THE AVENUE OF FLAGS

Specific Plan - Workshop #1Buellton Recreation Center Gymnasium

June 27, 2015

PURPOSE OF WORKSHOP

• Continue to implement Buellton Vision Plan • Identify which issues are most important

regarding The Avenue of Flags

• Prioritize: Key planning considerations

WORKSHOP OUTLINE

The Buellton Vision What We’ve Accomplished So Far Moving Forward – An Action Plan Opportunities & Key Planning Issues Interactive Planning Stations & Activities

VISION – PROCESS & GOALSBuellton Vision Plan – Accepted by City Council February 2012

Buellton Community Visioning

2010

Vision Goals1. Portray a Positive Buellton Image & Brand

2. Expand Opportunities for Active & Healthy Living

3. Offer a Variety of Arts & Culture Opportunities

4. Promote Desired Change through Planning & Design

5. Create a Vibrant Downtown

6. Maintain the Strong Sense of Community & Family

7. Be a Leader in Environmental Sustainability& Stewardship

8. Foster Local Economic Development That Supports the Community Vision

WHAT WE’VE ACCOMPLISHED

DESIGN STUDIES

• The Avenue of Flags / Highway 246 Urban Design Plan

• Buellton Civic Center Studies

• The Avenue of Flags, Urban Design Plans – Four (4) Plans, alternative designs and median

alignment options– Prepared by Cal Poly Urban Design Studio class

CORRIDOR STUDY• Constraints study evaluating roadway realignment

options for The Avenue of Flags corridor • 3 potential alternatives considered

• Option 1: Retain Median• Option 2: The Curve• Option 3: East Side Alignment

• Key issues and constraints studied:• Land Use• Vehicular Circulation• Pedestrian and Bicycle Circulation• Infrastructure and Drainage

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STUDIESKosmont was retained by the City to prepare an Economic Development Strategy and Implementation Plan:1. Analysis

a) Economic & Demographic Profile (Households, Industries)

b) Market Supply and Demand Analysis (Retail/Industrial/Office)

2. Strategya) Economic Development SWOT Evaluation

b) Trade Area Retailer Voids

c) Opportunity Site Assessment

3. Implementationa) Targeted Retailers / Developers / Businesses

b) Matching with Prioritized Opportunity Sites

c) Marketing/Outreach Activities

d) Evaluation of Fiscal Impacts and Economic Benefits

e) Post-Redevelopment Financing / Funding / Incentives (e.g., DOR)

VISION PLAN GOALS & ACCOMPLISHMENTS

Provide a clear & consistent City image– Develop branding strategy for The

Avenue (In Progress)

Highlight & celebrate Buellton’s unique offerings/heritage– Historical Society is inventorying Buellton’s

historical landmarks, collections, and points of interest

– The City is home to several festivals and events that celebrate Buellton’s heritage and local resources

Goal 1: PORTRAY A POSITIVE IMAGE & BRAND

Increase connectivity for pedestrians & cyclists– Bikeway & Pedestrian Master Plan adopted and being

implemented as development projects are processed

Ensure access to healthy food sources– School District Food Program at Oak Valley Elementary

school, which receives lunches from the Solvang School Cafeteria, providing meals made from local and fresh food.

Increase recreational opportunities for all ages– Develop trail along Zaca Creek (In Progress)

Goal 2: ACTIVE & HEALTHY LIVING

Foster & support local artists & artisans– Mixed-Use Ordinance adopted; contains live-work units in

all commercial and industrial zones, allowing artists to live, work and sell in one location.

Expand tourism to include arts & cultural activities– Community events / festivals that celebrate arts & culture

have been and will continue to be held, including Arts on the Avenue , Vintners’ Festival

Goal 3: ARTS & CULTURE OPPORTUNITIES

Promote attractive, well-maintained neighborhoods and districts– Architectural and Landscape Design Review has been

implemented as part of land use/development permit application process

– Mixed Use Ordinance has been modified and adopted to support this goal

Provide an environment that appeals to and supports both residents and visitors– Wayfinding signs have been installed

Goal 4: PLANNING & DESIGN

Maintain Small Town Character

Coordinate development & improvements on The Avenue– Downtown bikeways and trails incorporated into adopted Bikeway

and Pedestrian Master Plan– Buellton Apartments (approved project) required to construct trail

along Zaca Creek – Enhanced striping for existing bikeways on Avenue of Flags– Prepare Downtown Specific Plan (In Progress)– Evaluate roadway alignment options, per Corridor Constraints

Study (In Progress)

Goal 5: CREATE A VIBRANT DOWNTOWN

Organizational support for transformation of The Avenue– Economic development staff / task force has been formed and

is providing guidance to the City in general, and specifically to preparation of The Avenue Specific Plan

– Avenue of Flags Property owners group has been formed and has met on numerous occasions

Goal 5: VIBRANT DOWNTOWN – cont’d

Foster community events/programs that promote social interaction– Numerous events are provided throughout the year, including

Winterfest, Arts on the Avenue, Holiday Bazaar, and extensive programs/trips are offered by City

Maintain an ongoing dialogue with community members– City’s website has been revised to reflect community events and to

make more use friendly, including when viewed on mobile phones– Annual state of the City address is held each year– The “Buellton Buzz”, city newsletter, is provided to residents bi-

monthly via the water bill mailing.

Goal 6: STRONG SENSE OF COMMUNITY & FAMILY

Maintain a compact form bounded by natural & rural areas– All development occurs within the City’s urban growth boundary,

encouraging small businesses and accessibility by foot, bike and public transit

– The City honors the greenbelt area between Buellton and Solvang

Green building standards and sustainability efforts– City follows requirements of CalGreen Building Code– Development projects are conditioned to provide green features above and

beyond the code requirements– Recently approved Townhome project will have 100% solar– City’s Green Team is currently being formed, first meeting is scheduled for

July 8, 2015

Goal 7: ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY

Guide economic development efforts by a strategy & City staff support– An Economic Development Task Force has been formed and

continues to be active promoting economic development strategies and planning efforts such as The Avenue of Flags Specific Plan

Develop Buellton as a known visitor destination within the Santa Ynez Valley & in its own right– A Special Events Committee has been formed to promote

visitor-oriented events– A Business Improvement District (BID) has been formed in

the valley, including Buellton

Goal 8: ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

MOVING FORWARD: AN ACTION PLANIMPLEMENTING THE VISION

VISION

Design Guidelines

DowntownSpecific

Plan

Mixed Use Ordinance

Sign Ordinance

Bikeway &Pedestrian

Master Plan

EconomicDev. &

TourismStrategy

Branding Strategy/

Communication& Marketing

Plan

SustainabilityStrategy

Urban Design Plan

Form-Based Code

AVENUE OF FLAGS SPECIFIC PLAN• What is a Specific Plan?

– A mini-General Plan for a portion of a City– Builds on the City’s General Plan goals– Contents are guided by State law

• Why do we need a Specific Plan for The Avenue?– The City’s Vision identifies the future of the Avenue as a

key component to achieving the that vision– It’s the appropriate document to govern long-term

development of the area

SPECIFIC PLAN – cont’d• What does a Specific Plan contain?

– Land Use Plan– Circulation Plan– Development Standards and Regulations– Infrastructure Requirements and Phasing– Cost and Financing Mechanisms

• Specific Plan advantages:– Power of zoning; able to establish form-based code– Addresses specific infrastructure, circulation, parking needs– Economic incentives addressed– Environmental review makes development easier

WHAT IS “FORM-BASED CODE”?• A means of regulating land development to achieve a

specific urban form and mix of uses • Focuses of the physical form of development• Addresses the relationship between public and

private spaces such as the interaction between streets, blocks, and buildings in terms of form, scale and massing, and the use of frontage areas

• Creates predictable public realm by including standards for design of streets and open spaces

Conventional Zoning vs. Form-Based Codes

Form-Based Code:Street and building types (or mix of types), build-to lines, number of floors, and percentage of built site frontage specified

Conventional Zoning:Use, density, setbacks, FAR, parking req’ts, max. building heights specified

Zoning + Design Guidelines: Conventional zoning, plus frequency of openings & surface articulation specified

VISION

Design Guidelines

DowntownSpecific

Plan

Mixed Use Ordinance

Sign Ordinance

Bikeway &Pedestrian

Master Plan

EconomicDevelopment

Strategy

Branding Strategy/

Communication& Marketing

Plan

SustainabilityStrategy

Urban Design Plan

Post-Redevelopment Economic Development Toolsfor Public-Private Projects

Economic Development

Real Estate Project

Real Estate & Property

Special Districts

(Tourism, BIDs, etc.)

Taxes & Revenue Based

Financing

P3 + Infrastructure

Land Use /

Zoning (Higher Density; Parking)

Theses tools often work best when blended together

28

DOR

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Land Use/Zoning as an Economic Development Tool

Specific Plans incorporating a Development Opportunity Reserve (DOR):• Goal: Incorporate and convert ED priorities to

zoning policy objectives, rewarding developers of preferred uses

• Problem: Up-zoning used to stimulate economic development often results in a windfall to existing landowners, not targeted users

• Bright Idea: Combine Specific Plans with Economic Development “Kicker”

Land Use/Zoning as Economic Dev’t Tool

Economic Dev’t “Kicker” >> Incentives

• Incentives should protect/advance community desires pursuant to the Specific Plan

• Place incentives (e.g., residential density bonus, parking reduction) into a “Reserve Account,” as opposed to being distributed automatically on a per-parcel basis

• Incentives are allotted to new projects that comply with pre-set “community benefits or objectives” (e.g., provide public restrooms/parking/art, trail/library fees)

• Economic value of “DOR” incentives goes to desired projects vs. existing owners

HOW DOES “DOR” WORK?• If certain voluntary exactions are provided to the City,

then certain incentives are given for development of a property

• Examples:• Burbank Media District Specific Plan and Overlay Zone

(1991 – present) allows more density through CUP process for projects that meet community goals (e.g. infrastructure)

• Developer agrees to build off-site public parking lot, in return, Parking requirements on developer’s property are reduced to give more developable area

PRIORITIZING THE ISSUESOPPORTUNITIES & KEY PLANNING CONCEPTS

WORKSHOP PROGRAM• 9:30 a.m. Stations. “What Issues Are Most Important?”

– Workshop attendees circulate in small groups to “key issues” topic stations for more information, interactive discussion and issue prioritizing

– Concurrent sessions * 20 minute rotation at each station *– * Rotation times: A - 9:30, B - 9:50, C - 10:10, D - 10:30

• TOPICS & STATION MANAGERS– Architectural Design & Form-Based Code – Greg Ravatt & Angela Perez– Planning & Land Use – Marc Bierdzinski & Irma Tucker– Road Alignment, Circulation, Parking – John Rickenbach & Rose Hess– Economic Development / DOR – Ken Hira & Joe Dieguez (Kosmont

Companies)

PROGRAM – Cont’d

• 10:50 a.m. Break

• 11:00 a.m. Early wrap Mini-Summary of outcomes at each station

• 11:30 a.m. Mapping Activity Let’s plan The Avenue!

• 12:00 approx. Conclusion & Lunch– Overall Wrap-up of Workshop

Thank You and

Proceed to Stations