Center for Towns Program Strategic Planning Retreat December 2014
Background Center for Towns ESLC Vision in 2050 is an Eastern Shore where: towns are vibrant and well defined 2010 2015 Strategic Plan Mission Statement: We are committed to preserving and sustaining the vibrant communities of the Eastern Shore and the lands and waters that connect them. New Guiding Theme: Towns play an increasingly critical role in shaping the landscape and character of the Eastern Shore. To ensure that towns are thriving and well defined as called for in our 2050 vision, they need strong planning programs. ESLC can play a critical education and support role in helping towns with state of the art planning and engaging their residents in the process. Center for Towns launched in 2011
Center for Towns - Initial Program Areas: Leadership and Knowledge: ESLC will host events, publish resources and share information through multiple media sources to equip local leaders with the knowledge and tools they need to change, inspire and improve their communities to be healthier places. Community Design: We will undertake community-led processes to design responses to towns most critical physical, environmental, economic and social challenges. Based on strong partnerships and innovative university design studios, our methodologies are rooted in giving voice to diverse communities. Community Land Projects: We will work with communities to implement the trail, park, community garden and open space projects that will help them become the type of sustainable, walkable, livable communities they strive to be.
Baltimore DC Wilmington Dover Salisbury Ocean City University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia University Drexel University Temple University University of Delaware Washington College Morgan State University University of Maryland Howard University Catholic University University of D. of C. Salisbury University Virginia Tech WAAC Hampton University National + Regional + Local + University + Professional
Location: 11 acres in East New Market Friendship Park Role: ESLC led a visioning process and hosted a place workshop for the community; ESLC also assisted the Town with pursuing a municipal bond and helped secure legal counsel (2012). Result: The park is hoped to host in the future a community garden, farmers market, small plots for farmers, a dog park, children s play area, and walking trails. Funding has been acquired for the initial phase of park implementation. Opened in September!
Easton Point Park Location: 11-acre brownfield site in Easton, includes water access Role: ESLC and the Town of Easton, with funding from Town Creek Foundation, led a series of community charrettes to guide visioning and design of a new park; Open space for walking, biking, water access, community gatherings, & a music venue are included in park s schematic design (2012). Result: Easton leaders resolved to create park and are now focusing on connectivity, including plans for extending the rails-to-trail network that would connect the park to town core & surrounding homes. Easton conducting full Port Street charrette to knit together several small area plans and Park concept.
Cambridge Gateways Location: Maryland Avenue into Cambridge from Route 50 Role: ESLC, along with the City, developed designs for Maryland Avenue to attract more people into its downtown commercial district; via public engagement exercises, the community expressed interest in accessibility for cyclists and pedestrians, improving stormwater management, reusing vacant property, planting new trees, and installing more attractive directional signs (2013). Result: Concept designs for green and complete street on Maryland Avenue, and green/park space use for currently vacant properties. Project has leveraged over $1M in implementation funds, and will be completed this fall.
Education/Trusted Resource Morning Cup of Planning Funding Matchmaker (NFWF Technical Assistance Provider) Quarterly Planners Gatherings (expanding!) ESLC Blog Research (Code and Ordinance Review)
Center for Towns Exploring Strategic Direction (2014)
Background Center for Towns Building Internal Capacity Towns Committee: Chair: John Wilson*, Tidewater Group Stuart Clarke, Town Creek Foundation Rob Etgen, Eastern Shore Land Conservancy David Harp, Chesapeake Photos Chris Jakubiak, Jakubiak and Associates Ed McMahon, Urban Land Institute David O Neill, National Fish and Wildlife Foundation Gail Owings*, Eastern Shore Heritage, Inc. Amy Owsley, Eastern Shore Land Conservancy Brett Summers, NOVO Development Corporation Committee Meetings: 2 full think tank meetings (April, May) Several tours of Cambridge project scoping and brainstorming (July, September) Upcoming tour of Easton (TBD) Staffing: Director position Projects managed through staff-wide teams Guided by Towns Committee
Background Center for Towns Defining Vibrancy for ESLC s Center for Towns How do we define a vibrant town? To ESLC, a vibrant Eastern Shore town is centered by a lively downtown core - a walkable mix of neighborhoods, businesses, and plentiful community gathering places and events. A strong sense of place and commitment to a high quality of life are reflected throughout the town, guiding patterns of development and design. People of all means and perspectives are welcomed by a diversity of choice in mobility, opportunities for meaningful civic engagement, services, food, and housing. The town is a good steward of the environment and Chesapeake Bay, making choices that advance sustainability and coastal resilience.
Background Center for Towns Proposed Program Areas: Town Partnerships Through a select number of Town Partnerships, we focus on transformative redevelopment and greening efforts in the Eastern Shore towns that will serve as the magnets and models for development. We seek to help these towns be sustainable and vibrant communities that show how successful growth centers can be Chesapeake-Bay friendly, sustainable and resilient. Town Learning Center Not all Eastern Shore towns should or want to be large centers of new growth and development. For these communities we offer a program of education and fee-for-service technical expertise.
Background Center for Towns FY 15 Deepening of Strategic Impact Task Evaluation Criteria for Town Partnerships Considerations: Regional impact, leadership, town capacity, effectiveness of governance, and sense of place/community Task Identify Town-Specific Metrics of Vibrancy & Partnership Action Strategies FY 15/16(?): Cambridge and Easton (Centreville and Chestertown) Task Identify Themes of Vibrancy for Eastern Shore Towns Examples: Mobility - Economic Growth - Housing Food - Higher Education Task Scaffold Town Learning Center Programs and Develop Project Evaluation Criteria Workshops Website and Morning Cup of Planning (email) Fee for Service Projects Fremont Street (St. Michaels) Targeted Resources Coastal Resilience Planning (Chestertown, Oxford, St. Michaels)
Cambridge Partnership initial overview of opportunities Redevelopment Phillips Packing House District Revitalization helping reclaim a key dead building (packing house) Green space help town acquire, design and implement a new urban park (ESLC, City) Housing support small area plan for Pine/Washington Streets (Morgan State Univ) Community convene partners to address food security issues in this underserved neighborhood Sustainability Green streets implementation of the City s first green street on Maryland Ave (ESLC, City) Water pollution help partners model an innovative, proactive approach to achieving WIP goals (CBF, NWA) Coastal resilience engage in new working waterfront study to advance resilience planning (UMD, DNR) Information and Capacity Research prepare study of the primary barriers to downtown development Redevelopment Strategy- help create a strategy (priorities, action plan, market analysis) to boost shared City planning and economic projects
Easton Partnership initial overview of opportunities Redevelopment - Port Street Corridor Revitalization Eastern Shore Conservation Center building Green space help town design and implement a new urban park at Easton Point, and advance mobility infrastructure (pedestrians, cyclists) and green space throughout the new Port Street Master Plan (ESLC, City) Housing support small area plan for the Hill (Morgan State Univ) and efforts to improve housing conditions on Port Street (Town) Community convene partners to address food security issues in the Port Street underserved neighborhood Sustainability Green streets implementation of the City s first green street on Port Street (ESLC, Town) Information and Capacity Research prepare study of the primary barriers to downtown development Research assess vacant and underutilized commercial space in the downtown
Fremont Community Streetscape Location: Fremont Street (St. Michaels) Porject: Using public access-designated funds from the Miles Point project, ESLC will lead the design project of a green and complete street. The intent is to set the stage for revitalization of an underutilized downtown corridor.
Town Projects Past Canton Park (St Michaels) Bloomfield Park (Centreville) Chestertown Gateway (Chestertown) East End Community Garden (Easton) Friendship Park (East New Market) Oxford Stormwater Finance Study Easton Point Park (Easton) Eisinger Park (Stevensville) Cambridge Gateways (Cambridge) Current Scoping Eastern Shore Conservation Center (Easton) Green and Complete Port Street (Easton) Fremont Street Revitalization (St. Michaels) Packing House/Cannery Park (Cambridge) Working Waterfront Study (Cambridge) St. Michaels Stormwater Finance Study Marydel Community Master Plan Denton Centreville Federalsburg
ESLC Center for Towns