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Planning intern presents walkability and sustainability recommendations for new downtown
Summary
A planning department intern, Cody Zurich, presented concepts and recommendations about walkability, trees, seating, second-floor offices and lighting for the new downtown area to support economic vitality and quality-of-life goals; commissioners thanked him and said the ideas will inform future site plan reviews.
Cody Zurich, an intern with the Town of Saint John Building and Planning Department, presented a brief overview of sustainability and placemaking concepts for the town's new downtown on June 4, focusing on walkability, street trees, outdoor seating and design choices that support local businesses.
Zurich described how large sidewalks, outdoor seating, separation from traffic, and second-floor office uses can increase pedestrian activity and boost local business performance. He cited a walkability metric and said "a single additional point of walk score is worth $3,500 in additional home value," and recommended trees, planter boxes, and warm-spectrum lighting to improve comfort and aesthetics.
Commissioners thanked Zurich for the presentation and said the ideas were timely and useful as the town reviews site plans for the downtown; staff said many of the recommendations are already being implemented in project renderings and that they will be considered during future plan reviews. The presentation was informational; no formal action was taken.
