This research examines the extent to which the presence of the creative class in cities is associated with the promotion of sustainability, particularly as reflected in development regulations adopted by cities. Focusing on the incorporated cities in the five-county Southern California region, this study employed a mixed-method approach conducted in two phases. The first phase examined the association between the presence of the creative class and six sustainability-related urban form characteristics for 167 incorporated cities. Using four different combinations of the two variables—the size of the creative class and the level of the urban form index—eight cities were purposefully selected for an in-depth analysis for the second phase. The LEED-ND rating system was used as an evaluative framework to examine the current downtown specific plans of the selected eight cities to determine the extent to which downtown specific plan regulations reflected sustainability principles. Additionally, interviews with planners in the select cities were conducted to provide greater insights.

Considerable variation was found in the promotion of sustainability among cities. Generally, cities with a higher proportion of the creative class integrated LEED-ND principles to a greater extent than those with a lower proportion. However, not all cities with a higher proportion of the creative class promoted more sustainability principles and to a stronger extent than those with a lower proportion. Findings from the first phase suggested that there was no statistically significant relationship between the size of the creative class and sustainability-related urban from characteristics, except for access to open space, which was positively correlated with the size of the creative class. This finding was further supported in the study’s second phase, which revealed that not all cities with a higher presence of the creative class promoted compact, mixed-use development. Furthermore, cities with a stronger presence of the creative class promoted more green building and infrastructure related sustainability principles; however, considerable variation existed. Regardless of the size of the creative class, cities are promoting sustainability in various ways. This study provides valuable insight for cities considering zoning reform to increase the promotion of sustainability.