Reports - Mississippi Renewal

THE GOVERNOR’S COMMISSION REPORT | 17The SmartCode should be consideredas a guiding document for these areasand should be evaluated and revised foreach county’s needs. Local governmentsare encouraged to seek the advice andassistance of professional land plannersto create comprehensive land use planswhere ones do not exist, to incorporatethe SmartCode into existing comprehensiveland use plans, and to customizethe code for each community’s needs.In the event a town does not prioritizewalkable neighborhoods overconventional suburban subdivisions, theCommission strongly recommends thatlocal governments adopt the Smart-Code as an optional overlay so propertyowners and developers may choose thatapproach for themselves. The Smart-Code works in tandem with buildingconstruction codes that address structuraland safety issues. For areas desiringstronger architectural design and detailstandards, a Pattern Book, as discussedbelow, can be adopted to supplementthe SmartCode.The Commission further recommendsthat if implemented as an optionalcode, incentives be provided bylocal governments to encourage developersto use the SmartCode as a modelfor mixed-use development. These incentivesare as follows:(1) After the SmartCode is adopted andapproved by a local government,development proposals based uponthe SmartCode receive automaticzoning approval and given priorityin the permitting and plan reviewprocess, avoiding the expensive andtime-consuming public hearing andcomment process typically associatedwith overlay district applications.In effect, the public hearingand comment takes place at the timeof adoption of the SmartCode, andthereafter, developers who utilizethe SmartCode model go straight toapplication for a building permit.(2) As an incentive to developers, municipalitiesand counties can offer toconstruct and maintain thoroughfareswhere the development proposalprovides interconnectivity tothe community and transportationnodes.The Pattern BookandArchitectural GuidelinesOne of the most exciting productsof the Mississippi Renewal Forum is APattern Book for Gulf Coast Neighborhoods,which captures the architectural heritageand diversity across the Mississippi GulfCoast and suggests guidelines for deliveringin new construction the traditionalcharacter of the region’s houses, streets,neighborhoods, and towns. The Commissionrecommends that local governmentsadopt the Gulf Coast Pattern Book