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Zoning, Form-Based Codes, & Subdivision Regulations

The oft-repeated admonition, "Keep It Simple," is a reminder that life is complicated enough without adding to the complexity.  The knowledgeable professionals at LSL Planning know that even a simple zoning ordinance can be formidable.  That's why our focus is on creating documents that are clear, concise, and easier to understand.

Our approach draws on experience gained from crafting zoning and subdivision ordinances for nearly 100 communities.  Large cities, suburbs, first-tier communities, rural townships, and counties have relied on LSL to make their development regulations more useful, effective, and up to date.  With nationwide experience, our planners know what will work where you live.  We carefully match the right rools with your community's vision and goals.

We understand the importance of making a zoning and subdivision ordinance easy to interpret and apply.  The planners at LSL have served as zoning administrators, planning commissioners, and ZBA members.  We are often called on to represent communities as expert witnesses in zoning litigation.

Put our experience to work for your community.

LSL's planners have coauthored a number of planning and zoning handbooks for a variety of audiences.  Our principals are frequent instructors at state, regional, and national seminars on a wide variety of zoning and specialty topics.

Need something new?  We promote innovative tools such as overlay zones, transfer of development rights, a variety of PUD options, and form-based codes.

The LSL approach combines solid technical review, public involvement, and clear objectives for your zoning ordinance.  Your new ordinance or subdivision regulations will incorporate sound risk manamgent principles, rely on an easy to use outline approach with detailed standards and graphics.

The end result is an ordinance that works for the applicant and your community.

It's that simple.

Really.

FORM-BASED CODES

One of the freshest concepts to be introduced to zoning in decades, Form-Based Codes (FBC), is receiving widespread attention from local officials and interested citizens, striving for a more sustainable approach to community development. Form-Based Codes rely on design concepts and patterns intended to preserve the best of a community, creating more livable environments and spaces. FBC focuses on the physical form of the building and its relationship to the street and adjacent buildings. Compatibility of uses is achieved through design and orientation, instead of strict land use separation.

In the FBC, provisions are developed with an eye toward a specific physical plan for new development and redevelopment. Distinguishing features of the FBC are increased use of administrative approvals, incentives for quality design and development, and the use of minimum and maximum dimensional requirements intended to create a greater degree of certainty in the development process.

Having organized a nationally recognized team of design professionals, public participation specialists, and planners to address all elements of the FBC, the LSL team is working with several communities who are adopting this approach.

FORM-BASED CODES

Birmingham Triangle District • Downtown Farmington • Genoa Town Center • Grass Lake • Leesburg, VA Crescent District • Macomb Town Center • Wixom Village Center

ZONING ORDINANCES

Cities, Towns, and Villages

Belding • Carson City • Cedar Springs • Columbus, IN • Chelsea • DeWitt • Dundee • Farmington • Fenton • Ferrysburg • Fowlerville • Fremont • Gaylord • Greenville • Imlay City • Kentwood • Lowell • Monroe • New Buffalo • Newaygo • North Muskegon • Rochester Hills • Rockford • Romulus • Roosevelt Park • Sanford • Spring Lake • Swartz Creek • Wixom • Zeeland

Townships

Backus • Big Prairie • Blendon • Brighton • Cato • Cedar Creek • Chester • Courtland • Croton • Dundee • Edwards • Egelston • Elmwood • Ensley • Exeter • Florence • Genoa • Georgetown • Grosse Ile • Handy • Laketon • Leroy • Lyndon • Lincoln • Northville • Pennfield • Pine • Reynolds • Sheridan • Sidney • Solon • Sullivan • Watertown • Weesaw • Ypsilanti

Counties

Bartholomew, IN • Gratiot • Ionia • Isabella • Ogemaw • Steuben, IN

 

 


Genoa Township, MI

Steuben County, IN

Birmingham Triangle

District, MI

Leesburg, VA Form-Based Code

 

 

Sustainable Zoning:

  • Develop Form-Based Codes to encourage infill and redevelopment.
  • Update parking standards to reduce impervious surfaces.
  • Adopt Transit-Oriented Development standards to support transit development and ridership.
  • Provide open space incentives
  • Provide incentives for rain gardens and creative stormwater management.
  • Create mixed-use districts to reduce dependence on automobiles.
  • Develop impact assessment requirements.
  • Encourage the use of native landscape materials to reduce irrigation needs.
  • Incorporate non-motorized transportation facilities.

 

 
         
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