Columbia Pike Form Based Code - sacog

Columbia Pike Form Based Code
Arlington, Virginia
Proposed Impovement
Existing
Citizen
Planning
For nearly three years the citizens of
Arlington County helped to define a concept
for growth along Columbia Pike. Joining
forces with the County and the Columbia Pike
Revitalization Organization (CPRO), the
community is looking to transform Columbia
Pike through a comprehensive effort. This
effort, spelled out in the County adopted
"Columbia Pike Initiative," sets forth a longrange
vision to create a competitive and
vibrant corridor by addressing issues such as
economic and community development, land
use and zoning, urban design, transportation,
housing and open space.
The Pike corridor is an organizing element for the future of the community. Smart redevelopment
is a catalyst for social, economic, and physical improvements that affect the lives of
all Arlington residents. But for the Pike to be functional, livable, and serve an ever-changing
economy, the street must have a better-defined physical form. The resulting new code
is the foundation for making this possible.
The Columbia Pike Special Revitalization District Form Based Code introduces livable
approaches to redevelopment and revitalization throughout the Columbia Pike corridor.
Instead of focusing on what is undesirable, Form Based Codes focus on the community’s
design vision. Basic rules specify a range of acceptable building types and locations, and
welcome mixed-use development. After extensive public involvement, including an urban
design charrette, the Form Based Code for Columbia Pike was developed to preserve the
existing community character while improving the quality of new development along the
corridor. The comprehensive effort sets forth a long-range vision to create a competitive and
vibrant corridor and urban center.
Arlington County is one of the first jurisdictions in the nation to apply Form Based Code to
revitalize existing older sectors; this is among the largest (if not the largest) application of
Form Based Code in the country. The following pages describe the process that was followed
in the development of the code – from conceptual visualizations, to detailed regulations
to achieve the vision, in the form of written and visual standards for infill development.

Neighborhood Center
Western Gateway
Village Center
The Columbia Pike Urban Design Charrette, held in September of 2002, was a forum for citizens to
get involved in designing the future of the Pike. Citizens gathered in small groups to discuss and
draw ideas for redeveloping the Pike, and to build consensus on the ideas that were important to them.
During the charrette week, the design team began to assemble one overall plan, incorporating the “big
ideas” generated by the community. Community members stopped by the studio located on the Pike,
offering continual input as the plan progressed. The Illustrative Plan (above) is the result of this
planning process; it shows the hypothetical buildout of the corridor, locating building footprints (new
and existing), open space, and parking areas. The corridor was divided into four study areas, the
Western Gateway, the Neighborhood Center, the Village Center, and the Town Center. Each area has
it’s own unique characteristics and challenges which were addressed.
Quick sketches were done to study buildings that would result from the hypothetical building footprints
in the Illustrative Plan, combined with the proposed height limits in the study areas and potential
architectural regulations of the new code. These sketches were presented to the public, so they
could envision the form and mass of future development. One example, illustrating new buildings in
the Village Center, is shown at left.
At the conclusion of the charrette week, work began on developing the detailed codes and regulating
plans that would lay out the rules for new development. The Town Center Regulating Plan (right)
illustrates the required building line (RBL), the street tree alignment and parking setback lines, and
identifies a street frontage type for each street, which corresponds to written code regulations.

Evolution Over Time...
The sequence of images to the left demonstrates how the form-based
code will affect the character of Columbia Pike over time. The first
image displays the existing conditions, with a blank white wall facing
Columbia Pike, and a parking area shown beyond.
In the second image, the corner site has been redeveloped, and glazed
surfaces meet pedestrians on the street passing by. Upper floors are
used for office or residential purposes, adding a population to enliven
the surrounding streets. The street treees have grown to maturation,
providing a continuous tree canopy for pedestrians.
In the third image, buildings fill in the former parking lot to the left of
the corner building, completing the continuous building facade along
Columbia Pike. Parking is now provided to the rear of buildings,
away from the street. Enhanced public transit can reduce the number
of parking spaces required for infill development.
Town Center

The charrette will probably be looked back upon as a historic event in
the redevelopment and revitalization of Columbia Pike.
Columbia Pike Master Plan
and Form Based Code
Location:
Project Area:
Client:
Arlington, Virginia
3.5 mile section of
Columbia Pike
Arlington County
Charrette Team: Victor Dover
Joseph Kohl
Margaret Marshall
James Dougherty
Amy Groves
Ibrahim Mohasseb
Subconsultants:
Geoffrey Ferrell Associates
coding
UrbanAdvantage
imaging
VOA Associates
local assistance
Status:
The Arlington County Board approved the
Columbia Pike Form Based Code in February
2003. The first project under the form Based
Code has been approved – the project will be the
first mixed-use development project in the
Columbia Pike corridor in more than 40 years.
Street Standards were developed for the entire study area. These standards illustrate
the principles of the code, demonstrating various criteria including how wide
the streetspace (the distance between buildings) should be, how many lanes of traffic
there should be, and where street trees and on-street parking should be located.
1571 Sunset Drive Coral Gables, FL 33143
phone: 305-666-0446 fax: 305-666-0360 www.doverkohl.com