Resol-Town Center Project.Pdf

PORTSMOUTH, RHODE ISLAND PROPOSED TOWN CENTER PLAN

PREPARED BY THE TAYLOR & PARTNERS’ TOWN CENTER TEAM

DECEMBER 2, 2003 PORTSMOUTH, RHODE ISLAND PROPOSED TOWN CENTER

NOVEMBER 24, 2003

1. INTRODUCTION 2. PROPOSED TOWN CENTER PLAN 3. RECORD OF MEETINGS 4. NEXT STEPS 5. TAYLOR & PARTNERS’ TOWN CENTER TEAM

TAYLOR & PARTNERS, LTD. TOWN CENTER TEAM PORTSMOUTH, RHODE ISLAND TOWN CENTER PLAN

1. INTRODUCTION

The Portsmouth Economic Development Committee and the Newport County Chamber of Commerce in June 2003, commis- sioned Taylor & Partners’ Town Center Team to prepare a preliminary land use, design, and traffic plan in support of the creation of a district for the Town of Portsmouth, Rhode Island.

The implicit goal of this project from the outset was to create a Town Center that met the community’s needs and desires and to create economic opportunities for businesses to broaden Portsmouth’s tax base. This report describes the plan and the process that led to its creation.

Architecture is said to be the most communal of arts because so many participants are needed to make it a reality: A client to give program and provide funding; architects and engineers to design, plan, and organize; suppliers to provide materials and systems; and armies of workers and craftsmen to make it real.

Whoever made this statement clearly forgot about urban planning. To give shape to a town or city requires an entire community to help devise a solution and support the result through the process of making it real. In addition to all the people who are needed to help give form to architecture, many more are required to create urban plans.

Leaders are needed to help create vision and support for the project; citizens must share their concerns, insights, and perspective; planners are there to help communicate and educate the broader community; government officials can find funding and prevent short-sighted perspectives from derailing the pro-

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cess. It is for these reasons, the public process is critical to the success of the initiative.

Through the process of helping the community define its vision of the future the Taylor & Partners’ Town Center Team has benefited from the thoughts and perspectives of hundreds of people in the Portsmouth area. These people represent diverse elements of the community: Young singles, retired couples, residents and property owners, business owners, state officials, and local planners.

PHILOSOPHY The Town Center Team’s philosophy in undertaking this process was simple and straightforward: Let the stakeholders in the process share their ideas and concerns and help produce the design. This design will serve the community for future generations. We felt that the plan needed to come from that community, for it is the community that will have to nurture it through the implementation process and then give life to it.

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PROCESS The Town Center Team’s philosophy was expressed in the development of the preliminary plan using the following process:

1. Collect as much information from as many sources as possible.

2. Provide current best practices in the area of traffic design, storm water retention, retail design, and other areas of a technical nature.

3. Listen to the community’s desires and concerns without prejudging what those interests might be.

4. Present the Portsmouth community with examples of what has been accomplished elsewhere to stimulate their creativity and broaden their outlook.

5. Let the community give voice and shape to the design through value-setting exercises and the charrette process.

6. Refine the design given the additional opportunities and practical limitations of the project area.

7. Document the steps as clearly and completely as possible within the limits of the scope of the project so that non-participants can better understand how the result was reached.

8. Synthesize the results into a workable concept plan for the Town Center area using professional judgment and expertise.

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2. THE PORTSMOUTH TOWN CENTER PLAN

The Portsmouth Town Center Planning Charrette was conducted by the Taylor & Partners’ Town Center Team on Sep- tember 5-6, 2003, to elicit the vision of the community for the creation of a new Town Center. Led by Dan Burden, approximately seventy-five interested parties attended the Friday night program and forty people attended the Saturday work session.

Based on the concepts discussed and the design presentations made at the end of the charrette, Taylor & Partners’ Town Center Team has prepared the preliminary Town Center Plan for traffic, design, and land use in the Town Center district. This plan is described below:

Site Audit

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GEOGRAPHIC SCOPE The geographic scope of the Town Center district is centered on Route 138 from Portsmouth Town Hall in the south to Freeborn Street and the Public Library in the north. The impact of the land areas east to the Sakonnet River and west to Bloody Brook were also considered in rela- tionship to the new Portsmouth Town Center.

Aerial View of Town Center District

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Existing Zoning, Town of Portsmouth

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Agriculture

Open Space

Wetlands

Forest

R-20 Res.

R-10 Res.

Mixed Use

Civic

Existing Land Use, Town Center District

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LAND USE The creation of a Town Center that is vibrant and prosperous throughout the hours of the day and throughout the year requires accommodation of a full range of uses including retail, office, residential, recreational, and civic.

While Portsmouth has identified the need to increase the ratio of commercial activity relative to residential, housing units are essential to achieving a critical mass and density in the new center. Major influences on land use of parcels to be developed (or redeveloped) are provision for adequate sewage and drainage, the creation of sufficient parking, and the designation of open space in and through the center.

The public workshops and meetings with land and business owners produced a clear sense of the types of uses that should comprise the development within each part of the Town Center district:

RETAIL, COMMERCIAL Retail and commercial properties are to be located primarily on ground levels, adjacent to pedestrian and vehicular routes. The scale of proposed development is small to medium size stores and shops. Indigenous Portsmouth commercial activities such as a wine tasting shed and a farmers’ market should be considered.

OFFICE There appears to be a market for professional medical/dental offices, as well as for other office space. These offices could occupy upper levels of liner buildings, as well as other new commercial structures

CIVIC Civic functions are currently distributed broadly throughout the community. In the future, efforts should be made to locate functions like the post office and a community center at the Town Center to promote greater civic cohesiveness. Efforts should be made to secure space to be dedicated for civic events and activities through negotia- tions between the town and developers.

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Agriculture

Open Space

Wetlands

Forest

R-20 Res.

R-10 Res.

Mixed Use

Civic

Proposed Land Use, Town Center District

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RESIDENTIAL Housing in the Town Center could be located on the second and third floors of mixed-use structures and would be market-rate, senior housing, and affordable housing. The size of these units should typically be one and two bedrooms.

OPEN SPACE Given existing wetlands, farmland, and utility easements, the opportunity exists to create open space and make some wetland areas acces- sible to the public for a full range of recreational activities. Addition- ally, these areas could be made to provide safer pedestrian and bicycle access to and from the Town Center. As there is a significant amount of open space in the area, the possibility of dedicating some open areas for leaching fields serving, and drawing income from, adjacent commercial parcels should be considered. This would require agreements between the town, private developers, and area landowners. New technology should help reduce the overall area required.

Geographically, the uses would be organized as follows:

TOWN HALL TO LINDEN TREE Civic and Residential: This area should maintain its existing land use.

LINDEN TREE TO TURNPIKE INTERSECTION: Mixed use: Retail, office, civic, and residential, except for areas designated for open space. Liner buildings with minimal setback from East Main Road would help define the “central village.” A postal substation, a hardware store, a restaurant, and service shops were all discussed as desirable uses. A farmers’ market could provide seasonal or year-round activity.

EAST MAIN ROAD, NORTH OF FREEBORN STREET: Mixed Use: This area should maintain its existing civic, commercial, and residential usage. Over time, a greater concentration of commercial activity is likely to develop.

TURNPIKE AVENUE, NORTH OF FREEBORN STREET: Residential: The existing single-family residential use should be maintained.

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BLOODY BROOK GREENWAY / HIGH-TENSION WIRE EASEMENT: Bike and Pedestrian Paths: Connect the Town Center with the residential and commercial uses west of East Main Road.

PRIVATE PROPERTIES: There are numerous opportunities for the creation of both passive and active recreation spaces within the Town Center areas. This will involve working with the existing landowners to help implement visions they may already have. It will also involve raising private and public funds for the acquisition of possible easements and land.

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TRAFFIC AND CIRCULATION One of the primary challenges of creating a Town Center along East Main Road between Freeborn Street and town hall is the high volume and speed of traffic. According to RIDOT summer midweek counts, the traffic volume on East Main Road peaks at 32,000 vehicles per day.

Existing Traffic and Circulation

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Along East Main Road, the vehicular speed is high because the current road widths and geometry encourage drivers to travel 40-50 mph, rather than the posted 25 mph. In order to create a viable Town Center, in which pedestrians can cross Route 138, it will be necessary to slow traffic to less than 20 mph.

During the public charrette there were several planning tools identified to help solve this central problem facing the creation of a successful Town Center:

ROUNDABOUTS Unlike “rotaries” (like the one at Connell Highway in Newport), “roundabouts” (See p. 2-11, Proposed Traffic and Circulation) are smaller and scaled to reduce traffic speed. This in turn allows pedestrians to cross more safely, easily, and quickly.

The advantages of roundabouts over signalized intersections include improved safety for pedestrians, reduced serious vehicular accidents, and improved aesthetic appearance. Experiences in other communities have proven that roundabouts significantly calm traffic, reduce wait times, and increase volumes through a particular intersection. References for successful roundabouts in other communities are available from Taylor & Partners.

ROAD DIETING When more lanes of traffic are provided than are actually required by the traffic volume, several negative side effects result. When the road has more and wider lanes than necessary, the ability of the pedestrian to cross is greatly impeded. The excess capacity encourages vehicles to travel faster than the designed (or desired) speed. The roadway becomes a hostile place for pedestrians and the sort of strip development that is the pattern on West Main Road in Middletown results.

To counteract these trends, where excess roadway exists, thorough- fares can undergo “road dieting” to remove the excess capacity. For roads that have up to 15,000 vehicles per day, only two travel lanes with a central turning lane are needed. Narrowing the lanes to 10-feet in width and planting the center median where turning is not required helps create a roadway on which drivers will travel more slowly and safely. Proper landscaping can also help to calm traffic.

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Walking Path

Bicycle Path Proposed Traffic and Circulation

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ACCESS MANAGEMENT A moderate to high level of traffic will always exist on the main arteries of the Town Center. Actions should be initiated to make the anticipated level of traffic more manageable and safer. This can be achieved through creative changes to intersections and curb cuts, both new and existing. Curb cuts can be made directional to manage traffic flow. Curb cut and intersection radii can be lengthened to ease turning movements and provide safer conditions. Care will be taken, however, to not encourage vehicular speeds that are too high.

ROADWAY CHARACTER The speed of vehicles is determined more by the configuration of the road and subtle cues from the surrounding environment than by the posted speed limit. As lanes widen and straighten, the speed of cars traveling on the road tends to increase. The stretch of road between Town Hall and Turnpike Avenue is an excellent example of this phenomenon.

One of the primary characteristics of the existing roadway is the presence of utility poles immediately adjacent to the roadway. Over time the burying of utilities underground will lead to roads that are not only more beautiful but safer as well.

Other aspects of road design, including planting and streetscaping, can help lower traffic speed. With these thoughts in mind, the charrette teams came to a consensus on the following recommendations:

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TURNPIKE AVENUE, NORTH OF INTERSECTION Create a roundabout at Turnpike / East Main intersection to enhance safety and allow for pedestrian passage. Re-stripe road for two 10- foot wide lanes. Add shoulder / bicycle lanes at both edges and a 10- foot planted median with turning breaks between lanes of traffic.

Existing Section. Turnpike Avenue/Route 138 North

Proposed Section. Turnpike Avenue/Route 138 North

EAST MAIN ROAD, NORTH OF INTERSECTION Re-stripe road for two10-foot wide lanes. Add shoulder / bicycle lanes at both edges and a 10-foot planted median with turning lanes.

MID-POINT TO TURNPIKE INTERSECTION Install a roundabout at mid-point to slow traffic, provide easier pedestrian crossing, and to access new development. Rebuild four 10-foot wide lanes of traffic with a 10-foot planted median. Provide 5-foot shoulders at both sides. It will be important to moderate speeds coming down the hill towards the pedestrian area. A roundabout will

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fulfill the function while allowing for high traffic capacity and for access to existing and future commercial properties.

Once the traffic has been slowed to the proper design speed, it will be safer for vehicles to cross-opposing traffic. Turning lanes can be added safely. Further work with traffic engineers will be required to produce an optimal configuration.

Existing Section. Route 138 at Clements’ Market

Proposed Section. Route 138 at Clements’ Market

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TOWN HALL TO MID-POINT Install a roundabout at Town Hall to provide easier pedestrian passage across the road and to allow for traffic diversion along Hedley Street to Route 24. Reconfigure roadway to four 10-foot-wide traffic lanes and a 10-foot planted median. Provide 5-foot shoulder at either side of roadway.

Existing Section. Town Hall to Mid-Point

Proposed Section. Town Hall to Mid-Point

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TRAFFIC DIVERSION According to the RIDOT 48-hour survey conducted in 2003, approximately 5,000 cars per day are connecting through the future Town Center to Route 24 northbound at the Turnpike Avenue ramps. For these drivers, providing an alternative route around the Town Center will lower the traffic volume in the center at the same time providing Route 24 northbound and southbound drivers with a faster alternative route.

All of the charrette groups supported the idea of allowing some traffic to bypass the Town Center by traveling on Hedley Street to and from Route 24. Hedley Street would benefit from improvements, but working within the existing right-of-way is important. Removing the existing signs along Route 24 that direct off-island traffic along East Main Road to reach the “Newport Beaches” was also advocated. The high volume of traffic is inappropriate to the largely residential character of East Main Road.

PARKING One primary characteristic of strip development is a sea of asphalt in front of commercial buildings. These parking lots serve as a barrier between the stores or offices and any sidewalks that may run along the street line. One byproduct of a more pedestrian-friendly community is the opportunity to reduce the parking required, as more customers are able to arrive by foot, bike, or bus.

Another thing that can be done is to mandate that new parking lots be built beside or behind new buildings. By moving the building mass to the front of the site, the street façade is defined and pedestrian access improved.

Where space is created for overflow or holiday parking, or where paving is required only for emergency vehicles, permeable paving should be considered. Permeable paving is accomplished by installing patented systems that allow high weight-bearing capacity with openings that allow water to penetrate and grass and other vegetation to grow through.

“Park and Ride” lots should be established as part of any new developments. This will help reduce commuter traffic along Portsmouth roadways but will also deliver shoppers to nearby stores and markets.

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MID-POINT TO TURNPIKE INTERSECTION In this section of road, although no charrette group proposed it, there is the possibility of placing parallel parking in front of the future liner buildings along the east side of the street. This would provide additional parking in a “village-friendly” manner and will also serve to help calm traffic in the right lane, as cars will be pulling in and out of spaces relatively slowly. Parallel parking is somewhat of a foreign concept in Portsmouth, but parallel parking works well on routes with much higher traffic volumes than East Main Road.

INTERMODAL TRANSFER Dedicated pull-off lanes should be built so that transferring to a bus is safe and convenient and so that general traffic is not impeded. Bus shelter should be designed to be an attractive complement to the overall Town Center design approach.

The proposed Town Center Plan has shown bus pick-up bays on both the northbound and southbound lanes just north of the midpoint. Another stop at the Town Hall might also be appropriate.

SIDEWALKS AND PEDESTRIAN WAYS Sidewalks and pedestrian paths are the primary connective tissue that makes an area feel like a village. The pedestrian scale and the act of encountering an acquaintance unexpectedly is what we most associate with “village life.” Where sidewalks are missing, that sense of intercon- nection is lost. Sidewalks should be separated from the roadway by two to five feet of planted space, but as the traffic speed is slowed this separation becomes less critical.

As sidewalks are built, it is hoped that a greater volume of shoppers will arrive at the Town Center by foot. The sidewalks should be, as some of the charrette participants observed, wide enough for two strollers side-by- side and easily negotiable by someone in a wheelchair. Sidewalk width can range from 4 to 7 feet.

All new developments or reconstruction, as well as road projects, should include new sidewalks with full ADA compliance. As sidewalks are built or modified, the impacted curb cuts must be reviewed for dimensional design improvements, relocation or elimination.

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TURNPIKE AVENUE, NORTH OF INTERSECTION Sidewalks should be built or upgraded on both sides of the intersection with Freeborn Street to the north and to the mid-point pedestrian crossing. Connection to the high school is considered important.

EAST MAIN ROAD, NORTH OF INTERSECTION Sidewalks should be built or upgraded to the intersection with Free- born Street. Over time, it is hoped that these sidewalks will extend north through the commercial and residential neighborhoods that are developing there. Connection to the High School at the earliest possible time is considered very important.

MID-POINT TO FREEBORN STREET In this area sidewalks should be built or upgraded on both sides, extending to the pedestrian crossing and median in front of the future Gauchat property development. Pedestrian crossing should be established at the intersection.

TOWN HALL TO MID-POINT At the top of Quaker Hill, sidewalks should be built on both sides, extending from pedestrian crossings at the town hall roundabout.

BICYCLE PATHS AND TRAILS With the creation of greenway corridors and dedicated bicycle routes along East Main Road, there is the real possibility of turning the bicycle into a viable mode of transportation to and from the Town Center for a larger percentage of the Portsmouth community.

With improved bicycle access to the Town Center comes a need to accommodate the bicycles with secure, well designed, and well-placed racks.

TOWN HALL TO MID-POINT The roadway has too many curb cuts to allow construction of dedicated bicycle lanes. But as traffic should be traveling at 25 mph or less, adult bicyclists will be able to share the road far more safely than they do now. Younger bicyclists can be accommodated on the sidewalk. There should be clear access to the future bike paths along the greenway planned on the Bloody Brook right-of-way.

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MID-POINT TO TURNPIKE INTERSECTION The roadway also has too many curb cuts to allow construction of dedicated bicycle lanes. However, with traffic traveling at 25 mph or less, adult bicyclists should be able to share the road far more safely than they do now. Younger bicyclists will be accommodated on the sidewalk. There should be access to the bike paths leading to the greenway through the passive recreation area to the west and down through the neighborhoods on the east side of East Main Road.

TURNPIKE AVENUE, NORTH OF INTERSECTION Re-stripe the roadway for 5-foot breakdown lane / bicycle lanes at each edge of the roadway. Continue these bicycle lanes as far to the north as existing road geometry will allow.

EAST MAIN ROAD, NORTH OF INTERSECTION In this area, re-stripe the roadway for 5-foot breakdown lane / bicycle lanes at each edge of the roadway. Continue these lanes as far to the north as existing road geometry will allow.

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New Roadway

Lane Designation

Parcel Line

New Planting

Mid-Point to Turnpike

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New Roadway

Lane Designation

Parcel Line

New Planting

Town Hall to Mid-Point

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Walking Path

Bicycle Path

Town Center District

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DESIGN During the value setting session and the charrette a consistent theme expressed was the desire to retain and enhance rural and agrarian characteristics of the community. In point of fact, Portsmouth has largely become a suburban enclave with medium density housing where farms once stood. Nevertheless, working with the community’s self image as a “rural area”, design standards can be put in place to complement this vision, even as new buildings are constructed for decidedly non-agrarian purposes.

The goal of the Town Center planning is to work within the Design Guide- lines currently being established by the Portsmouth Design Review Board.

TOWN HALL TO LINDEN TREE: Civic buildings should take on more of a “Portsmouth” quality over subsequent renovations. The scale of buildings should be 2,500-4,000 square foot floor plates. Buildings should have traditional sloped roofs, shingle siding, and floor plates of 1,500 square feet or less. View corridors should be retained or enhanced where possible.

LINDEN TREE TO TURNPIKE INTERSECTION The scale of buildings should be appropriate to the character of the community and should be two to three stories. Setbacks should be a maximum of ten feet from the right-of-way. Ground level: Retail with storefronts, awnings, and wooden signage. Second level: Office or residential development with punched opening and mullioned glazing. Third level (where present): Office or Residential. Parking should be at the sides or back of buildings. Liner buildings can be shingle, clapboard, brick, or board-and-batten. Buildings should have “rural character.” Parking lot drainage and utilities should be located underground or out of sight.

EAST MAIN ROAD, NORTH OF FREEBORN STREET Mixed-use buildings should be set back a maximum of ten feet from right-of-way. Ground level: Civic buildings or Retail with storefronts, awnings, pedestrian access, and wooden signage. Second level: Office

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or residential development with punched opening, and mullioned glazing.

TURNPIKE AVENUE, NORTH OF FREEBORN STREET Residential building should have traditional sloped roofs, shingle or clapboard siding, and floor plates of 1,500 square feet or less. Resi- dences should be set back from the road 20 to 35 feet, with access from secondary roads preferred. View corridors should be retained or enhanced where possible.

Existing View to Turnpike

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Proposed View to Turnpike

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3. RECORD OF MEETINGS

During the design process, the Taylor & Partners’ Team benefited greatly from information, suggestions, and concerns expressed by public officials, property owners, and the general public. In order to document the sessions where this information was conveyed to the team better, a summary of the meeting minutes from the five meetings with the public and private stakeholders is included here for reference.

The five meetings minutes are listed sequentially: • Meeting #1: Kick-off Meeting • Meeting #2: Public Input Session • Meeting #3: Property Owners’ Input Sessions • Meeting #4: Community Values Setting Session • Meeting #5: Design Charrette

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MEETING #1: KICK-OFF MEETING, JUNE 30, 2003

1 Project Participants and Organization: Introductions were made of all attending. The key project participants were identified as follows:

1.1 Newport County Chamber of Commerce. Keith Stokes stated that the NCCC is serving primarily as the conduit for the Town Center Design Committee and that the committee should be considered the de facto client.

1.2 Town Center Planning Committee. The committee is currently composed of Carol Dietz, Keith Humphreys, Bill Clark, and Robert Gilstein with Keith Stokes and Jody Sullivan as ex-officio members. The committee will be expanded as the project moves forward and interested, appropriate people are identified. Keith Stokes suggested forming a real estate advisory subcommittee, including knowledgeable real estate people.

1.3 Taylor & Partners’ Town Center Team. Ken Taylor identified the members of TCT including Taylor & Partners (Ken Taylor and Ross Cann), Northeast Engineers (Mike Embry), Carol Johnson Associates (Nancy Stack), and Walkable Communities (Dan Burden). In light of the limited scope and budget, Ken Taylor will invite members of the team to participate as appropriate.

1.4 Stakeholders. Stakeholders are those who have a key interest in the Portsmouth Town Center. Owners of property in the immediate area have been identified as well as those who have business and civic interests. Carol Dietz has identified a list of the property owners and other stakeholders who will be invited individually to Meeting No, 2. Public notices will be sent out inviting any other interested parties to attend. Stakeholders will also include representatives of RIDOT, RIPTA, RI EDC, and RI Planning. They will not be members of the Town Center Planning Committee but will be invited to all meetings and kept informed. Members of the Portsmouth Town Council will be invited to all meetings.

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2 Vision for the Project

2.1 For the last 300 years, Portsmouth has not had a Town Center because of the nature of its rural and marine history. Ken Taylor asked what participants see as the most important parts of the vision for the new project. All agreed that this project is not the re-creation of an historic center, since none ever existed. The Town Center Planning Committee identified a number of key elements of the vision for a new Portsmouth Town Center.

2.2 The creation of an area where pedestrian and vehicular traffic can both be safely accommodated was key. It should be possible to park and walk rather than drive everywhere. Creating an inter-modal center, helping to accommodate bus transit, is also important.

2.3 Another key goal is to create a center that would provide a “sense of place” with which the Portsmouth community could identify. While Island Park, Mt. Hope Bridge, and Melville have their distinct characteristics, the Town Center should embody the civic and commercial center of town.

2.4 Taming and managing existing traffic is critical. Calming traffic to reduce accidents and make pedestrian crossing easier is a key goal.

2.5 In addition, more town services are needed to expand the commercial base of the town. Residential uses in the Town Center are acceptable as long as they help adjust the commercial/residential tax base imbalance from its current ratio of 90/10 to 80/20.

2.6 The Town Center should be a place where commercial growth could be concentrated so that other areas are protected from sprawl. A goal of the project should be to generate recommendations for zoning changes and improvements for the whole town. Though town-wide zoning may not specifically be part of this process, the group can explore general approaches to improve the development character and density through the use of Planned Use Districts (PUDs) and development transfers.

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These ideas will be referred to other groups for refinement and implementation.

2.7 The vision for Town Center should include a green or open meeting space for town gatherings.

2.8 Specific uses identified for town enter are civic, commercial, residential, and open space. Commercial functions would include banks, markets, gym, retail, and office space, but at a village scale. Big-box, regional, and national developers are not desired and are unlikely to be attracted. Of the civic uses, only the U.S. Post Office is outside the Town Center area. It may be possible – and indeed desirable – to attract a substation to the center.

2.9 Examples of successful Town Centers will be identified and evaluated. Carol Dietz suggested that Kent, CT, is a good example of a Town Center with a main street with parking and side streets that have attractive local enterprises including antique shops, markets, and a general store.

2.10 Residential uses will be carefully considered. The Portsmouth Housing Authority is looking for opportunities. Mixed-use, mixed-income, denser housing may support the commercial development as well as provide 24-hour activity.

2.11 Traffic calming and roundabouts were discussed in some detail. Dan Burden has reported excellent results in a number of U.S. locations in processing high volumes of traffic while achieving traffic calming and safer pedestrian movement.

2.12 A review of aerial views projected by T&P generated discussion about project boundaries, wetlands, open space, and existing structures. The aerial views will be used extensively as the project moves forward.

3 Base Information

3.1 T&P and NEC are to receive copies of the new GIS survey

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just completed by Mary Hutchinson in CD format.

3.2 NEC is to do an Arcview-to-AutoCAD conversion of those materials as required.

3.3 T&P will review materials collected at the meeting and compare it to the list provided after the selection of the firm to do the Town Center planning. Any outstanding items will be identified and appropriate parties contacted.

4 Geographic Scope Definition

4.1 After considerable discussion is was determined that the scope is large enough to engage many business and civic functions but not so large as to counteract the “Town Center” character that the project is trying to achieve

4.2 It was decided that the Town Center “vehicular” boundaries go from the Town Hall in the south to St. Paul’s just above the Turnpike/138 intersection to the north.

4.3 It was decided that the Town Center “pedestrian” boundaries go from the Aquidneck Center in the south to St. Paul’s to the north.

5 Meeting Schedule

5.1 Stakeholders’ Meeting: 7/15/03

5.2 Public Charrette with Dan Burden: 9/6/03

5.3 Design concept presentation: to be determined

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MEETING #2: PUBLIC INPUT SESSION, JULY 15, 2003 (The meeting was attended by approximately 75 interested parties)

1 Introductions: Carol Dietz introduced the Town Center Project and the key participants

1.1 Carol Dietz (Portsmouth Town Center Design Committee) welcomed attendees. The purpose of the project from the EDC’s perspective is to bring business to Portsmouth and balance its economic base, while meeting the needs of the community as a whole. She then introduced Keith Stokes.

1.2 Keith Stokes (Newport County Chamber of Commerce) stated that the NCCC sees this as an exciting opportunity to be among the first in the state to blend public and private funds for municipal planning. The effort seeks to improve both the quality of business and the quality of life in the community. The NCCC recognizes the importance of the town taking the lead. The final plan should become a catalyst to promote island-wide and regional transportation plans.

1.3 Bob Gilstein (Town of Portsmouth, Town Planner) stated that this is one of many efforts underway, all of which are interconnected. Some of the efforts currently in process: High-hazard traffic study and traffic counts along Turnpike Avenue by RIDOT; passage of the retail PUD; creation of Design Guidelines.

1.4 Carol Dietz explained that an RFP was posted and four top quality responses were received. From among those, Taylor & Partners’ Town Center Team was selected.

1.5 Ken Taylor (Taylor & Partners’ Town Center Team) identified the members of TCT including Taylor & Partners (Ken Taylor and Ross Cann), Northeast Engineers (Mike Embry), Carol Johnson Associates (Nancy Stack), and Walkable Communities (Dan Burden, not able to attend).

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2 Project Scope

2.1 From the RFP, Ken Taylor explained that the purpose of the project is “the preparation of traffic, design, and land use plan in support of the creation of the Town Center district for the Town of Portsmouth, Rhode Island.”

2.2 The Town Center District is currently defined as the portion of Route 138 from Town Hall on the south to the intersection of Turnpike Avenue and Route 138 at the north end. The south vehicular zone stretches from Town Hall to the stone wall. The portion of Route 138 from the stone wall north to Freeborn Street would be the pedestrian center. This geographic scope is not fixed in stone but is a workable starting point.

3 Project Vision

3.1 Ken Taylor presented a Power Point show illustrating potential aspects of walkable and livable communities.

3.2 The current Town Center effort is an opportunity for the community to realize its vision of what the Town Center should be. Since Portsmouth has not had a defined Town Center for the last 300 years because of the nature of its history, this effort is more creation rather than restoration. Business and community members must provide the vision for what it is they want.

3.3 Some potential goals are to help calm traffic, promote better pedestrian precincts and connections, and create a clear physical image with which residents can identify. Attendees were in general support of these goals but were skeptical about how they could be achieved without infringing on the property rights of adjoining landowners or spending large amounts of money.

4 Participant Ideas and Comments - The meeting was opened to the thoughts and comments of the audience. Some of the comments were as follows:

4.1 One resident proposed the creation of an intercept parking

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lot in Tiverton to have the tourists travel by bus or other mass transit to their final Aquidneck Island destination. Reducing traffic volume and improving safety are key objectives. (Keith Stokes explained that the traffic composition has become much more complex in recent years and there are all sorts of drivers coming to, and passing through, Portsmouth, not just tourists. That said, a capture parking area on the island for those who could and would use it is an idea that is being studied).

4.2 The rail line to be built to Fall River will make Portsmouth a suburb of Boston and will greatly increase development pressure. This adds urgency to this whole project. This is in some ways the last chance to support pedestrian mobility and safety within the community center.

4.3 A vision of a reduced road width with angled or parallel parking was proposed. (Response: Town will have to work with RIDOT to reach mutually agreeable conclusions.)

4.4 As scope of proposed project became apparent to the audience, one participant asked where monies would come from. (Stokes response: Funding sources are available from a variety of public and private sources. Money will be spent anyway, so it might as well be spent to the community’s satisfaction. This project will be more of a challenge to get a unified vision from the community than it will to fund that vision, once determined). TIP grant applications will be filed at the beginning of next year and therefore this project needs to move forward if monies are to be allocated. The project has a minimum timeline of 5 to 10 years to full implementation.

4.5 Mrs. Hall commented that there was once a sort of Town Center at the bottom of Quaker Hill. The relocation of the post office and other commercial activities caused this center to disappear over time. Creating a livable center with services for residents that Portsmouth once had is critical.

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4.6 Enforcement of the 25 mph speed limit currently posted would have a huge effect on slowing traffic and redirecting it away from East Main Road.

4.7 Add a third highway or develop Burma Road to help relieve traffic pressure. (Response: The mid-island highway was stopped by residents years ago and it is even less viable now.)

4.8 The character of the new Town Center should be contextual and specific to Portsmouth. (Comment from Cann: It is important to choose precisely which buildings to be contextual with since Portsmouth has a very wide spectrum of building types now in place.).

4.9 The possibility of a Town Center overlay district similar to the one recently proposed by Middletown was discussed as a way to achieve greater density in the Town Center, where the density is good and to help prevent sprawl in nearby areas.

4.10 John Borden explained that he is heading the Portsmouth Design Review Committee that is developing guidelines for commercial buildings that include preferences for pitched roofs, and materials and details in keeping with the community’s self image.

4.11 One resident asked whether the intention was to force residential use away from the future Town Center area. (Response from Taylor: In New Urbanism philosophy there is a goal of mixing uses, particularly residential and commercial, since each supports the other, so no determination about the need to relocate housing has been made. There is an important critical mass of mixed use that supports walkability and livability).

4.12 Use the John Chase House as a cultural center. It is historic and right in the middle of the proposed Town Center area. There are 1,600 signatures on a petition to save this building. (Response: This is privately owned land and efforts must be made to utilize the land in a way that gives value to both landowner and community as a whole).

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4.13 Make the Town Center more walkable and bikable. It is much more enjoyable to travel by these means than by car. It would be nice if there were bike connections from the Town Center connecting it with the rest of the community. (Response by Taylor: This is one of the presumed goals of the project and the team will work hard to make it so).

4.14 Maintain the historic architecture of the community and build upon the traditions of Portsmouth (i.e., the John Chase house, stone walls, brick and shingle architecture), but without making it “Disneyesque.”

4.15 Emulate communities like Chatham, Massachusetts, or Bristol, Rhode Island, which have strong architectural guidelines, town parks, and gazebos. The town needs open space. Create an image that speaks to outsiders as much as it speaks to residents.

4.16 Use Ann Hutchinson as a theme for the Town Center. Promote the historic events of the area such as the Revolutionary War’s Battle of Rhode Island. Make history into a positive attraction that will help get tourists to stop and spend in the community. Emphasize the “Birthplace of Democracy” tagline now in use.

4.17 James Garman, a Portsmouth historian and author, commented that although Ann Hutchison was an important colonial woman, it is important to keep the history accurate. He felt that the “Birthplace of American Democracy” claim is overstated and oversold.

4.18 The Conservation Commission stated that it would like to see more trees and commented that a tree ordinance is before the council, which should help add and protect trees.

5 Conclusions

5.1 Session was an excellent start to the process and many good ideas were shared.

5.2 It is important to focus on what is desirable, not just on knocking down others’ ideas.

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5.3 Strong support was voiced for the design guidelines efforts.

5.4 Better enforcement of posted speed limits along Route 138 would cause some frustration but would help lead to lower traffic speeds and possibly less traffic on East Main Road. This can be done irrespective of the Town Center project.

6 Next Steps

6.1 This is going to be a long and difficult process, but it is important that residents and businesses stay engaged or the efforts to do good planning will fail and the Portsmouth community will eventually pay the price of unplanned and uncontrolled development.

6.2 Participation in the September 6, 2003, charrette is an opportunity for individuals and businesses to help ensure that the most information is made available to the Town Center team and therefore the best possible solution is reached.

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MEETING #3: PROPERTY OWNERS INPUT SESSION, AUGUST 18, 2003 (Five meetings with individual property owners were followed by a group focus session attended by ten additional owners)

1 Meeting with Urs Gauchat and Ken Swanson (9:00 am)

1.1 Owner is very supportive of project. Believes that establishing higher density development is key.

1.2 Would like to put in mixed-use residential and retail.

1.3 Urs Gauchat believes that his parcel will accommodate between 25,000 and 45,000 square feet of development.

1.4 BG observed that recently passed Planned Unit Development (PUD) ordinance can make this sort of development possible. 35 % residential is maximum allowed.

1.5 Ken Swanson wondered if some component of affordable housing could be considered, as it lends itself to smaller, denser units.

1.6 Ken Swanson noted that opportunities for destination activities should be examined. Location for stepping stone for Bristol Newport “heritage corridor” would seem ideal.

2 Meeting with Don Clements and Tracy Clements (10:00am)

2.1 Don Clements will be handing over full control to Tracy Clements over next 3-5 years. Neither has any preconceived ideas of what “Town Center” should be.

2.2 Group described concentrated commercial development with street front buildings.

2.3 Current detention ponds can be put under parking in chambered areas should zoning revision allow development of the area adjacent to the street. Don Clements was supportive of the idea in principle.

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2.4 Tracy Clements noted that primary customer complaint was traffic at signalized intersection.

2.5 Don Clements was supportive of the idea of a roundabout. He has seen them in St. Martins and thinks they work well in that environment. His one concern is to not back-up or slow down traffic too much.

2.6 Ken Taylor observed that roundabouts can often have a positive effect on stacking and throughput.

2.7 Clements’ Market is currently open from 7am to 9pm. Growth of health and natural foods sections is straining existing space.

2.8 Street front buildings might be occupied by professional service companies and share Clements’ Market parking if restrictions are changed.

2.9 Speaking as the former president of a Portsmouth business group, Don Clements noted that benefit of Town Center must be sold to entire business community, not just those adjacent to the affected area.

2.10 CD agreed that it very important to keep the dialogue and communication lines open between planning groups and business leaders.

3 Meeting with Tom Kelly (Bank of Newport) (11:00am)

3.1 Ken Taylor discussed the goals of alleviating traffic through 138 / Turnpike intersection.

3.2 RC observed that as vehicular traffic is at maximum, only through creating pedestrian traffic can business be increased.

3.3 Tom Kelly noted that Bank of Newport is community oriented but wants to make sure that the prominence of the location is not lost. Wants to be sure that entry and egress from the site is improved if possible.

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3.4 Drive-through remains an important and profitable part of the bank’s business.

3.5 Tom Kelly was somewhat nervous about roundabouts as Connell Highway version is not conducive to pedestrians either. Keith Stokes noted that he has gone from being an opponent of the roundabout to being a supporter. New roundabout designs work well and promote pedestrians better than signalization.

3.6 Bank of Newport does not have a dedicated “facilities group” but relies on staff and board experience (Paul Hogan / David Bazarsky).

4 Meeting with David Bazarsky (1:00pm)

4.1 Strong advocate of Town Center concept.

4.2 Specializes in retail businesses. Understands that high- speed traffic is not a benefit to business and discussed how stores along West Main road do half the business of those on Valley Road in Middletown where the traffic is much less.

4.3 Among his parcels only 33/37 has the capability of a septic field. 12,000 feet of overall construction on the site was previously proposed.

4.4 Lack of septic field is a major limitation to creating street front stores. Perhaps a common septic field, an intermediate treatment plant, or some other method could be used to mitigate this problem.

4.5 DB was cautiously open to the idea of roundabout. Looks forward to seeing successful examples of roundabouts that had been built elsewhere.

4.6 The construction company adjacent to his site is a going concern and must find a suitable place to relocate if Town Center is to be successful.

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5 Meeting with Ellen Ford (People’s Credit union) (2:00pm)

5.1 Company has seven locations only. They lease East Main site from Clements. Space has been set aside for future expansion. Current parking capacity seems more than sufficient for current needs.

5.2 Major concern is accessibility from the north, which is now prohibited, except through the Clements’ Market parking lot.

5.3 Would generally not like to have visibility of the bank reduced by liner buildings.

5.4 Former entrance from Immoklee Drive has been closed, which is unfortunate from their perspective. 30% of business is drive-through.

6 Joint Meeting with Other Property Owners (7:00pm)

6.1 Group acknowledged that if planning process is not done now, the result will be both undesirable and less economically efficient.

6.2 Discussion of the types of store, restaurant, and professional office uses that might be successful in a Portsmouth Town Center.

6.3 Idea: Put roundabouts at both north and south ends of Town Center district to mark boundaries and to slow traffic.

6.4 Idea: Relocate some traffic and upgrade Hedley Street.

6.5 Idea: Create a bypass to connect directly to Route 24 south of future Town Center.

6.6 Idea: Put traffic regulator in the middle of the district to further slow traffic.

6.7 Idea: Widen the center lanes but cut down to one in each direction.

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6.8 Idea: Create a town park with a gazebo and passive recreational space.

6.9 Idea: Install a shared, compact centralized sewage treatment plant to service Town Center businesses.

6.10 Idea: Bring a post office annex back to the Town Center area to generate pedestrian traffic.

6.11 When asked which nearby town was the best model for what they would like to achieve there was a general consensus that Barrington has done a good job.

7 Next Steps

7.1 This is going to be a long and difficult process, but it is important that residents and businesses stay engaged or the efforts to do good planning will fail and the Portsmouth community will eventually pay the price of unplanned and uncontrolled development.

7.2 Participation in the September 6, 2003, charrette is an opportunity for individuals and businesses to help ensure that the most information is made available to the Town Center Team and therefore the best possible solution is reached.

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MEETING #4: PUBLIC VALUE SETTING SESSION SEPTEMBER 5, 2003

1 Traffic Analysis

1.1 Majority of attendees voted for a 10-20% reduction in traffic on East Main Road.

1.2 Dan Burden observed that if there is no change in the development strategy of the community, traffic could grow as much as 60% in the next decade, but without commensurate economic growth

2 Vision of the Future

2.1 Dan Burden noted that New England has been slow to adopt practices of “new urbanism” because communities were already well established at the time that America began to sprawl. The problem is that the New England communities have more to lose now that sprawl pressures are becoming more pronounced.

2.2 Each attendee was asked to write on an index card his vision of what Portsmouth should and could be in 20 years.

2.3 Several people were asked to read their thoughts: Issues of maintaining rural character, controlling traffic, and enhancing walkability, and quality of life were common themes.

3 Values

3.1 The attendees were asked to write a one-word core value that is central to why they came to Portsmouth, stay in Portsmouth, or what they want to save about Portsmouth.

3.2 It was evident that many people had similar values, which were organized into complimentary groups.

3.3 Some of the most important categories included: community / family; rural character; and beauty. (For a

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complete listing of the categories and the votes each received see Appendix 1.

4 Planning presentation

4.1 Dan Burden made a 45-minute PowerPoint presentation to the assembled group. For a complete copy of the presentation, see the attached disk.

4.2 Observation: Portsmouth suffers from bad linkages

4.3 Rule: Make transit an easy option. Consider pedestrians first.

4.4 Rule: Town Centers require civic space, residential, connected with commercial.

4.5 Rule: Walkability can be measured by how far people can walk in 5 minutes.

4.6 Declaration: Village development can be accomplished starting with set-back strip mall condition. Example: Littleton, NH: population 7,000.

4.7 Technique: Small shop spaces allow new concepts to incubate before moving to larger spaces.

4.8 Technique: Increase density and reduce parking requirements to define village character.

4.9 Technique: Encourage existing businesses to move into new Town Centers.

4.10 Technique: Assess road limitations / characteristics to determine maximum growth potentials.

4.11 Technique: Create multiple town and hamlet centers: for a population of 17,000 (Portsmouth’s current population) and four defined villages.

4.12 Technique: Create a boulevard street with roundabouts to define Town Center.

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4.13 Technique: Build mixed-use “liner buildings” to bring life to area and put “eyes on the street.”

4.14 Recommendation: Stay within existing rights-of-way if possible.

4.15 Recommendation: Accentuate existing historical buildings, the foundation of town character.

4.16 Recommendation: Reduce the number of curb cuts. Share access to parking.

4.17 Recommendation: Create parking areas that look like a “place.” Dedicate 15% of space to landscaping.

4.18 Recommendation: Limit size of buildings to 20,000 square feet to maintain small scale.

4.19 Recommendation: Limit roadway lane widths to 10 feet to discourage speeding.

5 Prioritization

5.1 Using the values established in the first part of the evening, attendees were asked to establish goals as part of the Town Center project. Audience was asked to call out their objectives, which were added to posted lists.

5.2 The attendees were then given 6 votes with which to establish which of the posted goals was of greatest importance to them. Listed below are the overall categories, the goals, and the number of votes each specific goal received.

5.3 Project Vision (7) • Plant more trees (4) • Preserve open vistas (2) • Preserve and build stone walls (1)

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5.4 Town Center Vision (21) • Make sure buildings conform to commercial guideline standards (7) • Have small shops (4) • Create parking behind buildings (4) • Integrate multi-family / clustered residential (3) • Include a small hardware store (2) • Make sure there is a good restaurant (1) • Have a department store (0)

5.5 Vision for Land Use (15) • Put utilities underground (5) • Promote denser development (2) • Install a shared sewer system (2) • Promote denser development (2) • Build affordable housing (2) • Build a distinct village (2) • Encourage retail development with incubator stores (1) • Limit the size of retail stores (1)

5.6 Open Space (19) • Create public access to water (8) • Preserve agriculture / farmlands (7) • Build parks and playgrounds (2) • Limit the size of retail stores (1) • Build a community boathouse (1) • Create a town beach (0) • Build a skating pond (0)

5.7 Transportation / Circulation (51) • Build sidewalks (15) • Create bike paths (12) • Better distribute traffic (8) • Connect different modes of transportation (7) • Create road medians (4) • Reduce traffic volume (3) • Reduce speed / enforce limits (1) • Improve safety (1) • Build crosswalks (0) • Let all students walk to school (0)

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5.8 Civic Spaces / Parks (27) • Assure connecting paths (7) • Build benches / install streetscape (5) • Build a community center (4) • Build a music shell (3) • Install a Post Office annex in Town Center (4) • Promote better landscaping (2) • Build a youth Center (2)

6 Next Steps

6.1 Everyone was encouraged to attend the charrette the following morning.

6.2 Those who could not attend were encouraged to send someone in their place.

6.3 Everyone was encouraged to stay involved in the process and help keep it moving.

6.4 Bob Gilstein noted that it is only through community support that positive change can happen.

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MEETING #5: DESIGN CHARRETTE, 6 SEPTEMBER 2003

1 Walking audit

1.1 The process began with the attendees assembling in the cafeteria for breakfast.

1.2 Dan Burden laid out the schedule for the day and encouraged everyone to travel to Clements’ Market to review the existing “Town Center” conditions first hand.

1.3 The group relocated by vehicle to Clements’ Market for a walking audit. Some of the primary observations made by the group included: • Lack of usable sidewalks. • Lack of designated bike paths. • The lack of usable pedestrian crossings. • The lack of interconnectivity between businesses. • The high velocity of oncoming traffic. • The large right-of-way that exists already along East Main Road.

1.4 The group returned to Portsmouth High School cafeteria.

2 Training Session

2.1 Dan Burden developed a training session built upon the values and priorities established in the September 5, 2003 evening session..

2.2 For a complete copy of the PowerPoint Training Session see the attached file (030906-Train).

2.3 Several people were asked to reiterate their values. Issues of maintaining rural character, setting design standards, controlling traffic, promoting walkability, and enhancing quality of life were common themes.

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3 Charrette

3.1 The attendees divided into teams of 6-8 people to plan the Town Center area from Town Hall to Turnpike Avenue independently.

3.2 Each team was provided a colored base map at 1”=150’ and sheets of trace on which they drew using colored markers.

3.3 Recommendations of Group C: • “Village” to begin just beyond Brooks Pharmacy • Roundabout at Town Hall, with signs to slow traffic and to direct through traffic toward Hedley Street • Median with pedestrian crossings along East Main • East Main to have 4 lanes of traffic with bike paths on either side with landscaping of trees, shrubs and sidewalks on the outermost edge • Add liner buildings next to Brooks with retail at ground level, offices on 2nd floor, and residential on 3rd floor • Wetlands to be reserved as a park area, with parking arrayed around it • Roundabout in front of the Bank of Newport. • Recommendation that both Turnpike Avenue and Route 138 north of the intersection should be only two lanes with a turning lane / planted median in the middle • At the foot of the hill, adjacent to Clements’ Market, new liner buildings with retail on ground floor and offices and apartments above on both sides of the street • Called for utilities to be underground in pedestrian district if not entire Town Center area • Group wanted traditional street lighting similar to Newport’s Bellevue Avenue • Believed that traffic could be further controlled with rough/cobble “speed tables” • Called for a path all the way to the Sakonnet River with benches along the way, along with cross connectors through Anthony Farm • East Main could bow out at Brooks / Foodworks to slow traffic and to “announce” the commercial / pedestrian end of the “village” • Eliminate the signs on Route 24 that direct traffic to the Newport beaches via East Main Road

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3.4 Recommendations of Group B: • Called for a diversion of some through traffic to Hedley Street • Noted three problem places: Intersection at Bank of Newport; Brooks; Town Hall • Build a planted median allowing for right turns only, with only fire engines/emergency vehicles able to turn left across median • To facilitate function of emergency vehicles, there should be no median outside fire station • Proposed an in-town trolley to go from Town Hall to Island Park with fixed stops along the way • Called for a playground on the green space right-of-way near the mini-storage with heavy tree planting and a connecting pedestrian path and bike trail • Pedestrian connectors also to residential areas, high school, and water’s edge, perhaps crossing Anthony Farm property, other select properties, and along Bloody Brook • Group believed that the marshy area should be open space, enhancing the views from new construction and providing pedestrian opportunities • Buildings of architectural & historical interest to be preserved and enhanced, perhaps with the roadway designed to draw attention to them • Vary the width of median strip within the village. • Possibility of new restaurants behind Clements’ to take advantage of the view • Called for mixed-use buildings added near CVS, bringing that building into the larger design and helping form street wall • Group thought that a new civic building is needed near Brooks to inject a certain classical formality. Should compliment an area on the east side that can be more pastoral • The Gauchat property development should include: a sub-post office, an ice cream shop, a playground, and a stage for public functions Planning should take into account views of spectacular sunsets and wildlife • Two lanes, with third turning lane / planted median on Turnpike Avenue and Route 138 north of Town Center

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3.5 Recommendations of Group A: • Develop green spaces along roadside to help slow traffic • Wetlands should remain in their natural state with accessibility by pedestrians • Enable high school students to reach the Town Center safely on foot, bikes, rollerblades via the back side as far as Hedley and to cross over to the east side of Route 138 and get to the water, providing a 4-mile circuit • Siphon off some through traffic down Hedley to reach Route 24, eliminating between 2,000 and 3,000 cars per day in Town Center area • Maintain a 4-lane configuration because of the pressures that build-out may bring south of Turnpike intersection • Provide a “traffic regulator” device halfway down Quaker Hill (a signal or a rotary) at Aquidneck Place / Foodworks. • Add 4-foot median with grass and shrubs from this new “traffic regulator” on the Quaker Hill to the bottom. • Add a median with trees down Turnpike Avenue, with bike paths and sidewalks alongside. • Provide angled parking on Route 138 between Bank of Newport and the library, but no farther because of the multiplicity of curb cuts • On Route 138 north of the Turnpike intersection, provide green space on the edges, rather than with a median • Consider top of the hill to be the “civic zone” • Below the top to the middle of the hill, the Town Center will remain largely a “residential zone” • The lower half of hill should be a “mixed-use zone” (not dissimilar to Newport’s Brick Market), with green space corridor at back, along with parking • In the “mixed-use zone” new buildings should be close to street to be pedestrian friendly and attractive. They can be 2 or 2½ stories, with peaked roofs, with limit of 2 stories at the foot of the hill to emphasize the human scale • Construct a music shed in the green space adjacent to Aquidneck Place • Build a community boathouse / beach at the east end of

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the bicycle path on the water • Maintain the three historic houses within the “mixed- use zone.”

4 Next Steps

4.1 Bob Goldstein thanked the assembled group for their participation and noted that projects move forward only with the assistance of local heroes” - people who step up and help drive the project through political hurdles. 4.2 Dan Burden requested that everyone stay involved and requested they join either the “Friends of the Plan” (who will support the plan behind the scenes and within the community) or the “Steering Committee” (who will have more active involvement).

4.3 Friends: JoEllen Hunt, JoAnne Lyons, Juliet Gauchat, Pete Minor (Sea Meadow Drive), Lois Ryan, Dick Wimpress

4.4 Steering Committee: John Corbishley, Tracy Anthony, Laurent Bissonnette, Steve Boronaro, Nick Avery, Urs Gauchat, Don Katyl, Dotti Guiffre, Bill Hunt, John Borden, Priscilla Wimpress

4.5 Taylor & Partners’ Town Center Team will process the data collected during the Visioning Session and produce a document summarizing lessons learned and ideas considered.

4.6 Town Center Team will process the design ideas developed by community members during the Charrette and produce a plan incorporating the shared and best ideas of each for presentation to the Portsmouth Economic Development Committee (PEDC).

4.7 The PEDC will in turn present the materials to the Portsmouth Town Council for approval.

4.8 Funding sources and implementation strategies can be considered thereafter.

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4. NEXT STEPS

The Portsmouth Town Center Planning Charrette was successful in getting the community to focus on the challenges and opportunities of creating a livable, workable, and walkable place—a Town Center that can be the heart of a future Ports- mouth commercial district. But this process was just a start and it is important to keep the project moving in the right direction.

Below are listed a series of initiatives that the Town Center Team believes will be useful in making the concept designs that came out of the charrette a reality. Many of these initiatives can be undertaken for little or no cost and offer manageable steps toward the final goals.

CREATE A BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT Consider creating a Business Improvement District (BID) within the bounds of the Town Center scope area. By state charter, a small property tax surcharge within the given district goes to fund broad initiatives that serve all of the property owners within the area. Early in the project, these monies can go to fund studies. Once the project is completed, BID funds enable a higher level of streetscape maintenance or other projects or promotional activities that are attractive to property owners. While the BID concept is relatively new to Rhode Island, it has been successfully used in New York and other urban areas for years. A BID has already been established in Providence and another one is being considered for Providence’s Thayer Street area.

OBTAIN CERTIFIED RIGHT-OF-WAY DOCUMENTS Apply to the Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT) for stamped documents certifying the current right-of-way boundaries within the Town Center scope area. These will be extremely useful in transform- ing the Town Center designs from concept plans to design development plans. Portsmouth is fortunate that there seems to be a broad right-of-way. Hopefully this means that the Town Center can be implemented with a minimum impact on private land.

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CONDUCT TRAFFIC CAPACITY ANALYSIS Building on the review of recent traffic counts, it will be important to confirm the feasibility of the proposed Town Center conceptual roadway plans to accommodate future and projected traffic volumes for this portion of Route 138. This analysis can be accomplished through sophisticated computer traffic models and will be critical to help ensure state participation in design development of proposed roadway improvements.

This study will allow the town to confirm the anticipated traffic perfor- mance for the proposed roundabouts, establish the appropriate lane con- figurations for each section of roadway, potential parking layouts, and select the most desirable bicycle and pedestrian accommodations. Ideally this traffic modeling can be integrated into a larger island-wide or regional model over time.

ACQUIRE PROPERTY INTERESTS IN KEY PARCELS To create a Town Center that can handle the challenges of large traffic volumes and yet also provide desirable public space, pedestrian and bike routes, some key parcels of land may need to be purchased to provide for open space and roundabouts.

The identification of sources of funding and methods for the acquisition of easements or title to land that may be needed should be undertaken immediately. The success of the plan hinges largely upon the town’s ability to assemble the property necessary for full implementation. There are many funding sources (from state grants to private foundations) that can be of assistance in this process.

UPDATE GLOBAL INFORMATION SYSTEMS (GIS) PARCEL DATA Data provided to the Town Center Team on the location and current ownership of parcels within the Town Center area are largely inaccurate or out-of-date. This data are therefore useful for the concept design phase only. Getting updated, accurate parcel data that is synchronized with other GIS databases will be useful for the planning process and for many other city functions.

This process should be coordinated with the most recent fly-over data to give the most accurate picture of the community property lines available at the start of the design development process. Mary Hutchinson of Mapping and Planning Services would be an excellent provider of these services as she is extremely well versed in Aquidneck Island GIS data.

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Ideally, the designers would receive the data in .shp file format so that it can be converted to AutoCAD and other Architectural & Engineering (A&E) formats.

UNDERGROUND THE UTILITIES Within the Town Center district, particularly the northern half, the roadway cross section will need to be widened to allow for improved planting and lighting facilities and to accommodate pedestrians and bicyclists safely. For this to occur, the electric and telephone utilities must be moved to an area that will not impede new construction. It may be possible that the utilities in these areas be placed underground at a location below the future sidewalk so that future accessibility is facilitated.

Communication with appropriate public agencies, Narragansett Electric, Verizon, and other utility providers should be undertaken to determine what plans are underway and what monies may be available to accomplish this task. Both public and private funding sources to carry out this work should be pursued.

SURVEY HEDLEY STREET Hedley Street offers a unique opportunity to reroute some traffic around the future Town Center. Creating a better way for people accessing Route 24 will benefit them by speeding their journey and benefit the town by reducing the vehicular congestion in an area that needs to be safer and more comfortable for pedestrians.

In order to do this, the usability of Hedley Street needs to be evaluated and any challenges identified and solved. Once Hedley Street is improved to better accommodate through traffic, it would also become a better destination for commercial and industrial interests. This would provide the existing construction company on Route 138 near Turnpike (and other Town Center compatible uses) with an alternate location.

The intersection of Hedley Street and West Main Road should also be closely studied. RIDOT may be conducting an evaluation and analysis of this intersection and should be updated on Town Center plans and proposals.

ENGAGE THE RIDOT ENGINEERS The Town Center Team, in its discussions with key stakeholders, discov- ered that there were plans to make improvements to Route 138 more than

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10 years ago. These projects stopped because of political challenges to the project, but some monies may still remain in these accounts. Once the Portsmouth Town Council has approved the concept plans, it may be possible to reactivate RIDOT contracts with these firms (Green Interna- tional and Commonwealth Engineering) in support of the Town Center plans so that they can be bid and built once final construction funding is secured.

MAP AND EVALUATE WETLANDS CONDITIONS The current wetlands in the Town Center scope area need to be carefully mapped. The existing GIS information is inaccurate to some degree and the true conditions of the land may have a bearing on the plan design development. Town Center Team members are able to provide this service and have done so for both public and private clients.

DEVELOP AN INTERMODAL TRASPORTATION PLAN Town centers are best served when residents can arrive by a variety of modes: by car, by bicycle, by bus and by foot. It would be a good idea to develop an inter-modal transportation plan as more and more residents of Portsmouth are working in other communities, commuting traffic becomes a heavier strain on the limited roadways. By providing Park and Ride facilities (or agreements with existing lot owners) and bus stop facilities, more people will be encouraged to commute by bus. This will help lower traffic volumes.

UNDERTAKE AN ACCESS MANAGEMENT STUDY The more vehicular entrances and exits that exist along the Town Center route, the more conflict points (points where two travel paths intersect) there are. The more conflict points, the greater the risk of serious injury to a driver, a bicyclist, or a pedestrian. Conduct a study to put guidelines in place to minimize unnecessary curb cuts and reduce conflict points within the area. There may well be alternatives that a study can identify to reduce the number and size of existing curb cuts.

Assess ingress and egress points along East Main Road, Turnpike Avenue and tributaries, intersections and curb cuts. Develop solutions to combine curb cuts where feasible and/or re-design cuts with directional curb cuts and longer radii for curbing to improve turning actions, stacking and overall safety. Evaluate benefit and costs of relocating utility poles away from curb cuts.

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DEVELOP A PORTSMOUTH “GREENWAY CORRIDOR PLAN” The more alternative routes that residents can take to the future Town Center, the more useful and enjoyable it will be to them. The goal is to create a place where residents can go safely that is enjoyed by people of all ages. One way to help accomplish this is to establish bike and pedestrian routes that connect not only the Town Center with local residential developments but interconnect all the parts of the community.

CRJA recently completed a study for RIDOT to create a 16-mile bike trail that would share much of the existing railroad right-of-way from Tiverton to Newport. A similar project could be undertaken to create a pedestrian and bike route along the Bloody Brook right-of-way, accommodating future connections to regional bike and pedestrian networks, historic sites, and recreational facilities. The creation of these routes now would begin to have an immediate benefit to the community as well as establishing a foundation for the success of the Town Center district.

A study that identifies a feasible route, desirable dimensions of rights-of- way, and the properties affected would help to determine what easements or acquisitions would be needed to develop an effective regional bicycle and pedestrian facility. The study would make it feasible to compete for funding under both transportation enhancement and recreational facilities programs.

CONDUCT A PILOT STUDY BUILD-OUT ANALYSIS OF KEY PARCELS There are several important parcels or assemblages of sites whose development will strongly impact the quality and character of the Town Center. It would be useful to evaluate under the existing zoning what the maximum build-out of these sites would be. Where these build-out square footages and dimensional requirements differ from the idealized development as envisioned by the concept design process, changes or additions to the zoning should be made to encourage development that will serve both the property owner and the community at large.

CONSIDER CREATING A “TOWN CENTER OVERLAY DISTRICT” The Town Center will become a unique place precisely because its character should differ from the broader Portsmouth community. Density, parking requirements and locations, setbacks, and many other zoning and design features should be tailored with the character of the Town Center in mind.

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In concert with this, pilot projects might be undertaken to develop storm water management standards and approaches that can be implemented within the district in a way that will support the development of roadway frontage commercial properties to enhance the Main Street character of the Town Center district. Standards for the establishment of Private Waste Processing Facilities (PWPF’s) can also be put in place and can help establish the potentiality of sites to be developed where leaching fields are a limiting factor. Town Center Team members are very experienced in both these areas and technical studies for innovative approaches may be eligible for implementation funding through a variety of federal and state programs.

IMPLEMENT PORTSMOUTH DESIGN STANDARDS The Town Center Team has developed a set of Commercial Design Guide- lines, working in coordination with the Portsmouth Design Review Board, chaired by John Borden. These guidelines, which are near final draft, should be adopted by the Town Council and implemented in the building code as quickly as possible. Buildings that are designed poorly or without thought to the community in which they are being built can be eyesores for decades. The sooner standards are adopted by the town the fewer inappropriately designed buildings the residents will have to “undo” in years to come. These guidelines are consistent with the proposals developed during the charrette process.

DEVELOP STREETSCAPE STANDARDS FOR THE PUBLIC REALM The recent Commercial Design Guidelines produced by the Town Center Team for the Aquidneck Island Planning Commission focused on the responsibilities of private property owners and developers. The public amenities (street lighting, sidewalks, plantings, civic signage, etc.) provided will be equally important to the character of the Town Center. The Town Center Team has experience in establishing standards for public streetscape development and would appreciate the opportunity to develop standards that are most appropriate to Portsmouth’s needs and desired self-image.

One component of such guidelines could be to develop a series of alternative planting concepts for both the new roadway medians and the edges of the roadway. These concepts could take into account a number of factors, including safe sightlines for oncoming traffic, maintenance consider- ations, clearance of tree limbs for trucks and/or parked cars, selection of appropriate species for different conditions in a way that helps to highlight

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the different conditions and uses throughout the Town Center district. Planting recommendations could include a combination of new trees, pruning of existing corridor trees, incorporation of low plantings and ground covers in some areas, and suggestions for changing displays of hanging or roadside planters in key locations.

CONCLUSION There are many small projects that will have both immediate and long- term benefit for the community that are not dependent upon the com- mencement of the Town Center design development plan. In fact some of the work outlined in the “Next Steps” section will need to be conducted prior to the design development phase of the project.

The suggestions listed in this “Next Steps” section represent small projects that can be funded separately and executed on separate timelines. To facilitate the efforts, each initiative can be undertaken by a separate steering committee with coordination by the EDC or other designated Portsmouth agency so that information gathered can be centrally collected and uniformly disseminated.

The goal, however, is to keep working toward the creation of a true Town Center for Portsmouth. This will generate significant commercial tax revenue and create a destination that encourage tourists to stop. But most importantly, it will make the community more livable and enjoyable for its residents.

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5. TAYLOR & PARTNERS’ TOWN CENTER TEAM

The Town Center Team member firms responsible for this report are:

Taylor & Partners, Ltd. Strategic and Master Planning, Newport, Rhode Island Architecture Boston, Massachusetts

Walkable Communities, Inc. Best Practices in High Springs, Florida Creating Walkable Communities

Carol R. Johnson Associates, Inc. Community Planning Boston, Massachusetts Landscape Design

Northeast Engineering Civil Engineering Middletown, Rhode Island Traffic Studies

Any questions or comments regarding this report may be addressed to:

Kenneth E. Taylor Taylor & Partners, Ltd. 29 Touro Street Newport, RI P: 401-848-8344 F: 401-848-8339 E: [email protected] W: www.Taylor & Partners.com

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