The Buffalo Green Code

Buffalo Green Code
The Buffalo Green Code is a new form-based land use zoning code that has been adopted by the City of Buffalo. The Buffalo Green Code was officially announced by The City of Buffalo’s Mayor Byron Brown on Earth Day April 22, 2010. Mayor Byron Brown announced that "Our zoning reform effort will act as the foundation for the new place-based economic development strategy for Buffalo's neighborhoods in every section of the city,". Mayor Brown also declared "The new Buffalo zoning ordinance will be known as the Buffalo Green Code. It will embody 21st century values about economic development, sustainability, and walkable, green urbanism."
You can listen to the podcast of the formal launching here.
The city is spending two million dollars on the project which will be spearheaded by the Office of Strategic Planning at the City of Buffalo with assistance from a Chicago based consulting firm named Camiros. It has been over 60 years since Buffalo has made its last attempt to rewrite its current zoning laws which were rewritten in 1950.
The Buffalo Green Code is a form-based code that will replace the typical use-based codes which most cities use. The form-based code is being implemented to encourage mixed used, walkable neighborhoods. The Buffalo Green Code will also help to shorten the amount of time during the design and review stages of development to encourage positive economic growth. The City of Buffalo is the third largest city in the United States to have adopted a form-based code system which also includes Denver and Miami. The new zoning code will attempt to encourage smart growth by “Eliminating or revising rules that unnecessarily hinder compact communities”, “Creating incentives to encourage new development to exceed the standards”, and ”Setting clear and objective minimum standards that require buildings, blocks, and streets to fit together into a cohesive sense of place”.
The new zoning code will also attempt to encourage sustainable development by “Eliminating or revising rules that unnecessarily hinder environmentally sustainable development choices”, “Creating incentives for sustainable design techniques that provide a community benefit, including renewable energy and water conservation”, and lastly by “Setting clear minimum standards that ensures proper site design, comfortable urban form, and walkable, transit-friendly streets”.
In March 2011 The Office of Strategic Planning at The City of Buffalo started nine separate neighborhood workshop meetings whereby they could engage local citizens on what each citizen felt their particular neighborhood needed. Over 1,000 local Buffalonians participated in these workshops which can also be viewed here. In early July of 2011 the community workshop summaries which were based on the responses of local Buffalo citizens from the meetings in March have been released to the public. The results of those community workshop summaries can be viewed here..

Main Menu

See Also

Main Menu