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URBAN DESIGN ELEMENT <br />• A very positive feature of many paths in Santa Ana is their ability to <br />communicate, to travelers and pedestrians, the identity of the districts <br />they traverse. These paths convey a better sense of place and facilitate <br />the creation of a strong city form. This is due, in large measure, to the <br />unique cultural diversity and historic heritage of the Santa Ana <br />neighborhoods which are portrayed by the physical attributes and <br />character of these paths. For example, Main Street, First Street, and <br />Santa Ana Boulevard convey procession to the Downtown. <br />• Vehicle circulation is given precedence over pedestrian movement in <br />strip oriented commercial. development. The only significant pedestrian <br />path is Fourth Street as it passes through downtown. This pedestrian <br />path has a very strong presence in the City and the community, <br />providing a variety of amenities, such as retail shopping, office, <br />services, and entertainment uses which complement each other and <br />attract people. Other streets have the potential to accommodate both <br />vehicle and pedestrian movement, especially Main Street and other <br />downtown streets. <br />Nodes <br />Nodes are areas of compatible and intensive activities. Nodes typically have <br />identifiable boundaries which, through unique design characteristics, provide <br />a clear sense of place. A well- defined node, containing sharply defined <br />boundaries, is very effective in promoting unity of design, purpose, and <br />aesthetics. Key design issues related to nodes in the City include the <br />following: <br />• Some nodes in the City are intended to serve as district centers as <br />indicated in the Land Use ElementN "Ill <br />r i,• r xac � Tl* concept was <br />developed to promote the concentration of assorted activities in <br />specific areas of the City. Each of the district centers have <br />excellent automobile, bus, and pedestrian access since they are <br />intended to be destination points. <br />• Some examples of nodes include the Civic Center which <br />accommodates numerous government agencies; Hutton Center which <br />contains a mix of office buildings; Santa Ana College, which provides a <br />mix of institutional uses; and a number of evolving recreational nodes <br />such as the Santa Ana Zoo and Bowers Museum. <br />Page 2 of 7 <br />