Peter Park and Lisa Wise discuss advanced topics of form-based codes during FBC301.
Classes were attended by a range of people, from members of the public curious about the basics of form-based codes, to an advanced group of planning staff and local developers eager to master the complexities of administration and adoption. Classes also attracted city councilors, planning commissioners, architects, and affordable housing advocates. In all, the city hosted five courses over 18 months and reached close to 100 people.
“Few understood the possibilities of a form-based code when the City of Las Vegas confronted its downtown vision two years ago. There was hesitation and misunderstanding amid a much-needed change. It made all the difference when Lisa Wise Consulting rallied the city to enlist FBCI’s training program. Knowledgeable instructors walked residents and elected officials through the basics of of form-based codes and advanced classes exposed practitioners to the intricacies of execution. The curriculum was tremendously effective for building community buy-in, administrative capacity, and overall competence of our new form-based code.”
– Mike Howe, City of Las Vegas Planning Section Manager – Urban Design Coordinator
A first for Nevada
Out of the 2,700 acres in the master plan, the city flagged the Medical District as a priority. It was motivated to become the premier medical campus in the southwestern United States, had unique building types, and competitive development was encroaching. Property owners were working together on a district-wide parking policy and developers eagerly awaited a much less cumbersome approval process. They knew a form-based code could provide a straightforward framework for their development plans and expedite approvals – it was exactly what they needed.