This ordinance is a suitable model for small governments looking to replace their sprawl-based ordinance with a relatively simple Traditional Neighborhood Development (TND) ordinance. Simple staff review will suffice.
The Greensboro TND ordinance regulates the planning for and development of Traditional Neighborhood Development patterns. This ordinance regulates the process for establishing a district, submittal and approval of a district, conformance to an adopted development plan, phasing of development, architectural standards, urban design guidelines and open space.
The Greensboro ordinance places significant emphasis on the creation of a development plan to successfully implement this place type within the city. The ordinance does not directly regulate elements such as uses, development dimensions, accessory uses, fences, landscaping, signage, street standards and sidewalks; instead, they are to be determined through the drafting of and ultimately the adoption of a development plan for each proposed district. The benefit of this strategy is it allows maximum discussion and negotiation for all elements of the proposed project. The drawback of this strategy is that it can become slow and cumbersome for communities wanting to maximize this kind of development. It can also become difficult to administer from a municipal staff perspective after a growing number of districts develop differing standards and regulations.