DRAFT Document - Regional Activity Center

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You'll need this for reference as you take the survey.

Summary

(Sidebar on right side of document)

This section summarizes the intent and rataionale for the "building blocks" of Place Types.  These "building blocks" range from Land Use to Transportation.

Please share any questions/comments you have on the following "building blocks".

Goals

• Accommodate XX% of future growth
• Evolve into the most walkable and dynamic destinations within Charlotte.
• Direct investment in these Centers to support concentrated growth.

Land Use

• Regional Activity Centers are characterized by a diverse mix of uses that serve residents from surrounding neighborhoods and across the Charlotte Region. They provide a mix of residential, office, retail, civic/institutional, and open space uses.

Urban Design

• Regional Activity Centers are the most intensely developed places outside of Uptown.
• Ideally, buildings should be vertically integrated and front multiple streets.

Transportation

• Regional Activity Centers should be extremely accessible and often located at key interstate interchanges and/or connected to rapid transit.
• Street network should be very well-connected within the Center, with short blocks and highly walkable connections along streets and between destinations.
• Easy access and multiple connections between these Centers and surrounding residential neighborhoods will help keep some vehicles off of Arterial Streets, and encourage using transit, walking, or bicycling to the Center.

Elements

(Items starting at lower left corner of document, eg. Typical Mix of Uses)

This section further refines the "building blocks" mentioned in the Summary.  These city-building characteristics range from Building Size to Sidewalks and vary from Place Type to Place Type.

Typical Mix of Uses

Zoning Districts

• This Place Type has a range of zoning districts that acknowledge the diverse character of the areas they serve. Districts will have varying standards related to height, intensity, uses, parking, building placement, and other site design elements.
• Specific Zoning Districts will be developed for this Place Type and will be included here.

Building Types

• The predominant building types are vertically integrated mixed use buildings, and multi-stories commercial and multi-family residential.
• Some buildings may be single use.
• All buildings should provide ground floor activation particularly along Local Streets, Main Streets, and Avenues.

Building Size

• There are typically several large non-residential buildings in Regional Activity Centers that are usually 100,000 to 200,000 square feet each.

Building Length Along the Street Frontage

• Shorter building lengths provide a more interesting and comfortable pedestrian environment and allow for better block structure.
• Buildings should be less than 300 feet long along a block face.

Building Height

• Buildings are typically no more than 15 stories, most are between 4 and 7 stories.
• Building heights are high- to mid-rise in the middle of the center and taper down in height toward edges adjacent to neighborhoods.

Yards

• N/A

Orientation

Note: Arterial Streets are higher volume streets (not freeways) that travel to and through Places.  The terms Main Street, Avenue, Boulevard, and Parkway refer to the more specific design classifications (from the Urban Street Design Guidelines)  that refine the generic Arterial Streets into context-based streets.  Arterial Streets is used generically here, with USDG classifications applied where necessary to make distinctions between expected design and context.  Local streets are lower-volume streets that provide direct access to land uses off of Arterial Streets.

• Regional Activity Centers are typically located along Arterial Streets, and also include Local Streets external or internal to the site.
• These Centers should not orient to Parkways, but should instead be accessed by and oriented to other types of streets (other Arterial or Local Streets).
• Principal buildings should orient to streets and be set back far enough to allow for outdoor seating and display where such uses are anticipated (typically for Main Streets, most Avenues, and Local streets). (H1)
• Buildings will typically be set back farther from Boulevards and some Avenues, but should still orient to and provide direct pedestrian access from the street onto the site and to principal buildings.
• Orientation to useable common open spaces is also encouraged.
• Buildings should not be oriented toward a driveway, interior parking lot, or alley.
• In a transit station area, buildings should orient to the street and to any pedestrian network that provides direct accessibly to the station.

Building Frontage Along Streets

• Regional Activity Centers provide a diverse mix of uses that serve residents from surrounding neighborhoods and across the Charlotte Region, and should be designed to be accessible by multiple modes.
• Sites should be designed to provide direct Local Street connections and a safe, interesting public realm from nearby neighborhoods and transit stops, thereby encouraging walking, cycling, and transit use.
• Buildings and open spaces should also establish clear connections to adjacent Arterial Streets, to encourage pedestrian travel between developments throughout the Center and create a park-once environment.
• Buildings should include operable entrances and significant transparency along street frontages, particularly along Main Streets, Avenues, and Local Streets.
• Buildings set farther back from an Arterial Street (along Boulevards, e.g.) should still include clearly visible pedestrian connections and operable entrances from the Arterial Street at intervals no greater than 250 feet.
• Buildings on corner lots are encouraged to have entrances that front on both streets or provide an entrance from the corner of the building. Entrances should be aligned with existing or future planned pedestrian facilities where feasible.
• Corners of streets and driveways from Arterial Streets into Regional Activity Centers should be wrapped by a building to create an inviting, comfortable route for pedestrians from the Arterial Street.
• Parking (other than on-street parking) should typically not be located between the building and street.  One bay of parking may be allowable along Parkways, Boulevards, and some Avenues.
• Space between the building and the sidewalk may provide appropriate locations for outdoor seating or usable open space, which can positively contribute to an improved public realm.
• Street frontages should be substantially built out, with minimal driveways, to maintain a good pedestrian environment and public realm.

Building Coverage and Impervious Surface

• Impervious surfaces typically make up 70% of development within a Regional Activity Center.
• Building coverage is typically up to 50% of the land. Building footprints are large because they typically include structured parking.
• Impervious surfaces may be made up of buildings, driveways, streets, parking, plazas, and buildings.
• Approximately 30% of the land in a Regional Activity Center is pervious. Preferably, some of these areas are grassed or landscaped and designed to provide a pleasant pass-through environment or a place to stop and enjoy.
• Pervious areas should accommodate trees that contribute to the City’s tree canopy.

Open Space and Yards

• Usable open spaces should be incorporated into Centers in addition to vegetative buffers that will often be located at the edges of a Regional Activity Center that provide transition to neighborhoods.
• These spaces should be designed to provide a pleasant pass-through environment or a place to stop and enjoy.
• They may be designed as plazas, courtyards, or other type of passive park space and can be the focal point of Regional Activity Centers.
• These areas allow the most significant tree canopy in the Center, in addition to street trees.
• Open spaces of various types should occupy about 5-15% of Regional Activity Centers.
• Buildings adjacent to open spaces should orient to them and include accessible building entrances from the space and ground floor activity to activate the open space.

Connectivity

• Local Street networks and connections to Arterial Streets are critical to support activity throughout the center.
• Block lengths are preferably no greater than 500’, and should be closer to 400’ to promote walkability, particularly if the Center is also a Transit Station Area.

Pedestrian Network

• The Local Street network provides a high-quality pedestrian environment by being both well-connected and designed to accommodate large groups of people.
• Arterial Streets also support walkability by providing a high-quality public realm and frequent crossing opportunities.
• The external pedestrian network (along adjacent Arterial or Local Streets) should include clear and visible on-site sidewalk connections directly to buildings and/or the internal pedestrian network.
• Off-street sidewalks should include connections from streets to adjacent greenways, parks, schools, and other streets where possible. 

Parking

• Parking is primarily located on-street (Wide Local Streets, Main Streets, and some Avenues) and in parking decks. 
• Parking deck access should be off Local Streets rather than Arterial Streets.
• Alley-fed parking is appropriate for both commercial and residential portions of the Center.
• Any off street parking should be located behind the primary building.
• Existing surface lots provide opportunities for future infill development and building expansion

Vehicular Access

• Driveways should typically be located along internal (Local Streets) streets, not from or along Arterial Streets.
• Driveways should be limited (preferably not more than one per block), to maintain a high quality pedestrian environment. For the same reason, shared driveways and cross access are highly encouraged. 
• Parking lots should be designed and located to provide clear vehicular cross-access between streets.
• Parking lot entrances should be designed and located so that driveways align on either side of Local Streets.

Streets

• Arterial Streets provide access to the Center, and often carry traffic through or by the Center, so they should be designed to allow convenient crossings and a public realm that supports pedestrian, bicycle, and transit access.
• Most Arterial Streets will be Avenues or Boulevards, but Main Streets may be appropriate in lower volume locations within the Center.
• Due to the higher intensity of development, Local Streets should include on-street parking.
• Target speeds should be low (preferably 20-25mph on Local Streets and Main Streets; maximum 35mph on Arterial Streets).
• Arterial Streets in Centers will typically have more frequently spaced traffic signals and other crossing opportunities than Arterial Streets in less dense environments.

Sidewalks

• Sidewalks should be wide enough to accommodate high pedestrian volumes and maintain unobstructed walking space when adjacent to outdoor seating and displays (in the setback).
• Internal Local Streets should have 8’-10’ wide unobstructed sidewalks, depending on the intensity of development.
• Arterial Streets typically have minimum 8’ wide unobstructed sidewalks on Avenues and Boulevards or a minimum 10’ wide unobstructed sidewalks on Main Streets.
• Additional sidewalk width or hardscaped area between the building and the street is needed to accommodate outdoor dining and display.
• There should be clear and visible on-site sidewalk connections from Arterial Streets directly to buildings and to the internal pedestrian network.

Green Zone

• The Green Zone is typically no less than 8’ wide to accommodate shade trees, grass, and/or hardscape elements. It provides separation between pedestrians and vehicles, helps calm traffic, provides an attractive public realm, contributes to the City’s healthy tree canopy, and shades the streets and users.
• In Regional Activity Centers, a hardscaped amenity zone is ideal along most Local Streets and Avenues with on-street parking (or where there is heavy transit use), and should always be used on Main Streets.
• Grassed or vegetated planting strips are appropriate on Parkways, Boulevards, and most Avenues. 

Bicycle Facilities

• Dedicated bicycle facilities are expected on most Arterial Streets, due to higher motor vehicle speeds and volumes.
• Dedicated bicycle facilities are not typical on internal Local Streets and Main Streets, since speeds and traffic volumes should be low.
• Design of the bicycle facility varies 

Street Furnishings

• Street furnishings should be located in the Green Zone or area behind the sidewalk, not in the sidewalk.
• The Green Zone (typically hardscaped), combined with building setback, should be wide enough to include trees in grates, pedestrian lighting, benches, transit stops/facilities, trash receptacles, outdoor seating/displays, doors and entrances, and bike parking.