Product No.: MIT013
Date Published: 01/2007
If you would like to request a printed copy (or copies) of this product, please call DVRPC at 215-592-1800 or email the staff contact listed below. If you would like to request this publication or portion of this publication in another language or format, please fill out a request form.
When left unregulated, big-box retail promotes sprawling, automobile-oriented development that lacks bicycle, pedestrian, or transit accommodations. As big-box retail becomes increasingly common in the Delaware Valley, it threatens to damage the region's character and diversity. This brochure discusses how the implementation of form-based codes can help to address these challenges. It also provides suggestions for improving various aspects of big-box design, including facades, architectural features, the public realm, and the integration of store sites with surrounding land uses and development patterns. Regional and national examples, strategies for successful implementation, and other resources are also provided.Geographic Area Covered: Nine-county Delaware Valley region, including Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery and Philadelphia counties in Pennsylvania; and Burlington, Camden, Gloucester and Mercer counties in New Jersey.
Key Words: Big-box retail, form-based codes, zoning, architecture, commercial development, urban design, design review, smart growth
Staff Contact(s)
- Karin A. Morris, AICP (kmorris@dvrpc.org)
Translation Request
DVRPC’s publications or portions of publications can be translated in alternative languages and formats if requested. To request translation, please submit the form below. You can also contact DVRPC’s Office of Communications & Engagement at 215-592-1800 or public_affairs@dvrpc.org.
Title VI Statement
The Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission (DVRPC) fully complies with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Civil Rights Restoration Act of 1987, Executive Order 12898 on Environmental Justice, and related nondiscrimination mandates in all programs and activities. DVRPC's website, www.dvrpc.org, may be translated into multiple languages. Publications and other public documents can usually be made available in alternative languages and formats, if requested. DVRPC’s public meetings are always held in ADA-accessible facilities, and held in transit-accessible locations whenever possible. Translation, interpretation, or other auxiliary services can be provided to individuals who submit a request at least seven days prior to a public meeting. Translation and interpretation services for DVRPC’s projects, products, and planning processes are available, generally free of charge, by calling (215) 592-1800. All requests will be accommodated to the greatest extent possible.
Any person who believes they have been aggrieved by an unlawful discriminatory practice by DVRPC under Title VI and/or ADA has a right to file a formal complaint. Any such complaint must be in writing and filed with DVRPC's Title VI Compliance Manager, Alison Hastings, and/or the appropriate state or federal agency within 180 days of the alleged discriminatory occurrence. For more information on DVRPC's Title VI program or to obtain a Title VI Complaint Form, please visit: www.dvrpc.org/GetInvolved/TitleVI, call (215) 592-1800, or email public_affairs@dvrpc.org.