Below is the definition of Activity Centers from our comprehensive plan, GSO2040. These activity
centers were selected as places where we expect or want to see an increased level of activity that
serves the surrounding community. Below is also a map showing Activity Centers as found in the
Future Built Form map, one of two Anticipated Growth Maps. The Future Built Form map represents
policies about the context for development and how different land uses fit together. The other
Anticipated Growth Map is the Future Land Use map, which shows broad categories of land uses.

“Ranging in size from a corner business at the intersection of two collector roads to regional
shopping centers, activity centers attract people and are often the focus of community, civic, and
social or commercial activity. Location, accessibility, size, and the extent and diversity of activities
within an activity center influence the nature of economic development opportunities, potential
impacts on nearby uses, and the way in which it is enjoyed by the community.

The size of the activity center correlates with the market area it serves. Commercial centers that
serve as a convenience to a neighborhood have a much smaller footprint than activity centers that
serve many neighborhoods, or that serve the city as a whole, as does a regional shopping center or
sports facility. Regional scaled activity centers attract visitors from all of Greensboro and beyond.
The core of downtown Greensboro stands alone as a unique and important activity center.

No matter their size, activity centers have a common structure. Development intensity and building
bulk is most often highest near the heart of an activity center (often described as the 100%
intersection) and transition to less intense forms as it moves towards surrounding neighborhoods.
Gateways and landmarks help to define the entries to activity centers. Many activity centers arise
organically from the interaction of people and activity at the crossroads of two or more corridors,
and naturally have more than one point, direction, or mode of ingress/egress.”

Generally accepted as housing that costs no more than 30% of a household’s income. This rate comes
from an amendment to the 1968 Fair Housing Act that placed a cap on the cost of public housing rent.
Can be subsidized, or naturally occurring affordable housing.

Attainable housing is something distinct from affordable housing, but related. The Urban Land Institute defines attainable housing as “nonsubsidized, for-sale housing that is affordable to households with incomes between 80 and 120 percent of the area median income.” While the concept of affordable housing focuses on the household and what they spend, the concept of attainable housing contextualizes the cost of housing for the local area through the average, or area median income.

Density is a general term for the number of developed housing units in a specific area of land, without consideration of the form of housing units. Residential density, for example, is usually measured by dwelling units per acre (du/ac). If a numeric density is not provided in a city’s development ordinance, it may also be derived based on the minimum lot size permitted within a particular zoning district. The term itself may conjure reactions for those both in favor or opposed to density, but it is important to note how much urban design can have on the perception of density. Density can provide many benefits, especially when considering provision of municipal services.

Its focus is on housing form, not affordability; a range of house-scale buildings with multiple units located in a walkable neighborhood. The term (coined by Opticos Design) describes the housing types that fill in the gap between single-family homes and four-story and larger apartment buildings.

Housing developed or made more affordable through subsidies, especially for low- to moderate-income households. These subsidies can come from a variety of different programs at the federal, state, or local level.

Workforce housing is another term that is closely related to affordable and attainable housing but
adds some additional nuance. Workforce housing is “most often used to indicate a program targeted
at households that earn too much to qualify for traditional affordable housing subsidies.” Workforce
housing initiatives tend to focus on a particular employment sector or employer within a community.