Bellevue, Kentucky - SmartCode Calibration

Bellevue Kentucky is a 1 square mile city situated on the Ohio River. While its historic fabric of small, walkable blocks hosting a healthy mix of uses is still mostly intact and a source of pride and economic vitality, real estate development since the 1980’s has been of a vehicle-dominant, suburban scale and character. Even recent riverfront development, which could have been designed to respect the walkable nature of Bellevue, while still experiencing the economic benefits and visual beauty of the Ohio River, was designed in a simplistic suburban, vehicle-centric manner.

Working with City staff, Jeff Raser led a team of designers to create a vision plan that illustrated the potential of the site if it was developed according to a walkable, mixed-use philosophy.  The City soon realized that such development would require developers to seek substantial variances to their zoning code and subdivision regulations.  The City decided they wanted regulations that would allow new development to be pedestrian-friendly – they wanted a form-based code.  Jeff helped the City of Bellevue recruit a nationally renowned expert in creating Form-Based Codes - Placemakers, Inc.

As part of the coding process, Jeff Raser led a visualization workshop, held stakeholder meetings, led several synoptic surveys of pattern neighborhoods, and formulated a public engagement process.   Jeff collaborated with Placemakers during a 4-day charrette to help the community visualize its built future.  Placemakers calibrated the SmartCode to Bellevue’s specific needs. The SmartCode was adopted and is now guiding development toward more pedestrian-friendly outcomes.