zoning-and-codes

Name: zoning-and-codes
Author: Abhinavbwj

118stars35forks

How to install zoning-and-codes?

abhinavbwj/urban-design-skills-claude/zoning-and-codes

$npx -y skills add Abhinavbwj/Urban-Design-Skills-Claude --skill zoning-and-codes

Installs into the current project.

Summary

Analyze zoning regulations and generate form-based codes, including Euclidean zoning analysis, performance zoning parameters, transect-based coding, building envelope controls, and development standard specification. Use when the user asks about zoning, building codes, developmen

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SKILL.md

1	# Zoning and Codes Skill
2
3	This skill provides comprehensive zoning analysis and form-based code generation capabilities for urban design and masterplanning projects. It covers the full spectrum of zoning approaches from conventional Euclidean zoning through transect-based SmartCode, and provides detailed workflows for translating design intent into enforceable regulatory language. The skill draws from the SmartCode, Miami 21, Denver Form-Based Code, and international best practices in development regulation.
4
5	---
6
7	## 1. Zoning System Types
8
9	Use the following comparison matrix to select the appropriate zoning approach for a given project context. Each system has distinct strengths and is suited to different planning objectives.
10
11	### Comparison Matrix
12
13	\| Type \| Primary Controls \| Strengths \| Weaknesses \| Best For \|
14	\|------\|-----------------\|-----------\|------------\|----------\|
15	\| Euclidean \| Use categories (residential, commercial, industrial) + dimensional standards (setback, height, lot size, FAR) \| Simple to administer; predictable outcomes; well-understood by developers and communities; extensive legal precedent \| Rigid separation of uses enforces automobile dependence and sprawl; does not address building form or public realm quality; encourages lowest-common-denominator development \| Stable suburban areas; low-density residential neighborhoods; industrial zones; contexts where predictability is the primary goal \|
16	\| Performance \| Impact metrics (traffic generation, noise levels, shadow/daylight access, stormwater runoff, air quality emissions) \| Highly flexible; focuses on outcomes rather than prescriptions; encourages innovation in design solutions; can accommodate unforeseen uses \| Complex to administer and enforce; requires technical expertise for review; unpredictable physical outcomes; challenging for community members to understand \| Mixed-use areas where impact matters more than form; transitional zones between incompatible uses; innovation districts; areas with complex environmental constraints \|
17	\| Form-Based \| Building form (height, setback, coverage, FAR), frontage types, building types, public space standards \| Produces predictable physical form and high-quality public realm; enables mixed-use by right; regulates what matters most to communities (physical character); illustrated and accessible \| Requires design expertise to draft and administer; less familiar to many planning departments; can be perceived as overly prescriptive for building design; initial adoption requires education \| New development and infill projects; downtown revitalization; transit-oriented development; areas where physical character is the primary concern; urban renewal zones \|
18	\| Transect-Based (SmartCode) \| Rural-to-urban gradient zones (T1-T6) with calibrated standards for each zone; integrates thoroughfare, civic space, and building standards \| Holistic and context-sensitive; addresses the full range of human settlement patterns; internally consistent; treats urbanism as an ecology; comprehensive framework \| Requires paradigm shift from conventional zoning thinking; initial calibration to local context is labor-intensive; may not fit jurisdictions with highly irregular development patterns \| Comprehensive plan implementation; greenfield master-planned communities; complete code replacements; jurisdictions ready for a fundamentally different approach to regulation \|
19	\| Hybrid \| Combination of two or more approaches (e.g., form-based for downtown + Euclidean for suburban residential + performance for industrial/environmental overlay) \| Balanced approach; can tailor regulation to distinct character areas; pragmatic; easier political adoption by preserving familiar systems where they work \| Can be complex to navigate; risk of internal contradictions between systems; may confuse applicants moving between zones with different regulatory logic \| Most real-world applications; jurisdictions transitioning from Euclidean to form-based; cities with diverse character areas requiring different regulatory approaches \|
20
21	### Selection Decision Tree
22
23	1. Is the project a comprehensive code replacement for an entire jurisdiction? --> Consider Transect-Based (SmartCode)
24	2. Is the project focused on a specific plan area (downtown, corridor, TOD)? --> Use Form-Based Code for the plan area
25	3.

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zoning-and-codes

118stars35forks

View on GitHub

How to install zoning-and-codes?

abhinavbwj/urban-design-skills-claude/zoning-and-codes

$npx -y skills add Abhinavbwj/Urban-Design-Skills-Claude --skill zoning-and-codes

Installs into the current project.

Summary

Files · 1

View on GitHub

SKILL.md

1	# Zoning and Codes Skill
2
3	This skill provides comprehensive zoning analysis and form-based code generation capabilities for urban design and masterplanning projects. It covers the full spectrum of zoning approaches from conventional Euclidean zoning through transect-based SmartCode, and provides detailed workflows for translating design intent into enforceable regulatory language. The skill draws from the SmartCode, Miami 21, Denver Form-Based Code, and international best practices in development regulation.
4
5	---
6
7	## 1. Zoning System Types
8
9	Use the following comparison matrix to select the appropriate zoning approach for a given project context. Each system has distinct strengths and is suited to different planning objectives.
10
11	### Comparison Matrix
12
13	\| Type \| Primary Controls \| Strengths \| Weaknesses \| Best For \|
14	\|------\|-----------------\|-----------\|------------\|----------\|
15	\| Euclidean \| Use categories (residential, commercial, industrial) + dimensional standards (setback, height, lot size, FAR) \| Simple to administer; predictable outcomes; well-understood by developers and communities; extensive legal precedent \| Rigid separation of uses enforces automobile dependence and sprawl; does not address building form or public realm quality; encourages lowest-common-denominator development \| Stable suburban areas; low-density residential neighborhoods; industrial zones; contexts where predictability is the primary goal \|
16	\| Performance \| Impact metrics (traffic generation, noise levels, shadow/daylight access, stormwater runoff, air quality emissions) \| Highly flexible; focuses on outcomes rather than prescriptions; encourages innovation in design solutions; can accommodate unforeseen uses \| Complex to administer and enforce; requires technical expertise for review; unpredictable physical outcomes; challenging for community members to understand \| Mixed-use areas where impact matters more than form; transitional zones between incompatible uses; innovation districts; areas with complex environmental constraints \|
17	\| Form-Based \| Building form (height, setback, coverage, FAR), frontage types, building types, public space standards \| Produces predictable physical form and high-quality public realm; enables mixed-use by right; regulates what matters most to communities (physical character); illustrated and accessible \| Requires design expertise to draft and administer; less familiar to many planning departments; can be perceived as overly prescriptive for building design; initial adoption requires education \| New development and infill projects; downtown revitalization; transit-oriented development; areas where physical character is the primary concern; urban renewal zones \|
18	\| Transect-Based (SmartCode) \| Rural-to-urban gradient zones (T1-T6) with calibrated standards for each zone; integrates thoroughfare, civic space, and building standards \| Holistic and context-sensitive; addresses the full range of human settlement patterns; internally consistent; treats urbanism as an ecology; comprehensive framework \| Requires paradigm shift from conventional zoning thinking; initial calibration to local context is labor-intensive; may not fit jurisdictions with highly irregular development patterns \| Comprehensive plan implementation; greenfield master-planned communities; complete code replacements; jurisdictions ready for a fundamentally different approach to regulation \|
19	\| Hybrid \| Combination of two or more approaches (e.g., form-based for downtown + Euclidean for suburban residential + performance for industrial/environmental overlay) \| Balanced approach; can tailor regulation to distinct character areas; pragmatic; easier political adoption by preserving familiar systems where they work \| Can be complex to navigate; risk of internal contradictions between systems; may confuse applicants moving between zones with different regulatory logic \| Most real-world applications; jurisdictions transitioning from Euclidean to form-based; cities with diverse character areas requiring different regulatory approaches \|
20
21	### Selection Decision Tree
22
23	1. Is the project a comprehensive code replacement for an entire jurisdiction? --> Consider Transect-Based (SmartCode)
24	2. Is the project focused on a specific plan area (downtown, corridor, TOD)? --> Use Form-Based Code for the plan area
25	3.

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Type