New urbanism aims to transform urban sprawl into thriving communities that prioritize walkability, sustainability, and human connection. This approach to city planning fosters neighborhoods where people have easy access to their daily needs, forging a resilient future for urban living. In the following article, we’ll uncover the essential features of new urbanism, examine its impact on city life, and discuss how it’s being implemented to create inclusive, efficient, and engaging communities.
Key Takeaways
- New Urbanism promotes sustainable, walkable communities through integrative urban planning that includes mixed-use development, human-scaled architecture, and prioritizes public transit and pedestrian pathways.
- The movement focuses on revitalizing urban areas by encouraging mixed-income neighborhoods, infill development, and respecting local culture and history in design, while facing challenges in balancing tradition with modern sustainability and economic viability.
- Bret Jones PA offers comprehensive legal expertise in form-based zoning, ensuring that New Urbanist developments comply with legal standards while fostering sustainable and inclusive urban growth.
- Form-based codes are essential to New Urbanism, focusing on the physical form and the public realm over land use, aiming to create cohesive environments and accommodate a diverse mix of housing within developments.
Understanding New Urbanism
At the core of the New Urbanism movement is the idea of reshaping our urban fabric to create sustainable and connected neighborhoods. It’s an urban planning approach that prioritizes walkability, human-scaled architecture, and the integration of different functions within neighborhoods. The goal is not just to create aesthetically pleasing residential and commercial areas but to foster walkable, interconnected communities that enhance residents’ quality of life by improving urban design and increasing transit usage.
New Urbanism initiatives have successfully transformed suburban environments by increasing density, diversifying land use, and enhancing multimodal transportation options. The principles of New Urbanism, also known as urbanism principles, are adaptable to various contexts, contributing to their widespread implementation. From revitalizing rural Main Streets to developing dense urban centers, New Urbanism focuses on fostering sustainable, vibrant, and inclusive communities.
The Essence of New Urbanist Design
New Urbanism fosters diverse neighborhoods by integrating a variety of residential, commercial, and recreational spaces, thus facilitating convenient walking, time savings, and easy access to daily needs. The design essence of New Urbanism is deeply rooted in creating human-scale architectural environments and context-tailored street designs that enhance walkability, foster social connections, and support local businesses.
Embracing Mixed-Use Developments
Mixed-use neighborhoods lie at the heart of New Urbanism. These neighborhoods foster a strong sense of community by encouraging residents to live, work, and play in close proximity, thereby reducing reliance on automobiles and promoting health. Imagine walking from your home to your workplace or the grocery store, instead of driving through traffic. It’s not just about the convenience but also about fostering safer pedestrian environments and vibrant communities.
Furthermore, New Urbanism promotes:
- The reduction of urban sprawl
- Aligning with environmental goals such as preserving open spaces and reducing greenhouse gas emissions
- Transforming drive-only areas into mixed-use walkable developments
- Strategies like suburban retrofit that are revitalizing aging suburbs and creating a new urban center that encapsulates the essence of village life.
Prioritizing Walkable Neighborhoods
Creating ‘15-minute-city’ neighborhoods where goods and services are within a 5- to 10-minute walk from homes is a central aspect of New Urbanist design. By integrating mixed-use developments and establishing safe pedestrian pathways, New Urbanism encourages walking as the primary mode of transport, aiming to:
- Reduce vehicle dependence
- Improve walkability and accessibility
- Enhance community interaction and social cohesion
- Promote a healthier lifestyle
- Reduce traffic congestion and pollution
An example of this New Urbanist approach is the ‘woonerf’ street design, a shared space where pedestrians, cyclists, and motorists coexist. The ‘woonerf’ design promotes:
- Safety
- Neighborhood connection
- Turning streets into public spaces
- Encouraging community interaction
Enhancing Public Transit Options
New Urbanism also champions Transit-Oriented Development (TOD), which encourages neighborhoods designed for walkability and integrated around accessible public transit hubs. TOD enhances street interconnections with grid designs, thereby optimizing pedestrian access and walking routes to transit and other destinations.
Public transportation becomes a viable and competitive option for shorter trips, fostering a reduction in car dependency and enhancing sustainability in urban travel. TOD strategically provides urban mobility options for those who cannot or prefer not to drive, promoting inclusivity and enhancing the quality of urban life.
The Evolution of Urban Planning
Urban planning has come a long way from the structured cities and advanced features like grid patterns and drainage systems of ancient civilizations like:
- Minoan
- Mesopotamian
- Indus Valley
- Egyptian civilizations around the third millennium BC, showcasing early development patterns.
From the grid plans developed by Hippodamus in ancient Greece to the concentric patterns of the post-medieval period, and from Renaissance star-shaped layouts to Baroque and Enlightenment-era city planning with straight streets and squares, European urban planning has evolved significantly.
In the 19th and 20th centuries, movements like the Garden City movement and modernist proposals, including Le Corbusier’s vision of organized city structures, shaped modern urban planning. New Urbanism arose as a reaction to the sprawl and disconnected planning of post-World War II suburbs, influenced by historical movements and addressing issues of social isolation and environmental sustainability.
This evolution of urban planning brings us to the present day, where New Urbanism guides the creation of sustainable, connected, and human-scaled urban areas that harmoniously coexist with the natural world.
Innovations in Community Development
New Urbanism is not just about planning and design; it’s also about community development. It integrates sustainable urban development by promoting energy efficiency, green infrastructure, and combining environmental considerations into the urban design. This new development approach focuses on creating a better quality of life for residents while minimizing environmental impact.
Community gardens, parks, recreational amenities, and community institutions are key components of New Urbanist neighborhoods, providing universally accessible public spaces for community interaction and environmental benefits.
Revitalizing Underutilized Areas with Urban Infill
Urban infill, a strategy of New Urbanism, focuses on:
- Reclaiming underutilized and neglected areas
- Transforming them into vibrant, mixed-income neighborhoods and main streets
- Contributing to neighborhood revitalization, particularly in areas that have suffered from population decline or economic challenges
- Introducing new housing and employment opportunities.
The infill approach reintroduces neglected urban design elements such as the front porch and rear garage, and promotes walkable street layouts. Moreover, it enhances environmental sustainability by decreasing the need for new construction and encourages the more efficient use of space in already developed urban areas.
Celebrating Local History Through Design
New Urbanist communities celebrate local history through design. Architecture and landscape design utilize traditional styles to create a sense of place and connection to local history. Traditional Neighborhood Development draws inspiration from the beauty and functionality of historic cities like Charleston, Savannah, and Beaufort, merging classic architecture with contemporary advancements.
Besides, the location and design of civic buildings and public spaces bolster community identity and democratic values, reflecting the movement’s dedication to local history and culture. The Charter of the New Urbanism emphasizes a commitment to honor historical patterns and precedents in development.
The Impact of New Urbanism on Metropolitan Regions
The impact of New Urbanism on metropolitan regions is profound. It encourages reduced dependence on automobiles by promoting a framework of transportation alternatives, enhancing environmental aspects and quality of life in metropolitan regions. To address the demand for affordable housing, municipal plans often include provisions for diverse housing, supported by housing authorities and incentives such as tax abatements.
Central to New Urbanism is the restoration of urban centers and the creation of interconnected, economically inclusive regions that reflect the diversity of community types. However, it’s worth noting that practical applications like Seaside, Florida, face criticisms for being unaffordable and not widely accessible.
How Bret Jones PA Helps in Accomplishing Your Goals
Implementing New Urbanist principles can be complex, given the interdisciplinary nature of urban design. This is where Bret Jones PA comes in. Our team of expert real estate lawyers can help you navigate the complexities of form-based code, whether you are a municipality wanting to implement form-based code or a developer trying to navigate it for a current or upcoming project. Our expertise in form-based codes brings a deep understanding of the legal intricacies surrounding land use regulations and zoning ordinances, particularly those centered on form rather than traditional land use separation.
We work closely with planning departments, municipalities, and developers to craft tailored form-based codes that precisely reflect the distinctive characteristics and aspirations of a community or development endeavor. We also provide legal representation and guidance in resolving disputes related to form-based codes, including challenges to zoning decisions, variances, and development approvals.
- Mastery of Form-Based Zoning: Our deep knowledge of form-based zoning allows us to navigate the complex legal landscape of urban development regulations, focusing on the physical layout over the conventional separation of land uses.
- Regulatory Crafting and Analysis: We provide expert services in creating, examining, and revising form-based zoning regulations to ensure they comply with all levels of legal requirements while effectively meeting urban planning goals.
- Personalized Zoning Solutions: Collaborating with urban planners, local governments, and property developers, we design customized form-based zoning solutions that accurately represent the unique traits and goals of each community or project.
- Legal Integrity Assurance: A fundamental aspect of our practice is to make certain that form-based zoning adheres to constitutional principles, including due process, equal protection, and property rights, maintaining legal integrity.
- Conflict Resolution: Our legal team offers representation and advice for settling disputes concerning form-based zoning, such as objections to zoning decisions, requests for variances, and approval of developments.
- Community Involvement and Instruction: We take on the role of informing all involved parties, from local residents to developers and decision-makers, about the legal aspects and benefits of form-based zoning through various educational initiatives and community outreach.
- Negotiation and Representation: We stand by our clients during discussions with city planners, community groups, and other relevant parties, ensuring that all viewpoints are considered and agreement is reached on the stipulations of form-based zoning.
- Assistance with Legal Proceedings: Should legal issues or court cases stem from the application of form-based zoning, we provide extensive support throughout the litigation process, including research, drafting legal documents, and courtroom support.
- Cross-Disciplinary Teamwork: By working in tandem with professionals from various fields such as urban planning, architecture, and engineering, we enable a multidisciplinary approach to the application of form-based zoning, ensuring legal considerations are integrated with planning and design goals.
- Ongoing Evaluation and Modification: We aid in the continual assessment of the effectiveness of form-based zoning, pinpointing any legal concerns or inconsistencies and suggesting changes or updates to maintain compliance and alignment with the changing needs of the community and legal frameworks.
Implementing New Urbanist Principles
But how do we implement New Urbanist principles in our urban development projects? By adopting effective development practices, strategies such as expedited permitting processes and tax relief can incentivize private developers to undertake densification projects in urban infill sites.
Engaging with the community in early planning stages ensures that infill development aligns with local needs and priorities.
Incorporating Diverse Housing Types
Incorporating diverse housing types is a prime example of implementing New Urbanist principles. New Urbanism promotes neighborhoods with diverse incomes and racial diversity through affordable housing and a mix of housing types, reflecting the demand for higher-density living that maintains both human scale and architectural variety. However, not all New Urbanism projects prioritize affordable housing equally, but it remains a fundamental principle for creating sustainable communities.
Zoning restrictions frequently act as a significant barrier by imposing large minimum square footage requirements, thereby hindering the development of a diverse mix of housing options. These restrictions can limit the availability of affordable housing and restrict accommodation options for different household sizes. Hence, builder and developer engagement with municipalities is crucial to educate about diverse housing types and convince residents that smaller square footage can coexist with property value preservation.
Integrating Form-Based Codes
Form-based codes are a type of land development regulation that prioritizes physical form rather than land use, aiming to produce predictable built environments and foster high-quality public realms. These codes regulate building facades’ interaction with the public realm, the massing and form of buildings, and the types of streets and blocks to ensure cohesion and functionality.
Emphasizing an integrated built environment instead of micromanaging land uses and development intensity, form-based codes are a departure from conventional zoning practices. By using form-based codes, streets and public spaces are molded into shared-use areas, and neighborhoods are developed into complete, accommodating environments.
Addressing Challenges and Criticisms
New Urbanism, despite its many advantages, does face challenges and criticisms. Adapting traditional building practices to modern construction while ensuring the economic sustainability of neighborhoods remains a key challenge. Despite criticisms that some New Urbanism developments appear excessively polished or inauthentic, proponents maintain that they serve a cultural purpose by creating walkable and community-focused environments.
Cities can facilitate New Urbanist ideals by:
- Transitioning from rigid zoning regulations to more flexible development impact review processes
- Encouraging public engagement and oversight in major urban projects
- Allowing for project-specific considerations, detailed studies, and public forums
- Enabling a consensus-based approach while addressing traffic congestion, public benefit negotiations, and other challenges.
Summary
In essence, New Urbanism seeks to reshape our urban fabric by creating sustainable, interconnected, and human-scaled urban areas. Its principles, from fostering diverse neighborhoods and enhancing public transit options to revitalizing underutilized areas and celebrating local history, are all aimed at creating vibrant, inclusive communities. While challenges and criticisms exist, the New Urbanism movement continues to evolve and influence urban planning and development practices globally. As we continue to urbanize, the principles of New Urbanism serve as a guide to creating cities that are not just places to live, but places to thrive.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is meant by New Urbanism?
New Urbanism promotes walkable, mixed-use, and demographically dense neighborhoods, advocating for pedestrian-friendly streetscapes and well-designed urban living. It focuses on human-scaled urban design to create resilient communities and individual well-being.
Who started New Urbanism?
Andrés Duany is credited as one of the founders of New Urbanism. He is an American architect and urban planner who co-founded the Congress for the New Urbanism.
What is a negative of New Urbanism?
The negative aspect of New Urbanism is that it can decrease the availability of affordable housing, particularly in inner cities, due to gentrification that displaces lower-income households. This can result in a loss of community diversity and inclusivity.
What are examples of New Urbanism?
Some examples of New Urbanism include Seaside, Celebration, Florida, Harbor Town in Memphis, Tennessee, and Kentlands. These early greenfield developments are well-known cases of New Urbanism.
What are the five principles of New Urbanism?
The five principles of New Urbanism are mixed-use development, transit-oriented development, walkability, inclusion and diversity, and preventing placelessness. These principles aim to optimize access to public transportation and create vibrant, inclusive urban spaces.