GOAL 2: Refine Regulatory Framework
ACTION 2A : Prepare, Adopt Design Guidelines
LEAD And TEAM: City, MDC

STARTUP: Second Quarter
ACTION TYPE: One-Time Project
RESOURCE CATEGORY: 7

City staff strategically delayed preparation of Downtown Design Guidelines until after the Marketing Strategy was completed. With adoption of the Marketing Strategy, this critically important project can be completed.

Design guidelines should be divided into two primary segments:

• Public sector: public rights-of-way, streetscapes, public opens spaces and public building
• Private sector: Primarily building types, construction materials, building heights, open space, parking, landscaping, setbacks.

Public sector design standards should reflect Downtown's development vision and the community values that help craft it. Downtown is intended to be both an exceptional community center and a hub of commerce and government for the entire Treasure Valley . Quality design of public sector properties will greatly contribute toward these ends. Literally every public improvement will be strategically important to the implementation program.

Private sector design guidelines also are important to safeguard the property investment of property owners and developers who seek to transform Downtown into the central place envisioned here. Building heights, setbacks, offstreet parking areas and open space all impact the character of any downtown substantially and should be directed by specific zoning and design language.

The City and Downtown business community both have a stake in the quality of these design facets. Imagine the owner of a multi-million dollar property improvement being faced with a new next door neighbor constructing a Quonset hut or some other eyesore. It is a reality that development has spillover impacts. That is why our government has approved zoning and related guidelines since the 1920's. Truly, some mandatory guidelines are necessary. It is essential, however, that required guidelines be tested for economic rationality. All guidelines have economic impacts. Sometimes, well intended guidelines are poorly organized and have unintended, negative impacts. Economic testing will help eliminate this possibility.

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