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Getting in alignment
  
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By CYNTHIA LESCALLEET
As Metro develops its light rail transit corridors, a city planning group is looking at ways to change redevelopment standards and regulations to accommodate and encourage “pedestrian-friendly” and “transit supportive” land uses near proposed stations and alignments.
Setbacks, sidewalks, adjacent parking, security, trash, “green” options and other challenges of juxtaposition are being discussed — and solutions brainstormed — during the ongoing Urban Corridor Initiative.
Any standards or rules that come from that planning process “are more forward-looking” than imminent and would be implemented “over time, rather than overnight,” said Marlene Gafrick, director of the Houston Planning and Development Department.
The idea is to have them in place before they’re needed, whenever that might be, Gafrick told members of the Museum District Business Alliance. She was a featured speaker at the group’s recent lunchtime forum on “Next Steps for the Richmond Rail Line.”
Architect David Robinson, president of Neartown Association as well as a member of the planning commission, also addressed the group of about 60 business and commercial property owners at the meeting, held at the Black Lab restaurant in Montrose.
The speakers’ presentations focused on the proposed University Line on Richmond Avenue from Spur 527 to Shepherd Drive, a segment anticipating transit stations to be located at Montrose Boulevard and Mandell Street near the Menil Collection and at Shepherd /Greenbriar Drive.
Speakers shared the message that it’s important to be “thinking carefully now about what’s coming.”
Robinson spoke about the area’s “stock of assets,” its unique qualities, its arts community, its parks and and its eclectic areas “to be protected and cherished.”
Also, the Neartown segment of the University rail line has some of the narrowest right-of-way in the corridor, Gafrick said, so any new guidelines or standards would need to accommodate its tight parameters as a minimum.
Robinson’s portion of the program made use of simple drawings depicting potential streetscapes that incorporate a “pedestrian realm” with private plazas, wide sidewalks with benches or colonnades for shade and such.
His plea to business owners, several of whom were also homeowners near the alignment, was to air to the Urban Corridor Initiative their concerns as well as their wish list on this issue as well as capital spending plans.
“Now is the time our appeals are needed,” he said.
Friends of Mandell Park President Stanley “Skip” Almoney, who lives on Bonnie Brae Street near the alignment, took the speakers up on the offer and asked that new standards address the back side of any redevelopment since that is the side that abuts homes.
“We don’t want an ugly parking garage across the street,” he said. “We need not to forget what’s behind all this (redevelopment).”
Urban Corridor Planning process began in June 2006 with public workshops. Now in Phase II and III, consultants are looking at issues of mobility, public spaces, urban design and the capacity of implementing it, according to press materials on the UCP process.
Groups such as Blueprint Houston and Envision Houston also have contributed to the initiative.
Meanwhile, a “stakeholders group” comprised of community leaders is also gathering information and ideas as they acts as dialog “facilitators.”
At this point, there are parallel lines in the sand determining who is doing what, Gafrick said. Metro oversees the alignment and stations. The city influence picks up at the curb, hopefully affecting a 15-foot pedestrian realm and influencing new development up to a distance of 1,500 feet from the curb.
Gafrick said it’s as yet unclear whether subsequent rules should be mandatory or performance based.
Regardless, the UPC implementation approach would “start small, work through it, look at it and come back for more.”
For information, visit www.houtonplanning.com and follow the link to Urban Corridor.
Setbacks, sidewalks, adjacent parking, security, trash, “green” options and other challenges of juxtaposition are being discussed — and solutions brainstormed — during the ongoing Urban Corridor Initiative.
Any standards or rules that come from that planning process “are more forward-looking” than imminent and would be implemented “over time, rather than overnight,” said Marlene Gafrick, director of the Houston Planning and Development Department.
The idea is to have them in place before they’re needed, whenever that might be, Gafrick told members of the Museum District Business Alliance. She was a featured speaker at the group’s recent lunchtime forum on “Next Steps for the Richmond Rail Line.”
Architect David Robinson, president of Neartown Association as well as a member of the planning commission, also addressed the group of about 60 business and commercial property owners at the meeting, held at the Black Lab restaurant in Montrose.
The speakers’ presentations focused on the proposed University Line on Richmond Avenue from Spur 527 to Shepherd Drive, a segment anticipating transit stations to be located at Montrose Boulevard and Mandell Street near the Menil Collection and at Shepherd /Greenbriar Drive.
Speakers shared the message that it’s important to be “thinking carefully now about what’s coming.”
Robinson spoke about the area’s “stock of assets,” its unique qualities, its arts community, its parks and and its eclectic areas “to be protected and cherished.”
Also, the Neartown segment of the University rail line has some of the narrowest right-of-way in the corridor, Gafrick said, so any new guidelines or standards would need to accommodate its tight parameters as a minimum.
Robinson’s portion of the program made use of simple drawings depicting potential streetscapes that incorporate a “pedestrian realm” with private plazas, wide sidewalks with benches or colonnades for shade and such.
His plea to business owners, several of whom were also homeowners near the alignment, was to air to the Urban Corridor Initiative their concerns as well as their wish list on this issue as well as capital spending plans.
“Now is the time our appeals are needed,” he said.
Friends of Mandell Park President Stanley “Skip” Almoney, who lives on Bonnie Brae Street near the alignment, took the speakers up on the offer and asked that new standards address the back side of any redevelopment since that is the side that abuts homes.
“We don’t want an ugly parking garage across the street,” he said. “We need not to forget what’s behind all this (redevelopment).”
Urban Corridor Planning process began in June 2006 with public workshops. Now in Phase II and III, consultants are looking at issues of mobility, public spaces, urban design and the capacity of implementing it, according to press materials on the UCP process.
Groups such as Blueprint Houston and Envision Houston also have contributed to the initiative.
Meanwhile, a “stakeholders group” comprised of community leaders is also gathering information and ideas as they acts as dialog “facilitators.”
At this point, there are parallel lines in the sand determining who is doing what, Gafrick said. Metro oversees the alignment and stations. The city influence picks up at the curb, hopefully affecting a 15-foot pedestrian realm and influencing new development up to a distance of 1,500 feet from the curb.
Gafrick said it’s as yet unclear whether subsequent rules should be mandatory or performance based.
Regardless, the UPC implementation approach would “start small, work through it, look at it and come back for more.”
For information, visit www.houtonplanning.com and follow the link to Urban Corridor.
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