Mixed-use development and a floodplain overlay are the big-ticket items when the small community of Akron Borough in Pennsylvania recently updated its zoning code.

The Borough Council in Akron Borough, Pennsylvania, a small community of just over 4,000 residents, recently approved the city’s first update to its zoning ordinance since 1997, with two big cutting related to the separate issues of commercial zoning to flood management.
According to an article by Larry Alexander, the majority of the changes approved by the city council updated definitions, including changes to mixed-use provisions in the city’s C1 commercial districts. “Primarily this ordinance addresses potential uses involving the Ten Thousand Villages building. The ordinance now will allow for some retail ‘providing they meet certain criteria,’” writes Alexander, quoting Assistant Borough Manager Sean Molchany.
Another change to the city’s zoning includes the creation of a floodplain overlay for all R1 residential properties located in a floodplain.
The source article, linked below, includes descriptions of some of the additional changes approved by the city.
FULL STORY: Akron council approves revisions to its zoning ordinances

Florida Considers Legalizing ADUs
Current state law allows — but doesn’t require — cities to permit accessory dwelling units in single-family residential neighborhoods.

San Diego to Rescind Multi-Unit ADU Rule
The city wants to close a loophole that allowed developers to build apartment buildings on single-family lots as ADUs.

HUD Announces Plan to Build Housing on Public Lands
The agency will identify federally owned parcels appropriate for housing development and streamline the regulatory process to lease or transfer land to housing authorities and nonprofit developers.

Surf’s Upcycling: Hawai‘i’s Latest Green Building Material is Recycled Surf Boards
“Surf Blocks” are fire-resistant, termite-proof, and close the loop on mountains of waste from the state’s beloved sport.

Building Age-Friendly Homes
Designing for the unique needs of elderly people can help them maintain social connections and mental acuity.

Nightlife and the 15-Minute City
Plans for compact, walkable cities often don’t address nighttime concerns like transportation and lighting, which can make neighborhoods more vibrant and safe around the clock.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Florida Atlantic University
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies
City of Piedmont, CA
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service