Laserfiche WebLink
planforRiverRoadand/orSantaClaracouldpotentiallybepartofamendments <br />totheoutdated1987UrbanFacilitiesPlan. <br />WouldnothavethepolicystatusgiventoaCityADOPTEDplanorpolicy,may <br />Challenges: <br />notbeascomprehensiveorenforceableasacommunityorcity-wide <br />comprehensiveplan;maybeperceivedasaCityeffortandoneinwhichspecial <br />servicedistrictserviceprovidershavelittlecommitment. <br />.Thesecouldbeindependent, <br />OptionNo2:DevelopCommunityComprehensivePlan(s)Ð <br />oracomponent,oftheCityÕsComprehensivePlan,whichiscurrentlyundergoingPeriodic <br />Review. <br />Dealswithabroadrangeofheritageandplanningissuesinacomprehensive <br />Advantages: <br />manner;allowsforthepracticalandstrategicselectionofthemosteffectiveand <br />feasibleheritageoptions;establishesavehiclefortheentirecommunityto <br />participateinplanningtheirfuture;uponadoption,providesforabenchmarkof <br />communityagreementandconsensus <br />Costofandcommitmenttosuchaprocessmayproveprohibitive;timing, <br />Challenges: <br />financialfeasibility,andpriorpolicydecisionsmayfavorsimplyproceedingwith <br />incorporationfirst(orselectingacoupleofheritageprogramsinisolation);other <br />planningissuesmaylegitimatelyhaveprioritywithintheCity;suchaplanning <br />processesmayrevealmoredivisionswithinthecommunitiesthanarepresently <br />perceived;issuesofequitymayarisewithotherCityareaswantingtheirÒownÓ <br />plan;integratingANDadministeringaseriesofcommunityplanswitharequired <br />overallCityplanwillbeachallenge. <br />Bothcommunitieshavebeenconsideredforvarious <br />OptionNo.3:NeighborhoodCentersÐ <br />planningoptionstocreateneighborhoodcentersorÒnodesÓbasedaroundcommercialservices. <br />Thepresenceofhistoric(andcontemporary)towncentersisavitalelementinanyheritageand <br />communitybuildingstrategy.AsnotedundertheÒRecreationÓchapterofthisWhitePaper,the <br />RiverRoadParksandRecreationfacilityatEmeraldParkseemstoperformmanycommunity <br />centerfunctions,albeitnotcommercialones.TheCityhasalsoestablishedasmallLowerRiver <br />RoadNodalDevelopmentArea(alsoreferredtoastheRasorParkMixedUseArea,namedafter <br />alocalparksspacewithintheRiverGreenway)toencouragecommunityorientedredevelopment. <br />Experienceelsewheresuggeststhatrevitalizedneighborhoodcenternodeshavecommon <br />characteristicssuchasrelativelynarrowprimarycommercialstreets,somemixofnearbypublic <br />orquasi-publicservicesandfacilities(parks,libraries,theatres,restaurants),andaviablestockof <br />architecturallyinterestingcommercialstructuresbuiltclosetothestreet(andmoreorless <br />contiguouswitheachother-oftenforseveralblocks).NeithertheRiverRoadarterialnorBeltline <br />Roadgenerallyfitthisprofile.BeltlineRoadisdominatedbycontemporaryÒinward-lookingÓ <br />commercialdevelopmentinterspersedwithtransitionaloldercommercialdevelopment.TheRiver <br />Roadarterialischaracterizedbyscatteredoldercommercialstructuressetbackfromthestreet. <br />Inbothcases,thesestreetsarewideandverybusy,thusfunctionallydividingpotential <br />neighborhoodnode(s)inhalf.GiventhislackofÒnaturalÓattributesofsuccessfulneighborhood <br />nodes,itwillbeachallengingandprobablyacapitalintensiveefforttocreatesuchnodesinalong <br />theRiverRoadarterialandBeltlineRoad(note:theCitycurrentlyhasnoplansfornodecreation <br />alongBeltlineRoad.PlansfortheRiverRoadarterialarehighlightedbelow). <br />Creationoffunctioningcommunitycentersmightbeaccomplishedbyestablishingaseriesof <br />smallerneighborhoodnodesfoldedintoexistingcommercialormixedusedevelopments,but <br />servingareasdefinedby,ratherthansubdividedby,majorroadways(e.g.:yousimplydonÕttryto <br />getpeopleacrossabusyroadwayinthecourseofstrollingaroundÒtheirÓneighborhoodcenter). <br />Morecapitalintensiveneighborhoodnodecreation(atleastwithrespecttotraditionalCityand <br />propertyownerobligations)couldbefacilitatedbydivertingthrough-traffictootherarterialsand <br />fullyre-designingtheRiverRoadarterialandBeltlineRoadtolowerclassifications(atleastfor <br />RiverRoad/SantaClaraCommunityTransitionProject26 <br />TransitionandHeritageWhitePaperMay2006 <br /> <br />