Minutes 08/09/1977 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

259 Au~u_st 9~ 1977 77-313 The following summary on the R/UDAT Program fr-om the Cit~ Manager was presented: "Recently it was requested that City Council should receive a written summary from this office highlighting the recent Regional/Urban Design Assistance Team(R/UDAT) program's efforts in downtown Portsmouth. In particular, it was requested that City Council should be appraised as to how this effort related with ongoing planning activities, and to what extent would the R/UDAT's recommendations be pursued. Approximately a year ago, this office was requested by the Downtown Merchants Association and various committees of the Chamber:to make certain physical changes and improvements within the downtown area. A few of these requests were implemented. However, the majority were held pending the outcome of a plan review process previously set in motion for the downtown area. As you will recall, the existing plan for downtown Portsmouth, the Colonel Crawford Plan, was adopted by City Council in 1964 and has served as the basis for the Crawford Urban Renewal Project. However, the original plan was established and designed around a set of assumptions and goals which w~re substantially changed by Council's adoption of the Crawford Harbor Plan in 1975. As a result of this fact and the age of the Plan and its supporting data, I requeste( Mr. McGinnis to set up a review mechanism such that a new or updated plan could be prepared for use in the present and future downtown revitalization efforts. As a result of the above request, an interagency Planning Task Force was established consisting of representatives of the following organizations: 1. Office of Community Development 2. Office of Bconomic Development $. Office of City Planning 4. Portsmouth Redevelopment & Housing Authority In addition, a review team was established for the purpose of assisting Mr. McGinnis in moni- toring and guiding the Planning Task Force. In addition to Mr. McGinnis, this team consists of Mr. J. Brewer Moore, Director of City Planning and Mr. Hugh Forehand, Deputy Director fdr Development of the Portsmouth Redevelopment & Housing Authority. The Task Force began its work in November 1975, by reviewing the existing plan and de- termining what data needed to be collected by updated. One of the first major issues to arise was that of an outside professional appraisal and when that tak should take place. Because of the divergent views concerning the original plan, it was decided to open up the process early by seeking professional consultation as the beginning of the planning activities in order to obtain a fresh perspective. During this process, the R/UDAT program was brought to the Task Force's attention. As a result of the program's reputation and the desire for a fresh look as opposed to plan development and upon the unanimous recommendation of the Down- town Planning Task Force and Review Team, the decision was made to invite the R/UDAT to assist the City with its planning problem. This point should be emphasized, the R/UDAT members were not requested to develop a plan, they wereasked to review, advise, criticize and to provide the Task Force with concepts to investigate and consider during the course of their planning process. The R/UDAT performed as requested and left the City with several concepts worthy of further consideration. P~/JDAT's assignment was to review the Colonel Crawford Common Plan in general and specifi- cally that area of the City bounded by Crawford Street on the Bast, Bffingham Street on the West, London Street on the North and County Street on the South, and further to provide their best thoughts on the target area in view of developments taking place contiguous to it such as Crawford Harbor, Olde Towne, Northside, Parkview, Colonel Crawford Common southern sector and Southside. The many suggestions and observations derived from the R/UDAT exercise can be summarized into four general planning sta2ements which are provided b~low: Portsmouth is unique. Portsmouth is a unique medium sized coastal city located in a regional urban setting. Portsmouth's uniqueness in this area is due to its vast and accessible port setting, its aSundant of points of historical inter~st, the influence of early i~H E~h~.y ~dhitecture on the downtown area, and the existence of a popular conservation district adjacent to the central business district. Portsmouth should seek to pro- mote this identity and capitalize on its existing assets. In order to accomplish the above, the .Team suggested the following: a. Promotion of Portsmouth's historical character. b. Promotion of a maritime-historical, architectural and recreational th6me. c. Conservation and protection of historical buildings and landmarks near the Four Corne~s. The future of any revitalization for the c~n~al business district is directly' related to its relationship with redevelopment efforts being carried out contiguous to the downtown area in general and along the waterfront in particular. The Water- front Development, as well as other redevelopment efforts which surround the central business district, will to a great extent, determine the potential for downtown revitalization. Therefore, it i~ essential that the contiguous plans should be compatible with a downtown desirous of revitalization. In pursuit of the above, the Team recommended that the following/(points be carefully examined: aw That consumer oriented commercial developments incorporated in the North- side and Waterfront Developments be carefully weighed as to their impact on the downtown area prior to implementation.