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
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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.
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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.
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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
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Ave
.
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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.