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HomeMy WebLinkAboutStudy Session Packet 01-23-12STUDY SESSION AGENDA CITY COUNCIL MEETING CITY OF WHEAT RIDGE, COLORADO 7500 W. 29th Ave. Wheat Ridge CO January 23, 2012 Upon Adjournment of City Council Meeting Individuals with disabilities are encouraged to participate in all public meetings sponsored by the City of Wheat Ridge. Call Heather Geyer, Public Information Officer at 303-235-2826 at least one week in advance of a meeting if you are interested in participating and need inclusion assistance. APPROVAL OF AGENDA .1. 38th Avenue Corridor Plan Implementation ~ Comprehensive Plan Implementation ~ Northwest Sub-Area Plan Implementation 4. Update to Architectural and Site Design Manual ~.I~ ... ~ • .-City of • _..~WheatP49ge J :VcoMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT TO: THROUGH: FROM: DATE: SUBJECT: Introduction Memorandum Mayor and City Council Patrick Goff, City Manager ~ IJ) Kenneth Johnstone, Community Development Director f< J Sally Payne, Senior Planner Sarah Showalter, Planner II January 13, 2012 (For January 23 Study Session) 38th Avenue Corridor Plan Implementation J -fern. I. 38tb Avenue between Wadsworth and Sheridan is one offive priority areas for reinvestment and revitalization in the City's Comprehensive Plan, Envision Wheat Ridge, and the City's Economic Development Strategic Plan. After a year-long planning process that included extensive public outreach, the City adopted the 38th Avenue Corridor Plan in October 2011. The corridor plan establishes a vision for the corridor as the community's main street and includes specific implementation steps to guide its revitalization. Important implementation items for the year 2012 include: • Implementation of a Road Diet: the plan calls for restriping the street between Upham and Depew to a three-lane section including pilot projects that will enhance the image of the street and make it more pedestrian-friendly. • Formation of the 38th A venue Leadership Committee: composed of stakeholders on or near the street, the committee will enable businesses, property owners, and residents to participate in the corridor's revitalization. • Develop a Marketing/Branding Strategy: an essential component to the revitalization strategy, a marketing plan would establish a unique brand for the corridor and develop marketing tools such as a tagline, logo and website. • Pursue City-Initiated Rezoning to Mixed Use Zoning: in order to implement the vision for high-quality infill development with a variety of uses, the plan calls for rezoning the corridor to mixed use zoning. • Consider Amending the City Charter: 38th Avenue remains in the portion ofthe City that is subject to the City Charter's height and density restrictions, which could limit future development along the corridor. • Proceed with Next Steps for Civic Center Development: a longer-term vision for the street is to create a civic center, which might include a new City Hall in the Main Street district along 38th Avenue. Realization of this vision depends on shorter-term steps such as a refined space needs study for the City and a study of potential financing mechanisms. For a comprehensive listing of implementation items, including more 2012 steps and the lead party for each, please see Chapter 5 of the 38th Avenue Corridor Plan. Study Session 38th Ave. Memo January 13, 2012 pg.2 The purpose of this presenting this topic at the Study Session on January 23rd is to update Council on public meetings that have been held since the plan's adoption, to review the implementation items listed above, and to ask for Council's feedback on some key implementation steps. Update on Outreach to Stakeholders December ih Business Resource Open House Shortly after the plan's adoption in October, staff started conducting additional outreach to stakeholders, especially businesses, on the 38th Avenue corridor. On December ih the City and Wheat Ridge 2020 hosted a Business Resource Open House and all property owners and businesses on the corridor were invited. There were approximately 30 attendees at this meeting, which included information on the plan's implementation, especially the road diet component, as well as a variety of resources for businesses, including: • Wheat Ridge Business District • Wheat Ridge 2020 • Enterprise Wheat Ridge • Jefferson County Business Resource Center • Jefferson County Workforce Center January 5111 Roadway Design Open Houses The City hosted two open houses on January 5th to discuss specifics of the road diet. All property owners and businesses on the street were invited, as well as anyone who owns property within 300 feet ofthe corridor. The morning meeting had approximately 40 attendees and the evening meeting had approximately 35 attendees. The open houses included a presentation from Public Works staff on the proposed design and schedule and then an open house in which residents and business owners could talk one-on-one with staff about the restriping. Implementation Item: Road Diet An important implementation item is restriping the street between Upham and Depew Street into a three-lane section with one thru-lane in each direction and a continuous center tum lane. A large reason for the restriping is to create room for on-street parking and demonstration projects that will expand and enhance the sidewalk for pedestrians. Public Works engineering staff started the design for the road diet in December 2011. The $250,000 CIP budget, approved by Council for the project in October, will include the following items: • Restriping: the street will be restriped (including sand blasting to remove the existing paint) between Upham and Depew Streets to three lanes • On-street parking: the project includes the addition of an on-street parking lane, primarily on the south side of the street. There are two blocks on the south side of the street where there is enough room to add angle parking, rather than parallel parking. At the roadway design open houses on January 5, staff asked for input on the concept of back-in diagonal parking. The response was very positive with many stakeholders, including the newly formed leadership committee, expressing a preference for back-in parking. Please see Attachment 1 for more information about back-in angle parking, which is currently planned for the south side of the street on the blocks near Teller and High Court. 2 Study Session 38th Ave. Memo January 13, 2012 pg. 3 • Temporary Amenity Zones: in order to demonstrate what it would feel like to add a permanent amenity zone next to the sidewalk, the project includes the installation of three to four temporary amenity zones, or sidewalk extensions. The design currently includes three amenity zones on the south side of the street in front of restaurants that requested them. There is a possibility that a fourth may be added on the north side of the street. See Attachment 2 for images and more information. • Planters: large potted planters with landscaping will be placed, at a minimum, at the beginning of the on-street parking lane on each block. The planters will serve as a physical barrier so that cars do not attempt to drive in the parking lane and they are also intended to improve the image of the street. As the budget allows, staff will add as many planters as possible to create the feel of continuous landscaping. • Access enhancements: the budget includes the ability to improve two to three access points along the street. An example of an access enhancement would be to take one very long curb cut and reduce it to two smaller drive ways. This improves the safety for cars entering and exiting the parking lot, and provides the opportunity to add on-street parking in front of the property (see Attachment 3 for more information). These improvements are only being made in cooperation with property owners. • Bike lane: between Upham and Pierce Streets, the existing pavement is wide enough to add striped bike lanes, five feet wide on each side of the street. The bike lanes will connect to Pierce Street, which is already on the City's Pedestrian/Bicycle Master Plan as a major north-south bike route. They will also allow cyclists to access businesses within the Main Street sub-district. • Bike parking: the project will also include the addition of bike parking, especially in the Main Street sub-district between Upham and Pierce Streets, where the new bike lane is planned. • Public art: 1% of the project budget, or $2,500, must go to public art. The Cultural Commission will be involved in determining what the public art will be. • Enhanced pedestrian signals: two crosswalks (at Upham and Benton Streets) will receive pedestrian signals with LED lights to create safer pedestrian crossings. City staff is hosting a small design charrette with designers in the Wheat Ridge community on January 13111 to get input on all ofthe improvements-especially the amenity zones, planters, and public art-to ensure that they have a quality, unified look. Schedule Public Works anticipates placing the project out to bid in February or early March. Once a contract has been selected, it will come to City Council for final approval. The actual construction is anticipated to begin in May 2012 so that all improvements will be complete before the Carnation Festival. Assessment of Road Diet The corridor plan calls for assessing the road diet about 18 months after its completion. Assuming it is successful, the plan calls for a permanent redesign of at least the Main Street Sub- district, which would entail moving the curbs and creating a permanent amenity zone with street trees, lighting, and pedestrian amenities. Staff is currently working to ensure that we have the 3 Study Session 38th Ave. Memo January 13, 2012 pg.4 baseline data to assess the road diet in the future. Assessment metrics will include: • Vacancy rates • Building permit activity • Traffic counts on 38th Avenue and on parallel routes • Sales tax data for the corridor • Pedestrian counts and potentially bicycle counts Staff also anticipates that the assessment will rely on direct input from the Leadership Committee, businesses and other stakeholders on the corridor, and potentially from a customer survey that could be administered in businesses along the street. Implementation Item: Leadership Committee Wheat Ridge 2020 and Jerry Nealon, the owner of Cress Kitchen and Bath, have taken the lead on forming the 38th Avenue Leadership Committee. Anyone interested in the committee was invited to attend an initial meeting on January 5th at 9 a.m., following the roadway design open house. There were 25 attendees at the first meeting, including two City staff, one reporter, 13 business owners and five non-business owns/residents. A second meeting has been scheduled for January 19th at 8 a.m. at Cebiche restaurant. Staffwill be able to share more details about that meeting at the Study Session. The Leadership Committee has already expressed interest in two topics -developing a marketing strategy for the corridor and working on a way to effectively move snow from the roadway and sidewalks. Implementation Item: Develop a Marketing/Branding Strategy A key component for revitalizing the corridor is creating a corridor-wide marketing strategy to promote existing businesses and draw new businesses to the street. The plan calls for development of a marketing plan that includes a brand, marketing materials, website, and tagline. The marketing strategy will also provide direction for a more permanent streetscape design for the corridor, including banners, signage, and pedestrian amenities. The plan calls for the leadership committee to take the lead on the marketing strategy. As mentioned above, the leadership committee has already expressed a strong interest in pursuing this item in 2012. One issue that needs to be resolved is identifying funding to hire a consultant to prepare the marketing plan. Implementation Item: Pursue City-Initiated Rezoning to Mixed Use Zoning The plan calls for rezoning the corridor to the Mixed Use-Neighborhood (MU-N) zone district, which would replace outdated zoning on the corridor, allow for a mix of uses, and hopefully stimulate new investment. When the City developed this zone district in 2010, it was envisioned for the 38th Avenue corridor. In May 2010, the City hosted a Mixed Use Zoning Forum for 38th A venue businesses, property owners, and residents. Attendees were asked to give feedback on the content of the code as well as the concept of a City-initiated rezoning. Of 16 surveys completed at the open house, 56% said that they strongly agreed with the idea of a City-initiated rezoning and 31% said that they somewhat agreed. When the mixed use zoning was adopted, Council decided to postpone the rezoning of the 38th Avenue Corridor until the corridor plan was complete so that the zoning would be sure to coincide with the recommendations in the plan. 4 Study Session 38th Ave. Memo January 13, 2012 pg. 5 The first step in rezoning the corridor is for staff to conduct an assessment of the current MU-N zone district and to recommend how to proceed with the rezoning. One option could be to rezone the entire corridor to MU-N. Another option could be to rezone the entire corridor but also add a separate overlay(s) for the Main Street and or Residential Sub-Districts. Staff plans to complete an assessment and make a recommendation to City Council in the spring or early summer of 2012. At that point, City Council could decide how to move forward and outreach to property owners could begin. Staff anticipates utilizing a process similar to the one that was used for the Wadsworth corridor City-initiated rezoning. Implementation Item: Consider Changes to City Charter The City Charter restriction on density (21 units per acre max) and height (35 feet for any building with residential and 50 feet for all other buildings) is still in effect on 38th Avenue. The plan recommends exempting 38th Avenue from this restriction, as some other parts of the City were in 2009, and addressing height and density through zoning. The current restrictions could hinder new development on the corridor, especially residential development and mixed-use development. For example, it would be very difficult to build a three-story building with retail at the ground floor and two stories of residential above due to the 35-foot height limit. Any changes to the City Charter would require voter approval. City staff would like input from City Council at the Study Session on whether this is a topic that the City would like to pursue in the corning year. If it is, it would relate to the potential rezoning of the corridor since the new MU-N zone district could be utilized to set height restrictions for 38th Avenue. Implementation Item: Next Steps for Civic Center Development One of the big ideas in the corridor plan is to create a civic center within the Main Street district on 38th Avenue that could potentially include a new City Hall or various other civic functions. During the planning process, many participants liked this idea and saw it as a way to make 38th A venue the heart of the community and to bring people and activity to the street. Although this is a longer-term item, it requires a fair amount of study and analysis in the short-term. Steps that the plan recommends completing in 2012 include: • Refining a future spaces needs analysis for the City to form a complete picture of how much space might be needed • Conducting a financial analysis and preparing a pro forma to understand what funding options might exist • Preparing an appraisal of the existing City Hall property to better understand how much could be gained by potentially selling the property in the future Each of these items would require hiring a consultant. At the Study Session, staff would like input from City Council on which items are worth pursuing in 2012. Attachments Attachment 1: Back-in Angle Parking reference Attachment 2: Temp Amenity Zone Handout Attachment 3: Access Enhancement Handout 5 Back-in/Head-out Angle Parking Nelson\Nygaard Consulting Associates 785 Market Street, Suite 1300 San Francisco, CA 94103 January 2005 Attachment 1 Back-in/Head-out Angle Parking Table of Contents PAGE Introduction ..................................................................................................................... 1 Some examples ................................................................................................................. 1 Advantages ....................................................................................................................... 4 Bicyclists ....................................................................................................................... 4 Visibility ........................................................................................................................ 5 Steep terrain .................................................................................................................. 5 Disabled parking ........................................................................................................... 5 Safety ............................................................................................................................ 6 Cities using back-in/head-out angle parking ...................................................................... 6 Typical dimensions ........................................................................................................... 7 References ........................................................................................................................ 8 Appendix A Nawn, J.A. (2003) Central Business District Back In Angle Parking. PE Reporter, November/December Issue, P. 11-13. Appendix B City Of Pottstown (2001) Proposed High-Street Traffic Calming Plan. Appendix C City Of Vancouver (2004) Angle Back In Parking Striping. Appendix D City Of Seattle (2005) Angle Back In Parking Dimensions. Table of Figures Figure 1 Figure 2 Figure 3 Figure 4 Figure 5 Figure 6 Figure 7 Figure 8 PAGE Back-in/Head-out parking in Tucson, AZ ........................................................ 2 With back-in angle parking you can load your car on the curb, rather than in the street (Vancouver, WA) ............................................................................ 2 An 'eye-to-eye' line of sight between parker and approaching road-user (Vancouver, WA) ........................................................................................... 3 The parker's view of the on-coming traffic (Vancouver, WA) ......................... 3 A traffic sign showing the three steps of back-in angle parking, in Kelowna, BC, Canada ................................................................................................... 4 A disabled parking stall located right next to the pedestrian crossing and the curb ramp ...................................................................................................... 5 Cities using back-in/head-out angle parking ................................................... 6 Cross-section of a roadway accommodating both bike lanes and back-in/head- out angle parking ........................................................................................... 7 Page i • Nelson\Nygaard Consulting Associates Back-in/Head-out Angle Parking Introduction In recent years the use of back-in/head-out angle parking has increased steadily in cities across North America. There are several reasons for this development. Kulash and Lockwood (2003) state that: "Back-in/head-out diagonal parking is superior to conventional head-in/back-out diagonal parking. Both types of diagonal parking have common dimensions, but the back-in/head- out is superior for safety reasons due to better visibility when leaving. This is particularly important on busy streets or where drivers find their views blocked by large vehicles, tinted windows, etc., in adjacent vehicles in the case of head-in/back-out angled parking. In other words, drivers do not back blindly into an active traffic lane. The back-in maneuver is simpler than a parallel parking maneuver. Furthermore, with back-in/head-out parking, the open doors of the vehicle block pedestrian access to the travel lane and guide pedestrians to the sidewalk, which is a safety benefit, particularly for children. Further, back-in/head- out parking puts most cargo loading (into trunks, tailgates) on the curb, rather than in the street." The growing presence on American streets of sport utility vehicles (SUVs), with their bulky rear ends and (frequently) tinted windows may have spurred the trend toward back- in/head-out angle parking: when using conventional angle parking, drivers increasingly find themselves beside an SUV, with more difficult sightlines. This report briefly discusses the design and benefits of back-in/head-out angle parking and shows where the design has already been implemented. Some examples In Tucson, AZ, two blocks of reverse diagonal parking have been installed along the University Boulevard Bikeway (see Figure 1), which leads into the west entrance of the University of Arizona (-36,000 students). In the two years of reverse diagonal parking, there have been no accidents along the segment, despite the large number of cyclists using the bikeway. Figures 2-4 illustrate some of the benefits of back-in/head-out angle parking. In Figure 2 the driver is able access her trunk from the curb rather than from the street. Figures 3 and 4 show that the driver can have eye contact with oncoming traffic, in this case a bicyclist. Figure 5 shows typical signage used to introduce drivers to back-in/head-out angle parking. For more examples on back-in/head-out angle parking, see Appendices A and B. Page 1 • Nelson\Nygaard Consulting Associates Back-in/Head-out Angle Parking Figure 1 Back-in/Head-out parking in Tucson, AZ. Source: T. Boulanger, Transportation Services, City of Vancouver, WA. Figure 2 With back-in angle parking you can load your car on the curb, rather than in the street (Vancouver, WA). Source: T. Boulanger, Transportation Services, City of Vancouver, WA. Page 2 • Nelson\Nygaard Consulting Associates Back-in/Head-out Angle Parking Figure 3 An 'eye-to-eye' line of sight between parker and approaching road-user (Vancouver, WA). Source: T. Boulanger, Transportation Services, City of Vancouver, WA. Figure 4 The parker's view of the on-coming traffic (Vancouver, WA). Source: T. Boulanger, Transportation Services, City of Vancouver, WA. Page 3 • Nelson\Nygaard Consulting Associates Back-in/Head-out Angle Parking Figure 5 A traffic sign showing the three steps of back-in angle parking, in Kelowna, BC, Canada. Source: City of Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada. Advantages Back-in/head-out angle parking is similar to both parallel and standard angle parking. As with parallel parking, the driver enters the stall by stopping and backing, but need not maneuver the front of the vehicle against the curb. When leaving the stall, the driver can simply pull out of the stall, and has a better view of the oncoming traffic. Bicyclists This type of parking provides a safer environment for bicyclists using the roadways. The driver is able to see the cyclist easily when exiting the stall. Several cities where back-in angle parking has been implemented have seen a reduction in number of accidents compared to the number of accidents at regular parallel parking schemes. Matt Zoll at Page 4 • Nelson\Nygaard Consulting Associates Back-in/Head-out Angle Parking aao:aa•••••••,.••••..,•••••••a•'"''"'"'• ••••• 5ao:••••••••~caocaor,.,.,.., ........... .-........ ., • ..,cc•c£-&~<&aaaaaa •••••••••••••••••a•••••••••••••••••••a•••••••••••••••••••••••••••• Tucson-Pima County Bicycle Advisory Committee says that after implementing the back- in/head-out angle parking scheme in Tucson they "went from an average of 3-4 bike/car accidents per month to no reported accidents for 4 years following implementation." Visibility In contrast to standard angle parking the visibility while exiting a back-in/head-out angle parking into traffic is much improved. When the driver is backing up (into the stall), the driver is in control of his lane: traffic behind either waits, or changes lanes. Steep terrain Back-in angle parking can also be useful on steep terrain: if used on the correct side of the street, it causes drivers to automatically curb their wheels, which in turn prevents runaway autos. Used on the wrong side of a steep street, however, it is likely to cause more runaways. Disabled parking In Pottstown, PE, a 13-foot wide handicap accessible stall has been incorporated into the angle parking as the last space, intersection nearside, of each block. This places each disabled parking stall close to the existing curb ramps, and allows the wheelchair-using drivers to unload out of the way of traffic (see Figure 6). By contrast, the street's previous parallel parking arrangement could not be safely used for disabled parking, and conventional angle parking raised safety concerns for the street's proposed bicycle lanes. Figure 6 A disabled parking stall located right next to the pedestrian crossing and the curb ramp. L Page 5 • Nelson\Nygaard Consulting Associates Back-in/Head-out Angle Parking Safety As SLCTrans (2004) states, "one of the most common causes of accidents is people backing out of standard angled parking without being able to see on-coming traffic. Reverse angled parking removes this difficulty." It also improves safety for cyclists, and for loading/and unloading the trunk of the car. Similarly, the Urban Tra nsportation Monitor's recent article on back-in angle parking reported reduced accidents and benefits for bicyclists in several communities. In all, back-in/head-out angle parking is a good choice when compared to conventional head-in angle/back-out parking and parallel parking. Cities using back-in/head-out angle parking The list of cities in North America that use back-in/head-out angle parking is growing. Figure 7 lists some of these communities. Figure 7 Cities using back-in/head-out angle parking. City Source Arlington, VI Dan Burden Walkable Communities, Inc. Birmingham, AL Russ Soyring City of Traverse City, Ml Burnaby, Canada Dan Burden Walkable Communities, Inc. Charlotte, NC Dan Burden Walkable Communities, Inc. Chico, CA Patrick Siegman Nelson\Nygaard Everett, WA Michael M. Moule Livable Streets, Inc Honolulu, HI Dan Burden Walkable Communities, Inc. Indianapolis, IN Michael M. Moule Livable Streets, Inc Knoxville, TN Michael M . Moule Livable Streets, Inc Marquette, Ml Russ Soyring City ofTraverse City, Ml Montreal, Canada Michael M. Moule Livable Streets, Inc New York, NY Dan Burden Walkable Communities, Inc. Olympia, WA Dan Burden Walkable Communities, Inc. Plattsburgh, NY Dan Burden Walkable Communities, Inc. Portland, OR Michael M. Moule Livable Streets, Inc Pottstown, PA Michael M. Moule Livabl e Streets, Inc Salem, OR Todd Bou langer City of Vancouver, WA Salt Lake City, UT Dan Burden Walkable Communities, Inc. San Francisco, CA Michael M . Moule Livable Streets, Inc Seattle, WA Dan Burden Walkable Communities, Inc. Tacoma, WA Dan Burden Walkable Communities, Inc. Tucson, AZ Michael M. Moule Livable Streets, Inc Vancouver, WA Todd Boulanger City of Vancouver, WA Ventura, CA Todd Boulanger City of Vancouver, WA Washington, DC Dan Burden Walkable Communities, Inc. Wilmington, DE Michael M . Moule Livable Streets, Inc Page 6 • Nelson\Nygaard Consulting Associates Back-in/Head-out Angle Parking Typical dimensions Particularly when accommodating bike lanes within the roadway, back-in/head-out angle parking is useful. Figure 8 shows the cross-section of such a roadway in Pottstown, PA. Appendix C and D shows Vancouver's, WA, and Seattle's, WA, choices of dimensions for this type of parking. Figure 8 Cross-section of a roadway accommodating both bike lanes and back-in/head-out angle parking. . . . • • • • • •• ··-. 'I • : " . ' I •'II' I • • + . "" .. .. ·.. •· ....... lo •.. ··= .~ " ·... . . • • ..... 4. 6 .. ' .. . ·. . ~ ... ~ . . ... . .. . . . ~ . .... .. ,.. • .... t .. • I ' "• .. + ... .. " I . . ., • I 'f. II I . . . . . ~· " . . . .... ':t ...... ". 1 •• \ • • .... 41 .: • <o • : " • :. I • • • + I If • tl ? ' .. . . '\ ...... ~ ... • " . .d • • • A '~·--~~·~·: · .. : .. . . ·• ... . . . ' ~· . .. ···(.( ~ : ..... ·o .. "" . ' .. ~ • ID'1 • .. li ~.. • ~':4 . • r ... .. •. 4 . • I .... ~ .. ·I I I .. . • I I 4' • -# , • . .. .. . . " . • IIi .. • t . . .. . . . ...... ~· .. . . .. • I I ... ~ ., . .-.· . ' 4 • .a •' , I •• IIU; • 4 • : ... ·~ l •.• ·... I. I •• ... • • fi ~ • Source: City of Pottstown (200 1) Proposed High StreetT raffic Calming Plan. Page 7 • Nelson\Nygaard Consulting Associates Back-in/Head-out Angle Parking References City of Pottstown (2001) Proposed High Street Traffic Calming Plan. City of Pottstown (2004) Back In Angle as a Way to Improve Pedestrian Circulation in the Central Business District High Street, Pottstown Borough, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, USA. City of Vancouver, WA (2004) Angle Back In Parking Striping. Standard Plan Number T29- 62. Kulash, W. M . and Lockwood, I.M. (2003) Time-saver Standards for Urban Design, 7.2-5, McGraw-Hill Professional, New York, New York. Nawn, J. (2003) Central Business District Back In Angle Parking. November/December PE Reporter, pages 11-1 3. SLCTrans, Salt Lake City, UT (2004) Back-in or Reverse Angle Parking -FAQ. http://www.slcgov.com/transportation/Aboutus/FAQ.htm. Urban Transportation Monitor. Back-in Angle Parking. June 11, 2004, page 1. Page 8 • Nelson\Nygaard Consulting Associates APPENDIX A NAWN, j.A. (2003) CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT BACK IN ANGLE PARKING. PE REPORTER, NOVEMBER/DECEMBER ISSUE, P.11-13. _jl II Central Business District Back In Angle Parking John A. Nawn, PE., PTOE In August 2003, the Pottstown borough completed back in angle parking along the main street thorough its central business district (CBD). This is the first such application of back in angle parking in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. In many community's central business districts, lack of parking close to retail and commercial establishments is seen as a deterrent to continued retail development and reinvestment into the CBD. In many instances, the CBD is also bisected by an urban arterial, or "Main Street." Competing needs of parking versus efficient vehicle movement can impede mobility and sometimes compromise safety. Since the middle 1990's, the Borough of Pottstown, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, has struggled to revitalize and reinvigorate its downtown core. The Borough's 1994 Downtown Comprehensive Plan identified several goals for revitalization, specifically dealing with creation of a pedestrian friendly, multi-modal environment while maximizing the amount of parking and its proximity to retail establishments that line the downtown core. Through leveraging of and improvement to the existing transportation infrastructure, the community attempted to realize these goals. Located in the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania metropolitan area and situated on the Schuylkill River, the Borough of Pottstown traces its routes to 1752. As the Borough developed, the CBD developed Pennsylvania Society of Professional Engineers centered along High Street, making High Street the Borough's main street. At 5.5 square miles, Pottstown population is 21,859 (2000 census). Following the increase in automobile traffic after World speeds were within 5 miles per hour of the posted speeds and an attractive level of service was maintained for vehicles. However, High Street was failing to meet more recent and As a highway facility, High Street War II, the High Street cross section was reconfigured to maximize automobile mobility. With 68 feet available between the curb lines, two 11-foot through lanes and a 7-foot parallel was an operational success ... however, High Street was failing to progressive economic development and transportation goals endorsed at local, state, and national levels. meet more recent and progressive economic development and Increasing pedestrian traffic is one of the key transportation goals. parking lane were created in each direction along with a 10-foot wide center tum lane/ painted median. Combined with a 16-foot sidewalk on each side, the face of the buildings on each side of the street are 100 feet apart, creating a very wide corridor through the CBD. The width of the corridor is visually perceived by some to be a deterrent to downtown redevelopment. In 1972, a four lane, grade separated, limited access freeway, U.S. Route 422, was constructed along the opposite side of the river from the Borough, essentially bypassing the CBD and drawing large amounts of the existing through traffic volume from High Street. High Street quickly became an underutilized transportation asset. As a highway facility, High Street was an operational success. The 85th percentile objectives in the Borough's efforts to revitalize the CBD. However, High Street's configuration impeded these efforts. With four lanes of rapidly moving traffic, it was neither pedestrian nor shopper friendly. High Street's 68-foot cross-section was intimidating and discouraged pedestrians and shoppers from crossing the street. Pedestrian injuries and deaths were not uncommon. In addition, vehicle traffic along High Street moved too quickly to allow passengers adequate time to identify shopping opportunities and find a parking space. Downtown business 01Nners identified a perceived lack of parking as a concern. Although metered, parallel parking was available on both sides of High Street throughout the CBD, it was generally 50% "Back-in" continued on p. 12 November/December PE Reporter • 11 IL I I _jl I I "Back-in" continued from p. 11 utilized and, therefore, considered to be insufficient in addressing the potential needs of the downtown businesses, considering the number of vacancies. While a number of small surface lots had been created along High Street, the linear nature of the CBD makes this parking convenient to only adjacent businesses with long walks necessary for all other businesses. One of the region's transportation goals is to encourage the use of bicycles as an alternative automobile. Street had designated to the High been by Montgomery County as an official Bicycle Route connecting Pottstown with other communities along the Schuylkill River corridor. But, in its former configuration, High Street was not conducive to bicycle travel with no dedicated bike lanes and swiftly moving vehicular traffic. State and regional plans recognize the connection between revitalizing older communities and solving the problems of traffic congestion on our roads and highways. Encouraging people to live, work and shop in denser, walkable communities fosters the use of existing public transportation, helps reduce sprawl and relieves the pressure on our road system. Creating vibrant downtowns in our cities and smaller urban communities ensures a growing demand for public transportation. Therefore, the general thinking was that reconfiguring and calming traffic on High Street would address Pottstown's own economic development goals and have a positive impact on regional transportation and growth issues. Clearly if the Borough was to increase pedestrian traffic and attract new business to the CBD, while not reducing available parking, the existing automobile and truck traffic would have to be calmed. The CBD study area generally encompassed a 1.1-mile corridor centered along High Street. Within this corridor, there are 10 signalized intersections. Of those, only two were 1 D • PE Reporter November/December DODD equipped with pedestrian push buttons; side streets were not actuated; and all signals were uncoordinated, operating on fixed time cycles with side street phases sufficient to also support lengthy pedestrian times required to cross High Street. Improvements would include coordination of the signals and the addition of pedestrian push buttons to improve mobility and support the thorough lane reduction necessary to support additional angle parking. One method used to provide more parking is creation of traditional, pull-in angle parking. However, in order to properly implement traditional angle parking, a substantial amount of right-of-way is necessary to provide the proper maneuver space for vehicles to back out of the spaces without impeding traffic flow on the adjacent roadway. With traditional angle parking in place on both sides of a main street, the width of the street and subsequently pedestrian crossing distances become excessive, creating a non-unified dovmtown unattractive to pedestrians; pedestrians who are critical to the success of the retail and commercial establishments in the CBD. At signalized intersections, pedestrian crossing times can be excessive, leading to decreased vehicle mobility and progression. More typically, the width of available right-of-way is insufficient to support angle parking. While the angle of the parking can be reduced to narrow the required width of street, as the parking angle becomes more acute, the angle- parking yield becomes not much more than that with parallel parking. Ideally, angle parking without the wide maneuver space would address the problem. It was clear that if the Borough wished to leverage additional parking and a friendlier pedestrian environment as a means to revitalize the downtown area, that conventional methods and thinking would not likely meet those goals. The concept of employing reverse angle or back in angle parking was initiated by the Borough's Planning Commission and upon request from the Commission, the Borough commissioned a new study to evaluate the appropriateness of back in angle parking on High Street. The initial plan was to establish minimum required lane widths for the conventional elements of the roadway cross- section. In accordance with PennDOT's criteria for an urban arterial, the minimum acceptable width for through lanes is 11 feet. The center median/tum lane would remain, as it was critical to maintaining the necessary levels of service. PennDOT's minimum criterion for auxiliary lanes is 10 feet, therefore leaving 36 feet of the 68-foot width available to support the parking and bicycle lanes. PennDOT has detailed regulations governing implementation of angle parking on state highways and specifies a minimum width for parking and maneuver space. With 36 feet available, it would be possible to implement angle parking on one side of the street only, with 6 feet available for a single bike lane. Downtown stakeholders were not inclined to limit parking to one side of the street. Furthermore, with parking provided on only one side of the street, the question was raised as to how drivers proceeding in the opposite direction would be able to utilize the spaces. There was little interest in reducing the angle of the spaces as the additional yield, as noted previously, was not sufficient to justify the installation of the angled spaces. Having determined that angle parking would likely only be possible on one side of the street, the decision was made retain parallel parking on the opposite side. It was also determined at this point to set a minimum width for the bicycle lane, in accordance with AASHTO criteria, which Pennsylvania Society of Professional Engineers I L I I _j l II recommend a width for two directional travel of12 feet. This width was also consistent with PennDOT's criteria. With all the other minimum widths established and agreed upon, this left 18 feet for angle parking. In order to maximize the amount of parking, it was decided to utilize an 8 foot, 6 inch (2.59 meter) wide space, which is consistent with National Parking Association (NPA) criteria for a 45-degree angle space. The available 18-foot width, however did not meet PennDOT's minimum criteria. The design team, lead by John A. Nawn, P.E., PTOE, in meetings with the Department, pointed out that PennOOT standards did not specify whether the angle parking criteria applied to traditional pull in or back in angle parking, and since there were no examples of back in angle parking in Pennsylvania, it was clear that the PennDOT criteria only applied to pull in angle parking. It was agreed that a maneuver area was necessary for traditional pull in angle spaces so vehicles can re-enter the roadway safely. When backing up from a pull in angle space, an operator temporarily has no view of approaching traffic dependent upon the length of his or her vehicle and the length and composition of the vehicle to the right. The maneuver area is necessary to provide the operator a safe place to back into during this essentially blind reverse maneuver. However, with back in angle parking, it was argued that no such maneuver area was necessary since vehicles exit forward. The human biomechanical motion necessary to enter a back in angle parking space is similar too, if not easier than entering a parallel parking space. The prescribed method for entering a parallel parking space entails three distinct steps. First, the operator pulls past the parking space. Second, the operator proceeds in reverse into the space, on a diagonal, as far as possible. Third, the operator pulls forward while turning toward the right to bring the vehicle parallel to the curb. The second step, wherein the operator pulls backwards into the parallel space, typically places the vehicle at an approximate 45-degree angle with the travel lane. For a 45 degree back in angle space therefore, the operator only needs to complete the first two Pennsylvania Society of Professional Engineers steps of the typical parallel parking maneuver wherein the operator pulls past the space, than proceeds in reverse into the space, completing the move. When leaving the space to re-enter the highway, the back in angle space has a clear advantage over the parallel parking space. When exiting a parallel parking space, an operator must turn his or her field of vision up to 180 degrees and look backward to be able to view approaching vehicles and identify gaps in which to re-enter the traffic stream. In pulling out from a 45 degree angle space, the maximum that the operator must turn his field of vision is 135 degrees to be able to see approaching vehicles from his left. This movement requires only that the operator turn sideways, not backwards presenting a slightly more 'comfortable' position for the operator. Based on the above discussion, it was successfully presented to the Department that given the fact that it is theoretically easier to enter and exit a back in angle parking space than a parallel parking space, and no maneuver area is typically required for parallel parking lanes in an urban zone, accordingly, no additional maneuver area would be necessary nor should be required for back in angle parking. The proposed layout was approved by the Borough Council and endorsed by three local, downtown organizations, and the County. The plan was also conditionally approved by PennOOT. Design of the project was funded partially by a grant from the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission (DVRPC), through their competitive Transportation and Community Development Initiative (TCDI) program. Implementation of the re-designed striping was carefully orchestrated to follow a planned maintenance resurfacing of High Street. The decision as to which side of the street to locate the back in angle parking on was cause for much discussion among the stakeholders. Ultimately, the decision was based entirely on which side would yield the biggest increase in parking, and that was found to be the north side of High Street. The additional parking yield over the existing parallel parking, per block, varied greatly depending on the location of driveways, no parking zones and the like, with some blocks gaining as many as 23 spaces and some blocks as few as 2 spaces. Overall, the downtown area gained a total of 95 new spaces, a 21% increase over existing conditions. In addition to parking changes, existing electromechanical signal controllers were replaced with new, solid state controllers and coordinated with each other to accommodate the through lane reduction necessary to accommodate the new parking and bike lane. This context sensitive solution demonstrates that back in angle parking can be effectively integrated into the downtown environment and co-exist along an arterial highway employing current, minimum design standards. In addition to creating more parking over traditional parallel parking, back in angle parking can also be used as a traffic calming/ street narrowing tool, can enhance pedestrian functionality and walk-ability within the downtown area and can work harmoniously with bicycle lanes, all resulting in a more attractive and intimate downtown corridor enhancing the downtown experience and leading to increased economic investment. • John A. Nawn, P.E., PTOE was the Project Mnnager for the Back In Angle Parking design and installation and had been associated with the project and the Borough's efforts since 1995. Mr. Nawn holds a Bachelor of Science Degree from Drexel University, and is cummtly employed by URS Corporatio11 the Branch Manager of their Philadelphia Office. John, a licensed professiOJwl engineer in four states and a certified professional traffic operations engineer, has over 16 years experience in traffic engineering and has been a member of PSPE since 1990. John is cunently the President of the Delaware County Chapter of the Pem1sylvania Society of Professional Engineers. The project was presented at and appears in tl1e proceedings of both the Second Urban Street Symposium (a Transportation Research Board conference) and the 2003 Institute of 1J·ansportation Engineers Annual Conference. For more infonnation please contact Mr. Nawn at, 215-587-9000 x3000 or john_nawn@urscorp.com. November/December PE Reporter • 1 0 I L II APPENDIX 8 CITY OF POTTSTOWN (2001) PROPOSED HIGH-STREET TRAFFIC CALMING PLAN. 1. Wilmington, Delaware Contact person: Thomas Warrington Department of Public vVorks 900 E 11[11 ST Wilmington, DE 19802 302.571.4233 The City of Wilmington, Delaware, has six blocks of 60 and 90-degree back-in angle parking dating back about 50 years. By city ordinance, Wilmington requires all angle parking to be back- in because of the safety factor. For 60-degree angle parking, regulations require 19 feet out from the curb for parking spaces, to allow for vehicles with extended cabs, plus a minimum of 11 feet for a travel lane, for a total of 30 feet for traffic going in one direction. The highest average daily traffic for any block with angle parking is the 1000 block of Market Street, with an ADT of 6,500 vehicles. "''ilmington has not experienced any significant problems with accidents or impediments to travel flo"'·· "'~th angle parking. (See attached letter from Thomas \Yarrington.) 2. Seattle, Washington Contact person: Bill jack Seattle Transportation Municipal Building, Room 410 600 Fourth Avenue Seattle, W A 98104 206.684.8329. The City of Seattle, Washington, has about 280 blocks of angle parking spaces, most of which are back-in. Seattle also has pull-in angle parking, but prefers back-in angle parking because it is safer, especially for pedestrians. North Queen Anne Street, shown above, is one of the higher volume traffic streets, with about 6,500 ADT. Seattle has had back-in angle parking for more than 30 years. (See attached letter from Bill Jack.) 3. Washington, D.C. Contact person: Rashid Sleemi 202.671.1573 Washington, D.C. has six blocks of back-in angle parking going back 15 to 20 years. The busiest thoroughfare is the 2400 block of 18th Street NvV, which has an ADT of9,200. The street has two lanes of traffic going in each direction "'ith no maneuver lane in front of the parking spaces. Other areas '"'ith back-in angle parking are several blocks on Water Street, NvV, a low volume traffic area, and Vermont Avenue, NW, between 14th and Q streets, with an ADT of 5,000. Although no traffic records are available, Mr. Sleemi reports the perception is that back-in angle parking does not create any traffic hazards. 4. Indianapolis, Indiana Contact person: John Burkhardt Administrator, Traffic Division 1725 S. \i\ est Street Indianapolis, IN 46225 317. 327.2903 Indianapolis has one block of back-in angle parking, along the federal courthouse on New York Avenue, going back at least 15 years. New York Avenue is a one-way street consisting of a north parallel parking lane, three traffic lanes, a right turn lane, and angle parking. The right turn lane is directly adjacent to the angle parking. Average daily traffic is 13,800. The latest traffic records, for the years 1999-2000, reflect there were a total of two accidents over two years at the nearest intersection. They do not know if those accidents had anything to do with the angle parking. APPENDIX C CITY OF VANCOUVER (2004) ANGLE BACK IN PARKING STRIPING. 6" CURB OR 6" CURB AND GUTTER 4" WHITE 4" WHITE PAINT (TYP.) TYPE 2W RPM (TYP.) ,. TRAVEL DIRECTION 4" WHITE PAINT TYPE 2W RPM (TYP.) TYPE 1 W RPM (TYP. OF 2 12" O.C.) 30' -0" MIN. APPROACH TO STOP BAR OR EDGE OF PEDESTRIAN CROSSING TYPE 1W RPM (TYP.) @ANGLE BACK IN PARKING STRIPING AND MARKINGS NGLE BACK IN PARKING STRIPING T29-82 APPENDIX D CITY OF SEATTLE (2005) ANGLE BACK IN PARKING DIMENSIONS (SOURCE: FRANK NELSON, SEATTLE TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT). ~~ GREEN LAKE DR ··N - -BACK-IN Al'rGLEPARKING \, \ \ \ ~ ~ ~ _... 0 "' \ \ / Rev . 8 16/03 WLB "03"CW Rem SEATTLE ENGINEERING DE / TRAFFIC ENGINEERING D B. 'W, PATTON TRAFFIC DRA'WN BY_~~[-~~-DATE .[).. • Temporary Amenity Zones The 38th A venue Corridor Plan calls for restriping 38th A venue between Depew and Upham Streets to three lanes-one travel lane in each direction and one center turn lane. The restriping will create room to add one lane of on-street parking and pedestrian amenities such as planters and temporary sidewalk extensions, or "amenity zones." As part of the restriping of the street, the City would like to implement temporary amenity zones in four key locations along 38th Avenue, most likely on the south side of the street. These improvements would be similar to those implemented in other cities (see images to right). What is a Temporary Amenity Zone? A temporary amenity zone is an extension to the existing sidewalk that is intended to demonstrate what the sidewalk on 38th Avenue could feel like in the future if permanently widened. Typically built of wood or wood alternative, the amenity zone would include landscaping and seating, whether for the public and/or for the patrons of an adjacent business. Property owners would need to enter into a license agreement with the City and provide proof of insurance. They would also be responsible for maintenance of the amenity zone. The City will provide this improvement to the owner at no cost. Questions or Interested in Participating? Contact: Sarah Showalter, Planner II: 303-235-2849 sshowalter@ci.wheatridge.co.us Mark Westberg, Projects Engineer: 303-235-2863 mwestberg@ci .wheatridge .co.us Download a complete copy of the 38th Avenue Corridor Plan: www.ci.wheatridge.co.us/38thAve Attachment 2 ~ro\'n_ ~ ye/Jt;(J Corridor Plan .... '" j '.,. City of J?"Wlieat:Ri__dge Example of a temporary amenity zone in downtown Louisville, Colorado Example of a temporary amenity zone in Philadelphia, PA Access Enhancement The 38th A venue Corridor Plan calls for restriping 38th A venue between Depew and Upham Streets to three lanes-one travel lane in each direction and one center turn lane. The restriping will create room to add one lane of on-street parking and pedestrian amenities such as planters and temporary sidewalk extensions. As part of the restriping of the street, the City would like to implement demonstration access enhancements for a few properties. The access enhancements would entail temporarily redesigning access into a property in order to reduce wide or redundant curb cuts, thereby improving circulation, reducing vehicle confiict, and creating room to add improvements and on-street parking. What is Access Enhancement (or Access Management)? Access Enhancement on 38th A venue entails redesigning access so that it is safer and more efficient. Examples include narrowing and clearly marking an existing curb cut so that it is easily identifiable to drivers, or reducing the number of access points that serve the same property. The redesign would be piloted and could lead to a permanent redesign in the future if it is successful. What are the Benefits and Why Should I Participate? There are many potential benefits, including: • Increased safety-clearly defined access points reduce conflict points for vehicles and pedestrians • Improved parking lot circulation • Potential to add on-street parking in front of your property • Creation of more usable space on your property • The City will provide this improvement at no cost Questions or Interested in Participating? Contact: Sarah Showalter, Planner II: 303-235-2849 sshowalter@ci. wheatridge .co.us Mark Westberg, Projects Engineer: 303-235-2863 mwestberg@ci.wheatridge.co.us Download a complete copy of the 38th Avenue Corridor Plan: www.ci. wheatridge.co. us /38th Ave --.,CO\'n. ~ Y.e/Jt;(J Corridor Pian Existing: One large curb cut creates confusing parking lot circulation and multiple points of conflict Access Enhancement: One defined exit-entry improves circulation and reduces potential for conflict/accidents Attachment 3 't .. " ~ -• City of J?"Wheat:Rl_.dge .... ~'~ ..... ~ .,. City of • ~Wheat~ge ~OMMUNilY DEVELOPMENT TO: THROUGH: FROM: DATE: SUBJECT: Memorandum Mayor and City Council ~ Kenneth Johnstone, Community Development Director l r;-/ Sally Payne, Senior Planner January 12, 2012 (for January 23, 2012 Study Session) Envision Wheat Ridge Comprehensive Plan Implementation Status The purpose of this memo is to provide City Council an update on implementation of the City's comprehensive plan Envision Wheat Ridge. There will be a brief presentation on this topic at the study session and an opportunity for Council to ask questions or provide input on implementation actions. BACKGROUND: The Neighborhood Revitalization Strategy (NRS) was developed and approved by City Council in 2005. The purpose of the NRS is to set forth strategies for the City to leverage its assets to regain its share of strong households and to more successfully compete with neighboring communities for new development opportunities. These strategies aim to help Wheat Ridge reinvent itself as a thriving, economically diverse community with broad residential and commercial opportunities. A key recommendation ofthe NRS was updating the City's comprehensive land use plan. The comprehensive plan that was in place at the time was adopted in 2000 and needed updating to reflect the NRS recommendations and other changing events and conditions in the City. The City initiated an update to the comprehensive plan in 2008. After nearly a year-long planning process, City Council unanimously adopted Envision Wheat Ridge as the City's new comprehensive land use plan in October of 2009. The purpose of the plan is to provide a vision for the City related to growth and development for the next 10 to 20 years. The plan provides direction to help the City address future needs related to economic development, commercial and retail development, housing, transportation, parks and open space and services and utilities. Envision Wheat Ridge includes a detailed plan implementation section that lists specific actions and strategies the City needs to undertake to achieve the vision outlined in the plan. These implementation steps outline short term and long term actions to be accomplished over a period of one to five years. There is a priority action table divided into the key strategy areas of: 1) Economy and Land Use, 2) Neighborhoods and Study Session Memo -Comprehensive Plan January 12, 2012 pg.2 Housing, 3) Community Character and Design, 3) Transportation, 4) Community Services, and 5) Sustainable Future. In addition there are detailed strategies outlining specific steps to achieve high priority goals focusing on: 1. Economic development and redevelopment strategies focusing on targeted redevelopment areas ofThe Crossing at Clear Creek, 38th Ave. as Main Street, the Kipling Corridor, Wadsworth Corridor/Town Center and the Gold Line/Ward Rd. station area 2. Code amendments to achieve economic and land use goals including creation of a mixed use zone district, updating certain existing zone districts such as the industrial district and creation of a new employment district 3. Neighborhood goals/planning strategies including the identification of neighborhood revitalization areas, establishing a neighborhood planning program, updating the City's residential zoning codes and retaining and promoting agricultural districts in certain locations in the City 4. Transportation strategies focusing on continued coordination with CDOT regarding state roadway improvements, prioritizing bicycle and pedestrian improvements as well as identifying funding sources for bicycle and pedestrian improvements and streetscape dedication and design standard updates 5. Natural resource protection and conservation strategies including tree conservation standards, removing sustainability barriers in City code regarding such things as solar panels and wind turbines and gardening and small fowl in residential areas Successfully implementing Envision Wheat Ridge will be accomplished over time and will require fostering partnerships with community and economic development organizations, the willingness to make City code revisions and potentially difficult policy decisions and the identification of new funding sources to achieve the goals and vision the public communicated through development of the plan. GOALS AND ACTIONS IDENTIFIED IN ENVISION WHEAT RIDGE ACCOMPLISHED TO DATE: • Adoption of a new Mixed Use Zone (MUZ) district establishing MUZ-C for commercial mixed use development, MUZ-TOD for mixed use transit oriented development (TOD), and MUZ-N for mixed use neighborhood development • New urban renewal areas approved for priority redevelopment locations in the City such as the Gold Line TOD area, the Kipling corridor and the Clear Creek Crossing development area • Height and density restrictions removed from the City Charter for select urban renewal areas • City-initiated rezoning of Wadsworth Blvd. properties between 44th Ave. and 38th Ave. • Completion ofthe Bike and Pedestrian Master Plan Phase II and Ill( a) to prioritize routes 2 Study Session Memo-Comprehensive Plan January 12, 2012 pg. 3 and create roadway cross sections • Update to the Streetscape Design Manual to establish standards and guidelines for the streetscape design of all collector and arterial streets • Update to City code regarding urban agriculture establishing where and how urban/community garden activities are allowed in the City • Economic Development Strategic Plan developed to provide strategic direction for economic development activities in the City • Adoption of 3 gth Ave. Corridor Plan identified as one of five priority areas for redevelopment in the City • Partnership established with Weston Solutions and Wazee Partners regarding development of the Town Center site at Wadsworth Blvd. and 44th Ave. Initial project underway with a new senior housing complex • Establishment of a public art fund for new development requiring 1% of the new project development cost be devoted to public art • Rehabbing of City's dated housing stock through WR2020 Neighborhood Stabilization Program initiative and the WRHA single family home rehab project • Creation of a City Sustainability Committee to develop a plan and policies related to sustainability in the City • RTD completion of the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Gold Line Ward Rd. station and the signing oflntergovernmental Agreement (IGA) between RTD and the City for R TD to develop "complete streets" at the Ward Rd. station area • Partnership with LiveWell Wheat Ridge to accomplish goals in the plan related to healthy eating and active living PROJECTS CURRENTLY UNDERWAY OR TO BE INITIATED SOON: • Implementation of the 38th Ave. Corridor Plan • Update to the 2006 Northwest Subarea Plan to address completion of the RTD EIS and other changes to plans and ordinances that impact the area • Update the Architectural and Site Design Manual • Develop a Scope ofWork for a Diverse Housing Plan as identified in City Council's Strategic Plan to identify ways to diversify the City's housing stock to address changing housing demands and demographics • Continue work on the Bike and Pedestrian Master Plan Phase III(b) • Update City code regarding the current industrial zone district and possible creation of a new employment zone district • Amendments to City code to allow accessory dwelling units in certain locations 3 ~~A~ ... ~ .,.. City of ... ~Wheat~ge ~OMMUNllY DEVELOPMENT TO: THROUGH: FROM: DATE: SUBJECT: BACKGROUND: Memorandum Mayor and City Council ~ Kenneth Johnstone, Community Development Director ~ Sally Payne, Senior Planner January 11,2012 (for January 23,2012 Study Session) Northwest Subarea Plan Update One ofRTD's FasTracks rail lines is the Gold Line running from Denver Union Station through Denver and Arvada with an end of the line station in Wheat Ridge at Ward Rd. The Gold Line is one of the FasTrack lines approved by voters in 2004. RTD is required to prepare Environmental Impact Statements (EIS) for any projects that will utilize federal dollars as is the case with FasTracks projects. RTD initiated an EISon the Gold Line in 2006. The Northwest Subarea Plan was prepared to provide input to RTD during development of the EIS for the Gold Line. R TD is required to take into consideration any adopted plans by the communities their rail lines will traverse. The Plan was the opportunity for the City to provide input to RTD as to the City's desires regarding development of the rail line through the City. The Northwest Subarea Plan was adopted in June of2006 as an amendment to the City's Comprehensive Plan. The Northwest Subarea Plan was developed before the EIS was completed and the final station, parking and roadway designs completed by RTD in 2011. In addition, a number of actions have taken place since the Plan was adopted that impact the recommendations in the Plan. City Council has also identified the Northwest Subarea as a Top Priority in their 2011/2012 Strategic Plan. Based on these factors, staff is proposing an update to the Northwest Subarea Plan to reflect these changes. The purpose of this memo and study session topic is to update City Council as to the status of the Northwest Subarea Plan and related projects or initiatives and to obtain any input from Council as we move forward with an update to the Plan. ACTIONS SINCE PLAN ADOPTED IN 2006: Several actions have occurred since adoption of the Northwest Plan in 2006. Those include: • Updating the Comprehensive Plan Envision Wheat Ridge, adopted in 2009 • Designation of the Northwest Subarea as an urban renewal area in 2009 • Lifting of City Charter restrictions related to building height and density in designated urban renewal areas including the Northwest Subarea in 2009 • Preparation of the City's Bike and Pedestrian Master Plan in 2010 Study Session Memo -NW Subarea Plan January 11, 2011 pg.2 • New Economic Development Strategic Plan completed in 2010 • New mixed use zoning approved in 2010 • Received Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Smart Growth Implementation Assistance award in 2011 for investigating infrastructure needs and financing mechanisms at the Northwest Subarea • Updating of the City's Streetscape Design Manual in 2011 • RTD's completion of the EIS in 2011 • Signing of City/RTD Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) regarding project improvements and mitigations • RTD hiring of Denver Transit Partners to design, build, operate and maintain the Gold Line in 2011 • Full Funding Grant Agreement finalized by the Federal Transit Administration for one billion dollars for construction of the Gold and East rail lines in 2011 ENVISION WHEAT RIDGE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN: During development of Envision Wheat Ridge, the City's comprehensive land use plan adopted in 2009, a detailed economic analysis was undertaken of various areas of the City to identify target locations for redevelopment and to determine what would be the highest and best types of land uses in these areas. The result of this analysis was that the Northwest Subarea was one of five target areas for redevelopment in the City. The identified focus for redeveloped land uses was on employment uses. The City currently does not have large areas devoted to employment opportunities and it made sense for this area to be considered. This recommended land use in Envision Wheat Ridge diverted from the traditional transit oriented development (TOD) land use recommendation found in the Northwest Subarea Plan. It would be best to have the Comprehensive Plan and the Northwest Plan consistent in their recommendations. MIXED USE ZONING ADOPTION: In the fall of 2009, a ballot measure passed exempting certain urban renewal areas in the City from the height and density restrictions found in the City Charter. One of those areas was the Kipling Urban Renewal area which includes the Northwest Subarea. To address density and height in these areas removed from the Charter, a new mixed use zone district (MUZ) was adopted in 2010. One of the functions of the MUZ was to identify the appropriate building height for various types of mixed use districts. One of the specific mixed use districts found in the new ordinance is the Mixed Use -TOD. This sub-district is intended for areas within V2 mile of rail stations. It is designed to allow densities that support transit ridership and encourage land uses and building form that enhances connections to transit. The MUZ -TOD calls out specific maximum building heights for TOD areas of eight stories for mixed use buildings and six stories for single use buildings. These changes to the City Charter removing the height and density restrictions and the new regulations in the MUZ district are proposed to be included in the Northwest Plan update. 2 Study Session Memo -NW Subarea Plan January 11 , 2011 pg. 3 RTD ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT (EIS): RTD began the development of the EIS in 2006. The purpose of an EIS is to examine possible negative impacts prior to building a project utilizing federal funds. The EIS identifies any negative consequences, explores various alternations and identifies needed mitigation measures. It is during the EIS process that decisions on actual rail alignment, station location and design, mitigation measures, etc. are made for a transit project. The EIS is a decision making, regulatory document that results in federal action referred to as a "Record of Decision (ROD)." Once the ROD is signed, implementation of the project may proceed. The ROD for the Gold Line was signed in July of2011. Agencies preparing an EIS must involve and obtain input from the communities impacted by the project. The City provided RTD with numerous comments throughout the development of the draft and final EIS documents. The final EIS contains the final station and parking layout as well as the roadway connections to the station. The location and layout for the station at Ward Rd. identified in the EIS vary somewhat from what was included in the Northwest Subarea Plan. Updating the Northwest Subarea Plan would provide the opportunity to reflect the final station, parking and roadway design depicted in the EIS as it will be built. EPA SMART GROWTH IMPLEMENTATION GRANT: In June 2010 the City applied for assistance through the EPA Smart Growth Implementation Technical Assistance Program. The Program provides technical assistance to communities working to implement smart growth principles. A team of experts is formed to examine and make recommendations regarding particular challenges facing communities in implementing smart growth projects. The City as one of several communities selected to receive assistance in analyzing infrastructure needs for development at rail stations. An EPA and consultant team has been working on the project for the past few months. While EPA will prepare a short report focused on issues pertinent to the City's particular needs, their overall final report is intended to benefit a larger audience of communities facing infrastructure challenges in TOD development. The City anticipates receiving the Wheat Ridge focus report in the early part of2012 and the final report in the summer of2012. Again, findings and recommendations from these can be included in the update to the Northwest Plan. SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITES REGIONAL PLANNING GRANT: DR COG applied for and received five million dollars for a Sustainable Communities Regional Planning Grant through the U.S. Department ofHousing and Urban Development, the U.S. EPA and the U.S. Department of Transportation. The purpose of the grant is to support metropolitan and multi-jurisdictional planning efforts that integrate affordable housing, land use, and workforce development, transportation, and infrastructure investments in a manner that empowers jurisdictions to consider the interdependent challenges of 1) economic competitiveness and revitalization 2) social equity, inclusion and access to opportunity 3) energy use and climate change; and 4) public health and enviromnental impact. The City of Wheat Ridge is participating as part of a consortium of communities taking part in the planning efforts. DRCOG's application was for funding to support corridor planning efforts along four FasTracks corridors-the East Line, West Line, Gold Line and Northwest Line. Catalytic projects will be 3 Study Session Memo -NW Subarea Plan January 11, 2011 pg.4 selected on each rail line that will help catalyze redevelopment at these sites and in tum provide valuable lessons for other transit station areas throughout the region. While there are seven stations along the Gold Line, the Ward Rd. station could potentially be chosen as a catalytic project site for the rail line. UPDATE ON IBC (JOLLY RANCHER) PROPERTY: The old Jolly Rancher site is currently zoned Industrial (I). IBC Holdings, LLC, the owner of the property, is interested in rezoning the property to MU-TOD. The company is interested in developing the property in a way that will be supportive of the future rail line. In addition, IBC would like to work with other property owners in the area to explore the creation of a special district to work to address the infrastructure that will be needed to support future development. CITY INITIATED REZONING OF THE NORTHWEST SUBAREA TO MUZ: In 2010, after the adoption of the new MUZ zone district, City staffheld a meeting with property owners in the Northwest Subarea to present and discuss the idea of a City-initiated rezoning of properties to the MUZ district. Initially the idea of rezoning was not very well received by property owners. A decision was made at that time to put moving forward on the rezoning on hold. Since meetings will be held with property owners during the update process for the Northwest Subarea Plan, the topic of rezoning will be brought up again. STATUS OF RTD SUP FOR PROPERTY: The land were RTD is proposing to locate the rail station and parking is currently zoned Industrial (I). A transit station is considered a special use, not a permitted use, in the I zone district. Therefore RTD is required to submit a Special Use Permit (SUP) for development of the rail station at Ward Rd. City code requires that special use applications be originated only by the prospective owner of the proposed special use, with written approval of the fee owner of the property in cases where the owner of the property is different than the owner of the proposed special use. Currently RTD does not own the property where the station and parking are to be located. Prior to submittal of the SUP application, RTD will need to obtain the consent of the property owner where the station is located. RTD is currently working with the property owner to come to agreement regarding the submission of an SUP application. PROPOSED REVISIONS TO THE 2006 PLAN: Based on the above items, the following revisions are proposed to be made to the 2006 Northwest Subarea Plan: • Revise maps and text to be consistent with the final Gold Line EIS station, parking and roadway design plans • Revise land use recommendations to be consistent with recommendations in Envision Wheat Ridge to focus on primary employment complemented with commercial and retail services as well as multi-family housing 4 Study Session Memo -NW Subarea Plan January 11,2011 pg. 5 • Revise proposed land uses south of tracks as proposed in the plan from Office/Light Industrial to mixed use with a focus on employment • Revise to include recommendations in the MUZ-TOD zone district and the Streetscape Design Manual • Update trail locations to be consistent with the adopted Bike and Pedestrian Master plan • Incorporate recommendations regarding infrastructure improvements and financing from the EPA Smart Growth Technical Assistance Grant • Update goals, policies and action steps as needed to reflect current objectives • Update economic development recommendations to reflect the area now being an urban renewal area PUBLIC PROCESS: Staff is proposing notifying property owners of the City's intention to update the Northwest Subarea Plan. Initially, we anticipate two meetings will be held with property owners for the update to the plan. At the first meeting, the City's proposed changes to the plan will be presented to obtain input from property owners and businesses. At the second meeting, a draft of the revised plan will be presented for final comments. During these meetings, staff is proposing bringing forward the idea of the City-initiated rezoning to MUZ-TOD again to see what property owner's stance would be on this action. INPUT FROM CITY COUNCIL: At the January 23rd Study Session, staff would like any feedback from Council regarding the proposed approach to updating the Northwest Subarea Plan. 5 ... ~"~ -. ~ ., City of • _.{VWheatJY9ge ~OMMUNI1Y DEVELOPMENT TO: THROUGH: FROM: DATE: SUBJECT: Introduction Memorandum The Mayor and City Counci~ Patrick Goff, City Manager ~ Ken Johnstone, Community Development Director Sarah Showalter, Planner II January 13, 2011 Revisions to Architectural and Site Design Manual In 2007, the City adopted the Architectural and Site Design Manual (ASDM). The manual provides design standards and guidelines to ensure quality development in Wheat Ridge. It applies to all commercial, industrial, multi-family, and mixed-use development in the City. It has been almost five years since the manual was created and staff is proposing a series of revisions that will address the following issues: • Update architectural standards based on lessons learned from actual projects and to more closely align with the mixed-use zoning requirements • Create separate design standards for heavy commercial/light industrial buildings • Update the formatting and organization of the manual to make it more user-friendly • Clearly establish the manual's applicability to include fac;ade replacements • Update the architectural overlay map This memo is structured as follows: 1. Background 2. Overview ofProposed Revisions 3. Project Process and Timeline Background The Architectural and Site Design Manual (ASDM) applies to site and building design on private property for commercial, industrial, multi-family, and mixed-use development. The ASDM is designed for use in conjunction with a property's underlying zoning, except for the mixed-use zone districts, which have their own design standards. The manual also establishes two overlays - the Traditional overlay and the Contemporary overlay. Within these overlays, there are build-to requirements for new buildings in addition to the architectural and site design standards that apply to all properties. Study Session Memo January 13, 2012 pg.2 Since the ASDM was adopted in 2007, staffhas had the opportunity to apply it to a range of proposed and actual developments in the City. This, along with feedback from applicants, has revealed some potential areas for improvement, including: • Refined design standards for some items, such as ground floor transparency, that are more reasonable for applicants to meet • Separate design standards for heavy commercial/industrial buildings (such as auto repair or warehouses), which are currently grouped in the same category as commercial buildings in the ASDM • Expand the manual to clearly apply, where practical, to fac;ade improvements. Currently the manual only applies to new development/redevelopment or for projects that increase their floor area by 50% or more. Properties are able to completely redo the fac;ade of their building without following the design standards in the manual. • Formatting and organizing in a manner that is less heavy on text and that makes it easier to locate a specific requirement Overview of Proposed Revisions The intent is to retain most of the content in the ASDM but to make changes and updates to address the issues listed above. A summary of the. proposed revisions follows. Applicability and Review Process • Clarify that the ASDM does not apply to properties zoned mixed-use since the mixed-use zoning has its own, similar design standards • Clearly state that complete fac;ade replacements should also follow the ASDM, where practical. Fac;ade improvements would not have to go through the Site Plan review that is required for new development or major expansions, and applicants would be able to attend a pre-application meeting with staff at no cost. Updates to Architectural Standards • Revise specific percentages and calculations for some architectural standards, such as ground floor transparency and material variation, to reflect lessons learned from application of the manual to actual projects and to align with comparable design guidelines, such as those in the mixed-use zone districts • Revise allowable materials to contain a more updated list and to closely align with what is in the mixed-use zone districts Separate Design Standards for Heavy Commercial/Light Industrial Buildings • Currently, there is one broad category for architectural standards covering commercial and industrial buildings. Staff has found that the design standards for commercial buildings do not easily translate to buildings with uses such as auto repair or warehousing. The revisions would add a new section with more reasonable design standards for these types of buildings. 2 Study Session Memo January 13, 2012 pg.3 Update the Formatting and Organization of the Manual • The current organization of the manual, which is very heavy on text, can be confusing to navigate. Some items are difficult to locate, such as the explanation of the two different overlays, which is found at the end of the manual. Staff proposes to reorganize the content and use more tables and charts so that specific content is easier to locate. • Staff would also like to add new images and diagrams to the manual to better represent the standards and guidelines and to create a more updated look. Update the Overlay Map • Attachment 1 shows the existing Contemporary and Traditional overlays, as established in 2007, as well as potential additions. These additions would capture more properties with commercial, industrial, and multi-family zoning on the City's commercial corridors. • The map would also be updated to more clearly depict that the Suburban Overlay, which has design standards but no build-to requirements, applies to the entire City. Project Process and Timeline The ASDM is administered by staff and Section 26-224 ofthe zoning code gives the Community Development director the authority to amend the manual at any time. Staff plans to include both Planning Commission and City Council in the process of the revisions. Planning Commission had a study session in December regarding the changes and will have another study session this spring to review a draft of the revised manual. A general anticipated timeline follows: • Draft manual to Planning Commission/second study session -March or April2012 • Second study session with City Council -late spring 2012 • Adoption of revised manual -late spring or early summer 2012 Attachments: 1. Potential Revisions to Overlay Map 3 54TH AVE 41ST AVE 39TH P.l..! 27TH AVE ~~ Traditional Overlay (2007) ,.__ .... Potential Addition to Contemp. Overlay Potential Addition to Traditional Overlay R-1 ~ (j) _J t> -< ~ R-2 :::> LU 0 u. a::: ~ R-2 PF-1 'f:'/121.. Dol? R-2 R-3 Attachment 1