What are zoning and neighborhood design, and how do they work together?
___Zoning is a set of community laws and regulations that divides a community into various zones, and specifies what kinds of building, development, and economic activity can take place in each zone
___Neighborhood design refers not only to the design of buildings, but to the design of the neighborhood as a whole
___The type of zoning a community adopts can greatly shape the design of neighborhoods subject to that zoning
Why use zoning and neighborhood design to influence the physical structure of your community?
___They can guide public spending toward the appropriate places by putting money into projects and improvements most needed and wanted by neighborhood residents
___They can foster economic and racial/ethnic diversity
___They can foster social interaction and mixing among neighbors, and among neighborhood residents from diverse backgrounds
___They can make the chores of daily life easier and more convenient
___They can provide health benefits from walking and biking
___They can create ease of travel and independence for everyone
___They can provide easy access to jobs
___They can afford residents savings on transportation
___They can produce environmental benefits
___They can foster development that’s energy efficient and environmentally responsible
___They can lead to more profit for developers, and more reasons for them to invest in affordable housing
___They can create a better commercial environment
___They can make for a physically and aesthetically more pleasant neighborhood
___They can foster safer and more secure neighborhoods
___They can enhance neighborhood quality of life
When should you use zoning and neighborhood design?
___When a zoning code is being revisited or developed
___When a community strategic planning or neighborhood planning process is in place
___When a major development that could change the character of the neighborhood is proposed
___When a community or neighborhood development effort is under way
___When a community or neighborhood appears to be in a downward spiral
___When a neighborhood is in the midst of, or threatened by, changes in population
Who should use zoning and neighborhood design?
___Residents
___Neighborhood business owners and professionals (i.e. those who make their living in the neighborhood, although they may not live there)
___Industries with facilities in the neighborhood
___Those with financial interests in the neighborhood (landowners, developers with current plans)
___Neighborhood health and community service providers
___Civil servants – police, firefighters, etc.
___Local government representatives and agencies that serve the neighborhood – city councilors, state representatives, municipal recreation agencies, public transportation, etc.
___Cultural organizations with a venue or base in the neighborhood – museums, libraries, performing arts centers
___Educational institutions, both public and private
___Neighborhood houses of worship
How do you implement zoning and neighborhood design?
___Reach out and recruit stakeholders
___Solicit stakeholders’ ideas about the ideal future for the neighborhood
___Hold a series of public meetings where stakeholders can discuss their initial ideas and develop a shared vision for the neighborhood
___Flesh out the vision statement with outcome goals
___Generate concrete objectives tied to specific actions to achieve outcome goals
___Prioritize the lists of goals, objectives, and recommendations
___Identify the necessary zoning changes
___Implement the necessary zoning changes
___Choose a neighborhood design committee or other body to coordinate the effort
___Keep in close contact with everyone involved in changing the physical structure of the neighborhood
___If necessary, work with the municipality and developers to attract businesses and residents to the neighborhood
___Encourage neighborhood events, use of new bike and walking paths, public transportation, etc.
___Deliver regular progress reports to the neighborhood on work toward specific objectives and goals
___Revisit the neighborhood plan regularly and revise it as needed
___Maintain momentum indefinitely