Urban Design

The City’s Urban Design section is responsible for creating a diverse community with a unified, aesthetically pleasing look. This is often achieved by developing codes and design guidelines (see below) to create a well-planned, mixed-used community. As part of the Urban Design Section, staff is responsible for design review and historic preservation.

Central City Urban Design Guidelines

The guidelines have been extensively revised. The major organizational change is the division of the document into a series of Sections, which will incorporate all of the design guidelines governing design review in the Central City. Therefore, the Central City Urban Design Guidelines will exist as a compilation of all adopted guidelines for the Central City and each can be amended or new guidelines added, as required in the future.

Section 1 - Introduction

Section 2 - Central City Framework

Section 3 - Central Core Design Guidelines

Chapter 1: Introduction of Central Core Design Guidelines (Updated 4/19/18)
Chapter 2: Framework to Central Core Design Guidelines (Updated 4/19/18)
Chapter 3: Central Core Public Realm Design Guidelines (Updated 4/19/18)
Chapter 4: Central Core Private Realm Design Guidelines (Updated 4/19/18)

Section 4 - Central City Neighborhood Design Guidelines (Updated 4/19/18) (includes Alhambra and R Street Corridors)

Section 5 - Railyards Design Guidelines

Section 6- River District Design Guidelines

Chapter 1: Introduction of River District Design Guidelines
Chapter 2: Framework to River District Design Guidelines
Chapter 3: River District Public Realm Design Guidelines
Chapter 4: River District Private Realm Design Guidelines

Addenda

Design Review and Historic Preservation

Design review staff review and take action on development projects that are within a design review area in accordance with the Design Review Code.

Historic Preservation protects historic and cultural resources and assists in the preservation, rehabilitation and awareness of historic and cultural resources. A preservation review and approval is regularly required when doing work to a structure that is declared a historic landmark, or is within a historic preservation district.