C. CITY INFRASTRUCTURE & QUALITY OF LIFE This section of the plan focuses on the supporting elements related to vertical real estate development projects and districtwide redevelopment activity. If the public realm within a city is clearly defined and inviting, a person will feel comfortable from the moment they enter the city limits. The first introduction usually begins with the roads and connectivity points to other places. Do people know they entered the city and where they are? Can they find what they are looking for and can they get there easily and safely? Once they leave their cars the walkability of the city becomes more obvious and everything from signage and landscape, lighting and wayfinding, and bicycle and transit conditions influence how a person feels in your city. The regulations influence how they feel about the buildings, and the public plazas, parks, and art and cultural displays impact their desire to use these assets. The combination of these publicly driven features become the city’s brand and creates a lasting impression that defines the image of the city. Progressive cities recognize the connections between the public realm and human reaction and strive to ensure the experience is positive and rewarding. If not, people will not want to visit or stay very long, and the economics of the city will suffer. This section delves into the public realm experience and provides recommendations to improve existing conditions to create a desirable and inviting place to be.
OVERVIEW Background
Previous studies and design proposals have already been developed within the study area, including: Sunset Strip Complete Streets; FDOT Oakland Park Boulevard Alternatives Analysis; Broward MPO University Drive Mobility Improvements Planning Study; City of Sunrise Leisure Services Master Plan; and City of Sunrise Bicycle & Pedestrian Greenways & Trails Master Plan. This report helps to build on those initial ideas as well as introduce opportunities for potential improvements. Design Objectives City officials and staff helped to identify specific objectives, as did the public during the East Sunrise Improvements Master Plan kick-off meeting. These were taken into consideration as well as other design standards, guidelines and potential improvements in this report. These include: • Build on capital improvements initiatives (Sunset Strip Complete Streets Project) • Promote context sensitive design alternatives that respond to neighborhood character • Create equitable distribution of the public right-of-way for pedestrians, runners, bicyclist, drivers, and transit users (Complete Streets) • Strengthen access to, from and through east Sunrise • Explore opportunities of regional connectivity • Coordinate with other municipalities for mutual benefits of surrounding areas • Improve mobility for pedestrians, bicyclists, drivers, and transit users with new connections • Assure pedestrians and bicyclists with comfortable, accessible, convenient, and safe routes • Improve function and aesthetics of streetscape design • Improve amenities to encourage people to walk, bicycle, or use transit • Create community identity through architecture, furnishings and other improvements • Create vibrant neighborhood and village centers • Improve public realm; building frontage, sidewalks, furnishings zones, landscape (tree grate, planting strips, swales, and medians), on-street parking, travel lanes, as well as other civic spaces (parks, squares, plazas) • Opportunities for potential improvements for private spaces to enhance the public realm • Establish implementable solutions with a gradual approach (short-term through long-term) • Provide examples of other communities and case studies with similar goals • Develop driveway, landscape, streetscape furnishing, and street lighting standards • Develop a series of traffic calming techniques to control vehicle speed • Develop a way-finding and signage plan • Create civic pride/ sense of belonging by enhancing the street aesthetics • Enhance local businesses • Program social events/ activities to build on community engagement • Improve transit connectivity to civic centers for all users
86 | EAST SUNRISE IMPROVEMENTS MASTER PLAN
Made with FlippingBook - Online catalogs