sarasota new urbanism & complete streets

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July 22, 2008 Forum of the Downtown Partnership

WHAT DOES NEW URBANISM MEAN FOR DOWNTOWN SARASOTA?

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New Urbanism

Summary: American planning movement re-formulated during 1980s toward creating and promoting walk-able, neighborhood based development as an alternative to suburban sprawl.

Implementation: Zoning and land development codes toward future development. Based around the urban centers of the past.

Principles of New Urbanism: Walkability Connectivity Mixed-Use & Diversity Mixed Housing Traditional Neighborhood Structure Quality Architecture & Urban Design Smart and Balanced Transportation Sustainability

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“Walkability”

10-minute walk of most needs Pedestrian Orientated Design

Slow speed streets Buildings orientated toward public space Increased Density of buildings

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Connectivity

Interconnected streets grid to disperse traffic

Hierarchy of boulevards, streets and alleys

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Mixed-Use and Diversity

Mixture of residential, retail and office within the neighborhood

Diversity of people promotes safer neighborhoods Mixture of single-family and multi-family dwelling units

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Mixed Housing

Provide a range of types, sizes, and prices within close proximity

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Quality Architecture & Urban Design Emphasis on quality workmanship, aesthetics,

and creating a sense of destination Human scaled architecture

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Traditional Neighborhood Structure Clearly defined center and edge of urban area Public space and activity located at the center

of town

Transect Plan9

“Smart and Balanced" Transportation

Quality transit alternatives Bicycling and walking as realistic daily

alternatives

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“Smart and Balanced" Transportation

COMPLETE STREETS11

“Smart and Balanced" Transportation

COMPLETE STREETS More information available at ww.completestreets.org

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Sustainability

Minimal environmental impact of development and its operations

Eco-friendly technologies, respect for ecology and value of natural environment

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Upcoming Milestones

Consultant Authorization and Kick-off Identification of Concepts Technical Research of Each Concept Conduct Charrette Summarize Findings and

Recommendations

Total Schedule: About 8 months

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CONNECTING DOWNTOWN TO THE BAYFRONT PROJECT

City of Sarasota RFP#08-10K

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Project Objectives

Develop measures that reconnect the Downtown to the Bayfront using the most effective and efficient means with an emphasis on pedestrian comfort. This goal requires changing the current relatively high-speed, pedestrian-unfriendly character of US 41.

Efforts are focused toward developing an action plan that guides the design and construction process of improvements, which will utilize progressive concepts including, but not limited to, Complete Street Design, Context Sensitive Design, and those related to New Urbanism.

Improvement measures shall be phased as short-term (0 – 3 years) as well as long-term measures (3+ years).

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Geographic Scope

Public Right-of-Way located within US 41 between 14th Street to the North and Osprey Avenue to the South

Project influence area extends beyond geographic scope

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Project Participants

City residents and local stakeholders Florida DOT Sarasota-Manatee MPO

People who want to be involved toward creating solutions!

Recommendations based upon public feedback and technical merit

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