(J01) The Model Resilient Zoning Code with Equity in an Era of Climate Change - 2024 Prepublication

Zoning codes in the United States are patched documents from the 1950’s and 1960’s - inequitable, climate agnostic frameworks that will not ensure the integrated solutions needed for resilient cities. While 1980’s New Urbanism and later form-based codes improved placemaking, a new Model Zoning Code is needed to respond to the 7 Key Challenges of Climate Change: Energy, Water, Food, Waste, Mobility, Human Health/Equity/Safety, and Ecological Health. This interactive session discusses prepublication content from five years of research, 2 rounds of expert crowdsourcing at Greenbuild 2017 and 2018, and presentation comments from Greenbuild 2020 that outlined the Model Resilient Zoning Code with Equity principles. It advances the Model Resilient Zoning Code with Equity in a format for publication and dissemination to wider audiences, incorporating additional research, climate data, historical trends, and relevant case studies. With the Model Resilient Zoning Code with Equity as a framework, cities can move beyond 1950 + patches for actions that are needed now to mitigate and prepare for the climate of the 21st century. At the regional, urban, neighborhood and building level, the Model Resilient Zoning Code with Equity includes guidelines for changes in urban form & fabric - including transportation & mobility connectivity, habitat & ecological connectivity, district energy & water connectivity, density, mixed use & affordability, areas of refuge; and changes in building form - to include site coverage, appurtenances, bulk & scale, and floor area ratios; with viable recommendations for implementation. The session visualizes high level zoning code changes for resiliency through relevant leading edge case studies in various bioregions to illustrate what our cities could be, and the environmental and human benefits for meeting climate change commitments through an integrated approach. The session concludes with an interactive audience session.