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of Planning & Development La Grange Place Overview Site Plan Introduction Executive Summary Narrative Summary
of Proposal

• Introduction
• Major Goals of the Project
• Assembling the Property
• Intergovernmental Agreement - Land Exchange - Traffic Improvements
• Requested Zoning Changes
• Discussion of standards
  to support text amendment to zoning
• BNSF Subarea Compliance
• Economic Case for the Project
• Discussion of Planned Development Standards
• Standards for All Planned Developments
• Additional Standards for Excellence in Design that justify modifications to allow increases in the density of Planned Developments
• Environmental Stewardship

Site Survey & Illustrations

Compliance with BNSF Subarea Plan

The BNSF Subarea Plan seeks to foster more transit supportive development and suggests that "density", "design" and "diversity" are the keys. We have excerpted some provisions:

Density

Pertinent transit-supportive principles related to density include:

• Encourage higher housing densities within one-quarter mile, or a five minute walk, of station areas.
• Densities should respect community sensitivity relative to building height, especially adjacent to single family neighborhood areas.
• Minimize mass and bulk in building design through the use of pedestrian-scaled detailing, facade variation and upper-story building setbacks.

Our Project meets these principles—we are near the rail station. A significant percentage of our residents are likely to use the trains, as happens with residents of the Beacon Place condominiums. Our height is less than the Beacon Place condominiums. We have setback the fifth floor to minimize bulk and the building is articulated with many setbacks and offsets in the building facade, a traditional residential design, peaked roofs, large windows and a landscaped terrace courtyard.

Design

Key principles related to design are:

• Maintain and emphasize pedestrian and bicycle improvements
  and access.
• Consider reductions in required otf-street parking standards for commercial and residential uses in areas well served by transit—especially land use areas within one-quarter mile of station areas.
• Extend a pedestrian oriented streetscape on all BNSF Railroad Corridor streets.
• Develop wayfinding improvements which serve the needs of cyclists and pedestrians, as well as motorists.
• The Village should seek opportunities to provide or encourage shared parking facilities.
• Street hierarchy should be addressed with a focus on pedestrian needs, rather than on typical vehicle capacity considerations.
• Develop intermodal transit facilities for transferring passengers, including sensitive design of facilities, access, and safety. These facilities include bus stops, bicycle storage areas, "kiss and ride" lanes and commuter parking facilities.
• Amenities, services and facilities which cater to the commuter/pedestrian should be considered at key intermodal facilities.
• Roadway space should be allocated for required circulation, but signal timing and cross-walk right-of-way priorities should favor the pedestrian.
• Public spaces should feel secure, with adequate lighting and visibility. Such lighting and visibility should not encroach on residential properties.

Our proposal to provide the overhead pedestrian bridge to link Gordon Park and Village commuter lots to Hillgrove Avenue is an obvious example of reacting to and incorporating the foregoing design standards. The new entry way signs, drop-off improvements and related landscaping will provide a modem, attractive and inviting gateway to Gordon Park and provide safe passage for users of the Village's commuter lots. We have supplied conceptual details for the future planning and redevelopment within Gordon Park. Our Comprehensive Contextual Site Plan gives some thought to the eventual layout, with soccer fields that could overlay baseball playing fields and allow for such dual use. Also, we envision retaining handball, tennis and basketball courts, but responding to recreational needs will be an on-going process of discovery and adjustment. What we have set out to do is to create safe and easy access, and a beautiful setting and context in which the on-going renewal can take place.

Diversity

The following principles are related to diversity:

• Mixed-use developments are highly desirable.
• Mixed-use might not always be accommodated within one building, but can be reflected in the transit station area as a whole.
• Maintaining a strong presence of public facilities within TOD areas is crucial to sustaining a vibrant, mixed-use environment.
• Varied housing types should be located within walking distance to transit facilities.
• Retail, office and residential land uses generate the greatest ridership and are most mutually supportive in a TOD area.
• Retail development must be market driven; transit access strengthens the market but does not create it.
• Density combined with mixed land use creates the most effective and successful TOD, particularly with regard to generating increased usage of transit facilities.

The Project is a mixed-use development that follows a growing consensus in transit supportive development. It is adding several components to the Village's housing mix - rental housing and rowhomes - when there is a great demand for this type of housing. The depletion of rental units in the area and the limited amount of new rental construction are documented in the marketing report, prepared by Tracy Cross & Associates, Inc. dated May 10, 2007 that is included with our submittal. The addition of the units in the Project will strengthen the Triangle Redevelopment Project and place all of our residents near the rail station and just outside of the core downtown area. The commercial components of the Project should help to galvanize the gains made from other recent redevelopment activity and strengthen the Village's tax base.