The City of Lacey recently won the distinguished Driehaus Award from the Form-Based Codes Institute in Washington D.C. The city earned the award for its work in the Woodland District at the heart of its commercial area. In presenting the award it was noted that “Lacey’s code offers exemplary provisions for transitioning an auto-oriented suburban area into a walkable urban and transit-ready environment…an excellent example of how land-use and form regulations can be successfully managed.”

SCJ assisted the city in developing the new code along with partners Urbsworks, Bainbridge Design and Community Attributes. The new code will help ensure high-quality public spaces, defined by a variety of building types and uses including housing, retail, mixed-use, and office space.

As a major component in implementing the city’s Woodland District Strategic Plan, the code will also incorporate a regulating plan, building form standards, street standards (plan and section), use regulations and other elements as needed.

The code also received the Washington State Governor’s Smart Communities Award in 2015.