Services
Ben helps communities plan for change at the neighborhood and district scale.
Area plans bring land use, building design, and local priorities into focus for a particular place. Ben’s work pairs planning and urban design with the regulations needed to carry a plan forward.
His assignments include mixed-use districts, transit-oriented areas, and objective design standards. Public discussion helps identify the choices; clear policies and standards explain how future development should fit.
Mixed-use planning
Ben led the consultant team for a new mixed-use district near Military East and East Fifth Street. The project pairs by-right housing with objective zoning and design standards, creating a clearer route for development on vacant and underused land.
Community outreach explored housing choices, infill opportunities, and how new buildings could fit alongside existing homes.
Specific & area plans
Ben’s work on the Arcata Gateway project focused on the form-based code that puts the area’s planning and design goals into practice. The code addresses how buildings relate to their surroundings, including massing, entries, facades, and roofs.
Community workshops, a design survey, and public review helped shape the standards. The work also considers parking placement, landscaping, and other details that affect the experience at street level.