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Focus on the Downtown. 6 The Vision The vision for the Chanhassen downtown is for it to be the focus for commercial exchange, cultural expression, social interaction and community education; to enrich the lives of residents while presenting an appealing and recognizable image to the large and growing Upper Midwest population it serves. It is a downtown which incorporates and maintains elements of the past, such as its historical and natural features, "small town" atmosphere and its entertainment focus, but is planned to be adaptable to change-changes in technology, changes in service deliveries, changes in retailing and entertainment. It is a downtown designed for the future while satisfying the needs of today, one which maintains a strong sense of community focus and orientation, one which fosters convenience, one which maintains a pedestrian scale and emphasizes people movement while providing the full range of transit options. It is a downtown which encourages human interaction, one which mixes uses (retail, cultural, entertainment, housing, education and recreation) to make prudent and efficient use of space, one which meets and is adaptable to contemporary retailing standards and is financially successful. It is a downtown which captures development opportunities but is sensitive to and draws meaning from the environment while recognizing the role that it is intended to serve within the larger community framework. Funding The Challenge Public acceptance of the concepts outlined in this newsletter would result in the following: -Creation of a downtown focus for the entire community; - Use of the design concepts to shape the character and appearance of future downtown development projects; -The continuation of efforts to locate and develop an activity center west of downtown; -The continuation of efforts to develop senior housing close to downtown; -Creation of a city commons with apresence on West 78th Street, which allows for the expansion ofthe senior center, library and city hall facilities; -The creation of identity at the entries to downtown which reflects the natural environment; -Balanced pedestrian and vehicular accessibility; - A downtown location for the expanded post office; - Preservation of elements which reflect Chanhassen's heritage. :.,i:: < :~: iiillI. r ~h~~~=: ~ .., : ~~~:,~:;EI~,~,'F' It:;;:~... -^ .... :. .,-'- .':-'Y =::.;,:;' . :;::i>N~r~ Principles for the City Commons - Serve as the connection between downtown and City Center Park. - Provide a main entry to address West 78th Street. . Create a multiuse space for large gatherings. . Extend the qualities and patterns of the city commons landscape across surrounding streets to adjacenl sites. · Create a building to jointly accommodate expanded facilities for the city hall, library and senior center. · Create parking in several small lots rather than a single large lot. A concept plan and principles for Chanhassen's city commons should address the practical, aesthetic and symbolic needs of the community. The city faces a number of challenges in carrying out this planning proposal: -The plan is long-range, and its success depends on the commitment of the citizens of Chanhassen to its goals. -Citizens will need to playa central role in the implementation process in order to ensure continued public interest and support. -This concept-based plan requires periodic assessment and reinterpretation. The city must provide regular public forums for the discussion of the plan's principles to ensure that they result in a downtown which continues to enhance civic pride and unity. This newsletter will be followed up with a telephone survey of randomly selected city residents to determine the degree of public support for this concept plan. Please review this document in the event you are called. Whether or not you are sur- veyed, please consider returning the attached comment card. Your insights will be most helpful to the city in carrying out publicly supported plans for downtownChanhassen. Credits Vision 2002 Focus Group Participants Vision 2002 Ad Hoc Committee City Council Housing and Redevelopment Authority Planning Commission Seniors Commission Design Center for American Urban Landscape Landscape Research, Carole Zellie Comments may be referred to Todd Gerhardt, City of Chanhassen, 937-1900. Prepared by mlIl riD Hoisington Koegler Group Inc.