Many cities in the United States are reassessing their use-based zoning codes in light of the increasing health, environmental, and economic costs of sprawl. To counter the car-centric system of development codified in use-based zoning codes, some pioneering cities have adopted form-based codes that seek to structure cities into compact and walkable neighborhoods.

This template provides the framework for a one page executive summary to a Mayor, City Manager, or other Chief Executive on creating compact, walkable, and mixed-useneighborhoods through form-based codes. The template can be utilzed as a press conference briefing, stakeholder meeting briefing or a conversation outline if the Sustainability Officer only has 30 seconds to discuss this issue with the municipal executive.

It is important to note that this template is offered only as a starting point. Sustainability Officers will need to customize this briefing document to reflect the specific conditions and data of their local communities and proposals.