Meet The Tree Nurse Of South Burlington

When she noticed a number of newly planted trees seemed to be languishing on city streets Pool Landscaping, including those in her neighborhood, she searched for the root of the problem. In the city’s fast-growing residential areas, the landscaping, installed for instant aesthetic effect, is often neglected.

“We have so many new neighborhoods in the city, and one of the first things developers do is plant the trees; and no one is there to care for them,” Ambusk said.

Associate city planner and interim planning director Cathyann LaRose said developers want to install landscaping as quickly as possible in order to sell property — which isn’t good for the trees.

“They’ve been grown in a pot, and the roots can continue to take over and strangle the tree if it’s not properly planted,” Ambusk said. Some of the trees are planted while still encased in wire baskets that contain their roots.

So Ambusk has taken the stewardship of South Burlington’s saplings into her own hands — along with a pair of pruning shears. Every Monday evening, from workday’s end until sundown, she and a team of volunteers known as “TREEage” hit the streets of South Burlington to care for the young trees.

The work isn’t difficult, Ambusk said: It really comes down to planting the tree properly and giving it daily care. Following an initial investment of time and watering in the early years, it will do quite well on its own for 100 more, she says.

TREEage evolved from Ambusk’s experience in the Master Gardener and Stewardship of the Urban Landscape programs offered by the University of Vermont Extension. The group has grown in number and knowledge in its second year, thanks to city arborist Craig Lambert’s pruning and maintenance clinics, Ambusk said. TREEage volunteers cared for 250 trees last year.

“We have literally been going tree-to-tree. It’s pretty slow work,” she said. She estimates South Burlington has 6,000 trees, Pool Landscaping and says Lambert has his hands full just dealing with day-to-day hazard maintenance.

Lambert offers public workshops on proper tree maintenance practices as part of the project. With his instruction, volunteers have undertaken root collar excavations and pruning on some of the more recently planted trees in South Burlington’s residential neighborhoods.

Lambert said Ambusk’s project is proving to be quite a benefit to the city: Her efforts have raised public awareness of the need to maintain the city’s tree resource, and her latest project will increase the number of trees the city will be able to plant.

This month, Ambusk planted 30 Princeton elm trees in a new community nursery with a $1,000 grant she received from GE Healthcare, where she works in finance Pool Landscaping. The city gave her permission to use land located at the National Gardening Association on Dorset Street for the nursery.

The elms are 2 years old and cost about $15 each. In another three to four years, they will be worth more than $200 each and will be ready to transplant to public land in South Burlington. Ambusk plans to add 30 new trees, in a variety of species, to the TREEage nursery each year.

LaRose says the nursery will also give the city credibility toward its goal of becoming a designated “Tree City, U.S.A.”

The Tree City U.S.A. program aims to encourage better care of community forests and advance urban forestry practices while providing cleaner air, shadier streets and aesthetic beauty in populated areas. The designation will also open additional avenues for grant funding: With a tree budget of $1,000 per year (enough to purchase about three trees), the city can use all the help it can get, LaRose said.

The young elms are destined for a future lining South Burlington’s streets, especially in older neighborhoods that haven’t been getting much landscaping attention, LaRose said. They’ll be useful as the city’s recreation path extends through new neighborhoods, and there’s a potential the nursery project will be used for educational outreach in the schools. While the project hasn’t officially been linked to the development of the City Center downtown district, LaRose said the timing will be perfect.

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Monday, May 26th, 2008

Pool Landscaping No Comments

City to stitch a loop around Lake Union

It’s no Green Lake path. It’s not even the downtown waterfront sidewalk.

What the walking trail around Lake Union is, well, is very much a work in progress.

The idea has been around for decades: Connect an existing assortment of unmarked paths, sidewalks and roadway shoulders to form an uninterrupted loop around the busy lake.

Now the city is ready to go forward. It’s about to hire a consultant to develop a cohesive 6.2-mile urban route one that could be a boon to walkers, joggers and bicyclists but likely would reduce parking and slow car traffic, especially in the Eastlake neighborhood.

While high-speed bicycle commuters generally get around Lake Union via Westlake Avenue North and Eastlake Avenue East, the city’s preliminary route would offer a calmer space closer to the shoreline for less-hurried bicyclists and walkers.

Users of the trail would pass by a series of both existing and planned pocket parks along the shoreline.

But it’s “never going to be Green Lake,” says David Graves, a planner for the Seattle Department of Parks and Recreation. “This is a much more urban trail experience. There’s nothing wrong with that. I think it’s an asset in and of itself.”

The city is sponsoring a naming contest for the trail and is accepting suggestions from the public through Feb. 18.

In late spring, the city plans to hold meetings about its tentative route so users, property owners and others may voice their desires and concerns. The city has set aside $1 million for the first phase of work this fall, which includes putting up signs and extending certain sidewalks.

But it could be years before work is completed on some gaps, especially at a break in Fairview Avenue East where walkers now must trek uphill and detour through a series of alleyways to get back onto the street.

“We don’t have an answer today of how to navigate that missing stretch,” said Woody Wheeler, program director of the Seattle Parks Foundation, which last spring offered ideas to the city for knitting together what’s being called for now the Lake Union Loop Trail.

The foundation and city planners want to address these gaps:

%26#8226; As Fairview Avenue East approaches the South Lake Union area, a long stretch of the trail includes a paved walkway on the water side of restaurants, yacht dealerships and moorages. But it’s barely visible from the street and needs signs.

%26#8226; The sidewalk on Westlake Avenue North hugs the shoreline before ending about an eighth of a mile short of the Fremont Bridge. The city could extend the sidewalk, but it would cut parking for houseboat owners.

%26#8226; There’s also no sidewalk east of Gas Works Park on North Northlake Way, forcing joggers onto the Burke-Gilman Trail with bicyclists. Planners suggest moving the road away from the shoreline to make room for a wide pedestrian walkway, but that too would eat into existing parking space.

%26#8226; Cyclists on the Burke-Gilman who want to get onto the University Bridge must pedal onto Northeast 40th Street at the intersection of Seventh Avenue Northeast. There’s no sidewalk or bike lane, and cars routinely park on the unpaved shoulder near Peace Park.

%26#8226; In the Eastlake neighborhood, joggers take the unpaved shoulder of Fairview Avenue East. But that road stops abruptly at East Hamlin Street and forces users to detour.

Any trail fixes that would eliminate parking are sure to rile some Eastlake residents, who now must park on unpaved shoulders and other rights-of-way.

“If you tried to take their parking space, they’d go ballistic, including me,” said Stan Lorenson, a houseboat resident who walks his dog down the middle of Fairview Avenue East.

Still, he likes the idea of giving the now-fragmented path a name. He suggests paying tribute to the Duwamish people who once lived around the body of water they called “Tenas Chuck,” or “Little Water.”

The city will award the winner a bike from REI but it may be awhile before that rider can circle the lake without having to weave, switch and stop.

Sanjay Bhatt: 206-464-3103

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Friday, February 1st, 2008

Landscaping Rock No Comments

Light rail could fuel Apache Blvd renewal

Yabes led a group of students in ASU’s architecture and environmental design college last year to study transit-oriented development along the Camelback corridor for Phoenix. The corridor is bounded by Colter Street on the north, Seventh Street on the east, Pierson Street on the south and 22nd Avenue on the west.

The class recommended, among other things, that Phoenix:

%26#149;Change the current zoning along the corridor to include mixed-use developments.

%26#149;Increase parking and parking garages with ground-floor retail and business space at light-rail stations.

%26#149;Incorporate varying height and density of one to 20 stories to promote pedestrian traffic and train ridership.

%26#149;Include transitional spaces to blend large-scale development with residential areas to create a “step-back” effect.

%26#149;Create plazas, courtyards, urban parks, public art and other public spaces that form a sense of community.

%26#149;Implement affordable housing policies and encourage a mixture of income and race/ethnicity.

%26#149;Install speed bumps, traffic circles and other traffic-calming devices, while expanding bike paths.

%26#149;Enhance streetscapes by planting trees and landscaping and adding benches.

The study, which was finalized in December, is similar to what Tempe is paying a private consultant to do. The Tempe study has not yet been released.

Yabes, who lives in Tempe, said the planning class attempted to set the stage for what is known as transit-oriented development around an expensive public project.

“Cities have to make commitments” to make light-rail projects attract riders and shoppers to nearby commercial developments, Yabes said.

“If the feds (federal government) are kicking in that amount ($1.4 billion), the whole system is probably worth $4.1 billion.”

To be sure, there has been $4.2 billion worth of commercial development proposed or being built around the starter line’s 28 stations, according to an informal review by city planners and the Metro.

“What you want in terms of businesses are the kinds of things that get you out of your car,” Yabes said.

She said that most people will walk five to 10 minutes, although 10 minutes “is pushing it, especially in Arizona’s hot summer.”

What’s tricky is meshing high-rise commercial developments with pedestrian-friendly areas and residential neighborhoods.

“People don’t want office workers looking into their backyards,” she said.

In Tempe, light-rail finally may transform Apache Boulevard into a more attractive area, Yabes said.

“Apache is kind of interesting in that regard because it’s surrounded by single-family homes,” she said. “If Tempe can be accused of having a red-light district, it’s on Apache between Price and McClintock.

“They’ve been trying to redevelop Apache for years. I think this is finally going to be what kicks it in.”

Don Cassano, chairman of the Tempe Transportation Commission, said he already sees Apache transforming and property values rising with light-rail development.

Cassano said he’s toured light-rail systems in Denver, San Diego and Portland to see what kind of businesses work best around light-rail stations. They include dry cleaners, florists, shoe-repair shops and coffee shops, he said.

Tempe adopted a transportation overlay district three years ago to encourage more pedestrians around light-rail stations, said Jyme Sue McClaren, Tempe’s deputy public-works manager.

“No carwashes, auto-related uses are restricted, no drive-throughs, no (plant) nurseries,” she said.

Instead, the city is encouraging the building of dry cleaners, coffee shops, retail stores, day-care centers, bookstores, service-oriented businesses and “things that you may see on Mill Avenue, like pedestrian-scale restaurants, neighborhood grocery stores,” she said.

Stores also should front the sidewalks and parking lots should be placed at the side or back of a development, McClaren said.

Jack Wierzenski, director of economic development and planning for the Dallas Area Rapid Transit System, said most developments around light-rail stations have increased property values.

“There’s a perception that bad things are going to happen, and bad things never happen,” he said.

Ram Pendyala, an ASU professor in civil and environmental engineering specializing in transportation systems, agreed and said that he expects to see a variety of mixed-use projects with apartments, condos and businesses “that cater to people’s personal errands.”

He said that successful light-rail systems foster a reciprocal relationship between riders and businesses.

“It’s definitely a two-way relationship there, definitely a synergy there,” he said.

A version of this story may have appeared in your community Republic.

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Sunday, January 27th, 2008

Landscaping Services No Comments

Light rail could fuel Apache Blvd renewal

Yabes led a group of students in ASU’s architecture and environmental design college last year to study transit-oriented development along the Camelback corridor for Phoenix. The corridor is bounded by Colter Street on the north, Seventh Street on the east, Pierson Street on the south and 22nd Avenue on the west.

The class recommended, among other things, that Phoenix:

%26#149;Change the current zoning along the corridor to include mixed-use developments.

%26#149;Increase parking and parking garages with ground-floor retail and business space at light-rail stations.

%26#149;Incorporate varying height and density of one to 20 stories to promote pedestrian traffic and train ridership.

%26#149;Include transitional spaces to blend large-scale development with residential areas to create a “step-back” effect.

%26#149;Create plazas, courtyards, urban parks, public art and other public spaces that form a sense of community.

%26#149;Implement affordable housing policies and encourage a mixture of income and race/ethnicity.

%26#149;Install speed bumps, traffic circles and other traffic-calming devices, while expanding bike paths.

%26#149;Enhance streetscapes by planting trees and landscaping and adding benches.

The study, which was finalized in December, is similar to what Tempe is paying a private consultant to do. The Tempe study has not yet been released.

Yabes, who lives in Tempe, said the planning class attempted to set the stage for what is known as transit-oriented development around an expensive public project.

“Cities have to make commitments” to make light-rail projects attract riders and shoppers to nearby commercial developments, Yabes said.

“If the feds (federal government) are kicking in that amount ($1.4 billion), the whole system is probably worth $4.1 billion.”

To be sure, there has been $4.2 billion worth of commercial development proposed or being built around the starter line’s 28 stations, according to an informal review by city planners and the Metro.

“What you want in terms of businesses are the kinds of things that get you out of your car,” Yabes said.

She said that most people will walk five to 10 minutes, although 10 minutes “is pushing it, especially in Arizona’s hot summer.”

What’s tricky is meshing high-rise commercial developments with pedestrian-friendly areas and residential neighborhoods.

“People don’t want office workers looking into their backyards,” she said.

In Tempe, light-rail finally may transform Apache Boulevard into a more attractive area, Yabes said.

“Apache is kind of interesting in that regard because it’s surrounded by single-family homes,” she said. “If Tempe can be accused of having a red-light district, it’s on Apache between Price and McClintock.

“They’ve been trying to redevelop Apache for years. I think this is finally going to be what kicks it in.”

Don Cassano, chairman of the Tempe Transportation Commission, said he already sees Apache transforming and property values rising with light-rail development.

Cassano said he’s toured light-rail systems in Denver, San Diego and Portland to see what kind of businesses work best around light-rail stations. They include dry cleaners, florists, shoe-repair shops and coffee shops, he said.

Tempe adopted a transportation overlay district three years ago to encourage more pedestrians around light-rail stations, said Jyme Sue McClaren, Tempe’s deputy public-works manager.

“No carwashes, auto-related uses are restricted, no drive-throughs, no (plant) nurseries,” she said.

Instead, the city is encouraging the building of dry cleaners, coffee shops, retail stores, day-care centers, bookstores, service-oriented businesses and “things that you may see on Mill Avenue, like pedestrian-scale restaurants, neighborhood grocery stores,” she said.

Stores also should front the sidewalks and parking lots should be placed at the side or back of a development, McClaren said.

Jack Wierzenski, director of economic development and planning for the Dallas Area Rapid Transit System, said most developments around light-rail stations have increased property values.

“There’s a perception that bad things are going to happen, and bad things never happen,” he said.

Ram Pendyala, an ASU professor in civil and environmental engineering specializing in transportation systems, agreed and said that he expects to see a variety of mixed-use projects with apartments, condos and businesses “that cater to people’s personal errands.”

He said that successful light-rail systems foster a reciprocal relationship between riders and businesses.

“It’s definitely a two-way relationship there, definitely a synergy there,” he said.

A version of this story may have appeared in your community Republic.

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0

Sunday, January 27th, 2008

Landscaping Services No Comments

Light rail could fuel Apache Blvd renewal

Yabes led a group of students in ASU’s architecture and environmental design college last year to study transit-oriented development along the Camelback corridor for Phoenix. The corridor is bounded by Colter Street on the north, Seventh Street on the east, Pierson Street on the south and 22nd Avenue on the west.

The class recommended, among other things, that Phoenix:

%26#149;Change the current zoning along the corridor to include mixed-use developments.

%26#149;Increase parking and parking garages with ground-floor retail and business space at light-rail stations.

%26#149;Incorporate varying height and density of one to 20 stories to promote pedestrian traffic and train ridership.

%26#149;Include transitional spaces to blend large-scale development with residential areas to create a “step-back” effect.

%26#149;Create plazas, courtyards, urban parks, public art and other public spaces that form a sense of community.

%26#149;Implement affordable housing policies and encourage a mixture of income and race/ethnicity.

%26#149;Install speed bumps, traffic circles and other traffic-calming devices, while expanding bike paths.

%26#149;Enhance streetscapes by planting trees and landscaping and adding benches.

The study, which was finalized in December, is similar to what Tempe is paying a private consultant to do. The Tempe study has not yet been released.

Yabes, who lives in Tempe, said the planning class attempted to set the stage for what is known as transit-oriented development around an expensive public project.

“Cities have to make commitments” to make light-rail projects attract riders and shoppers to nearby commercial developments, Yabes said.

“If the feds (federal government) are kicking in that amount ($1.4 billion), the whole system is probably worth $4.1 billion.”

To be sure, there has been $4.2 billion worth of commercial development proposed or being built around the starter line’s 28 stations, according to an informal review by city planners and the Metro.

“What you want in terms of businesses are the kinds of things that get you out of your car,” Yabes said.

She said that most people will walk five to 10 minutes, although 10 minutes “is pushing it, especially in Arizona’s hot summer.”

What’s tricky is meshing high-rise commercial developments with pedestrian-friendly areas and residential neighborhoods.

“People don’t want office workers looking into their backyards,” she said.

In Tempe, light-rail finally may transform Apache Boulevard into a more attractive area, Yabes said.

“Apache is kind of interesting in that regard because it’s surrounded by single-family homes,” she said. “If Tempe can be accused of having a red-light district, it’s on Apache between Price and McClintock.

“They’ve been trying to redevelop Apache for years. I think this is finally going to be what kicks it in.”

Don Cassano, chairman of the Tempe Transportation Commission, said he already sees Apache transforming and property values rising with light-rail development.

Cassano said he’s toured light-rail systems in Denver, San Diego and Portland to see what kind of businesses work best around light-rail stations. They include dry cleaners, florists, shoe-repair shops and coffee shops, he said.

Tempe adopted a transportation overlay district three years ago to encourage more pedestrians around light-rail stations, said Jyme Sue McClaren, Tempe’s deputy public-works manager.

“No carwashes, auto-related uses are restricted, no drive-throughs, no (plant) nurseries,” she said.

Instead, the city is encouraging the building of dry cleaners, coffee shops, retail stores, day-care centers, bookstores, service-oriented businesses and “things that you may see on Mill Avenue, like pedestrian-scale restaurants, neighborhood grocery stores,” she said.

Stores also should front the sidewalks and parking lots should be placed at the side or back of a development, McClaren said.

Jack Wierzenski, director of economic development and planning for the Dallas Area Rapid Transit System, said most developments around light-rail stations have increased property values.

“There’s a perception that bad things are going to happen, and bad things never happen,” he said.

Ram Pendyala, an ASU professor in civil and environmental engineering specializing in transportation systems, agreed and said that he expects to see a variety of mixed-use projects with apartments, condos and businesses “that cater to people’s personal errands.”

He said that successful light-rail systems foster a reciprocal relationship between riders and businesses.

“It’s definitely a two-way relationship there, definitely a synergy there,” he said.

A version of this story may have appeared in your community Republic.

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0

Sunday, January 27th, 2008

Landscaping Services No Comments

Light rail could fuel Apache Blvd renewal

Yabes led a group of students in ASU’s architecture and environmental design college last year to study transit-oriented development along the Camelback corridor for Phoenix. The corridor is bounded by Colter Street on the north, Seventh Street on the east, Pierson Street on the south and 22nd Avenue on the west.

The class recommended, among other things, that Phoenix:

%26#149;Change the current zoning along the corridor to include mixed-use developments.

%26#149;Increase parking and parking garages with ground-floor retail and business space at light-rail stations.

%26#149;Incorporate varying height and density of one to 20 stories to promote pedestrian traffic and train ridership.

%26#149;Include transitional spaces to blend large-scale development with residential areas to create a “step-back” effect.

%26#149;Create plazas, courtyards, urban parks, public art and other public spaces that form a sense of community.

%26#149;Implement affordable housing policies and encourage a mixture of income and race/ethnicity.

%26#149;Install speed bumps, traffic circles and other traffic-calming devices, while expanding bike paths.

%26#149;Enhance streetscapes by planting trees and landscaping and adding benches.

The study, which was finalized in December, is similar to what Tempe is paying a private consultant to do. The Tempe study has not yet been released.

Yabes, who lives in Tempe, said the planning class attempted to set the stage for what is known as transit-oriented development around an expensive public project.

“Cities have to make commitments” to make light-rail projects attract riders and shoppers to nearby commercial developments, Yabes said.

“If the feds (federal government) are kicking in that amount ($1.4 billion), the whole system is probably worth $4.1 billion.”

To be sure, there has been $4.2 billion worth of commercial development proposed or being built around the starter line’s 28 stations, according to an informal review by city planners and the Metro.

“What you want in terms of businesses are the kinds of things that get you out of your car,” Yabes said.

She said that most people will walk five to 10 minutes, although 10 minutes “is pushing it, especially in Arizona’s hot summer.”

What’s tricky is meshing high-rise commercial developments with pedestrian-friendly areas and residential neighborhoods.

“People don’t want office workers looking into their backyards,” she said.

In Tempe, light-rail finally may transform Apache Boulevard into a more attractive area, Yabes said.

“Apache is kind of interesting in that regard because it’s surrounded by single-family homes,” she said. “If Tempe can be accused of having a red-light district, it’s on Apache between Price and McClintock.

“They’ve been trying to redevelop Apache for years. I think this is finally going to be what kicks it in.”

Don Cassano, chairman of the Tempe Transportation Commission, said he already sees Apache transforming and property values rising with light-rail development.

Cassano said he’s toured light-rail systems in Denver, San Diego and Portland to see what kind of businesses work best around light-rail stations. They include dry cleaners, florists, shoe-repair shops and coffee shops, he said.

Tempe adopted a transportation overlay district three years ago to encourage more pedestrians around light-rail stations, said Jyme Sue McClaren, Tempe’s deputy public-works manager.

“No carwashes, auto-related uses are restricted, no drive-throughs, no (plant) nurseries,” she said.

Instead, the city is encouraging the building of dry cleaners, coffee shops, retail stores, day-care centers, bookstores, service-oriented businesses and “things that you may see on Mill Avenue, like pedestrian-scale restaurants, neighborhood grocery stores,” she said.

Stores also should front the sidewalks and parking lots should be placed at the side or back of a development, McClaren said.

Jack Wierzenski, director of economic development and planning for the Dallas Area Rapid Transit System, said most developments around light-rail stations have increased property values.

“There’s a perception that bad things are going to happen, and bad things never happen,” he said.

Ram Pendyala, an ASU professor in civil and environmental engineering specializing in transportation systems, agreed and said that he expects to see a variety of mixed-use projects with apartments, condos and businesses “that cater to people’s personal errands.”

He said that successful light-rail systems foster a reciprocal relationship between riders and businesses.

“It’s definitely a two-way relationship there, definitely a synergy there,” he said.

A version of this story may have appeared in your community Republic.

Tags: , , , , , , , ,
0

Sunday, January 27th, 2008

Landscaping Services No Comments

Light rail could fuel Apache Blvd renewal

Yabes led a group of students in ASU’s architecture and environmental design college last year to study transit-oriented development along the Camelback corridor for Phoenix. The corridor is bounded by Colter Street on the north, Seventh Street on the east, Pierson Street on the south and 22nd Avenue on the west.

The class recommended, among other things, that Phoenix:

%26#149;Change the current zoning along the corridor to include mixed-use developments.

%26#149;Increase parking and parking garages with ground-floor retail and business space at light-rail stations.

%26#149;Incorporate varying height and density of one to 20 stories to promote pedestrian traffic and train ridership.

%26#149;Include transitional spaces to blend large-scale development with residential areas to create a “step-back” effect.

%26#149;Create plazas, courtyards, urban parks, public art and other public spaces that form a sense of community.

%26#149;Implement affordable housing policies and encourage a mixture of income and race/ethnicity.

%26#149;Install speed bumps, traffic circles and other traffic-calming devices, while expanding bike paths.

%26#149;Enhance streetscapes by planting trees and landscaping and adding benches.

The study, which was finalized in December, is similar to what Tempe is paying a private consultant to do. The Tempe study has not yet been released.

Yabes, who lives in Tempe, said the planning class attempted to set the stage for what is known as transit-oriented development around an expensive public project.

“Cities have to make commitments” to make light-rail projects attract riders and shoppers to nearby commercial developments, Yabes said.

“If the feds (federal government) are kicking in that amount ($1.4 billion), the whole system is probably worth $4.1 billion.”

To be sure, there has been $4.2 billion worth of commercial development proposed or being built around the starter line’s 28 stations, according to an informal review by city planners and the Metro.

“What you want in terms of businesses are the kinds of things that get you out of your car,” Yabes said.

She said that most people will walk five to 10 minutes, although 10 minutes “is pushing it, especially in Arizona’s hot summer.”

What’s tricky is meshing high-rise commercial developments with pedestrian-friendly areas and residential neighborhoods.

“People don’t want office workers looking into their backyards,” she said.

In Tempe, light-rail finally may transform Apache Boulevard into a more attractive area, Yabes said.

“Apache is kind of interesting in that regard because it’s surrounded by single-family homes,” she said. “If Tempe can be accused of having a red-light district, it’s on Apache between Price and McClintock.

“They’ve been trying to redevelop Apache for years. I think this is finally going to be what kicks it in.”

Don Cassano, chairman of the Tempe Transportation Commission, said he already sees Apache transforming and property values rising with light-rail development.

Cassano said he’s toured light-rail systems in Denver, San Diego and Portland to see what kind of businesses work best around light-rail stations. They include dry cleaners, florists, shoe-repair shops and coffee shops, he said.

Tempe adopted a transportation overlay district three years ago to encourage more pedestrians around light-rail stations, said Jyme Sue McClaren, Tempe’s deputy public-works manager.

“No carwashes, auto-related uses are restricted, no drive-throughs, no (plant) nurseries,” she said.

Instead, the city is encouraging the building of dry cleaners, coffee shops, retail stores, day-care centers, bookstores, service-oriented businesses and “things that you may see on Mill Avenue, like pedestrian-scale restaurants, neighborhood grocery stores,” she said.

Stores also should front the sidewalks and parking lots should be placed at the side or back of a development, McClaren said.

Jack Wierzenski, director of economic development and planning for the Dallas Area Rapid Transit System, said most developments around light-rail stations have increased property values.

“There’s a perception that bad things are going to happen, and bad things never happen,” he said.

Ram Pendyala, an ASU professor in civil and environmental engineering specializing in transportation systems, agreed and said that he expects to see a variety of mixed-use projects with apartments, condos and businesses “that cater to people’s personal errands.”

He said that successful light-rail systems foster a reciprocal relationship between riders and businesses.

“It’s definitely a two-way relationship there, definitely a synergy there,” he said.

A version of this story may have appeared in your community Republic.

Tags: , , , , , , , ,
0

Monday, January 21st, 2008

Landscaping Services No Comments

Studies examine walkable corridors

Yabes led a group of students in ASU’s architecture and environmental design college last year to study transit-oriented development along the Camelback corridor for Phoenix. The corridor is bounded by Colter Street on the north, Seventh Street on the east, Pierson Street on the south and 22nd Avenue on the west.

The class recommended, among other things, that Phoenix:

%26#149;Change the current zoning along the corridor to include mixed-use developments.

%26#149;Increase parking and parking garages with ground-floor retail and business space at light-rail stations.

%26#149;Incorporate varying height and density of one to 20 stories to promote pedestrian traffic and train ridership.

%26#149;Include transitional spaces to blend large-scale development with residential areas to create a “step-back” effect.

%26#149;Create plazas, courtyards, urban parks, public art and other public spaces that form a sense of community.

%26#149;Implement affordable housing policies and encourage a mixture of income and race/ethnicity.

%26#149;Install speed bumps, traffic circles and other traffic-calming devices, while expanding bike paths.

%26#149;Enhance streetscapes by planting trees and landscaping and adding benches.

The study, which was completed in December, is similar to what Tempe is paying a private consultant to do. The Tempe study has not yet been released.

Yabes, who lives in Tempe, said the planning class attempted to set the stage for what is known as transit-oriented development around an expensive public project.

“Cities have to make commitments” to make light-rail projects attract riders and shoppers to nearby commercial developments, Yabes said.

“If the feds (federal government) are kicking in that amount ($1.4 billion), the whole system is probably worth $4.1 billion.”

To be sure, there has been $4.2 billion worth of commercial development proposed or being built by the starter line’s 28 stations, according to an informal review by city planners and the Metro.

“What you want in terms of businesses are the kinds of things that get you out of your car,” Yabes said.

She said that most people will walk five to 10 minutes, although 10 minutes “is pushing it, especially in Arizona’s hot summer.”

What’s tricky is meshing high-rise commercial developments with pedestrian-friendly areas and residential neighborhoods.

“People don’t want office workers looking into their backyards,” she said. “Even if they don’t sunbathe nude, they want the option.”

In Tempe, light-rail finally may transform Apache Boulevard into a more attractive area, Yabes said.

“Apache is kind of interesting in that regard because it’s surrounded by single-family homes,” she said. “If Tempe can be accused of having a red-light district, it’s on Apache between Price and McClintock.

“They’ve been trying to redevelop Apache for years. I think this is finally going to be what kicks it in.”

Don Cassano, chairman of the Tempe Transportation Commission, said he already sees Apache transforming and property values rising with light-rail development.

Cassano said he’s toured light-rail systems in Denver, San Diego and Portland to see what kind of businesses work best around light-rail stations. They include dry cleaners, florists, shoe-repair shops and coffee shops, he said.

Tempe adopted a transportation overlay district three years ago to encourage more pedestrians around light-rail stations, said Jyme Sue McClaren, Tempe’s deputy public-works manager.

“No car washes, auto-related uses are restricted, no drive-throughs, no (plant) nurseries,” she said.

Instead, the city is encouraging the building of dry cleaners, coffee shops, retail stores, day-care centers, bookstores, and service-oriented businesses, McClaren said.

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Monday, January 14th, 2008

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Light-rail could spark Apache Blvd renewal

Yabes led a group of students in ASU’s architecture and environmental design college last year to study transit-oriented development along the Camelback corridor for Phoenix. The corridor is bounded by Colter Street on the north, Seventh Street on the east, Pierson Street on the south and 22nd Avenue on the west.

The class recommended, among other things, that Phoenix:

� Change the current zoning along the corridor to include mixed-use developments.

� Increase parking and parking garages with ground-floor retail and business space at light-rail stations.

� Incorporate varying height and density of one to 20 stories to promote pedestrian traffic and train ridership.

� Include transitional spaces to blend large-scale development with residential areas to create a “step-back” effect.

� Create plazas, courtyards, urban parks, public art and other public spaces that form a sense of community.

� Implement affordable housing policies and encourage a mixture of income and race/ethnicity.

� Install speed bumps, traffic circles and other traffic-calming devices, while expanding bike paths.

� Enhance streetscapes by planting trees and landscaping and adding benches.

The study, which was finalized in December, is similar to what Tempe is paying a private consultant to do. The Tempe study has not yet been released.

Yabes, who lives in Tempe, said the planning class attempted to set the stage for what is known as transit-oriented development around an expensive public project.

“Cities have to make commitments” to make light-rail projects attract riders and shoppers to nearby commercial developments, Yabes said.

“If the feds (federal government) are kicking in that amount ($1.4 billion), the whole system is probably worth $4.1 billion.”

To be sure, there has been $4.2 billion worth of commercial development proposed or being built around the starter line’s 28 stations, according to an informal review by city planners and the Metro.

“What you want in terms of businesses are the kinds of things that get you out of your car,” Yabes said.

She said that most people will walk five to 10 minutes, although 10 minutes “is pushing it, especially in Arizona’s hot summer.”

What’s tricky is meshing high-rise commercial developments with pedestrian-friendly areas and residential neighborhoods.

“People don’t want office workers looking into their backyards,” she said. “Even if they don’t sunbathe nude, they want the option.”

In Tempe, light-rail finally may transform Apache Boulevard into a more attractive area, Yabes said.

“Apache is kind of interesting in that regard because it’s surrounded by single-family homes,” she said. “If Tempe can be accused of having a red-light district, it’s on Apache between Price and McClintock.

“They’ve been trying to redevelop Apache for years. I think this is finally going to be what kicks it in.”

Don Cassano, chairman of the Tempe Transportation Commission, said he already sees Apache transforming and property values rising with light-rail development.

Cassano said he’s toured light-rail systems in Denver, San Diego and Portland to see what kind of businesses work best around light-rail stations. They include dry cleaners, florists, shoe repair shops and coffee shops, he said.

“It’s going to be the kind of stuff that’s more service oriented, the grab-and-go businesses,” he said.

Tempe adopted a transportation overlay district three years ago to encourage more pedestrians around light-rail stations, said Jyme Sue McClaren, Tempe’s deputy public works manager.

“No car washes, auto-related uses are restricted, no drive-throughs, no (plant) nurseries,” she said.

Instead, the city is encouraging the building of dry cleaners, coffee shops, retail stores, day-care centers, bookstores, service-oriented businesses and “things that you may see on Mill Avenue, like pedestrian-scale restaurants, neighborhood grocery stores,” she said.

Stores also should front the sidewalks and parking lots should be placed at the side or back of a development, McClaren said.

Jack Wierzenski, director of economic development and planning for the Dallas Area Rapid Transit System, said most developments around light-rail stations have increased property values.

“There’s a perception that bad things are going to happen, and bad things never happen,” he said.

Ram Pendyala, an ASU professor in civil and environmental engineering specializing in transportation systems, agreed and said that he expects to see a variety of mixed-use projects with apartments, condos and businesses “that cater to people’s personal errands.”

He said that successful light-rail systems foster a reciprocal relationship between riders and businesses.

“It’s definitely a two-way relationship there, definitely a synergy there,” he said.

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Sunday, January 13th, 2008

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CityWatch - An insider look at City Hall - Haefele at Large - The View from Llano

It%26rsquo;s pear blossom time here in Llano, halfway between Victorville and Palmdale. It%26rsquo;s so dry and cool that this might not be a great wildflower year: the hillsides are still cocoa brown. But the pear trees spread their twilight pink along the road for miles. There may be no notable gate in South Gate, no bells worth mentioning in Bell Gardens, but in mid March at least, you got all the big pear blossoms you could possibly want along the Pearblossom Highway.

The highway crosses a huge delta of desert from the greenless new housing near Palmdale off Route 14 to its Victorville equivalent near the I-15. A few years ago, Greater LA was expanding by 3 miles a year. If this still holds, this 50-mile-wide notch of Joshua trees and creosote bushes, of desert-rat roadside amenities and orchards, might be gone by 2017, when the bi-regional development collides just about where I parked my car. Which was between the ruins of the old Llano del Rio settlement and the two-story farmhouse that belonged to Aldous Huxley, the man who wrote %26ldquo;Brave New World,%26rdquo; as well as the less-known %26ldquo;The Crows of Pearblossom.%26rdquo;Under the desert%26rsquo;s huge, perfect sapphire sky, I deeply didn%26#39;t want that to happen. But while Palmdale%26rsquo;s housing boom has been reported slowing, Victorville, having grown a hundredfold in just 40 years, is the hot center of the development exploding north of the Morongo Valley. There is talk of rail, just like 140 years ago, but refocused–a line to Las Vegas from Victorville (There is also a proposed OC-Vegas Maglev line through Victorville; the obvious compromise is a conventional high speed line from OC to the gambling capital) and Supervisor Mike Antonovich wants a rehabbed freight line from the Port of LA to Victorville, establishing an inland freight head from which truckers could start and end their national journeys without pumping soot into the LA Basin. Those rail lines would both hasten this inland sprawl and bring it into the Greater LA Community.This will also encourage a Los Angeles industrial diaspora that is already rolling. Our industry, like our housing, is going everywhere. All over Santa Clarita, new industrial parks bristle with woodsy little factories that make everything from airline seats to billiard balls. Bigger factories line boulevards of the San Fernando Valley. Think Budweiser Brewery. Think the factories that line the I-710 from Alhambra to Long Beach and the I-5 to Santa Ana. In Detroit, where a first-class home now costs less than a new car, empty factories sprawl like desert landscapes. In Southern California, from Palmdale to Tijuana, the factories pulse with productivity. And we all know about our housing costs.I mention this in the context of a recent Times article about conflict between downtown LA%26rsquo;s housing boom and its vibrant central industrial base. Pundit Joel Kotkin, who likes the downtown revival the way Michael Moore likes the Iraq War, is quoted saying: %26ldquo;In the rush to build some downtown fantasy, we should be careful not to destroy the things about downtown that actually work.%26rdquo; Particularly the workspaces that employ some 64,000 people at jobs that reportedly pay nearly three times the state minimum wage.But the %26ldquo;downtown fantasy%26rdquo; is real. Downtown buildings are becoming more valuable as residences than as factories. This is partly because many of them are so old. One answer would be to build more modern, mid-to-high-rise industrial buildings like those south of the I-10. City planners speak of mixing industrial and residential in the new downtown. I say, give it a try. But notice that most local industrial-residential mixes are low-income neighborhoods.Though they may have a limited tolerance for law offices and architect studios, affluent people just don%26rsquo;t want to live near stamping mills and foundries. Affluent people are moving downtown: what%26rsquo;s changing downtown from industrial to residential is not fantasy, but the market. Unless City Planning can encourage new, efficient and more attractive commercial-industrial development downtown, much industry is going to leave–just as it fled lower Manhattan a generation ago, leaving behind a bunch of hip new residential neighborhoods with abbreviated names.But thousands of displaced downtown jobs are not going to disappear or go to Alabama. They may go to the Valley, to South LA, even to %26ldquo;Vernon and Duarte%26rdquo; as the Times suggests. (Vernon, at least, is a stop on the Blue Line.) Duarte and beyond, and Santa Clarita and beyond, are increasingly part of this wildly ballooning Southland residential-industrial hegemony. And so, not too long from now, will be Victorville and Hesperia. Maybe even Llano. (Marc Haefele has been covering LA politics for 25 years for the LA Weekly, KPCC Radio and other media. Haefele is a regular contributor to CityWatch.) _

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Thursday, December 27th, 2007

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