Downtown Design Manual
 Downtown Greensboro is changing. Expanded
interest and development in downtown in recent years has created an exciting buzz for the area around Greensboro and throughout North Carolina. With increased interest in the area by residents, property and business owners, and developers, we are poised to encourage new development that celebrates downtown Greensboro’s unique character and the areas that support it.
Working with numerous downtown stakeholders and the public, the City of Greensboro, Action Greensboro, and Downtown Greensboro Inc. have helped to create a Downtown Design Manual to provide a flexible framework to promote quality design, enhance our urban character, and maintain long-term compatibility.
Downtown Design Overlay and Manual Adopted by City Council
During its September 7, 2010 meeting, City Council adopted the Downtown Design Overlay and associated Design Manual. This approval incorporated recommended changes from both the Planning Board and Zoning Commission. The final adopted version of the Downtown Design Overlay and Design Manual are below.
Adopted Downtown Design Overlay
Adopted Downtown Design Manual (Process & Guidelines)
Adopted Downtown Design Manual (Appendices)
Public Hearings for Downtown Design Manual and Overlay
- July 21 with Planning Board
- August 9 with Zoning Commission
- September 7 tentative with City Council
With the completion of a follow-up public meeting on July 8, the latest version of the Downtown Design Manual and Overlay is now moving to public hearings for review and adoption. The anticipated public hearing schedule, beginning with a July 21 public hearing before the Greensboro Planning Board, is outlined below along with a list of recent public comments and the current version of the Downtown Design Manual.
Public Hearing Schedule for Downtown Design Manual and Overlay
Planning Board & Zoning Commission Recommendations (7/21/10 and 8/9/10 public hearings)
LDO Text Amendment for establishing Downtown Design Overlay and Manual
Public Comments and Responses (as of July 8, 2010)
Proposed Changes Based on Additional Public Comment
Downtown Design Manual - Process and Area Guidelines (July 8, 2010 public hearing draft)
Downtown Design Manual - Appendices (July 8, 2010 public hearing draft)
May 25, 2010 Public Meeting - Latest Revision of Downtown Design Manual
Downtown property owners and advocates attended a meeting on May 25 to learn about the latest changes to the Downtown Design Manual based on feedback from the August 25, 2009 public meeting and subsequent conversations. A group of downtown stakeholders has been working for several months to address specific concerns of downtown property owners while preserving key aspects of the manual, which was produced by a citizen steering committee. The City encourages the public to review the revised manual documents and provide comments to Mike Kirkman, City Planning Department, at 336-373-4649.
Downtown Design Manual - Process and Area Guidelines (revised as of 5/11/2010)
Downtown Design Manual - Appendices (revised as of 5/11/2010)
Downtown Design Manual - Comparison (August 2009 vs. May 2010)
September 14, 2009 Zoning Commission Meeting - Withdrawn
The Downtown Design & Compatibility Manual was withdrawn from the September 14 Zoning Commission Meeting to allow more time for discussion with property owners and interested parties.
Feedback Received at August 25, 2009 Public Meeting
City staff and community partners received much feedback on the draft of the Downtown Design & Compatibility Manual (updated draft, August 2009; changes are marked with either red text or strike-through text). Staff presented these changes at a community meeting on August 25. Following a brief presentation reviewing the proposed changes, City staff answered questions and listened to feedback from the community.
Feedback from the April 28, 2009 Public Meeting
Property owners, City staff, and downtown advocates met on April 28 to learn more about the Downtown Design & Compatibility Manual. Meeting participants listened to a presentation by City staff and asked questions about the manual as well as provided feedback. A synopsis of the feedback has been compiled and the manual has been updated to reflect some of the suggested changes.
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