The most popular low density single family house (6-7 units/acre) was the northwest style historic home with a prominent front entryway, windows with decorative wooden mullions and a well-manicured front yard. This house was ranked highest among both the adults and the children by a significant margin.

Score: +6.4

For medium density single family housing (7-10 units/acre) participants selected a cluster-style development with houses fronting a landscaped courtyard. Of the four images in this category, the homes pictured below were the only example with unique design features such as half-timbered siding, steeply pitched roofs with dormers and large windows. These homes also have a naturalistic site plan that retains the forest on the perimeter of the site, as well as heavily landscaped courtyard.

Score: +4.2

Score: +5.1

The multi-family housing style with the greatest appeal had similar features to the top scoring single family housing styles: unique building design, a naturalistic site plan and a substantial amount of landscaping. The townhomes pictured above are high density (25 units/acre) but are situated on the lot in such a way as to provide views from the large windows and private balconies.

All of the multi-family housing photos are in close proximity to the street without a significant setback for parking or landscaping. The example above has the most pedestrian friendly street of the four images shown. The generous sidewalks, ample landscaping, on-street parking and pedestrian scale lighting are attractive features on their own, but combined they create an inviting streetscape with enough separation between moving traffic and the walkway to make this a safe and pleasant street for walking.

The example above is the most open to the street of the images shown. It has no fence and the buildings are sited at an angle which gives the feeling that people are welcome. In contrast, two of the other images in this group of four have fences between the house and the street. Fences do not give people the feeling of welcome, and many of the children who participated in the visual survey described the fenced houses (and the people living within them) as "mean."

As Facilitated and Recorded by Walkable Communities, Inc.
Website Produced by WebTown Technologies.
E-mail comments to Gregory J. McCormick
       AICP, Director of Community Development.