PRESENTER: Presenter
Jeff Jewell, Economic and Community Development Director
Sam Whitney, Principal/Co-Director of Urban Design & Planning, TBG
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SUBJECT: Title
Presentation and discussion on the West End Area Plan
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DEPARTMENT: Economic and Community Development, Transportation and Capital Improvements, Planning and Development
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COUNCIL DISTRICTS IMPACTED: 1
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
The City solicited an RFQ on April 24, 2023 for the creation of a comprehensive and targeted West End Area Plan. The City received ten Statement of Qualifications by the cutoff time on May 18. 2023, and TBG Partners was selected as the consultant for the project. The New Braunfels City Council approved the Professional Services agreement for this project at its January 8, 2024 regular meeting.
The West End Area Plan is a community-driven planning effort for the West San Antonio Street and Spur Street corridor and its adjacent neighborhoods. The goal for the plan was to focus on connectivity, the public realm, placemaking, infrastructure, environment, and neighborhood commercial/residential development opportunities. Public engagement was a priority throughout the process to ensure the vision reflected resident and local stakeholder input.
The planning process was divided into three broad stages: Discovery, Engagement and Concepts, and Framework Development. The first phase, Discovery, was primarily guided by fieldwork, observation, and inventory of the area. This phase’s purpose was to research, analyze, and understand the site context and highlight opportunities and constraints. Critical tasks included an inventory of parks, street sections, existing buildings, any civic/cultural assets, land uses, existing site and traffic characteristics, utilities, topography, and floodplain.
The second step involved community listening sessions which helped identify and engage the leaders, participants, and stakeholders of the area’s neighborhoods, cultural, historic, and business institutions. There were six opportunities that provided critical input in shaping and forming the final study.
A variety of engagement materials were utilized to bring residents and interested community members closer to the West End Area Plan process, including Introduction Boards, Strengths and Opportunities imagery, Transportation and Analysis toolkits, Before and After imagery, identified visuals for Opportunity Sites, and Placemaking/Housing Boards. All engagement materials have been linked on the West End Area Plan page on the City’s website here: <https://newbraunfels.gov/3904/West-End-Area-Plan>
The third and final step of the process was to develop the Conceptual Framework which provided a series of diagrams, concepts, improvements, and design strategies for the city to study for further feasibility and design.
This presentation will summarize the findings in the newly created West End Area Plan and recommend the appropriate next steps.
ISSUE:
The West End Area Plan has been finalized; this presentation will summarize the findings for Council.
STRATEGIC PLAN REFERENCE:
☒Economic Mobility ☒Enhanced Connectivity ☒Community Identity
☐Organizational Excellence ☒Community Well-Being ☐N/A
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no fiscal impact for this presentation. The Economic and Community Development and Transportation and Capital Improvements Departments split the cost of this project and funds have already been allocated to cover the costs for the finalized Plan.
Recommendation
RECOMMENDATION:
N/A