Forward Dallas Urban Design Element

URBAN DESIGN ELEMENT

Streets

Downtown and the Urban Core

Civic Spaces

Trees and Open Space

Trees soften the hard architectural environment, clean and cool the

air and provide shade, all vital to a successful city. When planted in

a formal design, trees can introduce structure, rhythm and a distinct

pattern to an urban space. Conversely, trees planted in informal

sequences can be playful and exuberant, provide a human scale

and invite a relationship with nature in an otherwise unwelcoming

urban space.

Green space and plantings can be easily incorporated into almost

any form of development to accommodate drainage and runoff.

Dallas has hundreds of creeks and streams that form the web of

its riparian system. The typical way of handling these today is to

reroute the stream or creek into a concrete channel in an alley like service area.

This is a wasted opportunity to bring a natural

element and human scale to many developments. All efforts should

be made to leave these areas in a natural condition and incorporate

them as a site feature.

Roof gardens are the mark of a signature urban environment

and add a sophisticated dimension to the city. This efficient way

of providing green relief in dense urban settings can introduce

dramatic views in an atmosphere of relative privacy, insulated from

the noise and traffic occurring at street level.

GOAL 5.1 PROMOTE A SENSE OF PLACE, SAFETY AND WALKABILITY

Creating a quality urban environment through building design and

streetscape design will inherently promote communities that are

pedestrian friendly and foster a sense of place, safety and human

scale. A “sense of place” rarely can be established when streets

and public spaces are poorly defined. The placement, height, scale

and design of buildings and their relationship to the street can

have a tremendous impact on an area becoming a place where

people feel safe and enjoy walking. All urban environmental

components should contribute to place-making and enhance

Dallas’ unique character and identity.

Parking lots lining the streets, buildings with large set backs, or

buildings with no windows facing the street alienate pedestrians

rather than invite them to enjoy the space. A true streetscape is

created and walking is pleasant when buildings are pulled toward

the street and designed at the pedestrian level with interesting

architectural features, entrances and windows. This will not only

encourage urban activity but will also discourage crime. Trees and

landscaping create aesthetically pleasing and comfortable walking

environments, offering protection from heat and sun and lend

human scale to the area.

Policy 5.1.1 Promote pedestrian-friendly streetscapes.

Designing pedestrian-friendly streetscapes and encouraging new

developments to provide pedestrian-oriented amenities and

enhancements would encourage people to walk.

• Arcades, awnings and other architectural features will provide

a human scale and offer protection from rain and the summer

heat.

• Pedestrian plazas and green open space offer interesting

public places for people to enjoy the street experience. These

should incorporate water features, sculptures, art or other

architectural objects or focal points.

• Public art, benches, trash receptacles, bike racks and other

amenities enhance the quality of the pedestrian experience.

• Walkways and sidewalks, paved in materials with a tactile

quality, differentiate the pedestrian space from the auto realm.

• Pedestrian-oriented street lighting increases the sense of

safety and reduces the impact of light pollution.

• Trees and other landscaping visually enhance the space as

well as provide shade and a cooler microclimate. Native or

drought-resistant species should be encouraged.

• Walkways should lead directly to the street from building

entrances that are set back from the street.

• Headlight screens and landscaping will visually screen parking

lots adjacent to the street.

• Moving overhead wires to underground locations and

relocating other utilities to the rear of the development clean

up the area’s appearance.

5.1.1.1 Amend the Dallas zoning and plat regulations to establish

pedestrian and transit oriented districts with urban design

standards for walkability that encourage enhanced pedestrian

amenities. These standards need to accommodate automobile

dependent activities such as trash pickup and deliveries.

5.1.1.2 Amend the Thoroughfare Plan to accommodate Context

Sensitive Design principles and develop a Context Sensitive

Design manual that is consistent with urban design standards.

5.1.1.3 Apply urban design tools in pedestrian or transit oriented

districts when approving zoning cases and when developing

Area Plans.

5.1.1.4 Work with utility providers to increase options for street light

fixtures that encourage walking and safety and options with

trees and to resolve maintenance issues.

5.1.1.5 Allocate City funds and find other funding to enhance

pedestrian amenities on streets in priority areas.

Policy 5.1.2 Define urban character in Downtown and urban cores.

By placing buildings adjacent to the street, with generous

sidewalks, an area takes on the characteristics of an urban center

rather than a suburban-style place. Wide sidewalks permit

sidewalk cafes, attractive landscaping and pedestrian areas.

Buildings should be massed with common parking lots rather

than situated individually surrounded by private lots. Parking

structures that front the street should provide ground floor retail,

community service and/or professional office storefronts. If the

ground level cannot include stores, then enhanced facades should

be provided on parking structure walls that meet pedestrian

oriented areas.

The placement and design of buildings should also consider other

issues.

• Building entrances and windows should be provided to offer

“eyes on the street,” improving security and pedestrian

access.

• Sidewalks should accommodate pedestrians by including

amenities such as seating.

• Parking lots, garage doors, loading zones and mechanical

equipment should be placed away from streets.

Policy 5.1.3 Encourage complementary building height,

scale, design and character.

By encouraging development of buildings, structures and

landscapes that complement the character and scale of their

setting and relate to the human scale, a more defined sense of

place is created.

• New development should be appropriate to the context of

its location in density, intensity and size, particularly when

adjacent to existing residential areas, historic or conservation

districts.

• Buildings should be designed to be compatible in height,

scale, bulk and massing to the urban context and established

character of the surrounding area.

• The impact of parking lots and structures on adjacent areas

should be given careful consideration. Location, configuration,

access points and screening should be designed to minimize

spillover and mitigate any negative effects.

• All parking lots and structures must be designed and screened

to eliminate visual intrusion or incompatibility with the

adjacent residential neighborhoods, historic or conservation

districts.

Policy 5.1.4 Enhance visual enjoyment of public space.

There is a public interest in preserving and enhancing people’s

ability to view and enjoy a limited number of designated important

public natural, cultural and historical landmarks, objects and

spaces from designated public areas within Dallas. Being able

to see these elements promotes a sense of place, strengthens

community identity and image and facilitates navigation based on

visual landmarks. Prior to designations of (i) important public

natural, cultural and historic landmarks, objects or spaces and (ii)

the public spaces from which they are viewed; the view shed, view

cone or view corridor shall be mapped and analyzed to identify

the impact on private property rights.

• It is important that the City enhance and protect designated

public views from designated public viewing areas of

significant natural elements such as designated views of the

Trinity River Corridor, the escarpment and White Rock Lake,

all of which establish Dallas’ identity.

• Public signage and gateway features will help define

neighborhoods and districts.

• Civic institutions and community events, such as street fairs,

parades, farmers markets and live performances, all give Dallas

an important cultural and urban flair.

5.1.4.1 Identify and inventory significant public views and vistas and

develop guidelines to protect important public landmarks and

focal points that define the city and contribute to its identity.

5.1.4.2 Establish public “viewsheds” along important corridors as part

of Area Plans developed in priority implementation areas.

GOAL 5.2 STRENGTHEN COMMUNITY AND NEIGHBORHOOD IDENTITY

Establishing a sense of identity for Dallas and its individual

neighborhoods is critical to promoting civic investment and pride.

Creating a sense of community will help foster the continued

success of important neighborhoods and districts. This can be

accomplished through building and landscape design.

Policy 5.2.1 Maintain neighborhood scale and character.

Policy 5.2.2 Promote the character of the city’s

significant districts, linkages and areas.

Policy 5.2.3 Ensure attractive gateways into the city.

Creating attractive and memorable gateways at important

intersections, entrances to the city, major public open spaces, civic

and cultural spaces and historic landmarks helps define the city’s

boundaries, neighborhoods and important places.

5.2.3.1 Identify and prioritize major points of entry into Dallas

to receive special design treatments including landscaping,

public art and/or signage that reflect the unique character of

the area.

5.2.3.2 Partner with TXDOT on major highway reconstruction

projects to identify and implement urban design

enhancements and gateways at exits into important districts.

5.2.3.3 Develop Area Plans to ensure appropriate land uses at

significant gateways.

Policy 5.2.4 Enhance retail, industrial and business operations.

By encouraging better design quality and convenience in retail

centers, business parks and industrial parks, the city takes on

a more notable look.

• Primary building entrances should be highlighted through

building massing and their orientation toward streets.

• Variation in massing of large buildings should be used to avoid

the “big box” look.

• Adding trees and landscaping to parking lots provides shade

and reduces heat island effect.

• Walkways from building entrances through parking lots

should be landscaped.

• Mechanical equipment and open storage should be screened.

• Exterior lighting should be directed downward to avoid

skyward light pollution.

5.2.4.1 Develop design standards for retail centers, business parks and

industrial parks.

5.2.4.2 Enact new design standards for retail centers, industrial and

business parks, where appropriate, through Area Plans.

5.2.4.3 Establish cooperative relationships with private and civic

organizations to improve urban design, landscaping and other

amenities. These amenities will, in turn, enhance commercial

areas throughout the city.

GOAL 5.3 ESTABLISHING WALK-TO CONVENIENCE

Policy 5.3.1 Encourage a balance of land uses within walking distance of each other.

Policy 5.3.2 Direct pedestrian routes to home, school or work.

Policy 5.3.3 Encourage transit oriented developments and transit centers.