Downtown Orting Survey Results

Orting Draft Downtown Vision Plan
December, 2008 Status Report
Introduction
The Downtown Vision process has produced a discussion draft for continued community participation in 2009. The Vision Plan is contained in two volumes. The June, 2008 Status Report included summaries on technical analyses of current downtown conditions, forecasts of future potentials, and conclusions regarding the feasibility of private infill and redevelopment. In addition, the status report documented community participation in a brainstorming workshop, online survey, and discussions of Orting’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats by consultants and the Chamber of Commerce. This second volume of the Vision Plan is a work in progress that features a range of possible physical improvements to the public realm (streets, sidewalks, parks, and public spaces) and development concepts for public/private infill and redevelopment of retail, office, and residential projects and community facilities. The intent of this portion of the Plan is to be a vehicle for on‐going dialogue with the Chamber of Commerce, Planning and Parks Commissions and the City Council as well as a tool for current landowners and prospective developers to use in assessing future project feasibility. A Power Point presentation of the graphic plan has been prepared and presented to the Planning Commission. In early 2009, it will be used to make presentations to the Chamber and other interested parties. A written report will also be made available and posted on the city website. A “poster” version of the presentation was used at the December 4 community open house. 2008 Comprehensive Plan Amendments and Development Regulations
Review
Comprehensive Plan – The 2008 Comprehensive Plan amendments include several major initiatives aimed at implementing the Downtown Vision. These include policy language aimed at public/private partnering in the Economic Development Element: Goal ED4 – Create public‐private partnerships that will nurture entrepreneurship, innovation, and business growth. Policy ED 4.1 Encourage economic sectors that: 
Pay higher‐than‐average wages; 
Bring new capital into the local economy; 
Can be sustained in the City; 
Maintain sound environmental practices; and 
Diversify the economic base. Policy ED 4.2 Ensure that City licensing and permitting practices and procedures are coherent, fair and expeditious. Where specialized industry requirements call Draft Downtown Orting Vision Plan – December, 2008
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for the inspection by government agencies, coordinate with those agencies to eliminate duplication of efforts. Policy ED 4.3 Promote the infill and redevelopment of the downtown to enhance the sense of community, encourage pedestrian/bicycle mobility, and reduce the number and length of motorized shopping trips by working with property and business owners to market Orting, provide parking solutions, create anchor projects with public gathering places, and support the development of mixed use retail, office and residential projects. The Transportation Element was amended to remove language suggesting that SR 162 within the downtown area should not be changed into a one‐way couplet configuration. This amendment was endorsed by the state Department of Transportation. This action is supported by the following new language: Since 1997, Orting has grown substantially and the community’s transportation needs have changed. New residential and school development along Washington between Whitehawk Boulevard and the north City limits have provided turn and merge lanes at new intersections. Pending development of the Town Center North area is expected to result in frontage improvements including an urban configuration of curbs, gutters, sidewalks, and on‐street parking along with pedestrian amenities. The proposed Bridge for Kids will create a new pedestrian focus on Washington that will contribute to recreational trail use connections across the Carbon River. The planned Southwest Connector will use a new traffic signal at the Whitehawk Boulevard intersection to direct through traffic around downtown Orting to the Calistoga Bridge. The Orting School District’s new middle school and planned stadium will stimulate increased pedestrian connections across Washington to the high school campus. The Downtown Vision Plan anticipates that Washington Avenue from Bridge Street to Whitehawk Boulevard will serve as Orting’s “main street” providing a highly pedestrian‐oriented street with lighting, signage, plantings, and other design features that are reflect the historic heritage of the community and promote economic development and tourism. Development Regulations – The 2008 amendments to the Development Code are scheduled to be heard by the Planning Commission on January 5, 2009. Following the public hearing, the Commission will deliberate and make a recommendation to the City Council for action. The amendment package includes several features that support the Downtown Vision including building height increases along Washington Avenue, refinements of the sign code, and refinements of the permit processing system. These are staff recommendations that have been extensively reviewed by the Commission in a number of workshops in 2008. Draft Downtown Orting Vision Plan – December, 2008
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Elements of the Downtown Vision Plan
The Downtown Vision Plan addresses the following elements:  principal routes through town,  streets to consider for pedestrian amenities,  gateway locations and ideas,  several concepts for redeveloping the school property  existing trails & landmarks  existing anchor uses  areas for redevelopment opportunities Figure A: Map of the Downtown Orting showing the primary elements of the Vision Plan Draft Downtown Orting Vision Plan – December, 2008
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Principal Routes
Washington Avenue (SR 162), and Calistoga Street are the principal routes through Downtown Orting for vehicular traffic, connecting the City to the region. Future regional transportation improvements are planned to increase the flow of traffic through Orting, which can increase potential economic stimulus at the risk of creating congestion. A planned “southwest connector” is intended to relieve pressures of some pass‐through traffic by connecting Washington to Calistoga around the downtown. The Vision anticipates improvements to Washington and Calistoga that will balance vehicular, pedestrian and future transit movement to make the Downtown an inviting and attractive destination. Visualizing the “main streets” in this Plan provides a basis for community discussions about future improvements in the rights‐of‐way that will enable the City to establish a program for future public investment and guide frontage improvements of private development. Pedestrian Amenities
The existing grid of streets in the Downtown Core (between Corrin and Varner, Whitesell and Bridge, and along Calistoga – marked in Figure A as green dots) is the most time‐tested framework for additional pedestrian‐oriented safety improvements and amenities. These improvements, intended to make walking in Downtown safe and more enjoyable, should include:  Additional pedestrian lighting (Orting’s streetlamps) with coordinated banners, flags, seasonal decorations  Curb bulb‐outs to make crossings narrower for pedestrians  Specialized paving to emphasize crosswalks and sidewalks  Buildings with awnings or other weather protection up to the sidewalk and entrances, plazas, and displays will create more points of interest for pedestrians  Planters with street trees and seasonal landscaping  Limited vehicular access points, or curb cuts, for cars to cross the sidewalk An example of what Washington Avenue could look like with the addition of some of the pedestrian amenities mentioned above Before
Draft Downtown Orting Vision Plan – December, 2008
After
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Gateways
Gateways are visual ways of emphasizing the primary entrances to town. In ways of emphasizing the primary entrances to town. In Downtown Orting, the key intersections to consider for gateways include Washington & Whitesell, Washington & Calistoga, and Washington & Bridge, and possibly Bridge & Harman (marked in Figure A as blue X’s). Gateways may be physical structures or other features that say “you have arrived.” These gateway intersections could be visually identified using directional signs, banners, special lighting, fountains, kiosks, or other small structures. A building itself, if constructed with the right orientation and design, could act as a gateway into town. Ideas for gateway treatments should be invited from all sectors of the community, including school kids. Current photo of the intersection of Washington Ave & Bridge St
View of Mt Rainier from the Trail Foothills Trail and City Parks
The Foothills Trail and the City Parks are very important Downtown features. In addition to providing recreation space for residents and visitors, they represent an important aspect of Orting’s past in that the railroad corridor was a major reason for the creation of the Downtown. The Trail attracts tourists and has become a cherished pedestrian and bicycle link through the City and out into the Valley to the north and south. The Vision Plan highlights the Trail and parks as major attractions that should be used to shape Downtown to orient and facilitate the flow of people to businesses and buildings on both sides. Draft Downtown Orting Vision Plan – December, 2008
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Existing Landmarks
The Vision Plan identifies Orting’s existing landmarks in and around the Downtown. These include murals, the Orting Tower, and many buildings such as the Eagles’ Hall, the United Methodist Church, and several private residences that convey the history, rural town character, and spirit of the community. Other landmarks, not necessarily historic in nature, may exist and should be identified. An effective way of preserving Orting’s character can be to encourage development that preserves the existing landmarks or builds on the themes they already present. Community members expressed particular attachment to all the murals in Orting. They wonder how redevelopment can happen while preserving the murals, many of which depict real people who lived and worked in Orting in times past. Existing Landmarks
Anchors
Pioneer Village, the Post Office, City Hall, Library, Public Safety Building, School Campus, Eagles’ Hall are important places that draw people Downtown. They provide shopping, entertainment, and public service uses that serve people from throughout the Valley. They shape the core and the grid of Orting’s walkable center. Draft Downtown Orting Vision Plan – December, 2008
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Major Redevelopment Opportunity
The city block bounded by Washington, Calistoga, Varner and Leber is an extremely important location within the Downtown. In particular, the Orting School District property on the northern portion of the block is will be a premier candidate for redevelopment in the near future. The Vision Plan shows conceptual alternative ways for the block to be planned. These alternatives include the private parcels located on the south edge of the block along Varner. The uses considered include private retail and commercial businesses, and a new library, city hall and community center with public parking. These concepts are intended to stimulate community discussion and help to focus City, county, and private thinking about the best ways to use this opportunity. Conceptual Alternative 1 Conceptual Alternative 2
Draft Downtown Orting Vision Plan – December, 2008
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Other Redevelopment & Infill Opportunities
A substantial amount of Downtown’s existing business area may be susceptible to future redevelopment. Increases in land values and Orting’s attractions will trigger owners and developers to consider filling the vacant (parking) lots with profitable buildings and renovate, expand, or replace existing buildings to meet increased demand for retail, office, or residential uses. Since the existing development regulations hinder this potential, the Vision anticipates changes that can make properties more attractive. This includes possibly increasing building heights and eliminating or reducing off‐street parking requirements. Parking
The Vision Plan has identified three off‐street parking improvement locations for consideration by the City and downtown stakeholders in the next phase of implementation. This preliminary strategy allows for optional means for achieving an increase in the supply of short‐term parking in support of new development. As a preferred approach emerges, and development pressure grows, the City will engage business and property owners in discussing the financial implications. The three preliminary concepts for consideration are: Better utilization of the city parking lots along Van Scoyoc Avenue between Calistoga and Bridge Streets. These are currently gravel surfaced and were initially built to serve users of the adjacent city park and the Foothills Trail. They are supposed to be short‐term parking. It is possible that paving and striping these lots and enforcing the length of use could improve their utilization for downtown shoppers. Conflicts with recreationalists are likely in this case, and prior to implementing this option, a survey of current use should be conducted. Draft Downtown Orting Vision Plan – December, 2008
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Joint use of the existing Eagles’ Hall parking
lot. This is a gravel area adjacent to the
Eagles’ building on the south side of Bridge
Street. Current use of the area is highest when
the hall is serving meals or holding events.
During off-peak times, it may be possible for
the area to be used for short term parking. This
would involve paving, striping, signing and
enforcement and a rental agreement to make
the expanded use financially attractive to the
Eagles and to cover liability issues
Public/Private development of the
block bounded by Leber, Calistoga,
Washington and Varner including the
Orting School District property to be
surplused. This could include a mix
of commercial and public facilities
within a master-planned development
including public parking as illustrated
here.
December 4, 2008 Public Open House
From 4:00‐6:00 p.m., posters illustrating the draft Vision Plan were on view in the community meeting room of the Multi‐purpose Center. Approximately 20 people participated, including Mayor Temple and several downtown business owners. The posters described the downtown vision process and components of the vision. Posters that illustrated potential development concepts or redevelopment ideas generated the most discussion. Two posters showed computer‐generated images of what redevelopment of the school property could look like. People responded by comparing the alternatives and imagining how well existing businesses would fit in the proposed buildings. A series of three posters compared “before” photographs of Washington Avenue with simulated “after” versions of the same images. The modified photos showed what Washington Avenue could look like with taller buildings along the east side of the street and additional pedestrian amenities , including a new sidewalk on the west Draft Downtown Orting Vision Plan – December, 2008
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side of the street along the park. Taller buildings were portrayed as a composite of images of existing buildings in Orting to suggest how existing design guidelines might impact redevelopment. People responded to these by noting that views of the mountain could be preserved, imagining various parking scenarios, appreciating some of the pedestrian amenities represented (particularly the cross walks emphasized with special paving and flower‐planted bulb‐outs), and wondering what would happen to many of Orting’s murals if various buildings are redeveloped. In addition people discussed how much space could realistically be dedicated to a pedestrian walkway along the park while still allowing space for a northbound turn lane and maintaining child safety in the park. Towards the end, several community members sat down to discuss various strategies for redevelopment and stimulating economic growth in the down town, including a discussion of the pros and cons of participating in Main Street programs or having an organized downtown association. Open House Comments
The following written comments were provided by citizens at the open house:  Concept #2 (sketch up model) offers clock tower, continues look from Park. More green space between buildings  Trees needed of left side of Washington Ave. The wall is sacred. Space in sidewalks for restaurant seating. No large tucks on our streets!  (left in front of the sketch up model concepts): What happened to Key Bank & WaWa Teriyaki – did they move into the shopping center?  Major Opportunities: great place for a library  WA & Calistoga: there will be a turn lane north bound so there isn’t room for a sidewalk.  Need parking behind businesses on Washington Ave  Wall: Lion’s club project from at least the 40s. Would rather keep the wall with a few more access points. But it’s really important for kids in park to be protected and enclosed, prevented from running into traffic on Washington. If we do move any stones from the wall, though (for more openings), it would be good to keep them for re‐use to make a flower bed at the base of the silo  Big concern about what happens to the murals if the buildings are rebuilt. The people depicted in the murals are real people – local citizens have stories and connections to them We don’t want to lose those  We applaud the focus on keeping Orting pedestrian‐friendly. Remember that many of the members of our community are senior citizens who need close‐
to‐door parking & the ability to ride their 3‐wheeled bicycles on sidewalks. The following notes were left on a few of the posters:  Landmarks should also include: o The silo, all murals, and anything on the historic walking tour map of town Draft Downtown Orting Vision Plan – December, 2008
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