FAQs

A LUCA is a Land Use Code Amendment. It implements requirements to achieve the visions, goals and policies of the city’s long-term plan (called the Comprehensive Plan).

BelRed has been developing for over 15 years with distinct areas and amenities designed to create a livable and vibrant neighborhood. The BelRed Look Forward was an opportunity to meet new housing and job targets and improve effectiveness of existing BelRed policies and city code. The BelRed Look Forward was completed in 2024, it updated the original plan policies and direction. The BelRed Look Forward LUCA will build from effective regulations already in place.

The BelRed Vision imagines this neighborhood will be a place where thriving businesses will be adjacent to, and sometimes mixed with, livable neighborhoods, all served by a multimodal transportation system that connects the area to the greater city. BelRed will also be distinguished by environmental and community amenities that will serve residents and employees in the area, as well as residents from surrounding neighborhoods and the entire city. Another key attribute is that the area will be a one-of-a-kind artistic, creative and cultural destination that features the thriving arts and creative community in the BelRed Arts District. BelRed intends to be a place that supports artists, arts and cultural organizations and creative businesses by including access to affordable space to create, perform, sell their wares and present their creative works.

An amenity incentive system is a tool that offers bonuses to developers in exchange for a provided public amenity or affordable housing. One bonus often exchanged for amenities is additional floor area ratio (FAR) which increases the density of a building. Examples of what the developer provides in exchange for the bonuses include affordable housing or public amenities such as parks, trails, stream restoration, childcare/nonprofit spaces, public restrooms, public art, public plazas, and more. The existing BelRed land use code includes a tiered FAR amenity and incentive system; staff have the opportunity to update this system to reflect the community’s top priorities based on feedback received during outreach. This includes adjusting priorities for specific neighborhoods and circumstances within BelRed, such as prioritizing public art in the Arts District.