2733 Stange Rd Ames, IA 50010-3976

Sec. 29.1201. “F -VR” VILLAGE RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT. (1) Purpose. The Village Residential District is intended to allow for integration of uses and design with greater potential for social and physical interaction through a “village” concept. These villages will be adapted to the emerging suburban landscape by creating living areas designed to ensure the development of the land along the lines of traditional neighborhoods. This District utilizes the urban conventions prevalent in the United States from colonial times until the 1940s. (2) Village Residential Development Principles. Property developed according to the requirements of this district shall create neighborhoods or villages with a development pattern that adheres to the following development principles: (a) Neighborhoods that are limited in area to that which can be traversed in a 10 to 15 minute walk (a distance not greater than 1⁄4 mile) promoting pedestrian activity; (b) Neighborhoods that have identifiable centers and edges; (c) A mixture of housing, jobs, shopping, services and public facilities in close proximity to one another; (d) Well defined and detailed system of interconnected streets creating small blocks that serve the needs of pedestrians, bicyclists, public transit and automobiles equitably; (e) Well defined squares, plazas, greens, landscaped streets, greenbelts and parks to provide places for formal social activity and recreation; (f) Civic buildings, open spaces and other visual features on prominent sites throughout the neighborhood that act as landmarks, symbols and focal points for assembly for social and cultural activities; (g) Visually compatible buildings and other improvements, as determined by their arrangement, bulk, form, character and landscaping; (h) Private buildings that reflect the unique character of the region, that form a consistent, distinct edge defining the border between the public streets and the private block interior; and (i) Provide building design standards that promote pedestrian mobility over vehicular mobility. (3) Definitions. The following definitions apply in the F -VR District. When conflicts arise between the terms used herein and the definitions provided in Article 2 of the Ordinance, this section shall take precedence. (a) Alley means a public way designed to be used as a secondary means of access to the side or rear of abutting property whose principal frontage is on some other public way and allow for ingress and egress plus serving as a utility corridor.