DOWNTOWN WATERFRONT MASTER PLAN

Transcription

1 DOWNTOWN WATERFRONT MASTER PLAN City of St. Petersburg, Florida How did the downtown waterfront come to be? Why is the DWMP being created? What is the DWMP? What will be included in the DWMP? What is the geographic area of the DWMP? What process is being used to create the DWMP? Step 1: Public Input Forums Step 2: Insights and Ideas from the Urban Land Institute Step 3: Final Plan Development Step 4: Master Plan Adoption Thank you for your interest in the Downtown Waterfront Master Plan (DWMP). As the city embarks upon the task of creating our first overall plan for the Downtown Waterfront, we hope that you will; 1) take the time to find out about our magnificent downtown waterfront and the process for creating the Plan, and 2) become an active participant in creating the Plan. This web page is intended to make those two items easier. Below, in frequently asked question format (FAQs) and associated links, is the information you need to obtain the necessary background about the downtown waterfront and the planning process, how you can get involved and who to contact to answer your questions. HOW DID THE DOWNTOWN WATERFRONT COME TO BE? The downtown waterfront has long served as the City s greatest physical asset. First settled in 1888 by Peter A. Demens as the terminus end of his Orange Belt Railway, the downtown waterfront quickly developed with industrial land uses including an electricgenerating plant, fish processing plant, lumberyard, warehouse and others. By 1900, these industrial activities so disfigured the downtown waterfront that a conflict with the growing tourist trade ignited civic interest in a publicly-owned downtown waterfront. In 1902, debate over the future of the downtown waterfront began when the Board of Trade, a predecessor to the Chamber of Commerce, approved a resolution calling for a public waterfront park between 2 nd and 5 th Avenues North. The resolution was backed 1 P a g e DWMP, City of St. Petersburg, FL

2 by William Straub, editor for the St. Petersburg Times, who made creation of the waterfront park system a key goal of his own ambition and professional publication. In 1905, J. M. Lewis presented a plan to convert nearly the entire downtown waterfront into a park. Lewis plan became a major issue in the 1906 city elections, and the public waterfront supporters eventually won a majority of the seats on the City Council. The new City Council quickly passed a resolution to acquire the water lots along the waterfront but it would take until the end of 1909 before the city held title to most of the waterfront. Over the next 15 years, the city backed bonds for developing and beautifying the waterfront. As best as can be historically documented from reliable sources, most of the water lots were filled sometime between 1915 and The Florida Legislature passed Specials Acts in 1917 and 1918 granting title to the City for those submerged lands from Coffee Pot Bayou to approximately Lassing Park adjacent to the City-owned upland. All of the present day downtown waterfront east of Beach Drive and east of 1 st Street between 7 th Avenue Northeast and 8 th Avenue Southeast was created by fill. Between the years of 1918 and 1923, the city acquired several remaining pieces of land and commenced significant improvements to establish scenic water vistas and public recreation opportunities. The value of the downtown waterfront was subsequently memorialized by a special provision in the City Charter requiring voter approval before any designated park property can be sold, donated, or leased for a term exceeding those lease terms specifically authorized for the waterfront or park properties as set forth in the City Charter. The City has since expanded, preserved and enhanced what is now recognized as one of the finest urban waterfronts in the world. WHY IS THE DWMP BEING CREATED? Following the centennial anniversary marking the creation of the City s downtown waterfront park system and the evolution of the City s downtown, it is appropriate to revisit the City s downtown waterfront looking forward for the next 100 years. Honoring the legacy of the downtown waterfront and seeking to advance the great work of this city s early leaders, the voters approved a City Charter amendment on November 8, 2011 mandating that a new Downtown Waterfront Master Plan (DWMP) be adopted no later than July 1, Click HERE to see City Charter Amendment 2 P a g e DWMP, City of St. Petersburg, FL

3 WHAT IS THE DWMP? The downtown waterfront contains many uses and facilities including parks, marinas, the airport and seaport, museums and a major performing arts venue. The DWMP is intended to provide the first integrated vision for the City s entire downtown waterfront and its many uses by establishing a master plan and policy framework of guiding principles for future decision making. The DWMP will be used as an umbrella policy document and concept plan and is not intended to provide specific details for projects that are developed within the individual park, facility and transportation elements: Future public and private development proposals and proposed significant physical changes to the character of the downtown waterfront will be reviewed for consistency with the Charter-based DWMP; As the City s individual park and facility master plans are updated in the future, they will be reviewed for consistency with the Charter-based DWMP; Capital improvement projects will be implemented through the City s Capital Improvement Program. Over time, the DWMP will help realize the full potential of each component of the downtown waterfront, while maintaining a sense of continuity and harmony throughout. WHAT WILL BE INCLUDED IN THE DWMP? The final DWMP will: Include an inventory and analysis of existing conditions at 16 waterfront parks, 16 waterfront facilities, multi-modal network of pedestrian and transportation facilities and services, supporting infrastructure and land development regulations Include a written and graphic depiction of the future vision for the downtown waterfront including waterfront parks, waterfront facilities (upland and waterdependent), transportation and connectivity, environmental sustainability, public art and special events Establish a policy framework to guide future decision-making with a particular emphasis on 3 P a g e DWMP, City of St. Petersburg, FL

4 Coordinating interdependent relationships of numerous public and privatelyowned assets Identifying viable enhancements, including potential future land uses and facility modifications WHAT IS THE GEOGRAPHIC AREA OF THE DWMP The study area for the Plan is approximately seven (7) miles of nearly contiguous public waterfront beginning at the Northeast Exchange Club Coffee Pot Park to the north and Lassing Park to the south. Click HERE to see boundary map WHAT PROCESS IS BEING USED TO CREATE THE DWMP? The general process for creating the DWMP has been established through two City Council process workshops as detailed below. The process includes, and exceeds, the minimum adoption and public input requirements for creating the DWMP as established by City Code Section (Click HERE to see the project schedule.) Step 1: Public Input Forums Public input forums will be conducted throughout the planning process to proactively ensure that citizen and stakeholder views, interests and opinions inform the development of the DWMP. The initial public input forums will provide further context for the Urban Land Institute s Advisory Service Panel (ULI ASP) members as their analysis begins. Step 2: Insights and Ideas from the Urban Land Institute The City will contract with the Urban Land Institute (ULI) to convene an interdisciplinary Advisory Service Panel (ASP) that will be funded by the City and several donors from the community. The Urban Land Institute is the premier nonprofit urban planning and real estate education and research institution representing the entire spectrum of land use and development disciplines. The ULI ASP program is an intensive five-day planning exercise. Using public input from the initial forums, the ASP will be given an assignment [insert link] that includes the following tasks: 1) Develop a consolidated vision for the downtown waterfront; 2) 4 P a g e DWMP, City of St. Petersburg, FL

5 Suggest general approaches to that vision; 3) Articulate defensible best practices that support these approaches; and 4) Highlight case study examples from across North America. The five-day planning exercise concludes with a presentation of the panel s initial findings. Approximately 30 days after completion of the panel, a draft report is released for review and comment to the City. Approximately 60 days after comments are received, ULI will publish the final report. The final report is an important first step that will inform and be a resource for the residents, city staff and planning consultant who will work together toward creation of the final DWMP. Step 3: Final Plan Development Following completion of the ULI ASP program, the City will contract with a planning consultant to prepare the final DWMP. The DWMP is intended to provide an overall vision, in written and graphic form, for the city s downtown waterfront and to establish a policy framework of guiding principles. Following completion of the initial draft, which will include input received from a second round of public forums, at least two (2) City Council public workshops shall be conducted. Following the public workshops, a final draft shall be prepared and distributed to the public. City staff shall conduct not less than three (3) public meetings at which the final draft of the Plan shall be presented and public comments or recommendations received. If substantive comments or recommendations to the DWMP are received, city staff shall schedule at least one (1) additional public workshop with the City Council and make recommendations concerning the substantive comments or recommendations. Step 4: Master Plan Adoption In accordance with the approved Charter Amendment, the DWMP shall be adopted by ordinance of the City Council no later than July 1, Click HERE to see a project schedule 5 P a g e DWMP, City of St. Petersburg, FL

6 Planning and Economic Development Department Urban Planning and Historic Preservation Municipal Services Center One Fourth Street North, 8 th Floor St. Petersburg, Florida Waterfront.Plan@stpete.org P a g e DWMP, City of St. Petersburg, FL