ABSTRACT
Omaha, Nebraska, decided to bring more design direction to what was already being invested in the city. An advisory committee and an extensive series of public meetings created a consensus about future public policies. The first step toward implementation was the adoption of an official Urban Design Element of the Master Plan, approved unanimously by both the Planning Commission and the City Council. The 21 Green, Civic, and Neighborhood goals, objectives, and policies required 73 implementation proposals, including administrative changes by the city, legislative changes, capital projects, and opportunities for privately funded initiatives. Changes to the ordinances implementing the Urban Design Element are included in ARTICLE XXII – URBAN DESIGN in the Omaha zoning ordinance. Omaha also now has an Urban Design Review Board. In Omaha, nothing was brought to a public meeting unless the advisory committee supported it, which sometimes meant several iterations with the advisors. The community meetings also led to changes. Most of the time, the design professionals have to set the agenda, but arriving at a consensus about design is very different from devising a complete design in advance and expecting everyone to like it.
