How we used Lego and dotmocracy to help move from a vision to form-based zoning in Dartmouth, Halifax Regional Municipality, Nova Scotia, Canada

1. Between
Visioning and
Zoning
Village on Main
Dartmouth, NS
API-LPPANS-NSPDA
Conference
May 20, 2016

2. Three Big Questions…
1. Which concept do people prefer?
2. What building forms do they like?
3. What is achievable?

3. 1. Which concept do people prefer?
Height
Parking
Step down
with Valley
Tallest in
Valley
Tallest at
Nodes
Rear Parking A B C
Side Parking D E F
White Lego bricks are buildings. Black Lego tiles are surface parking.

4. Step down into valley; rear parking
A
24 liked
3 disliked
21 points

5. Building Orientation?
Parallel Buildings…
12 liked
0 disliked
12 points
OR… Perpendicular
Buildings
10 liked
3 disliked
7 points

6. 2. What building forms do they like?

7. 3. What is achievable?
Lego parking & building simulation
Red roof brick 1 apt. loft (1 sq = 2 units)
Orange stripe brick 2 apt. floors (1 sq = 2 units)
Blue stripe brick 2 office floors (1 sq=3200 sf)
White brick 1 retail floor (1 sq=1600 sf)
Black tile Parking (4 spaces & access)
White tile Driveway (& some parking)
Green tile Amenity space (1 sq=1600 sf)

8. Structured
Parking,
Mixed Use
Surface
Parking,
Mixed Use
Surface Parking,
Mixed Use but
some Residential

9. Sketch-Up Alternatives
Uses
Parking
Mixed Use
Throughout
Mixed Use except
Lakecrest
Surface
Parking
Subgrade or
Structured
Parking

10. Alternative 2:
Surface Parking, Mixed Use except
residential on Lakecrest
12 votes
for overall
scheme
26 dots for
“good”
features
1 feature
changed
Much less
density

11. Recommended Concept
Gateway
buildings
Gateway
building
Live/
work4 storeys
plus lofts
Low-rise
apts
Framed
parking
Retail & mid-rise apts.Retail & apt. towers
Low
streetwall Mixed-Use
& Mid-Rise
Mid-
rise
Low-rise
apts

12. Looking Back & Looking Forward
• Lego for alternatives & analysis:
– simple, quick, tangible & modular
– put Lego on scale aerials
– apply parking & open space ratios
• Dotmocracy for public events:
– early vote on height & orientation
– post-analysis vote on realistic options
• Basis for form-based zoning:
– Confirmed vision
– Informed some improvements
Now the BID is promoting with computer 3-D!