Code SMTX in San Marcos, TX updates all regulations relating to land development (like building heights, building materials, required landscaping, and stormwater management). The code expands the portions of the city where walkable urbanism (as opposed to drive-only suburbanism) is the default. Image courtesy of Dover, Kohl & Partners.
Form-based codes are increasingly being adopted by cities looking to create more walkable, accessible, human-scaled communities. Later this month, you’ll have an opportunity to hear directly from some of the top leaders at the Form-Based Codes Institute, a program of Smart Growth America, at CNU26 (May 16-19) in Savannah, GA.
Below are brief descriptions of the sessions where you can learn more about the current state of form-based coding directly from top practitioners in the field.
The winners of the FBCI Richard H. Driehaus Form-Based Code Award will also be announced on Friday evening (May 18) at the Awards Ceremony.
We look forward to seeing you there!
The Sessions
Tuesday, May 15: Form-Based Code Boot Camp—This full-day session includes a series of short talks followed by working sessions and a round table discussion on local issues. Several FBCI Steering Committee members—Susan Henderson of PlaceMakers, Joseph Kohl of Dover, Kohl & Partners, and Mary Madden of Ferrell Madden—will join Hazel Borys of PlaceMakers as instructors for this session. There is an additional registration fee for this session.
Wednesday, May 16: Addressing Community Benefits within a Predictable Form-Based Code—This session will explore how to secure social equity and community benefits from development while maintaining the value of predictable codes. Presenters will explore the role of inclusionary zoning, linkage fees, programs for local business and the arts, as well as strategies to engage the public in establishing these programs while ensuring that development remains financially viable. FBCI Steering Committee member, George Proakis, Director of Planning for the City of Somerville, MA and FBCI Resource Council member, Jennifer Hurley from Hurley-Franks & Associates will be joined by Judi Barret from the Plymouth Regional Economics Foundation and Dan Bartman from the City of Somerville, MA to lead this session.
Wednesday, May 16: Frontages—This “talk and walk” session features brief presentations by five instructors, followed by a stroll and in-depth analysis of Savannah’s frontages. Participants will take home ideas for new approaches to zoning and tools to assess their community’s political will and administrative ability to get local tools in line with local aptitude and to move toward walkability. FBCI Steering Committee members Marina Khoury of DPZ CoDesign and Susan Henderson of Placemakers, along with Resource Council member Jennifer Hurley of Hurley-Franks & Associates will be joined by Hazel Borys of PlaceMakers and Matthew Lambert of DPZ CoDESIGN for this session.
Friday, May 18: Form-Based Codes: What’s working, What’s not, What’s next?—This session will review both the opportunities and the threats within current FBC practice. Participants will review the current state of coding and develop a document outlining top FBC best practices for municipalities and local governments. The session will be led by FBCI Steering Committee members Geoffery Ferrell of Ferrell Madden, Susan Henderson of PlaceMakers, and Mark Gillem of the University of Oregon and FBCI Resource Council member Jennifer Hurley of Hurley-Franks & Associates. Elizabeth Plater-Zyberk of DPZ CoDESIGN will join them as a featured speaker for the session.
Friday, May 18: Comparing Different Form-Based Code Platforms—Too frequently, the form-based codes that are adopted are overly complex, with layers of potentially conflicting regulations that are difficult to administer or implement. At the same time, creative innovations in coding are also being implemented. This session will review both the threats and the opportunities within current FBC practice. This session will be led by FBCI Steering Committee member Geoffrey Ferrell of Ferrell-Madden joined by Andrew Georgiadis of Georgiadis Urban Design.