1. THE AVENUE OF FLAGS Specific Plan - Workshop #1 Buellton Recreation Center Gymnasium June 27, 2015

2. PURPOSE OF WORKSHOP Continue to implement Buellton Vision Plan Identify which issues are most important regarding The Avenue of Flags Prioritize: Key planning considerations

3. WORKSHOP OUTLINE  The Buellton Vision  What We’ve Accomplished So Far  Moving Forward – An Action Plan  Opportunities & Key Planning Issues  Interactive Planning Stations & Activities

4. VISION – PROCESS & GOALS Buellton Vision Plan – Accepted by City Council February 2012

5. Buellton Community Visioning 2010

6. Vision Goals 1.Portray a Positive Buellton Image & Brand 2.Expand Opportunities for Active & Healthy Living 3.Offer a Variety of Arts & Culture Opportunities 4.Promote Desired Change through Planning & Design 5.Create a Vibrant Downtown 6.Maintain the Strong Sense of Community & Family 7.Be a Leader in Environmental Sustainability & Stewardship 8.Foster Local Economic Development That Supports the Community Vision

7. WHAT WE’VE ACCOMPLISHED

8. DESIGN STUDIES The Avenue of Flags / Highway 246 Urban Design Plan Buellton Civic Center Studies The Avenue of Flags, Urban Design Plans –Four (4) Plans, alternative designs and median alignment options –Prepared by Cal Poly Urban Design Studio class

9. CORRIDOR STUDY Constraints study evaluating roadway realignment options for The Avenue of Flags corridor 3 potential alternatives considered Option 1: Retain Median Option 2: The Curve Option 3: East Side Alignment Key issues and constraints studied : Land Use Vehicular Circulation Pedestrian and Bicycle Circulation Infrastructure and Drainage

10. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STUDIES Kosmont was retained by the City to prepare an Economic Development Strategy and Implementation Plan: 1.Analysis a)Economic & Demographic Profile (Households, Industries) b)Market Supply and Demand Analysis (Retail/Industrial/Office) 2.Strategy a)Economic Development SWOT Evaluation b)Trade Area Retailer Voids c)Opportunity Site Assessment 3.Implementation a)Targeted Retailers / Developers / Businesses b)Matching with Prioritized Opportunity Sites c)Marketing/Outreach Activities d)Evaluation of Fiscal Impacts and Economic Benefits e)Post-Redevelopment Financing / Funding / Incentives (e.g., DOR)

11. VISION PLAN GOALS & ACCOMPLISHMENTS

12. Provide a clear & consistent City image –Develop branding strategy for The Avenue (In Progress) Highlight & celebrate Buellton’s unique offerings/heritage –Historical Society is inventorying Buellton’s historical landmarks, collections, and points of interest –The City is home to several festivals and events that celebrate Buellton’s heritage and local resources Goal 1: PORTRAY A POSITIVE IMAGE & BRAND

13. Increase connectivity for pedestrians & cyclists –Bikeway & Pedestrian Master Plan adopted and being implemented as development projects are processed Ensure access to healthy food sources –School District Food Program at Oak Valley Elementary school, which receives lunches from the Solvang School Cafeteria, providing meals made from local and fresh food. Increase recreational opportunities for all ages –Develop trail along Zaca Creek ( In Progress ) Goal 2: ACTIVE & HEALTHY LIVING

14. Foster & support local artists & artisans –Mixed-Use Ordinance adopted; contains live-work units in all commercial and industrial zones, allowing artists to live, work and sell in one location. Expand tourism to include arts & cultural activities –Community events / festivals that celebrate arts & culture have been and will continue to be held, including Arts on the Avenue, Vintners’ Festival Goal 3: ARTS & CULTURE OPPORTUNITIES

15. Promote attractive, well-maintained neighborhoods and districts –Architectural and Landscape Design Review has been implemented as part of land use/development permit application process –Mixed Use Ordinance has been modified and adopted to support this goal Provide an environment that appeals to and supports both residents and visitors –Wayfinding signs have been installed Goal 4: PLANNING & DESIGN Maintain Small Town Character

16. Coordinate development & improvements on The Avenue –Downtown bikeways and trails incorporated into adopted Bikeway and Pedestrian Master Plan –Buellton Apartments (approved project) required to construct trail along Zaca Creek –Enhanced striping for existing bikeways on Avenue of Flags –Prepare Downtown Specific Plan ( In Progress ) –Evaluate roadway alignment options, per Corridor Constraints Study ( In Progress ) Goal 5: CREATE A VIBRANT DOWNTOWN

17. Organizational support for transformation of The Avenue –Economic development staff / task force has been formed and is providing guidance to the City in general, and specifically to preparation of The Avenue Specific Plan –Avenue of Flags Property owners group has been formed and has met on numerous occasions Goal 5: VIBRANT DOWNTOWN – cont’d

18. Foster community events/programs that promote social interaction –Numerous events are provided throughout the year, including Winterfest, Arts on the Avenue, Holiday Bazaar, and extensive programs/trips are offered by City Maintain an ongoing dialogue with community members –City’s website has been revised to reflect community events and to make more use friendly, including when viewed on mobile phones –Annual state of the City address is held each year –The “Buellton Buzz”, city newsletter, is provided to residents bi- monthly via the water bill mailing. Goal 6: STRONG SENSE OF COMMUNITY & FAMILY

19. Maintain a compact form bounded by natural & rural areas –All development occurs within the City’s urban growth boundary, encouraging small businesses and accessibility by foot, bike and public transit –The City honors the greenbelt area between Buellton and Solvang Green building standards and sustainability efforts –City follows requirements of CalGreen Building Code –Development projects are conditioned to provide green features above and beyond the code requirements –Recently approved Townhome project will have 100% solar –City’s Green Team is currently being formed, first meeting is scheduled for July 8, 2015 Goal 7: ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY

20. Guide economic development efforts by a strategy & City staff support –An Economic Development Task Force has been formed and continues to be active promoting economic development strategies and planning efforts such as The Avenue of Flags Specific Plan Develop Buellton as a known visitor destination within the Santa Ynez Valley & in its own right –A Special Events Committee has been formed to promote visitor-oriented events –A Business Improvement District (BID) has been formed in the valley, including Buellton Goal 8: ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

21. MOVING FORWARD: AN ACTION PLAN IMPLEMENTING THE VISION

22. VISION Design Guidelines Downtown Specific Plan Mixed Use Ordinance Sign Ordinance Bikeway & Pedestrian Master Plan Economic Dev. & Tourism Strategy Branding Strategy/ Communication & Marketing Plan Sustainability Strategy Urban Design Plan Form-Based Code

23. AVENUE OF FLAGS SPECIFIC PLAN What is a Specific Plan? –A mini-General Plan for a portion of a City –Builds on the City’s General Plan goals –Contents are guided by State law Why do we need a Specific Plan for The Avenue ? –The City’s Vision identifies the future of the Avenue as a key component to achieving the that vision –It’s the appropriate document to govern long-term development of the area

24. SPECIFIC PLAN – cont’d What does a Specific Plan contain? –Land Use Plan –Circulation Plan –Development Standards and Regulations –Infrastructure Requirements and Phasing –Cost and Financing Mechanisms Specific Plan advantages: –Power of zoning; able to establish form-based code –Addresses specific infrastructure, circulation, parking needs –Economic incentives addressed –Environmental review makes development easier

25. WHAT IS “FORM-BASED CODE”? A means of regulating land development to achieve a specific urban form and mix of uses Focuses of the physical form of development Addresses the relationship between public and private spaces such as the interaction between streets, blocks, and buildings in terms of form, scale and massing, and the use of frontage areas Creates predictable public realm by including standards for design of streets and open spaces

26. Conventional Zoning vs. Form-Based Codes Form-Based Code: Street and building types (or mix of types), build-to lines, number of floors, and percentage of built site frontage specified Conventional Zoning: Use, density, setbacks, FAR, parking req’ts, max. building heights specified Zoning + Design Guidelines: Conventional zoning, plus frequency of openings & surface articulation specified

27. VISION Design Guidelines Downtown Specific Plan Mixed Use Ordinance Sign Ordinance Bikeway & Pedestrian Master Plan Economic Development Strategy Branding Strategy/ Communication & Marketing Plan Sustainability Strategy Urban Design Plan

28. Post-Redevelopment Economic Development Tools for Public-Private Projects Economic Development Real Estate Project Real Estate & Property Special Districts (Tourism, BIDs, etc.) Taxes & Revenue Based Financing P3 + Infrastructure Land Use / Zoning (Higher Density; Parking) Theses tools often work best when blended together 28 DOR

29. 29 Land Use/Zoning as an Economic Development Tool Specific Plans incorporating a Development Opportunity Reserve (DOR): Goal: Incorporate and convert ED priorities to zoning policy objectives, rewarding developers of preferred uses Problem: Up-zoning used to stimulate economic development often results in a windfall to existing landowners, not targeted users Bright Idea: Combine Specific Plans with Economic Development “Kicker” Land Use/Zoning as Economic Dev’t Tool

30. Economic Dev’t “Kicker” >> Incentives Incentives should protect/advance community desires pursuant to the Specific Plan Place incentives (e.g., residential density bonus, parking reduction) into a “Reserve Account,” as opposed to being distributed automatically on a per-parcel basis Incentives are allotted to new projects that comply with pre-set “community benefits or objectives” (e.g., provide public restrooms/parking/art, trail/library fees) Economic value of “DOR” incentives goes to desired projects vs. existing owners

31. HOW DOES “DOR” WORK? If certain voluntary exactions are provided to the City, then certain incentives are given for development of a property Examples: Burbank Media District Specific Plan and Overlay Zone (1991 – present) allows more density through CUP process for projects that meet community goals (e.g. infrastructure) Developer agrees to build off-site public parking lot, in return, Parking requirements on developer’s property are reduced to give more developable area

32. PRIORITIZING THE ISSUES OPPORTUNITIES & KEY PLANNING CONCEPTS

33. WORKSHOP PROGRAM 9:30 a.m. Stations. “What Issues Are Most Important?” –Workshop attendees circulate in small groups to “key issues” topic stations for more information, interactive discussion and issue prioritizing –Concurrent sessions * 20 minute rotation at each station * –* Rotation times: A - 9:30, B - 9:50, C - 10:10, D - 10:30 TOPICS & STATION MANAGERS –Architectural Design & Form-Based Code – Greg Ravatt & Angela Perez –Planning & Land Use – Marc Bierdzinski & Irma Tucker –Road Alignment, Circulation, Parking – John Rickenbach & Rose Hess –Economic Development / DOR – Ken Hira & Joe Dieguez (Kosmont Companies)

34. PROGRAM – Cont’d 10:50 a.m. Break 11:00 a.m. Early wrap Mini-Summary of outcomes at each station 11:30 a.m. Mapping Activity Let’s plan The Avenue! 12:00 approx. Conclusion & Lunch –Overall Wrap-up of Workshop

35. Thank You and Proceed to Stations