commercial "pedestrian oriented" design guidelines

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


Introduc?on


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

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enta?on

Recommen

daFo

n #2


RELATIONSHIP TO OTHER REGULATORY PLANNING REGIMES


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


DESIGN GUIDELINES RECOMMENDATIONS


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


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



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


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?