CNU32 Cincinnati Recap: Envisioning and Implementing Change Through Place Types

Tony Perez, Senior Associate at Opticos Design, led a Place Types exercise at CNU32 Cincinnati on May 15, 2024. The exercise followed presentations and discussion about best practices for using Place Types, led by Peter Park and Lisa Wise.

MMH Scan™ Supports Adoption of Middle Housing Standards in Knoxville

The Knoxville City Council recently adopted Middle Housing Zoning standards informed by Opticos’ Missing Middle Housing Scan. The Council’s aim is to expand housing options while preserving neighborhood character. Developed in collaboration with community input and Opticos Design’s consultation, these standards aim to facilitate the construction of diverse house-scale housing types within Traditional Neighborhood Residential zones.

Objective Design and Development Standards: More Housing, Great Places

Objective Design and Development Standards (ODDS) have been getting a lot of attention lately as laws are passed across the country seeking to streamline new housing developments. Requirements by states to include ODDS in local zoning codes mean big changes to the way many communities currently regulate and review development.

Objective Design and Development Standards: Empowering Planners to Enable Great Places

In our first post, we introduced Objective Design and Development Standards (ODDS), wrote about its origins, its impact on housing production, and shared some common opinions about ODDS. We called for Planners to use ODDS to engage in housing production, placemaking and community design to a greater extent than they often do now. Here are some ways we think Planners can do just that. 

Town of Sebastopol Adopts Objective Design Standards

Opticos Design is proud to announce its significant contribution to the newly adopted Objective Design Standards in Sebastopol, Sonoma County, California.