Design Guidelines for Small

Towns & Rural Communities

Inside Out Design

Hillsborough County City-County Planning Commission

 What is “Inside Out Design”?
• Context sensitive
design for small
towns and rural areas
 What Happens
• Many rural areas
experience rapid growth
• Losing the sense of
place
• Need to respect the
past, while
acknowledging change
is coming
 The Key Issue
• How to balance sustainable growth and
aesthetics in a rural environment?
 Design for Rural Areas
• Typical design focuses
on density, intensity,
scale and form, etc
• Rural roadways – two
lanes, soft shoulders,
trails, etc
• Larger residential bldg
setbacks
• Less dense
 Smart Standards for Small
Towns
• What is the difference between “urban design”
standards and “rural design” standards?
 Preparing Rural Design Standards

• What are rural design

standards/guidelines?
• Regulations that establish
an aesthetic framework in
the rural context
• Associated with zoning
standards, overlay districts,
redevelopment areas, or
strategic plan study areas
(Community Plans)
 Major Considerations
• Uses
• Right-of-way treatment
• Building placement
• Landscape setting
• Architectural Character
• Signage
 1. Right-of-Way Treatment

• Limit lanes, roadway

widths, and shoulders
• Restrict turn lanes where
appropriate
• Plant native vegetation and
wildflower
 1. Right-of-Way Treatment
• Highlight places of interest
through roadway design
• Trails vs. sidewalks for
pedestrians/horses
• Impervious surfaces
 2. Building Placement
• Cluster nonresidential
development
• Leverage common
parking and
infrastructure
 2. Building Placement
• Create central public
space “village square”
• Generate “critical
mass” for economic
viability
• Create market as a
destination
 3. Landscape
• Create rural ambience
using landscape
buffers
• Plan major parking to
sides/rear of buildings
 3. Landscape
• Cluster landscape
planting for greater
impact
• Integrate natural features
such as rivers
• Integrate man-made
features such as trails
 4. Architectural Design
• Determine built space massing
• Formulate solid-void ratio
• Stipulate roof design
 4. Architectural Design
• Consider lighting design to
reduce “spill”
• Require quality
architectural elements
• Focus on materials and
finishes
 5. Signage and Character

• Create a collective
visual impression
• Leverage signs to
generate theme
5. Signage and Character
• Restrict total copy area
• Stipulate size and number
• Determine allowable sign types
and lighting
Putting Rural Design into Practice
in Hillsborough County

Keystone-Odessa Community Plan,

Rural Design Standards and
Rural Activity Center
 Keystone-Odessa Community Plan
Implementation
•Keystone-Odessa Plan began in 1998, adopted
in 2000, became effective Jan. 2001
•Adopted Keystone-Odessa Rural Development
Standards (LDC effective August 2002)
•Adopted Community Activity Center Overlay (LDC
effective June 2004)
•Updated 2010-2012
 Planning Process
• Reviewed community plan’s design
requirements
• Defined Rural Activity Center area
• Addressed existing conditions
• Defined area character
• Prepared changes to Land Development
Code
The Keystone-Odessa
Community Plan
Rural Activity Center Strategy
• The overlay district will
incorporate specific design
guidelines that include:
• staggered building orientations,
with interruptions in roof lines
and structures;
• public courtyards or open
space(s) with shade trees;
• architectural features to
emphasize the location of the
center;
• connected structures with
covered walkways made of
pavers, brick or boardwalks;
 The Keystone-Odessa
Community Plan
Rural Activity Center Strategy
- residential style pitched roof
lines;
- external facades made of
wood siding, brick or vinyl
material;
- signage in scale and related
to architectural character of
the center (externally
illuminated monument signs
not pole signs)
- nighttime lighting that mimics
gaslights or kerosene lights
 The Keystone-Odessa
Community Plan
Rural Activity Center Strategy
- drought tolerant tree and vegetation plantings for shade,
screening and buffers along roadways
- preserved natural areas to act as buffers along perimeters
- irregular vehicular circulation and parking patterns to
accommodate existing trees
 Keystone-Odessa
Rural Activity Center
• Issues addressed
• build-out potential
• traffic circulation
and parking
• pedestrian
circulation
• infrastructure
requirements
• community
character and
special features
 Keystone-Odessa
Rural Activity Center
• Conceptual illustrated plan
• Overlay zoning district
• table of uses and densities/intensities
• design guidelines
Scenario with Existing Development Standards
Scenario with Design Guidelines Standards
 Shopping
• Conventional Apartments
Development Single Family
or Sprawl

Versus Apartments School

Shopping
• Traditional School
Development Single Family
or Smart Growth
• As part of planning, planners use photo
imagery to show how different parts of
the roadway network could be brought in
line with a community’s vision.
• walkable • Traditional Neighborhood
Development
• equestrian-friendly
• Form-Based Codes
• pedestrian-friendly • Smart Growth
• connected • healthy community design
• active living by design
• senior friendly
• family/child friendly
Steve Price, 510 486-0427
[Link]
 South Side Community Plan
Redevelopment of Existing Highway
 Sacramento County, CA
Hurley Way

At another, more rural section of Hurley Way, pedestrians lacking sidewalks walk in bike lanes.
 Sacramento County, CA
Hurley Way

The planners propose sidewalks and a grassy median, removing roadside brush and installing a fence.
 Sacramento County, CA
Hurley Way

Painting the bike lane a different color makes it more noticeable to drivers and pedestrians.
 South Side Community Plan
Redevelopment of Intersection
 Sacramento County, CA
Hurley Way and Fulton Avenue

The original photo of the intersection of Hurley Way and Fulton Avenue, east of downtown Sacramento,
shows a narrow sidewalk, street-front parking lots, poorly marked crosswalks and no protection from the
sun.
 Sacramento County, CA
Hurley Way and Fulton Avenue

Clearer crosswalks, wider sidewalks, bike lanes and streetlamps make for a safer pedestrian experience.
 Sacramento County, CA
Hurley Way and Fulton Avenue

Trees bring needed shade.

 South Side Community Plan
New Roadway with Typical Intersection
 Roseville, CA
Market Ave and Road “B”

Existing conditions
 Roseville, CA
Market Ave and Road “B”

Interconnected through streets define small walkable blocks. Sidewalks are separated from travel lanes
by parking lanes, bike lanes, and/or planting strips. Crosswalks are striped for good visibility. Lighting
is scaled to pedestrian needs. Local thoroughfares are designed for pedestrian safety—no larger than
 Roseville, CA
Market Ave and Road “B”

Street trees are planted close to roadway so as to cast shadows, thus breaking up visual expanse of
asphalt and reducing heat island effect
 Roseville, CA
Market Ave and Road “B”

With addition of higher density development, walking and bicycling becomes natural
 South Side Community Plan
New Roadway with Roundabout
 Roseville, CA
Market Ave and Road “B”
 Roseville, CA
Market Ave and Road “B”
 Roseville, CA
Market Ave and Road “B”
 Roseville, CA
Market Ave and Road “B”
Potential Hamlet
 • Agricultural Rural

Example: 1 unit per 5 acres

 Examples of Clustering
Conservation Subdivisions
Design Guidelines for Small
Towns & Rural Communities
Inside Out Urban Design

For more information:

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