Embed Size (px)
DESCRIPTION
An Interdisciplinary team from the AIA and New England Municipal Sustainability Network worked with the community of Bath, Maine to produce a strategy for the downtown and waterfront to address sea level rise and future development
Citation preview
City of Bath: Maine’s Cool Little City Design and Resiliency Team
Bath Design and Resiliency Team
Wayne Feiden, FAICPDirector of Planning and Sustainability, Northampton, MA
Carl SpectorDirector of Climate and Environmental Planning, Boston
Jon Ford, PECommunity design, Horsley Witten, Providence
Alma Du Solier, Landscape architect, POPULOUS, San Francisco
Mike Davis, FAIA, LEED APArchitect and Vice President, Bergmeyer Associates, Boston
Joel MillsDirector of Communities by Design, AIA, Washington DC
Matt WelkerManager Strategic Alliances and Initiatives, AIA, Washington DC
Soul of the Community
Water Viewshed
Demographic Trends
Jurisdiction Median Age* Household size
Portland 36.7 2.07
United States 37.2 2.58
Bath 41.0 2.14
Maine 42.7 2.32
Year Population % change
1940 10,235
1950 10,644 +4.0%
1960 10,717 +0.7%
1970 9,679 -9.7%
1980 10,246 +5.9
1990 9,799 -4.4
2000 9,266 -5.4
2010 8,514 -8.1
Source: US Decennial Census
Chart: Bath
“I’ve been dumping bodies for years, and it
seems to me that the sea level
is rising.”
Resiliency**or how I learned stop worrying and love the future (and keep our Aa3 bond rating & move toward Aa2)
Downtown and Waterfront• Critical mass • Customer demands
– Less retail, more evening life• Generational transition• Opportunities
– Coal Pocket– YMCA
Wha
t Bat
h W
ants
Municipal climate adaptation
1. Start with what you know.2. Take advantage of opportunities.3. Integrate.4. Expand responsibility.5. Think about people, not buildings.6. Work at all scales simultaneously.7. Mitigate.8. Be patient; get started.
STUDY AREA
SVR Design
WITH INUNDATION High Tide + 3’ SLR
SVR Design
WITH INUNDATION HT + 2’ SLR + 100-Year Event
SVR Design
RESILIENCY
• Harden edge: Elevate buildings & armor edge for storm surge
• Allow migration: Plan new wetland migration zones for SLR, shoreline retreat
• Build Greenways: Work with water – weave green/blue fingers into downtown
• Treat runoff: Green Infrastructure to naturally filter runoff
Image: Kevin Robert Perry
RESILIENCY
• Build Greenways: Work with water – weave green/blue fingers into downtown
• Allow migration: Plan new wetland migration zones for SLR, shoreline retreat
• Treat runoff:
Green Infrastructure to naturally filter runoff
•Harden edge: Elevate buildings & armor edge for storm surge
Image: Kevin Robert Perry
FRAMEWORK CONCEPT
SVR Design
PHASE I Quicker Lighter Cheaper
SVR Design
PHASE I IMPROVEMENTS
SVR Design
GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE Downtown
• Mimic nature• Natural filtration close to the source of runoff• Decentralized, simple “toolkit”• Simple, lovable infrastructure
PHASE I: Green Infrastructure Demonstration Project
SVR Design
Front Street at Broad Street
PHASE I: Gateway
SVR Design
Front Street at Vine Street
LONG TERM VISION
SVR Design
CELEBRATE WATER
Trees!
SVR Design
Trees!
SVR Design
Trees!
SVR Design
CELEBRATE WATER
Elm Street Cross-Section
GREEN STREETS
GREEN PARKING
CONNECTIONS
CONNECTIONS
SPINE
WAYS TO THE WATER
PASSAGEWAYS
WATERFRONT “BRAID”
NEW DESTINATIONS
NETWORK
SPINE
SPINE
SPINE
WAYS to the WATER
at front street
arch street
waterfront park
ARCH ST OPPORTUNITY
ARCH ST CONNECTOR
from front + centre
city hall parking
edge of parking
AT CITY HALL OPPORTUNITY
AT CITY HALL BALCONY
passageway
broad street
waterfront
BROAD ST OPPORTUNITY
BROAD ST CONNECTOR
PASSAGEWAYS
old YMCA walk
back of front
alleys
centre crosswalk
centre alley
opportunityBACK OF FRONT OPPORTUNITY
BACK OF FRONT PASSAGEWAY
CENTRE to HWY 1 OPPORTUNITY
CENTRE to HWY 1 PASSAGEWAY
WATERFRONT
DEFENSE STRATEGY
MAX DIVERSITY + FLEXIBILITY
DEFENSE STRATEGY
MAX DIVERSITY + FLEXIBILITY
SHENZHEN, CHINA CHARLESTONE, SC
HUDSON RIVER, NEW YORK, NY HUDSON RIVER, NEW YORK, NY
BRIDGE OPPORTUNITY
BRIDGE OPPORTUNITY
BRIDGE OPPORTUNITY
SPINE
WAYS TO THE WATER
PASSAGEWAYS
WATERFRONT “BRAID”
NEW DESTINATIONS
Zoning
Downtown core
Walkable=density
C1C1
/sho
relin
eC2
R1
I
Shoreline Zone• Target development for
• Priority development sites• Water dependent uses
• Decrease density/moratorium in other shoreline areas/uses
• Performance Standards for industrial shoreline
•Slash required lot area/per unit•Focus on exterior form
Residential Abutting DowntownCommunity Minimum
Lot SizeMin. Area/ Dwelling Unit
Comments
Bath: R1 6,000 ft² 6,000 ft² Design approval only in historic district
Portland: R6 4,500 ft² 1,200 ft² Design standards
Portsmouth: CD4-LGRC
3,000 ft² 3,500 ft²
3,000 ft²3,500 ft²
Form Based Code- strict designOther abutting districts lower density
Northampton: URB/C 2,500 ft² 2,500 ft² Design standards
Brunswick: TR1 10,000 ft² 4,356 ft² Other abutting districts lower density
Design approaches• Design review- board approval using guidelines• Design standards- clear standards• Exempt internal use of existing buildings
Short Term ActionsRevise Zoning to address recommendations
Adopt Hazard Mitigation Plan or amend county plan to address climate change
Strategic street restriping to add on-street parking and bicycle sharrows
Consider climate change as part of site plan and subdivision review
Review emergency preparedness plans
Share information on sea level rise and climate change with property owners
Expand regional discussions with local, regional, and state agencies
Review vulnerability to other aspects of climate change (e.g., insect, food)
Creative painted intersection treatments to increase safety and add character
Install parklets for outdoor seating and traffic calming and to beautify the public realm
Temporary Front Street closures for festivals and special events
Playground at Library Park (City Park)
Passageway art installation
Medium Term ActionsConsider climate change as part of comprehensive plan
Follow greenhouse gas reduction targets
Design the Bath Highline
Obtain hazard mitigation money to buy out flood insurance repetitive loss properties
New development should provide its own green infrastructure
Green infrastructure demonstration project at Front Street and Broad Street
Gateway intersection improvements at Front Street and Vine Street
Gateway intersection improvements at Washington Street and Vine Street
Implement Back of Front improvements and encourage shared parking agreements at Water Street to increase efficiencyIntegrate green infrastructure into parking lots to naturally filter stormwater runoff and improve aestheticsCreate a tree planting program for public and private downtown tree planting
Ways to water connections (medium and long term)
Advance development of catalytic and infill sites consistent with overall vision
Long Term ActionsBuild the Bath Highline
Remove buildings in green infrastructure areas at the end of their useful life
Remove obsolete infrastructure from green infrastructure areas
Fill the gaps in waterfront public access and park system and complete waterfront piersArmor buildings and harden shoreline edge to resist storm surge
Retreat shoreline edge to provide wetland migration zones and further resist storms
Construct “green/blue fingers” aligned with Elm Street and Water Street inundation zones to accommodate SLR and weave water into the downtown fabricReconstruct East-West connections from Front Street to water as “ways to the water” incorporating pedestrian movement and green infrastructureExtension of passageway (north and south)
