Many people take pride in the places they live and identify with their neighborhoods.
As a result, the distinctive appearance of commercial centers and residential neighborhoods plays an important role in community quality of life. Design guidelines and design review can help communities protect local character. Communities can identify the important visual qualities in a neighborhood or commercial area to use as the basis for design guidelines. Scenic America encourages communities employ design guidelines to maintain and enhance the aesthetics of building design, ensure efficient land use, and protect community resources. Aesthetics, Community Character and the Law, a joint publication from Scenic America and the American Planning Association, discusses strategies and techniques communities can use to foster, develop, and implement good design.