The Omaha Model Of Urban Design

Omaha, Nebraska, may be leading the way for cities around the country to integrate urban design with their master plans. Omaha's far-reaching urban design standards could be law by the year's end.

1 minute read

October 10, 2006, 8:00 AM PDT

By Nate Berg


Omaha, Nebraska, may not seem like a hotbed for urban design, but a forward-thinking planning department aided by loopholes in the state's planning laws has pushed Omaha into the spotlight with some of the country's most creative urban design standards.

"A comprehensive set of urban-design standards are being codified into law later this year. If successfully passed into law, they could turn Omaha into a model of progressive urban design with far-reaching consequences not only for the downtown area but also the suburban fringes."

"One of the most comprehensive provisions of its kind, the Urban Design Element of the Omaha Master Plan takes advantage of a Nebraska state law that allows the city to annex surrounding suburbs as they develop; it encompasses everything from the landscaping of street corners, the design of important civic sites, and streetlamp choices available for neighborhoods to regional development, protection of watersheds, and the creation of a citywide trail system."

Monday, September 11, 2006 in Metropolis Magazine

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Use Code 25for25 at checkout for 25% off an annual plan!

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

May 7, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

People biking along beach path with moored ship in San Diego, California.

San Diego Adopts First Mobility Master Plan

The plan provides a comprehensive framework for making San Diego’s transportation network more multimodal, accessible, and sustainable.

May 2, 2025 - SD News

Front of Walmart store with sign.

Walmart Announces Nationwide EV Charging Network

The company plans to install electric car chargers at most of its stores by 2030.

May 7, 2025 - Inc.

Close-up of elevated planter box in sidewalk with alternating grass and concrete patches.

Grassroots Dutch Movement Replaces Pavement With Green Space

Neighbors engage in a practice known as “tegelwippen,” picking up paving stones and replacing them with permeable surfaces, often with the support of local governments.

15 minutes ago - Reasons to Be Cheerful

Pump station with blue pipes coming out of concrete wall in Seattle, Washington.

Seattle Builds Subway-Sized Tunnel — for Stormwater

The $700 million ‘stormwater subway’ is designed to handle overflows during storms, which contain toxic runoff from roadways and vehicles.

May 13 - City Observatory

Sign for Deschutes National Forest in Oregon.

Feds Clear Homeless Encampment in Oregon Forest

The action displaced over 100 people living on national forest land near Bend, Oregon.

May 13 - The New York Times

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.