Critical Issue 1: Mixed-Use Developments: Creating Great Places to Live and Work

Kris Krider, Planning Director, Town of Davidson

Kris Krider presented on the issue of mixed-use development and how the Town of Davidson, NC, has incorporated mixed-use into its zoning ordinances. This presentation was the first of three that dealt with technical aspects that town planners and residents must contend with.

Davidson, home to Davidson College, is evolving to be a bedroom community of Charlotte, NC. In the 1990s, Davidson began to consider new design standards to achieve the planning goals identified by the community. To deal with the suburban sprawl of Charlotte, Davidson held a community SWOT to determine what they liked about their town and what they wanted to avoid in planning for the future. The citizens of Davidson wanted to retain their small town feel, but without stifling development. The citizens came up with the following priorities:

to build community;
to have a town center and to encourage rings of development around the center;
to avoid the usual development;
to encourage citizen participation;
to balance new development with the old;
to abandon the separation of uses;
to develop transit options;
to make development predictable; and,
to be far and cost effective.

Interestingly, there was relatively little opposition to new development standards. The small amount of opposition that did arise came from the usual suspects: farmers and land owners, people who like cul-de-sac development and/or opposed through traffic, developers, people who fear mixed-use and those afraid of property values decreasing.

With the support of the elected officials and the town administration, the town wrote the new ordinance in 2001. The new ordinance included provisions for Adequate Public Facilities Ordinances (APFO), Inclusionary Zoning, design regulations, planning areas and connectivity among city streets. The application of these new ordinances has been successful in Davidson, but its success has not been due to the ordinances alone. The key to Davidson's success has involved leadership and support from town officials for the planning process, supportive land use ordinances and the citizens' demand for quality in the built environment.

Today in Davidson, commercial buildings must be two stories, even grocery stores. Drive-throughs are not allowed. All store fronts must have 75% transparency to avoid having blank walls facing the city streets. All of these design standards help protect Davidson's sense of place.

Kris Krider
P.O. Box 579
Davidson, NC 28036
(704) 892-7591
fax (704) 892-3971
email: kkrider@ci.davidson.nc.us

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