Form-Based Codes Case Studies

Issues Addressed:
Housing Costs Housing Options Infrastructure Redevelopment

Keene, NH

In 2021, Keene adopted a new Land Development Code, which recodified the whole of the City’s zoning and uses form-based elements in the Downtown Area.
An excerpt from Keene’s Land Use Code, using form-based elements in downtown districts. (Image via City of Keene)

Dover, NH Downtown Form-Based Code

With the first FBC adopted in New Hampshire in 2009, Dover has garnered several awards for the effort, which has spurred redevelopment in the downtown.

Lancaster, NH

The largely rural town of Lancaster adopted a form-based code for their downtown in 2014. The form-based approach grew from the community’s recognition that their old conventional zoning code would not allow development in line with the historic character of downtown, nor would it provide needed community space.

Littleton, MA

The largely rural town of Littleton has a population of 10,000 and sits on the outskirts of Greater Boston, near I-495. In 2020, the Town adopted an FBC to spur development in its Village Common. The FBC followed recommendations from the Town’s master plan and a Village Common District Plan.
An excerpt from Littleton, MA’s Village common Form-Based Code. (Image via Utile.)

Standish, ME

The Town of Standish was the first community in Maine to adopt an FBC in 2011. It is designed to address village development in a rural community.
  • Standish’s FBC
  • Main Biz, “Form-based codes | A new zoning philosophy gets a toehold in Standish.” (July 25, 2011)

Lowell, MA

First adopted in 2004 and amended in 2006, the primary goal for the City’s FBC is to address urban infill development.

Fort Worth, TX

This FBC aimed to balance historic preservation and incentivizing new development. The code includes three transects for the historic district (a National Register of Historic Places), a transition district, and an edge district. In addition to the FBC, the project provided design guidelines that could shape development in more detail without being mandatory, as well as a one-page guide for using the code.

Burlington, VT

The City adopted a master plan for the downtown and waterfront area that recommended an FBC-based approach. The City Council adopted an FBC in 2017 and followed up with streetscape standards in 2018.

State Law

Resources

Related Tools

An axonometric diagram of two versions of the same area of land. On the top is a diagram of the area with five two- and three-story buildings, plus large empty lots breaking up the area. An arrow points from the top to bottom. On the bottom, the empty lots now contain additional mixed-use buildings and homes.
Infill Development
An axonometric diagram of two buildings next to each other. One building is four stories with two entrances. On the bottom story there is a sign for "nh hardware." The second building is two stories with three entrances (including a corner entrance), awnings, and cafe tables). The drawing is labeled "Retail, restaurant, and other active uses on ground floor" and "Housing on upper levels."
Mixed-Use Development
A diagram with two versions of the same plot of land, one over the other. On the top version, the land contains only one single-family home with many wings and a large garage and a long driveway. This version is labeled with a large 'X' and "Regulations cannot mandate unaffordable housing everywhere." The version below contains two modestly sized single-family homes at the front of the site, and a driveway leading back to a cottage court, containing six small single-family homes around a central green. This version is labeled with a large checkmark and "Workforce housing must be allowed in a majority of residential areas."
Workforce Housing Ordinance
A diagram showing the front facades of housing types and given labels: small single-family, townhomes (attached single-family), cottage court (grouped small single-family), duplex, stacked duplex, triplex, stacked triplex, four-plex, six-pack, courtyard apartments.
Missing Middle Housing Types
A diagram of an idealized age-friendly neighborhood. The neighborhood includes a mix of housing types, including detached single-family homes of various sizes, mixed-use buildings, and a cottage court. The diagram includes the following labels pointing to aspects of the drawing: "Nearby retail, community center, and open space;" "Diverse housing options, including apartments and starter homes;" "Single-story housing layouts with shared amenities;" "Sidewalks and other accessible infrastructure;" and "Accessory dwelling units for multi-generational households."
Age Friendly Neighborhoods
A drawing showing an aerial view of same plot of land three times. Above there is a version labeled "Undeveloped," with a wooded area and a lake and stream. At bottom-left there is a version labeled "Conventional Subdivision." It shows the land divided into a ten parcels of relatively even size spread out across the area. There is a large amount of road and driveway area and many of the trees have been removed. At bottom-right is a version labeled "Cluster Housing." It shows twelve relatively small homes on twelve small parcels, clustered in two groups at the bottom-left of the area. The trees have been preserved, and only a small amount of road/driveway area connects the homes to the main edge of the area. Green trails wind throughout the parcel and connect to both the houses and the public road away from the houses. The Cluster Housing diagram has additional labels: "Preserved Natural Features," "Less Infrastructure," "Bonus units," and "Public access."
Cluster Housing