Elements of Form-based Zoning - Building Types

Building facades should:

• actively engage with the sidewalk and street in front through frequent door and window openings;
• have heights that effectively enclose the streets or public space;
• interact with the street with windows and entryways.

The third key element of St. Albert's Form-based Zoning is Building Types.

Eight Building Types

• House
• single-family detached dwelling units, or two semi-detached dwelling units sharing a common wall, with usable front and rear yards
• a duplex has two units on one title, while a semi-detached has two titles
• front doors predominate along the streetscape

• Three/Fourplex
• three or four single family dwelling units that are divided from each other by a common wall
• the units may be adjacent to each other with individual entrances, or they may share a common entrance
• they may have separate yards or share a common outdoor space

• Townhouse
• a denser form of single-family housing in which five or more dwellings are divided from each other by common walls
• each unit must have a separate direct exterior entrance
• townhouses provide an excellent transition from single family houses to denser, more urbanized areas
• there is generally a modest and/or rear yard
• townhouse style buildings can be combined on a single site with other building types: high-rise and low-rise building types

• Low/mid-rise Building
• a single building to a maximum of five storeys
• it could be a residential building with multiple dwelling units either for rent or for sale, or a commercial service or retail building
• there may be different uses on the ground floor, if the building has more than one floor
• buildings could incorporate a mix of uses with parking either underground or located within the building
• upper floors share a common entrance
• the ground floor may have individual entrances or share a common entrance
• common space could be balconies, a courtyard or adjacent plaza
• rooftop gardens are permitted to provide outdoor common space

• High-rise Building
• a single building of six storeys or more
• it could be a residential building with multiple dwelling units either for rent or for sale or a commercial service or retail building
• there may be different uses on the ground floor
• buildings could incorporate a mix of uses with parking either underground or located within the building
• upper floors share a common entrance
• the ground floor may have individual entrances or share a common entrance
• common space could be a courtyard or adjacent plaza
• rooftop gardens are also permitted to provide outdoor common space

• Specialty
• these include uniquely designed buildings that house a specialized use such as a civic building, church, cultural facility, sporting facility, school or hospital with a specialized building design
• these buildings provide an opportunity to create a focal point for an area or make a unique architectural statement
• parking may be incorporated within the building

• General Industrial Building
• large warehouse style building designed for manufacturing or production or storage/loading type activities
• it may have outdoor storage or work areas
• it may also have an office or retail component

• Above-Ground Parking Structure
• provides temporary storage of vehicles
• in higher density areas, they will be necessary to provide enough parking to support a significant increase in density and park and ride or employee parking uses
• the structure may be totally above ground or a combination of underground and above-ground and it will integrate into the existing and desired fabric of the zone in which it is located
• integration could be through design elements or through street-oriented ground floor retail or commercial space built into the structure
• a full liner builder buffering the parking structure from the street could also be incorporated