On the agenda

1. 1Call to Order - Roll Call▶ 0:00
2. 2

   Presentation of US Highway 19 and Downtown Master Plan Drafts

   discussed

   Consultants from Mahan Reichel, Arnett Muldrow, Community Design Solutions, and Place and Main Advisors presented draft recommendations for Phase 2 of the US Highway 19 and Downtown Master Plan, covering branding follow-up, market analysis, and visioning for active/micro-mobility, parking, public art, housing, and geographic sub-areas including the historic downtown core, North and South Gateways, and Highway 19 nodes. The presentation included streetscape, shade tree, wayfinding, facade, and infill development concepts (e.g., Bourbon on Main, Sims Building, Main and Grand). No formal action was taken; council was asked to review and provide feedback.

   📍Area between the river and Adams Street (primarily between Adams and Bank Street)📍Between Bank and Adams📍Corner of Grand at Circle Boulevard📍Northeast corner of Main and Grand🏢Arnett Muldrow🏢Bourbon on Main🏢Community Design Solutions🏢Mahan Reichel🏢Place and Main Advisors🏢Tampa Bay Regional Planning Commission👤Aaron Arnett👤Charles Rudd👤Debbie Manz👤Randy Wilson👤Tom McGilloway#Bourbon on Main facade improvements#Grand Boulevard cycle track#Main Street streetscape enhancements#North Gateway#Park and Recreation Master Plan#Phase 2 - Market Analysis and Visioning#Railroad Square#Sims Building facade improvements#Sims Park#South Gateway#US Highway 19 and Downtown Master Plan

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   [00:00:17] Very good. [00:00:19] We've got two things on the agenda, the first of which is the presentation of the U.S. 19 [00:00:23] and downtown master plan drafts. [00:00:27] Yes, sir, Mr. Mayor. [00:00:28] It's hard to believe, but we actually have been working on this project for over one year. [00:00:33] We've had the pleasure and distinction of working with Arnett Muldrow and Community Design Solutions, [00:00:41] Mahan, Reichel, and Place and Main Advisors, who were selected as a top-rated firm. [00:00:50] They have completed the first phase of the project, which was to establish a branding platform [00:00:59] and a marketing and public relations plan for the city. [00:01:03] This evening they will be revealing the second phase of the project, which involves some market analysis. [00:01:16] And I'm going to allow Mr. Rudd, who's worked very closely with them on this component of the project, [00:01:23] to further address their work, which will be presented to you this evening. [00:01:30] Mr. Rudd. [00:01:31] Thank you. [00:01:32] As Ms. Manz indicated, this is phase two of a process. [00:01:36] Phase two began last fall, early last fall, and the ideas presented to you last October at a public workshop [00:01:44] have been fleshed out with more images to help illustrate the vision. [00:01:49] We want your feedback as our representatives to finalize this plan. [00:01:53] We will make this presentation available to you so you can review it more carefully and provide us with feedback. [00:01:58] This is both a visionary, long-range plan and a plan that provides interim steps that can lead us to that vision. [00:02:04] Tom McGilloway from Mahan, Reichel, which is part of our team with Arnett Muldrow, is here to take us through the plan. [00:02:11] Thanks, Tom. [00:02:14] All right. [00:02:15] Thank you, Council, Charles, and Mr. Mayor. [00:02:19] It's a pleasure to be back here this evening. [00:02:22] And we were here last in October, so we had a lot of good input at our previous meetings, [00:02:29] and we're going to now be presenting some of the updates, as Charles indicated. [00:02:36] So we have a lot of slides here. [00:02:38] Most of these I'll go through pretty quickly, but some are review. [00:02:42] The first one is, you know, why plan now? [00:02:45] And, you know, in response, New Port Richey is a community in transition, [00:02:50] and we're really moving from a state of look what's possible to what's next. [00:02:55] We've already accomplished quite a bit in the past eight years with numerable recognizable successes, [00:03:01] and so this is taking the next step forward. [00:03:04] As Charles said, we have an opportunity to look down the road to 10 years and beyond. [00:03:10] You know, the community is really transitioning from a place that is convenient for automobiles [00:03:15] to something that's a little more convenient and friendly to pedestrians, [00:03:19] focusing on just existing markets but to not only existing markets but emerging and potential ones, [00:03:25] and then looking beyond the downtown core to an expanded downtown, [00:03:30] and then looking at taking some, you know, parking areas that can transition to active uses as the downtown expands. [00:03:38] It's important to do this while recognizing New Port Richey's scale and community character. [00:03:42] We heard a lot about that when we met with community members and stakeholders, [00:03:47] and, you know, a premise that Arnette Muldrow and Mahan Reichel and Community Design Solutions really designed by [00:03:53] is that, you know, a community that works first for its residents also works for visitors. [00:03:57] So we really want to stress we're looking to these recommendations are really geared toward making New Port Richey a better place for the residents. [00:04:04] What is the goal? [00:04:06] The goal is to create an achievable master plan for downtown on the Highway 19 corridor, [00:04:12] and, you know, I want to emphasize achievable. [00:04:15] We're looking at a framework of incremental implementation. [00:04:18] This is what we're showing is not going to happen overnight. [00:04:22] A lot of it is filling in the gaps between and among successes that you've already had and demonstrated, [00:04:28] and then we're looking at, you know, Highway 19, which is a very long corridor. [00:04:33] It's a much more complex animal than downtown, [00:04:36] so we're focusing on specific nodes where we think there's the most success. [00:04:40] I want to emphasize that neighborhood planning is also occurring concurrently to this, but it's not part of this focus. [00:04:48] However, we're looking at how neighborhoods connect and transition into the downtown. [00:04:53] So our focus of this effort is the North Gateway that you see at the top of the plan, [00:04:58] the core area, which is the downtown, and some districts that surround it, and then also the South Gateway. [00:05:05] Some of the previous work we've done to date that Debbie and Charles alluded to, [00:05:10] the community branding and visioning that's completed. [00:05:14] We had a public meeting on October 8th and then a Charette work session here October 29th, [00:05:20] and then we've also been coordinating with the Tampa Bay Regional Planning Commission on their study for resiliency. [00:05:28] Just some examples, and both Erin Arnett and I have just been blown away by how quickly you move towards implementation here. [00:05:36] Some of the work, some of the branding, the wayfinding that's been implemented, your website, your communications. [00:05:43] It's very impressive. [00:05:45] Some of the themes that we've heard when we met with stakeholders in the past, I'm not going to read through all of these. [00:05:50] This is a review, but filling in the gaps, community character and scale is something we heard a lot about, walkability, [00:05:57] the need for more shade and comforts, balancing bike and other forms of active mobility with the automobile traffic, [00:06:06] more downtown living and more options for downtown living, increasing the vibrant retail and active uses, [00:06:12] and then continuing the good work that you've already been doing on code enforcement [00:06:16] and addressing some of the vagrancy and impacts on the community. [00:06:20] For Highway 19, recognizing this is a long-term framework, so we want to focus on some gateways and some key successes [00:06:29] and then some key nodes along the corridor, and I'll share some of those as we move through. [00:06:35] So with the draft recommendations, we've divided this into two parts. [00:06:40] The first part is functional plan elements. [00:06:43] These are elements that, regardless of the geographic area they span, they apply to any geographic area, [00:06:50] so they're more generalized, like parking, public art, housing, and some active and micro-mobility, [00:06:56] and I'll explain those terms in a minute. [00:06:59] So we've divided this out for each aspect of the plan. [00:07:03] We have a vision statement for active and micro-mobility. [00:07:08] The vision is that New Port Richey is friendly, safe, and convenient for pedestrians, [00:07:13] non-motorized and low-speed motorized vehicles with an interconnected network of infrastructure. [00:07:19] So active mobility refers to anything that's people-powered, bikes, scooters, non-motorized scooters, walking, and so forth, [00:07:28] and then micro-mobility, a term used to define lightweight, low-speed vehicles such as golf courts, electric bikes, and so forth. [00:07:39] We're recommending in the plan, the written draft will have more information on this, [00:07:45] but really emphasizing some of the recommendations from the Park and Recreation Master Plan [00:07:50] to continue connecting an interconnected network for bikes, utilizing the right balance of infrastructure improvements, [00:07:57] recognizing that downtown doesn't necessarily have the capability for every street to have a dedicated bike lane, [00:08:03] but focusing those efforts where it can. [00:08:06] But a big part is increasing awareness and just more signage, pavement markings. [00:08:11] These are sharrows, signs of share of the road, [00:08:14] just to make automobile users more aware that there's other forms of mobility than just the automobile and the community. [00:08:23] With parking, the vision is that New Port Richey offers a balanced network of parking resources that are convenient, [00:08:30] but located in a way that supports walkable environments and a park once philosophy. [00:08:35] And when we say park once, that's really key for downtown. [00:08:38] You want visitors to come in, park their car, and then walk to everything, walk by stores on their way to a restaurant, [00:08:44] and support those rather than driving everywhere. [00:08:47] New Port Richey really has a wealth of parking resources, and they're all identified here, [00:08:52] including the new garage over west of the Main Street District. [00:08:59] And so the effort here, one of the things we heard a lot is that newcomers don't always know where these parking resources are. [00:09:06] So when we were here in October, Aaron shared some of the concepts for improving the wayfinding and signage [00:09:12] and the naming and the marking for some of these parking resources. [00:09:15] There may be some actual pavement markings directing you to the parking resources, just making it more user-friendly. [00:09:22] And then also looking at, you know, it could be with sign systems, but also the banner system to identify these resources. [00:09:32] And then also, it's a little hard to see in this photograph, but on the right, adding to the wayfinding signage, [00:09:38] arrows and wayfinding to the parking resources. [00:09:42] And then once you park within the parking resource, having pedestrian-oriented wayfinding directing you to the different parts of downtown [00:09:52] and some of the key businesses. [00:09:55] Public art is another theme. [00:09:58] The vision, New Port Richey embraces the diversity of its history and its culture through public art. [00:10:03] And this is apparent in the built form of the downtown. [00:10:07] You have a strong mural program. [00:10:10] One of the things we heard in our previous meetings was it would be nice to get, you know, [00:10:14] the focus on the history and culture is great for the mural program, but it would be nice to get more, expand that, [00:10:21] have some more vibrant color and maybe some brighter, maybe more funky public art introduced. [00:10:26] And so we'll be talking about that, that there might be districts in the downtown where something like that is more achievable, [00:10:31] such as Railroad Square. [00:10:33] And then also looking at art as a functional element, whether it's in the bike racks or benches or other functional components, [00:10:40] how can art be incorporated into that? [00:10:43] In terms of housing, New Port Richey continues to support investment in single-family homes, [00:10:49] while continuing to expand the variety of its housing product with a balanced mix of housing types, [00:10:55] densities, and scales in the appropriate locations. [00:10:58] And that's what really is making New Port Richey great, the diversity of housing you have now, [00:11:05] and then that increase of product mix that's going to be appealing for young professionals moving to the district [00:11:12] or maybe empty nesters who are tired of supporting a single-family home. [00:11:17] It also helps economically support the downtown, [00:11:21] and you have some great examples of what's already been implemented here. [00:11:25] So we'll be looking at it in the master plan. [00:11:27] We talked about how some of the neighborhood planning interfaces with the downtown, [00:11:32] recommending that there's a more detailed housing product option, [00:11:36] needs assessment developed to explore not only single-family renovations, [00:11:41] but also other options for other housing products, improving the stock adjacent to downtown, [00:11:47] and then expanding the design guidelines to include a housing that focuses on design quality, scale, [00:11:54] massing, and increased density in appropriate locations. [00:11:59] And then housing, this shows just some of the neighborhoods. [00:12:03] There's a wealth of distinct neighborhoods surrounding the downtown, and how those interface is very important. [00:12:10] A lot of great examples of investment in single-family homes existing, and then new infill. [00:12:16] And then these are some examples from other communities. [00:12:19] I was just actually down in Dunedin earlier today, [00:12:25] and they have some great examples of some infill housing as well that we'll update the presentation for the final draft to include those. [00:12:32] But just some different products that are appropriate for transitioning into higher-density areas. [00:12:40] This next part of the plan is really focused on geographic plan elements, [00:12:44] so looking at specific areas and the specific recommendations within those areas. [00:12:50] Our first focus is the core, the downtown, and the surrounding areas. [00:12:55] And the plan is actually divided into several sub-areas that are all outlined here, and I'll go through each of these. [00:13:03] So the first one is the historic downtown, really the area between the river and Adams Street, [00:13:11] primarily between Adams and Bank Street, but then also that transition to the river. [00:13:16] The vision for the historic downtown is that it continues to symbolize the heart of the community, [00:13:22] maintaining its low scale while showcasing its architectural integrity and expanded mix of uses. [00:13:28] One of the things that we heard a lot about was the scale, not wanting to lose the scale of the historic downtown. [00:13:34] So when we talk about some increased densities, we're really looking at some of the areas adjacent to the historic town, [00:13:40] but really looking at maintaining that scale that you have in the downtown. [00:13:45] So we have an overall illustrative plan that shows the area primarily between the river and Madison Street, [00:13:52] and we'll be going through some of these areas. We'll zoom in on some of these areas with the plan. [00:13:57] So the first part of the recommendation for the core is Main Street and streetscape enhancements. [00:14:04] And we've looked at between Bank and Adams a big priority, [00:14:09] and something we've heard a lot about was introducing some more shade. [00:14:13] So we've identified some areas where some of the sidewalk areas, planters, could be extended, [00:14:18] and introducing some shade trees, not getting rid of all the palm trees and replacing with shade trees, [00:14:23] but introducing strategically some shade trees where we can. [00:14:27] We've also looked at maybe accenting the intersections with special paving to demarcate those, [00:14:35] and then special paving on the sidewalk. [00:14:39] One of the things, you know, we heard some comments about brick. This is in Winter Park. [00:14:44] Red brick gets very hot, especially in this climate, [00:14:49] so we would recommend that maybe that's a use that could be done in the inner street intersections, [00:14:54] but the sidewalks, if there is a special paving, or even if it's concrete, keeping a lighter color. [00:15:00] though, to keep some of the heat index down, but also introducing the shade to help provide [00:15:07] some cool and comfort. But the intersections, and this is also in Winter Park, there could [00:15:12] be emphasis on the intersections with Main Street. This is an example of an area where [00:15:18] we see maybe some of that large bump out area, that sidewalk extension, could become one [00:15:24] large planter and then introduce some larger shade trees, canopy trees within the district. [00:15:32] We're also looking at infill and facade opportunities. Again, this is a long-term framework plan, [00:15:39] so we're not trying to impose what individual property owners should do on their property. [00:15:47] It's just giving ideas if they were to ever redevelop or there was opportunity to redevelop [00:15:52] what they could do. The first here is the northeast corner of Main and Grand. The market [00:15:58] that's there now, if that were ever to be an infill development site, we'd recommend [00:16:03] a building be developed more to the street edge in concert with the rest of the downtown [00:16:09] building fabric. And then also in the surface lot next to Bourbon on Main, if that ever [00:16:15] became an opportunity for infill development, again, that's an opportunity to consider. [00:16:22] This is the Main and Grand opportunity. The existing market building, and Charles and [00:16:28] I talked that we might be looking at also options of how can you enhance this existing [00:16:32] site and not just redevelop it. But this is the idea of if it were to redevelop, maybe [00:16:38] introduce a two-story building, might have a little more setback than the other buildings [00:16:42] so there's a larger area to introduce some shade and canopy that has southern exposure. [00:16:47] So getting shade, especially if you wanted to attract outdoor dining and restaurant uses [00:16:52] would be very important. And then also we next want to talk about some facade opportunities. [00:17:00] Our team member Randy Wilson of Community Design Solutions looked at some potential [00:17:05] facade improvements for the Bourbon on Main and then the Sims Building facades. This is [00:17:15] the existing Bourbon on Main facade. This is recognizing that there are historically [00:17:22] windows here on the upper floor, the lower floor, and over the years the facade's been [00:17:28] drastically altered. So we wanted to look at options, some options that are low-hanging [00:17:32] fruit that are going to be more affordable, and then some other more aggressive options [00:17:39] if the resources are available and some funding could allow. [00:17:44] So the first is just simply with paint color, breaking up some of that blank facade, trying [00:17:50] to distinguish between the base of the building and the top of the building, just introducing [00:17:55] a little more character into that building. The other is maybe the canopy incorporates [00:18:00] a burgundy color or a different color to do that. Those are fairly simple improvements. [00:18:06] But then this is a more extreme example, but this actually takes the building back to what [00:18:12] it historically looked like. And looking at historic photos, we don't have one in the [00:18:16] presentation, but looking at the original canopy opening up or revealing the windows [00:18:22] on the second floor could be a tremendous opportunity for the downtown. [00:18:27] We're also showing this sketch, the pavement in the Main Street intersection, and then [00:18:32] also the Grand Boulevard cycle track that we'll talk about in a little bit. [00:18:39] The other is the Sims building. This is already a fairly attractive facade, but just showing [00:18:45] the attention with the addition of a canopy and some additional light arms, what can be [00:18:49] enhanced. We're going to be looking at it. We had some good comments of perhaps showing [00:18:53] what this could look like if the original storefront windows were stored in this building, [00:18:57] so we'll be looking at that as well. But this is a fairly minimal intervention on that. [00:19:03] And again, these could be, while they're for specific buildings, other property owners [00:19:07] or businesses that have similar buildings could use some of these for the inspiration. [00:19:13] Another opportunity we see is at the corner of Grand at Circle Boulevard. If that property [00:19:21] were to ever redevelop or business relocate, showing that's an infill opportunity to really [00:19:28] take advantage of defining a street edge, getting some active uses on Grand Boulevard, [00:19:35] but then also taking advantage of the proximity to Sims Park and the views onto the lake and [00:19:41] to build upon some of the work that's already been done with the Central and changing the

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3. 3

   ↳You arrived here from a search for “Railroad Square Phase 1 and Phase 2” — transcript expanded below

   Discussion on Legislative Priorities

   discussed

   A design consultant presented a detailed downtown vision plan covering multiple districts including Main and Bank Infill, Railroad Square, Cavalier Square, Sims Park, East Main, South Grand, Palm District/Rivergate, Oak Park, the boat launch/chamber site, and the Highway 19 corridor. Recommendations included preserving live oak canopies, adding shade, infill development, facade improvements, a potential container park, and incremental redevelopment strategies. This was a presentation/discussion item with no formal action taken.

   📍Cavalier Square📍Church property (Oak Park site)📍East Main Street📍Highway 19 corridor📍Lot across from Lincoln Street📍Main Street and Highway 19 intersection📍Main and Bank📍Orange Lake📍Railroad Square (between Grand Boulevard and Adams)📍River Road📍Sims Boat Launch / chamber site📍Sims Park📍South Grand District / Grand Boulevard📍West Main Street🏢Arnett Muldrow🏢Davis Plaza🏢Hacienda Hotel🏢Jimmy's🏢Keiser University🏢Main Street Food Mart🏢River Road Plaza🏢Stonehaven at Main Street🏢Tampa Bay Regional Planning Commission👤Sarah#Boat ramp parking strategy (satellite parking, shuttle, permit/fee system)#Container park / pop-up gathering concept#Cycle track / bike route on Grand Boulevard#Downtown Vision Plan#Highway 19 corridor plan#Main Street Gateway#Oak Park (proposed)#Palm District#Parks and Recreation Master Plan#Railroad Square Phase 1 and Phase 2#Rivergate#Sea level rise resilience study

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   [00:19:48] character of that area. [00:19:50] This next opportunity is what we're calling Main and Bank Infill. This is right across [00:19:55] from the Hacienda Hotel. One of the things that really struck us as a design team were [00:20:02] the live oak canopy on that lot right now. And the first time I came to New Port Richey [00:20:08] back in October, approaching from 19, going through that tunnel of live oaks before you [00:20:14] get to the downtown core, and then also that same effect when you come from this direction [00:20:18] on East Main, really create a great distinction between different districts of the downtown. [00:20:25] So we think if that property were ever to redevelop or there's infill activity there, [00:20:32] would encourage considering setting the building back from Main Street, maybe maintaining the [00:20:37] same setback as the Hacienda, so it's almost a funnel that brings you into the tighter [00:20:43] downtown core, but that would allow you to preserve some of that live oak canopy and [00:20:48] could be a wonderful setting for outdoor dining and gathering there. And we think this building [00:20:53] could start to increase in height, maintaining the low scale of between Bank and Adams, but [00:20:59] you could start to increase some density on this site. And then also looking at potential [00:21:05] waterfront restaurant or waterfront use on the lot that's across from Lincoln Street. [00:21:12] There was, one of the things we like to look at is what are some, that might be a longer [00:21:16] term use, but what are some things that could be done in the short term? We heard some interest [00:21:20] in a potential container park or a pop-up gathering spot in the interim until the site [00:21:28] is developed, and this concept could really apply anywhere in the downtown, but we thought [00:21:33] this location would be perfect, this canopy of live oaks, pretty open slate underneath, [00:21:40] and then just showing how, whether they're food trucks or containers that are reused, [00:21:46] picnic tables, some string lights, could really be an exciting outdoor gathering place, very [00:21:50] comfortable with that overhead shade, very exciting. This is something that's being done [00:21:55] in a lot of communities. This is actually a park in Philadelphia, but the lights hanging [00:21:59] down are kind of reminiscent of the Spanish moss that you see, so it could be an exciting [00:22:05] application for this location. And then just some examples in other places. This is a project [00:22:11] that we worked on in Baltimore. It's a temporary lot until a more formalized permanent park [00:22:18] can be developed, and this is in, called The Camp in Huntsville, Alabama, very kind of [00:22:25] low cost, very all temporary portable things that could be moved to other locations once [00:22:31] they're done in this. We know another significant opportunity is the health building. It's a [00:22:37] gateway building coming in. It has a lot of blank walls, has the mural on it that we'd [00:22:43] want to maintain. We talked that there may be some opportunity for transition, and once [00:22:49] the health department is no longer using it, it could be lower ground floor uses and residential [00:22:55] above. Some very short term interim improvements could be just adding some banners, some color. [00:23:03] It's a little hard to see, but in that courtyard area, some shade sails, some shade. There [00:23:08] might be a place for a large canopy tree as part of the streetscape there to make that [00:23:13] little courtyard more usable in the late afternoon. And then again, some shade sails and activation [00:23:21] of the corner. And then long term, you could open up some of the windows on the ground [00:23:26] floor and the upper floor as the uses transition to retail and upper floor residential. [00:23:34] From the rear, there's also an important building as the terminus to Railroad Square and the [00:23:39] link across to the Bank at Main site that I just showed you under the live oaks. This [00:23:44] is an example. And replacing the outdated awning with a canopy that's more conducive [00:23:52] to the structure, maybe using some of the blank walls from murals, and then opening [00:23:56] up some of that facade with windows and active uses. And then again, as Railroad Square, [00:24:01] the Phase 1 and Phase 2 extends down in this direction. That could really be a strong anchor [00:24:07] for there. [00:24:10] So the transitioning into Railroad Square, we know you have some plans underway. The [00:24:15] vision for here is that Railroad Square is a vibrant, funky, colorful, flexible gathering [00:24:20] space providing a contrasting yet complementary experience to Main Street. It will continue [00:24:27] to be open at some times for service and perhaps parking, but other times it can be closed [00:24:33] off for larger events and evening events. This is an example in the plan view between [00:24:39] Grand Boulevard and Adams showing how shade is very important along here. It's a very [00:24:45] hot space, so whether there's shade sales in key locations across the street, integrating [00:24:51] some shade trees where possible, overhead canopy lights, and then also extending that [00:24:57] in the long term, that concept could extend to the west side of Nebraska Avenue. And again, [00:25:04] the Health Building is on the left there and Grand Avenue on the right. We showed at [00:25:11] the meeting in October how the branding could be extended to Railroad Square so it has its [00:25:17] own unique identity. And then just a before and after rendering how this could be activated [00:25:22] with shade sales, closed off temporarily, but open to other times to traffic and service. [00:25:29] And when I talked earlier, this is some examples. This is an area with maybe the rear facades [00:25:34] there is a little more creativity and opportunity to introduce color and funky spirit into [00:25:41] that atmosphere to go with what might not be appropriate for Main Street but could really [00:25:46] enliven the Railroad Square environment. And just even, this is an example in Leonardtown [00:25:52] where we work, where just they recently used the branding colors that Arnette Modreau developed [00:25:57] and used the colors in the Adirondack chairs and just placed them around the space. They're [00:26:03] tethered with a chain so you can move them within a certain area but you can't walk away [00:26:09] with them. But it's really increased the use of this space and the flexibility of it. [00:26:15] One of the things that we heard, we didn't address in October, but we heard some comments [00:26:20] on Cavalier Square. We know this is occasionally used but it really only gets used when it's [00:26:26] heavily programmed. It's a very interesting fountain and stage feature there. So we looked [00:26:31] at a number of opportunities. One concept to consider is maybe some improvements and [00:26:37] renovation of the square and its current location. But we think a long term, since that's public [00:26:43] parking next to it, there may be an opportunity to infill, actively put a use in there so [00:26:50] that could help activate the square. That might be a restaurant use, something that [00:26:54] could utilize that square and provide activity on a daily basis. Another option is, does [00:27:01] the parking and the square flip? Does it get located to the north end of that parking so [00:27:06] that it's immediately adjacent to Railroad Square and it builds off of those synergies [00:27:11] of Railroad Square? And then a third option is, does the stage or fountain feature get [00:27:20] relocated somewhere else in town and then that site becomes infill development? So I [00:27:26] think there's three options there to pursue as opportunities arise, but we wanted to put [00:27:30] them in the plan for consideration as well. We don't have a lot to share, but the area [00:27:37] that we're calling the Sims Park and Orange Lake, we're not getting into recommendations [00:27:45] for this area as much as reinforcing the recommendations of the Parks and Recreation Master Plan, but [00:27:52] we think it's important to stress the vision that Sims Park continues to serve as New Port Richey's premier central green space and as a signature park that adds value to the [00:28:01] adjacent neighborhoods and historic downtown. It is active throughout the day and evening [00:28:07] and investment in existing uses and redevelopment adjacent to its edges provide eyes on the [00:28:12] park and further activate this amenity. So as we look at the edges of the park and as [00:28:18] they redevelop, we want to really focus on uses that take advantage of the park asset [00:28:23] but also provide eyes on the park and help activate the park and fill it with people [00:28:28] and uses. The next two districts are East Main and Grand. These are maybe longer opportunities, [00:28:36] but East Main, the area where we are right now, is a residency-scaled civic and arts [00:28:44] district that transitions between the neighborhoods to the east and the historic downtown. Again, [00:28:50] this has a wonderful scale to it. It has the overhead canopy of live oaks. It's a character [00:28:55] completely distinct from the historic downtown core and its own unique identity. A very residential [00:29:02] scale, a beautiful library and city hall building, but some of these houses have also already [00:29:09] been converted to business uses, some restaurants, and that might be a trend to continue to encourage. [00:29:15] These are just some examples of other communities where houses were converted, whether they're [00:29:21] shops, arts venues, or restaurants, but they take advantage of the front yards for outdoor [00:29:27] display space, bike shop, or outdoor dining. Dunedin has a lot of great examples of this [00:29:36] same concept in some of their neighborhoods where residential is scaled. There's some [00:29:40] examples from Mississippi and then also Michigan, and that's something just to consider. We [00:29:48] had planned to do a facade rendering of this building, but then we saw that the facade [00:29:54] had already been restored and work put into that. But because of this has pull-in parking [00:30:00] right from the street, we're just, you know, [00:30:02] recommending a long-term consideration might be, [00:30:04] is that parking paved with something different [00:30:08] that makes it appear more like a plaza area [00:30:10] that you can park on, and it becomes part [00:30:13] of that network, streetscape network, [00:30:16] and it's less of a parking lot. [00:30:19] The other opportunity we looked at for East Maine [00:30:22] is the Main Street food mark. [00:30:25] Just introducing some enhancements, [00:30:27] maybe some landscape edge between the parking [00:30:29] and the sidewalk, maybe introducing some outdoor dining [00:30:34] that's in some of the surface parking area, [00:30:36] there might be a mural there, [00:30:37] and then using a darker color [00:30:39] to just have the building recede a little more [00:30:44] into the overall landscape. [00:30:46] So just, again, some ideas of how even simple facades [00:30:50] like this, they don't have to be a historic building, [00:30:53] could be enhanced. [00:30:55] Very similar to East Maine is the South Grand District. [00:30:59] It is also a residency-scaled civic and arts district [00:31:02] that transitions between the neighborhoods [00:31:05] of the South and the historic downtown. [00:31:07] I think, you know, Jimmy's, [00:31:09] with that single big live oak tree, [00:31:12] really casts its shade over the area, the scale. [00:31:14] Again, it's a very wonderful scale that's complimentary, [00:31:18] but very distinct from downtown. [00:31:20] Already some of the houses and businesses [00:31:23] have done investment, you've done investment [00:31:25] in the streetscape, and then also the plans [00:31:29] for the cycle track and bike route [00:31:31] will come down Grand Boulevard, so further activate that. [00:31:35] So as we look at these couple blocks, [00:31:37] as the cycle track enters into downtown, [00:31:40] we're recommending that maybe south of Missouri Avenue, [00:31:44] there might be a combination of cycle track [00:31:47] and palms in that median space. [00:31:50] It's probably not wide enough to flank each side [00:31:52] of the bike path with palms, [00:31:55] but the bike path might kind of zigzag through the median [00:32:01] so that you could get some trees on both sides. [00:32:03] But then as you move into the downtown core, [00:32:07] rather than introducing a vertical element [00:32:09] that might detract from the building face to building face, [00:32:12] keep the planting lower so that you kind of respect [00:32:16] that architectural definition [00:32:19] from one side of the street to the other. [00:32:22] And then as we move west to the Palm District [00:32:26] and Rivergate, these districts are complimentary to, [00:32:31] but distinct from the historic downtown, [00:32:34] providing a vibrant gateway and transition to downtown. [00:32:38] Long-term, the area is characterized by higher densities [00:32:40] and taller buildings oriented to the streets. [00:32:44] Urban design practices promote walkable districts [00:32:47] while supporting a mix of uses and amenities [00:32:50] that also respond to challenges [00:32:52] associated with sea level rise. [00:32:55] We've been interfacing with the Tampa Bay [00:32:56] Regional Planning Commission, [00:32:58] have been looking at a study [00:32:59] for how they can incorporate practices [00:33:02] to address high water, whether it's during a storm [00:33:07] or a long-term sea level rise. [00:33:10] And so, but those plans are very ambitious [00:33:14] and redevelopment of this area [00:33:16] really needs to be looked at a long-term proposition. [00:33:19] It's not going to happen overnight. [00:33:20] So we wanted to look at incremental improvements [00:33:24] as well as long-term. [00:33:25] We've also extended the branding to this district [00:33:28] that you see here with the Palm District [00:33:30] along West Main Street, and then with the Rivergate [00:33:34] looking at long-term infill opportunities, [00:33:38] but doing it in a way that promotes a walkable district, [00:33:40] creates focal points. [00:33:42] So you see Kaiser University at the corner of Main and 19, [00:33:46] the new parking garage that's proposed [00:33:49] that will really serve the district [00:33:50] and allow the creation of some walkability. [00:33:53] And then in red are new infill buildings [00:33:56] oriented to the street, [00:33:58] an internal street network that is developed. [00:34:01] A signature piece of this is what we're calling Oak Park. [00:34:04] It's on the church property that the city has acquired [00:34:10] or is acquiring. [00:34:11] There are some very significant live oaks there, [00:34:14] and we think that can really be a focal point [00:34:17] for that neighborhood and district. [00:34:20] As we look at West Main, again in white [00:34:22] are the existing buildings, in red are new infill. [00:34:25] We're recommending that this is going to happen [00:34:28] incrementally over time. [00:34:30] So in the short term, there may be a combination [00:34:32] of new redevelopment, but also improvements [00:34:35] to the existing buildings. [00:34:37] These are some examples from other communities. [00:34:39] Fairly humble buildings, similar to what you have [00:34:41] on West Main, but with good signage, paint color, [00:34:45] and some canopies. [00:34:46] Could really be activated and quite attractive [00:34:48] until a time when maybe there's a higher and better use [00:34:51] for those properties, and then some more examples [00:34:54] in South Carolina and Colorado. [00:34:58] So this is an example, we took an example [00:35:00] of River Road Plaza. [00:35:01] This is the existing facade, [00:35:03] and then showing how some facade improvements [00:35:06] with the new parking garage, [00:35:07] maybe some of the properties along here [00:35:09] could give up some of the parking spaces [00:35:12] and convert them to, whether it's landscape [00:35:15] and tree islands, or even some outdoor dining areas [00:35:19] to help reinforce some of those existing businesses [00:35:23] until a time that they may or may not redevelop. [00:35:27] And then, so again, the short term, [00:35:29] existing and infill combination, but long term, [00:35:32] looking at how new infill development [00:35:35] could be built toward the street, [00:35:36] and really extend the downtown, much like you have [00:35:39] with the Stonehaven at Main Street, [00:35:41] and the downtown buildings. [00:35:44] And these would be taller buildings [00:35:46] than what you have in the historic core. [00:35:49] I talked about Oak Park, these are some of the live oaks [00:35:52] that we would envision preserving [00:35:54] as part of the signature park space, [00:35:56] and those live oaks are in that part, labeled Oak Park, [00:36:00] but then part of that church property [00:36:02] could be redeveloped with some housing [00:36:05] that faces onto and activates Oak Park, [00:36:07] but also faces on and transitions [00:36:10] to the existing housing along River Road. [00:36:14] And that could take on many forms, [00:36:15] we're showing that it could be townhouses, [00:36:19] or something that's a scale that transitions [00:36:22] up from the single family on River Road. [00:36:24] The important thing is, whatever form that takes, [00:36:27] that it faces on and addresses River Road, [00:36:30] it faces on and provides eyes on the park, [00:36:32] and the park in terms adds value [00:36:34] to that adjacent development. [00:36:36] And then these are some examples [00:36:38] that Sarah at the Tampa Bay Regional Planning Commission [00:36:42] developed for this park, so she's exploring, [00:36:45] and they're gonna be presenting March 2nd, is it? [00:36:48] March 2nd, they'll be presenting, [00:36:50] and she'll be getting into more detail, [00:36:52] but some of the things that they're exploring [00:36:53] are showing how housing can be developed higher up, [00:36:58] so you keep that occupied floor is up higher [00:37:01] above flood stage, and looking at architectural examples [00:37:05] that are more resilient, and so she'll be sharing [00:37:08] that on the 2nd. [00:37:10] Another key signature on this district [00:37:13] is the boat launch and chamber site. [00:37:15] We heard almost unanimously from everyone [00:37:18] in our stakeholder meetings that the chamber, [00:37:22] that site is such an incredible opportunity [00:37:24] for the downtown district. [00:37:26] So this is the existing plot with the Sims Boat Launch, [00:37:30] and the chamber right on the corner, [00:37:32] Main Street at the bottom with a row [00:37:35] of live oaks along that corner. [00:37:37] So incrementally, we could see infill development [00:37:41] along here that addresses Main Street, [00:37:44] but we would recommend that it be set back [00:37:46] enough from Main Street that you could preserve [00:37:48] those live oaks. [00:37:49] Again, this has southern exposure, [00:37:52] and so that live oak canopy would provide much-needed shade [00:37:55] for any outdoor dining that could be along there. [00:37:59] It'd also be important, we're showing river access [00:38:01] from Main Street down to the boat launch area, [00:38:04] both from River Road and then also [00:38:06] the Main Street bridge side, [00:38:08] and then still keeping some boat ramp parking, [00:38:12] but this would have to really dovetail [00:38:14] with some other strategies, a broader strategy [00:38:17] at looking at parking for the boat ramp [00:38:19] and whether it's tied to looking at some satellite locations [00:38:23] or permit and fee-based parking at the ramp. [00:38:26] That will have to be looked at in conjunction with this. [00:38:29] So there may be some formalized agreements [00:38:32] for shared parking with nearby property owners, [00:38:35] opportunities for satellite parking [00:38:37] within underutilized properties. [00:38:39] Maybe there's a small vehicle shuttle system, [00:38:42] improved wayfinding signage to these resources, [00:38:45] and a fee and or lottery-based permitting system [00:38:48] to help manage the demand. [00:38:50] And these are reinforcing recommendations [00:38:52] that were also in the Park and Recreation Master Plan. [00:38:55] So with the initial development along Main Street, [00:38:58] but then showing how, over time, [00:39:00] if properties are available, how that could expand [00:39:03] and really address the waterfront, [00:39:06] get more opportunities for restaurant and uses. [00:39:09] It could be outdoor-related uses, water-related uses [00:39:14] that face and address the river. [00:39:16] But we also looked at an alternative scheme, [00:39:18] or this could also be an interim scheme, [00:39:20] where there's an expanding on-site parking, [00:39:23] boat parking and trailer parking resource [00:39:26] in combination with an expanded park space [00:39:29] along the waterfront. [00:39:30] And this could be activated with food trucks [00:39:33] or other venues. [00:39:34] And again, this could be an alternative approach, [00:39:37] or it could be an interim approach [00:39:39] once market demands might encourage redevelopment. [00:39:44] And this is an example of that site along Main Street. [00:39:47] And when I talk about, there might be, [00:39:49] there's a slope coming from the sidewalk, [00:39:51] so there could be wood decking that's built out over that [00:39:54] so you can preserve the root zone of those live oaks, [00:39:56] but then have outdoor dining with that development [00:39:59] under the live oak canopies. [00:40:03] So we're gonna move on to the Highway 19 corridor. [00:40:07] The vision here, Highway 19 projects a positive image [00:40:12] for New Port Richey as it transitions [00:40:15] to include a more diverse mix of uses [00:40:18] with distinct retail districts. [00:40:20] While the overall corridor remains automobile-oriented, [00:40:24] the retail districts are enhanced [00:40:25] with pedestrian gathering areas, [00:40:27] improved amenities, and improved neighborhood connections. [00:40:30] So long-term, a lot of, [00:40:33] there's probably not the market demand [00:40:34] for this to remain all retail. [00:40:37] The city's already made great efforts [00:40:39] on addressing some problematic properties, [00:40:41] doing landscape enhancements on some properties [00:40:45] and within the medians. [00:40:47] So there's a real opportunity to transition [00:40:50] to a broader mix of uses. [00:40:51] There might be more office, more medical-related uses, [00:40:54] but then focusing retail in key areas. [00:40:57] One of the things we're also gonna talk [00:40:59] about retail repositioning, [00:41:00] how some of the centers might reposition themselves [00:41:03] to be more competitive with newer retail centers, [00:41:07] and then also redevelopment. [00:41:09] So the first area we're gonna look at [00:41:12] is what we're calling the Main Street Gateway area. [00:41:14] This includes the intersection of Main Street and 19 [00:41:18] with the existing Davis Plaza to the north. [00:41:22] The Main Street Gateway, it's really, [00:41:25] right now as you're driving up and down 19, [00:41:28] there's no visual cue that this intersection's [00:41:30] any different than any other. [00:41:32] And it's really important to signal to motorists [00:41:36] that there is this amazing downtown [00:41:38] just a couple blocks off of 19. [00:41:41] So really wanna distinguish this from the others. [00:41:44] And what really struck me the first time [00:41:45] I was in New Port Richey was the tall Washingtonian palms [00:41:49] that are along West Main Street. [00:41:52] If you're looking straight up and down 19, [00:41:53] you don't know, it's easy to miss them. [00:41:55] But as soon as you turn in, they make such an impact. [00:41:57] So one of the thoughts was, [00:41:59] you'll work with the property owners on all four corners, [00:42:02] and can you introduce a cluster [00:42:04] of those Washingtonian palms on the corners, [00:42:07] a fairly inexpensive but effective way [00:42:10] to make an impact and distinguish [00:42:12] this intersection from others. [00:42:14] And this is Sarah from Tampa Bay Regional Planning Commission [00:42:18] her model rendering showing that. [00:42:21] You can see them on each corner. [00:42:26] We're also looking at opportunities [00:42:28] to as we talk about retail nodes along Highway 19. [00:42:32] Currently the way 19 is, [00:42:33] all the uses turn the backs to the neighborhoods. [00:42:36] And with the character of some of the uses along there, [00:42:40] the neighborhoods probably don't wanna have a connection [00:42:42] to those uses. [00:42:43] But as we look at redevelopment and transitioning, [00:42:46] a lot of corridors like this, [00:42:48] this is in Greenville, South Carolina. [00:42:50] It was not the same scale as 19, but it had similar uses. [00:42:55] And as they transitioned over and were revitalized, [00:42:58] they're still very automobile oriented, [00:43:00] but they reinforce the connections [00:43:02] back to the adjacent neighborhoods. [00:43:03] So those living in the neighborhoods [00:43:05] could walk to restaurants, walk to shops. [00:43:07] They're not gonna walk up and down the 19 corridor, [00:43:10] but there may be opportunities [00:43:11] to walk to the commercial node that's closest to them. [00:43:15] This is an example of a redevelopment, [00:43:17] a senior living facility that transitions [00:43:20] both to the highway and the neighborhood to the back. [00:43:23] So, and this is the scale of some of those retail uses. [00:43:27] Still very automobile oriented, [00:43:29] but outdoor amenity space is more landscaping. [00:43:32] So it becomes like a small neighborhood retail district. [00:43:36] So using Davis Plaza as an example, [00:43:39] since a lot of this is underutilized, [00:43:42] there's the Dollar General that has a long-term lease. [00:43:45] So again, we're showing how this could be phased over time, [00:43:48] that maybe a first phase or one option [00:43:51] is to just enhance the landscape, [00:43:53] much like has been done at the Southgate Shopping Plaza [00:43:57] along 19, introducing more shade trees, [00:44:00] maybe clarifying the internal roadway circulation [00:44:05] with street trees. [00:44:06] But then over time, maybe some of those parcels [00:44:08] get redeveloped with new infill development [00:44:11] that starts to define some open spaces, [00:44:15] pedestrian gathering areas, [00:44:17] and then long-term that might expand [00:44:19] and even expand to transition into another housing product [00:44:23] that transitions to the neighborhood behind. [00:44:25] So this could be to a neighborhood, a retail district, [00:44:30] a neighborhood node for those houses [00:44:33] along to the east and along the river. [00:44:36] And this is an existing view of Green Key Road, [00:44:41] Davis Plaza to the left and the residential area to the back [00:44:45] and then just showing how infill development [00:44:48] might have two floors, it might just be single floor, [00:44:51] but addressing the streets, streetscape enhancements, [00:44:54] making this a much more pedestrian environment [00:44:57] for that neighborhood district. [00:45:00] As we look to the South Gate, the second node we looked at is the South Gateway. [00:45:05] Here, because there's already a lot of investment underway, [00:45:10] it's a visually distinctive area providing a clear sense of arrival to New Port Richey from the south, [00:45:17] serving as a pedestrian and bicycle-friendly commercial center for adjacent neighborhoods. [00:45:22] The South Gateway, this is the area of the proposed pedestrian bike overpass, [00:45:28] which we feel is really a critical piece of infrastructure for the community. [00:45:33] There's already been landscape investment along the 19 façade of the South Gate Plaza, [00:45:39] which is very effective, especially as these trees get larger. [00:45:43] And then some of the new out parcels developed set a very positive image. [00:45:47] And so we think there could be opportunities to build upon that. [00:45:51] I talked earlier about repositioning retail center. [00:45:54] This is a trend home plaza in Columbia, South Carolina. [00:45:57] It looks like any other commercial center. [00:45:59] But what we're seeing is a lot of these centers, to be competitive with downtown environments [00:46:04] or newer commercial centers, is removing some parking, making it less automobile-friendly, [00:46:11] but creating more amenity spaces. [00:46:13] So there's a restaurant, some outdoor dining, more landscape introduced. [00:46:18] So this is that same view as before, but with some enhancements. [00:46:22] The same, this is in Union Planners in Miami, the before view, [00:46:27] but then again enhancing those pedestrian amenities to make, [00:46:32] help them be more competitive with other newer retail. [00:46:36] So with the South Gateway as an example, we're showing some early phases, [00:46:40] might be some redevelopment opportunity in the southwest corner of Marine Parkway, [00:46:46] the proposed overpass and gateway. [00:46:49] But then continuing to introduce more landscape enhancements [00:46:52] and out parcels in the large parking lot to divide that into smaller nodes. [00:46:57] On the east side, maybe that underutilized vacant shopping center sees some redevelopment. [00:47:03] But then long-term, adding additional redevelopment, looking at how, on the east side, [00:47:09] how that can connect along Camellia Drive back to the neighborhood. [00:47:13] And again, that becomes a walkable district from the residents nearby. [00:47:17] And then even looking at, and this is just conceptual, but showing Southgate Plaza. [00:47:23] It's a very long structure. [00:47:25] We're finding a lot of retail centers are actually, you know, [00:47:29] if they have a lot of vacant space, breaking through and creating a street connection. [00:47:34] This could be a street connection to the neighborhood behind, [00:47:37] so that the center is no longer a barrier, but it has a connection to the neighborhood. [00:47:42] It also creates some valuable corner space with retailers are looking for, [00:47:47] restaurants are looking for, with that new street that projects through. [00:47:52] And then that becomes an organizing network, [00:47:54] a very walkable, pedestrian-friendly area for different uses. [00:47:59] This is an example in the Ketland's Market Square in Maryland. [00:48:03] It's a little hard to see with the lighting here, [00:48:05] but on the left, the circled area was a big box use that was vacant. [00:48:09] They actually cut through and created this paseo, [00:48:12] and the bottom is a rendering showing how that becomes then a very pedestrian-friendly street, [00:48:17] linking that parking area to the rear with their other street, internal street. [00:48:22] So that's a similar concept that can be done here. [00:48:25] This is a zoom-in look at the bridge overpass, some associated redevelopment on the corner. [00:48:31] Even though this isn't the official gateway of downtown, that's further to the south. [00:48:37] This is the logical place, especially with the pedestrian overpass, [00:48:40] where you could use that as a gateway element. [00:48:43] Just some examples from other communities in Florida. [00:48:48] And then this is a 3D rendering, the existing view, [00:48:51] and then the proposed view of showing how some of those improvements can come to fruition over time, [00:48:59] and seeing some of the connections to the adjacent neighborhoods. [00:49:02] Zooming in on the pedestrian overpass and the redevelopment of the corner, [00:49:06] that cut through, and again, whether it happens in this exact location, [00:49:11] we're pretty close to the public, so we probably, this all might have to shift down to the right [00:49:16] to divide out that parking lot, but just illustrating the concept. [00:49:21] Similarly, with the north gateway, this is a visually distinctive gateway to New Port Richey from the north. [00:49:29] It's also friendly to pedestrian bikes and also boaters. [00:49:34] Looking at, again, a phased development, there might be opportunity at the south end [00:49:39] to create some infill development, some landscape treatments that are right in the sight line [00:49:44] as you cross over the bridge and cross in, but then transitions to expanded development, [00:49:49] again, oriented to the roadway and the water. [00:49:52] And then long term, there might be another opportunity for a boat ramp, [00:49:56] something we heard a lot about, getting something on this side of 19 to have better access to the gulf. [00:50:03] Again, existing conditions, and then looking at how that could come to fruition over time. [00:50:12] Zooming in on some of these views here, and the boat ramp, and again, maximize, [00:50:18] taking advantage of that riverfront access, getting uses that really engage with the river. [00:50:25] We'll be talking in the master plan about phasing priorities. [00:50:28] I think some general phasing goals are that we want to continue the implementation of projects [00:50:33] currently in planning or underway. [00:50:36] There's a lot of activity happening. [00:50:38] We want to continue that to happen. [00:50:39] Leverage private investment. [00:50:41] Filling in gaps, so where you already have strong areas of investment, [00:50:45] how do you fill those gaps in to complete the whole, [00:50:48] making the pedestrian experience more comfortable and enjoyable.

   This text was generated automatically from the meeting video. It is not a verbatim or official record. For exact wording, consult the video or the city clerk.

4. 4Communications▶ 50:50
5. 5Adjournment▶ 52:18