Form-Based Regulations for Panama City Beach

Next week, Kevin Klinkenberg will be in Panama City Beach, FL on a design workshop, working on some form-based zoning for the Front Beach area. We’re doing this in concert with PlanningWorks – a local planning firm.

The City of Panama Beach, Florida has retained a team lead by Planning Works, LLC and assisted by 180° Design Studio and White & Smith, LLC to prepare an initial assessment of form-based codes for the City. A form-based code is a land development regulation that is based principally on design, rather use, impact, or other aspects of land development.

Panama City Beach is a diverse community, with development patterns including low density residential neighborhoods, low rise apartments, high rise condominiums, automobile-oriented commercial strips, a pedestrian oriented commercial center, mixed use developments, business parks, tourist entertainment parks and heavy commercial areas. Each of these areas has a unique combination of uses and design characteristics that merit different approaches to the use of form-based design.