Camiros worked with the City of Cleveland Heights to update their development regulations to be more sustainable. Camiros completed a sustainability audit of all regulations and provided the City with new regulations, which were incorporated into the ordinance. These recommendations focused on a number of regulatory areas:
- Incorporating flexibilities into residential district regulations to reflect the existing patterns of development to encourage preservation of existing housing stock, proper infill development and neighborhood character.
- Commercial design guidelines that encourage mixed-use and walkability.
- Permissions for a variety of accessory structures such as solar panels, wind turbines, geothermal systems, community-based renewable energy systems, greenhouses, rain barrels and cisterns.
- New principal uses for renewable energy (solar and wind farms) and local food production (community gardens and urban agriculture).
- Large-scale development processes that require the developer to provide sustainable benefits back to the City.
- Parking flexibilities and design standards that create more sustainable sites, including accommodation for bike parking and bicyclist facilities.
- Stormwater management requirements, including limits on impervious surfaces and required performance standards, and landscape standards that conserve water on site.
