These areas have the potential to be employment and tax revenue generators for the community. While not differentiated on the Land Use & Development Character map, commercial areas may be defined by scale and potential customer base area. Neighborhood scaled commercial centers may be distributed throughout the City at key intersections or nodes. Regional commercial districts are typically larger in size and have the potential for greater impacts to the transportation network. Therefore, they should only be located close to I-65 or on major thoroughfares such as N. Lebanon Street.
Neighborhood scaled commercial centers contain a mix of active uses at key intersections that serve surrounding residential concentrations. These centers should be compatible with and contribute to neighborhood character and livability. They should be defined by building frontages and an activated street, not by parking lots. Neighborhood commercial centers should be pedestrian-friendly places with high-quality architecture, plazas, outdoor dining, sidewalks, and other pedestrian and bicycle amenities that create active, connected gathering places.
Regional commercial districts can include higher intensity retail and office developments that attract users from a wider area. These areas should be located closer to I-65 interchanges and major thoroughfares that can handle higher traffic volumes that may be generated. New developments should have integrated designs with coordinated accesses, amenities, and cohesive architecture that fits within the context of the larger corridor. Buildings should be arranged so that they frame and define the street network; internal drives should resemble streets rather than parking lot drive aisles. Large expanses of surface parking, particularly between the building front and the street, should be avoided. Landscape plantings should be used to create more attractive developments and buffer adjacent residential areas. A coordinated pedestrian system should be provided throughout the commercial area, connecting uses on the site and between the site and adjacent properties.