the avenue of flags specific plan - workshop #1 buellton recreation center gymnasium june 27, 2015
TRANSCRIPT
THE AVENUE OF FLAGS
Specific Plan - Workshop #1Buellton Recreation Center Gymnasium
June 27, 2015
PURPOSE OF WORKSHOP
• Continue to implement Buellton Vision Plan • Identify which issues are most important
regarding The Avenue of Flags
• Prioritize: Key planning considerations
WORKSHOP OUTLINE
The Buellton Vision What We’ve Accomplished So Far Moving Forward – An Action Plan Opportunities & Key Planning Issues Interactive Planning Stations & Activities
VISION – PROCESS & GOALSBuellton Vision Plan – Accepted by City Council February 2012
Buellton Community Visioning
2010
Vision Goals1. Portray a Positive Buellton Image & Brand
2. Expand Opportunities for Active & Healthy Living
3. Offer a Variety of Arts & Culture Opportunities
4. Promote Desired Change through Planning & Design
5. Create a Vibrant Downtown
6. Maintain the Strong Sense of Community & Family
7. Be a Leader in Environmental Sustainability& Stewardship
8. Foster Local Economic Development That Supports the Community Vision
WHAT WE’VE ACCOMPLISHED
DESIGN STUDIES
• The Avenue of Flags / Highway 246 Urban Design Plan
• Buellton Civic Center Studies
• The Avenue of Flags, Urban Design Plans – Four (4) Plans, alternative designs and median
alignment options– Prepared by Cal Poly Urban Design Studio class
CORRIDOR STUDY• Constraints study evaluating roadway realignment
options for The Avenue of Flags corridor • 3 potential alternatives considered
• Option 1: Retain Median• Option 2: The Curve• Option 3: East Side Alignment
• Key issues and constraints studied:• Land Use• Vehicular Circulation• Pedestrian and Bicycle Circulation• Infrastructure and Drainage
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STUDIESKosmont was retained by the City to prepare an Economic Development Strategy and Implementation Plan:1. Analysis
a) Economic & Demographic Profile (Households, Industries)
b) Market Supply and Demand Analysis (Retail/Industrial/Office)
2. Strategya) Economic Development SWOT Evaluation
b) Trade Area Retailer Voids
c) Opportunity Site Assessment
3. Implementationa) Targeted Retailers / Developers / Businesses
b) Matching with Prioritized Opportunity Sites
c) Marketing/Outreach Activities
d) Evaluation of Fiscal Impacts and Economic Benefits
e) Post-Redevelopment Financing / Funding / Incentives (e.g., DOR)
VISION PLAN GOALS & ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Provide a clear & consistent City image– Develop branding strategy for The
Avenue (In Progress)
Highlight & celebrate Buellton’s unique offerings/heritage– Historical Society is inventorying Buellton’s
historical landmarks, collections, and points of interest
– The City is home to several festivals and events that celebrate Buellton’s heritage and local resources
Goal 1: PORTRAY A POSITIVE IMAGE & BRAND
Increase connectivity for pedestrians & cyclists– Bikeway & Pedestrian Master Plan adopted and being
implemented as development projects are processed
Ensure access to healthy food sources– School District Food Program at Oak Valley Elementary
school, which receives lunches from the Solvang School Cafeteria, providing meals made from local and fresh food.
Increase recreational opportunities for all ages– Develop trail along Zaca Creek (In Progress)
Goal 2: ACTIVE & HEALTHY LIVING
Foster & support local artists & artisans– Mixed-Use Ordinance adopted; contains live-work units in
all commercial and industrial zones, allowing artists to live, work and sell in one location.
Expand tourism to include arts & cultural activities– Community events / festivals that celebrate arts & culture
have been and will continue to be held, including Arts on the Avenue , Vintners’ Festival
Goal 3: ARTS & CULTURE OPPORTUNITIES
Promote attractive, well-maintained neighborhoods and districts– Architectural and Landscape Design Review has been
implemented as part of land use/development permit application process
– Mixed Use Ordinance has been modified and adopted to support this goal
Provide an environment that appeals to and supports both residents and visitors– Wayfinding signs have been installed
Goal 4: PLANNING & DESIGN
Maintain Small Town Character
Coordinate development & improvements on The Avenue– Downtown bikeways and trails incorporated into adopted Bikeway
and Pedestrian Master Plan– Buellton Apartments (approved project) required to construct trail
along Zaca Creek – Enhanced striping for existing bikeways on Avenue of Flags– Prepare Downtown Specific Plan (In Progress)– Evaluate roadway alignment options, per Corridor Constraints
Study (In Progress)
Goal 5: CREATE A VIBRANT DOWNTOWN
Organizational support for transformation of The Avenue– Economic development staff / task force has been formed and
is providing guidance to the City in general, and specifically to preparation of The Avenue Specific Plan
– Avenue of Flags Property owners group has been formed and has met on numerous occasions
Goal 5: VIBRANT DOWNTOWN – cont’d
Foster community events/programs that promote social interaction– Numerous events are provided throughout the year, including
Winterfest, Arts on the Avenue, Holiday Bazaar, and extensive programs/trips are offered by City
Maintain an ongoing dialogue with community members– City’s website has been revised to reflect community events and to
make more use friendly, including when viewed on mobile phones– Annual state of the City address is held each year– The “Buellton Buzz”, city newsletter, is provided to residents bi-
monthly via the water bill mailing.
Goal 6: STRONG SENSE OF COMMUNITY & FAMILY
Maintain a compact form bounded by natural & rural areas– All development occurs within the City’s urban growth boundary,
encouraging small businesses and accessibility by foot, bike and public transit
– The City honors the greenbelt area between Buellton and Solvang
Green building standards and sustainability efforts– City follows requirements of CalGreen Building Code– Development projects are conditioned to provide green features above and
beyond the code requirements– Recently approved Townhome project will have 100% solar– City’s Green Team is currently being formed, first meeting is scheduled for
July 8, 2015
Goal 7: ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY
Guide economic development efforts by a strategy & City staff support– An Economic Development Task Force has been formed and
continues to be active promoting economic development strategies and planning efforts such as The Avenue of Flags Specific Plan
Develop Buellton as a known visitor destination within the Santa Ynez Valley & in its own right– A Special Events Committee has been formed to promote
visitor-oriented events– A Business Improvement District (BID) has been formed in
the valley, including Buellton
Goal 8: ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
MOVING FORWARD: AN ACTION PLANIMPLEMENTING THE VISION
VISION
Design Guidelines
DowntownSpecific
Plan
Mixed Use Ordinance
Sign Ordinance
Bikeway &Pedestrian
Master Plan
EconomicDev. &
TourismStrategy
Branding Strategy/
Communication& Marketing
Plan
SustainabilityStrategy
Urban Design Plan
Form-Based Code
AVENUE OF FLAGS SPECIFIC PLAN• What is a Specific Plan?
– A mini-General Plan for a portion of a City– Builds on the City’s General Plan goals– Contents are guided by State law
• Why do we need a Specific Plan for The Avenue?– The City’s Vision identifies the future of the Avenue as a
key component to achieving the that vision– It’s the appropriate document to govern long-term
development of the area
SPECIFIC PLAN – cont’d• What does a Specific Plan contain?
– Land Use Plan– Circulation Plan– Development Standards and Regulations– Infrastructure Requirements and Phasing– Cost and Financing Mechanisms
• Specific Plan advantages:– Power of zoning; able to establish form-based code– Addresses specific infrastructure, circulation, parking needs– Economic incentives addressed– Environmental review makes development easier
WHAT IS “FORM-BASED CODE”?• A means of regulating land development to achieve a
specific urban form and mix of uses • Focuses of the physical form of development• Addresses the relationship between public and
private spaces such as the interaction between streets, blocks, and buildings in terms of form, scale and massing, and the use of frontage areas
• Creates predictable public realm by including standards for design of streets and open spaces
Conventional Zoning vs. Form-Based Codes
Form-Based Code:Street and building types (or mix of types), build-to lines, number of floors, and percentage of built site frontage specified
Conventional Zoning:Use, density, setbacks, FAR, parking req’ts, max. building heights specified
Zoning + Design Guidelines: Conventional zoning, plus frequency of openings & surface articulation specified
VISION
Design Guidelines
DowntownSpecific
Plan
Mixed Use Ordinance
Sign Ordinance
Bikeway &Pedestrian
Master Plan
EconomicDevelopment
Strategy
Branding Strategy/
Communication& Marketing
Plan
SustainabilityStrategy
Urban Design Plan
Post-Redevelopment Economic Development Toolsfor Public-Private Projects
Economic Development
Real Estate Project
Real Estate & Property
Special Districts
(Tourism, BIDs, etc.)
Taxes & Revenue Based
Financing
P3 + Infrastructure
Land Use /
Zoning (Higher Density; Parking)
Theses tools often work best when blended together
28
DOR
29
Land Use/Zoning as an Economic Development Tool
Specific Plans incorporating a Development Opportunity Reserve (DOR):• Goal: Incorporate and convert ED priorities to
zoning policy objectives, rewarding developers of preferred uses
• Problem: Up-zoning used to stimulate economic development often results in a windfall to existing landowners, not targeted users
• Bright Idea: Combine Specific Plans with Economic Development “Kicker”
Land Use/Zoning as Economic Dev’t Tool
Economic Dev’t “Kicker” >> Incentives
• Incentives should protect/advance community desires pursuant to the Specific Plan
• Place incentives (e.g., residential density bonus, parking reduction) into a “Reserve Account,” as opposed to being distributed automatically on a per-parcel basis
• Incentives are allotted to new projects that comply with pre-set “community benefits or objectives” (e.g., provide public restrooms/parking/art, trail/library fees)
• Economic value of “DOR” incentives goes to desired projects vs. existing owners
HOW DOES “DOR” WORK?• If certain voluntary exactions are provided to the City,
then certain incentives are given for development of a property
• Examples:• Burbank Media District Specific Plan and Overlay Zone
(1991 – present) allows more density through CUP process for projects that meet community goals (e.g. infrastructure)
• Developer agrees to build off-site public parking lot, in return, Parking requirements on developer’s property are reduced to give more developable area
PRIORITIZING THE ISSUESOPPORTUNITIES & KEY PLANNING CONCEPTS
WORKSHOP PROGRAM• 9:30 a.m. Stations. “What Issues Are Most Important?”
– Workshop attendees circulate in small groups to “key issues” topic stations for more information, interactive discussion and issue prioritizing
– Concurrent sessions * 20 minute rotation at each station *– * Rotation times: A - 9:30, B - 9:50, C - 10:10, D - 10:30
• TOPICS & STATION MANAGERS– Architectural Design & Form-Based Code – Greg Ravatt & Angela Perez– Planning & Land Use – Marc Bierdzinski & Irma Tucker– Road Alignment, Circulation, Parking – John Rickenbach & Rose Hess– Economic Development / DOR – Ken Hira & Joe Dieguez (Kosmont
Companies)
PROGRAM – Cont’d
• 10:50 a.m. Break
• 11:00 a.m. Early wrap Mini-Summary of outcomes at each station
• 11:30 a.m. Mapping Activity Let’s plan The Avenue!
• 12:00 approx. Conclusion & Lunch– Overall Wrap-up of Workshop
Thank You and
Proceed to Stations