DIRECTORY:

Community Participation

Background

Guidelines Home Page

Urban Design Framework

The Urban Design Framework for the Davis provides a physical and strategic linkage between land use policies in the General Plan, 1996 Core Area Specific Plan and 2000 Downtown Strategy; development standards in the zoning ordinance; and design guidelines. The Framework provides for increasing the amount housing in the tradition Davis center while conserving the character of adjacent neighborhoods.

The Urban Design Framework provides a physical form, land use, and infrastructure rationale for the design guidelines. The Framework consists of six principles. These emphasize understanding development opportunities that can result in creation of a system of streets and public places in the Downtown Core and conserving the character of adjacent residential neighborhoods.

Principle #1: Creating Retail Places

Create new retail and residential public plazas linked together by shopping streets.

Principle #2: Creating and Maintaining a Retail System

Each project should support the development of an overall shopping and retail system in the Downtown with supporting public parking.

Principle #3: Streetscape System

Implement a streetscape plan for shopping, pedestrian, and gateway streets that includes street tree, signage, furniture and lighting components.

Principle #4: Opportunity Sites

Encourage the development and redevelopment of opportunity sites in the downtown, downtown expansion and downtown transition areas as mixed-use residential projects supporting sustainable development patterns chosen by the citizens of Davis.

Principle #5: Public-Private Projects

The City, Redevelopment Agency and their public and private sector partners should initiate the development and redevelopment of downtown catalyst projects that create public and retail places identified in the 1999 Downtown Strategy and Urban Design Framework.

Principle #6: Conserving the Character of Davis' Traditional Residential Neighborhoods

New investment in Davis' traditional residential neighborhoods within the original 1917 city limits should reflect the character inherent in the historic housing stock.