Goal: Provide places that have a concentration of primarily commercial and residential activity in a well-connected, walkable place located within a 10-minute walk, bike, or transit trip of surrounding neighborhoods.

Community Activity Centers are mid-sized mixed-use areas, typically along transit corridors or major roadways, that provide access to goods, services, dining, entertainment, and residential for nearby and regional residents.

Land Use

• Typical uses are retail, restaurant and entertainment, and personal services.
• Some multi-family and office may also be located in this Place Type. In Transit Station Areas, multi-family and/or office may be primary uses.
• Some types of auto-oriented uses, well-designed to support walkability, may be located outside of the core of this Place Type.

Character

• This Place Type is characterized by low to mid-rise commercial, residential, civic/institutional, and mixed-use buildings in a pedestrian-oriented environment.

Mobility

• These Place Types include a transportation network that supports highly accessible “10-minute neighborhoods” and a “park once” environment.
• Community Activity Centers are typically located at or near key intersections or on major Arterials with transit service. Easy access and direct connections to nearby residential neighborhoods help reduce trip lengths, keeps some cars off the Arterials, and encourages transit use, walking, or bicycling.
• The Local street network is well-connected, with small blocks and highly walkable connections along streets and between destinations. There are frequent opportunities to cross adjacent Arterials, and the pedestrian network accommodates large groups of people.
• Mobility hubs with transit stations, pick-up and drop-off areas, bike parking and share, and micro-mobility options should be provided within this Place Type to accommodate the high-level non-vehicular traffic.

Building Form

• The typical building is a commercial, institutional, multi-family or mixed-use building of five to seven stories. Some buildings in Transit Station Areas are taller. Buildings are designed with active ground floor uses to support a vibrant pedestrian environment. They have tall ground floors and a high degree of transparency using clear glass windows and doors.

Open Space

• Improved open space is a key feature of this Place Type. Community Activity Centers include numerous improved open spaces such as plazas, patios, and courtyards that may include landscaping. Public open spaces such as small parks and greenways, and natural open spaces such as tree preservation areas, are also an important feature and should be included in centers.

Highlights

1. Wide sidewalks with hardscape amenity zone or landscape zone
2. Regular street trees on core streets
3. Highly amenitized public realm with frequent open spaces
4. Ground floors with retail, patios, or other active uses
5. Upper story balconies and rooftop patios
6. Improved multi-modal connectivity and mobility hub amenities
7. Well-connected, amenity-rich transit stops
8. On-street parking and screened or wrapped parking lots/structures