Placemaking in Waterfront Communities

Placemaking in Waterfront Communities Creating Vibrant Coastal Communities Techniques, Tools and Resources to Advance Placemaking in Muskegon, MI July 11, 2013 Elizabeth Durfee NOAA Coastal Management Fellow

Outline Placemaking review Waterfront planning Placemaking in waterfront communities -Marquette -Sault Ste. Marie -Port Huron -Fishtown -Charlevoix -Manistique Tools Resources 2

Placemaking economic development + higher quality places + improved overall quality of life Quality places Coordinated Regional approach Leveraging assets Creating more options Connectivity Form P vs p placemaking Marriott 3

Waterfront Planning Fishtown, Leland, MI Sea Grant 4

Placemaking in Waterfront Communities opportunity 5

Placemaking in Waterfront Communities need 6

Planning in Coastal Communities sustainability planning 7

Marquette 8 USACE

Actions Marquette Dock Company Coal Dock Harbor study Property acquisition Conversion of rail yard and tracks to trail Community engagement and visioning Form-based code Marina studies and improvements Mixed use redevelopment Recreation plan SGRAT workshop Master plan updates circa 1938 Mattson Lower Harbor Park Superior View 2004 Marquette Community Master Plan 9

Goals Increase access to waterfront Physical connectivity between downtown and waterfront Promote redevelopment in an environmentally sound manner Reuse of underutilized waterfront New downtown housing options Maintain a working waterfront Preserve and increase greenery 10

Actions Marquette Dock Company Coal Dock Harbor study Property acquisition Conversion of rail yard and tracks to trail Community engagement and visioning Form-based code Marina studies and improvements Mixed use redevelopment Recreation plan SGRAT workshop Master plan updates circa 1938 Mattson Lower Harbor Park Superior View 2004 Marquette Community Master Plan 11

Waterfront Form-Based Code Form-based code: an alternative to conventional zoning that uses physical form, rather than separation of uses, to regulate and establish standards for the built environment. Workshop Flex North Lakeshore General Five Founders Five General 3 Working Waterfront Zone Parking Setback Line Future ROW Public Use Area 12

HEIGHT SITING ELEMENTS USE 13

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Traditional Neighborhood -Residential Commercial Traditional Neighborhood-Residential Gateway Corridor-Mixed Use Waterfront-Mixed Use Waterfront-Recreation Conservation Powerplant-Special District 15

Actions Marquette Dock Company Coal Dock Harbor study Property acquisition Conversion of rail yard and tracks to trail Community engagement and visioning Form-based code Marina studies and improvements Mixed use redevelopment Recreation plan SGRAT workshop Master plan updates circa 1938 Mattson Lower Harbor Park Superior View 2004 Marquette Community Master Plan 16

Waterfront Smart Growth Smart Growth Principles Mix land uses Take advantage of compact design Provide a range of housing choices Create walkable communities Foster distinctive, attractive communities Preserve open space + critical environmental areas Direct development toward existing communities Provide a variety of transportation options Make development decisions predictable + fair Encourage community + stakeholder collaboration AND FOR COASTAL WATERFRONTI COMMUNITIES SMART GROWTH 17

Waterfront SGRAT MICHIGAN Michigan s Coastal Communities Assess Waterfront Smart Growth Success Accessible walkways and scenic views are key elements for waterfront smart growth. PHOTO COURTESY OF MICHIGAN SEA GRANT The potential of Michigan s waterfront communities to attract people for work, living, and play is hampered when waterfronts lack public access, walkability, or a mix of scenic and civic uses. Now a self-assessment tool and workshop can help communities support their waterfronts to be sustainable and economically vibrant centers for public life. Michigan s Waterfront Smart Growth Readiness Assessment Tool is a voluntary self-audit that is undertaken by officials and stakeholders in waterfront communities during facilitated workshops. In 2010 and 2011, eight communities piloted the tool, and more communities will participate in the coming months. The online tool asks the community to rate its performance on waterfront smart growth principles such as compact community design, the preservation of open space and natural beauty, community collaboration, and other factors (see Smart Growth Coastal and Waterfront Elements ). It s exciting to see different parts of a community come together with a vision for their waterfront seeing where they are right now and where they might want to be. Mark Breederland, Michigan Sea Grant The Michigan Citizen Planner, Planning and Zoning Center, and Land Policy Institute of Michigan State University (MSU) developed the waterfront smart growth tool, which was inspired by and adapted from MSU s original Smart Growth Readiness Assessment Tool. Michigan Sea Grant and MSU s Greening Michigan Institute facilitate the workshops and complete final reports. Tool development was funded by NOAA s Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management through Michigan s Coastal Zone Management Program. the waterfront. The waterfront may be dominated by one or two types of uses that are spread out, instead of a mix of uses placed close together that draw many people. Or it may have transitioned from water-dependent uses, like fisheries, to non-water-dependent uses such as condo construction that block scenic views or access to natural resources. ONE CITY S EXPERIENCE The City of Alpena and its surrounding township are located in northeastern Michigan along Lake Huron s Thunder Bay and Thunder Bay River. Moreover, in 2010 a new zoning ordinance adopted by the City of Alpena included a mixed-use waterfront development district that encourages property ownership and water-related land uses while opening up public access to the waterfront. One thing the assessment made clear is that we needed a better working knowledge of how our local waterfront ASSETS AND CHALLENGES regulation process related to state and federal regulations, It s exciting to see different parts of a community come says Sundin. As a result, we are strengthening this weak Strengthen and direct development toward existing together with a vision for their waterfront seeing understanding With 3,288 miles the of coast, second permits in length only to they need, which agencies have information link so we can better assist our riverfront property communities to and encourage waterfront revitalization. where they are right now and where they might want Alaska, Michigan has many waterfront assets. owners in understanding the permits they need, which Provide a variety of land- and waterbased transportation options. to be, says Mark Breederland, an extension educator be involved, The state s and coastal communities how front four to Great start Lakes and the process. agencies have to be involved, and how to start the process. and workshop facilitator for Michigan Sea Grant. provide homes for 44 percent of Michigan s population. Make development decisions predictable, fair, Moreover, an estimated 804,381 state jobs relate to ONWARD AND UPWARD and cost-effective through consistent pol icies the Great Lakes and translate into $54 billion in annual Greg Sundin and coordinated permitting processes. employee compensation, according to Michigan s Great Lakes Jobs, a 2009 report by Michigan Sea Grant. Waterfront communities have a competitive advantage because people want to work and play there, says Breederland. Many of our towns want to strengthen their waterfront economy by preserving character and public access, but challenges may be in the way. This tool was developed to help them understand both their success and their problems, so they can succeed. With results in on the pilot, the project partners are now considering a few adjustments that could make the tool and webpage more accessible and user friendly. A second wave of self-assessment workshops is also planned. One of the best experiences for Breederland is seeing how communities use self-assessment to build smart growth momentum. At the end of one workshop, people volunteered to stay afterward, and they decided to meet twice a year from then on to track their progress with waterfront smart growth, he says. Smart Growth Coastal and Waterfront Elements When we took the self-assessment, were quite One thing the assessment made clear pleased to see our is successes, that says Greg Sundin, the needed a city s director of planning and development. Alpena s better working knowledge of how our local waterfront regulation waterfront area includes a picturesque downtown with commercial, recreational, and tourism sectors; an 18.5- mile loop for biking, walking, and inline skating; and easy process related to state and federal access regulations... to Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary. As a result, we are strengthening this weak information link so we can better assist our riverfront property owners in The self-assessment is designed so it can be repeated. We have hopes, Breederland says, of going back to these communities a few years from now and watching them congratulate themselves when their smart growth scores go up. Mix land uses, including water-dependent uses. Director of Planning and Development, City of Alpena Take advantage of compact community design that enhances, preserves, and provides access to waterfront resources. Provide a range of housing opportunities and choices to meet the needs of both seasonal and permanent residents. Create walkable communities with physical and visual access to and along the waterfront for public use. Foster distinctive, attractive communities with a strong sensee of place that capitalizes on the waterfront s ts heritage. Preserve open space, farmland, natural beauty, and the critical environmental areas that characterize and support coastal and waterfront communities. Encourage community and stakeholder collaboration in development decisions, ensuring that public interests in and rights of access to the waterfront and coastal waters are upheld. From Smart Growth for Coastal and Waterfront Communities at www.coastalsmartgrowth.noaa.gov/smartgrowth_fullreport.pdf. Each community later receives an objective score and written summary outlining its smart growth successes, benchmarking its progress, and suggesting potential areas of improvement. Michigan s challenges are shared by many other U.S. waterfront communities. For instance, the departure of big industry may have left brownfields and structural eyesores along For more information on the Waterfront Smart Growth Readiness Assessment Tool, contact Wayne R. Beyea, extension specialist and instructor for Michigan State University s School of Planning, Design, and Construction at beyea@msu.edu or (517) 432-7600. You can also learn more by visiting www.landpolicy.msu.edu/sgrat/pages/about.html. 8 SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2012 COASTAL SERVICES COASTAL SERVICES SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2012 9 NOAA Coastal Services Center Magazine Feature September October 2012 18

Lake Superior Lower Harbor and Downtown 19

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The Landing Proposed Buildings FoundersLanding.com 26

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Sault Ste. Marie 32 USACE

Water Street Final design and reconstruction plan for historic Water Street CZMP grant funded Leveraged history as a long standing community Created coastal walkway that links natural resources, historical and cultural opportunities, and urban neighborhoods Flickr 33

PlacePlan Project 2013 Google 34

Goals Create transition zone that increases connectivity between downtown and tourist area Provide public gathering space Generate interest and activity Strengthen local and regional economy Honor heritage Leverage existing assets 4 seasons, indoor-outdoor, fl exible space Provide mix of uses 35

Context Image courtesy of the city of Sault Ste. Marie 36

Concept Plan Image courtesy of the city of Sault Ste. Marie 37

Perspectives Images courtesy of the city of Sault Ste. Marie 38

3RD STREET 4TH STREET Port Huron URBAN PLAZA/ PERFORMANCE SPACE/ FARMER S MARKET WATER STREET VERTICAL ELEMENT WATER STREET SHARED USE TRAIL SHORELINE PROTECTION WALL STREET COMMUNITY PLAZA FOCAL FEATURE -SCULPTURE -EXHIBIT SHARED USE PATH INTERACTIVE/ DEMONSTRATION AREA FISHING NOTCH AMPHITHEATER/ OUTDOOR TEACHING AREA OVERLOOK/ INTERPRETATION AREA WETLAND HABITAT PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE TYPICAL TRAIL NODE OUTDOOR CLASSROOM/DEMONSTRATION AREA PORT HURON SOUTH RIVERFRONT PLAN PLAN ENLARGEMENTS - NOVEMBER 2010 N 0 25 50 100 150 39

Goals Tie waterfront to downtown Increase access to waterfront Increase development opportunities Establish natural areas and wetlands Promote water-related use UniqueAmerica 40

Fishtown, Leland Fishtown Preservation Society developed a master plan, historic structure report, and long-term interpretive plan to ensure that Fishtown remains an active fi shery, historic site, and tourist attraction open to all FSP continues to create creative signage and interactive displays to educate visitors and contribute to branding Leland created a historic district 41

Fishtown, Leland 42

Charlevoix Renovated waterfront park to provide better connection between the downtown and marina Created space for programmed, recreational, and leisure activities Increased visual and physical access to waterfront 43

Manistique 44

Manistique 45

Tools for Waterfront Planning Tools + resources to protect water dependent uses + public access Planning Harbor Management Plan Waterfront Smart Growth Waterfronts Master Plan Authority Port Authority Harbor Authority Inventory Coastal Access Site Community Assets Build Out Analysis Economic Assessment Needs Assessment Zoning Form Based Code Overlay Zoning Shoreland Zoning Water Dependent Use Zoning Tax Incentives Current Use Taxation Exemption/Abatement Policy + Regulation Visual Access Design Standards Historic Preservation CZMP Public Trust Doctrine Stakeholder Engagement Coalition Conflict Resolution Visioning Exercise Branding Stakeholder Analysis Land Acquisition + Rights Easement Land Bank Transfer / Purchase of Development Rights 2013 National Working Waterfront Network Online Toolkit: www.wateraccessus.com 46

CZMP Placemaking Tools Waterfront community planning grants Water dependent use site planning and design Grants for developing and enhancing amenities Smart Growth assistance DOWNTOWN WATERFRONT FORM-BASED CODE WORKSHOP Ken Braband With Ferrell Madden Associates 47

Resources National Working Waterfront Network www.wateraccessus.com Form-Base Codes - Smart Growth Tactics www.mml.org/pdf/map_article_issue28.pdf NOAA Coastal and Waterfront Smart Growth www.coastalsmartgrowth.noaa.gov/ Form-Based Codes Institute www.formbasedcodes.org/ Smart Growth Readiness Assessment http://www.landpolicy.msu.edu/sgrat/pages/about.html Project for Public Spaces www.pps.org/ Smart Growth America www.smartgrowthamerica.org/ Michigan Coastal Zone Management Program www.mi.gov/coastalmanagement EPA Smart Growth www.epa.gov/dced/about_sg.htm Michigan Sea Grant www.miseagrant.umich.edu/ NOAA Coastal Services Center Digital Coast www.csc.noaa.gov/digitalcoast Michigan Municipal League placemaking.mml.org/ 48

Elizabeth Durfee NOAA Coastal Management Fellow DurfeeE@Michigan.gov 231.922.4621 Michigan CZMP www.mi.gov/coastalmanagement Michigan Sea Grant http://www.miseagrant.umich.edu/