TO: Mayor and Members of City Council
THRU: Kristoff Bauer, Deputy City Manager
Gerald Newton, AICP - Development Services Director
FROM: Taurus Freeman - Planning & Zoning Divisional Manager
DATE: February 3, 2020
RE:
Title
(TFA Related) Downtown Urban Design Plan & Murchison Road/Bragg Boulevard Area Study Presentations - by Steve Auterman - Urban Design Associates
end
COUNCIL DISTRICT(S):
Council District(s)
2 - Shakeyla Ingram
b
Relationship To Strategic Plan:
Goal II: Diverse and Viable Economy
Goal III: High Quantity Built Environment
Goal IV: Desirable Place to Live, Work and Recreate
Executive Summary:
The Downtown Urban Design Plan was created by combining extensive citizen input with proven urban design principles, becoming a guide towards investments in Downtown Fayetteville for the next five to ten years. By envisioning the future of Downtown, certain urban design improvements become clear, as do the actions needed to achieve them.
The plan can be found at the following link: <https://fayettevillenc.gov/home/showdocument?id=11776>
Subsequently, the City sought to coordinate and advance a number of public investments in the Murchison Road/Bragg Boulevard area between Fayetteville State University (FSU) and Downtown Fayetteville. Urban Design Associates (UDA), with Stewart Engineering, were asked to help facilitate a design conversation among stakeholders and the public, and seek the strategic alignment of public improvements and private investment in the area.
Below is a link to the plan:
<https://fayettevillenc.gov/home/showdocument?id=13659>
Background:
Downtown Urban Design Plan
In July of 2017, the City of Fayetteville was awarded a $100,000 Revitalization and Economic Development Grant from the State of North Carolina’s Legislature. These funds were used to hire a consulting group, which is being led by Urban Design Associates and assisted by Stewart Design, Walker Parking Consultants and SFL+a Architects.
The Plan includes: a written implementation strategy; graphic illustrations; suggestions regarding regulatory changes necessary to implement the proposed design concepts; policy recommendations. The intention of the Plan is to blend current community goals with previous planning efforts and policies; provide a clear guide and predictable framework that is useful for both developers and citizens; and serve as a powerful graphic tool for visualizing preferred Downtown development.
Murchison Road/Bragg Boulevard Area Study
Utilizing the base data and maps that UDA has already produced for the Downtown Urban Design Plan, UDA travelled to Fayetteville for one (1) day of meetings with the City, Fayetteville State University (FSU) and area stakeholders. They also met with representatives from the City to outline to goals for the meetings. A tour of the study area included the City and UDA to observe existing conditions and identify the sites owned by the City, FSU, or other stakeholders. In addition, the group viewed nearby developments that were relevant to the study.
UDA facilitated a two-hour meeting with the City, FSU and invited stakeholders to share each group’s current/planned investments, unmet needs and desires for development in the study area. The outcome of this meeting provided clarity of desired what investments are likely or could occur, identifying the goals and motivations for those efforts and define the type and breadth of compatible investment that is desired in the area. This will define the programmatic elements and focused property to investigate in the next step.
The small area study provides a planning process and analysis; public improvements; and the potential for private investment.
Issues/Analysis:
Downtown Urban Design Plan
Downtown Fayetteville is approximately .55 square miles in area and is generally bounded by Rowan, Russell, Robeson and Cool Spring Streets. The Downtown hosts an economically and racially diverse mix of people who live and work among historic buildings and landmarks, and many small businesses.
The City Council appointed a committee of citizens (the steering committee) to help guide the direction of the plan. An open house and three (3) days of Stakeholder meetings were held in August of 2018. Then in October 2018, the steering committee and consultant team held a Charrette, a second Public Open House, a Public Meeting and hosted information booth. The Public Meeting gave the public a review of the Charrette outcomes. The information booth was setup under the Market House during of the City’s Fourth-Friday events that week.
The steering committee and consultant team came up with the following recommendations:
1. Capitalize on Investment: Leverage the Fay-etteville Ballpark and neighboring invest-ments by transforming the City Hall block into a mixed-use sport and entertainment destination;
2. Create a Downtown District: Create a Down-town District by expanding the Hay Street experience to Russell Street;
3. Improve Downtown’s Gateways: Establish Downtown’s identity at its gateways, and carry it through the Downtown District area;
4. Enable a Neighborhood to Develop: Promote residential development to create a Down-town Neighborhood;
5. Expand Appropriate Development Standards: Revise and enact the development stan-dards that permit the appropriate mix of uses, types and development patterns for Downtown;
6. Properly Locate Cultural Venues: Establish the parameters for locating a Performing Arts Center that adds to Downtown vitality in a direct and meaningful way;
7. Improve Mobility and Streetscapes: Promote a well-functioning Downtown by improv-ing walkability and bikeability, managing parking, enhancing streetscapes, and pub-lic spaces; and
8. Enhance Natural Systems: Improve stormwa-ter management, and public spaces (trails and parks) to address the growing impacts of flooding.
Murchison Road/Bragg Boulevard Area Study
The City of Fayetteville commissioned this study to look at the Murchison Road and Bragg Boulevard corridors northwest of downtown. The area includes FSU, Murchison Road from Rowan Street to Langdon Street, the area between Bragg Boulevard and Murchison Road including Mazarick Park and Glenville Lake, and Bragg Boulevard from Rowan Street to Westmont Drive.
This planning process was designed to build consensus among all the stakeholders to improve the neighborhood with initiatives and strategies that will stabilize the neighborhood, create a context for reinvestment, and improve the quality of life for residents, businesses, and community institutions.
Budget Impact:
No immediate budgetary impacts.
Options:
Review and comment on the plans.
Recommended Action:
Staff recommends that the City Council move to accept the Downtown Urban Design Plan and the Murchison Road/Bragg Boulevard Area Study.
Attachments:
• Downtown Urban Design Plan
(<https://fayettevillenc.gov/home/showdocument?id=11776%20> )
• Murchison Road/Bragg Boulevard Area Study
(<https://fayettevillenc.gov/home/showdocument?id=13659> )