Best practices & standards manual for sustainable Cities: Ogden City, Utah

This Best Practices and Standards Manual for Sustainable Cities serves as a comprehensive guide with the intention to foster sustainable design and code practices in urban areas. The manual focuses on four key areas of planning: Community Design and Land Use, Energy Performance and Efficiency, Water Conservation and Management, and Sustainable Transportation Systems. While the standards and practices outlined in this manual can be applied broadly to various urban settings, the focus of this project is to assess the specific conditions of Ogden City, Utah, and implement sustainable planning practices into its existing code. This project has been done in collaboration with Logan Simpson and their work in developing a Unified Development Code (UDC) in Ogden City. This manual plays a crucial role in the code update, pinpointing missing best practices in the existing code and outlines practices and standards that can help address any inconsistencies. The final product lays out best land use and development practices that comply with the unique character of Ogden City, specific to sustainable practices and objectives, providing examples of how these practices have been applied in various other regions and how these might be reflected in Ogden's built environment.

BEST PRACTICES & STANDARDS MANUAL FOR SUSTAINABLE CITIES: OGDEN CITY, UTAH Ajla Hadzialijagic | Client: Logan Simpson | Advisor: Keith Bartholomew SPRING 2024 MANUAL PURPOSE & GOALS PROJECT PROCESS PHASE 1: BACKGROUND & RESEARCH • Preliminary data research of existing sustainability frameworks and code projects. • Ogden City, Utah zoning code assessment for sustainability gaps. PHASE 2: INTERVIEWS & BEST PRACTICES • Interviews with clients and sustainability framework organizations. • Established case studies for final manual. • Compile list of Best Practices. PHASE 3: FINAL RECOMMENDATIONS Manual serves as comprehensive guide for fostering sustainable design and code practices in urban areas, providing Ogden City recommendations for their zoning code update. • Develop comprehensive Sustainability Manual for best practice recommendations to be considered for implementation into Ogden code update. Manual Goals: • Assessing the existing code for gaps. • Research existing sustainability frameworks for best practice recommendations tailored to Ogden City’s specific conditions. • Provide case study examples of strategies for recommended best practices. BEST PRACTICES & STANDARDS RECOMMENDATIONS PROJECT BACKGROUND & PLANNING PROBLEM In striving for resilient and environmentally responsible urban development, cities like Ogden, Utah, can employ sustainable best practices to enhance their zoning codes. This manual focuses on specific sustainable measures tailored to Ogden, but its principles are applicable beyond city limits. Ogden City can not only strengthen its zoning code but also lead in fostering a sustainable urban future by embracing the following practices across four key dimensions of planning: Ogden City, Utah, faces inconsistencies between outdated plans and its evolving vision amidst ongoing growth. To address this, Ogden City is launching the Zone Ogden project to consolidate land use regulations into a Unified Development Code (UDC). The project aims to update zoning regulations, subdivision rules, and other ordinances to establish a centralized and accessible framework for development. OGDEN CITY, UT EXISTING FRAMEWORKS & CASE STUDIES In addition to the code assessment, this professional project extended to incorporate research on existing sustainability frameworks to inform this manual’s development and provided best practice recommendations. Furthermore, interviews with professionals, organizations, and other contributors enriched the information provided and understanding of contemporary planning efforts in sustainability. Four existing frameworks were selected: OGDEN CITY, UT ZONING Institute for Local Government: Sustainability Best Practices Framework California Sustainable Policy and Best Practices Manual Sustainability Model Codes and Resources Framework: Minnesota GreenStep Cities Sustainable Development Code: SDC Community Design and Land Use Energy Performance and Efficiency Water Conservation and Management Sustainable Transportation Systems MIXED USE DEVELOPMENT & GREEN SPACE PRIORITIZATION DARK SKIES LIGHTING PRACTICES WATER WISE LANDSCAPING STREET CONNECTIVITY & PEDESTRIAN ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT ADAPTIVE REUSE OF EXISTING HISTORIC BUILDINGS GREEN ROOFING & TREE CANOPY COVERAGE GREYWATER SYSTEMS MIXED-USE ZONING SUSTAINABLE MATERIAL USE ZERO NET ENERGY BUILDINGS REQUIREMENTS FOR MONITORING & CONTROL OF WATER RESOURCES ENHANCE EXISTING TRANSIT INFRASTRUCTURE GREEN BUILDING STANDARDS & LEED CERTIFICATION HEIGHT & SETBACK REQUIREMENTS FOR WIND & SOLAR ENERGY STORM WATER MANAGEMENT REGULATIONS ECO-FRIENDLY PARKING DESIGNS & PARKING LOT REGULATIONS