Item B: River Road/Santa Clara Transition Project - Final Report

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Workshop results were sorted into several categories: Workshop Outcomes General CategorySub-Categories Land UseDevelopment, density, rural qualities, rural/urban interface, residential character GovernanceRepresentation; annexation-general, no annexation to city, yes annexation to city; taxes, urban service issues “There are dis- GeneralComments too general to categorize, comments that listed tinct neighbor- numerous categories hoods...with dif- Parks and Recreation activities, community center/YMCA, River Road ferent character- RecreationPark District, open space, river and bike path, parks-general istics and needs.” TransportationTraffic, walk/bus/bike, street lights, street design, speeding, road maintenance, connectivity EnvironmentProperty maintenance, natural areas, quiet, trees pollution Commercial ServicesShopping, restaurant “More neighbor- CommunityCommunity/identity, diversity, friendly neighbors hood parks...bike Public SafetyNo sub-categories path along river, LibraryNo sub-categories accessible green space along SchoolsNo sub-categories river.” GeneralGeneral comments, comments with multiple issues Note that in the public outreach sessions, the term “neighborhood” referenced the entire River Road community or the Santa Clara community. For more details on the categories, see page 12: Outcomes by Categories. “Quiet– a country feel in the city. Two Distinct Neighborhoods The sense of his- The phrase “Annexation issues in River Road and Santa Clara” is commonly used by elected tory with existing officials and service providers when referencing the two neighborhoods. Despite the shared annexation issue, the workshop outcomes clearly indicate that River Road and Santa Clara old structures, are two separate communities, each with its own priorities. trees, homes.” Development patterns contribute to the differences – beginning in the 1970’s with the division of the two communities by Beltline highway, and later by the scale and scope of residential subdivisions. In the past fifteen years, Santa Clara has experienced fast-paced development of large-scale residential subdivisions while River Road has experienced few large-scale residential subdivisions and more small-scale infill developments. Santa Clara is adjusting to “My most press- a dramatic increase in population and commercial services, while River Road is experiencing ing concern is a more gradual increase in households. In the future, both communities will continue to ex- that we would be perience widespread infill development. annexed and pay The pace and impact of large residential developments have residents in Santa Clara won- triple property dering how much more development will occur in the future and how government will provide taxes and not for urban services. Residents in the neighborhood are particularly concerned about traffic have anything and the lack of parks and recreation facilities. more to show for it.” River Road residents are asking questions about the future impact of wide-spread infill by a variety of small-scale developers. What does build-out look like, and how will infrastructure change to meet increased demand? The large-scale residential developments in Santa Clara result in an entire subdivision with a similar look and feel, but in River Road and parts River Road/Santa Clara Transition Project—Public Outreach Report 6