NS-2222 - Rezoning Certain Property in the Area of North Harbor Boulevard to the Specific Plan...

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170 NORTH HARBOR ~OULEVARD SPECIFIC PLAN Confused Character Zone/Scattered land What is of prime importance in areas of visual confu- sion is that the area is unified in some way. This may be through new development, but this would occur only within a fairly long time scale. Alternatively, shorter term improvements could be considem:l by the introduction of unifying elements such as trees or dis- ' tinctive paving materials that wou, ld define the street,scape and visually draw together the diverse ele- ments. This need not preclude the option of new con- struction or rehabilitation in the longer term. Intrusive Visual FXem~ts The presence of festua'es such as billboards, signs and flags is one of the main reasons for vis~al confusion of the study ares. These individual elements, although smaller in scale, still constitute a major visual impact. Much of this is associated with many of the other issues, such as small scale and older buildings. Therefore, the resolution of these larger issues will, as a result, remove intrusive visual elements and yield greater unity and a higher visual standard. This may be accomplished threu§h the provision of unifying and screening elements, or through new development. Alternatively, improvements may be made by enforce- ment of standards, and by a properly planned and .financed abatement program. A 2.6.2 Landscape Related Design Issues Landscaping is a major issue in itself because of the lack of well planned or high quality landscaping. Also, this is a major contrasting issue between the study area, and areas to the north and south. The majority of exist- ing landscaping is within the bounds of private proper- fy, and, therefore, there is no consistent theme or visual unity. Tree species are diverse, the standard of land- scaping varies considerably, and much of this land- scaping is away from the highway and therefore has a reduced visual impact on the views as seen from the public streets. La,uisa~ng of the ~ub~ ~ight-of Way A well planned landscape improvement program along the public right-of-way could act to unify many of the diverse visual elements, and to screen and soften intru- sive features. The presence of vegetation could also bring color and texture to the street scene. However, though the benefits of a comprehensive streetscape improvement program could be very significant, it is critical that landscape improvements be considered in relation to other issues. In particular, traffic issues relating to access to property, visibility and general vehicular movement. Economic issues may also bo a factor if landscaping were to screen property frontages, thus impacting trade. Landscaping of property frontages and setbacks relies upon the co-operation of property owners. Where some land users may be willing to include landscaping, others may resist, particularly because of the financial outlay which may be involved. Additionally, many of the land uses along Harbor Boulevant and the adjoin- ing streets rely upon visibility and/or vehicle access, both of which will impact how landscaping is approached. Therefore, a set of well considered design standards based upon extensive field study needs to be adhered to. Many existing developments and land uses could not easily accommodate landscaping, mak- ing enforcement more difficult. Public Open Spart With the exception of Campesino Park, public open space provides little in the way of positive visual expe- rience within the study area. Landscaped open space, either public or private, can provide areas of enhanced color and texture along Harbor Boulevard in particular. New public space, (i.e., parks) would stimulate a more pedestrian oriented environment that might provide linkage among retail establishments and also help in unifying the character oftbe area. However, accommo- dating public open space needs to be balanced against the financial and economic realities of uses of land for other than open space. An alternative to the public open space notion is utiliz- ing landscape along existing corridors to create a series of landscape "necklaces" that link existing open space. Neither this idea or the notion of additional public open space are mutually exclusive. A 2.6.3 Vehicle Related Design Issues · In addition to large volumes of moving traffic along Harbor Boulevard there are also both large and small. open Parking lots and car sales lots as well as areas of on street parking. These constitute a significant visual element in the planning area. As a result, the major issue that needs to be addressed is: should vehicles or vehicle-related uses be freely permitted within the study area; should they be controlled; to what extent should vehicles be accommodated; and, what level of vehicular intrusion can be considered acceptable. 14