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Subjects › Planning › Infill Development: Completing the Community Fabric
Updated 12/2010

Infill Development: Completing the Community Fabric

Contents

Introduction

Communities across the country are increasingly recognizing that the spread out patterns of growth, which have shaped American communities for the past several decades, cannot be sustained. Problems of increased traffic congestion, overstretched public facilities and increased infrastructure costs, loss of open space and other valued community resources, and even reduced physical activity and community health are typically associated with such patterns. Instead, an increased emphasis on developing passed-over parcels within developed areas, and on maximizing use of existing public facilities is needed. Many Washington communities have adopted urban growth boundaries that restrict the amount of land outside of urban centers that is available for urban development. The reduced land supply has created new interest in infill development opportunities in central and suburban cities alike.

Infill development is the process of developing vacant or under-used parcels within existing urban areas that are already largely developed. Most communities have significant vacant land within city limits, which, for various reasons, has been passed over in the normal course of urbanization. Ideally, infill development involves more than the piecemeal development of individual lots. Instead, a successful infill development program should focus on the job of crafting complete, well-functioning neighborhoods. Successful infill development is characterized by overall residential densities high enough to support improved transportation choices as well as a wider variety of convenience services and amenities. It can return cultural, social, recreational and entertainment opportunities, gathering places, and vitality to older centers and neighborhoods. Attention to design of infill development is essential to ensure that the new development fits the existing context, and gains neighborhood acceptance. A cooperative partnership between government, the development community, financial institutions, non-profit organizations, neighborhood organizations and other resources is essential to achieve infill success. In the long view, the public and private costs of continuing to favor sprawl development patterns will far exceed the resources needed now to facilitate infill development. For a one page explanation of the infill development concept and its application in Washington, see Infill Development in Plain English.

Authority, Statutes

  • Ch. 36.70A RCW - The Growth Management Act.
  • RCW 43.21C.299 Infill development - categorical exemptions from chapter (SEPA).
  • Ch. 35.100 RCW - Downtown and neighborhood commercial districts (sales and use tax increment financing).
  • RCW 43.21C.229 - Infill development - Categorical exemptions from chapter.

Guidebooks

Articles, Reports, Briefs, Fact Sheets

Barriers to Infill Development

If communities are to succeed in promoting infill development, they will need to recognize and overcome impediments to such development. Neighborhood opposition, financing challenges, inflexible building code and development regulations, lengthy permit processes, substandard infrastructure, difficult land assembly, site contamination and other conditions may need to be addressed to attract infill development

Infill Development Plans, Programs, Strategies & Tools

Ordinances

  • Oregon, Model Infill Ordinance,Transportation and Growth Management Program.
  • Ch. V - Model Infill Ordinance, from Managing Maryland’s Growth: Models and Guidelines for Infill Development, Maryland Department of Planning.
  • Lake Oswego Ordinance No. 2333, including staff reports, open house flyer and related material, adopted 2003.
  • Vancouver, WA - Municipal Code Ch. 20.920, Infill Development Standards.
  • Battle Ground, WA - Municipal Code Ch. 17.137, Infill Residential Development.
  • Sultan, WA - Unified Development Code Ch. 16.24, Standards for Infill Development in Residential Areas.
  • Bellingham Municipal Code, Ch. 20.28 - Infill Housing, and Infill Housing Toolkit.
  • Tacoma, WA - Municipal Code Ch. 13.06.145, Supplemental provisions for single family residential development - in Title 13.
  • Seattle, WA - Municipal Code Ch. 23.43, Residential Small Lot Zone.
  • Clark County, WA - Municipal Code Ch. 40.260.110 - Residential Infill.
  • Phoenix, AZ - Zoning Ordinance Ch. 6 Sec. 630 - Residential Infill R-I District, Multifamily Residential.
  • Austin, TX - Municipal Code Ch. 25 - 2 - Zoning Code, Subchapter D, Article 7, Sections 25-2-1521 through 25-2-1569 - Residential Infill and Neighborhood Urban Center Special Uses.
  • Portland, OR - Zoning Code Ch. 33.405 - Alternative Design Density Overlay Zone and Section 33.110.240 - Alternative Development Options - Duplex on corner lots and other potentially useful infill options.
  • East Point, GA Ordinance No. 023-07 - Construction design requirements for residential infill development - Specific requirements are restrictive, but interesting approach to relating new development to existing context.
  • Alexandria, VA - Infill Taskforce - City Council Approves Comprehensive Infill Regulations (adopted June 24, 2008).
  • Provo City, UT - Zoning Code Ch. 14.50 - Project Redevelopment Option - Provides flexibility for proposed redevelopments.

Incentives to Facilitate Infill Development

Many communities are using incentives to make infill more attractive and affordable to developers by addressing impediments to infill development such as those described above.

Funding Resources, Costs

Design for Infill Compatibility

Infill development design guidelines are useful tools for ensuing that the new development fits the existing context, and gains neighborhood acceptance. It is not uncommon for existing residents to resist new development within a neighborhood, particularly true when motivated by past bad experiences with new development, which failed to fit existing neighborhood character. Design guidelines in general can help assure more aesthetic development. Design guidelines that focus on infill development can guide the process of integrating new development carefully into the existing neighborhood fabric with respect to block patterns, scale, building features, landscaping, and other characteristics of the neighborhood.

Special Types of Infill Housing and Supporting Services

Illustrative Examples/Case Studies

Infill Studies

Many communities in Washington and other states are analyzing the capacity of potential infill sites to accommodate new growth as and alternative to sprawl development. Washington State has established a Buildable Lands program that requires certain high growth counties and cities to monitor land supply within urban growth areas. These jurisdictions analyze vacant, underutilized and partially used land to estimate land supply available to accommodate anticipated growth within the UGA.

Brownfields & Brownfield Development

Infill vs. Greenfield Infrastructure Costs

Related MRSC Resources
MRSC Index – Urban infill