Heart of the City Design Framework Update

In 2021 and 2022, the City of Burnsville updated the Heart of the City (HOC) Design Framework, originally established in 1999. For over 20 years the Design Framework has guided private development and public realm design in the District toward the community’s vision of an attractive, vibrant, and pedestrian-friendly district. The new HOC Public Space Guidelines document will serve as a framework for future public improvements.

Updating the HOC Public Space Guidelines offered an opportunity to reengage with community stakeholders, evaluate existing conditions and policies in the District, and update the vision, policies, and guidelines to better reflect community values and support goals of the City’s 2040 Comprehensive Plan.

The City Council adopted a resolution approving the new HOC Public Space Guidelines at their meeting on December 20, 2022.

About the Update

The City of Burnsville engaged community members and stakeholders in the summer and fall of 2021 and spring of 2022 to make updates to the Heart of the City (HOC) Design Framework. The original framework was established over 20 years ago and the updates were needed to ensure the city's vision of an attractive, vibrant, and pedestrian-friendly district are meeting modern standards. The updated document will provide the City with guidelines for making enhancements to the public spaces with HOC.

The updated guidelines include the following areas: 

  • Introduction
  • Community Engagement
  • Existing Conditions & Needs Assessment
  • Mission & Guiding Principles
  • Character Districts
  • Streets
  • Streetscape Amenities
  • Landscape Plantings
  • Public Spaces – Parks, Plazas, and Open Spaces
  • Gateways, Wayfinding, Signage, and Public Art
  • Parking
  • Screening
  • Sustainability & Stormwater Management
  • Maintenance
  • Implementation

Heart of the City - Public Space Guidelines