RMLUI’s code framework provides background information, examples of codes, concrete advice and steps to take in establishing or revising development codes in areas such as energy, transportation and livability.
The Sustainable Community Code and Reform Initiative is a Rocky Mountain Land Use Institute initiative that “seeks to bring sustainability to the forefront as a land use issue and understand how local governments can support sustainable communities through innovative land use codes.” One of the specific tasks of the institute is to develop a sustainable zoning code framework.
The framework is organized into eight categories, including everything from “Land Use and Community Character” to “Energy.” Each category contains several specific topics; for “Energy,” wind technology, solar technology, and energy efficiency are specific topics.
RMLUI provides a PDF for each topic, providing background on related issues and highly organized, concrete advice on establishing and revising relevant codes. Step-by-step options for addressing related issues are available for three “achievement levels”—bronze, silver, and gold—to account for discrepancies in the priority of or resources available for any particular coding project. Any relevant or useful articles, books, or examples of code are also listed for every “step” of the coding or revising process.
The code framework is still under construction, but a full outline of what is to be included is available online. Communities in Salt Lake City and Washington, D.C. have already put the framework to use as a guide in drafting new codes and revising old ones.
RMLUI of the University of Denver Sturm College of Law was established in 1992 as a base of research and education on land use policy issues. The institute itself holds an annual, widely-attended conference on land use, offers workshops, funds research projects and distributes publications, all in the name of fostering dialogue and collaboration in addressing difficult land use and development issues.