Agenda - Planning Commission - 07/09/2015 - Work Session

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TC4 Neighborhood Overview Two prominent public parks supply much of the informal green space for the Town Center, and more specifically, provide the valuable park frontage and mix of amenities needed to support housing development within the Neighborhood Sub -district. North Park surrounds an existing wetland and provides open space for year-round activities including a proposed sledding hill. Town Center Park cuts through the heart of the property and is characterized by wetlands, ponds and a meandering stream channel surrounded by gently sloping hills. Other park features include active and passive recreation areas, natural and manicured landscapes, education and interpretation opportunities, pedestrian and bicycle trails and many other amenities. Tree -lined streets connect these parks to surrounding residential neighborhoods and to nearby parks and amenities throughout the Town Center. Public realm and streetscape guidelines include the following: TC4 Parks, plazas and other public gathering spaces Public spaces in the Neighborhood Sub -district should: • Blend both contemporary and traditional motifs with a focus onpedestrian and bicycle use, large and small group gatherings • Emphasize informal green space, but also include a balance of hardscape with landscape; some paved areas integrated with plantings. • Promote an informal or natural landscape appearance — this does not mean it isn't mown and maintained, but instead reflects the idea of soft landforms, groves of trees, meandering walks and other less structured elements • Integrate stormwater management practices and features into park design as described in overall guidelines • Take advantage of different microclimates, including sun and shade, orientation (north, south, east, west), top of slope/bottom of slope, water's edge • Promote safety and security in all design solutions, including landscape lighting, open views into the site, and accessibility • Provide seasonal interest and color; promote high quality materials and finishes • Provide opportunities and specific sites for public art, special events, performance TC4 Street/sidewalk dimensions and streetscape elements Destination streets (like Town Center Parkway) and connector streets (like Rhinestone) should not only work for the automobile, but should also provide a safe, attractive and inviting experience for the pedestrian (see street/sidewalk diagram) including: • Provide ample walk widths to support intensity of pedestrian use and bicycle traffic — recommend 6 foot minimum for pedestrian walks and 10 foot minimum for bicycle paths • Provide urban streetscape solutions (sidewalks, boulevard plantings, curb and gutter) along Ramsey, Armstrong and Bunker Lake Boulevards, replacing the existing rural road sections (road shoulder, drainage ditch) • Install street trees to frame the street and provide shade Public Realm/Streetscape • Provide street lighting that meets all safety standards and design criteria, creates a signature for this sub -district and compliments overall lighting design for the Town Center • Explore street light spacing, height and type of fixtures that fit with residential use (note, however, that too much light is as bad as too little) • Explore a range of options for streetscape improvements including special pavements, interesting concrete tinting or scoring patterns, additional plantings, ornamental fencing and other features (note, however, that simpler is better and too much clutter is a negative) TC4 Bicycle/pedestrian connections (on -street and off-street) The Master Plan describes a network of bicycle/pedestrian trails and walkways (both on and off-street) that connect sub -districts to various amenities within the Town Center and to the rest of the City. Proposed park improvements include off-street pedestrian and bicycle paths including grade -separated crossings through Town Center Park at Rhinestone and Zeolite Streets. Bicycle riders may choose to share the street with vehicular traffic, but there is no provision for dedicated bike lanes on any of the Town Center streets at this time. Providing and maintaining bicycle and pedestrian connections should be a key component for all development projects in this sub -district. TC4 Residential courts, pocket parks and other private green space Along with proposed public parks and great streets, there are many opportunities to integrate private courtyards and pocket parks within the Neighborhood Sub -district. These small-scale greens provide important `breathing space', contribute to stormwater management and offer additional recreational amenities (tot lot, sitting areas) to serve specific building tenants or residents. Back gardens, auto -courts and other options should be considered as part of every residential site development plan. 26 Ramsey Town Center Development Guidelines