Foundation 2 - Creating Livable Hometown Neighborhoods

The strength of the Cheyenne areas' neighborhoods is their hometown quality and variety of housing options. Within most neighborhoods, residents are able to live in a variety of housing styles and types (ranging from historic downtown to rural developments) and still be within minutes from downtown and other destinations. Traditionally, residents have had access to a variety of price ranges so that Cheyenne area housing has satisfied the needs of workers and families. Most of our neighborhoods have a great sense of place and are safe and livable. However, some of the newer housing developments are not quite in keeping with our heritage and are not as convenient as the older core.

As we build new neighborhoods, the Cheyenne area will strengthen our community by raising the bar on the quality of new residential development and ensure that neighborhoods contain a mix of uses and amenities such as parks, integrated trails and open space, schools, convenience retail and personal services, and civic uses. In addition, neighborhoods should continue to be safe, showcase our civic pride, and provide options for housing, including workforce housing and housing for seniors.

Principles and Policies

Principle 2.1: The Cheyenne area will protect and strengthen our existing neighborhoods to keep them livable.

Policy 2.1.a: Existing Neighborhoods Enhanced and Stabilized
This Plan aims to foster stabilization and enhancement of the city's established and older core neighborhoods. The community should explore programs to assist existing neighborhoods and protect their character (i.e., develop infill standards or guidelines).

Policy 2.1.b: Transition between Existing and New Neighborhoods
New neighborhoods should provide transitions near older neighborhoods (i.e., buildings that step up in height, an open space or landscaped buffer, and/or compatible fencing and landscape).

Policy 2.1.c: Neighborhood Revitalization
The city should identify neighborhoods in need of revitalization and assess needs for and provide physical infrastructure improvements to give them a boost. Policy 2.1.d. Conversions of Homes Along Arterials The city will allow re‐use/redevelopment to home‐based offices of existing residential structures with driveways facing major and minor arterials. Residential structures along the following roads qualify: Dell Range (east of Yellowstone), Pershing (west end), and Ridge Road.

Policy 2.1.d: Historic Neighborhoods Protection
The city will protect and enhance its historic neighborhoods and will consider establishing historic or conservation districts .


Principle 2.2: Our community will design future urban neighborhoods in "traditional" patterns with a mix of uses, amenities, and convenient connections to services.

Policy 2.2.a: Neighborhoods with "Centers"
Within one‐half mile radii, neighborhoods should include "centers" or a focal point such as a park, civic uses, places of worship, or other activities such as convenience shopping.

Policy 2.2.b: Mix of Uses in Neighborhoods
New neighborhoods should contain a mix of uses, including complementary and supporting non‐residential uses that serve the neighborhood and are designed and operated in harmony with the residential characteristics of a neighborhood, including neighborhood commercial services where feasible and appropriate.

Policy 2.2.c: Connected Streets and Sidewalks
Neighborhoods should have connected streets and sidewalks to make walking and bicycling safe and convenient. They should be designed with connected systems of open space, bikeways, trails, and streets with sidewalks that provide internal links as well as links to other neighborhoods and to neighborhood centers.

Policy 2.2.d: Neighborhoods with Amenities
Developers should provide amenities, including parks, open space (especially for higher density housing), or community centers. These should include centralized neighborhood‐gathering spaces and pocket parks that are large enough for residents to congregate, especially where lot sizes are small. These should include landscaped areas that are suitable for children's play areas, including appropriately sized turf areas.

Policy 2.2.e: Neighborhood Common Areas
New neighborhoods should have distinct common areas that may include distinct rightof‐ way landscaping and materials, lights, signage, and other such design elements to distinguish a neighborhood from others (i.e., the areas shared by residents or the "semipublic" streets and amenities).


Principle 2.3: Our future urban neighborhoods will contain a mix of housing types, styles, and densities.

Policy 2.3.a: Mix of Housing Types
The community will strongly encourage using a variety of housing types and models, sizes, and price ranges in new neighborhoods to provide expanded housing options. Incorporating a mix of housing types at both the neighborhood scale and the block scale helps create varied and interesting streetscapes and a diverse community.

Policy 2.3.b: Higher Density Housing
Higher density and senior housing should typically be located near activity centers and transportation corridors (arterial and collector streets) to provide for convenient access, and should include common areas such as courtyards, playgrounds, or open space.


Principle 2.4: Future rural residential areas north of the Urban Service Boundary will continue to provide a rural lifestyle choice.

Policy 2.4.a: Rural Residential
Only Where Designated Rural residential development should be located in areas designated as such on the Future Land Use Plan—generally north of the Urban Service Boundary. This Plan discourages this pattern in the south part of the Cheyenne area or within the Urban Service Boundary. This Plan generally does not promote rural residential development because it consumes land inefficiently, creates a net loss in revenues compared to costs of providing services, and limits housing choices.

Policy 2.4.b: Rural Residential Open Space Design Preferred
The city and county will encourage the use of Open Space Design (or clustering) as a means of preserving scenic view corridors and ridgelines, conserving natural features, creating transitions between areas of different development intensity, and providing open space for the common use and enjoyment of residents in rural areas. This Plan also encourages the use of cluster development patterns as one means of preserving cohesive agricultural lands.


Principle 2.5: The Cheyenne area will continue to have affordable "workforce" housing throughout our community.

Policy 2.5.a: Community Housing Needs Met
The community has a growing concern about the availability of attainable or workforce housing for low and moderate‐income families. Workforce housing is essential to the strength of our community to allow multiple generations to live, work, and settle here (from families with young children to senior citizens). A variety of housing types, ranging from apartments to single family homes, will help meet these needs.

Policy 2.5.b: Workforce Housing
Throughout the Community Workforce housing should be dispersed throughout the community and not concentrated in one area. It should be placed in locations that are accessible to major transportation corridors and near activity centers.

Policy 2.5.c: Quality Workforce Housing
Affordable or (workforce) housing can and should be of high quality.


Principle 2.6: Our community will contain housing for senior citizens and other populations with special needs, truly making it a place for all generations.

Policy 2.6.a: Senior/Special Needs
Housing throughout the Community Senior and special needs housing should be dispersed throughout the community, integrated into and part of neighborhoods, and not concentrated in one area. It should be placed in locations that are accessible to major transportation corridors and near activity centers.

Policy 2.6.b: Senior Housing with Access to Facilities
The development of senior facilities and housing should be near downtown, activity centers, near medical facilities, and other community facilities, such as community centers.


Principle 2.7: Our future housing will be of high quality design to give lasting value to our neighborhoods and community.

Policy 2.7.a: Residential Development Quality
PlanCheyenne encourages our community to "raise the bar" on the quality of residential development, leading to stable residential neighborhoods that retain their quality over time. New neighborhoods should be varied in design, through standards and regulations that include consideration of such criteria as a variety of lot sizes, building styles and colors, orientation of buildings and garages, roof pitches, neighborhood streets, quality materials, and other unique architectural features on homes to create variety and aesthetic interest.