WORKSHOP AGENDA AND OBJECTIVES
On June 30,1998 the City of Flagstaff Planning Commission sponsored a public workshop to discuss design and development character issues. Participants worked in four teams that addressed the following questions:
EXERCISE ONE: DESIGN CHARACTER
Q1: Key Ingredients
What are the key ingredients that make Flagstaff special?
Q2. Favorite Places
What places exhibit these key features? Why are they special?
Q3: Future Character
Imagine future places: What will be the ingredients that make them part of Flagstaff?
EXERCISE TWO: DEFINING COMMERCIAL NEIGHBORHOODS
Q1: Types of Commercial Areas
Locate three commercial areas (other than Downtown). Mark these areas on the map, and describe what kinds of services they offer and who uses than.
Q2: Auto and Pedestrian Orientation
Which areas are auto-oriented? Which areas are pedestrian oriented? Which areas provide accommodations? List those features that make them successful. (Participants were asked to note auto and pedestrian orientation with a number ranking where 1-good pedestrian orientation, 2-blended pedestrian and auto orientation, and 3-primarily auto oriented.)
Q3: Adjacent Land Uses
What is the character of surrounding neighborhoods? How does the commercial development differ, accent or relate to them?
TEAMS' SUMMARY
The following lists summarize the participants' team presentations. Generally, participants felt Flagstaff's natural setting and views to be its greatest assets. The community's accessibility to open space and wilderness was important to them. Favorite places included the traditional downtown and surrounding neighborhoods and community parks. Participants stressed that future development character should respect the natural setting by protecting views and vegetation.
The planning teams identified over ten distinctive commercial districts other than Downtown. They felt that most of them were primarily auto-oriented areas with poor pedestrian accessibility. Milton Road, Sunnyside, Southside and Cedar Center were identified by some of the teams as having somewhat better pedestrian access.
Key Ingredients Summary
· Views
· Access to Open Space
· Clean Air/Dark Skies
· People/Small Town
· Green/Trees
· Wildlife
· National Forest
· Climate
· Retaining and Reuse of Buildings
· Main Street/Downtown
· Cultural Resources
· Northern Arizona University
· Cultural Diversity
Favorite Places Summary
1. Downtown Area
2. Buffalo Park
3. City Pond
3. Urban Trails
4. San Francisco Peaks
Other Favorite Places:
· Parks
· Wheeler Park
· Museum of Northern Arizona
· Southside
· Library/Civic Center
· Mars Hall
· Northern Arizona University
· Downtown Residential Areas
Future Character Summary
1. Mountain Views
2. Clustering Housing
3. Small Scale/Residential Scale/Height/Limits on Scale
Other Future Character:
· Trees
· More Interface Between Commercial/Residential
· Soft Transition Between Neighborhoods and Forest
· Development with more Dedicated Green Space
· Development without Outside Intervention
· Scaled Down Parking Lots
The following are the individual team summaries from the workshop.
TEAM #1
Key Ingredients
1. Surrounding Areas and Access
2. Views and Mountains
3. People/Small Town
Other Ingredients:
· Greenness Trees
· Natural Aromas
· Climate
Favorite Places
1. Buffalo Park
2. Urban Trails
3. Downtown-Pedestrian Scale
Other Places:
· National Forest and parks
· Mars Hill
· Northern Arizona University
· Snow Bowl Mountain
· Wheeler Park-City park
· View Areas
Future Character
1. Mountain Views
2. Color Scheme
3. Cluster Housing
Other Character:
· Natural Materials
· Commercial Areas at Residential Scale
· Trees
· No Advertising Signs
· Good, Shielded Lighting
· Urban Trails
· Arterials Lined with Trees
· Open Spaces
Types of Commercial Areas
1. Walmart (3)-Community
2. Fort Valley (2)-Neighborhood
3. Flag Mall (2)- Community
4. South Milton (2)-Tourist
5. East Flag 4th (2)-Neighborhood, Jobs
6. Butler (3)
7. Woodlands (3)
8. Bellemont(3)
9. Safeway-Cedar (2)
TEAM #2
Key Ingredients
1. National Forest
2. Small Town
3. Downtown
4. Northern Arizona University
Favorite Places
1. City parks
2. San Francisco Peaks
3. Downtown
Future Character
1. Small -scaled Intimate Places
2. Residential Scale (i.e., courtyards)
3. Soft Transition from Forest/Nature
to Development (Green Belts, etc.)
Types of Commercial Areas
NOTE: None related to neighborhoods. They are related to the car via arterial roads and large parking areas.
1. Cedar/West (3)
2. Safeway (3)
3. WalMart (3)
4. Milton Road (3)
5. 4th Street (3)
6. Mall (3)
7. Courtland (3)
8. Woodlands (3)
9. Basha's (3)
TEAM #3
Key Ingredients
1. Natural Setting
2. Peaks and Views
3. Outdoor Recreation
Favorite Places
1. Buffalo Park
2. Downtown
3. Wheeler Park
4. Museum of Northern Arizona
5. Trails
6. Southside
Future Character
1. Height Restrictions
2. Development's ability to resolve without outside intervention
3. Limits on Scale of Development Smaller and more Intimate
4. Cluster Development within Open Space
5. Green Space, Pocket Parks in Commercial and Industrial Areas
Types of Commercial Areas
1. Plaza S. Center (2)-makes relatively little
2. Route 66-East and North (3)-two major roads to cross
3. Milton Road (1-2)
4. Snow Bowl (3)
5. Observatory (3)
6. Northern Arizona University (3)
7. Butler Avenue (3)
8. North 89 (3)
9. Woodland Village (3)
10. Greenlaw/4th (3)-residential areas on each side-problems crossing 4th
11. Mall and Areas South (3)
12. Enterprise (3)
13. Cedar and Fourth (3)
14. Southside (1)-in midst of residential neighborhood
15. Industrial Area South of Mall (3)
TEAM #4
Key Ingredients
1. Clean Air
2. Trees
3. Mountain Views
4. Access to Open Space
5. "Main Street" (Small Town Character)
6. Climate
7. Wildlife
8. Historic Flavor
Favorite Places
1. Mars Hill
2. City Pond
3. Downtown
4. University
5. Buffalo Park
6. Library/Wheeler Park
7. Downtown Residential Backing up
to Wooded Areas
Future Character
1. Preserve Views of Mountains
2. Trees
3. Green Space
4. Clustering of Development with Open Space and Trees
Types of Commercial Areas
1. Woodlands Village (3)-basic services short ride, larger than neighborhood services
2/3. Milton Corridor (2)
4. Butler Avenue (3)- doesn't relate to adjacent areas, easy access to I-40
5. Cedar Shopping Center (2)
6. Sunnyside (2)-Only Place in Town Conducive to Small Business
7. 4th Street (2)
8. Mall (2)
9. Courtland Plaza (2)
10. Fort Valley Shopping Center (2)
Want more information? Call: (520) 774-5281
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