§ 1.5. INTENT

A.

The overriding intent of this development code is to implement the Heart of Peoria Plan and the associated vision areas developed for: the Prospect Road Business District; the Historic Sheridan Triangle Business District; the West Main Street Corridor; and the Warehouse District, and provide a unified approach to city-wide development and applicable land uses.

B.

This development code in contrast with previous codes focuses on the creation of mixed-use, walkable neighborhoods. Implementation of this Unified Code is intended to:

1.

Change the character of the roadways—from high speed arterials and collectors to streets, avenues, and boulevards;

2.

Create street space—bring the buildings close to the street and plant canopy street trees;

3.

Narrow travel lanes to slow traffic and decrease pedestrian crossing distance;

4.

Provide a pedestrian-friendly environment with wider sidewalks, treelined streets, active shopfronts, short blocks, and a variety of uses;

5.

Prohibit blank walls along the sidewalk;

6.

Create a "park-once" environment by requiring shared parking;

7.

Accommodate on-street parking;

8.

Increase connectivity through small block size and the creation of new streets and alleys;

9.

Promote re-use, redevelopment and infill;

10.

Encourage and assist in the preservation of existing buildings and housing stock;

11.

Use the scale and massing of buildings to transition between the corridors and surrounding neighborhoods;

12.

Promote infill development for vacant parcels that reflects the surrounding scale and character;

13.

Encourage mixed-use neighborhood main streets;

14.

Control the scale and fit of new development patterns;

15.

Use the commercial corridors as a seam sewing neighborhoods together rather than a wall keeping them apart;

16.

Designate areas that allow a mix of uses by right;

17.

Provide opportunities for housing choice and variety—attached and detached, rental and ownership;

18.

Create new outdoor civic spaces; and

19.

Provide new outdoor public spaces, people places, squares, and civic greens.

20.

Encourage reasonable flexibility of development design through appropriate innovation;

21.

Create an attractive appearance for the City and instill aesthetics as a value and standard throughout the City;

22.

Promote land uses and designs which preserve existing aesthetic benefits in the City; and

23.

Protect and enhance the taxable value of land and buildings