Walkable Streets – Above Green

(1-9 points)

Intent

To promote transportation efficiency and reduce vehicle distance traveled. To improve public health by providing safe, appealing, and comfortable street environments that encourage daily physical activity and avoid pedestrian injuries.

Requirements

A project may earn a maximum of 9 points, awarded according to Table 1.

Table 1. Points for walkable street features

Items achieved	Points
2–3	1
4–5	2
6–7	3
8–9	4
10–11	5
12	6
13	7
14	8
15–16	9

Façades and entries

At least 80% of the total linear distance of building façades facing the circulation network in the project is no more than 25 feet (7.5 meters) from the property line.
At least 50% of the total linear distance of building façades facing the circulation network in the project is no more than 18 feet (5.5 meters) from the property line.
At least 50% of the total linear distance of mixed-use and nonresidential building façades facing the circulation network in the project is within 1 foot (300 millimeters) of a sidewalk or equivalent walking route.
Functional entries to the building occur at an average of 75 feet (23 meters) or less along nonresidential or mixed-use buildings or blocks.
Functional entries to the building occur at an average of 30 feet (9 meters) or less along nonresidential or mixed-use buildings or blocks

Ground-level use and parking

All ground-level retail, service, and trade uses that face a public space have clear glass on at least 60% of their façades between 3 and 8 feet (900 and 2500 millimeters) above grade.
If a façade extends along a sidewalk, no more than 40% of its length or 50 feet (15 meters), whichever is less, is blank (without doors or windows).
Any ground-level retail, service, or trade windows facing the circulation network must be kept visible (unshuttered) at night; this must be stipulated in covenants, conditions, and restrictions (CC&Rs) or other binding documents.
On-street parking is provided on at least 70% of both sides of the block length of all new and existing motorized portions of the circulation network, including the project side of bordering circulation network. The percentage of on-street parking is calculated by dividing the length of street designated for parking by the total length of the curb along each street, including curb cuts, driveways, and intersection radii. Space within the parking lane that is occupied by corner bulb-outs (within 24 feet [7 meters] of an intersection), transit stops, and motorcycle or bicycle parking may be counted as designated for parking in this calculation. Alleys may be exempted.
Continuous sidewalks or equivalent provisions for walking are available along both sides of the entire circulation network within the project, including the project side of the circulation network bordering the project. Bicycle- and pedestrian-only paths meet this requirement. New sidewalks must be at least 10 feet (3 meters) wide on retail or mixed-use blocks and at least 5 feet (1.5 meters) wide on all other blocks. Note that these requirements specify wider sidewalks than required by NPD Prerequisite Walkable Streets. Alleys may be exempted.
If the project has ground-floor dwelling units, the principal level of at least 50% of those units has an elevated finished floor at least 24 inches (60 centimeters) above the sidewalk grade. Below-grade basement spaces and/or accessory dwelling units are exempt from this requirement.
In nonresidential or mixed-use projects, 50% or more of the total number of office buildings includes ground-floor retail along 60% of the length of the street-level façade; 100% of mixed-use buildings include ground-floor retail, live-work spaces, or ground-floor dwelling units along at least 60% of the street-level façade; and all businesses or community services on the ground floor are accessible directly from sidewalks along the circulation network or other public space, such as a square, park, or plaza, but not a parking lot.
At least 40% of the block length of the circulation network within the project has a minimum building-height-to-street-centerline ratio of 1:1.5 (i.e., at least 1 foot (30 centimeters) of building height for every 1.5 feet (45 centimeters) of width from circulation network centerline to building façade). Alleys may be exempted. Projects that border a part of the circulation network must meet only their proportional share of the height-to-centerline ratio (i.e., only on the project side of the circulation network). Building height is measured to eaves or, for a flat-roof structure, to the rooftop, and width is measured façade to centerline. For buildings with multiple heights or widths, use average heights or widths weighted by each portion’s share of the total height or width.

Design speeds for safe pedestrian and bicycle travel

75% of the length of new residential-only motorized parts of the circulation network within the project is designed for a target speed of no more than 20 mph (30 km/h).
70% of the length of new nonresidential or mixed-use motorized parts of the circulation network within the project is designed for a target speed of no more than 25 mph (40km/h). A multiway boulevard, with travel lanes separated from access lanes by medians, may apply this requirement to its outer access lanes only (through-lanes are exempt), provided pedestrian crosswalks are installed across the boulevard at intervals no greater than 800 feet (245 meters).

Sidewalk intrusions

At-grade crossings with driveways account for no more than 10% of the length of sidewalks within the project.