In June 2006, Dallas adopted forwardDallas!, the city’s first community-wide comprehensive plan. As a direct implementation step, Code Studio was hired to prepare a set of mixed use, form-driven zoning districts.

Unlike form-based codes in most jurisdictions, the code is not place-specific. It is intended to be applied in a variety of settings across the city without the adoption of a regulating plan. For this reason, the form standards are more general in nature. The code sets basic parameters for a series of building types that fit within a set of permitted zoning districts, stipulating which building types are allowed by district. Building types are illustrated with detailed form standards that control building placement, parking location, building height, building elements, and building function.

Large cities with complicated development codes considering form-based coding would do well to study Dallas’ approach. The model established recognizes a shift towards inner city redevelopment which involves retrofitting older infrastructure. Walkable, mixed use development through incremental small-scale developments rather than exclusively large-scale developments, is desired. The code “raises the bar” by establishing clear and precise standards, which were tested and analyzed in a variety of development situations to ensure their practicality and feasibility. The new code introduces a high level of graphics interfaced with text—a first for the city, vastly improving the code’s accessibility to a broader audience.

The code received the 2008 Current Planning award from the Texas Chapter of the American Planning Association.