CITY OF ALPHARETTA DOWNTOWN MASTER PLAN Kimley-Horn and Associates TSW Bleakly Advisory Group February 2015 CONTENTS CITY OF ALPHARETTA DOWNTOWN MASTER PLAN 1 Inventory and Assessment...............................................3 2 Community Involvement..................................45 3 Master Plan..........................................61 4 Implementation....................115 i Acknowledgements CITY OF ALPHARETTA PLANNING AND DESIGN TEAM David Belle Isle, Mayor Kimley-Horn & Associates City Council Eric Bosman, AICP Donald Mitchell, Post 1 Jim Hamilton, P.E. Mike Kennedy, Post 2 Rob Ross, P.E. Chris Owens, Post 3 Ray Strychalski, PLA, LEED AP Jim Gilvin, Post 4 Marsha Jenkins Michael Cross, Post 5 Cody Zanni D.C. Aiken, Post 6 TSW City Department Heads and Staff Thomas Walsh, PLA Robert J. Regus, City Administrator Caleb Racicot, AICP, LEEP AP James Drinkard, Assistant City Administrator Jia Li, AICP, LEED AP Kathi Cook, Community Development, Director Laura Richter Richard McLeod, Community Development Bleakly Advisory Group Eric Graves, Community Development Ken Bleakly Elicia Taylor, Community Development Geoff Koski Michael Woodman, Community Development Jonathan F. Gelber, AICP Pete Sewczwicz, Public Works, Director With Assistance From Jill Bazinet, Public Works Robert J. Gibbs, AICP, ASLA, CNU-A Gibbs Planning Group Richard Hall, P.E., Hall Planning & Engineering, Inc. Lew Oliver, Lew Oliver Inc. ii iii INTRODUCTION town square, and 450-space parking garage, City of Alpharetta opened in late 2014/ early 2015. The plan also The Downtown includes four private development parcels. The City Center project will result in a 2-4 story pedestrian oriented development that will Master Plan was activate the east side of Main Street and serve as Downtown Master Plan a catalyst for revitalization of the entire historic downtown area. Avalon, a $600-million mixed- developed to: used development, located one-half mile east of Over the last two and a half decades, the Downtown, brings national retail and restaurant City of Alpharetta has experienced tremendous names to Alpharetta. While Avalon fills a higher growth, fueled by an expanding network of end retail and residential need, the downtown arterial roadways and a high quality of life. area has an opportunity to add unique mom 1. Inventory and assess existing Alpharetta has grown from just over 13,000 and pop shops and restaurants as an alternative conditions, ordinances, and plans residents in 1990 to more than 60,000 destination for locals and visitors. residents today, with an additional 80,000 to for the downtown area 100,000 commuters who travel into the City The Master Plan seeks to leverage the City Center for employment each day. The City is widely development and promote greater connectivity known as a destination for families, executives, between major activity centers (City Center, 2. Facilitate a community-based vision and technology companies. Avalon, and Wills Park) while fostering greater economic sustainability. HISTORY Given its impressive growth, the community 3. Develop a Master Plan through has long outgrown its downtown area, This report is divided into four sections: Inventory originally established in the late 19th century. and Assessment, Community Involvement, a dynamic hands-on approach Modern day Alpharetta traces its roots to a During the City’s period of rapid growth, Master Plan, and Implementation. The Inventory tiny village named New Prospect Campground, new commercial and business development and Assessment section focuses on existing land involving community leaders, settled along a Cherokee Indian trail from the prospered along Highway 9 and Georgia 400 use and transportation conditions and challenges property owners, business owners North Georgia Mountains to the Chattahoochee and the importance of Downtown Alpharetta as well as a market study of the downtown area. River. Located next to a natural spring, New as a central business district waned. The City The Community Involvement section summarizes and residents Prospect Campground became a trading post recognizes the importance of Downtown as results from several public meetings, online where settlers exchanged goods. They also the social, cultural, economic, and emotional surveys and conversations with Alpharetta’s “heart of the city”. They have undertaken this held “camp meetings,” the social and cultural residents, leaders and stakeholders. The Master 4. Craft regulating plans and code effort to focus on fostering activity and vitality highlight of the year for the local farmers. Plan section illustrates the community’s plan, in the downtown area and making Alpharetta a for the future, including strategies to address revisions, Comprehensive Plan memorable hometown for all its residents. land use and development; downtown focal Today, downtown areas still play an important points; urban design, landscape architecture amendments, and design and role in establishing and reinforcing a Alpharetta’s commitment to revitalizing and environmental features; connectivity, development guidelines to begin community’s sense of place and identity. The Downtown is highlighted by the City Center traffic, parking, bicycle /pedestrian facilities; Downtown Master Plan was developed to project, which has infused $45 million in and stormwater, as well as future land use and implementation of the community generate solutions to address Alpharetta’s investment to redevelop 25 acres in the zoning. The Implementation section outlines contemporary social, cultural, economic, and heart of the downtown area. In addition to priority projects and strategies to guide the vision livability needs. a new City Hall, the City Center includes a community through successful implementation new Fulton County library, 5-acre public park, of the plan’s key projects and elements. 1 2 Part 1: Inventory and Assessment 3 4 n inventory and assessment of existing aconditions was the first step in developing the Downtown Master Plan. The inventory and assess- ment included stakeholder meetings, a review of previous plans and initiatives, an assessment of current City of Alpharetta development ordinances, a physical existing conditions analysis, and a review of demographics and real estate fundamentals. Geographic information systems (GIS) data used PART 1: INVENTORY AND ASSESSMENT in the existing conditions assessment was collected from the City of Alpharetta. 5 6 INVENTORY AND ASSESSMENT Site Boundary/ Mannings Ridge Study Area CANTON ST N MAIN ST The study area includes Alpharetta’s The northern boundary extends along North historic downtown area and a collection of Main Street from Canton Street to Winthrope MILTON AVE ACADEMY ST surrounding destinations, landmarks, and Commons. The northern section includes areas of potential change. The study area a thin line of properties along North Main stretches from Wills Park on the west to Street that exhibit redevelopment potential ROSWELL ST Westside Parkway on the east and from the between Mayfield Road and Canton Street. WESTSIDE PKWY THOMPSON ST Alpha Park neighborhood on the south to The southern portion of the study area Wills Park North Main Street at Canton Street. includes South Main Street at Wills Road Avalon and the Alpha Park neighborhood. This area S MAIN ST The western portion of the study area contains a variety of highway commercial OLD MILTON PKWY includes the old Milton High School site, properties along South Main Street and a Wills Park, and several downtown residential series of residential and vacant parcels south areas where greater connectivity to of Downtown where recent market activity Downtown’s goods and services should be suggests the potential for redevelopment. promoted. The eastern end of the study area includes the Old Milton Parkway corridor The main focus of this master plan is City of Roswell and Thompson Street corridor between City fostering greater connectivity between Center /Haynes Bridge Road and Westside Downtown, area attractions, and surrounding Parkway. Based on significant investments in neighborhoods. The plan also seeks to Alpha Park Downtown and the Avalon mixed-use project determine and clarify the area’s desired east of Westside Parkway, the community future character to guide City staff and desires a stronger pedestrian /bicycle and elected officials on planning, zoning, and automobile connection between Downtown redevelopment issues. and Avalon. Figure 1.1 City of Alpharetta Downtown Master Plan 7 8 INVENTORY AND ASSESSMENT Downtown focal points, Issues and Challenges destinations, and gateways Housing in the downtown area Parking Topography and Landscape, tree cover, stormwater and green space Downtown Issues and Challenges Historic structures and sites Urban design features and characteristics One of the first steps in the master plan process was facilitating a series of Downtown stakeholder interviews. Interviews included the Downtown events and Mayor and City Council members, downtown Streams and stream buffers business owners, downtown property owners, and event areas area residents. From those conversations, a number of priority Downtown issues and challenges were identified and discussed. Urban Design Issues The following pages include a series of analysis that Pedestrian and informed the planning process and provided a firm Transportation Issues foundation for information sharing and decision- Stormwater Issues making. bicycle facilities City of Alpharetta Downtown Master Plan 9 10 INVENTORY AND ASSESSMENT Existing