URBAN DESIGN STRATEGY 3-17 What is Urban Design? Urban Design is the art of making safe, comfortable and inviting places for people. It includes the way places look, work and feel. Urban design includes the connections between places and build- ings; the character of the built environment and the processes used for ensuring successful villages, towns and cities. 3.0 URBAN DESIGN STRATEGIES c. Mitigation of regional and national concerns 3.1.1 SUSTAINABLE INFRASTRUCTURE such as climate change, natural resource This Chapter lays out TEN urban design strate- preservation, water and air quality and energy Approximately one third of the urbanized land independence; gies that provide the foundation and inspiration area downtown is composed of paved streets. Storm water runoff from these impervious for downtown. Sections following provide a d. Understanding of the long term costs and discussion of these strategies, and summarize surfaces is collected in city storm drains and benefits of basic infrastructure investments on can negatively affect the environment through their application within the Subarea. social, environmental, and economic health. the pollution of streams and the Puget Sound. Furthermore, as a city, with older infrastruc- A city designed for sustainable solutions is ture during intense storm events, downtown 3.1 INCORPORATE SUSTAINABLE DESIGN one which can simultaneously respond to a Bremerton may experience Combined Sewer triple bottom line of economic, environmental Overflow events, sending sewer overflows Good city planning has always been about the and social equity concerns. Sustainable solu- directly into the Puget Sound. creation of policy to better provide for long tions exist where all three concerns intersect. term public health and safety. More recently, Bremerton’s new Boardwalk, planned to skirt its While a reduction in the amount of storm water the introduction of sustainability concepts to city downtown shoreline with both a pedestrian and collected in the city system has already taken urban design has led to the following: cycling route and as access to a new sewer main, place through a mandatory downspout discon- is an example of smart, sustainable planning, nection program, the introduction of a “Green a. A broader scope of relevant variables affecting combining, economic, social and environmental decisions about the built environment; Streets” program will introduce the application benefits within one project. local bio-filtration and detention methods to b. A clear framework for informed decision both reduce and filter storm water entering the making; URBAN DESIGN STRATEGY 3-18 Location of Sustainbility District city sewer system. The “Green Streets” program can help implement the broad application of green infrastructure such as bioswales, stormwa- ter curb extensions and permeable paving during street upgrades. 3.1.2 BUILDING A SUSTAINABILITY DISTRICT Public Education and Awareness According to the US Department of Energy, buildings consume two fifths of total US energy, and generate forty percent of its atmospheric emissions and approximately one fifth of its water effluent. In order to minimize the ecologi- cal footprint of the built environment developers, architects, and homeowners are seeking more efficient and sustainable construction methods as well as to implement “green” building prac- 1. Minimize the ecological 4. Improve indoor air quality 7. Develop an understanding of tices. Current eco-friendly practices range from disturbance associated with by reducing chemical emissions how home owners within the simple lost cost upgrades to more expensive residential development. To the from materials used in the district, and increasingly those long term solutions such as solar heating. extent possible, post-devel- home, and through effective outside, can contribute to a opment conditions should building ventilation to remove broader community under- Within the downtown Subarea, sustainability preserve, restore, or enhance pollutants. standing of the economic, begins within a multi-family residential district the habitat, vegetation and ecological and human health located at the western edge of the downtown. hydrological characteristics. 5. Encourage more efficient benefits of high performance This district has been selected in order to build use and re-use of building buildings. upon a confluence of existing assets, and to 2. Mitigate the environmental materials, and the use of mate- heighten awareness among downtown residents. impact of energy consump- rials from renewable and/or 8. Create more dense and tion by decreasing the total local sources. walkable communities that The future scale and scope of the Sustainable amount of energy required for reduce dependence on the District will be determined by local stakeholders the home. 6. Decrease the materials automobile and impacts from through a public process designed to engage sent to landfills during the roads and highways. and challenge conventional practice. The public 3. Reduce the volume of construction phase, and by process should target the development of water used for residential including composting, and sustainable policies pertinent to this area, as well uses including landscaping and recycling programs. as those which will be applicable to other areas household use. within the city. URBAN DESIGN STRATEGY 3-19 3.2 SENSITIVE INFILL Most anticipated development within the Infill issues of particular importance further subarea will be located on vacant or discussed in the Plan include: underutilized property in already developed neighborhoods. Infill development has the 1. Height, Bulk and Scale following benefits: 2. Street Frontages and Street Character 1. Makes the best use of urban infrastructure; 3. Housing Choice 2. Responds to regional policies calling for 4. Housing Preservation shift of populations nearer to employment and transportation centers; 3. Supports social equity by providing convenient access to jobs, and reducing the reliance on the automobile; 4. Helps conserve Kitsap County’s forest, agricultural and resource lands. Subarea Plan Development Standards call for several key changes to encourage infill; including taller more slender buildings in the Downtown Some recent Core and Downtown Waterfront areas if public projects have lost a clear relationship amenities are provided, a Pacific Avenue “Park to the street, or to Park” mixed-use development corridor, and over emphasize increased densities and flexible development vehicle access. standards in the Evergreen Park Neighborhood. Design Principles listed in Chapter 4 of the Plan Miller Mews courtyard in Seattle has been recognized as good help ensure that this new infill development is example of infill development. The project made use of flexible sensitive to existing built form without being development standards through design review. The project overly prescriptive. Furthermore, over time, shows that character and charm do not need to be sacrificed to higher densities. the development of specific design guidelines and a palette of appropriate precedents can also ensure that new infill continues to have an overall positive contribution to the downtown’s Sample Housing neighborhoods. Prototypes help create more appropriate infill development. URBAN DESIGN STRATEGY 3-20 3.3 DESIGN REVIEW The City of Bremerton 2004 Comprehensive Design Review Community Benefits: Plan made a strong call for Design Review. The • Reviews and analyzes proposed projects to Design Review Board (DRB) is an appointed provide early design guidance Early Design Guidance Massing study body which makes recommendations on project • Provides an avenue for public feedback design based upon their interpretation of appli- cable Urban Design Principles and the intent and Design Review Developer Benefits purpose of development standards. • Allows developers to respond to unique site conditions This Plan expands the Design Review boundary • Provides relief from prescriptive dimensional requirements such as setbacks and bulk to cover the full Subarea for all projects achiev- • Promotes community participation on projects. ing the following threshold; 1. Residential units of four or greater 2. Commercial projects of 5,000 sq. ft. or Chapter 4: District Character contains a set greater. of Urban Design Principles for each Character 3. For projects meeting (1) and (2) above and are: District. These principles are a guide for the a. Retrofitting the exterior of an existing building that increases nonconformity DRB’s review and conditioning of development proposals. The DRB will also be responsible with the design standards of the Subarea Detailed Design Plan; or for interpreting the adequacy of public amenity b. The placement of accessory structure, features with developments in the Downtown addition of a building, or other similar Core and Downtown Waterfront Districts make applications that does not comply with the use of the Public Amenity Bonus system. design standards or principles of the Subarea. This will allow site responsive flexibility to be set for small scale infill projects as well as large scale developments. The following is a summary of expected benefits from an expanded Design Review Program. URBAN DESIGN STRATEGY 3-21 3.4 VIEWS AND VANTAGE POINTS Among Bremerton’s greatest assets is its exten- sive waterfront and maritime heritage. With good planning, water access and views can be shared by the public as well as future private 11th development. Street-ends to the waterfront should be priori- tized as public