Prioritized Redevelopment and Proposed
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City of San Pablo General Plan Policy LU 84 and other forms of transportation that will take Design of 180 Frontage advantage of the I 80 HOV Lanes Encourage prioritized redevelopment and consolidation of District parcels fronting along 1 80 to create an attractive and enticing freeway Action LU 8B frontage Public Safety Improvements The City shall coordinate with the Police Policy LU 85 Department to ensure the provision of adequate Public Vision Planning Approach enforcement through additional patrols a police or reliance I Adopt a planning approach to the District that substation expanded upon private reflects and responds to the public vision for the security forces As part of the Specific Plan Works will district and ensures the policies and objectives review process the Public Division for the area are instituted in new developments also ensure appropriate public and private the reuse of existing developments and the lighting improvements and other safety features redevelopment activities for the area are also included within the proposed development Policy LU 86 Mix of Activities Create and encourage zones of activity that are oriented at the intersection of San Pablo Dam Road and San Pablo Avenue through a hierarchy of development that promotes entertainmentpedestrian oriented development medical and service related uses regional commercial uses and freewayauto oriented uses Policy LU 87 District Theme Develop and encourage an identifiable theme for the District that achieves the objectives of creating an integrated architectural form for re use or new deveopment creates a gateway to the City and promotes a regional image and dynamic destination point for heightened economic development and redevelopment View of the west side of San Pablo AVenue across activities from El Portal Center representing a primary commercial use and identify section of District 2 Action LU 8A Public Transit Resource Regional Connection Work with the property owners WCCTAC District History regional transit providers and other applicable agencies to seek opportunities and funding to El Portal Center was originally El Portal Park a integrate public transportation into the government housing project In 1962 El Portal I development of Center Transit Node or Center was created and over the next decade it activity focal point within the District The became the Citys central business district Node may include the establishment of a park drawing traffic off San Pablo Avenue Highway and ride lot employment center shuttle service 40 Economic competition to the center began Land Use Economic Development and Community Design Element Page 1 45 Land Use Economic Development and Community Design Element I Figure 1 10 District 2 El Portal Public Transit Plan LEGEND LAND USE DESIGNATIONS Focal Point Area where character is emphasized Multi Family Residential Designation Commercial PuhlldSemi Institutional Mixed Areas a mix of Iof land use designations occur Open Space Corridor COMMUNITY DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS Distict Themed Gateway Feature Examples may include special entry monument landscaping lighting etc Special Crosswalk Treatment paving slgnage Pedestrian Iherr d intersection plaza arch lectural massing elements features UniF ing Streetscape street trees banners signage sidewalk elc Mid Connection could pedestrian alleyways bridges or other improvements to improve accessibility with the completion Hilltop Mall in early 70 s as new regional mall has continued through development larger retail big box developments centers adjacent communities Vision The should become planned friendly downtown area focusing on range local serving commercial uses appropriately scaled while adding residential underutilized property Representing revitalization historic would central for outdoor festivals activities markets Planning Boundaries Challenges Summary generally bounded by San Pablo Creek south north easterly entrance community at Church Lane Drive properties abutting west Avenue Contra Costa College heart district runs along either side City spine contains greatest amount opportunity re allocation lands buildings including School Site Armory half Center vacant under utilized With proximity creek opportunities exist establishing stronger connections between areas envisioned revitalized center Helms its large open space represents active recreation An AC located Page 46 General i I I City of San Pablo General Plan I College with service to both local West County integration of outdoor gathering spaces a Destinations and regional destinations including central plaza and a public transit terminal Land San Francisco and cities along San Pablo Avenue Uses would be a mix of neighborhood treated I from San Pablo to Oakland BART express bus commercial and appropriately scaled and commercial with service runs through the District with stops along regional conditionally San Pablo Avenue Interstate bus service is permitted institutional public facility uses to available at the El Portal Center Greyhound create a college and community serving retail Station services and facilities District Development along San Pablo Avenue should optimize views I Challenges for the District include the need to into the shopping center and create amenities to traffic volumes San Pablo identify a means to tie together the entire district draw the high along Avenue into the and through land use and design measures that Center Amenities parking and locations should serve to i incorporate and establish a stronger connection lot treatments help of a oriented to the adjacent institutional uses the maximized create the energy pedestrian downtown The west side of San Pablo Avenue use of existing vacant and underutilized properties to both integrate and provide market should complement any treatment made to the i Center enhanced support for the District the creation of through accessibility image incentives and opportunities for the use of public and land uses I and private transit and introducing design and marketing amenities that create a cohesive B Easterly Portion of El Portal Center downtown center Approach This area is designated Medium to I in to Planning Approach High Density ResidentialCommercial order allow some flexibility in future for the In order to create a legitimate identifiable and developmentredevelopment proposals current and future market i viable downtown a long range Planning property based on approach haS been developed to reuse the conditions Through the update process the number of vacant and underutilized properties community envisioned the creation of a new I The Economic Validation AnalYsis has multifamily neighborhood consisting of a mix of recommended that economic development and detached and attached residences the redevelopment efforts focus on El Portal Center integration of a communitywide usable open to the I in terms of image and market enhancement to space feature and direct connections the City The District has been organized into adjacent services and facilities ie Contra Costa School and El Portal Center The five planning areas to achieve this College Helms I recommendation Economic Validation Analysis supports redevelopment of approximately half of the and Area Description center with close to 250 quality townhouse apartment units to create market support for a Ao Properties fronting San Pablo Avenue viable downtown Policies to encourage the including the westerly end of the improvement of Helms School and its open I shopping center between San Pablo space opportunities should be complementary Creek and El Portal Drive to the new neighborhood concept I Approach Area A is the focal point of the District where the below referenced policies work towards creating a center or downtown to the community through the introduction and Land Use Economic Development and Community Design Element Page 1 47 Land Use Economic Development and Community Design Element area as a primary gateway into both the El PortalPublic Transit District and the Alvarado I District District Physical Design Elements Special gateway features should incorporated at San Pablo Creek San Pablo Avenue El Portal Drive at Church Lane and Rumrill Boulevard and San Pablo Avenue Landscaping street trees themed architectural treatments banners paving reserve center Army training Armory and signs should be utilized to create a Downtown District Theme Public sidewalk Co Existing Properties within this area improvements and amenities should be installed include a mix of office commercial and to connect the adjacent residential training uses The area is generally neighborhoods Rumrill Bayview Old Town oriented around Castro Street and Rollingwood the Alvarado District and Contra Costa College Some form of public Approach Area C is designated plaza or square should be introduced into the commercialresidential mixed use in order to allow for the existing uses and to encourage future development that is complementary to the adjacent uses which include the vacant El Portal School Site a medium density townhouse and Contra Costa development College i Do North end of the District oriented around Broadway and Rumrill Boulevard containing a mix of commercial I institutional residential and public uses Approach Through a flexible Commercial and View of Contra Costa College showing examples of I Medium to High Density Residential outdoor plazagathering space and information kiosk Designation the intended land use pattern would be to create market support for the I adjacent Downtown and public transit uses downtown