Creating a Transition Zone: Historic Eastside & Lower Downtown

There are now TWO National Historic Districts: LDDA & Historic Eastside that are barely separated (in black). Kimbark lies between them.

Need: A Transition Zone is sorely needed

•Giant discrepancy in zoning, and way people live between Main and Historic Eastside even though directly adjacent.

•Kimbark (4-9th) lies in the zone between Historic Eastside and Lower Downtown. •This should be Mixed Use as a perfect bridge between historic but differently zoned areas.

Mixed use…400 block of Kimbark could look like this…(taken from Fort Collins)

Right now it looks like this…

And could soon look like this…oversized buildings and car lots…does not work for Longmont, does not work for Historic Eastside.

What we need…Create Transition Zone along Kimbark (4-9th) between LoDo and Historic Eastside.a. Mixed-Use Zoning b. Maintain historic character and sense of place (scale and style). c. Create Safe, pedestrian friendly, walkable areas.

Need for Design Review Board- with crystal clear illustrated design guidelines

Digging into the details…

Historic Eastside: the oldest and most vulnerable part of Longmont•HENA is the Historic Eastside Neighborhood

Association, the first neighborhood association in Longmont, in the original platted square mile of the city.• Includes a National Historic Register District•Not a HOA- we have no covenants- so we rely on

city regulations to preserve historic character•Directly abuts Lower Downtown-so directly up

against commercial and industrial zoning. What happens around us directly affects us.

Eastside Boundaries

Lower Downtown Historic District (lies within LDDA- Lower Downtown Development Authority

Neighborhood National Historic Districts adjacent to new Lower Downtown historic district

Treating areas adjacent to the Lower Downtown as if they are islands is economically detrimental to both the Downtown and two neighborhoods that surround it (both with National Historic Districts), but especially the Eastside (and Historic Westside).

Concerns: We’ve Not been Bridging the Gaps

• #1. Eastside (& Westside) and Lower Downtown are both historic areas adjacent to each other but are zoning “islands.” • Creates Opportunity and Livability Gaps. Neither area reaches its full economic or

experiential potential.

• #2. Communication & Collaboration Gap.• This has resulted in more gaps- the Building Style and Livability “Gaps.”

• #3. Building Style Gap • Out-of-scale development & Stylistically insensitive infill occurring.

• #4. Livability Gap • Recent longer “open hours” in LDDA impinge on Eastside residents’ sleep.• Car-centric thinking until now has worsened parking and safety.

Concerns: Zoning Islands. Despite proximity, Eastside (& Westside) and Lower Downtown are treated like “islands.”

Concerns: Islands Without Bridges become all about the Gaps

• Without “bridges” between residential areas adjacent to commercial zone, we see the Canyon & Car Parking Syndrome. • Tall, commercially zoned buildings (the Canyon walls) interspersed with parking lots

behind Lower Downtown.

A car-centric approach so far has caused:• Long-term parking & safely problems in the residential

Eastside.

• Noise and smell issues for those trying to sleep.

• Eroded the look and feel of living in the Eastside.

Concerns: Islands Without Bridges Create Opportunity Gaps & Livability Gaps• For residents• Livability & Opportunity Gaps.

• Worsens quality of life for residents.• Does not maximize residential property values.

• For Lower Downtown• Opportunity Gap- Not maximizing heritage tourism dollars Sense of place is “chopped up”.

• For Longmont• Opportunity Gap- Opportunity cost of not attracting well-paid,

dynamic workforce to vibrant downtown and surrounding residential areas of character.

Concerns: Need to Recognize that Historic Preservation is Good for Business

•Historic preservation “… has proven to be an effective tool for a wide range of public goals including small business incubation, affordable housing, sustainable development, neighborhood stabilization, center city revitalization, job creation, promotion of the arts and culture, small town renewal, heritage tourism, economic development, and others.”

• Source: http://www.achp.gov/docs/Economic%20Impacts%20v5-FINAL.pdf

Concerns: Current Building Style & Livability Gaps

Between Eastside and Lower Downtown we have:

•Building Style Gap a. Out-of-scale development along Kimbark (3rd-9th).

b. Stylistically insensitive infill occurring between Eastside & Lower Downtown.

• Livability Gap a. Recent longer “open hours” in LDDA reduces quality of life of residents in Eastside.

b. History of car-centric thinking only making parking and safety worse. City not yet following own stated pedestrian-friendly policies.

Building Style Gap: Out-of-scale development

Currently CBD zoning along Kimbark treats this street as if it is Main Street, but it’s not. It’s in the gap between LDDA and the Eastside.Picture shows extreme example of out-of-scale development in another city

Historic Eastside is zoned low density (with a max of 2 storys) (this is W side of 4th & Emery)

Main Street is zoned CBD, and can reach 3 story, but is actually mostly 1-2 stories. Analysis by neighbors of 20 buildings between 3rd and 4th & Main found that the average height was only 31.3’ (range 18’ – 48’6’’)

Concerns: Overly tall and massive out-of-scale buildings being proposed along Kimbark right now. Will steal Eastside residents of privacy.

CANYON: Proposed brick block at 420/422 Kimbarkis 45’ (with a peak at 60’). Currently 13’9” high. Would be as tall as Church tower to the right of this picture. Note-the Dickens Opera House on Main is only 43’ high.CAR PARKING: Already taking up a lot of space

Building Style Gap: Architecturally insensitive infill still possible around Eastside

940 Kimbark built recently despite proximity to national historic district

Livability Gap: Long LDDA hours

•Lower Downtown (LDDA) new Master Plan supports more intensive use.•HENA supports a vibrant downtown, but without a buffer zone this will result in more noise and smells, keeping residents up at night.•As of spring 2017, LDDA is extending activity to a 18-hour, 7-day activity zone.

Livability Gap: pressure adjacent from commercial zoning. Parking already a problem - behind Comcast/Xfinity - 4th & Kimbark, spilling onto nearby residential streets

Livability Gap: Business parking already spills into the residential streets of the Eastside, especially along 5th

& Kimbark and Emery

Livability Gap: Alleyway along Kimbark is already dangerous for adults, kids, pets…• Residents describe the alleyway E of Kimbark as something like

NASCAR.

• With more intensive development, alleyway will become more like an unofficial street.

Concerns: Along Kimbark, we see the “Canyons & Car Parking Syndrome”= overly massive building with giant parking lots

Concerns: Canyons & Car Parking. Notice how so much of each side of 4th and Kimbark are already parking lots.

Solutions: Building Bridges Together1. A halt to development proposals until the current Land Use Code

revisions are finalized.

2. Built-in, systematic communication & collaboration of city with Eastside and all neighborhoods.

3. Set up a city-wide Design Review Board- with clear design guidelines for Eastside and the Transition Zone between.

4. Create Transition Zone as “bridge” between vibrant Lower Downtown and Historic Eastsidea. Mixed Use Zoning b. Maintain historic character and sense of place (scale and style). c. Safe, pedestrian friendly, walkable areas with Smart Parking

1. Solutions: A HALT--Before we Build Bridges, Let’s Plan Them

A halt to development proposals until the current Land Use Code revisions are finalized.•Clarion Associates is writing new regulations in a void, with no knowledge of Historic Eastside history or input.

2. Solutions: Let’s Collaborate!

•City is currently changing its Land Development Code, with potentially far-reaching effects on the city and the Eastside:• Rezoning Eastside from RLE to R1 (single family)

• Rewriting historic preservation guidelines

•https://www.longmontcolorado.gov/home/showdocument?id=17247 (see Table 1.1 on p. 2-3 and on p. 6)

2. Solutions: Let’s Collaborate!As part of current re-working of the Land Development Code,

• The City has stated it will “Work with residents and property owners in the city’s historic neighborhoods to identify locations where additional protective measures are needed to protect the established character and develop appropriate tools, such as new historic or conservation districts and design guidelines.”

• Collaboration with residents about Historic Preservation is a key stated goal of Longmont’s Comprehensive Plan

• HENA’s ideas are in alignment with Comprehensive Plan goals and strategies.

• (section 1-4) Source Strategy 5.8 https://www.longmontcolorado.gov/home/showdocument?id=17247 see p 179

2. Solutions: Programming• Eastside should always be in the loop in an ongoing, systematic

process.

• Collaboration, not top-down but grassroots, includes allstakeholders.

• Creates predictability (for everyone)

• Exterior programming input exercises for buildings of notable mass (e.g., 8000+ sq ft.)

• Hold Charette (Open House/community gathering) with real-time visualization of scenarios. • How do neighbors want to interact with their buildings?• Art? Micro parks? drinking fountains? architectural fountains? • water features? benches? rose gardens? covered sidewalks? etc.

2. Solutions: Programming Results

• After extensive and inclusive programming with local stakeholders, we will end up with:

• Visually rich and specific design guidelines.• Scale, including number of stories

• Types of building styles, with architectural details, based on nearby historic districts.

• Agreement on look and feel of Transition Zone

• Agreement on steps to curb traffic, parking and safety problems.

3. Solutions: Create a Design Review Board

The City of Longmont currently lacks a Design Review Board of the type that is comprised of skilled citizens, such as architects, who can help navigate building proposals before they are submitted so that they meet the detailed design standards of the city.

Benefits:

• Prevents wasted time and money for the developer

• Supports the city planners who have a very heavy workload

• Supports a more focused approach on appropriate, sustainable design which affects the look and feel of life in Longmont

• Facilitates greater citizen input about design and land use to a level that currently does not exist.

4. Solutions: Create Transition Zone

• Strategy 1-1 from Envision Longmont’s strategies to support livable centers, corridors, and neighborhoods is to:

• “Align zoning with the Future Land Use Plan to …to address desired mix of uses; height, massing, and scale; housing types; transitions to existing neighborhoods; and pedestrian, bicycle, and transit accessibility….”

4. Solutions: Create Transition Zone or “Bridges”1. Along Kimbark from 4th to 9th

• To step down 18/24 hr Main Street activity (currently zoned Central Business District) to low-density, residential historic area.

• A bridge between Central Business District zoning and the Eastside’s low-density residential zoning.

4. Solutions: Transition Zone to run along both sides of Kimbark from 3rd to 9th (in green).

4. Solutions: Transition Zone Detailsa. Mixed-Use Zoning

- triggers notifications to the neighborhood and HPC when development proposals are made within 750’ of landmarked buildings.

- results in less intensive smells, noise (deliveries)

- should avoid businesses such as bars, restaurants (including drive up), tire and muffler shops,

b. A commitment to Historic Preservation and context

-Encourages Harmony & Human Scale.

-2 stories maximum between that of Main and the Historic Eastside.

c. Pedestrian friendly, Smart Parking & Safe Traffic.

4. Solutions: Mixed-Use Zoning

Benefits of Mixed-Use zoning:

• Excludes certain types of use currently part of CBD zoning • e.g., tire and muffler shops, restaurants, drive-through restaurants,

etc. This will increase livability.

• Systematic collaboration. • Means Eastside residents would be notified when new buildings are

proposed. CBD zoning is reviewed by staff--no neighborhood review

• Can create Infill in Harmony & Human Scale. • Infill more likely to be compatible & appropriate. • Should trigger development review by Historic Preservation

Commission when landmarks are within 750’. • Visually rich and specific design guidelines.

4. Solutions: Create Harmony & Human ScaleBuilding sensitively between two national historic districts is like the inside of an Oreo--only Oreo’s creamy filling will do

4. Solutions: Create Harmony & Human Scale

• Show sensitivity to surrounding historic districts and landmarks.

•Mass to void ratios resonate with local architecture

•Break up masses, rooflines to create friendly rhythm of engagement/viewing for neighbors.

•More details, e.g., cornices, corbels, piers to subdivide large window blocks and minimize void-to-mass imbalances common in modern buildings

4. Appropriate style-Coffman & Longs Peak from the front

4. Solutions: Harmony & Human Scale. Offices at Coffman & Longs Peak is an example of a compatible office building (although too high at 3 stories)

4. Solutions: Enhance Livability in Transition Zone--noise and smells

•Restrict noise and smells in Transition Zone.•No deliveries before 6 a.m.•Partially shaded street lights•Enforce litter free alleys•No idling trucks

4. Solutions: Enhance Livability -- Creating Safe, Pedestrian-Friendly Streets & Smart Parking

•We have a lot of ideas for helping downtown create a truly multimodal plan, as per stated goals in Comprehensive Plan.

• Just ask us!

4. Parking /Traffic Solutions: Short-term goals• Address the significant SAFETY concerns along Kimbark in particular (4th to 8th) as

well as Emery• speed sensitive signs & speed bumps • Install rotaries/roundabouts• Install traffic cameras to enforce speeding violations (this money will go to the city).• Install 4 way stops, especially at Kimbark & Longs Peak where there are many accidents and

near-misses. • Don’t allow parking lot exits along alleys (it turns them into streets)• Reduce speed limits along Kimbark, Emery and Collyer (Collyer is 30 miles per hour).• Enforce current parking regulations.

• Address congestion, noise and litter concerns of residents on Kimbark & Emery• Neighbors complain that garbage being left out• Lot of noisy trucks with Jake Breaks.

• Protect the residents’ rights to park outside their house• Residents on Kimbark and Emery need own designated, permitted parking spaces outside

their homes. Respect the needs of families with children as well as the elderly and handicapped.

4. Parking: Short-term goals. We oppose diagonal parking spaces.

• These destroy existing or future cycle lanes.

• These are dangerous, especially when trying to get out of an alleyway- you have to pull out so far to see, you are in the road already.

• Very hard for recycling trucks to get in and out of alleys.

• Fire truck safety issues from restricted ally access.

• More danger for kids running out onto street

• Are too crowded for trailers, suburbans, etc.

• Will create more unwanted signage

• Will erode property values.

• Diagonal parking erodes the historic character of the neighborhood.

4. Possible look of a Transition Zone: Walkable, compatible, 2-story, right-scale infill (to the right)

• Source: http://www.placemakers.com/2016/03/15/the-next-frontier-for-compact-walkability-its-gotta-be-the-burbs/

4. Possible look of a Transition Zone- also consider mixed use residents ?living above the stores?

• Source: https://withallduerespectblog.com/category/byron-brown/

Solutions: Building Bridges Together1. A halt to development proposals until the current Land Use Code

revisions are finalized.

2. Built-in, systematic communication & collaboration of city with Eastside and all neighborhoods.

3. Set up a city-wide Design Review Board- with clear design guidelines for Eastside and the Transition Zone between.

4. Create Transition Zone as “bridge” between vibrant Lower Downtown and Historic Eastside/Westside.a. Mixed-Use Zoning b. Maintain historic character and sense of place (scale and style). c. Safe, pedestrian friendly, walkable areas.