3 Primary Factors to Consider When Planning for Mixed-Use Development

Planning for mixed-use development requires attention to detail and a deep understanding of how to obtain the most value out of every acre. This mixed use encompasses many multi-purpose districts that can combine business establishments, residential uses and sometimes light industrial. 

The three primary factors you should consider during your mixed-use planning are: zoning regulations, financing, and design (which often involves community input).

In this article, we’ll examine the various types of mixed-use development planning, explaining the advantages and challenges of each one.

Since 1979, Ballentine Associates has excelled at partnering with our clients to help their projects succeed. Our client testimonials showcase not only our dedication to customer service, but our varied project types; we have assisted with everything from small subdivisions to major university campus infrastructure, to high-rise towers in Raleigh and Durham, to a 240-unit Habitat for Humanity community in Chapel Hill. We’d love to learn more about your project and how we can be a part of your team.

What Is Mixed-Use Development?

Historically, most cities had basic, strictly-enforced single-use zoning. It designated separate areas for housing and business. Mixed-use development eliminates and transforms that separation, blending apartments, shops, and offices within the same area. The result? A walkable neighborhood filled with vibrant businesses and stunning apartments.

What Are the Primary Factors of a Mixed-Use Site Plan?

1. Zoning regulations

Some cities don’t allow mixed use by right. If that’s the case, you’ll need to start the process of of obtaining discretionary approval, typically in the form of a rezoning.

2. Financing

It can be more difficult to get a loan for a mixed-use project. It involves more intensive paperwork, and often, more than one lender is involved. However, sharing common elements such as parking lots, maintenance, and security across the various uses within a mixed-use development can result in cost savings.

3. Layout

Do you want to implement uses in a stacked or horizontal manner? The answer determines the course of your project, so you’ll want to establish an answer early in the process. It’s crucial to get input from the community before finalizing any plans. Doing so not only earns you goodwill with the community, but it enables the project to fit the neighborhood more effectively.

What Are the Advantages of Mixed-Use Developments?

Mixed-use developments are not only aesthetically pleasing, but they also have many other practical benefits. These include: 

• More convenient: These developments are typically very walkable, so it’s easy to reach various goods, services, and residential properties.
• Enhanced experiences: The layout of the property, particularly if it has green space and community areas, encourages interaction among residents and shoppers. 
• Benefits for landlords: Commercial spaces in mixed-use buildings can traditionally rent for more than office buildings that stand alone.
• Variety of housing options: From studio apartments to larger, three-bedroom units, the variety of sizes and price points makes housing in the development a viable option. 
• Economic and environmental benefits: When you can walk to work as opposed to driving, you not only save on transportation costs, but you help the environment.

What Are the Common Types of Mixed-Use Development (Horizontal vs. Vertical)?

There are two common types of mixed-use development: horizontal and vertical.

• In horizontal layouts, separate buildings each have their own purpose. For example, there may be one building that’s a shop, another that’s an apartment, and yet another that serves as the corporate offices of a business.
• In vertical layouts, each floor may have a different purpose. You frequently see these where there are shops on the ground floor and apartments above them. This is an economical way to achieve effective planning for mixed-use development when land is at a premium.

Do You Need Planning for Mixed-Use Development? We Would Love to Partner With You

When mixed-use development planning is involved, the consequences of working with the wrong partner are substantial. You could miss permitting windows and have to do expensive rework. That’s why you need a partner like Ballentine Associates. You can rest assured that you’re in good hands; let us handle the details. 

We offer a full range of integrated services, including due diligence, land planning, civil engineering, land surveying, and subsurface utility engineering. This means your project has a single, experienced team thinking like a developer alongside you, identifying risks before they stall your timeline. Want to learn more? Tell us about your project!