Agenda - Planning Commission - 03/06/2014

Home

Urban: Redeveloping to meet the needs of new generations Urban communities developed primarily during the economic prosperity between the end of World War II and the economic recession of 1973-1975. These cities, adjacent to the Urban Center communities, experienced rapid development to house the growing families of the Baby Boom era. Highway accessibility led to the development of Urban communities as centers of office, commercial, institutional, and industrial uses, including many of the region's early major indoor shopping malls. Many Urban Area communities are served by highways that predate the interstate system (e.g., Highways 100 and 36). iI1 11.1111kInir EMI k imenevellISELIN�1 i. pia" AMIN 1111 umwm The development patterns of Urban communities show the growing influence of the automobile as miles and miles of new limited -access highways accelerated further automobile -oriented growth. After World War II, the region's two-lane roads that extend out from the Urban Center were improved, expanded, and new roads and highways were built, making large tracts of land available for development. Streets are wider and include more curves. Lots are larger, parking is plentiful, streets no longer have alleys, sidewalks are less common, and residential parking is accessed via streets instead of alleys. In many cases, local streets do not intersect with higher volume roadways as more emphasis is placed on traffic movement and circulation. Over time, transit service has been extended into these communities from local routes originating in the Urban Center. Some new services were introduced such as circulator services often centered on the regional malls and express buses serving major park -and -rides that transport commuters to the downtowns of Minneapolis and St. Paul. Urban communities face the challenge of redeveloping in ways that accommodate a greater mix of uses, incorporate better facilities for pedestrian and bicyclists, and lay the groundwork for pedestrian -friendly districts and improved transit services. Examples include the Penn -American District in Bloomington and the 1-394 Mixed Use District in Golden Valley. The Council forecasts that the Urban communities will add xx,000 residents, xx,000 households and xx,000 jobs between 2010 and 2040. This represents growth of xx percent in population, xx percent in households and xx percent in employment over the three decades. Urban communities are: [add list here] DRAFT FOR PUBLIC COMMENT Last revised: February 21, 2014 54