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Washington Square Regional Plan - 09/1999TASK FORCE RECOMMENDED REGIONAL CENTER PLAN CITY OF TIGARD, OREGON SEPT EMBER 1999 WASHINGTON SQUARE WASHINGTON SQUARE REGIONAL CENTER PLAN TASK FORCE MEMBERS Tom Archer Spieker Properties Ruth Croft Crest Grove Cemetery Dr. Gene Davis Property Owner David Drescher Fans of Fanno Creek Nic Herriges Nimbus Business Ron Hudson Tigard/Tualatin School District Leo Huff ODOT Beth Johnston Norris Beggs & Simpson Jon Kvistad Metro Council Kathy Lehtola Washington County Dan McFarling Association of Oregon Rail and Transit Advocates Lyndon Musolf Lyn Musolf & Associates Adele Newton Washington County League of Women Voters Michael Neunzert Metzger Resident Jim Nicoli, Mayor City of Tigard Nawzad Othman, President OTAK Steve Perry Metzger Resident Jack Reardon Washington Square Mall Rick Saito Group McKenzie Ken Shekla Tigard City Council Forrest Soth Beaverton City Council Ted Spence Tigard resident Dave Stewart Citizens for Sensible Transportation Pat Whiting Citizen Participation Organization 4-M Nick Wilson Tigard Planning Commission WASHINGTON SQUARE REGIONAL CENTER PLAN SEPTEMBER 1999 CITY OF TIGARD PLANNING DIRECTOR, Jim Hendryx PLANNING MANAGER, Nadine Smith PROJECT MANAGER, Laurie Nicholson PREPARED BY: Spencer & Kupper, Project Management with Lloyd D. Lindley, ASLA Cogan Owens Cogan Kittelson & Associates Claire Levine Christine Rains Graphic Design This project is partially funded by a grant from the Transportation and Growth Management (TGM) Program, a joint program of the Oregon Department of Transportation and the Oregon Department of Land Conservation and Development. This TGM grant is financed, in part, by federal Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act, local government, and State of Oregon funds. Additional funding was provided by Metro and the City of Tigard. The contents of this document do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the State of Oregon. CITYOFTIGARD REGIONAL CENTER STUDY WASHINGTON SQUARE TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. BACKGROUND1 2. PROCESS AND STAKEHOLDER PARTICIPATION 5 Task Force Public Involvement Guiding Principles 3. REGIONAL CENTER DEVELOPMENT PLAN13 Regional Expectations & Growth Targets Overall Vision Urban Design Concepts Urban Design by District Private Sector Involvement in Achieving the Vision 4. PARKS AND OPEN SPACE29 The Washington Square Greenbelt Open Space Network Parks Recommendations 5. LAND USE INNOVATIONS 6. TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM PLAN43 System Needs and Problems Recommended Improvements Overall District Improvements 7. PARKING STRATEGY61 Key Findings — Existing Conditions Forecast Conditions Parking Strategies 8. PLAN IMPLEMENTATION67 Coordination Next Steps Protection of Sensitive Areas Transportation Implementation, Priorities & Phasing Parking APPENDIX75 CITYOFTIGARD REGIONAL CENTER STUDY WASHINGTON SQUARE 1. BACKGROUND In 1995, Metro Council adopted a visionary plan for regional development. The 2040 Growth Con- cept describes strategies that make the most efficient use of urban land in the face of dramatic population growth. The 2040 Growth Concept will help the region create and pre- serve livable neighborhoods, and promote a useful, acces- sible, free-moving transporta- tion system with a wide variety of convenient transportation choices. One of the key elements of the 2040 Growth Concept was the designation of regional centers. These are areas containing con- centrated commerce, local gov- ernment and retail services, and housing served by high-quality transit. The Washington Square area is one of three re- gional centers in Washington County and one of eight in the metropolitan region. The center of the Washington Square study area is Washing- ton Square Mall, a major re- gional retail center. Office com- plexes at Lincoln Center and Nimbus provide com- mercial and financial support to the region. Cur- rently, the area supports 18,000 jobs. About 5,000 people live in approximately 2,300 housing units within the area. The 2040 Growth Concept resulted from exten- sive regional discussion about the future of the Port- land metropolitan area. Once the Growth Con- cept was adopted, Metro working with the local juris- dictions, developed and adopted the Urban growth Management Functional Plan in 1996. Local citizens and governments were then charged to determine the best way to create regional centers given the values, interests and needs of residents and busi- nesses. This regional center plan sum- marizes the results of a thor- ough public discussion about the future of the Washington Square study area. It demon- strates the way the people of Tigard and Washington County incorporated their ex- pectations for the future into the regional framework plan. The resulting work creates an exciting vision of a dynamic, compact and interconnected community. The Washington Square Regional Center Plan acknowledges and pro- motes the important role that this area plays in Portland’s metropolitan area and its position as a regional resource. It also recognizes the distinct de- velopment patterns and functions already estab- OVERALL VISION •The Washington Square Regional Center is a vital regional center serving the needs of Washington County residents •preserve residential neighborhoods •offer an innovative transportation service that makes it easy for people to reach their destinations •focus on Washington Square Mall as a community resource •feature a linked greenbelt of parks and open space easily reached by residents and employees 1 CITYOFTIGARD REGIONAL CENTER STUDY WASHINGTON SQUARE lished within the planning area, and suggests ways to build and enhance each district’s unique charac- teristics. Residents of high density neighborhoods will have easy access to nearby jobs, essential services and tre- mendous retail resources. Highway 217, the major freeway that bisects the study area, will be bridged by overpasses, allowing pedestrians and bicyclists, as well as cars and transit, to move back and forth be- tween destinations. Improved transit — include a “people mover” serving a commuter rail sta- tion — will en- hance circulation within the area and help the center ac- commodate more people and develop- 2 ment while maximizing the efficiency of space re- quired for parking and circulation. A green belt of parks and open space — linked by bike and pe- destrian trails — will ensure residents and employ- ees a nearby respite from the more intense urban landscape. Members of the Washington Square Regional Cen- ter Task Force are proud to present this vision of the future to the people of Tigard, Beaverton and Washington County who rely on this vital dis- trict for housing, employment, shopping, enter- tainment and es- sential services. Study Area CITYOFTIGARD REGIONAL CENTER STUDY WASHINGTON SQUARE 5 Within the context of Metro’s 2040 Growth Con- cept and the Urban Growth Management Func- tional Plan, local governments in Washington County initiated a study of land use, transporta- tion and other functions around Washington Square. After considerable discus- sion, a citizen task force (described below) reached consensus that the Wash- 2. PROCESS AND STAKEHOLDER PARTICIPATION ington square Regional Study area would include 1,250 acres, with Washington Square Mall ap- proximately in the center. The area is bounded generally by Fanno Creek on the west, SW Greenburg Road and Hall Boulevard on the east, Progress Downs Golf Course to the north, and Highway 217, including the Ash Creek area on the southern border. Task force members reached consensus during 17 meetings over more than a year. CITYOFTIGARD REGIONAL CENTER STUDY WASHINGTON SQUARE TASK FORCE In 1998, the Tigard City Council appointed 23 people to serve on the Washington Square Re- gional Center Task Force. Task force members rep- resent neighborhoods, schools, business and prop- erty owners, state and local govern- ments and public interest groups. (Please see the title page of this docu- ment for a com- plete list of task force members.) The task force’s charge was to iden- tify issues and set general policy for recommendations about land use, transportation, open space, aes- thetics and other issues relevant to development around Washing- ton Square. Task force members kept in close con- tact with the organizations or neighborhoods they represented to inform others about the process and opportunities for participation. They reported on the concerns of their constituents at task force meetings. 6 The task force met 18 times between June 3, 1998 and August 24, 1999. All meetings were open to the public. Early in the process, members and con- sultants took a bus tour of the study area and re- viewed areas of in- terest and concern. The task force reached all agree- ments by consen- sus. The group agreed on decisions after extensive re- view of technical data, public input from open houses and surveys, and discussion by task force members and others in atten- dance at task force meetings. A Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) worked closely with the consultants throughout the process. TAC members represented staff of local and state government agencies that will be responsible for implementing the recommendations. Jurisdictions include the cities of Tigard, Beaverton, and Port- land, Washington County, the Oregon Department of Transportation, Metro and Tri-Met. Open house in Washington Square Mall, one of three public meetings held CITYOFTIGARD REGIONAL CENTER STUDY WASHINGTON SQUARE 7 PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT A continuing task force goal was to engage as many people as possible in the planning process. To that end, the task force, consultants and staff undertook a compre- hensive outreach pro- gram. They produced brochures and flyers distributed by task force members and inserted in newspapers and community newslet- ters. These products in- formed the community about the progress of the study, reported on issues arising at task force meet- ings and notified the community about public involvement opportuni- ties. The task force hosted three public open houses, with a final one scheduled for September 15, 1999. The meetings were held: • September 28, 1998 — 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Ap- proximately 200 people dropped by during this two-hour meeting, and the staff received 81 writ- ten questionnaires from those in attendance. Sep- tember 28, 1998 — 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., Metzger Elementary School. Ap- proximately 200 people attended, and staff re- ceived 160 written ques- tionnaires from those in attendance. • March 8, 1999 — 5:30 to 9 p.m., Tigard Water Building. Approximately 90 people attended, and they returned 32 written questionnaires. A list of written responses and other relevant docu- ments from the public in- volvement process is in- cluded in the appendix to this document. The docu- ments are compiled under separate cover. Three public open houses were hosted by the task force. Members of the community provided written questionnaires at the open houses. CITYOFTIGARD REGIONAL CENTER STUDY WASHINGTON SQUARE GUIDING PRINCIPLES In March of 1999, task force members agreed on a set of principles that would guide development of all rec- ommendations. These principles, which had been affirmed previously by members of the public at a series of open houses, are as follows: Creation/Preservation of Area Identity •Reinforce a distinctive regional center while recognizing and respecting the character of the nearby residential community. •Retain and develop quality housing, including affordable housing, for all income levels. 8 •Facilitate transitions from one use to another; for example, single to multifamily residential uses. •Preserve and enhance Metzger Park and con- sider additional parks. •Encourage environmentally-friendly development. •Try to keep historic trees. •Build for our children: have a sense of stew- ardship. CITYOFTIGARD REGIONAL CENTER STUDY WASHINGTON SQUARE •Think creatively and be innovative in improv- ing/maintaining quality of life. •Consider market forces and development patterns. •Maintain and preserve floodplains and wetlands. Government/Institutional Issues •Consider all political boundaries and facilitate cooperation among jurisdictions. •Maintain neighborhood schools. •Identify and reinforce what makes the learning (educational) environment viable. Transportation •Strive for a self-sufficient, connected transpor- tation system. 9 •Consider transportation needs for the whole study area. •Plan for a multi-modal transportation system that accommodates increased auto and non-auto travel needs. •Respect and enhance local street networks and neighborhood livability. CITYOFTIGARD REGIONAL CENTER STUDY WASHINGTON SQUARE •Maintain an acceptable level of service and safety on regional roads, minimizing the effect on re- gional roads outside the study area. •Provide good transportation access to the rest of the region. •Make the community accessible for all people and modes with connections for cars, bikes, pe- destrians and transit. •Maintain a high level of accessibility within and to the regional center. •Use appropriate street and streetscape design. •Encourage attractive, high quality development. •Promote long-term viability for the area. Assure infrastructure is available prior to or with devel- opment. 10 THE REGIONAL CENTER PLAN SHOULD: •Be understandable to lay people. •Be implementable within a reasonable, staged pe- riod of time. •Help develop a sense of community with a com- mon vision, hope and optimism. •Be based on statistics and facts for population, employment and other factors. •Use existing resources as much as possible. •Encourage compatible and complementary uses. •Contain solutions to common problems. •Avoid conflict with other regional centers. CITYOFTIGARD REGIONAL CENTER STUDY WASHINGTON SQUARE 3. REGIONAL CENTER DEVELOPMENT PLAN REGIONAL EXPECTATIONS AND GROWTH TARGETS 13 Metro’s 2040 Urban Growth Management Functional Plan estab- lished what it called “target growth capac- ity” for each jurisdiction in the region. The target fig- ures are identi- fied both by jurisdiction and, more nar- rowly, for mixed use ar- eas in each ju- risdiction. The goal of setting these target numbers is to prepare the metropolitan region for an- ticipated hous- ing and job growth. Working from a variety of op- tions and pro- posals, the Re- gional Center Task Force cre- ated a desired development scenario for the year 2020 aimed at ensur- ing the Wash- ington Square study area’s ca- pacity to absorb its share of re- gional growth. The task force used the 2040 Plan’s target numbers as a basis for creat- ing develop- ment scenarios for the City of Tigard. The fi- nal numbers are larger than those indicated for Tigard alone, recogniz- ing that the study area in- cludes parts of Beaverton and unincorporated Washington County. Before looking at projected growth in the Environmental Features Study Area City Boundaries Englewood Park Greenways Wetlands 100-year Floodplain 10-foot Contours CITYOFTIGARD REGIONAL CENTER STUDY WASHINGTON SQUARE area, it is important to have an idea of existing job and housing concentrations. Currently, about 5,000 people live in approximately 2,300 housing units within the 1,250 acre planning area. About 18,000 people work inside the study area, which also has heavy retail and commercial development. Buildable Lands Land Categories Study Area Analysis Sub-Areas City Boundary Infill Potential Parking Lots Other Public Redevelopment Opportunity Vacant Tigard Owned County Owned Title 3 100-year Flood Plains 14 Total Employment: 9,804 jobs Retail/Service: 1,188 jobs Office: 8,436 jobs Housing: 1,500 units Residents: 2,530 people Regional cen- ter planning was based on transportation and develop- ment capabil- ity and the area’s capacity to absorb the following minimum tar- gets within 20 years: CITYOFTIGARD REGIONAL CENTER STUDY WASHINGTON SQUARE The Washington Square Regional Center Task Force based its work on the region’s growth assumptions plus the estimates of new development necessary to accom- modate this growth. The Task Force also considered lands which should be preserved in their natural or enhanced state, such as wetlands, stream corridors and flood plains. Opportunities for development on va- cant land, infill on under-uti- lized properties such as surface parking lots, and redevelop- ment possibili- ties were also considered. Research indi- cates that 227 acres could po- tentially ac- commodate new develop- ment within the study area. This includes 42 vacant com- mercial acres and 17 acres available for residential infill; 129 acres with redevelop- ment opportu- nities; and 38 surface parking lots that could be built upon. Development Concept From this information, task force members identified where within the study area growth should occur; what new development should look like; and what infra- structure would be necessary to preserve and enhance livability throughout the district. The following pages describe a vision of planned growth for the entire re- gional center and in each of the five districts of the Washing- ton Square Re- gional Center study area. The visions are in- tended to help the region ab- sorb growth while respect- ing the values, expectations and choices of Washington County resi- dents, employ- ees, businesses and property owners. 15 Multi-modal bridge Redevelopment opportunity Infill development Locust extension - multi-modal bridge Pedestrian bridge New development Greenbelt Ash Creek Greenbelt New development Metzger School Metzger Park Washington Square Mall Infill development Plaza Golf Course Pedestrian bridge Multi-modal Center - commuter rail, people mover, transit center Infill development Greenbelt Fanno Creek CITYOFTIGARD REGIONAL CENTER STUDY WASHINGTON SQUARE OVERALL VISION 16 •a vital regional center serving the needs of Washington County residents for employment, housing, shopping and professional services; •preservation of residential neighborhoods with some infill of single family and duplex housing where appropriate; Many of the basic elements of Washington Square Regional Center are already in place. The area con- tains one of the state’s largest and busiest retail cen- ters; extensive job development in one-story and taller office buildings; and an established residential neighborhoods served by schools and parks. The task force based its work on Metro’s 2040 Growth Concept and Functional Plan guidelines, guiding principles adopted by the task force and rec- ognition of existing conditions, to create an overall vision that calls for: CITYOFTIGARD REGIONAL CENTER STUDY WASHINGTON SQUARE 17 Greenbelt with continuous pedestrian bike system Pedestrian links around Washington Square Mall Internal pedestrian connections Outdoor public plaza Central plaza inside Washington Square Mall Open space Pedestrian links Plaza •an innovative transportation system that makes it easy for people to reach their destinations in, out and around the district by auto, rail, conventional transit, shuttles, vans, bicycle, commuter rail, people mover shuttle vans and on pedestrian pathways, with an emphasis on connecting the districts within the regional center; •a focus on Washington Square Mall as a community resource with public space for non-retail purposes; and •greenspace and parks easily reached by residents and employees inside the area. CITYOFTIGARD REGIONAL CENTER STUDY WASHINGTON SQUARE URBAN DESIGN CONCEPTS 18 A livable and friendly community environment Pedestrian oriented streets The previous section describes briefly the vision for Washington Square as a regional center. The following paragraphs summarize some of the major themes that drove development of specific design concept elements. These are based on the guiding prin- ciples established by the task force early in the process. They reflect specific issue areas and the way the various geographic dis- tricts within the regional center will interconnect. Parks and open space. An open space network pre- serves and enhances floodplain, wetland and wild- life habitat areas while creating a green belt around the regional center. The plan calls for acqui- sition of land for new parks; preservation of Metzger Park and links to destinations in and around the open space by paths and pedestrian-oriented streets; and preservation of Metzger School as a community re- source. Environmentally-friendly de- velopment. Development will be designed on a human scale and preserving open space, wet- lands and floodplains. The highest density development will occur around the mall and Lincoln Center. Densities will decrease toward the residential neighborhoods near the outer edges of the study area. Design will encourage open spaces and streets to create a livable and friendly community environ- ment. Private property consider- ations. New land designations will offer property owners flex- ibility to transition to higher densities and better uses while allowing existing uses to re- main. New streets will be located on property lines wherever practical. Street planning will try to avoid creation of parcels that will not be economical to develop. Regional/neighborhood char- acteristics. The regional cen- ter contains a continuum of uses, from surrounding resi- dential areas to the densely de- veloped commercial and em- ployment center. New mixed- use zoning designations en- courage each district within the study area to evolve in a way that is relevant to its par- ticular context, while support- ing a combination of housing, commercial, retail and em- ployment uses. This mix will contribute to the vitality and create desirable places to live and work. CITYOFTIGARD REGIONAL CENTER STUDY WASHINGTON SQUARE Innovative features. The design concept calls for a greenbelt, new mixed-use zones, a people mover system, bridges and other links between parts of the study area. All of these will contribute to an enhanced quality of life by en- couraging new developments to integrate with the heritage and fabric of the existing community. Housing. The design concept encourages a variety of housing types, including single family detached, duplexes, fourplexes, rowhouses and new multi-fam- ily developments. Good bicycle, pedestrian and transit connec- tions and a mix of land uses en- sure convenient links to services and employment. Transitions. Building heights, floor area ratios and building de- sign guidelines will encourage workable transitions between different land uses. Vegetation, setbacks and other design ele- ments will create a protective buffer between development and environmentally sensitive areas. The Mall. Washington Square Mall is an important regional fa- cility and will be a focal point of the regional center. The mall will become even more of a commu- nity resource, with better pedes- trian, bicycle and transit connec- tions to the rest of the regional center and other parts of the re- gion. New plazas and entertain- ment features will reinforce its function within the larger area. Better auto and pedestrian access will also link the mall to retail opportunities across 217. Mixed-use development. Mixed-use development is an im- portant feature of the regional center. Mixed use projects may include a variety of retail, office, housing, light industrial and en- tertainment facilities. Such projects reduce stress on transpor- tation systems by allowing people to live close to jobs, services and entertainment. Mixed-use devel- opment also creates shared park- ing opportunities. Mixed-use projects add to an area’s round- the-clock vitality with more people in buildings and on the streets more hours every day. First floor retail and food estab- lishments add charm and inter- est to office and residential build- ings. New zoning regulations will facilitate mixed-use develop- ment. However, financing for such projects may be more chal- lenging to find than for conven- tional developments.Mixed-use projects add to the area’s vitality with more people in buildings and on streets more hours every day. 19 Good bicycle, pedestrian and transit connections assure convenient links to services and employment. CITYOFTIGARD REGIONAL CENTER STUDY WASHINGTON SQUARE Transportation and infrastructure. Achievement of the vision set forth in this document relies on sig- nificant infrasructure investment and a regional com- mitment to financing needed projects. Transporta- tion improvements are essential to accommodate an- ticipated growth. This includes better auto access and creating a truly multi-modal transportation sys- tem that promotes use of bicycles, transit and pe- destrian transportation. Infrastructure to manage stormwater and control flooding is also essential to the regional center’s future. Parks and open space are other infrastructure features that are supported by a parks master plan. Market forces and development patterns. When cre- ating a far-reaching plan for an emerging commu- nity it is essential to balance fiscal realities with vi- sionary thinking. Local governments and commu- nity members recognize that property owners and developers require realistic returns on investments if they are to build in a way that will accommodate the growth anticipated for this area. When imple- menting the framework plan, local governments must avoid excessive development regulations that will stifle new construction. Communities must use creative strategies to prevent and remove obstacles to the type of development necessary to create a vi- brant regional center. 20 Open space provides balance in urban living. During implementation, local governments will work with property owners to set aside land for parks and open space. These areas will offer residents and employees balance in urban living with easy access to enjoy nature, sit quietly or engage in active recre- ation, offsetting the intensity of urban developments. The following sections discuss the way the vision and guidelines have been translated into specific recommendations. CITYOFTIGARD REGIONAL CENTER STUDY WASHINGTON SQUARE Each of these districts has a unique character, and each serves an easily identifiable function within the community. The task force’s charge was to pre- serve the existing characteristics of these districts while allowing and encouraging appropriate new or redevelopment. The task force recognized the need to learn more about the interactions of these different neighbor- hoods and improve the social, eco- nomic, insfrastructure and transportation links between them. The following para- graphs describe the task force’s vision for future development of each district, rec- ognizing the impor- tance for them to function together to create an efficient re- gional center. 21 On the 2040 Growth Concept map, the Washing- ton Square area is designated as a regional center in which orderly new development and redevelop- ment would serve many functions for Washington County residents. In reviewing existing land uses, the task force recognized that the area designated “Washington Square” is actually five distinct dis- tricts: The commer- cial core and the golf course; the primarily residential Metzger neighborhood; the office and financial area around Lincoln Center and Ash Creek; and two areas of flex-office and light industrial devel- opment generally re- ferred to as Nimbus and Fanno Creek. Al- though the Nimbus/ Fanno Creek district is essentially the same in character through- out, the Task Force viewed it as two sepa- rate districts, as one is within the City of Tigard, the other within Beaverton. URBAN DESIGN BY DISTRICT Districts within the study area CITYOFTIGARD REGIONAL CENTER STUDY WASHINGTON SQUARE DISTRICT A: THE COMMERCIAL CORE AND GOLF COURSE Washington Square is noted throughout the Portland region for the Washington Square Mall and other dy- namic retail development. The framework plan calls for the 895 acres includ- ing and immediately out- side the mall and encom- passing both sides of High- way 217 to accommodate the highest densities of the five districts. In addition to the mall and existing retail development in this area should include office towers housing many new jobs and high density, four to five-story residential buildings. This dis- trict will be highly urbanized, with sig- nificant transit, pe- destrian and bike improvements, as well as enhanced traffic access and circulation. Today, this district contains nearly 89 acres of surface parking, of which 22 have been iden- tified as potential infill locations. These lots represent the single great- est opportunity for new development in the district. Typical mid-rise office and commercial development. One of the urban design elements that can contrib- ute to an enhanced feeling of community in this part of the study area is an emphasis on open space and pedestrian amenities that balance increased density. The mall itself may pro- vide an opportunity for developing a new public plaza that offers a place to rest, sit, read, have lunch or visit with friends. In addition, the urban design concept calls for expanding the existing plaza next to the transit center and better linking all the pedestrian areas inside the mall area. The task force also has proposed creat- ing an entertain- ment area within the commercial and retail core. Cinemas along the freeway would be coupled with a viewing area at the mall’s highest point. District A also includes the Progress Downs Golf Course. The task force recommends working with the community to develop a pedestrian path connecting to neighborhoods and ultimately linking to other open spaces on the district’s periphery. Concept sketch showing structures, new arterial and infill development 22 Development concept. W a s h i n g t o n S q u a r e M a l l CITYOFTIGARD REGIONAL CENTER STUDY WASHINGTON SQUARE 23 Inefficient development can place greater pressure on surrounding lands. A simple layout can provide maximum potential without crowding. The Metzger area is an es- tablished residential neighborhood located east of Greenburg Road and north of Locust Street. Hall Boulevard is the district’s northern and eastern boundary. The task force agreed that Metzger should remain primarily residential, with infill complementing existing uses. Densities would in- crease approaching the district’s west end to cre- ate a transition toward Greenburg Road and the very high density mall area. New building would con- sist of single family units and duplexes. Small apartment or condominium complexes could be built along the periphery of the district on Greenburg Road and Hall Boulevard. Retail development to meet the needs of imme- diate neighborhood resi- dents will be housed in two-story mixed-use buildings. New build- ings provide parking at the rear to preserve the pedestrian orientation of local streets. Metzger should be a neighborhood that sup- ports children and fami- lies. Metzger School and play fields will remain and be enhanced as an important neighborhood asset. Metzger Park, al- though not in the study area, will continue to provide open space and recreation facilities for Metzger residents. Metzger is an established neighborhood comprised of single family homes and undeveloped parcels on narrow streets. Higher density residential developments are occurring around the edges of the neighborhood. DISTRICT B: METZGER CITYOFTIGARD REGIONAL CENTER STUDY WASHINGTON SQUARE DISTRICT C: LINCOLN CENTER - ASH CREEK Lincoln Center is characterized by office develop- ment. It is an em- ployment center housing many pro- fessional services and commercial enterprises. Imme- diately adjacent to this office park and south of Locust is a mixed-use resi- dential and com- mercial area that has the capacity to house more people and provide more jobs and services. The task force envisions the current nature of Lin- coln Center to continue — with more of the same. It will expand on its role as a commercial and financial resource to Washington County, with construction of new buildings four stories or higher. Retail facilities will arise along Greenburg Road in one or two-story mixed-use buildings. Shops and restaurants will serve office workers. South of Locust, the emphasis will be on residential development at a density of about 100 units to an acre. The resi- dential neighbor- hood, which will be somewhat less dense than the office develop- ment, will be- come a transi- tional area ap- proaching Ash Creek and the projected green belt that will surround the district. Plantings, setbacks and other miti- gation and enhance- ment techniques will buffer Ash Creek and adjacent sensitive areas from disturbance. Wet- lands and floodplains, already protected, will become a part of a dis- trict-wide open space configuration. 24 Southwest Half of Ash Creek District showing Lincoln Center and future potential development Ash Creek District is planned to absorb the highest mixed use and office densities outside of the retail core. CITYOFTIGARD REGIONAL CENTER STUDY WASHINGTON SQUARE DISTRICTS D & E: NIMBUS - FANNO CREEK Districts D & E function as one neighborhood. They have been given different district designations because they lie in two different jurisdictions: Tigard and Beaverton. The main development features in this area are one-story light industrial and of- fice buildings created to accommodate Wash- ington County’s high tech industry and re- lated services. Densities here should be in- creased to a moderate density scale, and this part of the study area should remain an em- ployment center. The task force believes that many of these buildings have the poten- tial to be redeveloped into more efficient and taller office and mixed-use facilities to accom- modate more jobs. The dis- tricts have capacity for new four-story office buildings as well as some residential devel- opment. The corridor along 217 through these districts will continue to attract retail development. A key to making the best use of this district will be enhanced public transit. The task force strongly rec- ommends creation of a commuter rail line and sta- tion to serve this employment area and the regional center. A commuter rail station near Scholls Ferry Road would offer tremendous development incen- tives, as well as improv- ing access to this busy commuter district. The task force envisions the station as a mixed-use facility with bus trans- fer access to the people mover, outdoor plazas and a variety of ameni- ties serving commuter needs. An important aspect of development in this area is improved pedes- trian, and transit access. The task force wants to reinforce and strengthen the districts’ re- lationships with Beaverton and adjacent neighborhoods. Fanno Creek and its delicate ri- parian areas lie at the outskirts of Districts D & E. In addi- tion to enhancing pedestrian and bicycle access to Fanno Creek, design concepts for these districts call for careful buffering and sensitive land use planning to create an en- vironmentally sensitive transition between some of the highest density development. 25 A mix of commercial, retail and residential uses linked to a commuter rail station and a multimodal center Commuter rail would improve access to this busy district. CITYOFTIGARD REGIONAL CENTER STUDY WASHINGTON SQUARE PRIVATE SECTOR INVOLVEMENT IN ACHIEVING THE VISION 26 To achieve the densities envisioned here, local govern- ments will be responsible for making major infrastruc- ture improvements that will support access in and out of the r egional center, pro vide for greenspace, offer environmental protection, par ticularly flood control, and ensure other essential services. The actual block-by-block build-out of the area, however, will be the responsibility of private devel- opers. Market forces, financing and other issues will determine the extent developers redevelop existing land uses or fill in vacant land and parking lots. To attract private investment, local governments and community members must be sensitive to the reali- ties of the market place. Market conditions may affect the type and extent of development that is feasible at a given time. Furthermore, aggressive regulations intended to promote the vision, protect the environment, encourage transit use, etc., may result in discouraging development. Local govern- ments and community members must be prepared to work with the development community to en- sure that property development remains an attrac- tive investment within the regional center. Successful build-out will rely on coordination between private developers and public service providers. If new development occurs before adequate infrastruc- ture improvements are made, the district risks in- creased traffic and stormwater problems. Local gov- ernments should create timelines for infrastructure investment that can guide private investment. The appendix to this document contains specific data about available acreage and infill and redevelopment potential. It also contains charts indicating recom- mended building heights and floor area ratios neces- sary to achieve specific job and housing targets. CITYOFTIGARD REGIONAL CENTER STUDY WASHINGTON SQUARE 4. PARKS AND OPEN SPACE Open space in any city significantly contributes to citi- zens’ and visitors’ quality of life. Open space includes parks, plazas, natural areas, wetlands, cemeteries, golf courses or landscaped spaces next to highways. These areas are not necessarily available for public access. How- ever, all open space is intended to create a visual and physical respite from urban development. Parks and plazas create a framework for livability that knits places together into neighborhoods and communities. The Fen Way in Bos- ton, a series of small and large parks linked by a stream with ponds and pools, enliv- ens the commu- nity and attracts visitors from all over the world. Golden Gate Park in San Francisco, Central Park and Battery Park in Manhattan, and the mall in Wash- ington DC are ex- amples of open spaces that pro- foundly influ- enced the develop- ment and livabil- ity of their sur- rounding cities. The Washington Square open space system would provide choices for residents, employees and visitors to bike or walk comfortably from place to place within the regional center, reducing the number of short trips in automobiles. Open spaces would also provide convenient access to transit, further reducing reli- ance on automobiles. This all adds up to less con- gestion and cleaner air. Today is the time to establish these places. At no other point in the fu- ture will there be a better op- portunity to create such a complete and lasting contri- bution to the livability and future of the Washington Square Re- gional Center. Establishing an interconnected open space sys- tem and a green belt around the center would potentially add property value and attract quality devel- opments that ultimately will create a great place to live and work. 29 Open space map School Golf Course Metzger Park Cemetery Ash Creek Fanno Creek Pedestrian bridge Bicycle/ pedestrian trail Multi-modal bridges with pedestrian links Bicycle/ pedestrian path CITYOFTIGARD REGIONAL CENTER STUDY WASHINGTON SQUARE The task force targeted six to eight acres of wetland and floodplain areas in the south just north of High- way 217 for preservation as open space. These sen- sitive lands lie within an area that is envisioned to absorb nearly half of the regional center’s projected residential growth. The task force also allocated another two acres of pro- tected open space along Fanno Creek. The green belt exists to- day as an incomplete green space around the re- gional center. A continu- ous trail system would provide access and links to residential, employment and commercial districts and provide pedestrian and bicycle connectivity between destinations in the area. The path system would also link recreation areas and park facilities such as Metzger Park, Progress Downs Golf Course, Fanno and Ash Creek and Whitford Middle School play fields. Special treatments along Hall Boulevard and across Oleson Road connecting to the golf course are nec- essary for continuity. THE WASHINGTON SQUARE GREENBELT Today, Fanno and Ash Creeks converge in the south- west portion of the study area near North Dakota Street and the Southern Pacific Rail Line. These two creeks flow through a variety of floodplain and wetland areas that wrap around the west, south, and eastern edges of the regional center study area. Progress Downs Golf Course, certain forested areas around Taylor’s Ferry Road and Whitford Middle School create a “green link” around the northern edge. These form a natural greenbelt. Much of the wetland and flood plain areas are on public lands. The City of Tigard manages park lands in the southern por- tion of the study area near where Fanno and Ash Creek join. Other wet- lands are privately owned. Within the western green belt lies an incomplete pedestrian and bike trail and park system that con- nects the neighborhoods between Scholls Ferry Road and Hall Boulevard with the Fanno Creek natural areas. A path system would link recreation areas and park facilities. 30 A gateway marks the transition into a neighborhood. CITYOFTIGARD REGIONAL CENTER STUDY WASHINGTON SQUARE A trail system around the edges of the golf course would provide pedestrian connections to the club house, Fanno Creek trail sys- tem, Whitford Middle School and to destina- tions across Highway 217. Pedestrian bridges across Highway 217 north of the Hall Boulevard overpass and south of Greenburg Road would complete the connections. An internal network of open spaces, plazas, pedes- trian oriented streets and access ways connect to the green belt creating ways for residents, employees and visitors to circulate throughout the center. Wash- 31 Public plazas are part of the open space network. Public plazas provide for a variety of activities such as a farmers market. ington Square will be- come, upon completion of the open space net- work and path system, a walkable place with less reliance on automo- biles. The trail system re- quires special design to avoid sensitive environ- mental and habitat areas while providing places for people to sit and walk. Crossings over Fanno and Ash Creeks must be sited to prevent adverse im- pacts on wildlife habitat and wetlands. A native plant program should complement federal, state and regional requirements to create a model urban natu- ral area that will benefit future generations. Plazas become part of the transportation system, linking pedestrians to transit service. CITYOFTIGARD REGIONAL CENTER STUDY WASHINGTON SQUARE 32 Pedestrian promenades between major anchor stores provide connectivity through Washington Square Mall. tennis and model boating. They would connect to other parts of the community through the open space network. This ver- sion of park development is con- sistent with the Tigard Regional Parks Master Plan. RECOMMENDATIONS The City of Tigard should: •seek to purchase lands to complete the Green Belt around the Washington Square Regional Center. •purchase or request dedications of park lands adjacent to significant new developments that would benefit from parks and open space. OPEN SPACE NETWORK An internal open space network identifies parks, plazas, streets and access ways that provide choices for residents, employees and visi- tors to walk or bike throughout the regional center. Public plazas provide a variety of places for community events, farmers mar- kets, festivals and other exhibits that help create a sense of neigh- borhood. Each of the plazas is linked to a system of pedestrian-oriented access ways and streets and is connected to the internal pathway system in the mall. Public plazas would be located at the commuter rail station, in the center of and at the east end of the Washington Square Mall, and in the south end near Ash creek. The illustration above shows connectivity through the mall by enhancing pedestrian promenades between anchors. The pedestrian system also pro- vides convenient connections and frequent service to the people mover and transit routes. PARK USES Active community use parks would be located at Metzger Grade School, Whitford Middle School and in two other locations: in the Fanno Creek and Ash Creek corridors. These parks would offer active uses such as playgrounds, soccer, little league baseball, softball, Pedestrian linkages Washington Square Mall Greenbelt and Pedestrian Linkages •begin discussions and ac- quire the rights to construct pedestrian bridges over Highway 217. •investigate the feasibility of forming a public private partnership with the mall to develop the central plaza. •cooperate with private land owners and commuter rail representatives to encourage the operation of commuter rail and the development of a rail station and plaza. •study the feasibility, align- ments and phasing of a people mover that would pro- vide access to the open space system, parks and plazas. CITYOFTIGARD REGIONAL CENTER STUDY WASHINGTON SQUARE 5. LAND USE INNOVATIONS MIXED-USE DEVELOPMENT A key element in the region’s ability to achieve its goals for the Washington Square Regional Center will be mixed-use development. The task force be- lieves that development that combines more than one land use on one site will help the region meet its density expectations while minimizing problems of- ten associated with growth. Two of the most severe prob- lems associated with higher densities are traffic conges- tion and parking. Mixed- use projects can address these in several ways. First, by building housing in prox- imity to work places, people may not need to use cars to reach their work. The more mixed-use development in an area, the more options employees have to live near their work site. When an office develop- ment shares a site with din- ing and retail businesses, em- ployees are less likely to need their cars once they get to their jobs, making it pos- sible for them to carpool or use transit, bicycles or to walk to work. Mixed-use developments offer excellent opportuni- ties for sharing parking. Generally, residents need parking spaces in the evenings and at night, while employees need the spaces during the day. There- fore, office or retail uses complement housing for the purpose of sharing parking. Restaurants and movie theaters can easily share parking with offices because of the difference in parking demand times. Development of housing, en- tertainment and retail adds vitality and interest to a com- munity. The sense of “eyes on the street” created by people living in an area and using the public right-of-way at all times of day enhances safety and encourages others to use the area. Ground floor uses such as stores, coffee shops and restaurants give pedestri- ans interesting views as they walk past buildings — and also contribute to sidewalk safety. The bulk of this section addresses proposed regula- tory changes that will make it easier for local gov- ernments and developers to site and build mixed- use projects in Tigard, Beaverton and unincorporated Washington County. An “eyes on the street” sense is created by people using the public rights-of-way at all times of day. 35 CITYOFTIGARD REGIONAL CENTER STUDY WASHINGTON SQUARE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AND ZONING CODE AMENDMENTS Comprehensive Plan and Zoning Designations To implement the principles and concepts described in this framework plan, task force members pre- pared amend- ments to the City of Tigard Comprehen- sive Plan and Development Code. For the portions of the planning area within the City of Beaverton, and Washing- ton County, the task force recommends plan and code amendments in these jurisdic- tions, to be implemented separately by plan amend- ment processes. The principal amendments are to create new mixed-use dis- tricts to be in- cluded both in the Compre- hensive Plan and the Zoning Code. These new districts will support a variety of land use types suit- able for com- mercial, em- ployment and residential areas at densities ap- propriate for the regional center. These mixed use districts are summarized be- low. The pro- posed plan and zoning map for the Washington Square Regional Center is also shown. 36 Beaverton Zoning C1 CS GC OC R2 R7 Wash. Co. Zoning CBD INST MED NC OC R15 R24 R5 R9 Tigard Comp Plan Central Business District Community Commercial General Commercial Neighborhood Comm. Professional Comm. High Density Res. Heavy Industrial Light Industrial Low Density Res. Medium Density Res. Medium-High Density Res. Multi-Use Employment Open Space Public Institution Proposed Comp Plan Mixed Use Residential Mixed Use Commercial Mixed Use Employment CITYOFTIGARD REGIONAL CENTER STUDY WASHINGTON SQUARE MIXED-USE COMMERCIAL The purpose of the Mixed Use Commercial (MUC) land use designation is to: • create a dense mixed-use commercial district that forms the commercial core of the Washington Square Regional Center; • provide opportunities for major retail goods and services, office employment, and housing to locate in proximity, and with good access to, transportation ser- vices; • implement the Metro 2040 Growth Concept and Urban Growth Management Functional Plan for areas within the City of Tigard designated Regional Center. The regional center plan recommends that land around the Washington Square Mall and land im- mediately west of Highway 217 be designated a mixed-use commercial district. Principal develop- ment in these areas would be office buildings, retail and service uses. A zoning designation of MUC would also allow mixed-use development and hous- ing at densities of 50 units an acre. MUC districts would encourage larger buildings with parking un- der, behind or alongside the structures. MIXED-USE EMPLOYMENT The purpose of the Mixed-Use Employment (MUE) land use designation is to: • create a mixed use employment district that is complementary to the rest of the commu- nity and the region; • provide opportunities for employment and for new business and professional services in close proximity to retail centers and major transportation facilities; • provide for major retail goods and services accessible to the general public, and minor retail goods and services accessible to the public which works and lives within the MUE district; • provide for groups and businesses in centers; • provide for residential uses that are compat- ible with and supportive of retail and em- ployment uses. • implement the Metro 2040 Growth Con- cept and Urban Growth Management Functional Plan for areas within the City of Tigard designated Regional Center and Employment. Mixed-use employment districts refer to areas with concentrations of office, research and development, and light manufacturing industrial uses. Commer- cial and retail support uses are allowed, but are lim- ited. The zoning would permit residential develop- ment compatible with the district’s employment char- acter. Lincoln Center is an example of an area desig- nated MUE-1, the high density mixed-use employ- ment district. The Nimbus area is designated MUE- 2, requiring more moderate densities. 37 CITYOFTIGARD REGIONAL CENTER STUDY WASHINGTON SQUARE MIXED-USE RESIDENTIAL The purpose of the Mixed-Use Residential (MUR) land use designation is to: • create moderate and high density mixed use residential districts in proximity to other mixed use districts; • provide opportunities for a variety of hous- ing types and densities, and to produce that housing in ways that residents have a high degree of pedestrian amenities, recreation opportunities and access to transit; • incorporate limited commercial and service uses within mixed-use projects that provide benefits and amenities to residents, but are compatible with residential uses. • implement the Metro 2040 Growth Con- cept and Urban Growth Management Functional Plan for areas within the City of Tigard designated Regional Center. The MUR designation is appropriate for predomi- nantly residential areas where mixed uses are per- mitted when compatible with the residential use. Areas will be designated high density (MUR-1) or moderate density (MUR-2). The Tigard Community Development Code is rec- ommended to include: • a Mixed-Use Commercial District; • both high density and moderate density Mixed-Use Employment Districts; and • both high density and moderate density Mixed-Use Residential Districts. Development standards are proposed that require: • minimum residential densities and floor area ratios (FAR) be achieved; • limiting certain commercial uses so that a pedestrian-oriented development pattern is achieved; • design standards for pubic improvements, site design building design, signs and land- scaping are achieved in order to create high quality, pedestrian-oriented developments; • all areas be subject to site development review; • limited adjustments, and phasing so that development standards can be achieved over time; • improvements to pre-existing uses and developments so that existing residents and businesses may continue to thrive; • incentives to preseve and enhance significant wetlands, streams and floodplains. The primary development standards proposed for each of these new zones is summarized in the fol- lowing table. 38 CITYOFTIGARD REGIONAL CENTER STUDY WASHINGTON SQUARE DEVELOPMENT CAPACITY WITHIN THE REGIONAL CENTER The consultants and the task force studied land avail- able for development and redevelopment within the study area. Available land estimates helped the task force determine the potential for creation of new jobs and housing in the area. Estimates indicate that building to minimum den- sities, the regional center can accommodate 10,100 new jobs and 2,067 new housing units. This breaks down to 7,443 jobs in Tigard and Washington County, excluding the Nimbus-Fanno Creek Dis- trict located inside the City of Beaverton. Housing capacity excluding that district is 1,871 units. The task force concludes that the proposed zoning map and the minimum density requirements in the draft development code will allow adequate levels of employment and housing growth to meet Metro’s target growth allocations for the City of Tigard as well as Washington County’s housing targets for this area. This conclusion is based on the assumption that the downtown Tigard Town Center can accom- modate approximately 600 new jobs. 39 Recognizing that protection of natural resources is an important objective for the regional center, the task force incorporated the most current identifica- tions of floodplains, wetlands and water courses within the planning area. Regulations for develop- ment within and adjacent to these natural resource areas, consistent with the requirements of the City of Tigard, Metro Title 3 and rules and standards utilized by the Unified Sewerage Agency under agree- ment with the City of Tigard, and the City’s water resources overlay district, including a 50’ riparian buffer, apply within the regional center. A figure showing these resource areas is included on page 13. SELECTED DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS IN MIXED-USE ZONES MUCMUE 1MUE 2MUR 1MUR 2 Dimensional Requirements Minimum Building Height2 stories2 storiesNone2 storiesNone Maximum Building Height200'200'60'75'45' Density Requirements Minimum Floor Area Ratio (FAR)1.251.250.60.60.3 Minimum Residential Density50 units/acre50 units/acre25 units/acre50 units/acre25 units/acre Maximum Residential DensityNoneNone50 units/acreNone50 units/acre CITYOFTIGARD REGIONAL CENTER STUDY WASHINGTON SQUARE 40 CITYOFTIGARD REGIONAL CENTER STUDY WASHINGTON SQUARE 6. TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM PLAN Transportation is one of the major areas of empha- sis in regional planning. Perhaps there is no part of the region in which transportation plays a more criti- cal role than in this section of Washington County. The challenge to regional center plan participants was to ensure access to this emerging regional cen- ter by all transportation modes. The task force wanted to balance air quality issues, congestion con- 43 Recommended Roadway Functional Classification CITYOFTIGARD REGIONAL CENTER STUDY WASHINGTON SQUARE SYSTEM NEEDS AND PROBLEMS cerns, desires to reduce space allocated to parking, bicycle, pedestrian and auto safety, and increased fo- cus on transit. In addition, the task force found it important to address barriers to pedestrian access (busy streets, lack of sidewalks, etc.) as a way to make shared parking between complementary uses more attractive. Task force members identified establishment of a commuter rail line as a high priority project for im- proving access to the regional center. In addition, they strongly support development of a people mover system that will help commuters, shoppers and resi- dents circulate between destinations throughout the regional center. The task force recommends that local governments and businesses work closely with Tri-Met and coor- dinate with the Regional Transportation Plan to bring about necessary changes in the Washington Square Regional Center. The following sections offer a current analysis of transportation issues within the study area, discuss future issues and provide a variety of strategy rec- ommendations. 44 Greenburg Road today. A thorough analysis of existing transportation con- ditions in the study area was undertaken by the con- sulting team. In summary, they found: • Traffic congestion. Major roadways in the study area experience significant traffic con- gestion during weekday peak periods. High- way 217, Greenburg Road, Hall Boulevard and Scholls Ferry Road experience traffic de- lays. The major capacity constraints occur at the Hall Boulevard/ Scholls Ferry Road inter- section, the Scholls Ferry Road/Nimbus Drive in- tersection, and the Greenburg Road/High- way 217 ramp intersec- tions. In addition, High- way 217 itself is highly congested. • Sidewalks and bike lanes. The majority of the arterial and collector streets in the study area have sidewalks. Scholls Ferry Road and Hall Boulevard have bike lanes within the study area. Highway 217 presents a major barrier for pedestrians and bicyclists. The only connections between the east and west sides of the highway in the study area are over-crossings on Hall Boulevard, Scholls Ferry Road and Greenburg Road. Ap- proaching these three crossings, only Hall Boulevard and Greenburg Road have sidewalks, with bicycle lanes only on Scholls Ferry Road. The only bike lanes on the east side of the Washington Square Mall are on Hall Boulevard. CITYOFTIGARD REGIONAL CENTER STUDY WASHINGTON SQUARE 45 Streets have a balance of pedestrian, bicycle and vehicular features. • Transit. The Washington Square Transit Cen- ter is located in the northeast parking area of the Washington Square Mall. This transit cen- ter serves as a bus stop for routes 43, 45, 56, 62, 76 and 78. These routes connect Wash- ington Square to transit centers in downtown Portland, Beaverton, Tigard and Lake Os- wego, as well as providing service to the Tualatin area. Riders found that buses on ex- isting routes don’t run frequently enough and don’t offer enough direct connections. A wider selection of transit tools could create a less congested, less auto-dependent transportation sys- tem within and connecting to the study area. • Future traffic con- gestion. In the fu- ture, those areas al- ready identified as experiencing traffic congestion will con- tinue to be clogged. In addition, other sec- tions of Hall Boulevard, Greenburg Road, and Cascade Avenue and Oleson Road will also experience congestion. Traffic estimates do not predict congestion on local Metzger area streets directly east of Washington Square Mall. RECOMMENDED IMPROVEMENTS The task force recommends a series of projects to im- prove access by transit, bicycle, pedestrians and mo- torized vehicles into and throughout the district. The following paragraphs describe those projects that the task force feels should be pursued. In some cases, the task force expressed an interest in specific major projects, but members rec- ognized them as outside the charge of the Task Force. Those are listed on the fol- lowing pages, as well. CITYOFTIGARD REGIONAL CENTER STUDY WASHINGTON SQUARE OVERALL DISTRICT IMPROVEMENTS traffic problems. The task force members iden- tified a menu of needs, including more frequent service on existing bus lines, more direct con- nections to other locations, creation of a com- muter rail line, transit center improvements, and 46 Recommended Motor Vehicle System Improvements •Development of a “Transit Access and Ac- tion Plan” in concert with Tri-Met . Im- proved transit service and a wider set of tran- sit options will be very important in helping the regional center grow without increasing CITYOFTIGARD REGIONAL CENTER STUDY WASHINGTON SQUARE design of a people mover to help circulation within the regional center. Local govern- ments, businesses and Tri-Met should work together to develop incentives and strategies to increase transit use. •Improvements to the regional roadway system. A number of task force recommendations are aimed at increasing road capacity and reducing congestion throughout the district. Increased density will bring more traffic, as well as more 47 Recommended Transit, Pedestrian, & Bicycle Improvements Commuter Rail Station Commuter Rail Existing Bus Routes Future Pedestrian/Bicycle Connections New Bus Service Sidewalk Improvements Pedestrian Access Improvements Improved Alignment Transit Center Improvements Potential Pedestrian Crossing Refuge Enhanced Pedestrian/Bicycle Treatments CITYOFTIGARD REGIONAL CENTER STUDY WASHINGTON SQUARE short-term visits for shopping and professional services. The vitality of the area will depend upon ensuring relatively free-flowing traffic at major intersections, on arterials and into and out of key commercial areas. Some key road improvements that will affect the entire district include: •A bridge over Highway 217 connecting Nim- bus Drive to the Mall area. Highway 217 is a major physical and psychological dividing line in the Washington Square area. The task force recommends development of a two-lane road over the highway and the rail corridor providing motor vehicle, bicycle and pedes- trian access between the Nimbus employment center and the commercial core. The recom- mendation also calls for a ramp to Cascade Avenue. In addition to linking two previously disconnected parts of the regional center, the over-crossing would relieve traffic at the Hall Boulevard/Scholls Ferry Road intersection and the Hall Boulevard/Highway 217 interchange by allowing westbound mall traffic to bypass these congested areas. Bicycle and pedestrian connections would link to the Fanno Creek Bikeway. •Extending Nimbus Drive to Greenburg Road. The task force recommends construc- tion of a road linking Hall Boulevard at the northwest corner of the study area to Greenburg Road at the south end. This project will relieve congestion on Hall Boule- vard and at the Scholls Ferry Road/Hall Boule- vard intersection and offer a new, direct route from the north to the south ends of the district. With pedestrian and bicycle improvements, this route will open significant transportation op- tions for people working in the Nimbus devel- opment. •A bridge over Highway 217 connecting Lo- cust to Nimbus. The task force recommends building a second overpass over the railroad right-of-way and Highway 217 once the Nim- bus extension is completed. The Regional Transportation Plan already has identified a form of this recommendation. Construction of the overpass will offer vital connectivity in the regional center, as well as relieving conges- tion on Hall Boulevard and Scholls Ferry Road east of Nimbus Drive. Additionally, pedestrian and bicycle facilities should link to the Fanno Creek Bikeway and residential neighborhoods. 48 15’ 5’ 12’ 12’ 5’ 15’ 64’ A bridge should accommodate pedestrians, bicyclists and motorized vehicles. CITYOFTIGARD REGIONAL CENTER STUDY WASHINGTON SQUARE •A collector system at Oak-Lincoln-Locust. To help traffic move more freely once cross- freeway connections are built, the task force recommends improvements to this street sys- tem. The intent is to distribute east/west traf- fic between Locust and Oak Streets and im- prove accessibility to the Lincoln Center com- mercial district. It also would improve access to residential areas for bicyclists and pedestri- ans, as well as autos. The task force recom- mends that local governments apply traffic management techniques here to protect neighborhood streets (see discussion on dis- trict improvements). •Widening Hall Boulevard to three l anes be- tween Oleson Road and the southern bound- ary of the study area . Hall Boulevard is a state arterial roadway and a major travel corridor through the regional center. Upgrading this road- way will reduce cut-through traffic in surround- ing residential neighborhoods and will provide overall improvements in traffic flow throughout the area. In the short-term, pedestrian and bike improvements are needed. 49 15’ 5’ 11’ 11’ 11’ 11’ 11’ 5’ 15’ 95’ median Parking and shade trees create a buffer for pedestrians on typical streets designated minor collectors. Sidewalks, median strips and plantings make typical streets designated major collectors more comfortable and convenient for pedestrians. The task force recognizes that the Regional Trans por- tation Plan calls for expansion of Hall Boulevard to five lanes. However, the task force endorses an ex- pansion to three lanes while acquiring right of way for a five lane roadway. CITYOFTIGARD REGIONAL CENTER STUDY WASHINGTON SQUARE • Interchange capacity im- provements at Highway 217. The Scholls Ferry Road/Highway 217 in- terchange and the Hall Boulevard/Highway 217 interchange are both gateways into the regional center. Both are ex- tremely congested during peak periods throughout the day. The task force views improvements to these interchanges as critical to alleviating congestion along Highway 217, in- creasing access to the area and help- ing the district serve its role as a regional center. Improve- ments should in- clude upgrades of all affected access ramps. The task force recommends that these improve- ments be identified as significant needs in Metro’s Highway 217 Major Invest- ment Study, and lo- cal governments should coordinate with regional trans- portation planning efforts. • Bike paths. In- creased densities will bring greater interest in bicycling, both for commuter and recreational pur- poses. The task force wants to ensure that bicyclists have easy, safe access to employment, hous- ing and retail development, as well as to greenspace around the district. Many of the study area’s busiest streets and bridges aren’t wide enough for installation of bike lanes in the roadway. In this case, an acceptable alternative is creation of off-street bike paths parallel to the street. The task force recommends identifying potential bi- cycle routes connecting to existing bikeways, neighborhoods and ac- tivity centers. Specifi- cally, it recommends ex- tending the Fanno Creek Bikeway to the east along Ash Creek. • Commuter rail. The Portland region’s ex- perience demon- strates that rail service attracts new riders to transit. Creation of a commuter rail system has strong appeal if Washington Square becomes a more densely developed employment center. Existing railroad right-of-way offers the potential to de- velop commuter rail 50 Transit system People mover Commuter rail Multi-modal commuter rail station/bus & people mover transfer center People mover Bus transfer Commuter rail would improve access to this busy district. CITYOFTIGARD REGIONAL CENTER STUDY WASHINGTON SQUARE service between Wilsonville and Beaverton, with the pos- sibility of links to the existing MAX system. Currently, a consultant team is analyzing the potential for such rail ser- vice in an unrelated study. If the study’s outcome recom- mends pursuit of this option, the task force would like to see this rail sys- tem serve the Washington Square Regional Center, with a station and associated park and ride near Scholls Ferry Road in the Nim- bus area. Task force members believe that commuter rail should be a high priority for the regional center. 51 11’ 11’ 15’ 37’ • People mover. The task force mem- bers recommend a people mover cir- culator that will travel throughout the district, linking jobs, housing, retail and services. Members believe such a service would be very valuable, not only to people living and working in the area, but for people coming in who may want to combine a visit to the doc- tor, the bank and the accountant with a shopping trip. Determining what this service would look like, who would operate it, where it would run and other fundamentals was outside the charge of the task force. However, members strongly encourage local governments and transit providers to pursue the feasibility of such a system. The people mover can travel in the traffic lane as it circulates through the regional center. The people mover can travel in an exclusive right-of- way designed with pedestrian and bicycle facilities. 11’ 11’ 5’ 11’ 11’ 8’ 15’ 72’A multi-modal commuter rail station, bus & people mover transfer center. People mover CITYOFTIGARD REGIONAL CENTER STUDY WASHINGTON SQUARE DISTRICT IMPROVEMENTS The task force has identified a number of site spe- cific improvements that will enhance the safety and atmosphere of the various districts. Each of these reflect the expectations for increased development and the distinct characteristics and functions of the five districts within the overall regional center. Districts within the regional center. 52 CITYOFTIGARD REGIONAL CENTER STUDY WASHINGTON SQUARE 15’ 5’ 11’ 11’ 11’ 11’ 11’ 5’ 15’ 95’ median Typical section showing sidewalks along Greenburg that would improve access between financial and retail areas. DISTRICT A: THE COMMERCIAL CORE AND GOLF COURSE Transportation Planning Rule requirements of side- walks on arterials and collectors and would improve pedestrian access in this area that transitions be- tween the financial and the retail areas. Mall area street develop- ment. Improve SW Eliander Lane, SW Washington Square Road, SW Palm Bou- levard and the roadway bounding the cemetery to full street standards, with side- walks and bicycle lanes. These improvements are key to pedestrian, auto and bi- cycle access and circulation into and throughout the re- tail core. Currently, people have difficulty getting from one retail facility to another on foot. For ex- ample, Hall Boulevard Target customers have no direct pedestrian connec- tion to the mall. Local governments must estab- lish policies and incen- tives to encourage private developers to include these infrastructure im- provements with redevel- opment. Creative public/ private partnerships can assist with financing and coordination. The recommendations in this district address pri- marily circulation, transit and pedestrian access to and from the mall and affecting other retail in the area. They also reflect a desire to include Progress Downs Golf Course into the district-wide green belt. Transit center amenities . The Washington Square Mall Transit Center is an impor- tant link to the rest of the re- gion. The task force hopes that improved pedestrian amenities will make this fa- cility safer and more attrac- tive to encourage transit use. Proposed improvements in- clude a covered pedestrian path to the mall and bet- ter pedestrian links to other retail and commercial establishments. Tri-Met’s Transit Choices for Liv- ability Study has already identified these improve- ments as high on the community’s priority list. Sidewalks on Greenburg . As development begins to fill out the area, local gov- ernments should build sidewalks along Greenburg Road. This recommenda- tion is consistent with state Suggested improvements will make it safer and easier to walk from one place to another. 53 CITYOFTIGARD REGIONAL CENTER STUDY WASHINGTON SQUARE Pedestrian amenities within the Commercial Core. Provide pedes- trian treatments such as raised pe- destrian refuges and designated walkways within the mall’s park- ing areas. Provide pedestrian/bi- cycle connections between Wash- ington Square Mall and adjacent retail establishments. Suggested improvements will make it safer and easier for people to walk from one place to another within the commercial core and limit the need for vehicle traffic within the core. Local governments should adopt policies that encourage cre- ation of these improvements as re- development occurs. Relocate Park & Ride to a permanent site . The task force believes that the location of the Tri-Met Park & Ride at Scholls Ferry Road and Highway 217 adds to traffic congestion by bringing cars into the district during peak hours. This was originally in- tended to be a temporary site. The task force rec- ommends finding a new, permanent location for this facility outside the regional center. Evaluate pedestrian crossings on Greenburg Rd. and Hall Boulevard These two very busy streets are physical and psychological barriers to pedestrians. The task force rec- ognizes that mid-block crossings can help pedestrians significantly. How- ever, the also have associated disad- vantages. Task force members rec- ommend evaluating right-of-way impacts, construction costs, impacts on traffic flow and pedestrian de- mand for mid-block, raised pedes- trian refuges on Greenburg and Hall. Evaluate a golf course pedestrian trail. A pedestrian trail within the Progress Downs Public Golf Course would provide a safe walking and exercise area for neighborhood residents and allow more people to use this existing open space. The task force recom- mends studying the feasibility of providing pedes- trian paths from neighborhoods to and through — or around — Progress Downs Golf Course. The trail would be similar to the popular pedestrian path around Glendoveer Golf Course. 54 Mall Better connections between Washington square Mall and adjacent stores will make it safer for people to walk. CITYOFTIGARD REGIONAL CENTER STUDY WASHINGTON SQUARE A traffic median can help maintain the Metzger District’s residential character. A neighborhood gateway helps establish the district identity. DISTRICT B: THE METZGER NEIGHBORHOOD The task force identified transportation improve- ments that would protect and preserve this neighborhood’s residen- tial character while of- fering residents more commute and recreation options. Neighborhood traffic management. To control traffic speeds, ensure safety for pedestrians and bicyclists and, in general, reduce the impact of higher traffic volumes on neighborhood streets, the task force recom- mends pursuing an ag- gressive traffic manage- ment strategy on Locust Street between Lincoln Street and Hall Boule- vard, on Lincoln Street between Locust and Oak Streets, and on Oak Street between Lincoln Street and Hall Boule- vard. Elements of this strategy might include providing for bicycle ac- cess, establishing safer pedestrian crossings, controlling speed through signage and patrols, and building pedestrian paths to adjacent neighbor- hoods. Sidewalks on Hall. Sidewalks have not been built at several spots on Hall Boulevard. The task force recommends completing the sidewalk system as called for by the state’s Transporta- tion Planning Rule. Specifically, complete the sidewalk on the north side of SW Hall Boulevard Near Cascade Avenue and the High- way 217 bridge, allow- ing pedestrians on the north side of Hall Bou- levard to access safely the south side of Hall Boulevard and the Highway 217 over- crossing, using the pe- destrian crossing signal at Cascade Avenue. 55 CITYOFTIGARD REGIONAL CENTER STUDY WASHINGTON SQUARE High density office and residential developments 15’ 5’ 11’ 11’ 11’ 5’ 15’ 73’ A typical new road parallel to Highway 217 would provide access to Lincoln Center and Washington Square. DISTRICT C: LINCOLN CENTER - ASH CREEK This area, a center for financial and commercial development, is slated for high density office and residential development. Adjacent to a residential neigh- borhood, it will be important for this area to provide easy pe- destrian and bicycle access be- tween homes and jobs. A par- ticular goal is to protect the Metzger neighborhood from the impacts of increased traffic, while assuring free-flowing ve- hicular movement throughout the district. Pedestrian and bicycle connec- tions in new developments . Metro has established goals for the region to reduce the num- ber of trips by auto relative to those made by transit, pedes- trian and bike travel. Pedes- trian and bike facilities devel- oped in concert with new housing and offices will be a step toward achieving these re- gional goals. Highway 217 parallel road- way . The task force considered this as an alternative to wid- ening Hall Boulevard to five lanes. There is the possibility of building a road parallel to Highway 217 to provide new access to Lincoln Center and the Washington Square Mall. The task force encourages Metro to review this option in its Highway 217 Major Invest- ment Study. Financial and commercial development is centered in District C. 56 CITYOFTIGARD REGIONAL CENTER STUDY WASHINGTON SQUARE DISTRICT D: NIMBUS - FANNO CREEK SOUTH OF SCHOLLS FERRY ROAD Cascade Avenue pedestrian and bicycle improve- ments. The task force considered, but did not rec- ommend, capacity improvements to Cascade Av- enue. However, members recognized the need to provide pedestrian and bicycle facilities on this im- portant north/south road. DISTRICT E: NIMBUS NORTH OF SCHOLLS FERRY ROAD Sidewalk completion on Hall Boulevard at Cascade Avenue A short gap exists in the sidewalk on the north side of Hall Boulevard between Nimbus Drive and the Highway 217 bridge. Completing the side- walk will help improve pedestrian access to the other side of the street by making it easier to reach the crossing signal at Cascade Avenue DISTRICT D& E: NIMBUS - FANNO CREEK NORTH AND SOUTH OF SCHOLLS FERRY ROAD Nimbus bus service . Tri-Met’s Transit Choices for Livability identified bus service to Nimbus work places as a regional priority. The task force supports Tri-Met’s intention to develop this service in one to five years. 57 Bus service to Nimbus workplaces is a regional priority for Tri-Met. CITYOFTIGARD REGIONAL CENTER STUDY WASHINGTON SQUARE TABLE 1 SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDED MULTI-MODAL TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM TREATMENTS 58 Project NameMotorTransitPedestrianBicycleFinancial VehicleProgramming Factors 1 Nimbus Bus ServiceN/A 2 Sidewalks on Greenburg Road and Hall BoulevardXN/A 3 Transit Center AmenitiesXN/A 2 Sidewalk Construction on Hall at CascadeX$40-50 /sq yd Evaluate Golf Course Pedestrian TrailX$15-20,000 4 Mall Area Street DevelopmentXXXN/A 3 Pedestrian Treatments in Commercial CoreXN/A 3 Evaluate Pedestrian Crossings on Greenburg / HallXX$10-15,000 4 Neighborhood Traffic ManagementXXX$30-50,000 Develop Oak-Lincoln-Locust Street Collector SystemX Construction of Lincoln Street connection$8-12/ sq. ft Reconstruction of Existing Roadways$5-7/ sq. ft Widen Hall Boulevard to Three LanesX$4.7 million 5 Pedestrian/bicycle Connections in New DevelopmentsXXN/A 3 Mall-to-Nimbus Highway 217 Over-crossingXXX$15-25 million Nimbus Extension / RealignmentXXX$10-15 million Locust-to-Nimbus Highway 217 Over-crossingXXX$15 million 5 Highway 217 Interchange Capacity ImprovementsX$70-100 million 5 Cascade Avenue Pedestrian/Bicycle ImprovementsXXN/A 3 Cascade/Scholls Ferry Intersection ImprovementsX$5-7 million Evaluate Off-road, Parallel Bicycle PathsX$10-25,000 4 1 To be used for general planning guidance. 2 Identified in Tri-Met’s Transit Choices for Livability Study. 3 To be incorporated with development and roadway improvement projects. 4 Cost to conduct an engineering/planning study. 5 Cost estimated obtained from the Regional Transportation Plan improvement list for expansion to five lanes. Impacted Travel Mode CITYOFTIGARD REGIONAL CENTER STUDY WASHINGTON SQUARE 7. PARKING STRATEGY Parking management is important to the success of a regional center. On the one hand, easily accessible parking — and the perception that parking will al- ways be available — is critical to many services and retail facilities. Office-based businesses have come to expect adequate parking for their employees, as well as for their customers. On the other hand, land set aside for parking adds to developer overhead with- out bringing in direct revenues. Finally, the region is committed to increasing the per- centage of transit, bicycle and pedestrian trips for daily commutes. This implies creating a strategy that will provide enough parking to keep an area competitive, but with enough restrictions to en- courage employees and others to look toward alternatives to “one person-one car” commutes. The Washington Square Re- gional Center Task Force has evaluated existing and projected parking conditions. From this information, they have agreed on a recommended parking strategy intended to help the district balance the critical need to attract busi- nesses, residents and shoppers with the long-term goal of managing demand on the transportation system. KEY FINDINGS EXISTING CONDITIONS The consulting team analyzed current conditions in the study area to determine these findings: • The overall parking supply in the Washing- ton Square Regional Center is adequate to meet existing demand. • Office developments currently experience con- siderable parking pressure during weekday peak demand. In particular, office develop- ments on Nimbus Drive and in the Lincoln Center development are effectively full during weekday peak hours. • Complementary land uses present opportunities for shared parking. For example, restau- rants and offices tend to expe- rience peak use at different times, making it possible for these different uses to share the same parking spaces without conflict. However, barriers to pedestrian access such as rail- road tracks and lack of sidewalks limit the feasibility of shared parking in many cases. 61 CITYOFTIGARD REGIONAL CENTER STUDY WASHINGTON SQUARE FORECAST CONDITIONS The consultants used anticipated changes in land uses to determine future parking needs. They did not fac- tor in significant new parking (except for that planned with specific new developments), changes in transit, bicycle or pedestrian travel or shared parking arrange- ments. • Changes in land uses anticipated by the Wash- ington Square Regional Center Plan will in- crease overall peak parking demand in the area by approximately 90 percent. In some ar- eas, parking demand will increase by more than 200 percent. • Redevelopment on surface lots would eliminate about 8,000 existing park- ing spaces. • Available parking spaces effectively will be full during the weekday peak peri- ods, even if the maximum allowable parking ratio is applied. Parking supply will be adequate for weekend conditions in the overall study area. However, high-density commercial areas will experience weekend parking pressures. PARKING STRATEGIES Key Objectives The Washington Square Regional Task Force iden- tified four objectives to drive decision-making about parking strategies. They are: • Ensure sufficient parking to support eco- nomic activities in the area. In retail areas, customer parking in prime spaces will receive priority consideration. • Employee parking demand can and should be reduced by encouraging fewer single-occupant com- mute trips. Parking strategies should be consistent with other transportation im- provement elements that support alternative mode travels. • Secure bicycle racks and lockers should be provided at various locations, primarily by employers. • New municipal parking facilities should be provided to serve multiple uses, with an emphasis on supporting economic activi- ties. • A high priority is maintaining residential parking in existing neighborhoods. 62 Surface parking lots surround development. CITYOFTIGARD REGIONAL CENTER STUDY WASHINGTON SQUARE COMMERCIAL/RETAIL PARKING Parking management strategies should ensure that the most convenient parking spaces are available to customers and visitors. Some principles to accom- plish this are described below. • Local governments and key constituent groups should agree on a parking management plan (PMP) that will cover a variety of issues. Items to be addressed include: • ways to reduce single occupancy trips; • a parking strategy to support commuter rail (should the Scholls Ferry Station have parking? If so, what should it look like and who should be encouraged/allowed to park there?); and • strategies to increase shared parking op- portunities. • On-street parking in commercial areas should be restricted to short-term parking to ensure adequate turn-over in prime locations. Park- ing meters may be needed to assure compli- ance and to provide a funding source for fu- ture parking supply. • A uniform “way-finding” system should be created to direct customers to any public park- ing facilities built in the study area. Direc- tion signs posted at the main entry points into the regional center can use arrows and text to help drivers find parking as quickly as pos- sible. This can reduce the need for drivers to drive slowly through an area looking for park- ing, interfering with traffic flow and adding air pollution. EMPLOYMENT-BASED STRATEGIES Employment-based parking management strategies can help reduce parking demand and encourage a variety of travel modes. These strategies can be imple- mented by public agencies and private employers. • Transit service should be provided to serve employees in clustered office developments. Bus service on Nimbus Drive is a priority and is included in Tri-Met’s Transit Choices for Livability plan. • Nominal parking fees will encourage consid- eration of commuter alternatives, and rev- enues may be used to support improved fa- cilities for transit, carpools, bicycles and pe- destrians. This is an option that local govern- ments, property owners and building man- agement companies may want to consider. • Employer-run programs to reduce parking demand include: C on-site bicycle lockers and showers C a carpool-matching service, to help em- ployees find people in their neighborhoods with whom to drive or ride C free or preferential parking for carpools C free or subsidized transit passes. 63 CITYOFTIGARD REGIONAL CENTER STUDY WASHINGTON SQUARE INCREASED PARKING SUPPLY/ SHARED PARKING Any new parking structures or surface lots should be located to serve uses with complementary demand patterns. For example, movie theaters have the high- est parking demand on evenings and weekends and could share parking facilities with offices that need the parking primarily during weekdays. Regulations should require retail space to be built into the first floor of any new parking structure. Originally, planners intended the Park & Ride lot to be at its present location only temporarily. If a new lot is sited within the regional center, planners should consider the following: • opportunities to serve local demand during evenings and weekends for such land uses as movie theaters and churches; • the destinations of primary users (are they coming into the district or leaving their cars to catch transit out of the district). Transportation improvements should focus on reduc- ing barriers to pedestrian access (lack of safe crossing areas at streets and railroad tracks, lack of sidewalks, no direct route, etc.) to encourage walking between different business and, ultimately to and from shared parking. RESIDENTIAL PRIORITY PARKING As parking demand increases, the community may need to implement a residential parking priority strategy, particularly in the Metzger and Lincoln Center areas. Such a strategy would reduce con- flicts between residents’ parking needs and spill-over parking from the commercial areas. 64 CITYOFTIGARD REGIONAL CENTER STUDY WASHINGTON SQUARE Implementation of the Washington Square Regional Cen- ter Plan will require the cooperation, effort and funding of a variety of public and private entities. Among the parties involved and the actions required are: 8. PLAN IMPLEMENTATION 67 Development Concept Multi-modal bridge Redevelopment opportunity Infill development Locust extension - multi-modal bridge Pedestrian bridge New development Greenbelt Ash Creek Greenbelt New development Metzger School Metzger Park Washington Square Mall Infill development Plaza Golf Course Pedestrian bridge Multi-modal Center - commuter rail, people mover, transit center Infill development Greenbelt Fanno Creek CITYOFTIGARD REGIONAL CENTER STUDY WASHINGTON SQUARE 68 • Cities of Tigard and Beaver ton and Wash- ington County: • adoption of zoning code amendments, parking policies, ratios and regulations, comprehensive plan amendments and other regulations affecting private devel- opment in the five districts. Proposed regulatory language, including design guidelines, comprehensive plan and zoning changes, are included in the ap- pendix to this document; • approval of key transportation improve- ments for regional funding; • Cities of Tigard and Beaverton, Washington County, Metro and ODOT: development of a financing strategy — and pursuit of funds — to pay for significant infrastructure im- provements, including transit, road and high- way improvements, rail, pedestrian and bi- cycle facility development, parking facilities, environmental protection, parks and open space development, etc.; • Tri-Met: action to expand service, upgrade facilities and relocate the Park & Ride; • Private property owners and developers: in- terest in and commitment to infill and rede- velopment in the Washington Square Re- gional Center study area, as well as a consen- sus on creating pedestrian and bicycle ameni- ties, to pursue share parking and follow other development policies that will contribute to the vision of a regional center. • Employers: promotion of transit, carpool, pe- destrian and bicycle commuting to preserve valuable parking spaces for customers of re- tail businesses and service providers. • Residents: participation in developing traffic management and parking strategies. COORDINATION The timing and coordination of development will play an important role in the success of the regional center build-out. All parties agree that key infra- structure improvements must be in place before building densities increase significantly. The task force has identified a number of important transportation improvements that must be com- pleted before the regional center can absorb signifi- cant increases in jobs and housing. Similarly, the area requires substantial investment in stormwater drainage. Too much development in anticipation of these improvements may overwhelm existing systems — creating a disincentive for future projects. The task force has recommended language in the comprehensive plan that requires necessary infra- structure be in place, or planned for completion in the proper time frame, before new developments are approved. CITYOFTIGARD REGIONAL CENTER STUDY WASHINGTON SQUARE 69 NEXT STEPS The Washington Square Regional Center Task Force has prepared a work plan to move the Regional Cen- ter Plan from concept to reality. The work plan calls for completion of essential activities within eight to ten months of approval of the Regional Center Plan. Local government officials, consultants, stake- holders and the public will be asked to: • Review regional center plan proposals. Steps will include: • Reaching agreement on specific options and proposals for analysis • Conducting detailed environmental evaluation • Identifying physical and policy constraints • Refining final recommendations. • Refine recommendations for transportation improvements . City staff and consultants will assess needs, review task force recommenda- tions and create final recommendations for transportation improvements throughout the study area. • Develop recommendations for stormwater drainage. City staff and consultants will as- sess needs, review alternatives and create fi- nal recommendations for stormwater drain- age throughout the study area. • Refine recommendations for open space de- velopment. City staff and consultants will as- sess needs, review task force recommendations and create final recommendations for open space preservation and new park identification. • Prepare implementation strategies for all public improvements. City staff and consult- ants will refine inventories, recommend new code and policy revisions for local govern- ments and develop a timeline with action steps. • Complete review and adoption of new regu- lations . Staff and consultants will work on revisions of relevant comprehensive plans, zoning ordinances and creation of the Public Improvement Plan with the goal of quick adoption by the City of Tigard. • Prepare financing plan for public improve- ments. City staff and consultants will review financing options, including studying the fea- sibility of establishing an urban renewal dis- trict. The final product will include an over- all funding and phasing strategy. • Develop a Transportation Demand Man- agement Plan. Transportation demand man- agement (TDM) involves looking compre- hensively at transportation needs in an area and developing ways to reduce stress on road systems, parking availability and air quality. City of Tigard staff will work with stakehold- ers (major employers, retailers, property man- agers, etc.) to develop strategies to encourage people to walk, bike, carpool or use transit. Each activity will be conducted with extensive pub- lic outreach, through surveys, public hearings and other tools. The goal is to ensure that implementa- tion reflects the spirit, intentions and interests of people living, working, operating businesses and owning property within and adjacent to the proposed regional center. CITYOFTIGARD REGIONAL CENTER STUDY WASHINGTON SQUARE 70 TRANSPORTATION IMPLEMENTATION, PRIORITIES AND PHASING The recommended Transportation Master Plan for the Washington Square Regional Center describes an integrated system designed to serve the needs of regional as well as local travel, and to encourage a balance of travel modes. In some cases, the effec- tiveness of specific recommendations would be weakened by the absence of other plan elements. The task force, therefore, analyzed the full set of recommendations to determine the highest priority projects and the most effective phasing for their con- struction. The priorities and phasing are indicated below: Key Motor Vehicle Projects 1. Highway 217 over-crossing connecting Wash- ington Square Mall to the Nimbus office de- velopments . This project will represent the first step toward eliminating Highway 217’s function as a barrier within the district. It will connect office and retail development on both sides of the freeway. 2.Nimbus Drive extension to Greenburg Road. The second major project to pursue after agreement on the Nimbus-Mall connec- tion is this extension of Nimbus Drive. It will relieve congestion on Hall Boulevard and at the Scholls Ferry Road/Hall Boulevard in- tersection. PROTECTION OF SENSITIVE AREAS Recognizing that protection of natural resources is an important objective for the regional center, the task force incorporated the most current identifica- tions of floodplains, wetlands and water courses within the planning area. Regulations for develop- ment within and adjacent to these natural resource areas, consistent with the requirements of Metro Title 3 and rules and standards utilized by the Unified Sewerage Agency under agreement with the City of Tigard, apply within the regional center. A figure showing these resource areas is included on page 13. The Task Force strongly supports the protection stan- dards included in the Water Resources Overlay Dis- trict of the Community Development Code. Par- ticularly the 50 foot riparian buffer requirements along the Ash and Fanno Creek wetland areas. Ad- ditional incentives for enhancing natural resources along these corridors are proposed in zoning code amendments. CITYOFTIGARD REGIONAL CENTER STUDY WASHINGTON SQUARE 71 3.Highway 217 over-crossing on Locust Street. This second crossing will provide additional east-west access over the highway and improve connections within the district. Building this connection before completing the Nimbus Drive extension would limit the over- crossing’s effectiveness. 4.Development of the collector system along Oak, Lincoln and Locust Streets. These im- provements, along with neighborhood traffic management, will be important in helping ex- isting neighborhoods absorb increased traf- fic. 5.Hall Boulevard widening . The task force rec- ommends this as the last of its five priorities to give the community time to evaluate the impacts of new development and other traf- fic improvements on the area. With devel- opment of the Nimbus Drive extension and the new Highway 217 over-crossing, Hall Boulevard may not need widening within the study area. However, this statement is not meant to negate other regional needs identi- fied for Hall Boulevard Key Transit, Bicycle and Pedestrian Projects 1.Nimbus bus service . Tri-Met has identified bus service to Nimbus office developments as a priority, with service to start in one to five years. The Cities of Tigard and Beaverton, as well as businesses along proposed routes, should work with Tri-Met to encourage speedy implementation. 2.Neighborhood traffic management mea- sures . The City of Tigard, along with local residents and businesses, should work to- gether to plan and implement traffic man- agement measures along Locust, Lincoln, and other applicable streets. These measures will be critical to preserving a safe neighborhood street system. The community should pre- pare strategies and specific tactics as soon as possible to ensure that measures are in place no later than the opening of the Locust Street over-crossing. 3.Pedestrian crossings on Greenburg Road and Hall Boulevard Traffic engineers, in concert with residents and businesses, should evaluate potential crossing improvements as traffic vol- umes increase. ODOT and the City of Tigard should begin cooperating on evaluation, de- sign and implementation as soon as possible. 4.Sidewalk construction on Hall Boulevard at Cascade Avenue. The existing gap in the side- walk and over-grown vegetation create barri- ers to pedestrian circulation and hinder ac- cess to the sidewalks on the Hall Boulevard bride over Highway 217. ODOT could be- gin building this sidewalk soon. 5.Mall area street development . Improvements of Eliander Lane, Washington Square Road and Palm Boulevard that include pedestrian, bicycle and transit amenities can contribute significantly to better access in the commer- cial core. These streets should be brought into compliance with full street standards. The City of Tigard should ensure that the preferred pedestrian and bicycle amenities are included in the appropriate City codes and ordinances. CITYOFTIGARD REGIONAL CENTER STUDY WASHINGTON SQUARE 72 6.First phase of a people mover system. The task force recommends that local govern- ments and businesses pursue an analysis of a people mover system that will help circula- tion within the regional center. 7.Commuter Rail The task force strongly sup- ports the creation of commuter rail service within the Regional Center and location of a station to serve the district. Existing and future freight service should be considered in the planning process. PARKING Shared parking can be a significant asset to mixed- use areas and is actively encouraged by the task force. Shared parking can occur in several ways: •Investment by a single developer that creates parking for a shopping center or other collec- tion of uses; •Investment of public funds for parking struc- tures, as has been done in downtown Portland and Tualatin; •Agreements between private property owners. The Washington Square Regional Center has great potential for shared parking. However, as the park- ing strategy noted, lack of pedestrian amenities, high traffic volumes, railroad tracks and other barriers make shared parking less attractive. Public and pri- vate investment in sidewalks, street and rail cross- ings and other pedestrian enhancements would in- crease the potential that different uses (e.g. an office building and a movie complex) could share the same parking spaces. Shared parking agreements between property own- ers are fairly straightforward. Although many prop- erty owners worry about liability issues, owners who participate in shared parking agreements have found that liability is not a greater concern with shared parking than with more traditional parking arrange- ments. Metro has published a handbook on shared parking that contains sample shared parking agreements for property owners. CITYOFTIGARD REGIONAL CENTER STUDY WASHINGTON SQUARE APPENDIX Task Force Recommendations for Comprehensive Plan Amendments, August 1999. Task Force Recommendations for Mixed Use Zoning Districts and Design Standards, August 1999. Meeting Minutes and Agendas, Washington Square Regional Center Task Force June 3, 1998 July 15, 1998 August 19, 1998 (Bus Tour) September 16, 1998 November 18, 1998 December 16, 1998 January 20, 1999 February 17, 1999 April 21, 1999 May 19, 1999 June 1, 1999 June 9, 1999 June 16, 1999 Washington Square Regional Center Study: Open House Report Summary of open houses at Washington Square Mall and Metzger Elementary School Washington Square Regional Center Study: Verbatim Comments Written comments from participants at open houses held at Washington Square Mall and Metzger Elementary School Notice of March 8 Public Meeting Press Release: March 8 Public Meeting Washington Square Regional Center Study Open House Report. Report on Tigard Water Building open house Minority Report to the Washington Square Regional Center Task Force Concerning Proposed Upzoning of the Ash Creek Wetland & Floodplain Area, August 24, 1999 Washington Square Regional Center Study Final Public Event, Metzger Park Hall, September 15, 1999 75 CITYOFTIGARD REGIONAL CENTER STUDY WASHINGTON SQUARE CORRESPONDENCE Petition submitted by Elisabeth R. Braam, September 29, 1998 Letter from Michael Neunzert, November 30, 1998 Memo from James Coleman, City Attorney’s Office, December 9, 1998 Memo from Pat Whiting, February 17, 1999 Letter from Jim Grimes, Oregon Dept. of Fish & Wildlife, March 8, 1999 Letter from Mike Donovan, Metzger Park LID Advisory Board, March 13, 1999 Letter from Nancy Lou Tracy, March 22, 1999 Letter from Michael Neunzert, April 13, 1999 Letter from Dr. Gene Davis, April 14, 1999 Letter from Trudy Knowles, April 16, 1999 Letter from Robin Smith, May 5, 1999 Letter from Jill Tellez, May 6, 1999 Letter from David A. Abrams, May 13, 1999 Letter from Mike Houck, Audubon Society of Portland, May 19, 1999 Memo from Barbara Fryer, City of Beaverton, May 21, 1999 Letter from Ward Rader, Chair, CPO 4-M, May 28, 1999 Letter from Ann Beier, Oregon Department of Land Conservation and Development, June 2, 1999 Letter from Michael Neunzert, June 4, 1999 Petition from Pieter and Elisabeth Braam, Janna and Brandon Herbst andCharles Harper, June 13, 1999 Letter from Sue Marshall, Tualatin Riverkeepers, June 16, 1999 “The Danger of Building in Flood Plains,” written by David Warren, Risk Management Consultant Petition from Pat Whiting re Ash Creek Wetland and Floodplain re-zoning, May 19, 1999 Letter from Sheila Greenlaw-Fink, Community Partners for Affordable Housing, June 9, 1999 Letter from Trudy Knowles, June 21, 1999 Statement of Pat Whiting, June 23, 1999 Letter from Brian Wm. Lightcap, June 25, 1999 Letter from Gene Davis, July 5, 1999 Letter and petition from Stephen W. Perry, July 6, 1999 Letter from Trudy Knowles, July 13, 1999 Letter from Brian Wegener, Tualatin Riverkeepers, July 19, 1999 Letter from Jere Retzer, Crestwood Headwater Group, July 19, 1999 Letter from Trudy Knowles, July 27, 1999 Letter from Gene Davis, July 28, 1999 Letter from U.S. Department of the Interior Fish and Wildlife Service, July 28, 1999 Position Statement, Ash Creek Coalition, July 28, 1999 Letter from Pat Whiting, July 28, 1999 Letter from Trudy Knowles, August 14, 1999 Letter from Pat Whiting, August 22, 1999 Letter from U.S. Department of the Interior Fish & Wildlife service, August 23, 1999 Letter from Trudy Knowles, August 24, 1999, with Metro resolution on protection of environmentally sensitive lands 76 CITYOFTIGARD REGIONAL CENTER STUDY WASHINGTON SQUARE OTHER DOCUMENTS: Ash Creek Wetland/Floodplain Map Reference Booklet of FEMA, Washington County, USA, Tigard Re- source Maps, February 12, 1999 Unbuildable Lands Resolution, Metro, September 25, 1997 Washington County Ordinance 0.535 of the Raleigh Hills Town Center downzoning of a wetland area proposal 77