Commercial Development Standards
PPD 619 | Smart Growth | Spring 2012
Citywide Design Guidelines and
Ruby Chong | Jay Lee | Sandra Mendler | Muriel Skaf
IntroducFon | ImplementaFon | Other Regulatory Regimes | Design Guidelines | Overarching Issues | Conclusion
Late 1980s: 1. Los Angeles Municipal Code SecFon 12.22-‐A, 23: Commercial Corner Developments and
Mini-‐Shopping Centers – Development Standards 2. Los Angeles Municipal Code SecFon 12.24-‐W, 27: Commercial Corner Developments and
Mini-‐Shopping Centers – CondiFonal Use Permit
Issues: 1. Inefficiency 2. Limited scope 3. Lack of neighborhood protecFon
Direc?on: 1. Develop commercial citywide design guidelines: BROADLY APPLICABLE, BROADLY
ENFORCEABLE, & MORE DETAILED 2. Recommend a streamlined procedure to review requests 3. Study approaches to protect residenFal neighborhoods
IntroducFon | ImplementaFon | Other Regulatory Regimes | Design Guidelines | Overarching Issues | Conclusion
Introduc?on
IntroducFon | ImplementaFon | Other Regulatory Regimes | Design Guidelines | Overarching Issues | Conclusion
IMPLEMENTATION RECOMMENDATIONS
Citywide Commercial Design Guidelines
Compliance: 1. Commercial Citywide Design Guidelines 2. LA General Plan 3. LA Municipal Code
Process: 1. Flexibility 2. JusFficaFon 3. Findings 4. Intent
Implem
enta?on
ExisFn
g
Refined Review Process 1. AdministraFve Process 2. New type of permit: efficiency and clarity
Precedent: TSW (Atlanta, Georgia)
Technical Advisory CommiJee (TAC) 1. Stakeholders: architects, developers, business owners, landscape architects,
planners, and residents 2. DuFes: technical assistance and recommendaFons to permi`ng authority 3. Annual/biannual revisions
Precedent: LACMTA
Implem
enta?on
Recommen
daFo
n #1
PROVIDE INCENTIVES: LARGER SCOPE
Examples: 1. Tax breaks 2. Density and FAR allowances 3. Transfer of density and FAR 4. ExempFon from minimum density requirements 5. Increased maximum parking raFos 6. Commercial allowances
Precedents: Incen<ve zoning and historic preserva<on
Implem
enta?on
Recommen
daFo
n #2
IntroducFon | ImplementaFon | Other Regulatory Regimes | Design Guidelines | Overarching Issues | Conclusion
RELATIONSHIP TO OTHER REGULATORY PLANNING REGIMES
Citywide Commercial Design Guidelines
versus
Green
Building Ordinan
ce
[acFve – m
ore legislaF
ve te
eth]
versus
ObjecFve: walkable, healthy and vibrant neighborhoods [greater objecFve to reduce obesity and improving health standards in Los Angeles county]
TOD Overlays
[sFll suggesFve – m
ore thorou
gh]
• Complicated interplay of planning regimes – CPIOs
– Specific Plans
– Specific Uses Districts
– TOD overlays
– Design overlays (RIO)
– Street guidelines
– Commercial design guidelines
etc.
Need to simplify Zoning Code, especially that all those schemes share the same objecFves “modular” code (UFO)
• Design guidelines might be redundant in the future, but remain very essenFal for a transiFon phase to form-‐base codes Fo
rm-‐based
Cod
e Simplifica?on
Man
ual for Living Streets
[suggesFve like Design Guide
lines]
• To enhance overall Built Environment – For all Users
– Pedestrians – Cyclists – Transit Users – Vehicles
– Various Modes of TransportaFon
– Private Vehicles – Buses
• Comparison to Commercial Design Guidelines
– SimilariFes to Encourage
– Walkability
– Various Transit – Streetscape
– Differs
– Street RelaFonship to Building vs. Building RelaFonship to Street
– More Detailed and Specific – Road Palerns – Street Widths
versus
IntroducFon | ImplementaFon | Other Regulatory Regimes | Design Guidelines | Overarching Issues | Conclusion
DESIGN GUIDELINES RECOMMENDATIONS
Citywide Commercial Design Guidelines
Commercial Design Guidelines ExisFng
• Guidelines for – IncorporaFng Smart Growth Principles – CreaFng a cohesive built environment – Safety – Enhancing the Business of the Commercial Buildings
• Best PracFces – Commercial Citywide Design Guidelines of City of Los Angeles – Community Design Guidelines of the City of Portland – Design Guidelines of Washington, DC – AcFve Design Guidelines of New York City
Exis?ng Guide
lines
Smart G
rowth-‐ P
ublic Spaces
Façade
Design
Exis?ng Guide
lines
Land
scape
Exis?ng Guide
lines
UFliFes
Exis?ng Guide
lines
Sustainability-‐ Passive
Exis?ng Guide
lines
Commercial Design Guidelines RecommendaFons
• Further Develop Sustainable Framework – Environmental, Economic, and Social Benefits
– Passive Strategies
– AcFve Strategies
IntroducFon | ImplementaFon | Other Regulatory Regimes | Design Guidelines | Overarching Issues | Conclusion
Prop
osed
Guide
lines
Sustainable Materials
• Bamboo • Cork
• Natural Paint
Green Building Materials
Prop
osed
Guide
lines
Sustainability-‐ AcFve
• Renewable Energy • Reduces Heat Island Effect
Photovoltaics
Precedents: Solar Energy System Guidelines of Santa Barbara
Photovoltaics
Size
NOT RECOMMENDED
• Not be overly publicly visible • Not larger than necessary
Photovoltaics
LocaFo
n
NOT RECOMMENDED (enFrely)
• South side of the site for maximum benefits of solar gain
RECOMMENDED
Photovoltaics
Arrangement a
nd Design
• Create a rectangular shape system rather than irregular shape
NOT RECOMMENDED RECOMMENDED
Photovoltaics
Arrangement a
nd Design
• Complement the overall design of the building
RECOMMENDED
OVERARCHING ISSUES AND CONCLUSION
Citywide Commercial Design Guidelines
IntroducFon | ImplementaFon | Other Regulatory Regimes | Design Guidelines | Overarching Issues | Conclusion
Why Ped
estrian-‐
Orien
ted?
• Framework plan anFcipates significant growth
• Limited space for addiFonal single family housing
• Growth planned for commercial corridors and at transit nodes
Source: http://www.crala.org/internet-site/Projects/Hollywood/upload/CRAHollywoodUrbanDesignPlan_web[1]-3.pdf
“The Design Guide is intended to provide guidance for creaFng a
livable Downtown. It includes both standards (requirements) and guidelines (suggesFons).” W
hy Ped
estrian-‐
Orien
ted?
The Walkability
Checklist
• Recommended strategies to improve the pedestrian environment in the public right-‐of-‐way and on private property
• Not a requirement
• Not part of the zoning code
• A project that is walkable is good for business and the environment
SF BeJ
er Streets Plan
The Beler Streets legislaFon requires that any changes to the public right-‐of-‐way, whether proposed by a community member, developer, merchant associaFon, City agency, or others must conform with relevant guidelines and policies from the Beler Streets Plan.
SF BeJ
er Streets Plan
IntroducFon | ImplementaFon | Other Regulatory Regimes | Design Guidelines | Overarching Issues | Conclusion
Conclusion
Is it a good idea for neighborhoods to have the ability to create alternate design guidelines? Is this good for the city?
Is this needed given how basic the guidelines are?