Town Center report released
Published 11:09 am Tuesday, September 1, 2015
The city released a 56-page online report on the Town Center visioning process Aug. 31. The report does not include final recommendations; it is intended as a comprehensive summary of the work completed to date, and will help set the stage for future action and additional opportunities for public input.
The report was assembled based on input from consultants, city officials and a 42-member Stakeholder Group that was convened in March to provide input and ideas. The Stakeholder Group met seven times, and the city conducted five community meetings on the topic of Town Center development.
“This report is a statement of work completed to date on a project launched last year by the City to ensure that our City Development Code delivers the type of development we want to see in Town Center,” said City Manager Noel Treat.
The Interim Report focuses on six key areas:
• Retail frontage requirements
• Street frontage use and improvement standards
• Public open spaces
• Building height limits
• Mid-block pedestrian connections
• Incentives program: proposed mandatory and elective building components
The city is working to refine the next steps in the process, with the ultimate goal being the adoption of a restated vision for Town Center and Development Code changes to make that vision a reality.
“Final action on the Town Center Development Code is still several months — and a lot of technical work — away,” Treat said.
But one main take-away from this report is that, “the Town Center Vision as adopted in 1994 remains strong and the basic outlines of that vision do not need to change,” according to an updated draft vision statement presented in the report.
The Council will review the report on Sept. 8. The city encourages all residents to remain engaged as the process moves ahead.
To read the report or submit an online comment, go to the city website.
