Kathleen Merryman has an interesting column today. She talks about planning and development from the ground up - rather than the traditional "here's the plan - what do you think" approach. It's a planning principle that certainly applies to public properties and projects, like Metro Parks as Merryman points out.
It reminds me of the very involved, costly but rewarding "visioning" process we went through for the development of the former smelter property. It's a private property/project, but the outcome was creative and community support was strong. The traditional approach used to develop the Ruston School property caused a huge uproar in Ruston from which we have not fully recovered. It's well worth the hard, messy work of getting everyone involved up front, especially on public projects.
I still wish Ruston would walk through the process of creating a community vision for our future ~ not what a consultant tells us, or what the technical possibilities are ~ what we as the people in this town see and dream and hope and wish for. As Kathleen Merryman says in her column today titled Leave room for big ideas from the little people of Tacoma: "They know better than any planner the assets and opportunities it offers. They know its secrets, its problems, its delights. They can envision its potential."
Just my thoughts for today. What are yours?
Karen
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I still wish Ruston would walk through the process of creating a community vision for our future ~ not what a consultant tells us, or what the technical possibilities are ~ what we as the people in this town see and dream and hope and wish for. As Kathleen Merryman says in her column today titled Leave room for big ideas from the little people of Tacoma: "They know better than any planner the assets and opportunities it offers. They know its secrets, its problems, its delights. They can envision its potential."
Just my thoughts for today. What are yours?
I think there is a great potential for Ruston.
Congress for New Urbanism has some great example of mixed use buildings.
I would read up on good urban design ASAP. Congress for New Urbanism has alot of resources. Look to see what looks nice.
The goals I would try to get for the Ruston developer would be:
1) Short walkable blocks with mixed use buildings: retail and/or commercial on the first floor.
2) Maximize parking on the streets (curb parking) in the development rather than blightful surface level parking lots.
3) Any "open space" should be made with high density building on the edges with retail on the first floor so that it spills into the edge of the plaza. This is how lively and functional plazas can be designed.
Otherwise, the "open space" is going to be void of life like Tollefson Plaza in Tacoma.
4) The buildings in the retail areas needs to be build to the edge of the sidewalk and adjacent to each other. (Similar to 700 to 900 block of Pacific Avenue in Tacoma)
5) The number of blank walls on the pedestrian areas need to be minimized. There needs to be sufficient windows.
6) The housing density of the development needs to be pretty high to support retail in the development. Otherwise, the development is going to be little more than a remote suburban housing development.
I have had the chance to review the development plan when it was presented before the North End Neighborhood Council which I am on. From what could tell, it looked pretty good.
Great points, Erik. Thanks for getting them out there. I am hoping we can formulate a broader vision of our future that goes beyond the Point Ruston development, as vital as that is. Something outside the traditional comp plan review or land use exercise... Ron Thomas had a wonderful process he started for us a few years ago before he was run out of town. I don't know that we have the political will or ability to do come together on an issue like this - but I hope we can get there someday.
Thanks for adding your thoughts - you've given some great ideas to digest!
drizell,
I could care less how much education you have in planning. Sounds like you chose the wrong career. You work in a government carrer field. In other words you work for the people, so head there words! I have been in governemnt service for almost 20 years and have never forgotten I serve the people. Apparenlty you couldn't make in the private sector, in planner so you went for a governemnt job, you doi not have the right to second guess the people who pay your salary!!!!
drivel should be your handle with an attitude like that.
I have had much experience in the corporate world with insultants. There are some good ones but they are outnumbered by layabouts that want to spew their new plan and collect their check and never be heard from again.
If you have a wonderful plan and cannot sell it..... Don't blame the buyer. You are either a poor salesman or your plan is not so wonderful. If you feel the potential buyer is incorrect, then educate him.
Wow Karen I think you hit a nerve!
Come on guys, we can disagree without the personal insults. I think drizell has some valid points.
But I still think the foundation, the character of a place comes from the inhabitants, not the planners. There is a role for both - and the outcome should include input from everyone. A medical doctor and CPA serve their client, and the same applies to urban planners.
I think it's sad that we are so quick to believe the worst side of someone. I thought one point drizell was making was the education involved in becoming a planner. The comments from us in the community are absolutly important and essential but we need to recognize there are specialized fields that also contribute.
If I bring my car into the mechanic I want him to listen to me (Please!!) but I want his knowledge and expertise to diagnose and fix it.
During the Asarco Weeks process (really months!) there were many important parts, all essential to a successful project. We had the public, we had planners, we had government agencies that could be affected, we had businesses that could be affected. Recognize that everyone has a part, and embrace their ideas.
Our collective voice resulted in a plan the community endorsed. Karen's right, that's the process we need to keep striving for.
I see that today's TNT says that the Pierce County planning dept is overmanned and underfunded. Looks to be a likely prospect for contracting out our planning and permitting. Not that I would be so bold as to suggest that HZ be launched into the ether posthaste.
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