HISTORIC TOWN CENTER MASTER PLAN

C H A M B E R O F C O M M E RC E

P R E S E N TAT I O N

D E C E M B E R 7 , 2 0 1 1

BACKGROUND

In early 2008, the City retained the Urban Land Institute (ULI) to prepare recommendations and identify opportunities for improving the downtown business climate.

In June 2009, as a result of the findings of the ULI Report, the City Council decided that the 1995 Historic Town Center Master Plan should be comprehensively updated.

In January 2010, the City Council retained Studio 111 to prepare a comprehensive update of the Historic Town Center Master Plan and they began the update process with a series of community workshops and design charrettes.

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MASTER PLAN OBJECTIVES

Preserve and enhance the role of the Town Center District as the civic and commercial heart of the City.

Encourage an expanded mix of retail, commercial, civic and residential uses to create a lively 18-hour mixed-use environment.

Preserve and honor the historic buildings and other resources of the Town Center as integral and generative elements of its urban and architectural character.

Enhance the design of all open spaces, including streets, parks, plazas, courts, paseos, as a well-connected network of a comfortable pedestrian-oriented public realm, the “outdoor rooms” in which the life of the town may thrive.

Support a village-scaled density with building massing that strengthens the pedestrian realm and historic character.

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MASTER PLAN OBJECTIVES (cont.)

Develop an interconnected street network to encourage a pedestrian supportive block structure.

Rebalance transportation modes and parking arrangements to emphasize comfortable and safe pedestrian, bicycle, transit and equestrian access and circulation, while enabling convenient automobile access at speeds that complement these modes.

Implement a shared parking system to manage an adequate pool of on-street and off-street parking as a critical element of community infrastructure.

Encourage new buildings and renovations of existing buildings to provide welcoming frontages scaled to the pedestrian and attractive facades that extend and complete the historic town pattern, defining the public realm of the district.

Make the Town Center the local and regional focal point for celebration of the history and culture of South Orange County.

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Historic & Cultural Landmarks

1. Mission San Juan Capistrano.

2. Blas Aguilar Adobe.

3. Esslinger Building.

4. Manuel Garcia Adobe.

5. Domingo Yorba Adobe.

6. Montanez Adobe.

7. Stroschein House.

8. Los Rios Historic District.

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HTC MASTER PLAN

Existing New Development Build-out

Retail 559,089 -27,385 531,704Commercial/Offi ce 103,434 113,665 217,099Civic 49,872 20,661 70,533Religious 107,490 1,116 108,606Education 77,617 0 77,617Other 19,385 -4,478 14,907

Subtotal 916,887 103,579 1,020,466 11.3%Residential (239 at 1,150 gsf @) 0 274,850 274,850Hotel (214 at 858 gsf @) 0 183,566 183,566

Subtotal 916,887 561,995 1,478,882 61.3%Parking 3,419 58 3,477Residential 40 239 279Hotel 0 214 214

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HTCMASTER

PLANCONCEPT

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HISTORIC TOWN CENTER MASTER PLAN

ILLUSTRATIVE PLAN: DOWNTOWN CORE

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PHASING PLAN: SHORT-TERMYEAR 2011-2015

a. Plaza Banderas Hotel.b. Mission Grille/Pedro’s Tacos.c. Mission Gift Shop & Ortega Hwy. frontage.d. Camino Capistrano (Ortega-Forster.e. El Camino Real improvements.f. Verdugo Street improvements.

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PHASING PLAN: MEDIUM TERMYEAR 2015-2025

a. Forster Street extension.b. I-5/Ortega Highway

Interchange improvements.

c. Camino Capistrano improvements (Forster-Del Obispo Street.

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PHASING PLAN: LONG TERMBEYOND 2025

a. Park-Once (Ortega) Structure and Yorba extension.

b. Gateway retail.c. Del Obispo Street North.d. Historic Town Center

Park /City Hall

EMINENT DOMAIN:

Proposed HTC Master Plan policy language:

For planned street extensions in the Historic Town Center planning area, the City's intent is that eminent domain will only be used to address critical public health and safety issues and will not be used to achieve design or economic objectives of the Master Plan. Moreover, the City will pursue the recommended street extensions only in cases where the affected property owner(s), whose property(ies) the street right-of-way would cross, support and/or initiate the street extension.

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IMPLEMENTATION:

Through City capital improvement projects within the planning area to implement streetscape and parking improvements.

Through the investment and business decisions of individual property owners and the City’s review of private development projects under the Form-Based Code.

Through Community Redevelopment Agency and/or City financial assistance to new development.

Through continued implementation of the City’s façade improvement program.

Through potential creation of a “business improvement district” (BID) which would be subject to approval by 75% of district landowners to fund parking structure improvements.

Through public-private partnerships between the City and the Chamber of Commerce as wells as individual business/property owners.

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE ROLE:

Continue to support and advocate for the adoption of a new Master Plan for the Historic Town Center that will balance historic preservation and business/economic objectives.

Provide testimony as part of the public review process highlighting the importance of the Master Plan in creating a unified vision of the Historic Town Center for the community.

Encourage member businesses and business property owners to get involved in the public review process on the Master Plan.

Following the adoption of the Master Plan, create a Historic Town Center Sub-committee to encourage private investment in the Historic Town Center and provide input to the City on planned capital improvement projects (streetscape, lighting, parking).

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Questions & Answers

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