Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Waterfront topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Waterfront plan review: vision, roundabout concept and river access remain priorities
Summary
Planner Darren Wise summarized a decade-long waterfront effort split into three riverfront districts, noted a previously adopted roundabout concept and said phase two will focus on zoning, resource surveys and design standards; staff flagged grant opportunities for waterfront work and riverfront trail connections.
Darren Wise gave a recap of the waterfront project’s history and next steps, telling the board that the project was broken into three districts to reflect differing access, resources and viewsheds. "We developed guiding principles with the community ... reinvestment opportunities, transportation improvements, river access and historic character," he said.
Wise said a preferred transportation-improvement concept — including a roundabout near Historic City Hall and rerouting a street through a parking area — was adopted into the transportation system plan in 2021 or 2022, but steeper slopes and COVID delays affected timing. He said phase two will include zoning and comprehensive-plan changes, natural-resource and transportation surveys, and work on design standards and building heights.
Noting existing allowances, Wise said the current code permits up to 60 feet along the waterfront if a trail is provided between a structure and the river, and that staff do not intend to downzone where the current allowance provides opportunities the community may want to retain. He asked PRAB for collaboration on river-access work and letters of support for grant applications to move projects forward.
