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All other elements, viewed from the path, give the gateway
<br /> its distinct character. For example, a panoramic view has a
<br /> strong presence in the landscape, but the quality of the viewing
<br /> path affects the perception of the panorama. It is especially
<br /> attractive iFit is offered in teasing glimpses as a viewer
<br /> approaches. Imagine driving toward a mountain on a straight
<br /> highway. You can see thc granite rising above thc plain from
<br /> 100 miles away. It looms larger as you approach, but over the
<br /> course of an hour the increase is so gradual that you barely
<br /> notice it.
<br /> Imagine approaching the same mountain on a hilly, curving
<br />highway. You drive under a canopy of trees, and the mountain
<br />disappears From view. When the trees Fall away, the mountain
<br />peeks out. The road curves around a hill, and the mountain is
<br />hidden once again. The road continues to wind in and out of
<br />the trees until you top a hill and meet a mountain that is
<br />enormous and breathtaking. Each twist, turn, and rise can be
<br />described as a landscape element. A path that curves out of sight
<br />is called a deflected vista. A path that appears to be blocked by
<br />an object in the foreground is a terminated vista. A scenic view
<br />obscured by objects in the foreground is a screened vista. A
<br />truncated vista occurs when the end of the path is visible, but an
<br />object blocks the immediate path. All can be used to create a
<br />dramatic entrance corridor.
<br /> The views that accompany a sense of arriwtl are the reward at
<br />the end ora gateway journey. The arrival often occurs at a
<br />junction or breaks in the path. Junctions are not only
<br />intersections but any place xvhere travelers change direction or
<br />transportation modes. These places command attention because
<br />they require the observer to make decisions. During the period
<br />of heightened attention, the observer sees her surroundings with
<br />greater clarity, making junctions a prime location for
<br />establishing a strong place image.
<br />
<br />Planning Fundamentals
<br />Once the corridor has been selected, it is time to identify goals.
<br />Are you creating a gateway ro a cit% a neighborhood, or a
<br />development? What eFfecr should the gateway have? Most often,
<br />the primary goal is to "create a sense oFplace." This phrase is
<br />often used and hard to define. When a plan is in proposal
<br />stages, you may want to state your case more concretely. Ifa
<br />well-defined gateway already exists, the goal may be to refine
<br />and preset'vt ir. If not, the goal may be to create an entrance,
<br />enhance community character, or ease a transition between uses.
<br /> In any case, the same physical elements may be employed.
<br />To define the goal Further, review your inventory of the
<br />landscape. Does the arrival point already exhibit a distinct
<br />character? IF not, your first goal will be to distinguish it from the
<br />rest of the landscape. Corridor planning, Facade renovation,
<br />historic preservation, overlay zoning, open space preservation,
<br />sign control, streetscaping, and other design standards are all the
<br />tools necessary to create distinct character and a sense of arrival.
<br /> Gateways are often proposed at a political boundary rather
<br />than at a natural threshold. As a rule, a landscaped boundary
<br />marker alone wilt not trigger a sense of arrival. The more
<br />homogeneous the setting, the grander the gateway must be For
<br />the observer to perceive a sense of arrival. The solution may
<br />require monumental scale and contrast: a vast open space in a
<br />dense urban location, a curved, tree-lined boulevard, or land-
<br />mark-sized public art. It may be more practical to concentrate on
<br />the source of the problem--the homogeneous arrival point.
<br />Once you have established the plan's goal, determine its
<br />audience. Residents, shoppers, and tourists have different needs.
<br />
<br />Targeting a specific type of user will help establish priorities and
<br />determine which design strategies are appropriate. You must
<br />also choose the transportation mode of the intended audience
<br />because scale is largely determined by the speed at which the
<br />viewer passes through it. The composition oFa motorist's
<br />gateway will focus on gross visual elements, such as color,
<br />height, and massing of grouped structures. You can determine
<br />an appropriate scale by taking an inventory' of visual
<br />obstructions and considering the perceptual limitations imposed
<br />by vehicle speeds.
<br /> Aside from scale, the greatest difference in designing for
<br />motorists or pedestrians is security. A vast open space that looks
<br />inviting From a passing car may leave a pedestrian feeling
<br />vulnerable. Design standards should be tailored to comfort an
<br />observer at walking speed. Pedestrians will be attracted to small
<br />courtyards, public squares, and undulating walkways that give
<br />teasing views of the destination. Vantage poir~ts that provide
<br />landmark views are vety effective, as long as the viewer is well
<br />protected from traffic.
<br />
<br />Implementation: Three Case Studies
<br />The following case studies illustrate three approaches to
<br />achieving gateway goals. Seminole County and Lake Mary,
<br />Florida, have combined a roadway improvement program with a
<br />gateway corridor overlay zone. Portland, Maine, has used
<br />existing zoning standards and a series oFpublic and private
<br />impri~vements to further gateway goals. Denver has created an
<br />entire zoning district and development review process to
<br />develop the corridor from the new airport.
<br /> Lake Mary. In March 1988, the Lake Mary Boulevard Study
<br />Committee met to sketch out a set of uniform design principles
<br />for a stretch of county highway running west from Interstate 4
<br />through Lake Mary and to the city of Sanford. The rapidly
<br />developing boulevard is the primary arterial through Lake Mary.
<br />Early on, the committee set a goal to preserve the community's
<br />image by providing an attractive entry. The committee felt that
<br />a strong gateway would protect property values and attract
<br />shoppers and development along the corridor. It drafted design
<br />principles to serve as the basis for local development review to
<br />ensure quality investment. The study proposed expanding the
<br />roadbed from two to four lanes, adding a tree-lined median,
<br />improving the traffic signals, and treating the intersections with
<br />landscaping and concrete pavers. It placed high priority on
<br />utility burial, stricter sign codes, parking lot landscaping and
<br />lighting requirements, uniform setbacks with landscaping
<br />standards, and preserving canopy trees.
<br /> AFter 10 months of study, negotiating ~vith utility
<br />companies, and a public workshop, the committee produced the
<br />Lake Mar), Boulevard Gateway Concept. It included a model
<br />interlocal agreement and a model gateway corridor ordinance.
<br />The agreement made the county responsible for roadway
<br />engineering, installing concrete pavers at intersections, installing
<br />new traffic signals, landscaping, and planting canopy trees ever),
<br />40 feet in the median along the right-of-way. Lake Mary and
<br />Sanford were to provide i~rigation, landscape maintenance, and
<br />half the cost of the concrete pavers. The model gateway
<br />ordinance rook the form ora zoning overlay. It established a
<br />corridor along the boulevard extending 320 feet on both sides of
<br />the center line. Within the corridor, buildings are to be set back
<br />60 feet from the right-of-way and are limited to 35 feet in
<br />height. It limits signs in height, area, and number and sets
<br />standards for parking lot landscaping and lighting. Developers
<br />are required to place canopy trees every 40 feet in a landscaped
<br />
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