Some critics say the proposed voluntary measures don’t have teeth, while others worry they lay the groundwork for overdevelopment.
Rather than strictly regulating new buildings, the guidelines are intended as a tool for the community and developers, says City Planning. They stress 'attractive building design' and elements like pedestrian scale and streetscape activation, sustainability and contextual sensitivity, while frowning upon parking lots, blank walls and out-of-scale development.
Some critics say that if the guidelines are nonbinding, they will have little impact. Others say the recommendations are hostile to single-family home neighborhoods and are tantamount to a prescription for unwarranted density. On both sides are complaints that the guidelines are being rushed through the approval process without enough public input.
In any case, there is a definitive need for a citywide approach to design, writes Sam Lubell:
"The guidelines' necessity became apparent during the city's ongoing process to update the more than 20 specific plans for its 35 community plan areas. Many of these plans have overlapping design elements, while others have no design guidelines at all. The guidelines could reduce confusion and fill in the gaps."
FULL STORY: LA's New Design Guidelines on the Line
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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.
New York City School Construction Authority
Village of Glen Ellyn
Central Transportation Planning Staff/Boston Region MPO
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions