Ohio city approves downtown form-based code

The Dublin, Ohio, City Council approved a form-based code in March that rezones more than 800 acres of land in central part of the city.

The new code, according to Dublin Mayor Tim Lecklider, is the linchpin the city needed to move forward on the Bridge Street Corridor Vision Plan, which sets the stage transforming nearly two square miles of underutilized downtown land into a high-density, pedestrian-oriented, mixed-use urban environment.

The Bridge Street Corridor plan “needed a new approach to land use regulations and process to match the bold vision,” Lecklider said.

Four decades ago, Dublin was a small, rural community of less than 1,000 people. Today, the city is home to over 41,000 residents, 3,000 businesses, and several corporate headquarters. (See September 2010 New Urban News.)

City officials are eager to implement economic development policies that appeal to the so-called “creative class” and Baby Boomers. Creating a downtown that de-emphasizes automobile travel and encourages alternative modes of transportation is a high priority.

The Bridge Street plan imagines downtown Dublin as series of interconnected neighborhoods, linked through a network of open spaces. The area will eventually include new options in housing, entertainment, and retail. Real estate developers have already met with City officials to discuss possible projects.

The Dublin vision plan won a 2012 Charter Award for Honorable Mention from the Congress for New Urbanism.