Clarion 30th Anniversary

Most Impactful & Rewarding

Over the last 30 years, Clarion has been proud to support communities across the country in their efforts to plan for the future and implement solutions to challenging issues.  Through all of the 130+ plans and 240+ regulatory updates that we have completed, we have always centered our work around each community’s unique values as a way to create positive change.  We are excited to look back over our body of work to spotlight some of the impactful and rewarding projects of the last three decades.

Over the last 30 years, Clarion has been proud to support communities across the country in their efforts to plan for the future and implement solutions to challenging issues.  Through all of the 130+ plans and 240+ regulatory updates that we have completed, we have always centered our work around each community’s unique values as a way to create positive change.  We are excited to look back over our body of work to spotlight some of the impactful and rewarding projects of the last three decades.

Most Impactful & Rewarding

Kicking off in the late 1990s, this was the first code project that Matt worked on at Clarion, and one of the earliest of the firm’s many code projects in North Carolina. Cary was (and continues to be) a rapidly growing city in the Research Triangle. The fast rate of change led to many interesting community conversations about growth – where it should occur, what physical form it should take, and how fast it should occur. The significantly revamped Land Development Ordinance streamlined procedures and improved efficiency, and implemented many of the goals from the City’s 1996 Growth Management Plan. This was also one of the firm’s earliest projects to focus on what was referred to then as “neo-traditional design.”
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Most Impactful & Rewarding

As part of a voter-approved plan to renovate and create several major projects in and around the downtown area of Oklahoma City, three lakes were created along the North Canadian River to provide recreational, aesthetic, and economic benefits to the community. In the early 2000s, Clarion worked with Oklahoma City-based Studio Architecture to establish a vision and redevelopment framework for the 8-mile corridor. Oklahoma City has come a long way since then, building on this early work with additional plans and improvements that have helped to activate the river corridor, expand housing options, improve connections to downtown, and establish major recreational amenities in the City’s core.
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Most Impactful & Rewarding

The Laramie Land Development Code update was Elizabeth’s first project with Clarion when she joined in 2008. Laramie was experiencing growth and development and wanted to protect the western and historic character of Downtown as well as modernize the zone districts and uses to guide residential growth. Working with the great staff in Laramie, Elizabeth learned about small wind turbines, real versus fake Western design, how to work with Chris (see: Mrs. Pankratz), and, to our dismay, ground blizzards on I-80. The project was a wonderful introduction to both Clarion and the region and she hopes to have the opportunity to work in Laramie again.
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Most Impactful & Rewarding

At the time of Wilson’s 2010 Comprehensive Plan, it was a community in the midst of a great recession that was struggling to reinvent itself after the tobacco and textiles industries left. The community had bold ideas to bring about change and followed through with implementing their vision that was captured in that Plan. The City’s leadership trusted planners throughout the process and they have made giant leaps forward, including the building of the Whirligig Park in the center of downtown, jump-starting the redevelopment of the tobacco warehouse district through public private partnerships, and spurring reinvestment in the historic Highway 301 corridor.  We’re getting back to work in Wilson again, defining the new conditions and opportunities that they face today through an updated plan.
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Most Impactful & Rewarding

Clarion was asked to lead a group of nine consulting firms to update PH zoning ordinance for the first time since the 1950’s.  Among other things the new code brings thousands of properties into zoning conformance and replaces excessive public hearings for minor developments with Administrative Approvals based on objective standards.  The final code was approved unanimously by the Philadelphia City Council in December 2011 and became effective in August of 2012. The Pennsylvania AIA awarded Philadelphia its 2012 President’s award for excellence for these planning and zoning reforms.
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Most Impactful & Rewarding

Clarion partnered with the Town of Jackson and Teton County to develop the first affordable housing plan/policy and corresponding affordable housing requirements for new development and prepared updates to those regulations in subsequent years.  Like many tourist-based economies, Jackson has experienced significant affordable housing challenges. The extension of Jackson Airport had spurred rapid growth in the region, and the Town was seeking to maintain its small-town character while ensuring that there was enough affordable housing for local communities. As part of this effort, Clarion surveyed homeowners to get a sense of what services they employed for housekeepers, landscapers, and other residential service providers. We surveyed the construction industry data and compared it to new residential development to help inform the residential needs that were not being met. This study helped create a rationale nexus between employment generation and affordable housing needs of local workers that was used as a basis for new regulatory requirements for residential and nonresidential developments.

Most Impactful & Rewarding

Clarion had the opportunity to work on a major code update for Sedona, Arizona—a fascinating, unique city with a creative and dynamic planning staff. The award-winning Land Development Code clarified and simplified the City’s complex site and building design rules—in many cases turning vague and subjective guidelines into clear and enforceable standards. An update of the zoning districts combined many similar districts and introduced new opportunities for by-right mixed-use development, without going through a planned development process. (This was also our chance to get graphic designer Eric Wencel out in the field!)
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Most Impactful & Rewarding

When Clarion was hired the County’s development code had not been updated in over 50 years! Clarion focused on developing a plan to support the modernization of transportation corridors by making them more pedestrian friendly with concentrated development along light rail corridors and protecting the rural areas of the County. The drafting of the code took three years with lots of political negotiation.
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Most Impactful & Rewarding

Clarion was charged with reforming the city’s broken land management system.  This project consolidated, integrated, and streamlined the existing zoning ordinance and subdivision controls with land use regulations included in over 40 regulatory Sector Plans into an Integrated Development Ordinance (IDO) that makes those controls more internally consistent, predictable, administrable, and user-friendly.
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Most Impactful & Rewarding

Clarion Associates led a team of consultants to work with the City of Norfolk to undertake a rewrite of its zoning ordinance. Norfolk had the highest rate of measured sea level rise of any east coast city over the last 100 years, with estimates that sea level rise will continue to increase consistent with historic levels. For this and other reasons, the city was one of the initial communities included in the Rockefeller Foundation’s 100 Resilient Cities Initiatives. One of the primary goals of plaNorfolk2030 and the zoning ordinance rewrite, was to retool the zoning ordinance to support Norfolk as a more resilient city, both environmentally and economically. Innovations include a zoning ordinance that is framed around sustainable and resilient development practices, and zoning districts and development standards that are context based, recognizing four different character areas in the city. The Zoning Ordinance updated was adopted in January 2018. Many consider it to be the most resilience-focused zoning approach in the nation and it received an Award of Excellence in Sustainability from APA in 2019.

Most Impactful & Rewarding

In the wake of the devastating Marshall Fire, Clarion worked with impacted neighborhoods in the Town of Superior to identify what their planning needs were in order to start rebuilding, and what barriers could be removed to make that process faster and easier.
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Most Impactful & Rewarding

(Almost) post-Covid and deep into Colorado’s housing affordability crunch, Elizabeth spent 2022 revising three Colorado land use codes in an effort to help these communities create innovative and affordable housing. These projects were all partially funded by grants from the Colorado Department of Local Affairs and focused on a set of specific strategies designed to update regulations to encourage the creation of affordable housing. We participated in and learned from conversations about inclusionary zoning, land banking, and the potential wonders and evils of expedited development review. After many years of practicing law and waiting to see how court opinions would impact the practice, our work was directly impacted by a legislative initiative, Colorado Prop. 123. Making way for more affordable housing looks to be Clarion’s path for the foreseeable future and we’re looking forward to the challenge.
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Repeat Business & Lessons Learned

Since 1992, Clarion has fostered many long-term relationships with municipalities across the country.  As planning trends change and a community’s needs evolve, we have returned to assist with updating and modernizing comprehensive plans and development regulations.  We love working with repeat clients because it gives us the opportunity to better understand the issues and to see first-hand how earlier efforts have played out.  Below, we are spotlighting some of our long-term partnerships and lessons learned from working with repeat clients.

Since 1992, Clarion has fostered many long-term relationships with municipalities across the country.  As planning trends change and a community’s needs evolve, 

Repeat Business & Lessons Learned

Clarion had the opportunity to work with the City of Manhattan and Riley County on a major plan update in 2003 and again in 2015. In particular, their commitment to plan implementation stands out in our minds. When asked to provide an update on the status of the 2003 implementation strategies upon starting the plan update in 2015, nearly every single recommendation had been completed.
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Repeat Business & Lessons Learned

Clarion has worked with History Colorado and the Colorado Historical Foundation on a multi-year, recurring study of the economic benefits of historic preservation in Colorado. The first edition, completed in 2000, included extensive data collection and analyzed the economic impacts of historic building rehabilitation and heritage tourism. Original research looked at property value trends in local historic districts. Three later updates of the study revisited and updated the original data and also introduced new topics, like preservation’s role in promoting environmental sustainability.  Over the last 20+ years, these projects have taught us many lessons, including the value of storytelling and compelling graphics. We’re proud that these reports have reached a wide audience, and they also set the stage for our recent study of the economic benefits of archaeology.

Repeat Business & Lessons Learned

Clarion began its working partnership with Cary in 2000 to produce the Town’s Growth Management Plan and then updated its Land Development Ordinance in 2003 to reflect the guidance in the new plan.  A decade later we partnered again on a multi-part Comprehensive Plan. The first phase was development of the Plan Charter that set the strategic course for the planning process and public engagement efforts. The second phase was undertaking the work to create The Cary Community Plan that was adopted in 2017.  This two-part approach allowed for more meaningful community conversations about intentionally embracing and planning for change, which ultimately resulted in a plan that balanced traditional, low density suburban development patterns with high-intensity development in specific areas.

Repeat Business & Lessons Learned

Clarion has had a long working relationship with the City of Fort Collins, partnering with them over multiple Comprehensive Plans, updates to land development regulations, and other policy documents. Over the years, Fort Collins has been a leader on issues like growth management, mixed-use development, sustainability, and climate action and has embraced the need to continually reassess and recalibrate its policies and regulations over time.
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Repeat Business & Lessons Learned

When Clarion first partnered with James City County, the County had no plans in place to guide decision-making for community investments.  Clarion led a team in partnership with the County to develop a Strategic Plan that would help County Administrators get organized and prioritize initiatives for the next 25 years.  Within a few years of adopting the Strategic Plan, the County undertook an update to its Comprehensive Plan , revising policy direction and tackling hard issues like affordable housing and rural preservation.  Clarion worked with staff to ensure alignment between the two planning documents. The County has been focused on implementation leveraging the guidance of these plans with recent bold steps to enact rural preservation zoning regulations.
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Repeat Business & Lessons Learned

Over the course of two Development Code updates and the creation of a Comprehensive Plan in between, Clarion has developed a strong partnership with the Town’s planning staff and has shaped policies and regulations that make Mooresville what it is today.
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Repeat Business & Lessons Learned

Clarion has partnered with Kannapolis through one Comprehensive Plan update and a subsequent Development Code update.  Over the last seven years, we have supported their plans and policies as the area continues to grow and tackle new development challenges.
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Causes & Organizations We've Supported

Over the last 30 years, Clarionites have dedicated their time and expertise to support causes and organizations across the Planning field.  This work has helped to create important resources for planners and non-planners alike.  We have spotlighted a handful of these impactful planning passion projects below.

Over the last 30 years, Clarionites have dedicated their time and expertise to support causes and organizations across the Planning field.  This work has helped to create important resources for planners and non-planners alike.  We have spotlighted a handful of these impactful planning passion projects below.

Over the last 30 years, Clarionites have dedicated their time and expertise to support causes and organizations across the Planning field.  This work has helped to create important resources for planners and non-planners alike.

Causes & Organizations We've Supported

Former Clarion Director, Chris Duerksen collaborated with attorney Tom Ragonetti and law professor Ed Ziegler to found the Rocky Mountain Land Use Institute in 1992.  Clarion has been affiliated with RMLUI ever since and is an active sponsor and participant in the Institute’s annual Western Places | Western Spaces conference.
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Causes & Organizations We've Supported

Don has been the Editor of the Colorado Land Planning and Development Law book for roughly 30 years and has overseen all of the last 10 revisions to this valuable handbook used by planners and lawyers throughout Colorado.
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Causes & Organizations We've Supported

Clarion has a history of supporting Denver metro-area municipalities in teaching citizens the fundamentals of city planning.  Over the years we have led Citizen Planning Academies in Aurora, Lakewood, and Wheat Ridge to encourage long-term, robust public engagement in these communities.
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Causes & Organizations We've Supported

Clarion worked with the Smart Growth Office of the United States Environmental Protection Agency to assist in the development of the Sustainable Land Use Code Audit Tool. We also helped 8 communities around the United States, to apply the tool and improve their environmental sustainability practices related to Low-Impact Development, Transit Oriented Development, and Renewable Energy.  Chris Duerksen of Clarion Associates played a major role in developing the overall format of the audit tool, identifying specific approaches, and designing a point system for local self-assessment.
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Causes & Organizations We've Supported

The Sustainable Development Code began in the late 2000s under the direction of then Clarion Managing Director, Chris Duerksen.  The idea was to address the various topics and issues around sustainable development and make model development code provisions available to communities to implement. Clarion staff and staff from other specialty firms began researching and writing white papers on particular topics, how to solve or improve the issues, along with examples code provisions adopted by communities.  It was also important to frame each topic with a menu of options, knowing that each community would not want to approach similar issues in the same way.  This resulting project lived for many years with the Rocky Mountain Land Use Institute, and today it continues at the Albany Law School under the tutelage of Jonathan Rosenbloom, and lives online at sustainablecitycode.org.
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Lesser-Known & Innovative

Throughout our 30 years in business, Clarion has been fortunate to work with communities big and small to solve their unique challenges.  We have worked on a wide range of projects, comprehensive plans, and land development regulations to be sure, but many more that defy categorization.  For our final 30th Anniversary spotlight, we’re taking a look back at some of the lesser-known and innovative Clarion projects of the last three decades.

Throughout our 30 years in business, Clarion has been fortunate to work with communities big and small to solve their unique challenges.  We have worked on a wide range of projects, comprehensive plans, and land development regulations to be sure, but many more that defy categorization.  For our final 30th Anniversary spotlight, we’re taking a look back at some of the lesser-known and innovative Clarion projects of the last three decades.

Lesser Known & Innovative

In 1999, then-Clarion director Chris Duerksen and current Director Matt Goebel co-authored this influential report for Scenic America and the American Planning Association.  The purpose of the report was to help land-use planners and citizens understand the legal issues involved in regulating aesthetics and the legal tools available to help communities maintain their special features and sense of place. The wide range of topics covered includes design review, tree protection, view protection, sign controls, and the then-new topic of cell towers.
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Lesser Known & Innovative

In the early 2000s, Clarion worked with the Sonoran Institute, Lincoln Institute of Land Policy, and the City of Tucson to assemble a collection of case studies on master-planned communities in desert communities.  Much of this research focused on the identification of regulatory and market barriers to achieving ‘complete’ communities that include diverse housing, access to services, open space protection, and recreational amenities.
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Lesser Known & Innovative

In 2005, Clarion worked with several neighborhoods in Chapel Hill, including historically African-American and Black communities, to identify key issues and develop the zoning regulations to solve them.  The Town set a goal of conserving and protecting these areas as part of its Comprehensive Plan, and arranged for Clarion to prepare plans, design guidelines, and implement ordinance language.  The project involved extensive interaction with residents, including in-home and community meetings and neighborhood events. Work products focus on new dimensional and use regulations, combined with aggressive information and community-building initiatives. We learned much along the way about how to engage different groups throughout the process and were forced to pivot our engagement strategy as it became clear that some voices felt left out of the conversation. Success came through the process in the form of a collectively supported set of neighborhood conservation districts and corresponding design guidelines.

Lesser Known & Innovative

Clarion Associates, in collaboration with Austin-based Hardy Heck Moore, led a process to develop a comprehensive set of guidelines and standards for the City’s 27 locally designated historic districts, which varied from three parcels total to seven miles long. The guidelines and standards address Exterior Maintenance & Alterations, Additions, New Construction, Site Elements, and Signage at a citywide level, allowing flexibility at the district level.
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Lesser Known & Innovative

The home county to Manhattan, Kansas, and Fort Riley, Riley County is also home to large and small production agriculture with deep roots in Kansas history. Over the years, rural homeowners and “ranchettes” had made inroads into agricultural areas, causing concern among staff and elected officials about the long-term impact on farming and ranching. Clarion created an ag-preservation toolkit for the county that included conservation subdivision standards, incorporation of the LESA process, ag-specific uses with ag-specific use standards, a method of subdividing for family and employee housing, and a nuisance notice for surrounding owners who might object to some of the louder or smellier aspects of agricultural operations.
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Lesser Known & Innovative

Working in collaboration with the legacy city of Youngstown, OH, Clarion drafted an innovative redevelopment Code that reflected the community’s intense need for new commercial and industrial investment, flexible approach to development approvals, extremely low staffing levels, and desire to attract green investments.  The code also established a limited service overlay district to discourage new investments in outlying portions of the city where the provision of additional city services was no longer financially viable.
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Lesser Known & Innovative

In 2015, Clarion Associates led a team of consultants in the development of a guidebook and website for local governments to better integrate hazard mitigation into their land use planning mechanisms. Planning for Hazards: Land Use Solutions for Colorado enables counties and municipalities to prepare for and mitigate hazards by integrating key principles of hazard mitigation into plans and codes. This project helped to consolidate helpful information and useful examples into one cohesive, user-friendly document.  The guidebook addresses 11 hazards and profiles 25 land use planning tools to address hazard mitigation.  The website planningforhazards.org is maintained by the University of Colorado’s Center for Sustainable Urbanism to ensure that it remains relevant and reflects new best practices as they develop.
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Lesser Known & Innovative

Howard County is the home of Columbia Maryland, an unincorporated, master-planned, and racially integrated community of 105,000 people, created by the Rouse company in the 1960s.  Columbia was originally developed as a patchwork of 264 independent planned unit Development approvals, which proved a cumbersome way to regulate land use and investment in a de facto city.  Clarion was retained to recommend alternative zoning approaches that could allow Columbia to maintain its extremely high quality of life and design while attracting new investment.  The strategy was approved unanimously as a blueprint for zoning reform in 2019.
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Lesser Known & Innovative

Clarion recently helped the City of Maitland adopt a very innovative code for this small suburb of Orlando. It included a form-based district to improve and encourage sustainable development and make the community more walkable. This code project won an Outstanding Study/Plan from the Florida Planning & Zoning Association.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum.Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum.