Las Vegas Form-Based Code

How the form‑based code rolled out

From a 2016 masterplan to more than 1,100 acres of rezoned downtown, in the order it happened.

2016

The plan that started it.

  1. The UNLV Downtown Design Center completes the Hundred Plan for the Historic Westside. More
  2. City Council adopts the Vision 2045 Downtown Las Vegas Masterplan, replacing the 2000 Downtown Centennial Plan. It defines 12 districts and calls for a form-based code across downtown. More

2017

Learning the method and writing the first draft.

  1. The Form-Based Codes Institute runs two "FBC 101" workshops in Las Vegas for more than 60 people, led by Lisa Wise and Roger Eastman of Lisa Wise Consulting and developer Mike Hathorne.
  2. City planners present the form-based code project to the Nevada chapter of the American Institute of Architects.
  3. The Public Review Draft of the code is released, using the Las Vegas Medical District as its pilot, and presented to City Council on November 15. More
  4. Planners take a printed copy of the draft to the First Friday art walk to collect feedback.

2018

From draft to law.

  1. Two community meetings on the Medical District draft.
  2. Weekly walk-in open hours at the city's Development Services Center.
  3. Final Draft published, with public presentations the next day.
  4. Code introduced to the Planning Commission. Review is extended by a month and a public amendment tracker goes live.
  5. The pilot area is narrowed to the Medical District core, north of Charleston and east of Rancho.
  6. City Council adopts Chapter 19.09 Form-Based Code (Ordinance 6649), the first form-based code in Nevada. It takes effect October 22. More

2019

The first two districts.

  1. Council rezones 307 acres of the Medical District pilot area. More
  2. Version 2.0 of the code, written for Fremont East, is published for comment. More
  3. Planning Commission recommends the Fremont East General Plan Amendment.
  4. Council adopts the Version 2.0 Fremont East update, adding T6 Urban Core, T4 Main Street and T4 Neighborhood zones.
  5. Council rezones 226 acres of Fremont East. The same day, the code wins the Nevada APA award for Outstanding Implementation Plan. More

2020

The Westside, through a pandemic.

  1. Historic Westside kickoff workshop, "HUNDRED Plan: Coding for Action", at the Historic Westside School. More
  2. First neighbourhood meeting on completing the Medical District rezoning.
  3. Second Medical District meeting, held in person and online.
  4. Historic Westside draft regulating plan and standards presented.
  5. Second Historic Westside neighbourhood meeting.

2021

The biggest rezoning, and the next district.

  1. Council unanimously rezones 603 acres of the Historic Westside. More
  2. Work begins on the 18b Las Vegas Arts District. More
  3. Arts District design charrettes, followed by focus groups on July 14.
  4. Neighbourhood meeting for Arts District case 21-0765, covering about 131 acres.

2022

Where the public record thins out.

  1. Virtual meeting on the Arts District regulating plan.
  2. Arts District design charrette summary report.
  3. Meeting with Newport Lofts residents on boundaries, public art and shade rules.
  4. The city discusses expanding the Arts District by around 50 acres.

Since 2022

  1. Council approves moving a Fremont East parcel from T5 Main Street to T6 Urban Core, a sign the code is in active use. More

Compiled from the city's former project updates on this domain (2017–2022), its planning annual reports and press coverage. Dates after early 2022 are incomplete. If you know of a later council action on the form-based code, the official record is the City of Las Vegas agenda and minutes archive.