2. PCSR 09-13-2005 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

. · Encourage the creation of municipal parking lots and garages by allowing payment of a fee in lieu of providing on-site parking and by encouraging landowners to dedicate rear portions of their lots for public parking. · Prohibit off-street parking in front of buildings. · Provide access to parking areas through alleys and side streets when- ever possible. · Make parking areas as pedestrian-friendly as possible through the use of pedestrian pathways, trees, walkways, and attractive lighting on pedestrian-scale fixtures. · Where economically feasible, encourage the construction of multilevel parking garages that have ground-floor retails uses, are hidden in the middle of a block, or are underground. . Streamline development review in transit-oriented areas. Establish a by- right process facilitating construction and rehabilitation of buildings that contribute to the density, mix of uses, and urban quality essential in a tran- sit-supportive area. Set maximum block lengths. Establish maximum block lengths reflective of traditional patterns (generally no greater than 300 to 500 feet) to encourage pedestrian activity, to create connectivity of streets, and to provide variety in the pedestrian experience. Smaller block lengths are particularly critical in mixed-use areas. Require street connectivity. Require streets to connect except where topog- raphy or other physical barriers make this impossible. Where streets cannot connect, require pedestrian walkways and stairways for pedestrian connec- tivity. A connectivity ratio can quantify this requirement while allowing for limited exceptions. The index is calculated by dividing the number of street sections between intersections, including cul-de-sacs, by the number of street nodes. For a detailed discussion of various approaches to addressing. con- nectivity through development regulations see PAS Report No. 515, Street Connectivity, by Susan Handy et al. . Review street and sidewalk standards. Include standards that create an attractive environment for pedestrians. Narrower streets, with parallel on- street parking tend to reduce the speed of vehicles and enhance the sense of security of pedestrians, while shortening the crossing distance between the two sidewalks. YVider sidewalks, designed with care (e.g., sidewalks that are shaded in warm climates, offer some protection from rain, are lit well, and are furnished with benches and other conveniences) encourage pedestrian activity. In contrast to conventional zoning, New Urbanist regulations include detailed provisions for streets and civic spaces, recognizing their impor- tance in community life and place making. . ENHANCING STREETS CAPES AND CIVIC LiFE Make streets public spaces. Establish dimensional regulations for build- ings and streets to effectively shape the streets as a public space. Reduce or eliminate minimum setbacks. Rather than employing setbacks, use "build-to lines" or "build-to zones" (consisting of minimum and maxi- mum setbacks). Exceptions can be allowed for civic buildings, pedestrian plazas, or outdoor eating areas in front of restaurants, cafes, or other buildings (Figure 8). Chapter 1. New Urbanist Essentials 21 ~ i , :>- ~ It Wide sidewalks and grozmd-JIoar shops and restaurants combine to create a lively street scene and a walkable urban dislrict at The Comer at Eastern Market in Washington, D.C. A variance 'was required to alla,./} the corner building to be built at a floor area ratio of 3.0. .