RES 06036 - Laserfiche WebLink

,... -'If.. Grand Park Design El . Design Background The Phase [ Specific Plan applied "neo-traditional" planning prinCiples to the development of residential neighborhoods within the Phase I Area, Neo-traditional planning is based largely on the concept that higher density neighborhoods with social gathering areas and pedestrian-oriented streets are more conducive to neighbor interaction, thus creating more livable communities. A variety of residential, commercial, and park uses are integrated together in Phase 1, with neighborhoods organized around a village square, and interconnecting circulation patterns that decrease the need for vehicles and create pedestrian-oriented outdoor environments. The basis of this way of designing neighborhoods is the traditional pattern of the American city form from the early 1900s to the late 1940s post-World War II suburban expansion period. The Phase II Specific Plan focuses primarily on the development of public facilities, parks and open space and other public facilities within the 31B-acre, City-owned property. The City envisions the entire Phase I and II Bernal Property areas as a 516-acre community, unified through a "grand park" setting. The defining characteristics of the grand park setting are: stately, commanding presence, substantially forested, and recognizable form. The challenge for the Phase II Plan is to integrate the Phase II grand park concept with the Phase I neo-traditional planning principals. The Phase II planning principles are readily drawn from the icons of American urban parks. Appropriately, the principles fundamental to neo-traditional planning evolved within an overlapping time-frame with grand parks in the United States, and are therefore quite compatible. Historical examples offer a perspective on the development of grand parks over time, including Central Park in New York City and Golden Gate Park in San Francisco, Both were conceived and originally located on outlying areas of the city. Both sites had a clearly defined boundary derived by the street grid that has not changed much over the life of the parks. The programming of each park has incrementally adapted to generational needs, and abundant landscaping has matured over the years, Today, both parks stand as timeless and dominating symbols of nature in the city. Grand Park Design Element 331