Columbia Pike was the most underdeveloped area in a county that is otherwise built out. Located in an urban county that has seen explosive growth in recent decades, Columbia Pike, (a 3.5-mile urban corridor immediately across the Potomac River from downtown Washington, DC) had seen little development in the past 30 years. County leaders initiated this revitalization effort to bring economic development to the corridor through the creation of a form-based code to foster transit- and pedestrian-oriented infill redevelopment. The project also included a public participation urban design charrette and master plan. The code is an optional (or parallel) code, with all of the underlying zoning remaining in place, but includes incentives such as expedited review and approvals, to encourage its use.
Sample Codes
| FBCI gathers good examples of form-based codes from communities across the U.S. You will find these sample codes very helpful in your own research and writing of codes. You may search for codes by keywords. Type a theme or a place name (city, state, etc.) into the search box. Or use the keyword filter. You may select more than one keyword by holding down "CONTROL" on your keyboard and clicking again. This will broaden your search to include codes with any of the selected keywords. Click Apply to search and Reset to start over. |
**Driehaus Award Winner**
**Driehaus Award Winner**
The City of Denver’s Riverfront Commons Form-Based Code is a national model for a groundbreaking early form-based code with excellent built results. The visioning and intent statement were so fine they made a convincing case for public and private support of the code. Area by area, the intent was clearly outlined. The public realm requirements in the code were provided in great detail. A distinction was made between these required standards and additional guidelines on each subject. This code could be emulated at any scale. While this code was adopted as a PUD using “design guidelines” language, its essential elements could be replicated today as a form-based zoning district.
Denver Commons Site Denver Commons Images Denver Commons Design Guidelines
**Driehaus Award Winner**
The Station Area is located within a struggling commercial district adjacent to interstate highway interchange. Farmers Branch initiated a master plan effort to prepare for anticipated redevelopment of the district in conjunction with extension of the Dallas Area Rapid Transit light rail line to the city. The master plan calls for creation of strong development regulations that are consistent with the community's vision. The frontage-based form-based code prescribes clear and precise design standards for street spaces, broad categories for uses, and general architectural parameters that are important to the quality and character of a vibrant new downtown. The 2007 Driehaus Award Jury found this code to be “an excellent model for new development at a project or site specific scale with excellent graphics and minimal verbiage contributing to its clarity and ease of use.”
Station Area contents Station Area introduction Station Area regulating plan
In 2009 the City of Flagstaff embarked on a comprehensive rewrite of its zoning regulations realizing that they were complicated, hard to administer and enforce, and they promoted sprawl development inconsistent with the general plan which envisions a more compact urban form. The new code, adopted in 2011, seamlessly combines conventional zoning districts (for most of the city) with form-based districts (for downtown and surrounding historic areas). The code promotes sustainable development consistent with the general plan and, through its form-based elements, fosters transit- and pedestrian-oriented infill redevelopment. Because of the limitations of Arizona statutes the form-based code is an optional (or parallel) code with the underlying zoning remaining in place, but it includes numerous incentives to encourage its use.
After incorporation, the Town of Fort Myers Beach FL needed to completely revise its land development code to implement a new comprehensive plan. The new plan revolved around a community design element that described how physical pieces of the town (open spaces, buildings, streets, and paths) work together to create a distinct local character amidst a tourism economy. The new code, adopted in 2003, uses a combination of conventional zoning districts for its stable neighborhoods plus form-based zoning districts for its redevelopment areas. All zoning districts use a streamlined method of assigning land uses. Mandatory design standards are provided for commercial buildings, replacing difficult-to-enforce design guidelines. This code is administered by town staff, replacing a system where nearly every approval required approval by the Town Council.
**Driehaus Award Winner**
**Driehaus Award Winner**
The Gulfport Code is the first new FBC to be adopted in communities hit by Hurricane Katrina. While an optional code, an add-on to the city’s existing regulations, it still holds immense potential to serve as a model for other recovering communities. The sheer effort to create the Gulfport code brought the community together under difficult circumstances. It makes many additions to the base SmartCode, in a tactic intended to embed the FBC in local practice.
Dover, Kohl & Partners
**Driehaus Award Winner**
Leander's code shows the initiative of a municipality preparing for the development expected to result from planned transportation improvements. The city's current population of 17,000 is anticipated to exceed 200,000, as Leander is linked to Austin by tollway and regional commuter rail. This mandatory code is an effective customization of the SmartCode template, addressing complicated issues of Texas planning law, as well as architectural standards intended to characterize the growing community. The 2007 Driehaus Award jury found the code language precise and admired the graphic design of the document, making it easy to use.