DRAFT Document - Campus

Click this link to open a full copy of Place Types -Campus.

You'll need this for reference as you take the survey.

Summary

(Sidebar on right side of document)

This section summarizes the intent and rataionale for the "building blocks" of Place Types.  These "building blocks" range from Land Use to Transportation.

Please share any questions/comments you have on the following "building blocks".

Goals

• Provide a place for larger institutional users to thrive where people learn, teach, receive and provide treatment, celebrate and gather, and/or create and share, among other things.
• Somewhat of a community within a community by offering many of the daily services needed by employees or residents on-site.

Land Use

• Campuses are typically made up of major educational, healthcare, religious institutions or similar organizations that require a significant amount of space for various activities.
• Offices, classrooms and labs, and gathering spaces are typical primary uses. Secondary uses, such as residences, retail and cafeterias, stadiums, and gymnasiums are typically intended to support the Campus.

Urban Design

• Campuses are typically master planned and clearly designed for the purpose of the primary user, not the ancillary uses that may occur as part of the campus. 
• Buildings are typically low- to midrise commercial, civic, or residential buildings depending on the context.

Transportation

• Campuses are typically accessible from a major street, but a well-connected Local Street network is typical within this place. 
• The transportation network includes a well-developed internal pedestrian and bicycle network with short blocks and access to transit.

Typical Mix of Uses

Zoning Districts

• This Place Type has a range of districts that acknowledge the diverse character of the areas they serve. Zoning Districts will have varying standards related to height, intensity, uses, parking, building placement, and other site design elements. 
• Specific Zoning Districts will be developed for this Place Type – TBD.

Building Types

• The predominant building types are low- to mid-rise commercial and civic buildings. Low- to mid-rise residential buildings are also appropriate but are less prevalent in Campus places.
• Buildings may support the needs for various types of activities, depending on the needs of the Campus user, so building types do vary from Campus to Campus.
• Buildings may need to accommodate classrooms, offices, residences, patient rooms, clinics, cafeterias and restaurants, small retail spaces, fitness facilities, and often include large gathering spaces like auditoriums and stadiums (C3).

Building Size

• Buildings may vary in size depending upon their context and the needs of the Campus user.
• Buildings may range in size from small commercial buildings around 10,000 square feet to large auditoriums, classroom buildings, and hospitals that may be up to 1,000,000 square feet or more.

Building Length Along The Street Frontage

• Shorter building lengths provide a more interesting and comfortable pedestrian environment and allow for better block structure.
• Building length varies based on the context of the area.
• When a building relates to the external street network, building lengths should be similar to the surrounding context, but no longer than 300 feet along a street.
• The impact of buildings greater than 300 feet in length along a street may be mitigated with intermittent breaks in the building for pedestrian penetration into the site spaced a maximum of approximately 200’ apart.

Building Height

• The height of buildings depends upon the context in which the Campus is located, but is generally no greater than 15 stories and usually around 4 stories.
• Campuses surrounded by an established neighborhood will likely be lower scale, typically no greater than 4 stories along those edges.
• Campuses with significant space on its edges and the absence of a negative impact on surrounding areas may be appropriate for taller buildings up to 15 stories.
• Transitions to low intensity places and neighborhoods should be addressed with tapered height toward the lower intensity places and the placement of buildings to minimize impact and respect the character of the adjacent area.

Yards

• The context of the Campus will determine if yards are necessary to complement adjacent areas or not.
• Campuses located within Neighborhoods, for example, may include front yard areas similar to any yards provided by other sites along the street that may not be part of the Campus.
• If located in a Neighborhood, side yards may be different than other sites outside of the Campus but should respect the character of adjacent sites with appropriate spacing between buildings on the Campus to those adjacent to, but not part of, the Campus.
• Campuses in more urban areas may not include front or side yards.

Orientation

Note: Arterial Streets are higher volume streets (not freeways) that travel to and through Places. The terms Main Street, Avenue, Boulevard, and Parkway refer to the more specific design classifications (from the Urban Street Design Guidelines) that refine the generic Arterial Streets into context-based streets. Arterial Streets is used generically here, with USDG classifications applied where necessary to make distinctions between expected design and context. Local streets are lower-volume streets that provide direct access to land uses off of Arterial Streets.

• Campuses are typically located along Arterial Streets, and also include a Local Street network external or internal to the site.
• Campuses should not orient to Parkways, but should instead be accessed by and oriented to other types of streets (other Arterial or Local Streets).
• Principal buildings should orient to streets and be set back far enough to allow for outdoor seating and plazas where such uses are anticipated (typically for Main Streets, most Avenues, and Local Streets).
• Buildings should be set back farther from Boulevards and some Avenues, but should still orient to and provide direct pedestrian access from the street onto the site and to principal buildings.
• Orientation to useable common open spaces is also encouraged.
• Buildings should not be oriented toward a driveway, interior parking lot, or alley.
• In a Transit Station Area, buildings should orient to the street and to any pedestrian network that provides direct accessibly to the station.

Building Frontage Along Streets

• Buildings and open spaces should also establish clear connections to adjacent Arterial Streets, to encourage pedestrian travel between developments and create a park-once environment.
• Buildings should include operable entrances and significant transparency along street frontages, particularly along Main Streets, Avenues, and Local Streets.
• Buildings set farther back from an Arterial Street (along Boulevards, e.g.) should still include clearly visible pedestrian connections and operable entrances from the Arterial Street at intervals no greater than 200 feet.
• Buildings on corner lots are encouraged to have entrances that front on both streets or provide an entrance from the corner of the building. Entrances should be aligned with existing or future planned pedestrian facilities where feasible.
• Corners of streets and driveways from Arterial Streets into Campuses should be wrapped by a building to create an inviting, comfortable route for pedestrians from the Arterial Street.
• Parking (other than on-street parking) should typically not be located between the building and street.
• Space between the building and the sidewalk may provide appropriate locations for outdoor seating or usable open space, which can positively contribute to an improved public realm.

Building Coverage and Impervious Surface

• Impervious surfaces typically cover 50% of development within a Campus site.
• Building coverage is typically up to 30% of a site.
• Impervious surfaces may be made up of buildings, driveways, streets, parking, and plazas among other site elements.
• Approximately 50% of land on a Campus site is pervious. These areas are typically grassed or landscaped and designed to provide a pleasant pass-through environment or a place to stop and enjoy. Some are areas the provide buffers either from adjacent places or along a major street. These areas should generally remain as open space.
• Pervious areas can accommodate trees that contribute to the city’s tree canopy.

Open Space and Yards:

• Common Open spaces are typically a focal point of Campuses and well-integrated into the overall site design. Since many Campuses are master planned, they typically incorporate usable, intentional open spaces into the overall design.
• Common Open Spaces of various types should occupy about 10% of a Campus overall. Open spaces are typically in the form of pervious surface areas like common park space and buffers, but may also include plazas and courtyards.
• These areas are typically grassed or landscaped and designed to provide a pleasant pass-through environment or a place to stop and enjoy.
• Open spaces range in design and may include plazas, courtyards, greenways, and parks.
• Buildings adjacent to open spaces should orient to them and include accessible building entrances from the space and ground floor activity to activate the space.

Connectivity

• Campuses are typically located along Arterial Streets. An important goal is to make campuses accessible by several modes of transportation from nearby neighborhoods and destinations by connecting to street, transit, greenway, pedestrian, and bicycle networks.
• Local Street networks and connections to Arterial Streets are critical to support activity throughout the Center.
• Block lengths are preferably no greater than 600’, and should be closer to 400’ to promote walkability, particularly if the Campus is also in a Transit Station Area.

Pedestrian Network

• The Local Street network provides a high-quality pedestrian environment by being both well-connected and designed to accommodate large groups of people.
• Arterial Streets also support walkability by providing a high-quality public realm and frequent crossing opportunities.
• There should be clear and visible on-site sidewalk connections from streets directly to buildings.
• Off-street sidewalks should include connections from streets to adjacent greenways, parks, schools, and other streets where possible.

Parking

• Structured parking or parking to the side or rear of buildings is preferred.
• In contexts where buildings orient to a Local Street network, minimal parking between the building and any external Arterial Street may occur, so long as clear pedestrian connections from the street to the building(s) are established.
• On-street parking may also occur to encourage a more walkable environment.
• Some buildings may require drop-off facilities at the entrance, and these should be designed to also not conflict with pedestrian accessibility from the sidewalk to the entrance.

Streets

• Arterial Streets provide access to Campuses, so they should be designed to allow convenient crossings and a public realm that supports pedestrian, bicycle, and transit access.
• Most Arterial Streets will be Avenues or Boulevards, but Main Streets may be appropriate in lower volume locations.
• Due to the higher intensity of development, Local Streets are typically Commercial street types, that allow on-street parking and maneuvering traffic.
• Target speeds should be low (preferably maximum 25mph on Local Streets and Main Streets, XXmph on arterials).

Sidewalks

• Sidewalks should be wide enough to accommodate heavy pedestrian volumes and maintain unobstructed walking space when adjacent to outdoor seating and displays (in the setback).
• Internal Local Streets should have 8 to 10 foot wide unobstructed sidewalks.
• Arterial Streets typically have minimum 8 foot wide unobstructed sidewalks on Avenues and Boulevards or a minimum 10 foot wide unobstructed sidewalks on Main Streets.
• Additional sidewalk width or hardscaped area between the building and the street is needed to accommodate outdoor dining and display.
• There should be clear and visible on-site sidewalk connections from Arterial Streets directly to buildings and to the internal pedestrian network.

Green Zone

• The Green Zone is typically no less than 8 feet wide to accommodate shade trees, grass, and/or hardscape elements. It provides separation between pedestrians and vehicles, helps calm traffic, provides an attractive public realm, contributes to the City’s healthy tree canopy, and shades the streets and users.
• On Campuses, an 8 foot hardscaped amenity zone with trees in grates and curbed planters is ideal for most building types on Local Streets, particularly for commercial and mixed use buildings. Hardscaped Green Zones (with trees in grates or curbed planters) should always be used on Main Streets and Avenues with on-street parking.
• Grass planting strips are appropriate on Parkways, Boulevards, and Avenues without on-street parking. They are also appropriate adjacent to most residential uses without on-street parking.

Bicycle Facilities

• Dedicated bicycle facilities are expected on most Arterial Streets, due to higher motor vehicle speeds and volumes.
• Dedicated bicycle facilities are not typical on internal Local Streets and Main Streets, since motor vehicles speeds and traffic volumes should be low and bicycles and motor vehicles can safely share the travel lane, however, dedicated bicycle facilities may be appropriate if heavy bicycle traffic is expected to access the Campus.
• Design of the bicycle facility varies (see general provisions, p. XX, for factors influencing bike facilities).

Street Furnishings

• Street furnishings should be located in the Green Zone or areas behind the sidewalk, not in the sidewalk.
• The Green Zone (typically hardscaped), combined with building setback, should be wide enough to include trees in grates, pedestrian lighting, benches, transit stops/facilities, trash receptacles, outdoor seating/displays, doors and entrances, and bike parking.