Employment Lands & Conceptual Land Use Planning Project

City of Newport, Oregon

Project Element Descriptions

Information in this section:

¨ Team Members

¨ Element 1: Economic Development Strategy

¨ Element 2: South Beach Conceptual Land Use Plan

¨ Element 3: South Beach Transportation Improvement Plan Update

¨ Element 4: South Beach Public Facility Plan Update

¨ Element 5: South Beach Environmental Constraints Identification

 

 

Team Members

The consulting team is composed of professional staff from the following firms:

¨ The Benkendorf Associates Corp.

¨ Johnson Gardner, LLC

¨ SHN Consulting Engineers & Geologists

¨ Lancaster Engineering

¨ Pacific Habitat Services

¨ Urban Design Collaborative

 

 

Project Element 1: Economic Development Strategy

 

The goal of the strategy is to attract new businesses. One new business idea is to create a “cluster” using the Mark O. Hatfield Marine Science Center as the nucleus. The strategy will be used to determine whether or not the City has the right size and type of sites given Newport’s location on the coast. In addition, the strategy will be used to address the Goal 17 and the water dependent zoning issues for specific bayfront sites.

 

The Project Team, therefore, proposes to specifically utilize the methodology documented in the 2002 ACCID Report to revisit, revise and revitalize the 1999 Community Vision with respect to economic development goals and strategies. In doing so, all recommended procedures and work products required by Oregon statute will be successfully completed without significantly affecting momentum and progress already achieved by Newport since 1999. This process accomplishes the following:

 

¨ Revisit and Revitalize the Successful 1999 Vision instead of “reinventing the wheel”;

¨ Synthesize Recent Economic Development Efforts and Studies to the maximum extent possible;

¨ Accentuate the Short-Term in Combination with the Long-Term in Goal and Strategy Determination to not only maximize economic development interest and momentum, but also to identify actions that can be accelerated - particularly for priority in funding application;

¨ Identify Newport’s Emerging Industry Clusters without overlooking existing clusters and the competitive advantages their combined presence offers Newport;

¨ Identify Nascent Activity of High Economic Development Priority under the New Vision as measured by entrepreneurial and research grants and loans awarded to local businesses and individuals; and

¨ View Potential Employment Lands, Particularly Mixed-Use and Redevelopment Sites, from the Perspective of the Real Estate Development Industry in Addition to the Planning, Environmental and Transportation Perspective.

 

Project Element 2: South Beach Conceptual Land Use Plan

 

A 2001 draft South Beach Neighborhood Plan proposed a vision statement for the area which desires to “foster a sustainable urban living environment. New development should enhance the neighborhood considering aesthetics and environmental constraints. The local economy will be encouraged to develop and diversify, providing new and expanding enterprises and jobs…” In addition, the plan proposed an overall goal for the area consistent with the vision and 10 specific policies. These policies and other elements of the plan will be reviewed and considered during the formulation of the Conceptual Land Use Plan.

 

Accurate understanding of the City’s needs – The Commercial and Industrial Vacant Land Inventory from Element 1 evaluated against the Economic Development Strategy and two of its components, the site requirements and overall land need, will provide an understanding and program for the types and size of sites that the South Beach area can provide relative to other areas in the City (UGB).

 

¨ Communication with interested and affected parties – The Mayor has appointed an Advisory Committee to work with the consultant on this assignment. In addition to the committee, we intend to communicate with the major land owners, participants in the previous South Beach neighborhood planning process, operators of major existing businesses, and the Port regarding the planning program. Public workshops are also planned to gain additional input from interested parties and property owners in the development of the conceptual plan.

¨ Extensive site research and analysis – A Site Conditions analysis will be conducted for the entire South Beach area. The analysis will be prepared utilizing the AutoCAD base map created to prepare the Drainage Master Plan. The research will include documenting site characteristics such as:  topography, vegetation, wetlands, existing development including site improvements, etc. The completed analysis will yield an Opportunities and Constraints map and narrative for the entire South Beach area, with more specific information for the commercial and industrial areas.

¨ Solid needs analysis and real estate know-how – The results of the Economic Opportunities Analysis will provide the guidance for the Land Use Concept Plan. Our real estate know how will also assure that the land areas proposed for these uses are capable of being “project ready” to accommodate the short and mid-term need.

¨ Exploration of reasonable alternatives – At least two alternative land use concepts will be prepared. The concepts will be based on the Opportunity & Constraints analysis and the needs analysis described above. For example, the alternatives will illustrate in concept; the land use mix, circulation, utilities and other major elements impacting the overall integrity of the South Beach area. A set of “evaluation criteria” will be provided to the City and Advisory Committee for their use in considering and selecting an alternative or a combination, thereof.

¨ Preparation of a plan that includes all of the key elements necessary for implementation - The Conceptual Land Use Plan will include all of the elements described in the Scope of Work as identified by the City for the project. In addition to the transportation and public facility elements, draft comprehensive plan and code amendments will be prepared for review and adoption by the Planning Commission and City Council.

 

Project Element 3:  South Beach Transportation Improvement Plan

 

The overall objective of the transportation analysis portion of this project is to determine the transportation improvements that will be necessary to accommodate the trips that will be generated from any annexation or land use plan changes that will be recommended in the project report.  Determining these improvements will be an iterative process with the land use analysis to assure that the land use plan and the transportation system are matched.  The basic requirement is that there should be sufficient transportation capacity to handle the planned land use.  In addition, consideration must be given to the locations and conceptual designs of the transportation facilities so that they enhance and serve the City’s land use goals rather than dominate the development process.

 

Project Element 4:  South Beach Public Facility Plan Update

 

The goal is to provide a visual representation of where the existing infrastructure supports the South Beach development areas and where replacement and/or expansion of public facilities may be required during the planning period.

 

Project Element 5:  South Beach Environmental Constraints Identification

 

Pacific Habitat Services, Inc. (PHS) will provide updated information on environmental constraints including wetlands to provide an understanding of land use constraints that will be faced with the development of the South Beach area.