The Downtown Specific Plan is a mixed-use, urban design plan that establishes the desired physical vision for Downtown Glendale through a clear and comprehensive set of policies, incentives, and requirements. The Plan establishes a coherent and consistent regulatory framework of standards and guidelines in the form of an easy-to-read, graphics-based manual. It sets the physical standards and guidelines as well as land use regulations, and directs policies for economic development; streetscape improvements; transportation development; parking; pedestrian amenities; open space and land use; preservation of cultural resources; and public art.

A corresponding Mobility Study gathers under a single umbrella the full range of best-practices to reduce auto congestion and promote multi-modal transportation. Each of these - free bus shuttle, parking benefit districts, in-lieu fees, and transit-priority streets, among others - is tailored to the physical vision articulated by the Downtown Specific Plan.