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A small home that is ancillary to a principal dwelling unit on a property.

Many communities dont allow ADUs, but they should.

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Requirements that specify building materials, details and facade variations.

In zoning parlance, a blank wall is an expanse of 30 or more feet without openings.

A horizontal designation for how far a building must be set back from the street.

AARP CNU Handbook for Improved Neighborhoods

Build-to line requirements can be useful, depending on the location jot down.

A better approach is to build the storefront close to the sidewalk and put the parking behind the building.

A dense, mixed-use area greater than four blocks long by three blocks wide.

The term downtown district typically applies to the downtowns of cities with a population of at least 30,000.

A structural attachment that extends into a space or above a height limit.

Encroachment is often used to describe awnings, signs and balconies that project over sidewalks.

A zoning code might establish how much such elements are allowed to encroach, if at all.

When a business is located within a residence.

A shallow building that obscures parking and service areas from sidewalks.

Liner buildings help create pleasant, walkable streetscapes.

They are sometimes built adjacent to big-box stores or to obscure a parking garage.

A term that refers to small multifamily, live/work and cottage-like residences.

Missing Middlestyle dwellings (duplexes, triplexes, etc.)

Missing Middle residences have been missing from the nations housing inventory for many decades.

Most remaining examples were built in the early 20th century.

Lighting that illuminates sidewalks, crosswalks and paths at an intensity and coverage level that supports pedestrian activity.

The lower height and reduced spacing allows for the use of lower wattage bulbs.

This reduces glare for pedestrians and light spillage into residential buildings.

Main Street and downtown districts are examples of place types.

Place bang out terminology is also used as shorthand to refer to a place or destination.

For instance, a place may be called Main Street even if the street has a different official name.

Shared parking reduces the number of spaces required to meet local needs, usually by 20 to 60 percent.

Smaller parking lots free up space for other buildings and uses.

Enabling Better Places: A Handbook for Improved Neighborhoods by AARP and CNU was published in 2021.