Document Ogden_doc_ddac594b5c

14.F. Jefferson Community Plan Adopted February 19, 2013 14.F .1 A. Background The Jefferson Planning Community is named after the original Jefferson Elementary School which was closed in the 1980’s. The 1985 community plan boundary was originally located between 27th Street and 36th Street & Washington Boulevard and Wall Avenue. The new plan proposes to expand the boundary west to Pacific Avenue which would also include the Newgate Mall, as shown in the location map. The 1985 adopted plan called for certain “Immediate changes to the zoning map.” The bulk of those changes were to downzone from R-5 multi-family between 3250 to 35th Street to R-2A ,which was accomplished. In 2001 the R-2A was down zoned to R-1-5 to reflect the existing land uses though out the entire City. Other changes that have occurred based on the plan were: 1. The R-5 zone between 27th and 31st Street was rezoned to R-4. 2. The west side of Patterson from 32nd to 33rd Streets was rezoned to R-2A and in 2001 rezoned to R-1-5. 3. The southwest corner of 32nd Street and Lincoln Avenue were rezoned to R-2A and in 2001 rezoned to R-1-5. 4. The south of Healy to 32nd Street between Grant Avenue and the rear of the lots which front on Washington Boulevard were rezoned R-2A and in 2001 rezoned to R-1-5. 5. The M-2 zone between 31st and 32nd Street between Wall Avenue and Lincoln Avenue was rezoned to M-1. The 1985 plan also has as “Planning Guidelines for the Future” the following items have been completed: 1. John Affleck Park was replaced on an acre- for-acre basis with the new Jefferson Park in 1999 which was located in the south Jefferson area. It should be noted that the neighborhood was included in the design and development of the new Jefferson Park which the community has identified as a positive move. 2. Funding for the new Jefferson Park was provided before the old John Affleck Park was relinquished. 3. Zoning option for regional commercial C-3 was created on the southeast corner of Wall Avenue and Patterson Street. Other changes that have taken place in the community not addressed in the plan was the construction of the Odyssey School in 2007 which brought back an elementary school into the neighborhood and rezoning C-P-1 property to NC-1. Location Map ---PAGE BREAK--- 14.F. Jefferson Community Plan Adopted February 19, 2013 14.F .2 1. Population Characteristics The 2010 Jefferson Community is located in two Census Tracts (2012, and 2018). The 2010 population in this community is 3,144 which this community accounts for 3.7% of the entire City population. The population changes between 1985 to the present are shown in the graph. The total City population in 2010 was 82,825. The male and female population of the entire City population differs from most communities with 53.9% of the population being male and 46.1% of the population being female. With respect to race 53% is White, 32% Hispanic, 6% Black and 9% other. This is an increase of 5% White and a decrease in Blacks since 2000. The housing units in this community are 88.3 % occupied which has not changed much from 2000 The average household size in 2010 is 2.99 individuals which is a decrease from 2000 which was 3.08 individuals but is an increase from the 1990 Census which only had the average household size being 2.67 individuals. The average family size is a bit larger than the average household size which is 3.70 individuals in 2010 which is an increase from 2000 which was 3.49. The biggest change in demographics surfaced when looking at whether homes were owner or renter occupied. In 2000 52% of the housing stock was owner occupied and 48% of the housing stock was renter occupied. However, in 2010 the number changed drastically with 42.6% of the housing stock being owner occupied and 57.4% of the housing stock being renter occupied. 2. Land Use / Zoning The Jefferson Community has a mixture of uses. The largest single land use not including the roads is commercial (44.14% of the total land area is used for commercial). The next is 24.35% being residential with 21.05% of that amount used as single-family homes. Two commercial corridors run through this community which are Washington Boulevard to the east and Wall Avenue to the west. Like the land use, the zoning is a mixture of districts. The largest is commercial zoning in the community which comprises 48.16% of the area (44.86% C-3 & 3.30% C-2). The Newgate Mall is located in the C-3 Zone. Manufacturing comprises 23.76% (22.73% M-2 & 1.03% M-1). Residential zoning comprises 24.23% with 13.47% being used for single family residential R-1-5. The R-1-5 zoning is located in the south portion of the community. 3. Development History Most of the community was primarily developed through subdivisions occurring in the late 1800’s or early 1910’s. The single family dwellings lots were created to allow the working class to leave the core of the city in order to pursue homeownership but be in close proximity to the core of the city. Several small commercial Jefferson Community Land Use Information Land Use Square Feet Acres Community Percentage Single-Family 4,723,021.56 108.43 21.05% Duplex 286,175.88 6.57 1.28% Multiple-Family 3-4 Units 147,806.37 3.39 0.66% Multiple-Family 5+ Units 304,100.45 6.98 1.36% Government/Institution 1,426,184.39 32.74 6.35% Commercial - Sales 8,406,821.48 192.99 37.46% Commercial - Service 1,498,227.78 34.39 6.68% Transportation/Utility 1,654,096.40 37.97 7.37% Manufacturing 1,501,976.64 34.48 6.69% Park 525,099.93 12.05 2.34% Vacant 1,968,600.35 45.19 8.77% Total 22,442,111.23 515.20 100.00% ---PAGE BREAK--- 14.F. Jefferson Community Plan Adopted February 19, 2013 14.F .3 buildings that served as neighborhood stores still stand that reflect this development pattern. The freeway construction in the early 70’s which included the construction of 30th and 31st Street introduced commercial zoning along portions of these streets. These east-west roads divide the community into north and south halves. Regional parks were also created in this area which included the John Affleck Park and ball fields along with the Marshall White Park. It was determined in the original Jefferson Plan that due to lack of use, traffic impact associated with Wall Avenue and retail potential that relocating the Affleck Park should be considered. This was done in two phases. The Affleck ball field was relocated to the Surge Simmons ball fields in the 80’s and the Affleck Park was replaced with the Jefferson Park in the 90’s. 4. Rental Occupancy A concern of older neighborhoods is a change in single-family homes from owner occupancy to rental occupancy. This is typical in many older communities. In the Jefferson Community, this trend has occurred in the R-1-5 Zone and the southern portion of the R-4 Zone. The reasons for this transition include, among other things; age of occupant/owner, change in family needs, and cost of buying and upgrading an older home compared to a new home, etc. As the owners of these homes reach their senior years, they will likely move to some sort of retirement housing or similar situation, thus relinquishing their ties to owning a home. Some in the community, however, have retained the homes of the parents for their residence. This is an important neighborhood-stabilizing factor but is becoming less and less of the norm. Some homes will be sold for owner-occupancy, some will be sold to investors for rental-occupancy, and for other homes the relatives will keep the home but as a rental unit to assist with needed retirement or investment income. Most of the older homes in the area are small by today's new construction standards. Most of the lots are deep but narrow (typically 50’ wide x150’ depth) which allows for expansion in the rear yard which could accommodate for a larger family. These changes contribute positively or negatively to the identity of the community. It is a generally accepted belief that homeowners have a higher vested interest in the maintenance and appearance of their properties than renters do. This difference in attitude may be reflected in the property values of the area. While high rental occupancies are expected near multi- family development such as that found at the northern area of the R-4 Zone, they are not expected to be moderate in the predominantly single family areas of the community. As previously indicated the 2000 Census figures for the area that make up the community shows that rental occupancies have switched between 1990 and 2010. The change from homeowners to renters should be monitored in the future to protect the property values of the community. Incentives to maintain an owner-occupied housing stock should be developed. 5. Residential Housing Styles The single-family housing stock in the Jefferson Community is older comprised largely of bungalow style housing. In the 1980’s and 1990’s additional multi-family developments were constructed that lacked architectural detail that was common on some of the older multi- family buildings. These multi-family areas were spread throughout the community but primarily found between 27th and 30th Street and Grant and Lincoln Avenue. a. Styles 1- Late 1800’s to 1910 The standard of these homes were typically two story in nature and focused more on architectural detail. The typical material that was used for construction was brick. ---PAGE BREAK--- 14.F. Jefferson Community Plan Adopted February 19, 2013 14.F .4 Example of housing styles from the early 1900’s Housing Style Late 1800’s to 1910 b. Style 2- 1920 to 1950’s The standard was single story with pitched roofs and porches. The homes were relatively small with a detached garage found in the rear of the lot. These homes were commonly found between 32nd and 35th Street and Grant and Lincoln Avenue. Example of housing styles in the 1920 & 1950’ ---PAGE BREAK--- 14.F. Jefferson Community Plan Adopted February 19, 2013 14.F .5 Housing Style 1920 to 1950’s c.Style 3- 1960 to 2000’s In the 1980’s and 90’s the housing style varied widely. The single family and two-family homes that were constructed typically had the garage to the front. The porch or covered entrance was not as common. The multi-family homes that were constructed did not focus as much on architectural detail and the materials commonly used were vinyl siding. Example of housing styles in 1990 and 2000’s Housing Style 1960 to 2000’s 6. Building Structure Condition An inventory of the housing conditions throughout the community was done that looked at the roof and structure conditions. The structure conditions was based upon three different categories (good, fair and poor). A structure was determined to be in good condition if most materials, surfaces and windows were in good repair. A structure that was considered fair if some structural or material damage present ---PAGE BREAK--- 14.F. Jefferson Community Plan Adopted February 19, 2013 14.F .6 such as siding, windows, or other materials needing attention to avoid more extensive repairs. The final category was if the structure was considered poor due to material failure present due to substantial structural, aesthetic, or safety concerns in one or more areas and the structure may be uninhabitable. The majority of the building conditions in this community were considered to be in fair condition (40.53%). 34.88% of the building were considered to be good condition. 24.59% of the buildings were considered to be in poor condition. ---PAGE BREAK--- 14.F. Jefferson Community Plan Adopted February 19, 2013 14.F .7 ---PAGE BREAK--- 14.F. Jefferson Community Plan Adopted February 19, 2013 14.F .8 B. Community Comment During the information-gathering meeting, which was held on October 12, 2011 at Odyssey Elementary, the residents attending the meetings mentioned several issues affecting the community. Participants of this meeting were invited to form a Steering Committee. The Steering Committee, with the assistance of the City’s Planning Staff, examined the comments obtained from the meeting. Information was brought back to the community in another open house meeting at the Odyssey Elementary on May 23, 2012. The following is a list, by topic, of the primary issues identified from the public meetings and by the Steering Committee. 1. Local School With only one school within the community, the value of the school and its open space is of a greater worth to this community. In the future it is important that the facility be maintained. 2. City Services The participants commented that the Spring Clean- up was a great idea, and has been widely used. However, it has stopped and should be started back up because the people in the area have limited funds and this provides an opportunity to clean up their properties. 3. Street Corridors Wall Avenue and 31st Street should be a gateway to downtown due to the high traffic volume. There should be special attention given to both the Wall Avenue and 31st Street Corridor. 4. Housing Stock Single family comprises most of the housing stock in the community. In certain areas commercial development has impacted the vitality of the housing stock. It was also indicated that some of the dwellings in the area need to be better maintained. The community also indicated that there is too much emphasis on code enforcement but that more emphasis should be devoted to police presence in the neighborhood. 5. Rental Properties It is a responsibility of the renter and landlord to upkeep the property. Poor building maintenance is a problem found in these areas. 6. Land Use The participants commented that they do not need so many local markets. A large grocery store would be preferred. It was also indicated that Wall Avenue should have a mix of uses rather than just auto related uses to help improve the corridor. 7. Neighborhood Amenities Generally, the participants believe that the neighborhood is a good place but that better police presence would help create a better environment. Parks in the area provide an added benefit but the outside park around the Marshall White Center could be improved. 8. Resident Participation There is currently no “neighborhood watch” program to help control crime within the neighborhood. Today, there is a greater need to establish such a program that could better control crime and help communicate to the city the needs of the area. 9. Parks and Recreation There are two parks within this community along with a community center. The two parks are the Jefferson and Marshall White Parks which are both centrally located within the community. Generally, the city provides adequate sports programs for the youth and their associated facilities. Community soccer is the main activity. They expressed a desire to improve the outdoor facilities at the Marshall White Park and maintain the facilities at the Jefferson Park. If there was better lighting and police presence in both these parks it would create a safer environment. 10. Lighting Others expressed a desire for additional street lamps in the community in addition to improved lighting in the parks. They also talked about the importance of having lighting within the front yards. They indicated a few years ago the City created a porch light program which was a benefit to the community. ---PAGE BREAK--- 14.F. Jefferson Community Plan Adopted February 19, 2013 14.F .9 C. Jefferson Community Vision The Jefferson Community Vision establishes a comprehensive guide to future physical land use patterns and desired attributes expressed by the Community. The vision was developed through a community meeting held at the Odyssey Elementary on October 12, 2011, May 23, 2012 and the Steering Committee, which met on December 5, December 20, 2011, January 17, January 31 and February 21, 2012. Through these meetings and the subsequent meetings(s) with the Planning Commission, three major topic areas emerged as part of this Plan. They were: Land Use, Open Space and Pathways and Transportation. These topics were addressed using text and a graphical map to express the ideas that were developed to create a vision for the Jefferson Community. The vision map, vision statements, and plan objectives should be considered as the policy statements of the Community Plan. These items should be used as guidance tools in the decision- making process. The Vision Strategies are the ideas that were generated by the participants of the community plan process and are then employed to develop “implementation strategies.” These can take the form of new or changes to ordinances, programs, capital improvements, or other City policy implementation mechanisms. It is possible that some of these strategies may not be realized within the next planning cycle. Budget constraints, deferred priories, or political preferences may alter or replace these strategies. It is also possible that other methods or ideas could surface that in the minds of the community are preferable to the items listed in this document. ---PAGE BREAK--- 14.F. Jefferson Community Plan Adopted February 19, 2013 14.F .10 LAND USE 1. Strengthen Single- Family Neighborhoods Protecting and maintaining single-family homes and properties are the primary concerns of the community. The homes within the community are generally smaller than new homes built. A majority of the homes in the community were developed in the early to mid 1900’s. These older homes have some unseen advantages such as wood floors and trim work, and all brick exteriors, which are too expensive to duplicate in new homes of this size today. At the same time the aging wiring and utility lines become concerns for these homes. Some properties are experiencing serious maintenance issues or have yards containing junk and debris which have an impact on the market value and re-sale of the surrounding homes. While not true in every case, rental properties, particularly properties with absentee landlords, are often maintenance trouble spots for the community and city. Some of the problems that are of concern for the community include:  Poorly kept yards weeds, junk and debris).  Inadequately landscaped front yards, or dead grass areas.  Parking of cars on lawns. A concerted effort should be made to preserve the single-family nature of the community. The quiet nature of the neighborhood, close proximity to services and historic features of some homes are well kept secrets of the neighborhood. Ways should be considered to insure the ability of families to grow up in the neighborhood and there needs to be opportunities for owners to expand the living space of the homes to meet a growing family’s need. Also, upgrading utility and service equipment and infrastructure will be required. Furthermore new development whether it be infill or redevelopment should be designed in a manner consistent with the architectural design and materials of the surrounding single- family nature of existing development. Some Vision Strategies 1.A. Support and preserve the existing single- family nature of the area through maintaining single-family zoning classifications of the core areas of the neighborhood. High Priority 1.B. Consider rezoning existing homes, from CP-3 to R-4 that front on Grant Avenue or are between Grant and west of Washington between 27th and 30th Street. 1.C. Develop incentive programs to increase homeownership in community including home improvement grants. 1.D. Allow for the expansion of existing homes to meet the growing family’s needs for living space through flexible bulk and area regulations (i.e. setbacks, height, and other yard area standards). 1.E. Require that new and infill development or additions to homes be designed in context with the layout and building design of surrounding homes (e.g. front porches or entries, heights, garage placement, building materials, etc.). 1.F. Consider a match program to inspect, replace, or upgrade existing utility, water, and sewer service lines to homes. 1.G. Enforce parking standards for cars parking on front lawns. 1.H. Enforce code provisions of parking of recreational and accessory vehicles. 1.I Develop an education program for landlords and renters regarding maintenance, landscaping and upkeep concerns with rental properties. ---PAGE BREAK--- 14.F. Jefferson Community Plan Adopted February 19, 2013 14.F .11 1. Strengthen Single-Family Neighborhoods (cont.) multi-family housing that has been developed in the area recently does not integrate into the community. Future development needs to respect community design principles that relate the housing outward to the community rather than be inward oriented. There are some great historic homes in the area. Preservation of any of the homes that could be considered historical should be considered. These older homes reflect the history of Ogden. Placing these historic eligible homes on the National Register of Historic Places would also provide tax credit incentives in the repair and reinvestments into the homes. Vision Strategies (cont.) 1.J Create an expectation that renters and landlords have obligations and responsibilities to keep properties clean of debris and junk and maintain properties as required in leases. 1.K. Consider rezoning from M-1 to C-2 existing manufacturing areas east of Wall Avenue. Consider rezoning from M-2 to C-3 existing manufacturing west of Wall Avenue at 32nd Street. 1.L Consider appropriate locations for Neighborhood Commercial at key corners provided they integrate into the neighborhood. LAND USE ---PAGE BREAK--- 14.F. Jefferson Community Plan Adopted February 19, 2013 14.F .12 2. Ensure the Success of Major Commercial Corridors There are four commercial corridors that run through this community. Two act as boundaries for the community. Washington Boulevard is the east corridor and 36th Street is the south corridor that serves as community edges. Wall Avenue runs north and south through the middle of the Community and the 30th/ 31st Street is an east/ west corridor that also divides the community. Businesses along these corridors provide the community the basic goods and services needed, such as groceries, clothing, and fuel but also serve the city with auto related uses. The Wall Avenue corridor has recently been widened which has increased traffic movement. This corridor has experienced limited development through the years. Attention should be focused on creating commercial that would provide appropriate commercial synergism while at the same time integrating into the residential neighborhoods. Along Grant Avenue between 27th Street and 30th Street there are a few commercial type uses which have converted older homes into commercial which have not contributed to the success of the area. There are also a few commercial buildings in a primarily residential area. This area has been zoned commercial for almost thirty years and commercial has not developed and left the majority of the homes with a commercial zone designation. This has discouraged investment in the residential structures when it is zoned commercial. The area would function better as residential rather than commercial due to the primary use in this area being residential. The 31st and 30th Street corridor is a highly visible entry corridor in and out of the City that links I-15 to Ogden City. Retail uses and professional services are intermingled with homes along 30th and 31st Street between Wall Avenue and Washington Boulevard. Creating community commercial type uses along this entire section with design standards would improve the area. The area west of Wall Avenue on both these corridors had landscaping installed but the area could still be improved with added landscaping. Vision Strategies 2.A. Develop a corridor plan for Washington Boulevard and 31st Street to determine how land uses and design standards should be reapplied to guide future development of these major corridors. 2B. Develop commercial along Wall Avenue that would be more than auto related uses. The uses should provide amenities for the residence in the abutting neighborhoods. 2.C. Consider creating a community commercial overlay zone for properties along 30th and 31st Street between Wall Avenue and Washington Boulevard that would ensure mixed use development and residential to fit next to each other. The overlay would allow ground floor development of retail and personal services that would benefit the neighborhood. The uses above the ground floor should be residential, office and or special commercial uses. The design of the development needs to relate to the neighborhood as well as meet the commercial needs along the street. Attention to design, materials, development potential of remaining properties and the neighborhood will be important factors. High Priority LAND USE ---PAGE BREAK--- 14.F. Jefferson Community Plan Adopted February 19, 2013 14.F .13 2. Ensure the Success of Major Commercial Corridors (cont.) Vision Strategies (cont.) 2.D. Developing landscaped parkways in certain areas along Wall Avenue. 2.E. Consider the use of public art in the form of murals to break up the mass of large blank building walls along Wall Avenue as shown in the before and after picture to the side. 2.F. Encourage the sharing of accesses of commercial uses on the major corridors to improve general traffic patterns and avoid the use of local roads for commercial access. 2.G. Look at developments to ensure landscaping along the street frontages to create a boulevard appearance rather than undefined transition from the road to private development. ---PAGE BREAK--- 14.F. Jefferson Community Plan Adopted February 19, 2013 14.F .14 LAND USE 3. Preserve Historic Dwellings The identification of dwellings that are of historic value is important in determining the ability to use an economic resource available for repairing and improving the housing stock and overcoming negative perceptions of the neighborhood. There are many homes within the older parts of the City that represent the history of the development of the City. Many homes within this community are from that era and should take advantage of the benefits of the historic preservation movement. Dwellings that have been identified as historic should be placed on the National Register of Historic Places. Being on the National Register would give the homeowner tax credit options to help finance building rehabilitation and improvements. Some homes have had minor changes over the years. Those changes include such things as installing aluminum window frames to replace wood ones or covering original exterior materials with siding. Some of those actions may keep a home under its present condition from taking advantage of being on the National Register. It should not be a deterrent from preserving the home. The alterations may be minor enough that there still may be enough incentive to restore the building with original materials to be eligible for the National Register. Vision Strategies 3.A. Do a survey to identify the viability of a district or individual property potential. If viable then identify potential historic properties or districts and then preserve them by placing them on the National and/or Local Register of Historic Places. 3.B. Encourage using historic designations and accompanying tax credit programs to encourage reinvestment in homes. High Priority 3.C. Provide information on historic preservation objectives and incentives and ways to make homes eligible for the register. ---PAGE BREAK--- 14.F. Jefferson Community Plan Adopted February 19, 2013 14.F .15 ---PAGE BREAK--- 14.F. Jefferson Community Plan Adopted February 19, 2013 14.F .16 LAND USE 4. Multi-Family and Single-Family Residential There are two residentially zoned areas in the Community. Both of these are between Washington Boulevard and Wall Avenue. The south area section is zoned R-1-5 while the north section is zoned R-4. As development occurs in these areas it is important that the architecture fits the context of the area and design focuses more on neighborhood principles, reflects the building material quality of the general neighborhood and is more market-rate housing. A potential new multi-family area would be on the southwest corner of 27th Street and Lincoln Avenue as shown below. Efforts should be made to better integrate this development into the neighborhood by having the fronts of the buildings face the public streets, be designed with porches and have parking in the rear of the lot. Both areas show decline due to the lack of home ownership. Lack of owner occupancy in most cases leads to a decline in the care and upkeep of the homes and properties which in turn creates disinvestment in the neighborhood. There are strong ties to the neighborhood of those who own homes here and neighborhood standards need to be maintained to retain the sense of community. Vision Strategies 4.A. Integrate new multi and single family development into surrounding areas through context sensitive design. As development is designed it should be focused on the front of homes facing the public street and details such as porches and parking behind the dwelling as design considerations. 4.B. Explore the use of incentives to enhance and increase home ownership. 4.C. Encourage home owners and tenants to better maintain their properties. High Priority 4.D. Encourage churches to get involved in educating home owners on what is acceptable in regards to property maintenance. ---PAGE BREAK--- 14.F. Jefferson Community Plan Adopted February 19, 2013 14.F .17 OPEN SPACE & PATHWAYS 5. Enhance Community Open Space This community has two city parks (Jefferson Park and Marshall White Park). The Jefferson Park was created due to objectives and strategies created in the previous Jefferson Community Plan which requested that the Afleck Park along Wall Avenue be exchanged for better open space that related to the neighborhood and could be accessed by the neighborhood. The other park (Marshall White Park) has remained in the area for years and is an icon in the community. Typically various city leagues use both these parks. Preserving the open spaces at both these parks is vital since it has helped provide recreation needs of great benefit to all ages of people in the community. Having a balanced program at both parks helps the community. Some programs such as soccer are heavily utilized at Jefferson but not at Marshall White. The community would be better served by both parks being designed to allow soccer play. Both these parks are considered cultivated open space per the open space and recreation plan. Based upon the open space plan each community is to provide the right level of service for a community which focuses on quality of open space in addition to quantity. As part of the plan surveys were mailed out, questioners were gathered at the open house and a steering committee was formed to find out what the needs were in regards to open space. Vision Strategies 5.A. Continue the partnership with Ogden City Schools to create community activity centers and ensures that the active open green space of Jefferson Park and Odyssey school is maintained. The School green space should be made available for various community needs after school hours. 5.B. Continue to preserve the amenities found at the Jefferson Park while at the same time enhancing the park to meet the changing needs of the community. 5.C. Evaluate design and amenities for the Marshall White Park by considering the changing needs of open space use by the community. High Priority ---PAGE BREAK--- 14.F. Jefferson Community Plan Adopted February 19, 2013 14.F .18 OPEN SPACE & PATHWAYS 6. Develop Links to Open Spaces and Urban Pathways The Weber River Parkway Trail is located to the west of the community along the Weber River. At the present time the rail yard separates the community from the trail system. Efforts need to insure the community has connections to the trail system so that they have convenient use of this amenity. Vision Strategies 6.A. Explore options to create pedestrian and bike connection to the Weber River. ---PAGE BREAK--- 14.F. Jefferson Community Plan Adopted February 19, 2013 14.F .19 TRANSPORTATION 7. Enhance the Local Collector Streets The primary collector north-south streets through the Jefferson Community are Lincoln Avenue, Grant Avenue & Pacific. The character along Grant and Lincoln Avenue are similar while Pacific Avenue is different. Grant and Lincoln Avenue have primarily residential type uses with commercial type uses being intermixed. Pacific Avenue has a mixture of commercial, warehousing, railyard and limited residential. There are three collector east west streets through the community which are 30th, 31st and 36th Street. The character along 30th and 31st Street are commercial with some residential uses. Both 30th and 31st Street are one way streets with 30th Street serving the west bound traffic and 31st Street serving the east bound traffic. The character of 36th Street is primarily commercial uses which services two-way traffic. Pacific Avenue has seen an increase in traffic due to it becoming an alternate route instead of using Wall Avenue. The street had served as a side road to the railroad but has been discovered as a less controlled access to the Newgate Mall and Riverdale Road. The road width and condition is not conducive to the new traffic demands. The north end of the road also does not have any easy connection to other city streets. Efforts should be made to improve traffic circulation along with improving the aesthetics of this street. Grant and Lincoln Avenue are also used to alleviate traffic from Wall Avenue and Washington Boulevard. These streets run through the community so it is important that appropriate lighting and street trees are provided to help these streets integrate into the community. Grant Avenue does function as a link to a continuous bicycle route to the north to 12th Street. Grant should be the main north south bike route through this neighborhood. As a minimum a bike lane should be stripped to define this route. Vision Strategies 7.A. Evaluate ways for the north end of Pacific Avenue to make a better connection into Wall Avenue. 7.B. Explore options to enhance the right of way along Pacific Avenue. 7.C. Explore opportunities to enhance the streetscape along Lincoln and Grant Avenue. 7.D. Provide appropriate bicycle routes in the community. ---PAGE BREAK--- 14.F. Jefferson Community Plan Adopted February 19, 2013 14.F .20 TRANSPORTATION 8. Enhance the Arterial Streets There are two arterial streets in the Jefferson Community that run north and south (Washington Boulevard and Wall Avenue). The character along Wall Avenue is more auto related uses with some commercial while the character along Washington Boulevard is more retail and service oriented. These two arterial streets are primary corridors through the City. Efforts should be made to improve the aesthetics of these two streets. Vision Strategies 8.A. Improve the streetscape along Wall Avenue and Washington Boulevard. High Priority ---PAGE BREAK--- 14.F. Jefferson Community Plan Adopted February 19, 2013 14.F .21 TRANSPORTATION 9. Provide solutions for limited used alley ways and public streets There are several alleyways throughout the community. Alleys are located to the rear of the lots and are not easily visible to the general public and today have limited uses that do not create safe neighborhoods. Most of these alleyways and limited used public streets have not been kept up, have limited or no lights and often times provide a quick in and out of the neighborhood which create drug problems. Due to these factors the community has expressed concerns about safety and based upon police reports they have reason to feel this way. Reports have shown that these hidden access ways lead to increased crime in this community. Efforts should be made to improve the safety of these access ways. There are a few public streets in the community that do not function properly. These streets should be extended or vacated in order to improve safety in the neighbhorhood. Vision Strategies 9.A. Consider the closure of Doxey Street west of Wall Avenue. 9.B. Consider improving and extending Doxey Street between Wall and Lincoln Avenue as shown below. High Priority Doxey Street which dead ends east of Wall Ave. 9.C. Encourage the closure of alley ways in the community which do not have a public purpose. In some instances these alley ways are owned by the abutting property owners and it may not be feasible to vacate the alley way. In these situations it may be better to place a gate at each end of the alley way with a key for only the property owners to access. Lighting should also be encouraged in the event the alley ways can’t be vacated. The community may also consider using these alleyways as community gardens. High Priority ---PAGE BREAK--- 14.F. Jefferson Community Plan Adopted February 19, 2013 14.F .22 ---PAGE BREAK--- 14.F. Jefferson Community Plan Adopted February 19, 2013 14.F .23 TRANSPORTATION 10. Complete and Maintain Sidewalks, Local Streets & Street Lamps Sidewalks provide safe areas for pedestrians to walk in and through the community. They provide safe areas for children to get to and from school and parks. Most areas of the community have sidewalks. There are areas, however, that need new sidewalks, or repair of damaged walks to create a continuous safe zone throughout the community. Usage and destination should determine the priorities for sidewalk installation or replacement. Priority should be given to sidewalk areas that are the walking routes commonly used by children traveling to the school. Road crossings of these paths should also be highlighted for safety. Lighting should be taken into consideration to improve the safety of the sidewalks at night. The City has several programs available to assist in the installation of sidewalks. These include, but are not limited to: a. Sidewalks leading to schools. b. 50/50 Sidewalk replacement program. c. Special Improvement District. The local road system is generally limited to local resident use. The community feels many of the local roadways are minimally maintained or even neglected. City roadway improvement projects usually focus on areas with high traffic due to evaluating a project under a cost/benefit analysis. The end result is local roadways are usually a lower priority in budgeting for maintenance and repairs. The local road system in this Community should receive a higher priority status in scheduling needed maintenance and repairs. Vision Strategies 10.A. Install the sidewalks that function as the primary walking routes to the school (safe routes to schools priorities). 10.B. Highlight major school crossing areas so slow traffic speeds can be posted through these areas. 10.C. Recognize that the repair, re-surfacing, and maintenance needs for local roads and sidewalks in this community are long overdue. Roadway and sidewalk maintenance or repair schedules should include these roads and sidewalks as a higher priority. High Priority 10.D. Install additional street lamps to light sidewalks as well as streets so they are not as dark. ---PAGE BREAK--- 14.F. Jefferson Community Plan Adopted February 19, 2013 14.F .24 ---PAGE BREAK--- 14.F. Jefferson Community Plan Adopted February 19, 2013 14.F .25 ---PAGE BREAK--- 14.F. Jefferson Community Plan Adopted February 19, 2013 14.F .26 D. Community Plan Objectives The Jefferson Community Vision focuses primarily on three topics, Land Use, Open Space & Pathways, and Transportation. The vision strategies address broad and specific ideas to set forth the future physical development and use within the community. However, specific actions need to be taken by both public and private entities to complete the vision. In order to emphasize those improvements that are needed to accomplish the purposes of the Jefferson Community Plan, the following objectives are established for consideration by the City in terms of capital improvements or other means to implement the Community Vision. Because funds are limited only high priority items which have been identified previously are listed below. 1. Land Use Vision Objective 1.B. Consider rezoning existing homes, from CP-3 to R-4 that front on Grant Avenue or are between Grant and west of Washington between 27th and 30th Street. Implementation Responsibility: Planning Commission and City Council Resources: Planning Division Staff Objective 1.K. Consider rezoning from M-1 to C-2 existing manufacturing areas east of Wall Avenue. Consider rezoning from M-2 to C-3 existing manufacturing west of Wall Avenue at 32nd Street. Implementation Responsibility: Planning Commission and City Council Resources: Planning Division Staff Objective 2.B.- Consider placing a corridor overlay zone on the properties along 30th and 31st Street between Wall Avenue and Washington Boulevard. The design of the development needs to create an entry feature to the neighborhood as well as meet the commercial needs along the street. Attention to design, materials, development potential of remaining properties and the neighborhood will be factors on consideration of rezoning. Implementation Responsibility Planning Commission and City Council Resources: Planning Division Staff Objective 4.B.- Encourage using historic designations and accompanying tax credit programs to encourage reinvestment in homes. Implementation Responsibility Landmarks Resources: Planning Division Staff Objective 5.C.- Encourage home owners and renters to better maintain their properties. Implementation Responsibility Planning Department, Code Enforcement, Neighborhood Development Resources: Business Licensing, Block Grant and Code Enforcement 2. Open Space & Pathways Vision Objective 6.D.- 6.D. Enhance the Marshall White Park by providing amenities that would benefit the community Implementation Responsibility Community Services Department, Parks & Recreation Committee, Mayor, and City Council Resources: Capital Improvement Program, Parks & Recreation Committee ---PAGE BREAK--- 14.F. Jefferson Community Plan Adopted February 19, 2013 14.F .27 3. Transportation Objective 9.A.- Improve the streetscape along Wall Avenue and Washington Boulevard. Implementation Responsibility Community Services Department, Parks & Recreation Committee, Mayor, and City Council Resources: Capital Improvement Program, Community Services Department, Parks & Recreation Committee Objective 10.B.- Consider improving and extending Doxey Street between Wall and Lincoln Avenue. Implementation Responsibility Private development, RDA, Community Services, Mayor, and City Council Resources: Capital Improvement Program, Community Services Department, Redevelopment programs Objective 10.C.- Encourage the closure of alley ways in the community which do not have a public purpose. In some instances these alley ways are owned by the abutting property owners and it may not be feasible to vacate the alley way. In these situations it may be better to place a gate at each end of the alley way with a key for the property owners to access. Lighting should also be encouraged in the event the alley ways can’t be vacated. (CIP Preference) Implementation Responsibility Community Services Department, Neighborhood Development. Legal Department Resources: Capital Improvement Program, Community Services Department, Neighborhood development programs Objective 11.C.- Recognize that the repair, re- surfacing, and maintenance needs for local roads and sidewalks in this community are long overdue. Roadway and sidewalk maintenance or repair schedules should include these roads and sidewalks as a higher priority. Implementation Responsibility Community Services Department, Mayor, and City Council Resources: Capital Improvement Program, B& C Road funds