One community in Georgia is making use of several masonry ordinances that require brick facades to try preserve the history and aesthetic appeal of the city.
Brad Leonard, planning director for Lawrenceville, Georgia, shares his city's strategy for creating a consistent and attractive urban design standard -- using masonry ordinances to encourage higher-quality brick construction.
"The council decided that, by beginning to require brick on the exterior of homes, they could increase property value since brick lasts longer than other materials and requires less maintenance...in March 1998, the city passed its first masonry ordinance, requiring that all four sides on single-family homes be brick in a certain zoning classification. It has since become our most sought after classification."
FULL STORY: Building a Sustainable Future in the "Crepe Myrtle City" Brick by Brick

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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.
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