The City of Saline has a stable and attractive traditional downtown.

The community needed a way to encourage further similar development while allowing for flexibility in design, a wide variety of uses, and a way for 21st century businesses to successfully integrate within a 100-year old setting.

Project Highlight:
Eliminate nonconformity with regard to use, but seek a consistency of form in exchange

Carlisle/Wortman used form based code to create a two-tier downtown zoning district that respects the historical assets of the area while achieving these important goals.

Project Highlight:
Promote true mixed-use development

The Saline code permits a wide range of uses, but requires that buildings respond to the street in a way that complements the pedestrian-friendly atmosphere.

Project Highlight:
Address complex downtown parking issues

Within Saline’s two-tier system, the “core” subdistrict promotes the continuation of the existing strong central business district of Saline.

Project Highlight:
Provide a two-tier system designed for a central core and a softer transitional area

The “edge” subdistrict is more permissive in terms of allowing a variety of setbacks for reusing homes as businesses, permits a more broad range of residential options, and focuses on a softer transition between the central business district and the surrounding neighborhoods.

Project Highlight:
Ensure that development is of human scale, primarily pedestrian-oriented and designed to create attractive streetscapes and pedestrian spaces