing social demographic, look like?