Document Everett_doc_39fe42f946

EVERETT DOWNTOWN PLAN architecture urban design JULY 2006 ---PAGE BREAK--- ---PAGE BREAK--- EVERETT DOWNTOWN PLAN i Contents Contents Executive 1. 7 Process 8 2. A Vision for Everett’s City Center 11 3. Existing 13 Land Use and Urban 13 Market Conditions and 18 Summary 18 Economic and Demographic Characteristics 18 Multifamily Residential Demand 18 Retail 20 Office 21 Lodging Demand 21 Development Capacity within Downtown Plan Area 22 Transportation and 23 Streets and Traffic 23 Parking Demands 25 Transit 26 Bicycle and Pedestrian 28 4. Goals and 33 ---PAGE BREAK--- ii MAKERS architecture and urban design 5. Major Concepts 37 Creating Regional Fostering Livable Strengthening Commercial Activities and Retail Putting It Together—A Comprehensive, Unifying Connections to Surrounding 6. Plan 49 Land Use and Development Transportation Streetscape, Open Space, and Public Street Open Space and Other Public Public 7. 99 Implementation Appendices A. Supplemental Downtown Design Standards B. Market Study C Pro Formas D Survey and Workshop Results ---PAGE BREAK--- EVERETT DOWNTOWN PLAN 1 Executive Summary The impetus for this plan comes from two sources. The first is the City Council’s direction to address specific pressing regulatory and redevelopment issues currently hampering positive downtown revitalization, including allowable building heights, parking concerns, building design, and redevelopment incentives. The second impetus is the need to identify a coordinated set of actions to achieve the City’s vision for a more active, diverse, multi-modal, and visually appealing downtown as called for in Everett’s Comprehensive Plan. To address these purposes, the Everett Department of Planning and Community Development, under the direction of the Everett Planning Commission and with the assistance of a consultant team, undertook a year-long planning process. Starting in the summer of 2005, the planning team reviewed existing conditions and relevant planning documents. In September, over 100 people attended the first of four Planning Commission workshops to give participants the chance to envision the type of downtown they hoped to achieve. With the input from the first three Planning Commission meetings, the planning team developed a preferred downtown plan concept, which was approved by the Planning Commissioners at a February workshop. Following the February workshop, the planning team tested the feasibility of a range of example development projects per current market conditions and developed construction costs. The planning team also prepared specific recommendations for zoning and development standards, circulation and parking, streetscape and open space, historic preservation, and public safety. The team’s analysis indicated that the development market demand and land use capacity in downtown are congruent with comprehensive planning growth projections. While numerous transportation improvement actions are recommended that will increase access to and within downtown, the team found Key issues identified by City Council required attention in this plan: • Building heights and view impacts. • Permitted uses. • Parking demand and supply. • Building design. • Economic redevelopment. ---PAGE BREAK--- 2 MAKERS architecture and urban design no insurmountable transportation impediments to downtown growth. And downtown’s basic urban design structure and existing attractions provide much on which to build. The plan’s primary direction is to transform Everett’s downtown from the center of a primarily industrial mill town into a more active, diverse, and vibrant metropolitan center. The plan identifies actions to add regional attractions, residential neighborhoods, and commercial services that will support downtown’s evolution to meet the public vision and comprehensive planning goals. Figure 1. Strategy to transform downtown Everett. The concept plan on the following page summarizes many of the recommended actions to add the identified attractions, neighborhoods, and services, and the bulk of this plan describes those measures in greater detail. Of specific note is the zoning, height and bulk, and design standards described in the body of the plan and Appendix A. ---PAGE BREAK--- EXECUTIVE SUMMARY EVERETT DOWNTOWN PLAN 3 Figure 2. Recommended elements. ---PAGE BREAK--- 4 MAKERS architecture and urban design The plan includes comprehensive recommendations for zoning revisions and design standards to modulate height and bulk, provide safe, attractive streetscapes, and achieve a higher quality of design overall. In terms of parking, the plan recommends initiating a pay-for on-street parking program, with revenues channeled into programs or improvements that benefit downtown. A Transportation Management Association is also recommended to increase the percentage of non-single-occupant vehicle trips. While this plan focused on the downtown core between Everett Avenue, Pacific Avenue, Broadway, and West Marine View Drive (with some areas to the north, south, and west included to facilitate zoning adjustments), participants at the Planning Commission meetings stressed the importance of downtown’s integration with the rest of the city. The plan recommends a series of street improvements and planning actions to better connect downtown to neighboring areas. The body of the plan describes these and other recommendations in greater detail. Implementing the plan will involve an organized series of steps over several years. The following steps summarize the recommended implementation strategy. 1. Update Regulations and Administrative Procedures (Within 1 year) The first step is to update the regulatory codes and implement the parking management strategies. Revising the development code and establishing design standards will require minimal capital investment but will ensure that new development will conform to the City’s downtown vision. Implementing the parking meter program, establishing a transportation management association (TMA), and working with transit authorities to gradually upgrade transit service can also start soon after the adoption of the plan. ---PAGE BREAK--- EXECUTIVE SUMMARY EVERETT DOWNTOWN PLAN 5 2. Initiate a High-Visibility, Transformational Project (Begin planning within one year; complete within 3-4 years) The purpose of this action is to show significant City commitment to downtown with a project that will foster substantial development and/or add a new dimension to downtown activities. Two recommended projects meet these criteria: a major streetscape improvement of Rucker Avenue (and the development of a multipurpose focal park or plaza. Since the Rucker Avenue improvements are directed toward fostering a new in-city residential neighborhood, this project might be timed to coincide with substantial mixed- use residential development along that street. The construction of the new park should be complemented by joint City and private efforts to program events for optimizing its use and to address security and maintenance needs. 3. Initiate or Enhance Cooperative Programs to Address Ongoing Needs (Ongoing) Continuous public/private efforts to keep downtown, safe, comfortable, attractive, and accessible are necessary. The City of Everett, the Downtown Everett Association, the Downtown Business Improvement Area (BIA), Snohomish County, and other groups should work together on issues such as crime prevention, directional signage, event planning, maintenance, graffiti removal, business promotion, and other related efforts. 4. Complete Other Recommended Actions as Opportunities and Priorities Emerge (2 to 10 years) The plan recommends a number of other actions ranging from street tree planting to planning for the reconfiguration of Broadway. Because each action will depend on a funding source and a sponsor to initiate the work, the relative priority and urgency of the various projects will change over time. The key will be to take advantage of opportunities as they emerge and sustain effort continuously over time. It is recommended that the Planning Commission and the City Council, supported by the Department of Planning and Community Development, review this plan annually and determine which actions should be pursued in light of the City’s overall priorities. ---PAGE BREAK--- 6 MAKERS architecture and urban design Participants in the planning process said that the top priority for the Downtown Plan should be establishing a vision for what the community wants downtown to become. The public feedback was overwhelmingly clear about what that future should be. This plan captures that vision and identifies the actions required to continue the transformation of downtown to a vibrant metropolitan center. The City of Everett’s recent work in comprehensive planning, transportation improvements, and public facilities development projects has already made substantial progress in achieving the vision. Continued, sustained, cooperative efforts by the City, other public agencies, the business community, property owners, developers, and interested citizens will springboard on past work to make the City’s vision a reality. ---PAGE BREAK--- EVERETT DOWNTOWN PLAN 7 1. Introduction Purpose The Everett City Council wanted a plan for downtown Everett that would: • Address building heights and view impacts. • Address permitted uses for downtown. • Address both on-street and off-street parking. • Address building design issues. • Promote downtown redevelopment. • Give citizens, property owners, business community, and other stakeholders the opportunity to develop a vision for downtown. • Allow City to address a variety of downtown issues comprehensively rather than individually. • Re-examine past downtown planning efforts to update or revise and determine if different growth policies are needed. • Provide city with more current and well-defined policy guidance for decisions related to downtown development. • Reinforce the positive public and private investments that have been made in downtown with a commitment to promote and require high quality development. • Establish housing and employment targets for downtown and identify infrastructure improvements and development standards needed to accommodate growth. ---PAGE BREAK--- CHAPTER 1 8 MAKERS architecture and urban design • Develop consensus regarding allowable uses, development standards and design guidelines within sub-areas of downtown. • Identify potential streetscape, transportation, and open space improvements to make downtown more attractive to desired commercial and residential uses. • Send a strong signal to the business and development community of the City’s priority on promoting downtown as a business, cultural and residential center. Process The planning process for the Downtown Plan commenced in July, 2005, with consultants and the planning team reviewing development opportunities, street and circulation issues, market conditions, and policies and recommendations from the Comprehensive Plan and other previous downtown planning efforts. The planning team conducted several stakeholder interviews in August to discuss downtown objectives, problems, issues, and opportunities. Also early in the process, the planning team prepared a survey that was available online on the City’s website. In September, over 100 people attended the first of four Planning Commission workshops. The team presented findings from urban design, circulation, and market analysis, brainstormed goals and objectives for downtown, and mapped special opportunities and constraints. At the second Planning Commission workshop in October, participants discussed and rated alternative development concepts for both the downtown area and surrounding neighborhoods. This included preferences on building heights, housing types, open space, and a range of other downtown design elements. By this time, the City had received over 400 responses to the on-line survey, and the planning team summarized key findings from the survey at the workshop. In November, participants discussed circulation, streetscape, and parking options at the Planning Commission Workshop. Figure 3. Participants discuss appropriate locations for various housing types downtown at the first workshop. ---PAGE BREAK--- INTRODUCTION EVERETT DOWNTOWN PLAN 9 With the input from the three Planning Commission meetings, the planning team developed preferred downtown plan concepts, which were presented to Planning Commissioners and the public at a February workshop. The concepts were generally endorsed by Planning Commission members and community participants. Following the February workshop, the planning team prepared a range of example development projects for downtown to be tested per current market conditions and construction costs. The planning team also prepared specific recommendations for zoning and development standards, circulation and parking, streetscape and open space, historic preservation, and public safety. At the March 20,2006 Planning Commission workshop, the planning team presented information concerning building heights, floor area ratios, design guidelines, streetscape plans, and open space ideas to implement the concepts presented in the February workshop. The Commission took additional public comments on the plan details and asked that the April workshop include more detail and graphic examples related to building height and floor area regulations and the proposed design guidelines. The Planning Commission’s April 18, 2996 workshop considered this additional detail and, following further public comment, the Commission expressed general satisfaction with the plan details. At the May 16, 2006 workshop, the Commission took public testimony, reviewed the areas proposed to be rezoned to implement the plan, and addressed environmental issues. At the June 6, 2006 Planning Commission meeting the Commission adopted a resolution recommending City Council approval of the Downtown Plan and companion zoning code amendments. The City Council adopted the plan on July 26, 2006. Figure 4. A workshop participant summarizes planning concepts from group mapping exercises. ---PAGE BREAK--- CHAPTER 1 10 MAKERS architecture and urban design Downtown Planning Area At the beginning of the planning process, the City identified a geographic area as a starting point for the Downtown Plan. This area extended from 25th Street on the north to 33rd Street on the south, Broadway (both sides) on the east, to the Railroad tracks west of Bond Street on the west. This area included a mix of commercial, light industrial, and residentially zoned areas containing about 315 acres. After conducting a public outreach process that included asking what people thought should be the boundaries of the Downtown Plan study area, the focus of the study effort has been reduced to the commercial core containing, an area of about 190 acres (see Figure This commercial core is the heart of downtown and an area in which significant redevelopment is expected. The City recognizes the importance of the areas surrounding the commercial core. Though these areas are not included specifically within the actions called for by this plan, the City will focus attention on the following two areas soon after the completion of the Downtown Plan: 1. The City will address design issues for the multiple family zoned areas surrounding the commercial core. 2. The draft Broadway Corridor Design Guidelines will be reviewed for potential revisions to the standards and design guidelines for this principal arterial corridor. These two efforts will strengthen the City’s growth and development strategy for downtown and build upon the planning that has been completed for the Everett Station area. These revised policies and regulations will put a greater focus on the quality of redevelopment in the City’s core area. ---PAGE BREAK--- EVERETT DOWNTOWN PLAN 11 2. A Vision for Everett’s City Center We have heard through the public outreach process that establishing a vision for Everett’s downtown is the most important priority for the Downtown Plan. Previous downtown planning efforts have included a statement of goals, but perhaps without an overall vision for what the community wants the city center to become. Deciding what we want downtown to be, the role it plays within the overall context of the city, and how it is supposed to look will help determine what land use strategies, infrastructure priorities, public service investments, and development standards should be endorsed. At right is an attempt to state a vision for Everett’s City Center compiled from the comments collected from the Downtown Plan public participation process, or statements from the 2004 Vision Team effort, and from the City’s Growth Management Comprehensive Plan. It is written from the perspective of a person in 2025. Everett’s City Center is a compact, unique and attractive urban center. It is home to quality high-density housing, a variety of entertainment venues and cultural facilities, historic buildings, unique shopping and dining choices, offices, city and county government services, financial and professional services. Downtown is a pedestrian friendly, active neighborhood where people are prioritized over accommodating the automobile. Businesses, residents, employees, institutions and property owners have created a clean, safe and active environment to which visitors return often. The city center is connected with convenient transit, pedestrian, bicycle and vehicle access to surrounding neighborhoods, Everett Station, and the waterfront. People enjoy tremendous views from buildings, streets and public spaces. Streetscape and public open space improvements have dramatically transformed many parts of the city center by stimulating private sector investment. Significant historic buildings have been preserved and rehabilitated. New buildings have incorporated quality designs and materials to be compatible with older buildings. The city center has a lively atmosphere on weekends and in the evenings, as people come from surrounding communities to enjoy the arts, entertainment, cultural offerings, dining and shopping opportunities year round. Downtown’s regeneration accelerated following a summit in which stakeholders formed a proactive organization advocating for downtown with a unified voice. This organization endorsed the vision for downtown and partnered with the City to adopt a strategy prioritizing redevelopment with quality development standards, public infrastructure improvements and public services. This organization has been a constant champion for improving the appearance of the city center and promoting it as a business district and neighborhood. The private sector and the greater Everett community responded to the enhanced environment with unprecedented commitment in the form of new and renovated buildings, new businesses, activities, and events. The growing cultural arts scene flourished and bolstered downtown’s image as a desirable place to live, visit, conduct business, shop and enjoy a wide variety of attractions. ---PAGE BREAK--- CHAPTER 2 12 MAKERS architecture and urban design ---PAGE BREAK--- EVERETT DOWNTOWN PLAN 13 3. Existing Conditions Land Use and Urban Design Downtown Everett is the financial, governmental, and cultural center of the both the City and Snohomish County. The area referred to as “downtown” in this plan follows the proposed boundaries of the expanded Central Business District Zone 3) zone (see Figure 5 below). This area encompasses approximately 190 acres, including all properties from Everett to Pacific Avenue between Broadway and Marine View Drive plus smaller areas in each direction. Figure 5. The area referred to as “downtown” in this plan follows the proposed boundaries of the expanded Central Business District Zone (B-3) zone. ---PAGE BREAK--- CHAPTER 3 14 MAKERS architecture and urban design Downtown features a broad mix of uses, as demonstrated in Figure 9 below. The greatest concentration of retail uses and restaurants are concentrated along Colby and Hewitt Avenues. Wetmore and Rucker Avenues also contain a significant amount of retail uses. Buildings colored in dark blue (institutional uses) in the southeast corner of Figure 9 highlight the Snohomish County governmental campus and City of Everett buildings. The northeast portion of downtown features a variety of public/institutional uses, including the Performing Arts Center, YMCA, and the National Guard. Western slope of downtown is a mix of commercial service uses, parking lots, auto and trucking-oriented uses, light industrial uses, and a number of older single family homes and apartment buildings. Figure 6. Retail uses on Colby Avenue. Figure 7. Snohomish County Campus. Figure 8. Trucking related uses on Grand Avenue. Figure 9. Downtown land uses. ---PAGE BREAK--- EXISTING CONDITIONS EVERETT DOWNTOWN PLAN 15 Downtown contains a wealth of historic buildings dating back to the City’s beginning during the booming decade of the 1890’s. Eight buildings are featured on the National, State, or local registers of historic places. This includes the Monte Cristo Hotel, Everett Theatre, and the Snohomish County Courthouse among other buildings (see buildings shaded in red in Figure 12 below). In addition to these designated properties, downtown contains a substantial number of other older buildings that contribute to its unique historical character. The greatest concentration of these buildings are along Hewitt Avenue (see buildings shaded in orange in Figure 12 below). Figure 10. Monte Cristo Hotel. Figure 11. Historic buildings on Hewitt Avenue. Figure 12. Downtown historic properties. ---PAGE BREAK--- CHAPTER 3 16 MAKERS architecture and urban design Figure 14 maps out downtown’s urban design elements, including sub-districts, nodes, gateways, edges, landmarks, and arterials. The Colby/Hewitt Avenue intersection clearly is the focal point of downtown, the center of the retail district and sitting on one of the topographical high points of downtown. Colby Avenue features the greatest concentration of retail and pedestrian activity. The Snohomish County governmental campus, shaded in gray, is a major component of the visual structure of downtown and a generator of significant activity in the downtown core with its large employment base and the seat of government services for the entire county. The large Everett Events Center immediately became downtown’s biggest and most identifiable landmark when it was completed in 2003. Downtown features several other landmarks, including distinctive older buildings such as the Monte Cristo Hotel, and some larger newer buildings such as the Everett Mutual Tower. Figure 14. Downtown visual structure. Figure 13. The Colby/Hewitt Avenue intersection is the node or focal point of downtown. ---PAGE BREAK--- EXISTING CONDITIONS EVERETT DOWNTOWN PLAN 17 Downtown Everett is at the beginning of a major crossroads in terms of development. Recent development activity (Everett Events Center, County campus improvements, residential developments, and the transit center) combined with State GMA requirements, increasing property values, Comprehensive Plan goals and policies, and changing regional demographics are creating pressure to densify downtown. Figure 16 illustrates that there are a great number of developable sites downtown – particularly west of Hoyt Avenue. Properties with a low ratio of improvement values to land values were mapped under the “City identified potential development sites”. These are typically older single story buildings served by surface parking lots. Sites identified as “other potential development sites” are other developed properties that appear to provide redevelopment potential based on a windshield survey. Figure 16. Sites with redevelopment potential. Figure 15. Properties with single story buildings along Hoyt Avenue present redevelopment opportunities. ---PAGE BREAK--- CHAPTER 3 18 MAKERS architecture and urban design Market Conditions and Outlook Summary The economic portion of the Downtown Plan is intended to assure that the Plan addresses realistic opportunities and responses. The market analysis addresses the following issues: • What are the potential levels of demand for residential, retail, office and lodging uses? • What are the economic conditions that must exist for those potential levels to be achieved? The key findings and conclusions are summarized below. Economic and Demographic Characteristics Downtown serves a market area that extends beyond its area boundaries. The characteristics of the areas within one, three, and five mile radii around the center of downtown are shown on the following pages. Multifamily Residential Demand There are an estimated 2,216 multifamily housing units in the downtown study area. Apartments with five or more units represent the largest share of the inventory. Condominiums represent 6 percent of all multifamily uses. Apartments in Central Everett as defined by Dupre and Scott, which includes the downtown study area, have a lower average rent than units elsewhere in the county. The current vacancy rate is higher as well. However, several new developments in downtown have achieved rents much higher than these averages. Condominiums in Snohomish County have average prices well below prices in north King County and the east side of the Puget Sound area, but higher than in Pierce County and south King County. The most expensive condominium unit sold in downtown Everett has been $360,000. 1 mile radius 3 mile radius 5 mile radius Population 16,198 48,412 98,537 Households 6,282 19,080 37,922 Housing Units Owner Occupied 33.7% 50.2% 56.7% Renter Occupied 66.3% 49.8% 43.3% Median Age 34.4 35.2 34.7 Household Income Median $33,895 $42,442 $47,547 Total $409,696,014 $1,273,380,836 $2,617,044,183 Retail Purchases Average Amount $17,574 $19,472 $20,118 Total Amount $110,399,868 $371,525,760 $762,914,796 Source: STBD Online Downtown Everett Market Area Demographic Comparison - 2004 ---PAGE BREAK--- EXISTING CONDITIONS EVERETT DOWNTOWN PLAN 19 Downtown Tacoma has experienced a renaissance in its downtown and provides an example for Everett. Tacoma issued building permits for 778 multifamily units in downtown between 2000 and 2004. Eighty-four percent of units completed through 2004 were rental units, but the condominium share is increasing. The strong increase in multifamily demand results from public investment in amenities, a Multifamily Property Tax Exemption Program, and demographic changes that drive an increase in urban housing forms (affluent retirees and young households without children). Downtown Everett will benefit from the same demographic trends and can offer similar incentives. Downtown Everett should be able to achieve the following level of multifamily development, which is comparable to Tacoma but with a discount for the larger Tacoma population base. • 80 to 110 units per year. • 1,900 units over 20 years. The primary demographic segments expected to be attracted to new housing units in downtown Everett are empty nesters and younger householders with no children. ---PAGE BREAK--- CHAPTER 3 20 MAKERS architecture and urban design Retail Demand Downtown Everett has experienced strong growth in several retail and service sectors. Over the next 20 years, downtown will continue to grow and reinforce its role as the urban retail center of Snohomish County. It should continue recent trends, with growth in all sectors as the surrounding trade area grows. It will build on its recent success as the entertainment enter of the county, with the stronger growth and increased market share in selected sectors, such as restaurants and entertainment, as well as specialty retail (including apparel and miscellaneous retail) attractive to urban dwellers. Finally, there will be growth in food, pharmacy, and convenience purchases by new residents in downtown. Projected retail growth over the 20 years is as follows: Square Feet Normal Growth 175,000 Increased Share 90,000 Resident Spending 110,000 Total 375,000 ---PAGE BREAK--- EXISTING CONDITIONS EVERETT DOWNTOWN PLAN 21 Office Demand The City-wide office market has improved over the past five years with declining vacancies and a net absorption of 470,000 square feet. Downtown Everett currently serves as a regional center from the finance insurance and real estate sectors. It competes for other regional scale office development with office concentrations in South Everett, Bothell, and Mountlake Terrace. There are fifteen existing buildings in downtown Everett with over 15,000 square feet each. Absorption downtown has averaged 16,000 square feet per year since 1994. Over the next 20 years, downtown should capture a level of demand ranging from a continuation of historic levels of demand to an increased capture of City-wide office demand. • 20,000 to 40,000 square feet per year. • 400,000 to 800,000 total square feet. Lodging Demand Everett and Snohomish County experienced a turnaround in hotel room revenue in 2004 after steady declines since 2000. With 3 percent compound annual growth in room-night demand, the City could support: • 400 rooms over next 10 years. • 1,000 rooms over next 20 years. Much of that development will occur in limited service hotels outside downtown. Within the next 10 years the demand for a full service hotel will be met by the reopening of the 247 room Everett Pacific Holiday Inn. A specialty hotel with 50 to 100 rooms could be supported as part of the downtown entertainment district. ---PAGE BREAK--- CHAPTER 3 22 MAKERS architecture and urban design Development Capacity within Downtown Plan Area Based upon conservative estimates for redevelopment potential within the Downtown Plan area, the projected demand described above can be accommodated within the Downtown Plan area. The estimates are based on an analysis of sites that have a reasonable potential to redevelop by 2025, using modest assumptions about floor area ratio for office, retail, and residential use. The analysis did not include properties that are unlikely to be redeveloped within the planning period. The estimate for housing capacity is for the larger area initially considered for the Downtown Plan. The estimates for retail and office capacity are for the commercial core area. It should be noted that these figures are estimates of capacity and not a projection of actual redevelopment to occur. The estimated capacities are for each type of use. The assumptions for each category of land use would not exclude the potential to achieve the estimated capacity for either of the other land use categories. For example, land required for retail use in this analysis will not reduce the capacity for either office or residential uses. This analysis resulted in the estimates of capacity listed in Table 1 below. Table 1. Development Demand and Capacity in Downtown Use 20-Year Demand Capacity Residential 1,900 dwelling units 3,230 dwelling units Retail 375,000 square feet 640,000 square feet Office 800,000 square feet 1,260,000 square feet Table 1 indicates that downtown’s capacity is well in excess of demand for residential, retail, and office development. It is assumed that hotel demand can easily be accommodated by the commercial capacity for retail and office uses. The B-3 zoning for the commercial core will allow all three of these uses. ---PAGE BREAK--- EXISTING CONDITIONS EVERETT DOWNTOWN PLAN 23 Transportation and Streetscape Streets and Traffic Streets in downtown are designed for different purposes: • Broadway, Rucker, West Marine View Drive, Everett, and Pacific Avenues are designed to carry large volumes of traffic, and they are designated as Major Arterials. Most of these streets are also designated as truck routes to and through downtown. • Hewitt, Hoyt, Colby, and Wetmore are designed to collect and distribute traffic from the Major Arterials throughout downtown, and they are designated as Collector Arterials. These streets typically carry lower traffic volumes. • All other streets are designated as Local Streets, and they are typically used to circulate traffic to businesses and parking facilities in the downtown area. Figure 17. Downtown street classification. ---PAGE BREAK--- CHAPTER 3 24 MAKERS architecture and urban design Traffic congestion levels are generally not significant in the downtown core. Traffic signals have been re-timed to accommodate changes in traffic patterns. There are some traffic delays at key intersections in the morning and afternoon peak commuter hours, but overall the level of service is quite good. Congestion is also experienced at the end of major events at the Everett Event Center in the evenings or on weekends, but this traffic is quickly dissipated. Figure 18. Downtown daily traffic volumes (1997). ---PAGE BREAK--- EXISTING CONDITIONS EVERETT DOWNTOWN PLAN 25 Parking Demands There are more than 5,700 off-street parking spaces in surface lots and garage structures in the downtown core area. The highest demand for these parking spaces is experienced between 9:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. on a weekday, when most employees are at work. However, when the parking utilization was observed on a weekday in 2005, less than 60 percent of the off-street parking spaces were occupied. Fees for off-street parking spaces in downtown range from about $30 per month to nearly $100 per month. Fees for short-term and event parking are about $5 per day or evening. There are also more than 1,800 parking spaces provided on downtown streets. No fees are charged for parking on-street, but there are time restrictions for most spaces during the weekdays. The highest demand for these on-street parking spaces is actually experienced on a weekday evening, when time restrictions have expired and a major event is being held at the Everett Event Center. While only about 70 percent of the on-street parking spaces are occupied during the day, more than 90 percent of the on-street parking spaces can be occupied in the evening of a major event. However, only about 40 percent of the off-street parking spaces are occupied at the same time. Taken together, there are more than 7,600 on-street and off-street parking spaces in the downtown core area. The highest demand for these parking spaces is experienced around 1:00 p.m., when less than 60 percent of all parking spaces are occupied. There are adequate on-street and off-street parking spaces in downtown, but parking management may be improved. Figure 19. Off-street parking utilization. Figure 20. On-street parking utilization. ---PAGE BREAK--- CHAPTER 3 26 MAKERS architecture and urban design Transit Services Transit service to downtown Everett is provided by Everett Transit, Community Transit, and Sound Transit. Bus routes were significantly revised to service the Everett Multi-Modal Center on Smith Street south of Pacific Avenue with connections to Sounder Commuter Rail, Amtrak, and other public transportation services. Nevertheless, bus routes were maintained through the downtown core to provide direct and frequent transit service to downtown employees and residents. Figure 21. Downtown transit routes. ---PAGE BREAK--- EXISTING CONDITIONS EVERETT DOWNTOWN PLAN 27 Hewitt and Wetmore Avenues were designated as transit-oriented streets when the bus routes were revised to service Everett Station. Unique passenger shelter kiosks were designed in wrought iron to complement the unique design of the downtown Everett street lamp posts and to guide passengers to bus stops. Several thousand passengers get on buses in downtown Everett every weekday because the transit service is direct and frequent. Figure 22. Downtown transit ridership. ---PAGE BREAK--- CHAPTER 3 28 MAKERS architecture and urban design Bicycle and Pedestrian Facilities While cyclists can use any street in the downtown core, there are no designated bicycle lanes or other bicycle-only facilities. The Harborfront Trail touches the northwest corner of the downtown core and provides connections between the Everett Marina and Forest Park. However, bicycle lanes on Colby Avenue to the north are terminated before reaching downtown, and there is no north-south bicycle link through downtown to connect to the Interurban Trail in the south at 41st Street. There is also no east-west bicycle facility connecting to trails on Highway 2. Figure 23. Existing bicycle facilities. ---PAGE BREAK--- EXISTING CONDITIONS EVERETT DOWNTOWN PLAN 29 Several streets in downtown are designated as pedestrian-oriented street, with guidelines for building frontages and restrictions on driveway access, including Hoyt, Colby, Wetmore, Hewitt, and California. Significant improvements to the streetscaping and pedestrian ambience have been made recently on Colby and Hewitt Avenues. This has encouraged more pedestrian activity throughout downtown and increased the vibrancy of the shops and services. Figure 24. Downtown pedestrian volumes. ---PAGE BREAK--- CHAPTER 3 30 MAKERS architecture and urban design Because of the large pedestrian volumes in downtown, traffic signals were recently re-timed to favor the pedestrian movements on the local and collector streets. This resulted in pedestrians spending much less time waiting for traffic signals to change. A new traffic signal was also installed at Broadway and Wall Street to accommodate pedestrian movements from the Everett Event Center to the Everett Station Multi-modal Center. Figure 25. Downtown traffic signal timing study. ---PAGE BREAK--- EXISTING CONDITIONS EVERETT DOWNTOWN PLAN 31 At the beginning of the downtown planning process, planning consultants conducted a visual quality survey of downtown streets within the Pacific and Everett Avenues, Marine View Drive, and Broadway core area to map out the better and lesser quality streetscapes. While the survey is subjective, it considers the nature of public improvements within the public rights-of-way (street design, sidewalk, lighting, street trees, landscaping, artwork, and street furniture) and private development adjacent to the street (adjacent buildings – architecture and level of maintenance, signage, landscaping elements, surface parking, visible service or storage areas, etc.). Figure 27. Visual quality of downtown’s streets. Figure 26. Colby Avenue, with its high quality streetscape improvements and concentration of attractive storefronts, receives a top score in the streetscape visual quality analysis. ---PAGE BREAK--- CHAPTER 3 32 MAKERS architecture and urban design ---PAGE BREAK--- EVERETT DOWNTOWN PLAN 33 4. Goals and Objectives The following goals and objectives were developed from public input at the Planning Commission workshops, stakeholder interviews, and on-line questionnaire results. The sketches were created during a brainstorming session at the first Planning Commission workshop. Goal 1: Increased Residential Density Downtown 1-A Update zoning to encourage residential development downtown. 1-B Enhance the visual environment downtown to make it a more attractive for residents. 1-C Provide open space and public amenities for residents. 1-D Enhance public safety downtown. 1-E Provide sufficient capacity for approximately 3,200 dwelling units. Goal 2: Thriving Retail District 2-A Maintain/update zoning to concentrate retail development in the downtown core. 2-B Enhance the visual environment downtown to make it more attractive for shoppers. 2-C Eliminate required off-street parking for non-residential uses. 2-D Charge market rate for on-street parking. 2-E Encourage a range of retail activities. 2-F Enhance public safety downtown. 2-G Maintain ongoing communication with business owners. 2-H Provide sufficient capacity for at least 400,000 square feet of additional retail commercial space. ---PAGE BREAK--- CHAPTER 4 34 MAKERS architecture and urban design Goal 3: Growing Employment Center 3-A Update zoning to concentrate office development in the downtown core. 3-B Enhance the visual environment downtown to make it an attractive place to work. 3-C Provide open space and public amenities for residents and employees. 3-D Provide sufficient capacity for at least 1,000,000 square feet of office space. Goal 4: Active Plazas, Open Spaces, and Recreational Facilities 4-A Create a centralized public plaza in the retail core area. 4-B Provide open space and recreational amenities to serve downtown residents. 4-C Enhance connections to open spaces and recreational amenities surrounding the downtown core. Goal 5: Vibrant Arts and Entertainment Center 5-A Support existing arts and entertainment venues. 5-B Market: Attract new arts and entertainment uses downtown. 5-C Enhance the visual environment downtown to make it attractive for patrons. 5-D Eliminate required off-street parking for non-residential uses. 5-E Charge market rate for on-street parking to support investment in streetscape and open space improvements downtown. ---PAGE BREAK--- GOALS AND OBJECTIVES EVERETT DOWNTOWN PLAN 35 Goal 6: Safe, Efficient, and Attractive Multimodal Transportation Network 6-A Improve bicycle network leading to and through downtown. 6-B Enhance the pedestrian environment on all streets in downtown. 6-C Enhance the pedestrian connection to public facilities and recreational amenities surrounding downtown. 6-D Keep truck and through vehicular traffic on perimeter streets. 6-E Improve access to transit. Goal 7: Attractive, Safe, and Walkable Streetscapes 7-A Enhance the streetscape on Rucker Avenue. 7-B Provide design standards to maintain and/or enhance the pedestrian environment on all downtown streets. 7-C Designate a backbone of Retail Streets (defined Figure 37) downtown to concentrate retail activity and upgrade the pedestrian environment. 7-D Designate a series of Connector Streets surrounding the retail core to enhance pedestrian connectivity downtown and attract residential development. 7-E Update zoning to encourage uses that enhance the pedestrian environment. 7-F Update and enforce property maintenance standards. ---PAGE BREAK--- CHAPTER 4 36 MAKERS architecture and urban design Goal 8: Strong Sense of Identity 8-A Preserve and rehabilitate downtown’s significant historic structures. 8-B Maintain and enhance downtown’s streetscape. 8-C Maintain water and mountain views along downtown’s east-west streets. 8-D Create a centralized public plaza in the retail core area. 8-E Update zoning to encourage uses that enhance the pedestrian environment. 8-F Create design standards that upgrade the quality of development downtown. 8-G Create height and bulk regulations that concentrate the most dense development downtown. 8-H Enhance the gateways into downtown. Goal 9: Stable Surrounding Neighborhoods 9-A Limit non-residential uses in surrounding neighborhoods. 9-B Lower height limits in the surrounding neighborhoods to discourage speculative blight. ---PAGE BREAK--- EVERETT DOWNTOWN PLAN 37 5. Major Concepts The specific objectives derived from Everett’s Comprehensive Plan and from public comment during this project outline a consistent and compelling vision for downtown. It is a vision that builds on Everett’s history as an industrial mill town and to create a more dynamic and multifaceted metropolitan center that will be the focus for commercial, civic and cultural activities in Snohomish County. To achieve this goal, downtown must add or enhance three key elements to its spectrum of activities. It must: • Continue to create and construct regional facilities and attractions that attract people from throughout the city and the region and make downtown Everett a regional destination. • Foster inviting neighborhoods for those who want the convenience and excitement of urban living and connect downtown to strengthened neighborhoods immediately to the north and south. • Attract additional retail services and business activity to serve the growing residential population and increased concentration of commercial activities. As the diagrams below illustrates, the core concepts of this plan are aimed toward this three pronged strategy. Figure 28. Strategy to transform downtown Everett. ---PAGE BREAK--- CHAPTER 5 38 MAKERS architecture and urban design Creating Regional Attractions Everett has already taken ambitious steps to make its downtown a destination for a number of activities. The Events Center, the library, the YMCA, Performing Arts Center, Historic Everett Theater and Children’s Museum give visitors plenty of reasons to come downtown, and improvements to Colby, Hewitt and Wall Streets make the core area an attractive venue for strolling and browsing. In addition, the Everett Station and future North Marina development will ultimately bring visitors close to downtown. The strategy for improving downtown Everett’s role as a regional destination should build on previous efforts and include: • Encouraging County and City offices. • Upgrading public signage to identify parking and access to attractions. • Creating a central open space for informal gatherings, social interaction, and to support public celebrations and festivals. • Improving connections to the waterfront and Everett Station. In addition, many of the improvements and amenities to upgrade the downtown’s residential setting will also be attractions for regional visitors. ---PAGE BREAK--- MAJOR CONCEPTS EVERETT DOWNTOWN PLAN 39 Figure 29. Elements to create regional attractions. ---PAGE BREAK--- CHAPTER 5 40 MAKERS architecture and urban design Fostering Livable Neighborhoods Most downtown redevelopment experts view residential neighborhoods as a key ingredient in successful downtowns, and Everett’s comprehensive plan establishes a goal of over 25 downtown dwelling units per net acre accommodated in a variety of housing types. While there is some downtown residential development already occurring, more work is needed to provide a desirable setting that will attract potential residents to downtown. A recent redevelopment evaluation on a nearby property noted “street appeal” (streetscape quality) and perception of safety as two of the top characteristics that potential buyers are looking for. Amenities such as local commercial services (restaurants, laundries, coffee shops, and drug and grocery stores), open space, recreation facilities and views are also critical. Residential development is most likely to start in the western and north-eastern portions of downtown, where there are more redevelopable parcels and residential amenities (views in the west and parks and community facilities in the north-east). The City can encourage development in these areas through a variety of actions including: • Refining height and bulk regulations to allow appropriately scaled buildings, • Upgrading Rucker Avenue’s streetscape with a median and encouraging commercial services on the ground floor along Rucker’s street front. • Extending bus access westward along Hewitt and to the south on Rucker Avenue. • Designating bicycle routes to provide greater access to other city and regional destinations • Continue crime prevention programs. Additionally, there are existing residential neighborhoods just north and south of downtown. Refining height and bulk restrictions to protect neighborhood scale and providing better pedestrian connections into downtown will enhance the livability in these areas and encourage positive redevelopment, as well as provide support for downtown businesses. ---PAGE BREAK--- MAJOR CONCEPTS EVERETT DOWNTOWN PLAN 41 Figure 30. Elements to foster residential neighborhoods. ---PAGE BREAK--- CHAPTER 5 42 MAKERS architecture and urban design Strengthening Commercial Activities and Retail Services Respondents to a 2004 questionnaire about downtown Everett commonly noted that the most important need in downtown was for more shops and restaurants. Additionally, the City will need to replace the older manufacturing, repair and distribution jobs gradually leaving downtown and vicinity with a wider diversity of technical, office and service positions. The primary way to help these sectors to grow in downtown is by elevating downtown’s role as a regional destination and by fostering residential neighborhoods, as noted above. Additionally, the City should make sure that land use patterns and development potential fit the needs of prospective commercial activities and focus retail in prescribed area to reinforce a shopping and entertainment district. Requiring commercial uses on the ground floor of new development of Colby, Hewitt, and portions of Rucker and Wetmore will prevent new development from displacing retail uses on those key streets. Upgrading streetscapes is also a proven method of assisting retail performance. The City should continue, as part of its economic development strategy, to promote downtown as a location for new or relocated businesses. ---PAGE BREAK--- MAJOR CONCEPTS EVERETT DOWNTOWN PLAN 43 Figure 31. Elements to strengthen commercial activities. ---PAGE BREAK--- CHAPTER 5 44 MAKERS architecture and urban design Putting It Together—A Comprehensive, Unifying Concept As is evident from the above discussion, many of the activities to achieve one of the three objectives is also a key component in facilitating both of the other two. This shows that the three sets of objectives are mutually supportive and complimentary. The diagram below combines the major elements from the three previous diagrams into a comprehensive downtown redevelopment concept that frames the implementation recommendations in the next chapter. ---PAGE BREAK--- MAJOR CONCEPTS EVERETT DOWNTOWN PLAN 45 Figure 32. Elements to make Everett a metropolitan center. ---PAGE BREAK--- CHAPTER 5 46 MAKERS architecture and urban design Connections to Surrounding Areas While this plan focuses on the downtown core roughly between Everett Avenue, Broadway, Pacific Avenue, and Marine View Drive, it is important to remember that the health of any downtown depends on both good connections to other parts of the city and support from adjacent districts and neighborhoods. Therefore, the redevelopment concept includes a consideration of actions outside the core. Figure 33 illustrates the key recommendations to better connect and integrate downtown to the rest of the city. In terms of connections, it is critical that the streets, transit routes, and trails into downtown provide access that is not only convenient, but also attractive and welcoming. As one citizen at a Planning Commission meeting noted, the “gateway streets”, particularly from I-5 and the Riverfront, are downtown’s welcome mat, and they should be more attractive than they are now. Therefore, the City should take steps to upgrade the performance and attractiveness of the gateway streets. Street trees and entry signage are a cost-effective approach to this action, but pedestrian improvements and lighting should also be considered, especially where there is likely to be foot traffic. Broadway is a special case since it is a commercial land use corridor as well as a transportation corridor and transit improvements are programmed on it. The City should pro-actively initiate a planning study to determine the preferred street configuration and development character. Pedestrian conditions are especially important in the Everett Events Center/Everett Station vicinity because it is critical to better link the station to downtown. Pedestrian and bicycle routes are equally important. This plan recommends implementing the recommendations of the Everett Shoreline Public Access Plan of 2003 and the bicycle links recommended in the transportation plan. Additionally, the routes to the neighborhoods north and south of the core are also critical. ---PAGE BREAK--- MAJOR CONCEPTS EVERETT DOWNTOWN PLAN 47 Figure 33. Downtown core connections and edge conditions. ---PAGE BREAK--- CHAPTER 5 48 MAKERS architecture and urban design In terms of land use, it is critical that the neighborhoods to the north and south of downtown remain healthy because fostering residential development in downtown depends on a “critical mass” of local residents that can support needed retail services. Viable residential neighborhoods adjacent to downtown can help provide the necessary population and lend a stable sense of community. The City is undertaking a plan of potential zoning changes to ensure that neighboring residential neighborhoods can thrive. The emergence of transit-oriented redevelopment in the Everett Station area represents a special opportunity to strengthen downtown as well. New activities in this area, if they can be conveniently connected to downtown, will add diversity and economic stimulus. The residential area roughly between Pacific Avenue, 34th St, Lombard Avenue, and Broadway could, with a little encouragement, be transformed from dilapidated houses and vacant lots into to a more vibrant multifamily neighborhood; taking advantage of views of the Cascades and proximity to Everett Station, the Events Center, and the rest of downtown. ---PAGE BREAK--- EVERETT DOWNTOWN PLAN 49 6. Plan Elements Land Use and Development Summary The vision for downtown Everett emphasizes a greater concentration of retail, office, civic, cultural, entertainment, and housing uses in a pedestrian-oriented environment. The proposed land use actions build on existing downtown amenities and attractions and take advantage of good transit access, topography, and views. Protection and enhancement of the neighborhoods surrounding downtown is also high priority and critical to the overall health of downtown. Proposed land use actions emphasize the following for downtown: • Consolidating zoning downtown (B-3 zone) and improving development standards and design guidelines to promote quality redevelopment. • Requiring ground floor retail or other desirable commercial uses on Colby, Hewitt, and portions of Wetmore and Rucker Avenues, but providing flexibility (commercial or residential) on all other downtown streets. • Encourage uses that attract pedestrian activity and create a friendly environment for residential uses. • Regulate building heights according to a “wedding cake” configuration with taller buildings on the ridgetop. • Establish a density minimum that prohibits single story development served by surface parking. • Create design standards to ensure that all development enhances the pedestrian environment downtown. Figure 34. Together with Hewitt and portions of Wetmore and Rucker Avenues, Colby Avenue is designated a Retail Street, where generous floor-to-ceiling heights and certain commercial uses are required on the ground floor. ---PAGE BREAK--- CHAPTER 6 50 MAKERS architecture and urban design • Create a system of density standards that ensures that the greater the density is, the greater the quality of development and number of public amenities there will be. • Adopt regulations that encourage the preservation of historic structures downtown. • Create public/private partnership developments that incorporates desirable land uses. While specific land use actions for the residential areas surrounding downtown will be addressed in a subsequent planning process, participants recommended the following: • Lowering current building heights to encourage development more in character with current conditions and focus the tallest buildings in downtown. • Stop speculative blight on the part of property owners who, because of excessive allowable building heights, do not redevelop their properties, mistakenly believing that the market increases will ultimately make their properties more valuable. • More closely align development regulations with likely feasible development types. Figure 35. Development regulations encourage historic preservation, particularly along Hewitt Avenue east of Wetmore Avenue. ---PAGE BREAK--- PLAN ELEMENTS EVERETT DOWNTOWN PLAN 51 Proposed Land Use Improvement Actions L-1 Rezone all of Downtown Core to Downtown Business This proposal replaces existing C-1 and C-2 zones in the east and west ends of downtown with the B-3 designation. The C-1 and C-2 zones allow a number of industrial and vehicle related uses that are not allowed in the B-3 zone. Such uses in existence within the downtown core would be allowed to remain, but expansion or new industrial and vehicle-related uses would be prohibited or strictly limited. There are two key factors in making this change. First, with increasing land values downtown, the economic viability of new industrial and vehicle related uses in the area is decreasing. Second, these uses are not compatible with the long term plan for downtown, which envisions housing and supporting pedestrian-oriented uses – particularly in the area west of Rucker Avenue. Two R-5 zoned areas south of Pacific Avenue would be rezoned from R-5 to B-3 to eliminate split zoning designations on individual ownerships and square off the zoning boundary for each block. Also, a half-block area of R-4 zoned land would be changed to B-3. This change allows for the same types of residential uses, but now allows for a broad range of commercial uses. Also see changes to height and density under Action L-2 below. It is also recommended that the boundary of the B-3 zone be extended to include some properties on the east side of Broadway to provide consistent zoning on both sides of the street. (See Figure 36.) Figure 36. Proposed downtown zoning. ---PAGE BREAK--- CHAPTER 6 52 MAKERS architecture and urban design L-2 Update the provisions of the Downtown Business (B-3) zone. The provisions below shall modify or replace applicable or conflicting EMC Chapter 19 provisions associated with the B-3 zone unless otherwise noted. See Appendix A for more details. a. Permitted Uses: Same as existing, except: y Allow parking lots, except where otherwise noted. y Prohibit new single family detached. y Require that businesses be enclosed within buildings. b. Retail Street Designations: Designate Colby and portions of Hewitt, Rucker, and Wetmore as Retail Streets. Special requirements for the ground floor on designated Retail Streets: See special design requirements for ground floor in under “Retail Streets.” Permitted ground floor uses on designated Retail Streets include all non-residential uses permitted in the B-3 zone, except: y Research, testing labs. y Tattoo parlors/body piercing. y Pawnshops. y Second hand stores. y Food banks. y Places of assembly, including churches. y Social service agencies. y Plasma centers. y Teen clubs. y Video game arcades. y Parking lots. ---PAGE BREAK--- PLAN ELEMENTS EVERETT DOWNTOWN PLAN 53 Figure 37. Proposed Retail and Connector Streets. ---PAGE BREAK--- CHAPTER 6 54 MAKERS architecture and urban design c. Maximum Height: Establish maximum building heights as indicated in Figures 38 and 40. This proposal continues to emphasize the wedding cake approach, with the ridgetop along Colby having the tallest buildings. Rather than unlimited heights, the proposal caps heights at 200 feet. Heights step downward each block toward the west more gradually than in the current regulations. Buildings up to 100 feet tall would be allowed under this proposal west of the alley between Grand Avenue and Rucker Avenue as opposed to the current 80 feet current height limit. The proposed heights in the Northeast are substantially lower than existing limits (from as high as 200 feet down to 80 feet in the existing proposal). The intent here is to encourage low to mid-rise construction, which is more realistic economically, and would fit well into the context of the area. Figure 38. Cross-section of maximum building heights allowed from west to east along Hewitt Avenue between Everett and Pacific Avenues. If developments meet special conditions, buildings could be taller. ---PAGE BREAK--- PLAN ELEMENTS EVERETT DOWNTOWN PLAN 55 It is recommended that the buildings be allowed with no height restrictions in the Ridge area and increased up to 50 percent higher than maximum height limits defined in Figure 40 in other parts of the B-3 zone per all of the following conditions: y The project is subject to a special review process. y It includes three or more of the bonus design elements as defined in Action L-2f. y All floors above 40 feet in height are less than 150 feet in width measured in the north-south direction. d. Floor-to-Area Ratio (FAR): FAR shall be determined by the following calculation: Gross floor area (per current EMC Title 19 definition, but excluding basement, parking, and public amenity areas) divided by the lot area. y Minimum FAR: 0.75. y Maximum FAR: Establish a maximum FAR as indicated in Table 2. Table 2. Maximum FAR by area and use type. With Basic Design Standards plus Area (see Figure 40 for area boundaries) With Basic Design Standards (see E below) 1 bonus element 2 bonus elements 3 bonus elements West 3 4 5 5 Near West 3 4 5 7 Ridge 3 4 5 12 Southeast 3 4 5 6 Northeast 3 4 4 4 North, South, and Far West 1.5 2.5 3.5 4 Figure 39. How floor-to-area ratio (FAR) is measured. ---PAGE BREAK--- CHAPTER 6 56 MAKERS architecture and urban design Figure 40. Proposed maximum height and FAR for the proposed B-3 zone. ---PAGE BREAK--- PLAN ELEMENTS EVERETT DOWNTOWN PLAN 57 e. Basic Design Standards: All projects will adhere to the design standards summarized below and included in Appendix A unless the City finds that there is a compelling reason to the contrary. (See Appendix A for greater specificity and details. Standards are applied to remodeling and partial improvement projects.) Standards Applicable to All Sites Streetscape and Parking Sidewalk design. Street trees shall be installed per City specifications as part of the project. Special streetscape treatment. All developments must incorporate at least two of the treatments listed below, as approved by the City. Treatments must be “one of a kind,” constructed of high-quality and durable materials, and be easily maintained. i. Special surfacing treatment, such as unit pavers, special materials, and inlays. ii. Artwork incorporated into or along the sidewalk. iii. Decorative tree grates. iv. Decorative clocks. v. Informational kiosks. vi. Corner curb bulbs or other landscaping elements incorporated into the sidewalks. vii. Other treatments as approved by the City. Parking lot location. Surface parking areas shall not be located between the primary building and the public ROW. Corner parking lots are prohibited. Parking lot access. Access to parking will be from alleys unless the City finds that this creates safety or traffic problems or steep topography prohibits access to off-street parking in building. Parking lot screening and landscaping. All surface parking lots or areas shall be screened and landscaped per EMC 19.22.020 standards. Figure 42. Special sidewalk treatment example. Figure 41. Standard sidewalk and street tree improvements will be required as part of downtown projects. ---PAGE BREAK--- CHAPTER 6 58 MAKERS architecture and urban design Parking garage design. Parking garages must be designed to obscure the view of parked cars. Where commercial or residential space is not provided on the ground level adjacent to the sidewalk to accomplish this, features such as planters, decorative grilles, or works of art as approved by the City shall be required. Specific standards and considerations for parking structures: y No more than 120 feet of ground level building frontage can be occupied by parking. Parking structures wider than 120 feet must incorporate other uses along the streetfront to meet this requirement. y Small setbacks with terraced landscaping elements can be particularly effective in softening the appearance of a parking garage. y Where the garage wall is built to the sidewalk edge, the façade shall use a combination of artwork, grillwork, special building material treatment/design, and/or other treatments as approved by the City that enhance the pedestrian environment. In order to meet transparency requirements, garages can incorporate openings with grillwork or other treatments to resemble windows. y Upper level parking garages must use articulation treatments that break up the massing of the garage and add visual interest. See Figures 43 through 45 on this page for example parking garage treatments. Figure 45. Design parking garages to obscure the view of parked cars. Figure 43. The side of this parking garage includes some storefront retail space (left), decorative grillwork, and a raised brick planter to enhance the pedestrian environment. Figure 44. This building uses openings on its second level parking area to resemble windows. ---PAGE BREAK--- PLAN ELEMENTS EVERETT DOWNTOWN PLAN 59 Building Design Ground floor transparency. For all building facades within 5 feet of a public sidewalk and facing the sidewalk, at least 40 percent of the area between 2 and 10 feet above grade shall be transparent. For residential uses, this minimum transparency requirement is reduced to 20 percent of the area between 2 and 10 feet above grade to allow for increased privacy. Transparent features may include windows, transparent doors, and window displays at least 12 inches in depth and recessed into the building (display cases attached to the exterior wall do not qualify). Other treatments that enhance the pedestrian environment will be considered by the City. Figure 46. Facade and transparency requirements. ---PAGE BREAK--- CHAPTER 6 60 MAKERS architecture and urban design Window treatments. Building facades shall employ techniques to recess or project individual windows above the ground floor at least 2 inches from the façade or incorporate window trim at least 4 inches in width that features color that contrasts with the base building color. Exceptions will be considered by the City where buildings employ distinctive window or façade treatment that adds visual interest to the building. Buildings over six-stories in height are exempt from this requirement to accommodate common construction/ architectural practices for tower structures. Materials. Building materials shall conform to the standards in Appendix A to ensure a greater durability and an attractive appearance. Building entrances. The main public entrances of all buildings must provide weather protection at least 6 feet in depth. Exception: The primary entrance for individual ground-level residential units must provide weather protection at least 3 feet in depth. Building corners. Buildings located on corner properties must incorporate one or more of the following elements to emphasize these highly visible locations: i. Turret. ii. Special balcony or bay window design. iii. Curved corner façade. iv. Sculptural or artistic treatment of building corner. v. Recessed corner entry with distinctive weather protection element. vi. Other distinctive corner feature as approved by the City. Figure 47. An example of recessed windows on upper floors. Figure 48. Provide weather protection at least 6 feet deep over primary public building entries. Figure 49. Example of a curved corner facade. ---PAGE BREAK--- PLAN ELEMENTS EVERETT DOWNTOWN PLAN 61 Façades of Large Buildings. Buildings must use design techniques to break up long continuous building walls, reduce the architectural scale of the building, and add visual interest. Specifically, any building facade longer than 120’ in width must employ design techniques to limit the length of individual facades. To meet this requirement, buildings must utilize a combination of vertical building modulation with a change in building materials or finishes, a clear change in building articulation and/or fenestration technique. See Figures 50 and 51 for examples. Blank wall treatment. Untreated blank walls are prohibited (see detailed blank wall treatments in Appendix Rooftop mechanical equipment. All rooftop mechanical equipment shall be designed, organized, proportioned, detailed, landscaped (with decks or terraces), and colored to be an integral element of the building. Figure 51. Other design examples to break up large facades. Figure 50. This building uses an angled window wall over the primary building entry to break up the width of the facade. ---PAGE BREAK--- CHAPTER 6 62 MAKERS architecture and urban design Non-Residential Uses Storefront details. Ground floor facades must include at least three of the elements listed below. Standard corporate logos or architectural elements will not qualify. i. Unique or handcrafted pedestrian-oriented signage. ii. Artwork incorporated on the façade. iii. Distinctive treatment of windows and/or door(s). iv. Permanent weather protection element such as a glass and/or steel canopy at least 6 feet in depth along the majority of building frontage. v. Distinctive exterior light fixtures. vi. Unique or handcrafted planter boxes or other architectural features that are intended to incorporate landscaping. vii. Distinctive façade kickplate treatment including the use of stone, marble, tile or other material that provides special visual interest. viii. Other details as approved by the City that add visual interest to the storefronts. Figure 52. These Colby Avenue buildings incorporate a number of desirable storefront details. New buildings would also need to add weather protection features. ---PAGE BREAK--- PLAN ELEMENTS EVERETT DOWNTOWN PLAN 63 Multi-Family Residential Uses Open space. All multi-family residential development must provide 50 square feet of on-site open space for each dwelling unit (see detailed open space requirements in Appendix This is consistent with current area requirements in downtown for each unit. Setbacks/Privacy. All ground floor residential units shall be set back at least 10 feet from the public ROW or all living areas with windows shall be elevated above the street grade at least 3 feet to provide for increased privacy. The City will consider other design solutions that retain resident privacy while enhancing the pedestrian environment on the sidewalk. Figure 53. An example of on-site open space for multifamily uses could include street-level courtyards and private balconies. Figure 54. An example of ground floor residential units set back off the street and elevated for privacy. Figure 55. Elevated front porches or patios can be used to meet open space requirements. ---PAGE BREAK--- CHAPTER 6 64 MAKERS architecture and urban design Modulation/Articulation. All residential buildings and residential portions of mixed-use buildings shall include at least three of the following modulation and/or articulation features at intervals of no more than 40 feet along all facades facing a street: i. Repeating distinctive window patterns at intervals less than 40 feet. ii. Vertical building modulation. Minimum depth of modulation is 2 feet and minimum width for each modulation is 4 feet if tied to a change in color or building material and/or roofline modulation as defined below. Otherwise, minimum depth of modulation is 10 feet (except balconies) and minimum width for each modulation is 15 feet. iii. Horizontal modulation (upper level step-backs). To qualify for this measure, the minimum horizontal modulation shall be 5 feet. iv. Articulation of the building’s top, middle, and bottom. This typically includes a distinctive ground floor or lower floor design, consistent articulation of middle floors, and a distinctive roofline. (See Figure 58.) v. Change of roofline. To qualify for this measure, the maximum length of any continuous roofline shall be 40 feet and comply with the treatments below: y For flat roofs or facades with a horizontal eave, fascia, or parapet, the minimum vertical dimension of roofline modulation is the greater of two feet or 0.1 multiplied by the wall height (finish grade to top of wall). y For gable, hipped, or shed roofs - a minimum slope of 3 feet vertical to 12 feet horizontal. y Other roof forms consistent with the design standards herein may satisfy this standard if the individual segments of the roof with no change in slope or discontinuity are less than 40’ in width (measured horizontally). vi. Change in building material or siding style (perhaps coordinated with horizontal building modulation and a change in color). vii. Alternative methods as approved by the City that reduce the perceived bulk and scale of the buildings and add visual interest. For example, buildings using high quality materials such as brick and special façade detailing may not need much modulation to provide visual interest. Figure 56. This building is articulated into intervals. Articulation methods include modulation, broken roof lines, building elements (chimneys, entries), and landscaping. Figure 57. This building employs both vertical and horizontal modulation and a change in building materials to add visual interest. ---PAGE BREAK--- PLAN ELEMENTS EVERETT DOWNTOWN PLAN 65 Standards Applicable to Retail Streets (see Figure 37 for areas) Compliance with applicable standards stated in above, plus: Buildings shall abut the public ROW unless the space between the building and the ROW is additional sidewalk area or pedestrian-oriented space. All ground floor uses must maintain 15-foot floor-to-ceiling heights. Enclosed commercial space must have a minimum depth of 20 feet measured from the sidewalk level façade. Building frontage requirements: At least 75 percent of the area between 2 and 10 feet above grade shall be transparent. This may include windows, transparent doors, and window displays at least 12 inches in depth and recessed into the building (display cases attached to the exterior wall do not qualify). Weather protection at least 6 feet in depth is required over 75 percent of building frontage. Primary entrances must be oriented to the Retail Street unless the City finds a compelling reason to the contrary. Parking lots and ground level structured parking adjacent to a Retail Street are prohibited. Driveways or parking areas adjacent to street are prohibited except where the City determines that no other access opportunities exist. Figure 58. While there is no vertical or horizontal modulation, this building uses design treatments to clearly delineate its top, middle, and bottom and uses high-quality materials and special detailing to add visual interest. Figure 59. Street-level facades on Retail Streets must employ tall floor-to-ceiling heights, plenty of transparency, and weather protection elements. ---PAGE BREAK--- CHAPTER 6 66 MAKERS architecture and urban design Standards for Downtown Connector Streets (see Figure 37 for areas) All uses fronting on Connector Street must feature their primary pedestrian building entrance on such street unless the City finds that there is a compelling reason to the contrary steep grade). Exception: If sites also front onto a Retail Street, the Retail Street takes priority (corner entrances or entrances onto both street are encouraged). For all non-residential buildings facing a Connector Street, at least 40 percent of the area between 2 and 10 feet above grade shall be transparent or include some other design feature acceptable to the city such as a landscaped open space. Special Guideline for Colby Avenue A 10-foot setback or other horizontal design element that creates the appearance of a step-back is required above the fifth floor of façades facing Colby Avenue. f. Bonus Design Elements: Developments can qualify for an FAR bonus by incorporating one or more of the design elements below (see Table Specifically, developments can gain an additional 1.0 FAR by incorporating one element, 2.0 FAR by incorporating two elements, and the maximum FAR identified in Table 2 by incorporating three elements. Three elements can also allow building heights greater than maximum heights shown in Figure 40 if the project meets the conditions of Action L-2c above. Figure 60. A desirable streetfront treatment along a Connector Street. Note the windows and landscaping elements. Figure 61. On Colby Avenue, use design techniques to create the appearance of a step- back of tower floors. This cornice line above the fourth floor and change in materials are a good example of how this can be accomplished. ---PAGE BREAK--- PLAN ELEMENTS EVERETT DOWNTOWN PLAN 67 The City shall have the discretion to decide if the quality of the proposed design elements is sufficient to qualify as a FAR bonus feature. Provide publicly accessible open space within 3 vertical feet of the nearest sidewalk equivalent to 5 percent of the site, including all of the following: At least 2 linear feet of seating area or one individual seat per 60 square feet of area. Landscaping elements as approved by the City. Solar exposure during the summer if site location allows. Visibility from the nearest sidewalk. Distinctive building geometry. This could include: Unique rooftop features such as a dome, spire, or pyramid. Terraced upper floors. Other distinctive architectural features that create a distinctive silhouette. Unique Rooftop Feature Terraced Upper Floors Distinctive Balcony Design Figure 63. Distinctive building geometry examples. Figure 62. Publicly accessible open space examples. ---PAGE BREAK--- CHAPTER 6 68 MAKERS architecture and urban design Public benefit use, including: Auditorium. Movie theater. Retail frontage on a publicly accessible open space. Retention and renovation of any designated or listed historic structures on the site. Alternatively, funding for off-site rehabilitation of any designated or listed historic structures, within the downtown area, equivalent to at least 1 percent of the project construction cost. Below grade parking (at least 40 percent of parking must be below grade to qualify). Building an off-site park, open space, or community gardens with a value of at least 1 percent of the project construction cost within the downtown core. Alternatively, a payment may be paid to the City in-lieu of actual park development. Providing works of art or water features equivalent to at least 1 percent of the project construction cost within publicly accessible spaces on or off-site within the downtown core. Alternatively, a payment may be paid to the City Arts Fund in-lieu of actual work of art or water feature. Enclosed publicly accessible atrium at least 2,000 square feet in size with adjacent commercial uses and seating and pedestrian amenities. This could be ground floor or upper floors where they are accessible and inviting to the public. Adherence to “green” development standards, including LEED or other equivalent certification, as determined by the City. Figure 64. These water features frame the entry to a residential tower and enhance the streetscape. ---PAGE BREAK--- PLAN ELEMENTS EVERETT DOWNTOWN PLAN 69 g. Transfer of Development Rights from Significant Historic Properties to New Sites: On a square-foot-for-square-foot basis, developers can transfer unused floor area per maximum FAR with basic design standards as identified in Table 2 for the applicable historic site (sending site) to the proposed development site (receiving site) within the B-3 zone, provided all of the following conditions below are met. The proposed development does not exceed the maximum FAR identified in Table 2. The site sending is included in the existing historic properties listed in a survey of Everett’s Historic Properties (revised and reprinted in 1996), Hewitt Ave Inventory (1989), Central Business District Inventory / Survey (1993) or is listed as the Everett, State, or National Register of Historic Properties. The sending site (applicable historic property) must adhere to the Secretary of Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation for any changes to the building’s exterior. h. Transfer of Development Rights from Other Properties: The City may in the future establish a Transfer of Development Rights program to enable the transfer of development from properties that are located outside the B-3 zone that may not be developed due to such properties’ being significantly constrained by critical areas, being placed in an agricultural preservation program, being committed to permanent open space, or for such other reason as the City may deem appropriate. Should such a program be established, the development rights allowed to be transferred from such properties may be applied to a receiving site in the B-3 zone in accordance with provisions to be established as part of such a program. ---PAGE BREAK--- CHAPTER 6 70 MAKERS architecture and urban design L-3 Revise sign standards for downtown properties. Detailed standards, provided in Appendix A, emphasize the following: y Sign design appropriate to the architecture of the building size and material standards and requirements that signs not cover windows or other significant architectural features). y Use of quality materials that enhance the visual environment plastic backlit signs are prohibited). y Special standards for an “entertainment district” along Hewitt Avenue that encourage lively signage. L-4 Conduct Historic Preservation Activities Retaining downtown Everett’s historical buildings was a high priority for planning participants. This plan encourages preservation and rehabilitation by proposing that zoning standards provide a density bonus for retaining and/or rehabilitating downtown historic structures. In addition, the City should consider the following activities as part of a historic preservation program: y Tax incentives for rehabilitation. y Recognition and education. y A “Good Neighbor Fund” offering low-interest loans to upgrade historic properties (those on the national or state registers or those identified as eligible by the City inventory). Loans could be for upgrading properties with respect to code requirements, facade and exterior shell improvements, or improvements to increase use of unoccupied space. The City might also consider a local landmark ordinance to provide some measure of protection to important historic resources. However, this is an action that takes considerable planning effort. Figure 65. A good signage example for downtown Everett. ---PAGE BREAK--- PLAN ELEMENTS EVERETT DOWNTOWN PLAN 71 Transportation Summary People travel to and from downtown by many different modes – as drivers of cars or trucks, by transit buses, in carpools, by bicycle, or as pedestrians. In 2005 most employees drove by themselves to jobs in downtown. The long-term goal is to significantly reduce the number of people who drive by themselves, particularly in the peak hours. If this goal can be achieved, then we will not need to widen as many roads and we can enjoy far less air and noise pollution. Many significant street improvements have been made in the downtown area in recent years to move heavy traffic volumes and trucks more efficiently, including the Pacific Avenue and California (Everett Avenue) overpasses of the Burlington Northern Santa Fe railway tracks. Improved traffic signal timing on the Major Arterials has increased traffic flow efficiency. The heavy traffic volumes and trucks must be maintained on the peripheral arterials of Broadway, Everett, West Marine, and Pacific Avenues. A better connection from Rucker Avenue south of Pacific to West Marine View Drive should be studied to accommodate truck movements. The long-range goal is to increase the proportion of commuter trips made by transit in downtown by more than 50 percent. Bus routes and frequencies to and through the downtown core will therefore need to be increased as redevelopment occurs. High-capacity transit services also need to be planned and designed through the downtown core. Recent improvements on Hewitt and Colby Avenues and retiming traffic signals to serve pedestrian crossings better have significantly improved pedestrian accessibility in downtown. Similar improvements on residential streets and retail streets will enhance the pedestrian ambience and safety. Wider sidewalks can be achieved by using curb bulb-outs at intersections and appropriate placement of street furniture and pedestrian amenities, as well as design standards for building frontages. Improving pedestrian connections west of Rucker Avenue will ---PAGE BREAK--- CHAPTER 6 72 MAKERS architecture and urban design support residential growth and provide connections to the Harborfront Trail via Grand Avenue Finding a better balance of the travel modes we choose is a primary goal and we can achieve this goal by investing more resources in non-vehicular modes. Figure 66. Proposed transportation actions. ---PAGE BREAK--- PLAN ELEMENTS EVERETT DOWNTOWN PLAN 73 Proposed Transportation Improvement Actions T-1 Implement a Downtown Transportation Management Association (TMA). Transportation Management Associations (TMA) implement transportation demand management (TDM) programs and services in a community. TDM programs can include ride matching services for carpools and vanpools, transit pass discounts, bicycle parking and shower facilities, parking management, and promotional campaigns. TMA services vary by organization. TMA organizations represent a variety of private business organizations, such as chambers of commerce, downtown business associations, or large business employers, and public agencies, such as local governments and transit agencies. TMA’s are currently managing programs in downtown Bellevue, downtown Seattle, and the Redmond Overlake district. A downtown Everett TMA should be planned and implemented. The organization should include existing downtown business organizations in conjunction with the City of Everett and Everett Transit. Start-up grants are available to assist in developing the TMA. The downtown Everett TMA should provide publicity and programs to encourage people to use alternate modes of travel, such as transit, carpools, vanpools, bicycles, and walking. The TMA would provide ride- matching services and could negotiate lower-cost transit passes by bulk- buying procedures. The TMA could also manage the public parking resources, including civic parking garages such as Everpark and on-street paid parking programs. By managing parking resources as well as promoting alternate means of travel, the TMA will be able to find the appropriate balance of transportation services to meet demands. ---PAGE BREAK--- CHAPTER 6 74 MAKERS architecture and urban design T-2 Implement pay stations for on-street parking. On-street parking resources should be managed better to increase the availability for short-term customer and visitor parking needs. Parking management techniques in other vibrant, growing downtown areas use meters or pay stations to charge a market rate for on-street parking. Meters and pay stations allow efficient enforcement of time limitations. Some pay stations are capable of changing the parking fee for different days and even throughout any hour of the day. The proceeds from on-street pay stations must be reinvested into the downtown business areas for capital street improvement projects and for improved maintenance and operations of public rights-of-way. This provides a specific return on the cost of parking to further enhance business opportunities in downtown. The City, in conjunction with the downtown Everett business associations, should plan and implement this type of parking management technique to ensure that its on-street parking supply is providing the highest level of service for the short-term customer parking needs. This service could also be managed through a TMA. T - 3 Eliminate commercial off-street parking requirements in the City Code. Off-street parking facilities are under-utilized. Many employees are using other travel modes and many employees are using on-street facilities, depleting the supply of short-term customer and visitor parking. Reducing or eliminating the minimum off-street parking requirement in the development code for commercial buildings in downtown will allow the market place to respond to the real parking needs of new development without overbuilding off-street parking facilities. This strategy would also support the overall goal of encouraging other modes of travel for employees. Figure 67. Pay stations are recommended for downtown. ---PAGE BREAK--- PLAN ELEMENTS EVERETT DOWNTOWN PLAN 75 A minimum of one parking space per residential unit is recommended, however, to ensure that on-street spaces are not overloaded in the evening and overnight. T- 4 Bicycle parking requirements in City Code. Secure bicycle parking facilities are needed to encourage more employees to ride to work. The recent expansion of the Snohomish County Campus provided a secure lock-up room for 100 bicycles. A provision needs to be added to the development code to require secure bicycle parking (individual bike lockers or controlled lock-up rooms) for employees. The code should require one secure bicycle parking space per 5,000 square feet of commercial office or retail floor area. The code should further require provision of shower and locker facilities for employees in all commercial buildings greater than 20,000 square feet. On-street bicycle parking racks should be provided for customers wherever appropriate. These facilities should be included in the downtown street standards to ensure consistency with other street furniture and themes. T- 5 Bicycle lanes on Hoyt Avenue. North-south bicycle corridors to and through downtown are considered essential to attract more people to use this mode of travel. Hoyt Avenue is considered the prime candidate for a north-south bicycle route that would connect the bike lanes on Colby Avenue at 23rd Street to the Interurban Trail at 41st Street in the south. Angle parking on Hoyt Avenue must be redesigned to parallel parking to accommodate designated bike lanes in each direction. The route will take cyclists through the downtown core and past the Everett Library, the Monte Cristo, the Childrens’ Museum and the Post Office. Figure 68. Bike storage locker. ---PAGE BREAK--- CHAPTER 6 76 MAKERS architecture and urban design T- 6 Bicycle lanes on California Street. East-west bicycle corridors to and through downtown are also considered essential to attract more people to use this mode of travel. California Avenue is considered the prime candidate for an east-west bicycle route that will connect the Harborfront Trail to the Highway 2 Trestle on the east. A new traffic signal will be required at Broadway and California. Angle parking on California will need to be redesigned to parallel parking to accommodate designated bike lanes in each direction. T- 7 Complete Wall Street pedestrian connection to Everett Station. Pedestrian access from Everett Station to the downtown core must be improved to take advantage of the significant transit and rail services available. Improving the pedestrian connection on Wall Street east of Broadway to the Everett Station Multi-Modal Center via the Pacific Avenue underpass would complement the recent investment in the traffic signal at Broadway and provide better access to the Everett Events Center. T- 8 Transit-oriented street design on Hewitt and Rucker. The recent design of Hewitt and Wetmore Avenues as transit-oriented streets has maintained a high level of transit service in the downtown core resulting in increased ridership. As building redevelopment occurs to the west, more transit routes must operate on Hewitt Avenue west to Rucker Avenue to provide better service to new residents in the higher-density apartments and condos. Rucker Avenue itself should be designated a transit-oriented street south of Hewitt including use of Everett’s wrought- iron shelter kiosks. (See Figure 66.) Figure 69. Hewitt Avenue. ---PAGE BREAK--- PLAN ELEMENTS EVERETT DOWNTOWN PLAN 77 T- 9 Plan for high-capacity transit on Broadway. Long-range plans by Sound Transit include extending the Link Light Rail Transit (LRT) service into Everett Station from Seattle. Everett Station is already served by Sounder Commuter Rail service and by Express regional bus service. Redevelopment of Broadway in downtown must consider connections to the Everett Station from other neighborhoods in Everett. Current development plans for expansion of Everett Community College and Providence Everett Medical Center north of downtown offer a significant opportunity for improved transit services. Implementation of a Link light rail line in Tacoma servicing the Tacoma Dome Commuter rail station, the University of Washington and downtown Tacoma produced a ridership gain of more than 400% over a free shuttle bus operation. A trolley or LRT line should be planned to extend north from the Everett Station Multi-modal Center along Broadway to provide service to Everett Community College and Providence Hospital to capture increased transit ridership. T- 10 Plan for other transit services to downtown. Everett Transit is working with other transit agencies to provide Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) services along SR-99 and entering downtown on Colby Avenue at Pacific. Any BRT stop in downtown Everett should be enhanced with appropriate shelters and other amenities. The recent Everett Vision Team also proposed a streetcar or trolley line along Hewitt Avenue from the riverfront to the waterfront. This service could be similar to the existing Seattle Waterfront or proposed South Lake Union streetcar service or the streetcar service connecting Portland’s Pearl District to its LRT system. Increased residential and commercial densities in the downtown core could support some type of high capacity transit services. ---PAGE BREAK--- CHAPTER 6 78 MAKERS architecture and urban design Further incentives for employees and residents to ride a bus to work must be provided through the Commute Trip Reduction (CTR) program or through a Transportation management Associations (TMA) to reach the goals of reducing vehicle use for commuters. T- 11 Redesign Rucker Avenue. (Also see Action S-2.) Additional street improvements are not considered necessary for traffic congestion relief. However, enhancement of all streets in the downtown core will result in better vehicular circulation as well as a better balance in facilities for pedestrians, cyclists, and transit. In particular, Rucker Avenue between Pacific and Everett Avenues could be redesigned to operate like Hewitt Avenue with two travel lanes and parallel parking in each direction, some landscaped medians, curb bulb- outs at intersections to protect the parking and to reduce pedestrian crossing distances, and enhanced transit facilities. Rucker Avenue south of Pacific Avenue and West Marine View Drive north of Pacific Avenue operate as Major Arterials. A significant amount of commuter traffic and truck traffic operates to the Port of Everett, Naval Station Everett and Everett Marina via Rucker and West Marine View Drive. A more direct connection between Rucker Avenue and West Marine View Drive would enhance the flow of traffic and trucks. A realignment study should be completed. Also see Action S-2 in the Streetscape, Open Space, and Public Amenities section of this chapter for streetscape recommendations and illustrations of Rucker Avenue improvements. ---PAGE BREAK--- PLAN ELEMENTS EVERETT DOWNTOWN PLAN 79 Streetscape, Open Space, and Public Amenities Upgrading streets, parks and other public facilities is the most direct way cities can influence private development and shape urban form. Not only do improvements to these elements upgrade the function and attractiveness of a downtown in themselves, they can be the most powerful incentive for developers to undertake quality redevelopment projects. This section describes recommended improvements to the City’s physical infrastructure. While each street park or public feature can be considered as an individual element, the intent is that they act as a system to strategically connect and enhance the various downtown sub-districts and to serve as a better setting for priority redevelopment. The recommendations follow directly from the plan’s concept as described in Chapter 4 and support the land use and circulation elements. Street Improvements Summary The recommended design for streetscape improvements were driven by the transportation needs (including transit, pedestrian, bicycle and parking), land use objectives (including the desired uses and design characteristics of adjacent development) and urban design concepts (including the need for connectivity and amenity, view potential, visibility of the street and opportunities afforded the ROW configuration). Seen in this light, the streetscape designs are primarily a response to the functional and aesthetic considerations set by the land use, transportation and redevelopment goals. The design team considered each street in downtown with respect to these considerations and evolved a street network that works as an integrated system. Figure 70. Street life is a critical part of the urban experience. Figure 71. The street design recommendations respond to requirements of transportation systems, desired adjacent land use, and urban design concepts. Think of a city and what comes to mind? Its streets. If a city’s streets look interesting, the city looks interesting; if they look dull, the city looks dull. Jane Jacobs: The Death and Life of Great American Cities ---PAGE BREAK--- CHAPTER 6 80 MAKERS architecture and urban design The planning concept summarized in Chapter 4 identifies key retail oriented Retail Streets, Connector Streets, and Gateway Streets (Figure 75). Section 5a describes special objectives and standards for the Retail Streets and Connector Streets (Figure 75). The special emphasis put on these informal street classifications greatly influence the individual street design recommendations and priorities described in Action L-2e. The Retail Streets are those where pedestrian-oriented businesses are expected to locate. The recommended zoning code provisions require that ground floors along Retail Streets be occupied by pedestrian-oriented non-residential uses, and the design standards direct new buildings to include “transparent” ground floor facades, weather protection, and other pedestrian amenities. Therefore, the street design recommendations in this chapter are directed toward improving pedestrian conditions. Connector Streets are so designated because they connect key districts and attractions in downtown. Downtown Everett already possesses many of the features and attractions that make a downtown successful. By improving Connector Streets, the City can make these assets more accessible and visible. Gateway Streets are those arterials by which people generally enter downtown. They tend to be highly visible and carry relatively high traffic volumes. Visual improvements, such as street trees and signage, are often the most important improvements, although some Gateway Streets—including Rucker Avenue and Broadway—also are important for pedestrian circulation. Figure 72. The improved Colby Avenue illustrates the pedestrian life envisioned for Retail Streets. Figure 73. Connector Streets link key downtown attractions. Figure 74. Gateway Streets, such as Everett Avenue, are highly visible and trafficked entrances into downtown. ---PAGE BREAK--- PLAN ELEMENTS EVERETT DOWNTOWN PLAN 81 Figure 75. Retail Streets, Connector Streets, and Gateway Streets. ---PAGE BREAK--- CHAPTER 6 82 MAKERS architecture and urban design It would be efficient in terms of design and construction if downtown Everett’s streets could each be assigned one of a small number of standard street cross- sections. However, the design team quickly found that nearly all the streets in downtown are unique in terms of their function, transportation demands, redevelopment objectives and design character. Therefore, there are different recommendations for nearly all the streets; the exceptions being similar recommendations for Rockefeller, Oakes, Lombard and Grand and Everett and Pacific. Figure 76 also illustrates where transit service is concentrated (transit-oriented streets) and proposed bike routes. Note that bike routes do not necessarily mean a dedicated bike lane. Proposed Streetscape Improvement Actions S-1 Establish a system of conceptual street designs and improvement strategies for downtown streets. Figure 76 and Table 3 describe recommendations for traffic/parking/transit/bike configuration (curb to curb design), pedestrian and adjacent land use (sidewalks, pedestrian amenities and design standards for adjacent development), and implementation actions (suggestions for funding and constructing the recommended improvements) ---PAGE BREAK--- PLAN ELEMENTS EVERETT DOWNTOWN PLAN 83 Figure 76. Proposed street improvements reference map. ---PAGE BREAK--- CHAPTER 6 84 MAKERS architecture and urban design Table 3. Street Design Criteria and Implementation Summary Traffic/Parking/Transit/Bike Pedestrian & Adjacent Land Use Implementation Actions Rucker y Heavy traffic. Gateway Street. y Four lanes with median. y Parallel parking. y Potential transit-oriented street. y Retail and community friendly. (Ground-floor commercial required.) y Improved sidewalks with unifying trees and lighting. y Curb bulbs (sidewalk extensions) at intersections. y Construct median and improve sidewalks (trees, lights, bulbs) with development as an incentive or as LID. y Adjust bus routes and enhance amenities at stops as development occurs. Hoyt y One lane each way. y Parallel parking. y Designate bike route/lanes. y Primarily (but not necessarily) residential. y Pleasant, quieter walking street; part of Livability Loop. y Mid-block crosswalk at library. y Add bulbs, lights, and street trees at intersections with development. y Change angled parking to parallel. y Designate bike route/lanes. Colby y One lane each way with angled parking. y No bike lanes (angle parking). y Great pedestrian street; mid-block crossings. y Pedestrian-oriented retail emphasis. y Improvements have been completed Wetmore y One lane each way. y Angled parking. y Transit-oriented street. y Existing mid-block crosswalks. y Pedestrian-oriented commercial. y Mid-block crossings. y Active sidewalk with trees and bulbs. y Add bulbs and street trees with development. Rockefeller, Oakes, Lombard, and Grand y Parking/circulation streets. y Back-up bike route on Rockefeller. y Grand becomes major pedestrian route to waterfront as per Public Access Plan. y Sign Grand as a pedestrian route to waterfront. y Add street trees to improve development setting. W Marine View Drive y Heavy traffic/truck route. y Four lanes with on-street parking. y Very narrow sidewalks. y Primarily vehicular traffic-oriented. y Add street trees where possible to improve appearance (mostly for motorists) y Consider implications of boundary condition. ---PAGE BREAK--- PLAN ELEMENTS EVERETT DOWNTOWN PLAN 85 Traffic/Parking/Transit/Bike Pedestrian & Adjacent Land Use Implementation Actions Broadway y Heavy through-traffic. Visually prominent. y Median where possible. (Between California and Wall?) y Minimize left turns except at intersections. y Four lanes with parallel parking. y Heavy transit street. y Potential HOV lanes or rail may restrict/eliminate parking. y No bike lanes (transit). y Pedestrian connector between Hewitt and 32nd (Event Center to Everett Station). y Development in transition. y Undertake a corridor study to identify how rail/BRT transit will affect transportation role. y Design preferred cross-section. y Identify redevelopment strategy. Everett and Pacific y Visually prominent Gateway Streets. y Make connector between Rucker and W.M.V. Drive. y Four lanes, heavy traffic. y Minimize left turns except at intersections. y Median where possible. y Heavy transit (Pacific). y Planting strips (between sidewalk and street) where there is not on- street parking. y Plant continuous street trees and install median where possible. y Sidewalks improved as part of development. y Explore options to improve the image of Everett, Hewitt, and Pacific from the riverfront to downtown. Hewitt y Gateway Street. y Four lanes with parallel parking, heavy traffic. y Through truck traffic not allowed. y Transit-oriented street; extend to Rucker with development. y Potential streetcar to waterfront? y Pedestrian, retail and transit priority. y Pedestrian-oriented services and façades required on ground-floor. y Extend street trees, median and lights to the waterfront. y Increase transit service west to Rucker as development occurs. California y Parking/circulation. y Angle parking. y Could be good bike route; convert to parallel parking if bikes designated. y Part of Livability Loop/pedestrian connectors. y Sidewalk bulbs at Livability Loop corners. y Change angled parking to parallel if designated as bike route. y Install trees and lights where needed. Wall y Parking/circulation for residences and government offices. y Part of Livability Loop/pedestrian connectors. y Sidewalk bulbs at Livability Loop corners. y Has recently been improved. y Install trees and lights where needed between Rockefeller and W Marine. ---PAGE BREAK--- CHAPTER 6 86 MAKERS architecture and urban design Traffic/Parking/Transit/Bike Pedestrian & Adjacent Land Use Implementation Actions Lower Hewitt and Bond west of W. Marine View Drive y Two lanes with diagonal parking. y Parking/circulation. y Bike connection to the Waterfront Trail. y Pedestrian connectors. y Primarily retail and residential mixed-use. y Extend street trees and median to the waterfront. y Add bulbs and other streetscape improvements with redevelopment. S-2 Undertake a program to upgrade Rucker Avenue. (See also Action T-11.) The recommended improvements for Rucker Avenue include: • Four lanes with a landscaped median and parallel parking • The potential for improving transit service • Encourage pedestrian oriented ground floor commercial uses with residential units above • Improved sidewalks with street trees and lighting • Curb bulbs at intersections Because Rucker Avenue is seen as a likely center of an emerging residential neighborhood, improving this street should receive high priority. The City should undertake a street improvement project (similar in nature to Hewitt Avenue) to construct the recommended improvements. The project could be funded from City funds and public grants with additional funds from Local Improvement District assessments to adjacent property owners. The next step would be to prepare a preliminary plan for the street that would identify costs and funding sources. Figure 77. Rucker Avenue has the potential to be the core of a growing downtown neighborhood. ---PAGE BREAK--- PLAN ELEMENTS EVERETT DOWNTOWN PLAN 87 Figure 78. View north along Rucker Avenue showing proposed median, street improvements, and desired development. Compare with existing conditions, shown in Figure 77. ---PAGE BREAK--- CHAPTER 6 88 MAKERS architecture and urban design S-3 Undertake a program to upgrade Connector Streets. Connector Streets merit relatively high priority because they are likely pedestrian routes in downtown. Many of the Retail Streets, such as Hewitt, Colby and Rucker have already been improved or are also given a high priority for improvement. Portions of the Connector Streets, such as eastern Wall Street have also been upgraded recently but other portions are in need of improved sidewalks, street amenities, and landscaping. The chart above identifies the proposed improvements for each roadway. S-4 Implement a downtown Street Tree Program. Cy Paumier of the Urban Land Institute has noted that street trees are one of the best public realm improvements a city can make. A coordinated program with an annual budget would be a practical and effective way to implement this measure. The highly visible Gateway Streets are high priority candidates for unifying street tree plantings. S-5 Implement over time the street improvements recommended in Table 3 but not otherwise noted in S-1 through S-4 above. There are numerous ways to fund and implement these projects. The City could require street improvements as part of new development (or, as recommended in the Land Use section, as a bonusable action to achieve greater height and bulk). Or, sidewalks and landscaping might be done as a small part of other in-street work, such as utilities improvements. Some streets, such as Wetmore, may merit a complete improvement project, while others might be done on an incremental basis. Street trees, relighting, and extended sidewalks at intersections (curb bulbs) are particularly valuable spot improvements when a full street reconstruction is too costly. Curb bulbs are especially valuable, particularly where there is heavy pedestrian traffic, because they not only increase safety, they add space at street corners, where, as William Whyte has pointed out, there is a lot of activity. Figure 79. Participants in the public work sessions recommended extending Hewitt Avenue median and improvements west to the waterfront. The greatest urban spaces are street corners. . . . As a general rule, 100 percent conversations are spotted most often at the busiest crossroads locations. . . . Of 133 conversations we mapped over several days, 57 percent were concentrated in the highest- traffic locations. [Emphasis added.] William Whyte: The City ---PAGE BREAK--- PLAN ELEMENTS EVERETT DOWNTOWN PLAN 89 S-6 Undertake a study to explore ways to improve streets connecting downtown to I-5, the riverfront, and the waterfront. Broadway, with its potential for HOV lanes or rail, its heavy traffic, and its function as a key pedestrian route from the Everett Station, should be studied to determine a preferred cross-section, priority improvements, and a redevelopment strategy. During the Planning Commission work sessions, participants frequently noted that the Hewitt Avenue improvements should be extended to the waterfront to integrate this portion of downtown. And as one participant noted, Everett, Hewitt, and Pacific Avenues all are important entry corridors into downtown from I-5 and the east that presently do not exhibit a flattering identity. Improvements along these streets could reverse this image. S-7 Initiate a directional signage program. A directional and gateway signage system should be pursued to help pedestrians and motorists find important destinations in downtown. The program should be well planned and designed for maximum effect, but once a system is devised, the actual construction can proceed incrementally. This is a good project to build teamwork between the City and the Downtown Everett Association. ---PAGE BREAK--- CHAPTER 6 90 MAKERS architecture and urban design Open Space and Other Public Amenities Summary Adequate parks and open space are essential to a successful downtown for they serve a wide variety of human needs including passive recreation such as resting, eating lunch, or meeting a friend, active recreation such as children’s play, dog exercise, and court sports, celebrations, public events, festivals and performances, a setting for art and other amenities, and simply providing sunlight, air greenery and visual relief from a dense urban setting. While in most American cities, streets and sidewalks provide for some of these functions, there is still the need for dedicated, multi-purpose open space. Analysis of local needs in downtown Everett identified the following emerging needs. Although some types of spaces are not immediately necessary, they will become increasingly essential as downtown Everett evolves toward its vision. • Neighborhood oriented public open space for residents, particularly in the Grand/Rucker/Hoyt Avenues vicinity. • Small public or private seating areas integrated into adjacent business activities • A focal park or open space that is identified as the center of town and that can be used for celebrations, festivals, performances and other civic events. • Open space enhancements to civic facilities to increase their use and attractiveness. • Better connections to recreational and open space opportunities outside downtown. The recommendations below address these five needs. In addition the following three considerations are especially critical in planning and designing successful downtown parks and open space. • Mix of park uses: Parks should not be designed as single purpose spaces. The greater the mix of compatible uses, the more active and vibrant the park and the more the park will be used during all times of the day and seasons of the year. As I tell city and regional leaders around the country, the key to success today lies in developing a world-class people climate. . . . By this I mean a general strategy aimed at attracting and retaining people—especially, but not limited to, creative people. This entails remaining open to diversity and actively working to cultivate it, and investing in the lifestyle amenities that people really want and use often, as opposed to using financial incentives to attract companies, build professional sports stadiums or develop retail complexes. The benefits of this kind of strategy are obvious. Whereas companies— or sports teams for that matter—that get financial incentives can pull up and leave at virtually a moment’s notice, investments in amenities like urban parks, for example, last for generations. Other amenities—like bike lanes or off-road trails for running, cycling, rollerblading or just walking your dog— benefit a wide swath of the population. Richard Florida: The Rise of the Creative Class ---PAGE BREAK--- PLAN ELEMENTS EVERETT DOWNTOWN PLAN 91 • Management and Programming: Provision for maintenance and security is as essential to a successful urban park as its design. Experience in other cities has shown that the most successful and heavily used parks are those with numerous programmed activities such as lunch concerts, displays, events, art shows, etc. • Access: All parks should be connected to attractive walking streets and, where possible bicycle paths and transit lines. Generally, parks on highly visible corners near other activity centers are most used. The appendices include resources and further suggestions for refining a downtown open space strategy. Proposed Open Space Actions O-1 Construct open space to support a growing downtown residential population. While the amount and nature of the needed open space is not determined at this time, some provision for one or more small open spaces in the Grand/Rucker/Hoyt Avenues area should be considered. A small amount of individual open space is required for each new residential unit. However, some form of Neighborhood Park is needed, designed specifically for the needs of local residents. Even in downtowns an effort should be made to create residential neighborhoods, not just housing. A local park or set of open spaces is a critical ingredient in building a neighborhood. O-2 Institute a program to encourage developers to include open spaces as part of their developments. Small open spaces for dining, relaxing or other passive activities can significantly enhance the urban environment, especially if they are adjacent to active uses such as shops or eating and drinking establishments. The bonus system to allow greater building height and bulk in the Land Use chapter includes incentives for providing such open spaces and the standards accompanying this plan include provisions that will help ensure that the plazas and open spaces are inviting and useful. Supply creates demand. A good new space builds its constituency—gets people into new habits, like eating outdoors; induces them to use new paths. William Whyte: The City The optical leverage of open air cafés is tremendous. For basic props nothing more is needed than several stacks of chairs and tables and some canvas. Put up the tables, bring on the waitresses and the customers, and the visual effect can be stunning. William Whyte: The City ---PAGE BREAK--- CHAPTER 6 92 MAKERS architecture and urban design Local property owners have noted that there are maintenance and safety concerns associated with such open spaces. Action O-6 includes measures to address these concerns which should diminish as downtown intensifies with active uses and a larger residential population. It may be that open space maintenance and management as well as auxiliary streetscape cleaning would most efficiently be addressed through a BIA program, in conjunction with City maintenance efforts. O-3 Create a focal park or plaza near the center of downtown. As noted above, a thriving downtown needs an identifiable space that can be used for a variety of civic functions as well as general day-to day use. There are at least two ways this need can be accommodated in downtown Everett. One way might be to make the Plaza in front of the County Buildings more accessible. The plaza sits approximately 6-10 feet above the sidewalk and surrounded on most sides by landscaped banks and walls. A “cascading” stairway and accessible ramp from the sidewalk at Wetmore Avenue and Wall Street up into the plaza would open up the plaza visually and make it more accessible from the street and near-by buildings. The stairs themselves could be designed to provide alcove seating and locations for art or entry features. There is a second opportunity, identified by the Committee to Establish Downtown Public Spaces, at the south-east corner of Colby Avenue and Wall Street. This City-owned property currently provides below grade parking. A lid could be built over this parking lot that might include pedestrian oriented mixed use development with an ample open space facing the intersection (see Figure 83 for an example). The pedestrian oriented businesses in the new development would keep this space active and the open space itself would build on and add to Colby Avenue’s pedestrian activities. For large events such s a street fair or parade, portions of Colby Avenue could be closed to traffic to accommodate the activities. Figure 80. The County plaza could be greatly enhanced to increase access and accommodate greater use Figure 81. The City parking lot at Colby and Wall could be lidded with new development and complementary open space. [What is most important to a plaza’s success is] the location of the space and its relation- ship to the street. The real estate people are right about location, location, location. For a space to function truly well it must be central to the constituency it is to serve—and if not in physical distance, in visual accessibility. William Whyte: The City ---PAGE BREAK--- PLAN ELEMENTS EVERETT DOWNTOWN PLAN 93 The Key Bank lot south of the Performing Arts Center provides a third option. Though not as centrally located as the Colby Avenue lot, the Key Bank site, if the existing buildings are removed, does offer plenty of space and good southern exposure, as well as a public use in the Performing Arts Center. If this site is developed, access to the structured parking to the west should be provided by the alley and not across the park. New, relatively narrow (20 to 40 feet) buildings to house food and other commercial services and perhaps a multipurpose space should be built on the site’s west side, adjacent to the alley. This will also help enclose the space and keep it active. Of the three opportunities for open space described above, the Colby/Wall site has a higher priority because of its central location and active surroundings. The Performing Arts Center/Key Bank site also has several advantages but, as noted above, is not quite as centrally located. Refitting the Snohomish County Plaza ranks below the other two options because the plaza’s elevation will always separate it from street activity, and the County buildings will cast shadows during most of the day. Because both the Colby/Wall and Performing Arts Center sites will require construction and/or demolition, it may be useful to conduct a cost/feasibility study comparing the two opportunities. Figure 82. The Key Bank site would make a successful central park if the buildings were demolished, new active uses were added, and cut-through access eliminated. ---PAGE BREAK--- CHAPTER 6 94 MAKERS architecture and urban design Figure 83. A central open space should accommodate a full range of informal and programmed activities, integrate with adjacent streets, include active uses such as food service and a gallery, provide for security, and feature comfortable seating and attractive amenities. This example illustrates a possible configuration at Colby and Wall. A park at the Key Bank/Performing Arts Center site should include similar features and considerations. ---PAGE BREAK--- PLAN ELEMENTS EVERETT DOWNTOWN PLAN 95 O-4 Enhance public facilities with auxiliary open spaces. The Performing Arts Center and the Library are excellent facilities that could be enhanced with open space improvements. The City has recently purchased the Performing Arts Center forecourt site and the Key Bank site. The Committee to Establish Downtown Public Spaces has proposed that the City extend the open space to the corner of California Street and Wetmore Avenue. This would give the proposed park greater visibility, access and potential for additional uses. While the library site is more constrained, opportunities should be considered to enhance its entry and streetscape. As one of the city’s premier architectural gems as well as a key public facility, the library merits a complementary setting. O-5 Continue efforts to connect downtown to other open space and recreational resources by implementing planned access to the Port Gardner Waterfront and trail connections to neighborhood parks and the Snohomish Riverfront. The city has an adopted a Shoreline Public Access Plan that includes measures to connect downtown to its harborfront and riverfront; most notably pedestrian and bicycle connections north on Grand Avenue and westward on Hewitt Avenue. Additionally, Bicycle connections to the north, south and west as noted in the Transportation chapter and Streetscape section will be important enhancements for people both living and visiting downtown. Although these are primarily circulation improvements, they constitute an important element of a comprehensive open space strategy. Figure 84. The City of Everett Shoreline Public Access Plan recommends measures to connect downtown to a regional trail around the Everett Peninsula. Connections along Hewitt/Bond Street and Grand Avenue to Bayside Park are priority links. ---PAGE BREAK--- CHAPTER 6 96 MAKERS architecture and urban design O-6 Initiate a downtown parks management and programming effort. As noted above, the success of urban parks is largely dependent upon the maintenance, safety, and programming efforts to ensure that the spaces are attractive, clean, safe, and active. As part of improving the livability and attraction of its downtown, the City should plan for accelerated park and open space management efforts. Crime Prevention through Environmental Design (CPTED) principles should be applied to the design of open spaces. As the quote by William Whyte suggests, programming activities and encouraging adjacent active uses (eating and drinking establishments, retail, food vendors, etc.) is an important security enhancement strategy. A joint effort on the part of Planning, Parks and Police Departments as well as the Downtown BIA, business and resident groups is generally the most effective approach to such a program. The appendices include some suggestions and resources for park design and management. The best way to handle the problem of undesirables is to make a place attractive to everyone else. The record is overwhelmingly positive on this score. With few exceptions, center city plazas and small parks are safe places. William Whyte: The City ---PAGE BREAK--- PLAN ELEMENTS EVERETT DOWNTOWN PLAN 97 Public Safety Summary Safety and security—both real and perceived—are critical to revitalizing a downtown. To attract residents, businesses, and visitors, a downtown must not only be relatively free of potential threats to people and their property, but also be a place of relative order and civility. There are four principal means by which a downtown plan such as this can address safety and security objectives: • Encourage greater on-street activity and habitation in downtown. • Direct new development and civic improvements to create a setting less conducive to criminal activity. • Encourage cooperation between City departments, especially Police, and the downtown residential and business communities. • Encourage cooperative efforts to maintain a clean, attractive, and well-kept setting that indicates a sense of lawful order and care among community members. The first two measures are addressed in the land use and streets and open space sections. The last two are discussed in the two recommended actions below. Proposed Public Safety Improvement Actions P-1 Initiate more substantive cooperation between City departments and local organizations to address safety and security issues. While there are already some ongoing efforts in this regard, greater coordination between City departments (especially the Police Department) and the community (perhaps through the Downtown Everett Association) would be an important first step. This combined group could then work on programs that have proven effective elsewhere, such as Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED), Block Watch, advocacy for lighting, and greater patrolling of “hot spots.” ---PAGE BREAK--- CHAPTER 6 98 MAKERS architecture and urban design P-2 Continue cooperative maintenance and clean-up efforts. George L. Kelling and Catherine M. Coles, in their book Fixing Broken Windows, argue convincingly that maintaining a clean, well-cared-for physical environment can be an effective crime reduction strategy. Their point is that criminals are less likely to frequent a place that is well cared for and clearly has a cohesive order. Painting out graffiti, cleaning up garbage, maintaining building facades, and similar measures can help to reduce crime, increase civility, and add to residents’, workers’, and visitors’ sense of personal safety. The Downtown Everett Association and BIA might be logical initiators of cooperative maintenance, litter removal, and anti-graffiti campaigns. The amount of effort can be geared to the extent of the problem at a given time. However, as other communities have learned, civic maintenance is like dental hygiene—consistent preventative care is better than trying to correct a problem. Additionally, the City might consider extending its minimum maintenance ordinance, which requires the repair of unsafe buildings, to cover facades in need of repair, cleaning, or painting. We used the image of broken windows to explain how neighborhoods might decay into disorder and even crime if no one attends faithfully to their maintenance. If a factory or office window is broken, passersby observing it will conclude that no one cares or no one is in charge. In time, a few will begin throwing rocks to break more windows. Soon all the windows will be broken, and now passersby will think that, not only is no one in charge of the building, no one is in charge of the street on which it faces. Only the young, the criminal, or the foolhardy have any business on an unprotected avenue, and so more and more citizens will abandon the street to those they assume prowl it. Small disorders lead to larger and larger ones, and perhaps even to crime. . . . In a report prepared for the President’s Commission on Law Enforcement and Crime in 1967, Alobert Biderman and his social science colleagues presented an important finding from surveys of citizens: feer of crime was strongly related to the existence of disorderly conditions in neighborhoods and communities. George L. Kelling and Catherine M. Coles: Fixing Broken Windows ---PAGE BREAK--- EVERETT DOWNTOWN PLAN 99 7. Implementation The City of Everett has already taken substantial steps toward making downtown a more vibrant metropolitan center. Improvements along Hewitt and Colby Avenues and the new Events Center, Library, and Performing Arts Center all demonstrate a public commitment to the city center. And, the City is beginning to see its efforts bear fruit in terms of private investment, street activity, and development interest in downtown. This plan identifies a number of future public actions to continue these trends and to transform downtown into a multifaceted metropolitan center. The plan’s recommendations will individually contribute to achieving the City’s vision. However, the actions will be much more effective if tied together into a strategy in which each action builds on previous efforts and supports other activities. In its simplest terms, this implementation strategy can be summarized in the following steps. Step 1. Set the Framework Update Regulations and Administrative Procedures (Within 1 year) The first step is to update the regulatory codes and implement the parking management strategies (Actions L-1 through L-4). Revising the development code and establishing design standards will require minimal capital investment but will ensure that new development will conform to the City’s downtown vision. Revisions to zoning code standards and permitted uses will be adopted concurrent with the Plan adoption, but should be monitored over time and amended as needed to encourage the desired results. ---PAGE BREAK--- CHAPTER 7 100 MAKERS architecture and urban design Implementing the parking meter program, establishing a transportation management association (TMA), and working with transit authorities to gradually upgrade transit service can also start soon after the implementation of the plan. The parking fees will give the City a modest source of funds to leverage and use for downtown improvements, and the TMA will serve as a tool with which to comprehensively address a number of transportation objectives. Step 2. Plant a Seed Initiate a High-Visibility, Transformational Project (Begin planning within one year; complete within 3-4 years) The purpose of this action is to show significant City commitment to downtown with a project that will foster substantial development and/or add a new dimension to downtown activities. Two recommended projects meet these criteria: a major streetscape improvement of Rucker Avenue (Action S-2) and the development of a multipurpose focal park or plaza (Action O-3). Since the Rucker Avenue improvements are directed toward fostering a new in-city residential neighborhood, this project might be timed to coincide with substantial mixed-use residential development along that street. The City might begin planning and design of the street and commit construction funds when the private investment occurs. Creating a unifying central park or plaza is directed at adding a whole new set of activities, recreational attractions, and business opportunities in downtown. The construction of the new park should be complemented by joint City and private efforts to program events for optimizing its use and to address security and maintenance needs. The success of downtown parks is as dependent on good management as it is on good design. Step 3. Strengthen Teamwork Initiate or Enhance Cooperative Programs to Address Ongoing Needs (Ongoing) Building a successful downtown is more than funding signature projects and directing new development. Continuous public/private efforts to keep downtown, ---PAGE BREAK--- PLAN IMPLEMENTATION EVERETT DOWNTOWN PLAN 101 safe, comfortable, attractive, and accessible are necessary. The City of Everett, the Downtown Everett Association, the Downtown Business Improvement Area (BIA), Snohomish County, and other groups should work together on issues such as crime prevention, directional signage, event planning, maintenance, graffiti removal, business promotion, and other related efforts. Other key coordination activities include the City working with transit providers and the Port to upgrade service and to better link downtown to the waterfront. Step 4. Sustain Steady Progress over Time Complete Other Recommended Actions as Opportunities and Priorities Emerge (2 to 10 years) The plan recommends a number of other actions ranging from street tree planting to planning for the reconfiguration of Broadway. The following chart summarizes these recommendations and indicates the general time frame, lead implementer, and other considerations. Because each action will depend on a funding source and a sponsor to initiate the work, the relative priority and urgency of the various projects will change over time. The key will be to take advantage of opportunities as they emerge and sustain effort continuously over time. It is recommended that the Planning Commission and the City Council, supported by the Department of Planning and Community Development, review this plan annually and determine which actions should be pursued in light of the City’s overall priorities. ---PAGE BREAK--- CHAPTER 7 102 MAKERS architecture and urban design Implementation Activities Action Time frame Implementor Comments LAND USE ACTIONS L-1 Rezone all of downtown core to Downtown Business Concurrent with plan City L-2 Update the provisions of the B-3 zone. Concurrent with plan City L-3 Revise sign standards for the B-3 zone. Concurrent with plan City L-4 Conduct historic preservation activities. Complete: 1 year City TRANSPORTATION ACTIONS T-1 Plan and implement Downtown Everett Transportation Management Association (TMA). 1-2 years City/ET, with DEA TMA should manage downtown parking as well as promoting transit, carpools, vanpools, and non-motorized modes. T-2 Plan and implement on-street parking management using pay stations. 2-5 years City, with TMA/DEA Revenues from on-street parking must be directed back into improving streets and maintaining downtown facilities for business enhancement. Everpark Garage could be included. T-3 Revise the development code to eliminate the minimum parking requirement for commercial buildings. Concurrent with plan City T-4 Revise the development code to require secure bicycle parking and shower/ locker amenities for commercial buildings. Concurrent with plan City T-5 Design and construct bicycle lanes on Hoyt Avenue from 23rd Street to south of downtown. 2-5 years City Could occur with redevelopment of adjacent properties and improvements to the streetscape. ---PAGE BREAK--- PLAN IMPLEMENTATION EVERETT DOWNTOWN PLAN 103 Action Time frame Implementor Comments T-6 Design and construct bicycle lanes on California Street from Harborfront Trail to SR 2 Trestle Trail (Hewitt at I-5). 5-10 years City Could occur with redevelopment of adjacent properties and improvements to the streetscape. T-7 Complete the Wall Street pedestrian connection east of Broadway to Everett Station via Pacific Avenue underpass. 2-5 years City Could occur with redevelopment of adjacent properties. T-8 Design and construct transit-oriented improvements on Rucker Avenue south of Hewitt Avenue. 5-10 years City Should occur with redevelopment of adjacent properties and streetscape improvements to Rucker Avenue. T-9 Plan and design high-capacity transit on Broadway from Everett Station to Everett Community College. 5-15 years City/Everett Transit/Sound Transit T-10 Plan for other Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) and streetcar services in the downtown. 2-5 years City Plan for BRT services from SR-99 via Colby avenue and investigate streetcar services on Hewitt Avenue from riverfront to waterfront. T-11 Redesign Rucker north of Pacific and investigate a realignment of Rucker Avenue south of Pacific to West Marine View Drive. 1-2 years City North of Pacific, build Rucker as a four lane road with medians and parking pockets similar to Hewitt STREETSCAPE ACTIONS S-1 Establish a system of conceptual street designs and improvement strategies for downtown streets. Initiate: 1 year Complete: 1 year City Refine the recommendations in this plan. S-2 Undertake a program to upgrade Rucker Avenue. Complete: 3-4 years City (perhaps with property owner participation) Streetscape needs median, bulbs, lights, and trees. Consider LID contribution. S-3 Undertake a program to upgrade Connector Streets. 2-10 years City (perhaps with property owner participation) Improvements vary with the street. ---PAGE BREAK--- CHAPTER 7 104 MAKERS architecture and urban design Action Time frame Implementor Comments S-4 Implement a downtown Street Tree Program. 1-5 years City An ongoing program of planting and maintenance is needed. S-5 Implement over time the street improvements recommended in Table 3 but not otherwise noted in S-1 through S-4 above. 1-15 years City (perhaps with property owner participation) Priority for these projects is based on opportunities. Initiate development of street design standards for lights, furniture, etc. S-6 Undertake a study to explore ways to improve streets connecting downtown to I-5, the riverfront, and the waterfront. 1-3 years City This is an important effort to better connect downtown to its surroundings. S-7 Initiate a directional signage program. 1-5 years City and DEA or BIA Begin with a sound plan and graphic design. OPEN SPACE AND OTHER PUBLIC AMENITY ACTIONS O-1 Construct open space to support a growing downtown population. 1-10 years City Begin planning and funding for small open spaces. Coordinate with development. O-2 Institute a program to encourage developers to include open spaces as part of their developments. 1-2 years City Implement development requirements and incentives in Land Use section. O-3 Create a focal park or plaza near the center of downtown. 1-5 years City Begin by exploring opportunities at Performing Arts Center and Colby and Wall. O-4 Enhance public facilities with auxiliary open spaces. 1-10 years City Begin with the County campus. O-5 Continue efforts to connect downtown to other open space and recreational resources. 1-10 years City and Port of Everett Implement planned access to the Port Gardner Waterfront and trail connections to neighbor- hood parks and the Snohomish Riverfront. O-6 Initiate a downtown parks management and programming effort. 1-2 years City and BIA Explore options with businesses and City departments, including Police and Parks. PUBLIC SAFETY ACTIONS P-1 Strengthen coordination with Everett Police Department. Ongoing EPD and DEA Work on CPTED and other crime prevention measures. P-2 Undertake a maintenance and security enhancement program. Ongoing DEA, with City support Incorporate Fixing Broken Windows concepts. ---PAGE BREAK--- APPENDICES A. Supplemental Downtown Design Standards B. Market Study C. Pro Formas D. Survey and Workshop Results ---PAGE BREAK---