Code Talk 1CHARACTER DISTRICTS

Auto-Oriented Urban Form

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CODE TALK 1: CHARACTER DISTRICTS

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Walkable Urban Form

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1: Natural

• Protected from development in perpetuity

• Includes bodies of water, wetlands, public open space, and conservation easements

CODE TALK 1: CHARACTER DISTRICTS

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2: Rural

• Open space not protected from development

• TDR sending areas• May include

floodplains, steep slopes, and aquifer recharge areas

CODE TALK 1: CHARACTER DISTRICTS

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3: Sub-Urban

• Least dense, most residential

• Single-family detached houses

• Office and retail on restricted basis

• Maximum 2 stories• Open space, highways,

and roads are rural in character

Image Credit: Jason Miller

Image Credit: CNU Image Bank

CODE TALK 1: CHARACTER DISTRICTS

3: Sub-Urban Example

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4: General Urban

• Primarily residential• Single-family detached

houses and rowhouses on small-medium lots

• Limited office buildings• Small-scale retail,

typically at corners• Maximum of 3 stories• Open space consists of

greens and squares

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4: Urban General Example

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5: Urban Center

• Denser, fully mixed-use areas

• Buildings include rowhouses, live-work flexhouses, apartment buildings, and offices above shops

• Maximum of 5 stories• Open space consists of

squares and plazas

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5: Urban Center Example

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6: Urban Core

• Most dense, mixed-use concentration of a region

• Buildings consist of rowhouses, apartment houses, office buildings, and department stores

• Wide range of building lot sizes and heights

• Surface parking lots not permitted on frontages

• Open space consists of squares and plazas.

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6: Urban Core Examples

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CODE TALK 1: CHARACTER DISTRICTS

Stockholm, Sweden Transect

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CODE TALK 1: CHARACTER DISTRICTS

T1 PRESERVE T6 URBAN CORET5 CENTERT4 GENERALT3 SUB URBANT2 RESERVE

Washington, DC Transect

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CODE TALK 1: CHARACTER DISTRICTS

Code Talk 2BUILDING TYPES

STREET TYPESFRONTAGE TYPES

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CODE TALK 2: BUILDING, STREET & FRONTAGE TYPES

Building Types

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CODE TALK 2: BUILDING, STREET & FRONTAGE TYPES

Building Types

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Building TypesCODE TALK 2: BUILDING, STREET & FRONTAGE TYPES

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Building TypesCODE TALK 2: BUILDING, STREET & FRONTAGE TYPES

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Building TypesCODE TALK 2: BUILDING, STREET & FRONTAGE TYPES

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Building TypesCODE TALK 2: BUILDING, STREET & FRONTAGE TYPES

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Street TypesCODE TALK 2: BUILDING, STREET & FRONTAGE TYPES

Approach to Building Form

• Building Type

• Private Frontage + Building Disposition

+

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CODE TALK 2: BUILDING, STREET & FRONTAGE TYPES

Private Frontage

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CODE TALK 2: BUILDING, STREET & FRONTAGE TYPES

Building Disposition

Edgeyard RearyardSideyard

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CODE TALK 2: BUILDING, STREET & FRONTAGE TYPES

How the Elements Combine

Rearyard+

Shopfront=

Main St. Mixed Use

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CODE TALK 2: BUILDING, STREET & FRONTAGE TYPES

ExerciseMAPPING DISTRICTS

Exercise: Mapping Districts

1.Identify areas on your map based on your intent to either protect, evolve, or transform.

2.Mark the general boundaries of each of these areas and indicate your intent.

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Exercise: Mapping Districts

3. Identify character districts. Each character district should be defined so that within the district, the future desired character for that district is consistent.

4. In a different color, mark the boundaries of each of these character districts and number each one.

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Exercise: Mapping Districts

5. Determine which building types should be allowed in each character district.

6. On each building type page, in the bottom table indicate which district that building type should be permitted.

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Exercise: Mapping Districts

• What did you learn from these exercises?• What are your key takeaways?• What surprised you?

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