"Zoning for Character" Workshops Being Held this Week

Dover, Kohl & Partners has been leading a series of workshops this week in San Marcos, Texas. These “Zoning for Character” workshops are allowing property owners and residents to learn additional details about the new “character”-based zoning districts and regulating plans being proposed in each of the six Vision San Marcos Intensity Zones.

Beginning in October 2014, the City of San Marcos, Texas and Dover, Kohl & Partners joined by The Street Plans Collaborative, helped re-envision downtown utilizing tactical urbanism—yielding low cost/high gain, long-term change. The Dover-Kohl team effectively engaged the city, the public, and transportation engineers and, in the end, the City of San Marcos presented a recommendation of changes in full detail that were publicized in the SMTX project, ready for permanent implementation.

As one of the fastest growing cities in the nation—for cities with a population of over 50,000 people—Long Range Planning Efforts, including the Code SMTX process to update the Land Development Code, are necessary steps in helping the City ensure positive growth within its community.

The remaining two workshops will be held today as follows: 

San Marcos Activity Center - Room 2

Thursday August 20, 2 - 4pm

Thursday August 20, 6 - 8pm

To learn more about CodeSMTX and the City's Long Range Planning Road Map , visit their website.

Dover-Kohl Projects Receive CNU Charter Awards

Two projects that Dover-Kohl participated in received Charter Awards from the Congress for the New Urbanism this week.

Plan El Paso was recognized, as Michael Kelly—director of programs for Paso Del Norte Health Foundation—states, for laying “the groundwork for how to create…a healthier city and region.” Unanimously approved by the City Council in March of 2012, the Plan lead by Dover-Kohl identified new capital projects, new land development policies, a focus on Transit Oriented Development (TOD), a new Thoroughfare plan for the entire City and County, and a form-based SmartCode coding for large sections of the City. Within the first three years of the Plan’s adoption, the city built a new baseball stadium downtown, created parks and renovated public spaces, completed future land-use plans based on the SmartCode, and streamlined permitting for developers using the code. 

Code SMTX in San Marcos, Texas may be one of the very least expensive winners of the CNU Charter awards. For one day in June 2014, the City of San Marcos and Dover, Kohl & Partners, joined by The Street Plans Collaborative, helped re-envision downtown utilizing tactical urbanism—yielding low cost/high gain, long-term change. Among several creative elements employed included converting two blocks of street from one-way to two-way traffic using temporary paint; installation of a temporary two-way cycle track; an adjacent block was closed to create a farmer’s market, and creating “pop-up” parks built onto parking areas. This event kicked-off a week-long charrette by Dover, Kohl & Partners to develop a proposed form-based code. The team effectively engaged the city, the public, and transportation engineers. In the end, the City of San Marcos presented a recommendation of changes in full detail, with correct widths for sidewalks, travel lanes, and on-street parking-everything demonstrated, proven, and publicized in the SMTX project, ready for permanent implementation.

To learn more about the 2015 CNU Charter Awards and complete list of winners, visit:

http://bettercities.net/news-opinion/blogs/robert-steuteville/21569/charter-winners-build-healthier-communities-and-economie

San Marcos Says New Code Draft on the Right Track

The DKP team is back from a charrette in San Marcos, Texas. DKP leads a multi-disciplinary team to create a Unified Development Ordinance and system of pre-approved plans for urban extension and compact urbanism. New development will be channeled away from the aquifer that feeds San Marcos’s crystal clear river. Over 350 people attended the charrette and provided their input. By far the majority of work-in-progress attendees agreed that the code was headed in the right direction. 

Here’s an article about the project