Newsletter - September 2023

Town of Dillon, Town Center

Walkability Study and Design

Dillon, CO

Community Planning: Planning for the Future

Written By: Steve Miller Director of Business Development, Community Engagement \ Associate

What makes a great community? Through the years, communities across the country have continually adapted in order to meet the needs of their citizens. From planning for future community growth, to updating municipal infrastructure or creating outdoor spaces where events can be held, the way we plan and design our communities has a profound impact on our quality of life. How we live, work, and play is shaped by our built and natural environments, which is the result of years of planning (or lack thereof). Good community planning with residents in mind can lead to thriving neighborhoods with strong social ties, a robust economy, and a healthy environment while a lack of planning can lead to issues with infrastructure, funding, and community buy-in.

By collaborating with community stakeholders, such as local residents and civic organizations, our multidisciplinary design team can help provide plans and designs meet the needs and goals of a community. Encouraging participants to be actively engaged in the process and share their input ensures diverse perspectives are considered, which ultimately makes the planning and design process more effective.

The following are just a few examples of how our design professionals help communities successfully plan for the future, and create built and natural environments that serve community needs for years to come.

Engaging with the Community

Actively engaging community members in the planning and design is key to gaining buy-in and garnering support. The stronger the collaboration between the design team, stakeholders, and community members, the better the project will meet the needs of the community.

Johnson County Library’s Monticello Branch was one of the first new library facilities the system had added in over a decade and provides much-needed service to the fast-growing population of Shawnee, Kansas. The project drew heavily on a programming effort that engaged the public. Several methods were utilized in gathering input from community stakeholders, including an online forum, community meetings, surveys, and an active social media campaign. These efforts resulted in more than 500 suggestions, a majority of which centered on the desire to provide public meeting space, a “robust” children’s area, and greater availability of computers, internet, and other technology. By utilizing the suggestions of the community in the design of the project and allowing them to have a voice throughout the process, Johnson County Library was able to build a vibrant facility that serves as a community hub, with spaces and activities that captivate patrons of different ages.

Revitalizing Community Spaces

The Historic Haymarket and West Haymarket districts in Lincoln, Nebraska have experienced a surge in redevelopment activity due to the relocation of rail lines, construction of a new sports and entertainment arena, and ongoing redevelopment of the downtown area. As a result, developers are continuously looking south of N Street for new opportunities.

Clark & Enersen was selected by the City of Lincoln to review existing master plans for the downtown area and the South Haymarket Neighborhood in order to develop a comprehensive streetscape and parking plan. The goal of the project was to redesign sidewalks and pedestrian crossings in order to provide connections to the new developments in the area, as well as create new parking opportunities. Additionally, our team focused on maximizing on- and offstreet parking; establishing connections between current and future bike facilities; developing inviting, safe pedestrian spaces; and creating a cohesive district through placemaking, branding, and amenities.

The development of this plan, along with the additional work the City of Lincoln has completed, has created a long-term strategy that will add new housing, parking, and recreation areas for community members in the Downtown area.

Preparing for the Future

Over the next 30 years, the City of Fort Collins, Colorado, is expected to double its workforce. With the expected addition of more than 80,000 residents, the number of staff needed to support the city continues to grow. In order to better prepare, the city selected Clark & Enersen to analyze space needs, update the 2015 Civic Center master plan, and provide cost estimates for an enhanced civic center campus that will include a new city hall.

As part of the process, our team identified current staffing issues, which included having employees scattered in as many as eight different buildings throughout the city. The updated master plan, which was developed through meetings with City leadership and staff will allow the civic center to:

\ Become a point of community pride in performance, innovation, and regenerative design that sets an example for the public and private sector growth and development.

\ Contribute nature and ecology to the city while establishing vibrant community spaces for public gatherings that promote social and individual health, safety, and accessibility for community members.

\ Create lasting, quality designs that are climate-adaptive, accommodate growth, provide flexibility, and foster a universal community.

\ Support and activate site connectivity to the surrounding neighborhoods and create a collaborative environment internally.

\ Enhance the civic heart with a physical embodiment of the city’s mission and plan that meets immediate needs while establishing a long-term, urban design vision that can be invested in and realized.

Employee Spotlight

Connor Wilkinson PE Mechanical Engineer

Q: How has the firm impacted you in your life?

A: I relocated from Denver to Fort Collins this year and I love this city! When I moved to Colorado eight years ago, the Denver area didn’t quite hit the mark. I wish I had known then that the Colorado I romanticized in my head actually existed just a short drive to the north!

Q: Last book you read or last movie you saw? How was it?

A: The Unsettling of America by Wendell Berry. It is pretty dry nonfiction from 1977, but the scathing critique of the direction American agriculture has taken is still very relevant today and will definitely encourage anyone who reads it to plant some food!

Q: Share a story about something that happened in the office that you will never forget.

A: Moving into our Lawrence office! We were all so excited to be here - the energy was really positive and upbeat. Unloading the U-Haul and learning about the new building was a great way to get to know each other better.

Q: What do you do for fun?

A: Until recently my husband and I were short-time chicken farmers. I also enjoy baking, walking, and playing Legos with my 2-year-old.

Q: Why do you come to work every day?

A: Because of the impact the profession of Landscape Architecture can have on people and the built and natural environments. I may never interact with people who use and experience the places we design, but it brings me joy getting to see glimpses of people using a space we have designed.

Q: Favorite place to visit or best vacation?

A: Growing up, it was a small town called Mullan, Idaho. We would visit in the summer with my Great Grandfather, and it was a fun place to roam around on our bikes and enjoy Huckleberry ice cream.

Jean Stoverink AIA, NCARB, LEED AP Architect, Associate

Josh Sundine PLA, ASLA Landscape Architect, Associate