Suburban Areas

Guiding Principles of Suburban Area

The overriding objective of the Suburban Area policies is to protect the suburban character that is defined by the stable neighborhoods of our community.  Housing represents over 80 percent of our city's real estate tax base.  Therefore, the Plan recognizes the primacy of preserving and protecting the overall character, economic value and aesthetic quality of our stable neighborhoods.  In addition, the Plan reinforces the suburban characteristics of commercial centers and other non-residential areas that make up part of the Suburban Area. 

Three key planning principles have been established to guard against possible threats to the stability of our Suburban Areas:  

1. providing planning guidance that preserves neighborhood quality,
2. creating and protecting open space areas, and
3. improving the transportation system that serves those who live in the suburban areas of our city.

 Site Specific Guidance for Designated Suburban Focus Areas (SFAs)

Much of the Suburban Area comprises well-established neighborhood and commercial areas that define the land use character in the northern portion of the City and should remain that way into the foreseeable future.  However, opportunities to reinforce or revitalize certain areas by providing compatible land use guidance or recommendations to improve the quality of land use exist on certain suburban tracts.  The purpose of the Suburban Focus Areas is to offer guidance to advance these objectives.   More​​