car city confluence: town planning and mobility july 2009 (partial)
DESCRIPTION
On 22nd July 2009, I welcomed the opportunity to share my perspective as an experienced town planner and project manager to the Ford Strategic Design Group in London and offer insight into the California development process. The presentation’s purpose was to provide an overview of town planning and highlight key elements of environmental analysis for new development master plans and regeneration projects relevant to transport, namely, the automobile. It included a featured a sustainable transportation case study on the Orange County Great Park and Great Park Neighborhoods, a 4,700-acre regeneration project in Irvine, California (40 miles south of Los Angeles, California). Ending with recommendations for Ford to collaborate with emerging developments, I offered California-based opportunities that promote a reduction in vehicle miles traveled (VMT) and support zero-carbon emission climate change strategies, while facilitating community mobility. For access to the full presentation or to provide comments/feedback, please email [email protected].TRANSCRIPT
The Car‐City Confluence Town Planning & Mobility
www.MichelleDrouse.com
Presentation Contents Town Planning Overview
New Urbanism
Mobility / Circulation
Environmental Analysis
Case Study: Orange County Great Park (Calif.)
Strategic Car Design & Town Planning NEV Recommendation
Communication/Social Networking
Resources
Town Planning Overview New Urbanism, Mobility/Circulation & Environmental Analysis
What do town planners want?
Get our ducks in a row & create sustainable
developments!
Balance Opportunities & Constraints ‐Political Environment ‐Physical Environment ‐Regulatory Environment
What is Town Planning? Shaping the built environment in a strategically planned manner while considering social, environmental, and economic sustainability principals.
Master Planning Regeneration/Redevelopment
Environmental Analysis
New Urbanism "Giving people many choices for living an urban lifestyle in sustainable, convenient and enjoyable places, while providing the solutions to peak oil, global warming, and climate change.” – www.newurbanism.org
Photos/Information from www.newurbanism.org
Renewable Energy + Electric Transportation + Walkable Urbanism
‐Shift from non‐renewable to renewable resources ‐Shift from investing in roads to investing in trains ‐Shift from suburban to dense development
New Urbanism Comparison: Pedestrian‐Centric vs. Automobile‐Centric Designs
Photos/Information source: www.newurbanism.org
Mobility/Circulation
ENHANCE CONNECTIVITY: Moving people, goods, services to facilitate quality of life (live, work, play)
Public transit: plane, bus, boat/ferry, rail (light, heavy, underground, at‐grade, elevated)
Pedestrians, wheelchairs, segways, people movers
Bicycles
Equestrian
Motorcycles, Scooters, Golf Carts, NEVs
Automobiles
Environmental Analysis California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA)
Environmental Public Disclosure: Using thresholds of significance, determine project’s cumulative impact after mitigation.
Traffic: Operational/Capacity Air Quality: Various Emissions Noise: Decibels Water Quality: Stormwater Runoff Waste: Hazardous/Recycling Climate Change: Greenhouse Gases (GHG)
How do planners review projects?
Mitigation Measures (MM), Development & Engineering Standards
Safety & traffic calming
Emergency access
Number of lanes/signalization
Road/pavement width reduction
Alternate transit modes
Parking (spaces & dimensions)
Building setbacks from roads
Green building standards (LEED)
Tools: Environmental Analysis MMs Zoning Codes, Plans & Design Guidelines Standard Engineering Plans
Case Study Orange County Great Park & Neighborhoods – Irvine, California, USA
Photo Source: LATimes.com
Case Study: Orange County Great Park & Great Park Neighborhoods (Irvine, California, USA) First Great Metropolitan Park of 21st Century
40 miles south of Los Angeles, California
4,700 acres of vacant former military base
City re‐zoned land to non‐aviation park use
Navy sold land to developer Lennar Corp. in a public bid
Lennar Corp. dedicated 1,300 acres to City of Irvine for public metropolitan park use & to contribute $200M to backbone infrastructure.
GPN Imagine Video – OCGP Video
Great Park Sustainable Transportation The Great Park is designed to promote
sustainable means of transportation. The Park is easily accessible by mass transit via the Irvine Station near Marine Way. Those coming by car can park once and spend the
day. Once they arrive, visitors have a selection of ways to get around that do not require gasoline or generate pollution. A non‐polluting shuttle system will take
visitors to major park attractions. They can also use an orange bike which will be
available at little to no cost. It is easy to bike because the Park’s bike trails mesh with City and regional trail networks. Walkers and
hikers have a choice of gentle or challenging routes. All sections of the park are accessible to all people, regardless of physical ability.
(Source: www.ocgp.org)
Sustainable Travelways – “Green Streets” Source: http://www.ci.irvine.ca.us/depts/redevelopment/sustainable_travelways.asp
Enhanced tree canopy Low volume irrigation Permeable pavements and road surfaces Use of recycled materials Integrated runoff treatment Conservation oriented planting palettes Structured soil preparation Reflective color/light values Integrated transit or NEV travelways Alternative lighting Traffic calming features Reduced pavement/road widths
Are all elements incorporated in the Master Plans & Maps?
Strategic Car Design Relation to Town Planning
Strategic Car Design & Town Planning
The genesis of ideation
Opportunities/Constraints Economic downturn Going Green/Sustainability
Consider potential impacts & mitigation to generate new vehicle solutions and opportunities
Designing for mass consumption or specific markets/communities?
Lincoln C Science Museum Japan Cars Exhibition
Consider partnerships with new master planned communities and redeveloping communities (developers, jurisdictions, planning associations)
Recommendation: Emerging NEV Market (Calif.)
Resources Reports, Links, Key Words/Tags
Resources • Sustainable Travelways Guidelines (Fuscoe Engineering)
• Outfitting Cities for NEVs (Urban Crossroads)
• NEVs – The Other Way Around Town (Urban Crossroads)
Tags/Key Words: High Density, Mixed Used Neighborhoods, Innovation, Mobility, Place, Public Spaces, Space, Sustainable Transport, Transit Oriented Development, Urban Planning, Urbanization, NEV
Links: http://thecityfix.com/ http://www.carfree.com/ http://www.carfree.com/link/furp.html http://www.worldcarfree.net/ http://www.wired.com/autopia/ http://www.rtpi.org.uk/ http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/sustainable/ http://www.masdar.ae/en/home/index.aspx http://www.newurbanism.org/ http://www.ocgp.org http://www.greatparkneighborhoods.com
The Car‐City Confluence Town Planning & Mobility
www.MichelleDrouse.com