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 such as overburdened public facilities, increased housing and infrastructure costs, loss of open space and other valued community resources 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.

City of Douglas, in its effort to encourage mixed use infill development or redevelopment in areas with existing infrastructure investments in order to maximize efficient land use and cost-effective delivery of urban services, is in the process of creating and adopting a Mixed Use Infill Development Code in its city zoning code.

Infill development is the process of developing vacant or under-used parcels within existing urban areas that are already largely developed.  

Most communities, including the City of Douglas, have significant vacant land within city limits, which, for various reasons, has been passed over in the normal course of urbanization.

The City of Douglas recognizes that there are considerable financial and design challenges inherent to developing successful infill projects in many of the City’s older neighborhoods.

This could be due to infrastructure costs, irregular lot sizes, inability to benefit from economies of scale, and lower sales and rental prices than some newer areas of the city.

The provisions of the mixed use infill development code thus shall relieve some of these hardships and provide incentives for the development of vacant and underutilized parcels located in the mature portions of Douglas and those parcels ready for redevelopment within the urban core area.

The provisions also ensure that new infill development is consistent in character and scale with established neighborhoods and business districts.

The city is holding a planning commission study session/public hearing on November 15 at 5pm in the City Council Chambers to introduce the mixed use infill development code to the commissioners and citizens.

Interested businesses, developers, and citizens are welcome to attend.

For further information, please contact Community Development at 520-805-4047.

5 Reasons for Mixed Use Infill Development

Contributes to a more compact form of development which is less consumptive of land and resources

Fully utilize existing facilities and services before considering costly service extensions to outlying areas, and thus offers savings for local government budgets

Bring new opportunity, diversity and improved quality of life for in-city residents

Create vibrant urban core/neighborhood centers that can promote neighborhood interaction and safer environment

Energy and environment savings are an important by-product of infill development.