Livable Community Principles

City of North Las Vegas, Nevada June, 2005 Dan Burden, Glatting Jackson and Walkable Communities, Inc.

What is the Purpose of Cities?

1 Marty Paul Dan has learned to Marty Earl see the world through the lens of Jon his camera, carefully picking subjects of interest to illustrate his view of the world. Dale

There is a saying among National Geographic photographers. Dan’s Arm “National Geographic photographers stand on top of the garbage cans to photograph the flowers … while Life magazine photographers stand in the flowers to photograph the garbage cans.” Photo by Paul

Mayors’ Institute on City Design Charleston, South Carolina National Endowment of the Arts and the American Institute of Architects

Debbie -- Retired School Teacher

Painted rainbow crosswalks throughout town

2 What is your vision of Homer, Alaska?

3 What is “Place?” Littleton, New Hampshire

Thornton, Colorado

4 100% Location

Five Minute Walk

•• Bridge Bridge 100% Location 100% Location •• Appropriate Appropriate TechnologyTechnology LiftLift •• Visual Visual TreatsTreats •• Activity Activity CenterCenter

5 The World is Changing Expect:

Option One:

25% more traffic every ten years. More intersections failing. More people spreading out into canyons, ridges and other high risk locations.

Also Expect: More cars per household Limited new lanes and limits on intersections being rebuilt More demand for slowing traffic More demand for traffic to stay in motion More demand for safer streets More demand for quieter streets Los Angeles, Then

In the nextpast fifty years transportation planners/engineers have:will:

In the past traffic plannersfuture and engineers AddRemovedparking parking for safety for safety traffic havewill be been seen as AddRemovedtrees fortrees safety for safety villainsand heroinesseen leading as to the declinethe of citiesheroes and rise leading to RemoveAdded laneslanes for for safety safety quality of life.cities and NarrowWidenedlanes lanes for for safety safety

NarrowWidenedIntersections Intersections for for safety safety

TakenAdd sidewalks out sidewalks for added for added capacity capacity Los Angeles, Now Los Angeles,

6 People once fled cities Option Two: … for their health …

Return to Traditional streets and land uses

More connectivity Tennessee Avenue, Tallahassee, Florida More walking, bicycling and transit People living closer to services, shorter trips by time and distance Today people are More funding for well located returning to cities … engine houses Improved and more appropriate … for their health equipment More ways to respond Fewer personal injury auto crashes Portland, Oregon

7 America’s high level of dependence upon the automobile has lowered the standard of living, snarled traffic and lowered air quality.

8 9 Designed by college graduates

new Town, Key West, Narrow streets Florida Short blocks Tight corner radii Great plazas Beautiful buildings Limited parking

Built by Pirates Old Town, Key West, Florida

10 Victoria, People are British Cars are Happiest Columbi happiest when a When they have there are Unlimited many Freedom -- others around. When few other cars are around Victoria, British Columbia

DAN …

I HAVE EMAILED YOU BEFORE. I HAVE A JOB OFFER IN SARATOGA SPRINGS (I'M FROM NEW YORK CITY).

I DON'T DRIVE. IS IT TRULY WALKABLE IF I LIVED DOWNTOWN?

THANKS AGAIN Yes, Jeannie … it is Okay to downtown JEANNIE Saratoga Springs. Great Place. Enjoy!

11 Places of Discovery

The Greatest Access on Earth

12 Building from our Values

Standard Quality Of Of Living Life

Very High Low

13 People Active TransportationLiving By Design

14 Ten Steps To Walkability

Compact, lively Many people of all town center ages and abilities walking many Low speed streets, hours distributed volumes Celebrated public space and public life, parades, Fine grained markets, festivals, streets, many awards trails, transit links Public places with Land use and inviting features: transportation Neighborhood benches, partnerships schools and restrooms, shade, parks, within water and art Affordable, one quarter inspiring, well mile or one Convenient, safe and maintained eighth mile efficient crossings streets and homes.

Not Walkable Walkable The High Car Dependency Low Car Dependency Serious Congestion Moderate Congestion Popsicle Test

Can you take a Popsicle to your your brother or sister from the store to your house before it melts?

15 Sprawl Origins and Sustainability

2001 National Geographic 1550 feet from Magazine Article NOTHING on Sprawl Orlando, Florida

Photo by: Newsday

Levittown New York

16 Pattern: Low Density(1-3 units/acre) Trip Generation Sprawl Costs: •Does not pay its fair share and Trip Quality •Takes money from and weakens town center •Takes over valuable forests, fields wetlands, preserves •Moves town resources outward •Fuels urban flight •Forces other harmful land use •Builds traffic congestion •Adds to isolation, NIMBYism

Traditional Conventional Land Use1 2 Patterns

9 3 Soccer

4

5 Home

8 6

7

17 Connectivity Options Disappearing Trips

Traditional Interior Perimeter Single Entry B B A

Connected 400’ – 600’ 1000’ 1000’ – 2000’ None Street A Spacing C

Ped/Bike 400 – 600 400 – 600 400 – 600 None Spacing C

Connected All Streets Connectors Connectors (No Road Fronted Fronted Walled Connection) Character 3 Destinations 3 Destinations 6 ITE Trips 2 ITE Trips

Bigger is Provide Not better Services Downtowns Parks should provide It is always easier to leaveChurches essential problems behind than itShopping is to services solve them Postal Postal Lack of courage? Residential Commercial Today we are learning to Public Space The bigger the attraction, the Restrooms Face these challenges… Fewer peopleWhat have Is access This? and We areThe running more people out of haveroom to ask And resources Ferndale for a ride. California

18 Not a good place The Cycle of Strip Development Seniors

INPUTS OUTCOMES •Auto Oriented Business •Wider Roads Not a good Poor •Single Use Zoning •Induced Traffic Loca place people tion for Ok S ay with •Single Family Residential •More Traffic hopping Lo ca Plaza S ti B disabilities ho on e P pp fof s la in or t L GROWTH za g P r S o GROWTH l h c Land Use az o at Land Use a pp io in n Planning g Planning

TransportationTransportation PlanningPlanning GROWTHGROWTH Not a good place for OUTCOMES INPUTS multi-family Not a good •Isolated Neighborhoods •Traffic Demand place for the •Multiple Automobile Trips Forecasting town hall •Poor Mobility •Congestion •Difficult Walking

Five keys Breaking The Cycle of Strip to Success of Development Place INPUTS •Diversity of Business Security •Mixed Use Zoning •Diversity of Residential Units Convenience •Context Sensitive Solutions •Community Involvement Efficiency Comfort LandLand UseUse CommunityCommunityTransportationTransportation PlanningPlanning PlanningPlanning PlanningPlanning Welcome

OUTCOMES OUTCOMES •Healthy Neighborhoods •Increased Mobility •Choices of Transportation •More Walking & •More Open Space GROWTHGROWTH Bicycling •Sense of Place •Increased Access •Sense of Community

19 Density with Design Density with Design

Dover Kohl & Partners Dover Kohl & Partners

In New Projects: Maintain the Relationship of 1980s & 90s: Density, but… Building and the Street

Density with Design Density with Design

Dover Kohl & Partners Dover Kohl & Partners

In New Projects: Promote the Street as an In New Projects: Make the Streets Good Amenity, and Inspire Investment Neighbors

20 Victoria British Columbia

Welcoming Eatery and Defensible Space

21 22 Broadway, Vancouver , British Columbia

23 24 Is This a House or a Garage?

25 Build for Multiple Uses

Beauty Function Open Space Diversity, Inclusiveness Art/Music Green Friendly Economic prosperity

Which building looks most like Southern Texas??

26 Attracting the Best Attracting the Best Higher-density 40% of apartment Some of the same solutions to our development offers residents choose growth-related to rent for challenges, homes that are within lifestyle reasons can help support reach of vital new housing options. community members — not because they have to. Crime and other such as: social issues are – Teachers highly correlated to – Nurses • Nearly one-quarter of lack of ownership, renters earn $50K or – Fire fighters investment and – Police officers more. pride. • Sources: Fannie Mae Foundation; –and our own U.S. Census Bureau children!

A Plan for Tomorrow

Build a new model. 30-35 du/a Strong, healthy 12-15 16-20 du/a 12-15 communities have: du/a

– Walkable, mixed-uses – mixed income – A rich mix of homes for a wide range of residents 6-9 du/a – Many conveniences – Green space – Ownership/pride – Strong economies – Low crime – Balanced budgets

27 Sources: Massachusetts Citizens Housing and Planning Association; Byrne McKinney & Associates and Goody Clancy Attract new retail Attract new retail Architecture, Planning and Preservation development. development.

20-30 du/acre – Densities of 8 to 12 – Densities of 8 to 12 homes per acre can homes per acre can create compact low-rise create compact low-rise centers that can support 20-30 du/acre centers that can support a lively business a lively business district, mixed uses, and district, mixed uses, and public transit nodes. public transit nodes.

12-15 du/acre – 1,000 to 2,000 new – 1,000 to 2,000 new houses and apartments houses and apartments within a 10-15 minute within a 10-15 minute walk can support new walk can support new retail areas. retail areas.

20-30 du/acre

28 Thornton Park, Orlando, Florida

Du/a 9-12 Commercial, Retail, Residential

29 Du/a 15-22 Du/a 22-28

Du/a 6-7

30 Density Distribution

Robinson Speeds reduced from 35-40 to 25-30

31 South Corridor Station Areas

Woodlawn Station

Freeway

Archdale Station

Arrowood Station

Sharon Road West Station Los Vegas Boulevard and Lake Mead

Arrowood – Existing Conditions Arrowood Pedestrian Vision

32 Arrowood Bicycle Vision

ARROWOOD URBAN DESIGN VISION

33 34 Civic Center and Lake Mead

Civic Center and Lake Mead

35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54