Prepared for Fayetteville, Georgia on-site April 28-30, 2022
INTENT
Following up on the work of Moving Fayetteville Forward and the Livable Cities Initiative, a crossdisciplinary team conducted a design vision workshop with city officials. The goal was to create inspiring visions for key streets and critical city parcels of downtown Fayetteville and to outline a strategy for implementation.
SCHEDULE RECAP
On the first day, the team created preliminary designs for improvements to the transportation network and concept plats for priority parcels. The second day was focused on detailed study of the critical parcels and creating an outline regulatory framework to review and permit infill projects within the study area. On the final day, the team refined concepts according to feedback and revised concepts for a final round of presentation and feedback.
PRINCIPAL FINDING
In general, the team finds development prospects in the city are very strong based on the fundamentals. Residential demand is high as indicated in prior reports and reflected by active permits and inquiries. If the city can slow the traffic and codify a system supporting appropriate infill, the vibrant walkable vision for Downtown Fayetteville will become an inspiring reality.
NEXT STEPS
1. Exploratory work plan re: GDOT conversation
a. Overview call w/ referred traffic engineer
b. Execute scope to make a schematic case to GDOT.
Studio pinup. At the end of each day, the team hosted an open feedback session. Suggestions and critiques were immediately incorporated into the next day’s work.
Short listing building types. At the feedback sessions, community members helped the team narrow down the list of candidate building types for a pre-approved building program.
c. Goal is to get GDOT to agree to receive an application. Then engage a detailed follow-on scope, including legal counsel.
2. Program outline for pattern zone
a. Overview call: components, optional integrations, benchmark pricing
b. Concept program proposal is focused on pocket neighborhoods and main street buildings.
3. Adopt the Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) and Downtown Mixed-Use zone (DMU).
a. Set the expectation for regular amendment packages.
IMPLEMENTATION FRAMEWORK
NEGOTIATED AGREEMENT WITH GDOT.
Downtown Fayetteville is currently bisected in each cardinal direction by roadways under GDOT jurisdiction. These roads are designed to highway standards and prioritize traffic volume and traffic speed. In contrast, rights-of-way in active downtowns are designed to be streets that accommodate pedestrian movement at least as well as vehicular movement. Execution of a streetscape improvement plan will require a negotiated agreement–or even a transfer of jurisdiction–with GDOT. The team considers this recommendation mission critical to providing the type of living environment the citizens and city officials of Fayetteville want to enjoy and share with future generations. Without significant streetscape changes, Downtown Fayetteville’s full potential will remain suppressed.
PARKING
The team recommends the city maximize the use of existing parking and postpone the construction of a parking deck; however the team also identified future sites for planning purposes. Sufficient downtown parking is available but underutilized due to a lack of connecting pedestrian infrastructure such as safe and comfortable sidewalks and adequate lighting. The entire downtown area, including city center and the square, is within a 3 minute walk of existing surface parking lots. The city can address present and future parking needs through shared use agreements with private parking lot owners and construction of parking on streets within existing right-of-way.
PRECISION CODE AMENDMENTS
Certain sections of the new UDO and DMU still need to be amended. The team observed that the use unit tables and ADU and cottage court codes may be improved with downtown-focused revisions.
PATTERN ZONE / PRE-APPROVED BUILDING PROGRAM
The proposed UDO and DMU is a substantial step forward and should be adopted as soon as possible. To maximize its impact, combining the DMU with a pre-approved building program would help guide the local market to build appropriate infill development in the right places.
PROACTIVE REPLATS
In the case of large tracts, the team recommends the city replat these parcels for small-scale projects in a proactive manner. Replatting these parcels for traditional lot sizes and arrangements will open a large market of buyers and developers that is currently unaddressed.
STREET IMPROVEMENTS
CONVERSION TO 2-WAY TRAFFIC: LANIER AVE AND STONEWALL AVE
Downtown Fayetteville is presently dominated by high-speed automobile traffic. Conversion of 1-way streets to 2-way traffic has been demonstrated to dramatically improve business revenues and desirability of residences by significantly reducing operating speeds (and therefore road noise) and increasing accessibility by allowing the site to be conveniently accessed from either direction.
LANE REDUCTION AKA ROAD DIET
The team recommends reducing the number of lanes on Glynn St between Grady Ave and Lanier Ave from four travel lanes to two travel lanes with planted medians and left turn pockets or turn lanes. This creates more room for safe pedestrian and cycling facilities and for parking. This configuration can accommodate existing traffic counts if it includes network improvements.
1. Segment A: Between Grady and Stonewall, include a center turn lane.
2. Segment B: Between Stonewall and Lanier, remove the center turn lane in favor of angled parking on both sides of the street.
3. Segment C: North of Lanier, keep four travel lanes but install a tree-lined median in the center turn lane.
4. Major opportunity for network improvement: Roundabout at Grady Ave and Glynn St.
a. Segment A starts at this roundabout. It’s a signal to drivers they are entering downtown.
b. Lee Street links into the new roundabout. This will help with development on the east and southeast sides of the downtown and reduce pressure on Glynn.
c. A vehicular connection on Williamsburg Way to Jeff Davis should be considered a high priority connection.
NEGOTIATING WITH GDOT
1. Engage a traffic engineer with experience in roundabout design, lane reductions, and 2-way conversions.
2. Prepare for a protracted negotiation as you would with any state agency. Persistence is key.
3. Broach conversations about transferring jurisdiction of the street or changing its designation from a principal highway to a business route.
4. Reference the ITE Context-sensitive Highway Design manual and the NACTO Street Design Guide.
GENERAL STREET IMPROVEMENTS
The team recommends the city create an accelerated work plan for the repair and widening of existing sidewalks and installation of new sidewalks, on-street parking, lighting, and street trees, prioritizing and scheduling work on each street. Most downtown streets are of sufficient width to install parallel parking on the existing paved section without reductions in roadway capacity.
1. On some streets, a protected cycling facility may be more appropriate than parallel parking. The team observed the LCI trails map will be complemented by on-street linkages.
2. Returning Stonewall and Lanier to two way operation will require adjustments to traffic signals throughout the downtown network.
3. When feasible, construct raised intersections on Stonewall and Lanier at the square and in other appropriate locations.
CONCEPT: ROUNDABOUT LOCATIONS
Raised Intersection
CONCEPT PARKING PLAN
SUMMARY RECOMMENDATIONS
1. Postpone the construction of a parking deck indefinitely. The entire downtown has coverage via existing lots.
2. Link walkability and lighting improvements with effective use of existing parking capacity.
Blue outline represent 3 minute walking areas from existing surface parking lots.
Existing street spaces
New street spaces
Existing parking lots
3. Negotiate shared use and management agreements with area churches who own large parking lots in downtown
4. Construct on-street parallel parking on most streets. (designated in pink)
CONCEPT STREET SECTIONS: LANIER AVENUE AND STONEWALL AVENUE
1. Stonewall has one fewer lane than Lanier, but the principle is the same.
CONCEPT STREET SECTIONS: GLYNN STREET
CONCEPT STREET SECTIONS: GLYNN STREET
CONCEPT STREET SECTIONS: GLYNN STREET
VIEW
VIEW OF NEW CORNER NEXT TO SQUARE
VIEW
VIEW: NEW PEDESTRIAN STREET FRAMING VIEW OF CITY HALL
Development-oriented plan. Using pocket neighborhoods and a smart grid system of new streets and alleys, this plan maximizes the buildable area.
SUMMARY RECOMMENDATIONS
1. Pre-approve the plan sets with the best market fit:
Detached and attached single-units, convertible garages and guest suites, 2- and 3- story townhouses, ADU’s with carriage variants, apartment houses.
Conservation plan. This uses the same techniques as the development plan but preserves 40% of the total space for conservation.
VIEW
VIEW: POCKET NEIGHBORHOOD
PLAN: ENTRY COURT TO GRADY AVE PARCEL
VIEW
VIEW: ENTRY COURT TO GRADY AVE PARCEL
PATTERN ZONE / PRE-APPROVED BUILDING PROGRAM
HOW IT WORKS
A pattern zone is an overlay code that supplements the underlying code by pre-approving specific buildings for construction on specific parcel. The city licenses architectural assets for construction by applicants and associates them with an expedited review process and supplemental criteria for site design and development. Using the plans is voluntary; applicants can still propose custom architecture via conventional review procedures. The result is a program that dramatically reduces
IMPLEMENTATION PHASES
Program and policy design. Short list building types, define applicable areas, outline review processes.
Technical implementation. Short list and select specific buildings, site diagrams, supplemental development criteria, policy and process construction.
Program launch. Data onboarding, software demonstrations, process testing, launch event, affirmative marketing workplan.
CANDIDATE BUILDING TYPES
• Cottages w/ carriage variants.
• Guest suites / garage.
• Detached fee simple, small and modest size.
• Attached fee simple.
• ADUs - attached and detached.
• Duplexes.
• Apartment houses (up to 4 units).
• Residential and mixed-use walkups.
• ACUs (Accessory Commercial Units).
• Carriage buildings.
CANDIDATE SITE FORMATS
• Fee-simple, primary dwelling (conventional).
• Fee-simple courts, detached and attached.
• Rear yard accessory structures. time-to-market in addition to direct savings.
Pre-approved building program. Multiple buildings are pre-approved for most parcels to ensure variety.
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Program platform. An online platform makes accessing and administering the program straightforward.
It’s about the pattern. From a single building type four variations were ultimately pre-approved in Bryan, TX. These buildings are also pre-approved for construction in multiple site formats: as a primary dwelling, accessory unit, or pocket neighborhood. Images by MBL Planning, used with permission.
CONTRIBUTORS
R John Anderson, Anderson | Kim Architecture & Urban Design
