HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem B: Walnut Station Mixed-Use Center
ECC
UGENE ITY OUNCIL
AIS
GENDA TEM UMMARY
Work Session: Walnut Station Mixed-Use Center
Meeting Date: June 9, 2010 Agenda Item Number: B
Department: Planning and Development Staff Contact: Lydia McKinney
www.eugene-or.gov Contact Telephone Number: (541) 682-5485
ISSUE STATEMENT
The work session provides an update on the Walnut Station Mixed-Use Center project prior to the City
Council public hearing scheduled for June 21, 2010.
BACKGROUND
Planning for the Walnut Station Mixed-Use Center began in 2005, after the Walnut Station area was
identified as a potential mixed-use center in TransPlan, adopted in 2003. Over the past five years, City
staff, community members and stakeholders have developed a plan to facilitate redevelopment of the
Walnut Station area from the current auto-oriented development to a vibrant, pedestrian-friendly mixed-
use center.
The primary strategies that will facilitate implementation of the plan include:
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A form based code approach to land use. Form based codes have been developed with the
express purpose of encouraging mixed-use development using smart-growth principles. These
codes foster predictable built results and a high quality public realm by using physical form (i.e.
building height, architectural and site design standards, and street design) rather than separation
of uses, as the organizing principle for the code.
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Transformation of segments of Franklin Boulevard to a multi-way boulevard. The conversion of
Franklin Boulevard from its current auto-oriented design to a mixed-use multi-way boulevard
will provide for a variety of transportation options and a pedestrian-friendly environment.
The following discussion provides more detail on these strategies, the public involvement process and
the next steps for the project.
Form Based Code
Form based codes regulate land uses in broad general categories. This approach facilitates mixed-use
development by eliminating requirements for specific uses from the City’s regulations. The Walnut
Station form based code follows that model by allowing any type of residential, commercial or
institutional land use anywhere within the station area. Design standards and height restrictions will
limit potentially impactful uses or require that they go through a design review process. Additionally,
some uses require a Conditional Use Permit which requires a public hearing process for those uses that
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could be particularly impactful. This is a small list of uses that includes indoor arenas, hospitals, and
RV and heavy equipment sales.
Primary components of the form based code include:
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The height regulating plan, which sets the maximum building height and setback requirements.
Building heights are illustrated on a series of diagrams tied to a map and supplemented by a
narrative description.
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The frontage regulating plan, which sets the development standards for each of the three
subareas:
Franklin Corridor: Development standards encourage retail development on the first
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floor, and recognize this area as having the highest urban intensity;
Urban General: Development standards are geared towards creating an attractive ground
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floor edge;
Transition Edge: Development standards recognize this as a transition area, either to the
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neighborhood to the south or the millrace to the north.
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Off-street parking reductions, which are a part of the overall strategy of transforming the area
into a mixed-use center. Concerns about the potential impacts of this approach on the adjacent
neighborhood have been largely addressed by the creation of the Arena Parking District.
Residential parking programs in general are a successful method for addressing potential
spillover parking impacts on adjoining neighborhoods, and the current proposal has support from
neighborhood stakeholders.
Multi-Way Boulevard
Conversion of Franklin Boulevard to a multi-way boulevard complements the form based code in
creating a pedestrian-friendly environment. The multi-way boulevard is a public improvement within
the public right-of-way and largely dependent on federal funding. In this planning phase of the project,
the fundamental issue has been to establish the total right-of-way width necessary, and to identify how
that right-of-way width impacts existing properties. In order to arrive at this determination, a number of
scenarios were analyzed and a conceptual street layout within 155 feet of the right-of-way was
supported by the Planning Commission. The specific design details for the multi-way boulevard within
the right-of-way will be addressed through the design process at the time funding is available. As such,
the right-of-way width will be the only component of the multi-way boulevard that is being codified in
this process. A special setback is proposed to ensure that no new development will occur in the
identified 155 foot right-of-way prior to construction of the multi-way boulevard.
Public Involvement
There have been a variety of public input opportunities throughout the process, with the Planning
Commission providing guidance and recommendations throughout. Over the past 18 months, two
groups have been instrumental in shaping the plan:
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A stakeholders group with representatives from the Chamber of Commerce, the University of
Oregon, the Fairmount Neighborhood Association, and the City of Eugene. The role of this
group has been to provide an opportunity to identify, discuss and mediate issues among the
different stakeholders.
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A Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) with representatives from each stakeholder group, as
well as City staff and technical staff from other agencies. The TAC’s role has focused on the
review of the form based code.
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On April 20, 2010, the Planning Commission held a public hearing on the ordinance adopting the
implementing amendments for the Walnut Station mixed-use center. Attachment A is the memorandum
staff provided to the Planning Commission for deliberations beginning on May 17, 2010, addressing
testimony received at the hearing as well as questions from the Planning Commission. The Planning
Commission concluded their deliberations on May 24, 2010, and unanimously recommended approval
of the plan with the changes shown in Attachment B.
Next Steps
The council will hold a public hearing on June 21, 2010, and is scheduled to deliberate and take action
on July 26, 2010. In addition to the form based code itself, there are a number of other amendments that
will be necessary to implement the proposed plan, including:
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Metro Plan Diagram Amendment: Amend the metro plan diagram so that all property within
Walnut Station is designated for commercial use.
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Refinement Plan Amendments: The project area for the Walnut Station mixed-use center falls
within two existing refinement plans, and the proposal includes adoption of a new refinement
plan, the Walnut Station Specific Area Plan. This plan provides details on the process and
provides a background for the recommended amendments. It is included as Attachment C.
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Land Use Code Amendment: A code amendment is required to adopt the Walnut Station form
based code, which will become part of Chapter 9 as the Walnut Station Special Area Zone
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(SWS).
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Zone Change: The amendment package includes a proposal to rezone all the property within the
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Walnut Station area to the Walnut Station Special Area Zone (SWS).
RELATED CITY POLICIES
The council will receive staff findings of consistency with the Metro Plan, refinement plan, and Eugene
Code policies in their agenda packet for the public hearing. The Walnut Station Mixed-Use Center is
consistent with, and helps implement, 10 of the 19 Growth Management Policies.
COUNCIL OPTIONS
No formal action is required at this time.
CITY MANAGER’S RECOMMENDATION
No action is required on this item at this time. Therefore, no recommendations are offered by the City
Manager at this time.
SUGGESTED MOTION
No action is required on this item at this time. Therefore, no motions are offered by the City Manager at
this time.
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ATTACHMENTS
A.Walnut Station Staff Response to April 20, 2010, Planning Commission Public Hearing
B.Planning Commission Recommendations from May 17 and 24, 2010, Deliberations
C.Walnut Station Draft Specific Area Plan
FOR MORE INFORMATION
Staff Contact: Lydia McKinney
Telephone: (541) 682-5485
Staff E-Mail: lydia.s.mckinney@ci.eugene.or.us
Project Website: www.eugene-or.gov/walnut
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ATTACHMENT A
Planning & Development
Planning
City of Eugene
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99 West 10 Avenue
Memorandum
Eugene, Oregon 97401
(541) 682-5377
(541) 682-5572 FAX
www.eugene-or.gov
Date: May 12, 2010
To: Eugene Planning Commission
From: Lydia McKinney, Metro and Community Planner
Subject: Walnut Station; Staff Response to April 20, 2010 Public Hearing Comments
This memorandum provides a response to testimony submitted at and within the open record period for
the public hearing on April 20, 2010, as well as to questions from the Planning Commission after the
hearing. The issues raised by the Commission and in testimony are summarized into eleven categories
below in bold followed by staff response.
1.Compensation for property acquisition:
The University of Oregon, while expressing overall support for the proposed amendments, expressed a
desire to work with the City to assure reasonable compensation when the city acquires University
property for the multiway boulevard. The current proposal does not include purchasing university
property for the multiway boulevard, but establishes a special setback to prevent construction of buildings
within the area needed for future construction. The City will engage affected property owners in
discussion regarding compensation at the time funding for construction of the street has been secured. It
is standard policy for the City to provide fair-market value for property acquisition.
2.Appeal Body for Design Review applications:
Both the University of Oregon and the Chamber of Commerce support maintaining the current appeals
process for Type II land use applications, which designates the Hearings Official as the appeal body, rather
than changing the appeal body to the Planning Commission as discussed previously. While the initial
proposal was for appeals to go to the Planning Commission, and the Fairmount Neighborhood Association
supports that approach, staff is recommending appeals to the Hearings Official based on a majority of
stakeholders’ opinions and consistency in Type II land use application processing.
3.Addressing use in the form based code:
At the hearing and in subsequent testimony, some concerns have been raised regarding permitted uses in
the form based code being allowed outright or not having proper land use or associated public processes.
The premise of form based codes is to de-emphasize land uses and rather focus on building and site design
standards, placing a greater emphasis on the physical character of development. The design standards
that are applied through the form based code do regulate uses to some degree. For example, the design
Staff Response to April 20, 2010 Public Hearing Page 1 of 7
standards are specifically crafted to incorporate buildings with windows and openings that support an
active pedestrian environment. Buildings are required to be built near the front property line and parking
is located to the side and rear, furthering the enhanced pedestrian environment. These design standards
would be very difficult to meet for some uses, such as a big-box retail store. If such a building type were
to be allowed within Walnut Station, it would have to go through the Design Review approval process.
Having the design standards proposed for Walnut Station also allows for some uses, such as gas stations
which are commonly prohibited from mixed use centers, as long as the design standards are met.
The public process to develop form based codes is front-loaded, in that these codes are typically created
through an iterative process involving the community and various stakeholders. Community members
help to create the physical development they want by participating in the creation of form based codes, as
has occurred throughout the five year process that has resulted in the plan proposed for this area. The
approach to uses has been one of the focuses of developing this new code, and has also been vetted and
crafted through the Technical Advisory Committee and the Stakeholders Group. In earlier draft code
proposals, any commercial or residential uses currently permitted in the Eugene Code were permitted
without Site Review or Conditional Use Permit requirements. Though the University, Chamber, and City
were confident the design standards would adequately address the impacts associated with uses that
currently require a Conditional Use Permit, neighbors remained concerned about potential impacts
associated with some uses. The form based code was revised to add Conditional Use Permit requirements
for some uses agreed upon by the Stakeholders Group. In additional to allowing commercial and
residential uses, some with a CUP requirement, there is also a prohibited use list for uses that have
negative impacts that cannot be addressed through design standards.
Surface parking lots are an example of a use cited in testimony that requires Site Review in the current
code but not in the Walnut Station Special Area Zone. This was a deliberate decision. Rather than
assigning the requirement for surface parking lots to be processed through a Site Review process, the
approach was to determine what benefits would result from the site review process and incorporate
requirements that would lead to those benefits within the form based code. For surface parking lots
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proposed within the 15 Avenue Transition Edge, there is a requirement for a ten foot landscape bed
(rather than the standard seven foot bed). The application of Site Review to surface parking lots would
not result in greater design or compatibility benefits than what is proposed within the Walnut Station
Special Area zone. The building form, site and landscape standards are specific to the different areas
within the Special Area Zone, to maximize the positive impacts of development in the area.
The following clarifications are provided regarding interpretations of the code as provided in some of the
testimony submitted relative to regulating uses. Temporary Activities, Collection Center, Collection of
Used Goods, Home Occupation, Recycling, and Small Collection Facilities are all uses that have “Standards”
associated with them, as noted by the letter “S” in the use table. Site Review is not required for these
uses; the use list references uses that require a Site Review with “SR”. All required standards remain in
effect in the Walnut Station Special Area Zone. It is also noted that noise and odor are not reviewed as a
site review criterion as stated in the testimony; a noise and odor criterion is addressed through
Conditional Use Permit review.
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4.Addressing the 15 Avenue Transition Edge:
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Some of the testimony submitted indicates that the 15 Avenue transition edge has not been adequately
addressed or acknowledged in the plan. The opportunity to protect the existing Fairmount neighborhood
and provide a more graceful transition to a pedestrian oriented mixed use development of the Walnut
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Station area was recognized early in the planning process. The property north of 15 Avenue is primarily
Staff Response to April 20, 2010 Public Hearing Page 2 of 7
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designated for commercial use, and the land south of 15 is primarily zoned and developed with single
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family residences. Under current code provisions, the land north of 15 can be developed with a broad
range of commercial uses, with buildings up to 120 feet in height with no building setback requirements.
Through a variety of public processes, agreement was made that the building height would be reduced to
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three stories along the entire 15 Avenue edge within Walnut Station, and a ten foot front yard setback
would also be required along the entire edge to mirror the residential building setback and landscape
pattern on the opposite side of the street. Consistent with the overall approach to this zone, design
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standards regarding 15 Avenue have been codified.
Staff concurs with the recommendation to include the intent for developing a graceful transition along the
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15 Avenue edge and have included language in the purpose section of the form based code to that
effect. Applications seeking approval through the Design Review process will have to be consistent with
the purpose section. The following statement has been added to the purpose section of the form based
code:
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Recognize 15 Avenue as a transition area between the predominantly single family residential
neighborhood on the south side of the street and Walnut Station Special Area Zone on the North.
5.Ownership related to use and “University of College” as a permitted use category:
Testimony raises concern about the question of “University or College” as a use category. The Eugene
Code allows “University of College” as a permitted use category in the C-2 and C-3 zones. Because the
Walnut Station allows any commercial or residential use permitted in the code, it is permitted in the
new form based code. The category of University use was proposed for the Matthew Knight Arena, and
under appeal by the neighborhood, the Land Use Board of Appeals found that because an arena is listed
in the code as a separate use requiring a CUP, a CUP would be required for the University Arena. This
history has created some tensions in the neighborhood with regards to future uses the University might
propose. While the question of University or College use is not specific to the Walnut Station Special
Area Zone, the area adjacent to the University of Oregon has more potential to be impacted by
University development. As such, it is recommended that the following policy be added to the Walnut
Station Special Area Plan:
The City should evaluate the land use category of “University of College” to better define which
uses are permitted outright.
The question of “University or College” as a use category and the question of ownership as related to use
are different issues. The use category of “University or College” applies to University or College-run uses,
not whether or not they own the land on which the development is proposed. The zoning designation of
Public Land however is related to ownership. Land zoned Public Land permits uses outright that are
operated by the public agency that owns the development site (unless it is the intensification of uses that
are categorized as having special use limitations). While there is some property currently zoned Public
Land in the plan area, the proposed amendments for Walnut Station will rezone all the land in the area as
Walnut Station Special Area Zone.
6.Off street parking requirements in Walnut Station/comparison to ICS:
Developing the parking requirements for the form based code was another topic that received much
attention. The current proposal includes an allowance to reduce parking requirements. There is not a
requirement to reduce parking in the plan area, but it is rather provided as an option for developers who
Staff Response to April 20, 2010 Public Hearing Page 3 of 7
choose to offer their products to market segments demanding less parking. The parking requirements
resulting from the ICS process calculate parking spaces per bedroom, and this parking requirement is
applied to a specific geographic area in response to trends in that area. In the remainder of the City,
including Walnut Station, parking requirements are calculated based on dwelling units.
Participants in development of the Walnut Station form based code recognized that parking requirements
can significantly impact the way an area builds out and that parking requirements can be one of the most
significant elements in creating walkable communities. The Walnut Station mixed use center has some
unique characteristics that are conducive to a reduction of required parking. The EmX is now established
in the area, and the availability of transit means fewer people will need to arrive to the area in a vehicle.
The University of Oregon is directly adjacent to the area, so students and faculty have easy walking access
to the area. The new code proposed for the area has focused on facilitating mixed use development, and
this also reduces parking demand since motorists only need to park once to visit of a number of
destinations.
Staff has worked closely with all the stakeholders in crafting the parking requirements for Walnut Station,
and there is support for the existing proposal from all stakeholders. In order to address the need to
reduce parking requirements to achieve the desired urban form while also addressing the potential for
negative impacts for spillover parking in the Fairmont neighborhood, a number of potential solutions were
evaluated. Residential Parking Programs (RRPs) are one of the most effective means of addressing
spillover. The Arena Parking District established as part of an agreement for the Matthew Knight Arena
provides a Residential Parking Program for the Fairmount neighborhood which regulates parking in that
neighborhood to two hours in any given off-street parking space. This RPP adequately addresses the
neighborhood concerns regarding spillover impacts. While it is the City’s intent that this Residential
Parking Program remain in place, the following policy is proposed for inclusion in the Special Area Plan to
provide assurance that it remains in effect:
The City shall ensure that the neighborhood protections provided by the Fairmount Neighbors
Event Parking District Section (5)(b) of the Arena Impact Mitigation Agreement are maintained.
7.How many parking spaces are lost by implementation of the multiway boulevard design
and how many are gained in other places?
Public works staff has provided an analysis that indicates approximately 20 spaces south of Franklin
Boulevard and 77 spaces north of Franklin Boulevard would be lost as a result of full build-out of the
multiway boulevard. Approximately a third of these spaces would be gained back by parallel parking
constructed on the local access lanes of the multiway boulevard. In addition, the proposed angled parking
spaces along Orchard, Villard, and Walnut Streets could replace the remainder of lost spaces, resulting in
no net loss of parking spaces. It is noted however that the parking spaces gained on the streets are public
parking spaces, and the parking spaces that are lost are located on private property. See item #10 for
information on business impacts of the multiway boulevard.
8.Traffic impacts/calming/mitigation:
A number of concerns regarding traffic impacts on the Fairmount neighborhood have been expressed.
Public Works staff indicates that traffic volumes on Walnut and Orchard are actually lower today than
when the former one-way couplet supported daily traffic to and from the Department of Motor Vehicles,
the Oregon Department of Transportation maintenance yard and the Joe Romania auto sales lots and
offices. Villard Street used to carry a variety of commercial traffic including that from Williams Bakery and
a convenience store and gas station. These auto-dependent uses no longer exist.
Staff Response to April 20, 2010 Public Hearing Page 4 of 7
Public Works staff also notes that this area has a history of speeding and cut-through traffic problems that
are due to the geography and street configuration in the area. Staff does not find that development
within Walnut Station under the proposed plan will alter the traffic patterns. Neighborhood traffic
impacts have been studied and mitigation measures identified, through the Fairmount/Agate Traffic
Study. The City completed the first phase of traffic calming identified in the Fairmount/Agate Traffic Study
for the neighborhood and the University will be constructing additional “entry treatments” as a part of
their Arena CUP.
While there is information to indicate that there will not be negative impacts from development of the
Walnut Station mixed use center, maintaining the integrity of the Fairmount neighborhood is an important
component of this plan. If development consistent with the Walnut Station mixed use center does have
adverse traffic impacts on the Fairmount neighborhood, these should be mitigated. As such, staff has
added the following policy to the Walnut Station Specific Area Plan:
The City should periodically evaluate and address traffic and spillover parking impacts on the
Fairmount neighborhood.
Some testimony indicates concern that traffic calming and mitigation requirements in the
Fairmount/University of Oregon Special Area Study have not been carried forward. All policies that would
apply within the Walnut Station Special Area Zone were reviewed so that policies that currently apply
within Walnut Station would remain applicable once the new plan is adopted. These policies, revised for
clarity, are proposed to be codified as Design Review approval criteria.
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The adverse effects of motor vehicle movement shall be mitigated as much as possible. Primary
vehicular access to the lands north of 15th Avenue and east of Walnut Street should minimize
impact on nearby residences and Fairmount Park.
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Proposed development shall mitigate the storage effects of motor vehicle parking and parking
impacts on the surrounding neighborhood shall be reasonably mitigated by minimizing off-street
parking. This can be accomplished through the use of shared parking agreements; car sharing and
bus pass programs, and other Transportation Demand Management Strategies.
In addition, the following criterion is applicable to any development application that requires a Traffic
Impact Analysis review:
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If a Traffic Impact Analysis that is required by the City Code projects that a proposed development
will increase traffic on streets within the single-family neighborhood to the east and south of
University-owned land the City shall require the applicant to mitigate those impacts through the
use of traffic calming strategies or other mechanisms designed to discourage through traffic.
9.Provide additional analysis on the multiway boulevard:
The multiway boulevard has been the subject of significant analysis and discussion which primarily
occurred at the beginning of Phase II of the project in 2007. The following reports were prepared by David
Evans and Associates, Inc. with regards to the multiway boulevard:
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Visualizing the Multiway Boulevard Benefits; June 2007
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Report on Franklin Boulevard and a Multiway Boulevard Design Concept; June 2007
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Existing Traffic Conditions Memorandum; April 2007
Staff Response to April 20, 2010 Public Hearing Page 5 of 7
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Comparison of a No Build Alternative and a Multiway Concept for Franklin Boulevard; April 2007.
Between January and April of 2007, there were a number of issues that the Planning Commission
considered with regards to the multiway boulevard, and staff developed a three-stage decision-making
process to assist the Planning Commission in forming recommendations. The Planning Commission met
January 22, January 29, and February 12, 2007 to review the information related to the future redesign of
Franklin Boulevard and at the February 12, 2007 meeting, the Planning Commission endorsed moving
forward with operational modeling for the multiway boulevard concept. The Agenda Item Summary with
the Franklin Boulevard Modeling Results (April 16, 2007) is attached as Exhibit A to this memorandum.
10.What is the impact of the multiway boulevard on existing businesses?
The amendments under consideration include establishment of a special setback to preclude construction
of buildings within the area needed for the future construction of the multiway boulevard. The special
setback is applied at the time new development is proposed; establishment of the special setback does
not impact current business uses or building footprints.
Once funding has been secured for the multiway boulevard, the City will go through the process of
acquiring the property within the special setback area, and developing detailed design plans for the
boulevard. One of the concerns raised is access to those existing business once the multiway boulevard
has been constructed. Because access to properties may be limited to one location, drivers will need to
know where to gain access to specific businesses along the local access lane. Design considerations for the
entrance to the local access lanes and good signage are examples of potential solutions that can be
implemented at the time of design. The following policy is proposed to be adopted in the Walnut Station
Specific Area Plan to ensure this issue is addressed at the time of construction:
The City should develop strategies to address the need to provide clear and easy access to
businesses along the multiway boulevard and address any loss of off-street parking spaces
resulting from construction of the multiway boulevard.
A proposal to phase the construction of the local access lane on the south side of the street has been
developed to address the impacts on large development sites such as the loss of parking that would occur
on the Hirons/Market of Choice property. During the design phase of the multiway boulevard,
consideration will be given to phasing the project to allow property owners who own entire blocks of
frontage along the south side of Franklin Boulevard the option to “opt out” of construction of the local
access lane. While this would delay the benefits associated with creation of the local access lane, it would
allow property owners to maintain their existing parking spaces, deferring the boulevard improvements
until the property redevelops. This option works on the south side of the street where the entire block is
under single ownership control, and the local access lane can be constructed in block segments. On the
north side of the street, each block is divided into separate properties with multiple owners which
precludes opting out of the local access lane.
11.Will commercial development in Walnut Station Mixed Use Center draw away from
downtown or other commercial areas?
The majority of the property within Walnut Station is currently zoned for C-2 Community Commercial
which permits commercial development (and residential development, with some limitations) outright.
The changes proposed in the new form based code do not fundamentally change the uses permitted
within the area.
Staff Response to April 20, 2010 Public Hearing Page 6 of 7
The Walnut Station market study found that the demographics of the area support development of
apartments and condominiums, and that demand for housing will increase as the area redevelops. It is
presumed that this increased demand for housing is related to the ability of this neighborhood to offer
more shops and services within walking distance. Several of the commercial lots on Franklin Boulevard
are underutilized or include buildings that are nearing the end of their life cycle. These sites offer
excellent opportunities for redevelopment.
The Metro Plan and TransPlan identify several potential mixed use development areas (areas planned for
a mixture of uses located near services like mass transit, recreation, and existing commercial or residential
uses) throughout the City, including Walnut Station. Mixed use development promotes sustainability and
incorporates features such as greater pedestrian orientation, an interconnected street network,
accommodation of all modes of travel, a positive relationship between buildings and streets, more
emphasis on building design, and more efficient use of land. If properly planned and developed, these
centers will mature into quality neighborhoods that enjoy a mix of activities, more transportation options,
convenient shopping and services, and urban amenities. Establishing several areas for mixed use
development in the City is a key aspect of our growth management strategy under TransPlan.
Exhibits:
A.Agenda Item Summary to Planning Commission April 16, 2007
Staff Response to April 20, 2010 Public Hearing Page 7 of 7
ATTACHMENT B
Planning Commission Deliberations on May 17, 2010 and May 24, 2010 resulted in a unanimous (6-0)
recommendation for approval of the Walnut Station plans with the following revisions:
1)The Planning Commission recommends that the appeal body for Design Review applications
in the Walnut Station Special Area Zone be changed from the Hearings Officials to the
Planning Commission.
2)The Planning Commission recommends the following policy be re-written as:
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When the City engages in detailed design of the multiway boulevard, traffic and parking
spillover impacts on the Fairmount neighborhood shall be evaluated. (Original
language: The City should periodically evaluate traffic and parking spillover impacts on
the Fairmount neighborhood)
3)Change the diagram in the S-WS Walnut Station Special Area Zone (figure EC 9.3970(e) to
indicate that the lane widths shall be a minimum of 11 feet wide.
4)The Planning Commission recommends the following design objective from the S-WS
Walnut Station Special Area Zone (EC 9.3950(10)) be re-written as:
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Recognize 15 Avenue as a transition area between the predominantly single family
residential neighborhood on the south side of the street and Walnut Station Special
Area Zone on the north to protect the residential character of the neighborhood.
(Original language did not include “to protect the residential character of the
neighborhood”.)
5)Eliminate the term “Excluding Dormitories” from the bike parking table and add a category
of dormitories to the residential category, and require 1 bike space for every 3 occupants.
6)The Planning Commission recommends the following policy be re-written as:
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The City shall develop strategies to address the need to provide clear and easy access to
businesses along the Franklin Boulevard multiway boulevard and address any loss of off-
street parking spaces resulting from its construction. (The original policy began “The City
should….”)
7)The Planning Commission recommends that the following policy be added the Walnut
Station Special Area Plan:
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After three years or 50,000 square feet of development (cumulatively) has been
approved, whichever comes first, staff will provide a report to the Planning Commission
regarding the status of development in the Walnut Station mixed use center.