an AMENDMENT

to the LAND USE ELEMENT of the MASTER PLAN

TOWN OF HAMMONTON • DOWNTOWN AREA PLAN

Prepared by: BROWN & KEENER URBAN DESIGN

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TOWN OF HAMMONTON • DOWNTOWN AREA PLAN

AMENDMENT to the LAND USE ELEMENT of the MASTER PLAN

Introduction

This Downtown Area Plan reflects the importance of Downtown to community life and the appropriateness of articulating specific goals related to the unique land-use and urban design circumstances in this area.

The Downtown Area Plan component of the Land Use Element:

• RecognizesHammonton’spinelandscontext–aruralgeographythatsurroundsatownthatisa center of civic and economic life in the region.

• Updatesthemunicipalpolicyplanforfuturegrowthandinvestmentinthedowntown• Definesthemunicipalgoalsandobjectiveswithinthecontextofanoverallvisionforthe

future of downtown • DescribesstrategicapproachestoLand-Use,UrbanDesign,HistoricPreservation,Circulation

andParking,AffordableHousing,andOpenSpacethatsupporttheoverallvisionforthefuture of downtown.

DowntownHammontonisnotadenseurbanplace,norisitpurelyavillageorasuburb;ithasalwaysbeenaclassicAmericantownintermsofthecharacterofitsbuildingsandstreets,thecommunityandciviclifethatoccursthere,anditseconomicvitality.Theideaofbeing–andremaining–atown,shouldbeafundamentalguidepostinmakingdecisionsaboutthefuture.AndwhenthisdocumentreferstoHammonton’s“urbandesign”and“urbancharacter,”itusesthosetermstodescribedowntown’suniquetexture—thegeneralscaleandpatternofbuildings,thelayoutofstreets,thegreeneryinsomanyplaces,andthequalityofhavingbeenbuiltinsmallincrements over a long period of time.ThepurposeofthiselementistostateatthebroadestlevelwhatHammontonwantsthefutureofitsdowntowntobe,aswellastosetoutspecificobjectivesandpolicydirectivesthatwillguidedecision–makingforDowntownoverthecomingyears.Tobefullyeffective,arangeofimplementationtools,manyofwhicharedescribedinthiselement,shouldsupporttheelement. Keyinitiativesincludeestablishingazoningframeworkofdistinctive“CharacterDistricts”thatreflectthesubtledifferencesinthedowntownareablocks,creatingmoresharedandoff-siteparkingmechanisms,andprovidingmoreextensivedesignguidancefornew,expandedandrenovated buildings.

The Downtown Area Plan consists of the following sections:

A-Principles,GoalsandObjectivesB-Land-UseStrategyC-CharacterDistrictsFrameworkD-UrbanDesignStrategyE-HistoricPreservationStrategyF-CirculationandParkingStrategyG-AffordableHousingStrategyH-OpenSpaceStrategy

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A - Principles, Goals and Objectives Introduction

Thefollowingprincipleshavebeentheconsistentthemesofplansfordowntown,andwereamplified and refined through a vision planning process in the fall and winter of 2009:

• Downtownisthecenter,themeetingplace,oftheentirecommunity—anditshouldremainthat way.

• Amixofuses—civicplaces,shoppingplaceshousingandoffices—knittogetherbygreen,walkablestreetsarethebuildingblocksofHammonton’sdowntowncenter.

• Thedowntownisframedbytransitional“gatewaydistricts,”wheretheapproachandarrivalto downtown play an important role in marketing and promoting Downtown businesses to visitors.Notwithstanding,neighborhoodsadjacenttodowntownshouldberespectedandtheir character should be conserved.

• Downtown’svaluedplacesandbuildingshavethespecialscaleofatown,notacityorasuburb,andspeakvividlyofHammonton’saccumulatedhistory.

• Theurbanandarchitecturalcharacterofdowntownisdiverse,anditvariesalmostonablock-by-block basis. This is a quality that should be reflected in development regulations.

• Pedestrianlife,notvehiculartraffic,shouldbedominant.However,vehiculartrafficshouldbeaccommodated within the downtown infrastructure to provide smooth and efficient vehicular access and parking to visitors of the downtown area.

• Downtownisanappropriateplaceformorehousing,includingaffordablehousing,thatwillprovidediverse,transit-accessible,non-auto-dependenthousingopportunitiesandincreasethe vitality of the downtown area after business hours.

B - LAND USE STRATEGY Introduction

InHammonton’sDowntownArea,therearekeyplaceswherecertainlandusesshouldbeencouragedordiscouraged,butingeneral,amutually-supportivemixofretail,residential,office,serviceandcivicusesshouldbeencouraged.Therefore,thezoningframeworkshouldnotbeoverlyprescriptiveintermsoflanduse,providingforflexibilitywhiletakingcaretoconservesensitiveareas,suchastheBellevueAvenueretailarea.Thisland-useflexibilityshouldoccurwithinaframeworkforurbanformthatcarefullyreinforcesandextendsthepatternoftheexistingtown,andconsiderstheimpactofdevelopmentontrafficandparking.

Land Use: Retail Space, Business service and office uses, Housing, Retail Activity

Downtownretailspace,businessserviceandofficeusesshouldbeconcentratedprimarilyinthegroundfloorofbuildingsalongBellevueAvenuebetweenThirdStreetandWestEndAvenue,onCentralAvenuebelowThirdStreet,alongtheWhiteHorsePike and in small pockets of neighborhood or transit patron-serving commercial inappropriateareas.RetailspacethatdrawspedestriansawayfromtheshoppingenvironmentofBellevueAvenueshouldnotbeallowed,beyondtheexceptionsnoted.

Mixed-use buildings along Bellevue Avenue

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Housing,includingaffordablehousing,shouldbeallowedandencouragedasaprimaryuseineveryzoningdistrict,andavarietyofhousingtypes(fromtwinstomultipledwellings)shouldbepermitted in each district to allow for greater diversity in housing options. Affordable housing wouldbedevelopedthroughtheTown’sexistinginclusionaryhousingordinance,whichshouldcontinue,andothermeansoutlinedinthe“housing”sectionofthiselementandtheMasterPlan.

Nowhere in Downtown should parking be regarded as an acceptable primary use of a private property;itshouldonlybeasecondaryuse.TheTownshouldnotpermitthedemolitionofanystructuretoallowforparking,withtheexceptionofinteriorblockbuildingsthathavenostreetfrontage,andonlyafterconsiderationisgiventothehistoricvalueofthebuilding,theimpactonneighbors,theimpactoncirculation,andotherissuesofpublicconcern.

Density / Development Strategy

ItisimportanttorecognizethatHammontonisnotlikelytoseeagreatamountofdevelopmentallatonce.Rather,changewilloccurbywayofaconstantflowofsmall,incrementalreconfigurationsand/oradditionstoDowntown’sbuiltfabric,atthepacethemarketcanabsorbnewspaceandoverthecourseofmanydecades.Essentially,growthwillhappenjustasthetownhas grown in the past: as demand warrants additional investment.

The slow pace of change will enable the Town to plan for any impacts on municipal infrastructure orservices.Thisiswhyscaleandtextureofdevelopmentthatispermittedonanygivensiteissoimportant;thedesignofeachbuildingwillhaveamoreimmediateimpactoncharacterthantheoverall development capacity of downtown.

C - CHARACTER DISTRICTS FRAMEWORK

Introduction

Use-basedzoningisasuccessfultoolforpreservingandcreatingneighborhoodsofasingleusetype.However,thecomplexitiesofdowntownareasrequirezoningdistrictswithanemphasison form rather than use to protect neighborhood character and achieve other community design andfunctionalitygoals.TheCharacterDistrict-basedZoningFrameworkisintendedtogivedirectionforaneventualrevisiontotheLandDevelopmentOrdinance.Theproposedframeworkincorporates the following basic approaches and assumptions.

Districting strategy

MostoftheDowntownArea,nowgenerallyzonedB-1andM-D,willistobereorganizedintoDowntownDistricts.PortionsofWhiteHorsePikethatareclosesttoDowntown,aswellasthemajorconnectingroutebetweenthetwo,willbereorganizedintoGatewayDistricts.Ingeneral,the new districts are established to reflect the distinct design character of different areas in and arounddowntown.Theytendtobedefinedbythestreetsthatanchorthem,suchasBellevueorWhiteHorsePike.GenerallythecharacterofthezonesreflectsthecurrentcharacteroftheDowntownAreaanditssurroundings—subtle,block-by-blockintensificationofscaleanduseuntilonereachesthe“MainStreet”areaofBellevueclosesttothetraintracks.

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District Overview

Toaccomplishtheprinciples,goals,andobjectiveslaidoutinthisdocument,thedowntownareazoningwillbeupdatedtoaccommodatethisneworganizingsystem,whilethesurroundingZoningdistrictswillremainascurrentlyzoned.ToreflectthesubtlechangesincharacterwithinboththehistoriccentraldowntownaswellastheportionsofWhiteHorsePikenearestthecenter,anumberofdistinctDowntownDistrictsandGatewayDistricts are recommended.

1. Proposed Gateway Districts

Gateway Avenue-TheareasflankingBellevueAvenuebetweenthedowntowncourtandWhiteHorsePikealongwiththeareasflankingCentralAvenuebetweenthedowntowncoreandBroadwayarecurrentlylocatedintheR-1andR-2Zones.ThisisanimportantconnectingroutethatrunsthroughresidentialneighborhoodsnearthecenterofHammonton.TheyaremadeupprimarilyofdetachedSingle-FamilyHomesonlargerlots. GOAL: topreserveresidentialcharacter,whileallowingforsomeadditionalflexibilitytoimprovewalkabilityandconnectionstoother“neartown”residentialneighborhoods.

Gateway Boulevard-MadeupoftheparcelsthatarecurrentlyzonedB-2“HighwayBusiness”alongWhiteHorsePikebetweenFairviewAvenueandBroadway.RevisionstotheB-2“HighwayBusiness”maybemadetocreatethisdistrict,orthissmallerareamightbecomeacompletelynewzone.GOAL: topreservethecurrentcommercialcharacteroftheB-2zone,butwithaddedprovisionstoreflectcurrent community needs.

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Proposed character-based districting strategy

GatewayAvenue

GatewayBoulevard

GatewayCrossroads

NearTown

In TownRailway

In Town

Downtown

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Gateway Crossroads-ComprisingtheblocksimmediatelysurroundingtheintersectionofWhiteHorsePike,BellevueAvenueandRoute206,whicharecurrentlyzonedB-2“HighwayBusiness.”Thisareawouldremainprimarilyformid-sizedretailandothercommerce,butitwouldexpandBuildingTypeoptions.GOAL: to allow for new development that could be arranged in a way that would signal tothosetravellingalongWhiteHorsePikethatthisisthegatewayandaccesspointtoanimportantarea,andwouldimprovetheconnectiontotheMainStreetareaofBellevue.

2. Proposed Downtown Districts

Near Town-AlthoughmadeupprimarilyofdetachedSingle-FamilyHomesonlargerlots,theareasproposedfor“NearTown”arecurrentlylocatedinR-1,R-2,B-1,andMDZones.Thenewdesignation will simplify this.GOAL:topreservetheresidentialcharacteroftheblocksinvolved,whileallowingforsomeadditionalflexibilitytoimprovewalkabilityandconnectionstoother“neartown”residentialneighborhoods.

In Town, Railway -MadeupoftheparcelscurrentlyzonedMDbetween13thand11th,thisdistrictnowincludesamixofresidential,lightindustrial,andothercommercialusesalongtherailroadtracksandnearthecenteroftown.Despitethisdistinction,itwillbesimilarcharactertoD3“InTown,”andwillincludelargerbuildingsthatcanhostlow-impactmanufacturing,institutional,andresidentialuses.GOAL:toexpandtheoptionsforthecommercialemploymentandlightindustrialusesthatarenotappropriateforotherDowntownZones,whilealsoimprovingoptionsfordowntownliving.

“In Town” (D-3)-MadeupoftheparcelscurrentlyzonedR-1,R-2,andB-1thatsurroundtheMainStreetblocks,thisdistrictnowincludesamixofresidentialandcommercialuses.The“In-Town”zone/districtwillGOAL:toexpandoptionsforretailgrowthinthecenterofHammontonwhilesupportingMainStreetactivitiesandimprovingoptionsfordowntownliving.

Downtown -HistoricandculturalheartofHammonton,thiszone/districtwillconsistalmostentirelyofthemixed-useandcommercialpropertiesfrontingBellevuebetween3rdandWashington.Itshouldpreservetheexisting“MainStreet”character,soBuildingTypesshouldbe limited. GOAL: to reinforce the main purpose of the area as the shopping and gathering focus of the community.

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D - URBAN DESIGN STRATEGY Introduction

Asofsummer2010,Downtowndevelopmentislargelyregulatedbyuse-basedzoningdistrictswhoseurbandesignrequirementsallowforbuildingsthatdonotrelatewelltotheexistingtexture.Onezoningdistrict,B-1,ismappedoverlargeportionsofDowntown,allowing,forexample,thesameurbanpatterninthehistoricheartoftownnear2nd&Bellevueasitdoesaround3rd&Cottage,whichhaveverydifferentphysicalandeconomiccharacter.Ingeneral,urban design regulations in Downtown should be tailored more specifically to smaller districts.

Principles for Urban Design

The urban design provisions in each downtown and gateway district should follow the following general principles.

1. Themostimportantrelationshiptomaintainisthatofthebuildingtothestreet.Theplacement,compositionandfaçadedesignofbuildingsshouldreinforcethewalkingcharacterofeveryblockineverydistrictdowntown.Spacesbetweenbuildingsandcurblinesshouldbekeptfreeofparking,anddesignedwithelementssuchasgreenery,smallurbanspaces and porches.

2. Themassingofbuildingsshouldreflectpatternsofexistingbuildingtypes,particularlyintermsofbuildingshapeandcomposition,aswellastherelationshiptothestreet.

3. Frontandsidesetbacksshouldfollowtheexistingtexture,whichischaracterizedbybuildingsconstructedlargelytothestreet-lineandwithpartywallsinpartsofdowntown,thensmallincrements of increased front and side setbacks as one moves away from the center of town.

4. Buildings taller than three stories should not be permitted.

5. Maximumlot,buildingorfaçadedimensionsshouldbe established in places where long buildings could be constructed along public rights-of-way,orwheresiteassemblagesarelikely.

6. On-siteparkingshouldalwaysbeplacedbehindorbeneathbuildings,neverbetweenabuildingandastreetexceptindesignatedareas,suchasthosealongWhiteHorsePike.Curbcutsanddrive-throughfacilitiesshouldbeminimized;street-facinggaragedoorsshouldnotbeallowed.Surfaceparkingshouldnotbevisiblefromthestreet;coveredparkingareas(underbuildings,ingarages)shouldhavedoorsandwallsthatcloseoffparkedvehiclesfromviewofadjacentproperties.Connectivity,especiallybetweenparkinglotsonneighboringpropertiesalongWhiteHorsePike,shouldbeincreased.

7. Impervious coverage ratios should be reduced in order to accommodate on-site stormwater managementandenhancedowntown’ssenseofgreenery.

8. Adequatetransitionsshouldbelocatedbetweendowntownandadjacentresidentialneighborhoods.ThesetransitionsshouldrespectHammonton’stown-likecharacter.

Examples of walkable downtowns with similar design principles

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Basic guidelines for Urban Design, Architecture, and the Public Realm

Subsequenttotheadoptionofthismasterplan,Hammontonshoulddevelopacomprehensiverangeofdesignguidancefordevelopment.Inwhateverformthisguidetakes,itshouldgobeyondwhatisincorporatedinthezoningordinanceinshapingthepublicrealm.Indoingthis,some of the key issues to address are:

1. Signagedesignforparkingandpedestrianwayfinding2. A comprehensive strategy for streetscape elements that are part of the public realm. This

would include:

a. benchesb. planters and tree gratesc. lightingd. trash and recycling receptacles

Inaddition,thereshouldbeguidelines for street elements placedbyprivatebusinesses,particularly café tables and chairs.

1. Acomprehensivelandscapestrategyforstreets,pedestrianconnectionsandpublicspaces2. Acomprehensivelightingstrategyforstreets,pedestrianconnections,publicspacesand

facades.3. Guidelinesforthedesignofsignsas“SignTypes”4. Designguidelinesforstorefronts,lighting,andwindowdisplays.5. Design guidelines for side and rear buffers and screening to allow for appropriate transition

between various uses. 6. Architecturaltypesandstylesofhistoricbuildings

TheTownshouldalsodeveloparangeoftoolstocommunicateitsdesignexpectations,especiallyalongBellevueAvenueandWhiteHorsePike,butalsoforotherdowntownstreets.Possibletoolsinclude:

1. Photo-simulations,3Dmodels,orillustrationsof“beforeandafter”scenarios,whichwouldbeannotated with details about how preferred design approaches are incorporated

2. Illustrated“PatternBook”ofacceptabledesignapproaches3. “Oncall”architecturalassistance ThesedesignguidelinesandtoolscouldbedevelopedthroughacollaborationoftheTown,

MainStreetHammonton,theChamberofCommerce,HistoricalSocietyofHammonton,andotherstakeholderorganizations.

E - HISTORIC PRESERVATION STRATEGY

Introduction

DowntownisthehistoricheartofHammonton.Althoughtherearenolocally-designatedhistoricdistrictsorNationalRegisterofHistoricPlacesdistricts,thereareafewindividuallandmarksandsignificant buildings throughout this area.

Historic residential structures near Downtown Hammonton

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Resources

DowntownHammontonischaracterizednotsomuchbyaconsistentarchitecturalstylethanbyarangeofhistoricstylesandbuildingtypes,addedincrementallyoverthetown’shistory. Downtownisalsocharacterizedbyaverylegibleurbanpattern.Thearea’ssignificanceincludesa walkable network of streets and buildings whose scale and relationship to the street usually fallwithincertainparameters,eventhoughindividuallytheydemonstrategreatvarietyintheirarchitecturalstyleandtype.Theurbantexturechangesgradually,insmallandsubtleincrements,asonemovesfromtheedgeofDowntowntothecenter—withbuildingsbecomingclosertoeachother,andclosertothestreet.

F - CIRCULATION AND PARKING STRATEGY Introduction

AnimportantgoalforHammontonisto“encourageeconomicdevelopmentandvitalityforthedowntown.”Anincreaseineconomicactivity,inturn,wouldlikelyleadtoanincreaseintransportation activity. The amount of increase could be mitigated by encouraging the use of alternativetransportationmodes–walking,bicycling,transit–butsomeincreasewouldbelikelyregardless.Asinanycentralbusinessdistrict,thatwillmeancarefulcoordinationofthecomplexlayeringofusersandactivitiesinHammonton’sDowntownArea.Therefore,circulationandparkingissuesmustbemanagedinastrategic,comprehensive,balancedandincrementalmannerto ensure that resources are used to the greatest possible community-wide benefit.

The Town should consider a range of approaches to addressing these issues: from new policies to changestotheLandDevelopmentOrdinances,frommodestimprovementsthatmakewalkingandbikingeasiertotheadditionofstreetsandgateways,andshouldextracapacitybeneededevenafterinitialimprovementsaremade,newparkingareas.

Principles for Circulation and Parking Improvements

Inestablishingpoliciesandcreatingimprovements(whichmaybepublicorprivate)thatinvolvepublicstreetsandparkingareaswithindowntown,thefollowingprincipleswillbefollowed:

1. Givefirstprioritytoenhancingtheconvenience,safetyandcomfortofpedestrians,includingpersonswalkingfromtheirvehicles,bicyclesortransittodowntowndestinations.Givesecondpriority to improving the infrastructure for bicycling and transit.

2. Makeparkingdowntownmoreuser-friendly,whichistosaythataccessandavailabilitybeimproved.Examplesofimprovementincludecloserproximity,morepathways,strongermanagement,newwayfindingsignageandmetersthataremoreconvenient.

3. Givefirstprioritytoparkingforthehandicapped,thentovisitors,residentsandemployees,inthat order.

4. Maintaindowntown’swalkabilityandvisualcharacterbylocatingoff-streetparkingbehindbuildings.

5. Encouragesharedandoff-siteparking,particularlyforpropertiesalongBellevueAvenueandthe surrounding blocks. The purpose of this policy is to:a. Reinforcetheconcentrationandcontinuityofactivitythatmakesdowntownwalkableb. Addresslocalizedparkingshortagesbymakingmoreeffectiveuseofexistingresourcesc. Allowforflexibilityinland-use,whichwouldrationalizedisconnectedparkingareasand

free-uplandforinfilldevelopmentthatwouldotherwisebeunderutilizedasparkinglotsd. Allow for incremental infill development that supports the overall goals for the area.

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6. EncouragetheadditionofmorepedestrianwalkwaysbetweenparkingareasandBellevueAvenue,inordertostrengthenthecirculationnetwork.

7. Implement traffic calming on the streets surrounding downtown in order to cut down on speeding. Any new streets that are constructed should be designed to accommodate pedestrians on sidewalks and to calm traffic.

8. Encouragethecreationofa“gateway”toDowntownHammontonfromWhiteHorsePike,whichwillsimplifycirculationattheintersectionwhereWhiteHorsePikemeetsRoutes206and54,whilealsopromotingeconomicdevelopment.

Shouldparkinginfrastructureberequired,thefollowingdesignandpolicyprinciplesshouldbefollowed:

1. Newparkingshouldnotbevisiblefromthestreetindowntowndistrictsandproperlyscreened in gateway districts.

2. Donotremovebuildingstoprovidemorespaceforpublicorprivateparking,exceptforinteriorblockbuildings,inspecialcircumstances.

Phasing of Downtown Circulation and Parking Improvements

Changewillbeapproachedincrementally,startingwithsmallmodificationsandimprovements,beforeattemptingmoreexpensivesolutions.Ingeneral,thestagedapproachwillinvolve:

1. Projectsthatmakedowntowncirculationandparkingmoreuser-friendlyforpedestrians,bicyclistsandvehicles,andthatresultinmodestincreasestoparkingcapacity ;

2. Projectsthatmakenewconnectionsforpedestriansandpolicies/projectsthatmaximizetheefficiencyofexistingparkingresourcesthroughimprovedmetertechnologyandsharedparking;and,

3. Projectsthatimprovevehicularcirculationandaddsignificantlytoparkingcapacity.

Gateway concept with possible roadway realignment and closure. Illustration was developed as part of a community visioning excercise, and is included for illustrative purposes only.

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Parking Requirement

Ingeneral,residentialratiosshouldbesettoResidentialSiteImprovementsStandards.Ingeneral,commercial(office,retail)ratiosshouldbesetinaccordancewiththeTownofHammontonLandDevelopmentCode,InstituteofTransportationEngineersParkingGenerationManualoralternativedocumentedsources.Provisionforsharedparkingarrangements,inkeepingwithcontemporarystandards,isencouraged.Opportunitiestouptoone-thirdoftherequirementachievablethroughshared parking. This reflects contemporary standards and surveys that found that large numbers of parkingspacesaregenerallyunderutilizeddowntown.

AccordingtoTransportationAnalysisworkinOctober2009,theparkingcountrevealsahighlevelofvacancyforthemajorityofon-streetspacesandoff-streetlots.Markedon-streetspaces(asopposedtoblockswhereon-streetparkingispermitted,butstallsarenotstriped)hadthehighestlevelofoccupancy,at57percent.Theonlythreeblockstoequalorsurpass90percentoccupancywereFrontStreet;BellevueAvenuebetweenCentralAvenueand3rdStreet;andHortonStreet.Parkingoccupancyintheoff-streetlotscountedaveragedonly48percent,withonlyonelot–AtlanticCountyDepartmentofHumanServices–regularlyexceeding90percentoccupancy.ThethreelotscountedonthesuburbancorridorofWhiteHorsePikehadthelowestoccupancy,at26percent.Theparkingcountthus reveals that there is ample capacity to accommodate some new or redeveloped land uses in the downtownwiththeexistingparkingfacilities.

G - OPEN SPACE STRATEGY IntroductionTheDowntownAreahasfewformalopenspacesasidefromVeteransParkandtheschoolfieldsatSt.JosephHighSchool.However,itcanfeelgreeninmanyotherplaces,thankstothesenseofopennesscreated by the urban pattern: the width of Bellevue Avenue compared to the relative lowness of thebuildingsthatlineit;thegenerous,greensetbacksinfrontofcivicbuildingslikechurches;thepervasiveness of trees along many streets.

Downtown Green Priorities

Theopenspacestrategyshouldrelyonthefollowinggoals,whichaddressthepublicusabilityofthesystem,reinforcethescaleandrhythmofthedowntownfabric,provideaplaceofcommunitycontextand to reinforce the benefit of walking:

1. Maintainthesenseofopennessdowntownasestablishedbythehistoricsetbacksofbuildingsfrom most streets.

2. CreatemorepedestrianconnectionsbetweenBellevueAvenueandrearparkingareas.3. Improvethevisualcharacter,greenery,comfortandamenityofpedestrianplaces,especiallythe

connectionstorearparkingareas,andofparkingareas4. Maketheopenspacesthatexistmoreusableinmorewaysbythegeneralpublic.Consider

creatingareasforseating,artdisplays,etc.5. Create,wherepossible,small,usableopenspacesinconjunctionwithprivatedevelopment,such

assittingareasalongpedestrianwalkways,andtotheextentpossiblemakethemaccessibletothegeneral public.

Specific Open Space Strategies In Each District

Whileitisnotlikelythattherewillbeamajornewopenspace(suchasalargesquareorpark)createdintheDowntownarea,possibilitiesforsuchspacesshouldbeexploredwhenevertheyarise.

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