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HomeMy WebLinkAboutIntroduction i DOWNTOWN MASTER PLAN UPDATE CITY OF GEORGETOWN, TX FINAL PLAN | MARCH, 2014 ii City of Georgetown | Downtown Master Plan Update CREDITS CITY OF GEORGETOWN CITY COUNCIL George Garver, Mayor Patty Eason, District 1 Keith Brainard, District 2 Troy Hellman, District 2 John Hesser, District 3 Steve Fought, District 4 Jerry Hammerlun, District 5 Rachel Jonrowe, District 6 Tommy Gonzalez, District 7 Former Council Members Troy Hellman, District 2 DOWNTOWN MASTER PLAN ADVISORY COMMITTEE Phillip Baker, Arts and Culture Board Anna Eby, Historic and Architectural Review Commission Bob Johnson, Parks and Recreation Board David Kellerman, Main Street Advisory Board Linda Nix, Library Board Roland Peña, Planning and Zoning Commission Georgene Richaud, Convention and Visi- tors Bureau Board Tim Todd, Housing Board CITY STAFF Paul Brandenburg, City Manager Laurie Brewer, Assistant City Manager Jackson Daly, Executive Assistant Matt Synatschk, Historic Planner Jennifer Bills, Housing and Community Development Block Grant Manager Kimberly Garrett, Parks and Recreation Director Shelly Hargrove, Main Street Manager Keith Hutchinson, Public Information Officer Eric Lashley, Library Director Cari Miller, Convention and Visitors Bureau Director Mark Miller, Transportation Services Manager Paul Pausewang, Support Services Manager Andrew Spurgin, Planning Director Mark Thomas, Economic Development Director SPECIAL THANKS A special thank you to all the Downtown Overlay District property owners, tenants and interested persons who participated in the workshops and public hearings dur- ing the planning process. CONSULTANTS Winter & Company 1265 Yellow Pine Avenue Boulder, CO 80304 (303) 440-8445 Urban Advisors, Ltd. 1211 NW Glisan Street Portland, OR 97209 (503) 248-4030 iii TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION .................................................................1 PLAN PURPOSE 1 THE PLANNING PROCESS 2 PLAN BOUNDARY 2 MASTER PLAN UPDATE 4 PROGRESS SINCE ORIGINAL MASTER PLAN 4 DOCUMENT ORGANIZATION 7 1-EXISTING CONDITIONS ....................................................9 HISTORIC OVERVIEW 9 GEORGETOWN TODAY 11 PREVIOUS PLANNING EFFORTS 11 ISSUES AND OPPORTUNITIES 12 2-FRAMEWORK STRATEGY ...............................................29 A VISION FOR DOWNTOWN 29 A MARKET STRATEGY 30 THE FRAMEWORK STRATEGY 32 ACTIVITY CENTER CONCEPT 39 3-DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY.............................................43 CHARACTER AREAS 43 DEVELOPMENT PROTOTYPES FOR DOWNTOWN 50 OPPORTUNITY AREAS 59 iv City of Georgetown | Downtown Master Plan Update 4-PEDESTRIAN & BICYCLE CIRCULATION & STREETSCAPE DESIGN ...........................................................................75 PEDESTRIAN CIRCULATION ROUTES 75 SIDEWALK DESIGN 81 CROSSWALKS AND INTERSECTION DESIGN 84 STREETSCAPE STRATEGY 87 5-AUTOMOBILE CIRCULATION & PARKING .........................93 AUTO CIRCULATION 93 PARKING 99 6-GATEWAYS, WAYFINDING & PUBLIC SIGNS ...............................................................105 GEORGETOWN ENTRANCE 105 GATEWAYS 107 WAYFINDING AND SIGNAGE 110 7-PARKS, OPEN SPACE & PUBLIC ART ............................115 PARKS AND PLAZAS 117 PUBLIC ART 119 8-IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGIES ....................................121 A STRATEGY FOR IMPLEMENTATION 121 EXISTING FUNDING SOURCES 122 POTENTIAL FUNDING SOURCES 124 PRIORITIZATION 126 APPENDIX ......................................................................127 PRELIMINARY MARKET OVERVIEW FOR THE GEORGETOWN STUDY AREA 1 Introduction INTRODUCTION PLAN PURPOSE The purpose of this document is to up- date the overall vision for downtown and and revise previous concepts and design ideas in order to enable the city, property owners and citizens to make informed, strategic decisions about future devel- opments and enhancements. Changing demographics, new priorities and recent development success have driven the desire to update downtown priorities and concepts. The concepts provided herein were vetted and largely developed by community members, stakeholders, and political leaders in an intensive public outreach process. This Plan establishes a policy base regard- ing capital improvements and other public investments, new private-sector develop- ment, and opportunities for public-private partnerships. It is a tool to guide policy de- cisions rather than mandate them, i.e. all private development projects still have to follow specific requirements in regulatory documents such as Downtown and Old Town Design Guidelines and Downtown Overlay District standards in the Unified Development Code. However, this Plan, in some cases, might suggest updates to those documents based on the preferred vision as established by the public. The updated plan details a downtown framework system and identifies the ele- ments that interface most closely with it: new development, pedestrian circulation, streetscape design, wayfinding systems, parks and open space, and circulation and parking. Finally, an Implementation chapter lays the steps for the City to fol- low in terms of prioritization and funding. This Plan is based on three fundamen- tal elements for a successful downtown Georgetown: 1. It is a pedestrian-oriented place. 2. It is the heart of the city. 3. It is a key economic center for the entire business community. Over the past ten years the City of Georgetown has worked dili- gently to implement the vision of the Downtown Master Plan, which seeks to maintain the city’s unique character while maximizing op- portunities for economic development and for enhancing the quality of life for its residents. While many decisions have been made and new development has occurred in Downtown, it is time to update the Plan. Many original master plan ideas are still valid and con- tinue to be supported, while others have changed due to various reasons. The Downtown Master Plan Update of 2014 seeks to pro- vide an updated framework for the citizens of Georgetown to use in planning for the future of the downtown through the year 2030. 2 City of Georgetown | Downtown Master Plan Update THE PLANNING PROCESS The City of Georgetown sponsored the development of this plan and established an Advisory Committee, comprised of staff members and heads of local boards and commissions, who helped establish basic goals and objectives. The City of Georgetown embraces open communication and interaction amongst community members, acknowledging that when neighbors work together toward a common goal, positive and proactive planning can occur. Community par- ticipation was a key part of the planning process. Residents, property owners, business and civic leaders participated in a series of public workshops. These in- cluded a design charrette, which allowed participants to illustrate their visions for downtown. Attendees helped identify key issues, goals and objectives and created key concepts for redevelopment. Informa- tion from previous planning efforts, com- munity workshops, committee reviews and on-site observations also inform the plan recommendations. PLAN BOUNDARY The plan boundary follows that of the Downtown Overlay District, which was ad- opted in 2001. It also includes the 9-block Historic Overlay District surrounding the courthouse square. The Downtown and Historic Overlay Districts define an area in which special design guidelines apply for many types of improvements. In terms of permitted land uses, the boundary follows the Mixed Use Downtown (MU-DT) zone in the Unified Development Code (see Chapter 5 of the UDC for permitted uses.) This boundary is used for the Downtown Master Plan because it includes all of the properties that have the potential to rede- velop with a mix of uses. The planning area is framed by established neighborhoods, which the comprehensive plan envisions remaining stable residential places. Through development of this Plan, it became apparent that the Downtown Overlay District should be extended to include city-owned properties that will likely redevelop into a Municipal Center. The extension is shown in a dashed black line throughout the document. There was also discussion of including some proper- ties in the northwest quadrant, however this change would warrant more studies. A series of community workshops helped identify key issues, goals and objectives.Residents, property owners, business and civic leaders came together to discuss critical issues. 3 Introduction 1 inch = 500 feet±Georgetown Master Plan Update Georgetown, TX March, 2014 E. 2nd St. E. 3rd St. E. 4th St. E. 5th St. E. 6th St. E. 7th St. E. 8th St. E. 9th St. E. 10th St. E. 11th St. E. University Ave. W. 4th St. W. 5th St. W. 6th St. W. 8th St. W. 9th St. W. 10th St. W. 11th St. W. University Ave. Au s t i n Ave . Ma i n S t . Ch u r c h S t . My r t l e S t . .tS mlE As h S t . Fore s t S t . Ha r t S t . Rai l r o a d Ave . .tS tseroF Ma r t i n L u t h e r K i n g S t . Wes t S t . Sc e n i c D r. Au s t i n Av e . Mai n S t . Ch u r c h S t . My r t l e S t . Elm S t . South San Ga b r i e l R i v e r San Gabriel Village Blvd. www.winterandcompany.net MAP 1 | PLAN BOUNDARY LEGEND: Downtown Overlay District Boundary Historic Overlay District Boundary Proposed Extension of District Boundary 4 City of Georgetown | Downtown Master Plan Update PROGRESS SINCE ORIGINAL MASTER PLAN Since the adoption of the 2003 Master Plan, the citizens and staff of Georgetown have utilized the document as intended and numerous projects have been initi- ated as a result of the planning effort. Even through a national economic recession, the City was able to make smart invest- ments and emerge as a community with momentum focused on advancing quality of life. The numbers speak for themselves: in 2002, the city’s valuation was approxi- mately $2.4 billion and by 2013 the tax base was approximately $4.7 billion. Sales tax generation went from $3.54 million in 2002 to $8.84 million in 2013. The Down- town TIRZ (Tax Increment Redevelopment Zone), which has the same boundaries as this Plan, shows that property values have continually increased over time. In 2004, the downtown TIRZ combined property values equaled about $37 Million. In 2012, that value had increased to over $70 Mil- lion - almost double! The overall bond rating for Georgetown is scored at an AA+. Downtown TIRZ property values have continually increased since its creation in 2004. Downtown  TIRZ  Property  Values    $-­‐          $10,000,000      $20,000,000      $30,000,000      $40,000,000      $50,000,000      $60,000,000      $70,000,000      $80,000,000     2004  2005  2006  2007  2008  2009  2010  2011  2012   MASTER PLAN UPDATE In the past 10 years, Georgetown has been quite successful in preserving historic resources and promoting economic de- velopment downtown, particularly in the blocks framing and adjacent to the historic courthouse. A new library and arts center add to the civic and cultural purpose of the area and new restaurants, retail busi- nesses and wineries have helped enliven and enrich the downtown experience. New townhomes have also presented new housing options. Pedestrian circula- tion and trails, a major component of the original Master Plan, have improved and each year new capital improvements are made to accommodate more pedestrian activity downtown. Even with recent success, downtown still faces some challenges that could threat- en its competitive advantage. It lies in a corridor of other communities that can attract desirable businesses by offering a “small town” atmosphere. If Georgetown fails to maintain the character of its down- town core and enhance its vitality, then its competitive edge in a broader arena of regional economic and community de- velopment would be diminished. The city has therefore taken the initia- tive to update their master plan to stay competitive. The ideas presented in this document, the Downtown Master Plan Update, are for a future character, one that is not yet realized, but that can eas- ily be achieved if City, County, and busi- ness leaders put forth a concerted effort towards implementation. All of the recom- mendations in this plan are designed to work together, in a cohesive urban design system. 5 Introduction PRIVATE INVESTMENT • Two Rivers Residential Development - not in the study area, but influential to downtown resurgence (Austin Avenue & San Gabriel Village Blvd.) • Grape Creek and Georgetown Winer- ies (downtown square) • El Monumento restaurant (2nd Street & Austin Ave.) • Ruby K’s restaurant (8th Street & Church Street) • Thundercloud Subs restaurant (9th Street & Main Street) • Gumbo’s restaurant (downtown square) • The Hollow restaurant (downtown square) • Hummingbird Hollow retail (9th Street and Austin Ave.) • Union on 8th event center (8th Street and Myrtle Street) • All Things Kids retail (downtown square) • The Escape retail (downtown square) • The Southern Hippie retail (8th Street & Main Street) New restaurants have helped enliven downtown. PUBLIC INVESTMENT • Justice Center, County Jail and Public parking structure (4th Street & Rock Street) • Georgetown Central Library (8th Street and Forest Street) • Public Parking Lot (9th Street and Main Street) • Streetscape improvements (mainly along Austin Avenue and Main Street) • Signage and wayfinding improve- ments (throughout downtown) • Downtown Art Center and Splash Pad (9th Street & Main Street) Streetscape improvements and an upgraded public parking lot along Main Street have helped activate it and make it more walkable. 6 City of Georgetown | Downtown Master Plan Update 1 inch = 500 feet±Georgetown Master Plan Update Georgetown, TX March, 2014 E. 2nd St. E. 3rd St. E. 4th St. E. 5th St. E. 6th St. E. 7th St. E. 8th St. E. 9th St. E. 10th St. E. 11th St. E. University Ave. W. 4th St. W. 5th St. W. 6th St. W. 8th St. W. 9th St. W. 10th St. W. 11th St. W. University Ave. Au s t i n Ave . Ma i n S t . Ch u r c h S t . My r t l e S t . .tS mlE As h S t . Fore s t S t . Ha r t S t . Rai l r o a d Ave . .tS tseroF Ma r t i n L u t h e r K i n g S t . Wes t S t . Sc e n i c D r. Au s t i n Av e . Mai n S t . Ch u r c h S t . My r t l e S t . Elm S t . South San Ga b r i e l R i v e r San Gabriel Village Blvd. www.winterandcompany.net MAP 2 | PROGRESS SINCE 2003 LEGEND: Downtown Overlay District Boundary New Public Project New Private Project New Private Business New Public Streetscape El Monumento JailJusticeCenter Parking Structure Townhomes Tamiro Plaza Monument Cafe New Central Library Courthouse Renovation Art Center Public Parking Lot New Retail Center Proposed Extension of District Boundary 7 Introduction DOCUMENT ORGANIZATION The plan is organized in eight topic areas: 1. EXISTING CONDITIONS • Reviews guiding city policies • Notes opportunities and issues 2. BASIC FRAMEWORK • Explains and illustrates the com- prehensive vision for downtown 3. DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY • Introduces the character areas • Introduces new development pro- totypes • Introduces development scenarios for key opportunity areas 4. PEDESTRIAN AND BIKE CIRCULA-TION AND STREETSCAPE DESIGN • Recommends priorities for pedes- trian improvements • Recommends sidewalk and cross- walk enhancements • Provides hierarchy of design ele- ments 5. AUTOMOBILE CIRCULATION AND PARKING • Recommends circulation improve- ments • Provides parking strategy 6. WAYFINDING AND PUBLIC SIGNS • Identifies locations for wayfinding and public signs • Provides recommendations for sign design improvements • Recommends design solutions for accenting important gateways 7. PARKS AND OPEN SPACE • Identifies sites for new parks, pla- zas and open space in downtown • Public art placement 8. IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGIES • Identifies funding mechanisms • Identifies criteria for setting priori- ties 8 City of Georgetown | Downtown Master Plan Update ILLUSTRATIONS NOTE: The Downtown Master Plan Update incorporates several illustrations that demonstrate design concepts. These include sketches of some specific development opportunities. Note that the sketches illustrate how the principles would be applied to these situations, but they do not dictate that the sites are to be de- veloped as shown. PLAN BOUNDARY NOTE: This plan establishes policies for the Downtown Overlay District only, as shown in the Plan Boundary (Map #1.) In some cases, maps within the document include diagrams that extend beyond this area, for the purposes of illustrating functional relationships with adjoining neigh- borhoods. This does not mean that policy ideas from the Downtown Overlay District should extend be- yond the boundaries and into those areas.