Bea-Sustainable: Pedestrian Oriented Development -ADAPT AND REUSE TOPIC

Pedestrian Oriented Development

Pedestrian oriented development (POD) provides clear and comfortable pedestrian access to commercial and residential areas and transit stops. This type of development is accomplished through a combination of land design practices including compact development, mixed-use, traffic calming, pedestrian – and public transit-orientation, and a mix of housing types. While POD works well in community centers and downtowns, it also can be applied successfully in rural and suburban areas.

Dallas has recently been amending City codes to accomplish this goal. Some of the changes include minimizing setbacks, encouraging continuous sidewalks to link shopping centers, facade transparency by elimination long segments of blank walls, minimizing dominance of parking and adding bike friendly access.

Bishop Arts

A great example of POD in Dallas is the Bishop Arts District in Oak Cliff. It has many different boutiques, restaurants, bars, coffee shops, theatres and art galleries all within a pedestrian friendly span of several blocks.

Bishop Arts pedestrians

The growing popularity of pedestrian styled developments shows that this development style appeals to shoppers and supports the City's movement to create more sustainable streets.

Cool Town Studios had a site that I found that summarized Pedestrian Oriented Development in 13 points that I thought were simple to understand.

The 13 points:

1. The neighborhood has a discernible center.
2. Most dwellings are within a five-minute walk of the center.
3. There are a variety of dwelling types.
4. At the edge of the neighborhood, there are shops and workplaces.
5. An elementary school is close enough so hildren can walk from their home.
6. There are small playgrounds accessible to every dwelling.
7. Streets in neighborhood form a “connected network, which disperses traffic.
8. The streets are relatively narrow and shaded by rows of trees.
9. Buildings in the neighborhood are placed close to the street.

10. Parking is relegated to the rear of buildings, usually accessed by alleys.

11. Certain prominent sites at the end of street vistas are reserved for civic buildings to provide sites for community or cultural activities.

12. The neighborhood is organized to be self-governing.

13. A small building is permitted within the backyard of each house. (e.g., office or craft workshop).