I don’t mind ads painted on buildings, but elevated billboards are fugly.

http://www.amazon.com/Sustainable-Urbanism-Urban-Design-Nature/dp/047177751X/ref=pd_sim_b_7

Also: many thanks to the people on this site who support a better-looking corner at 19th and Telegraph! I hope folks will continue to contact the city council on this point. We don’t need more unsightly surface parking.

After reviewing the staff report, I have come to the conclusion that “fine grain” approach is a fairly large waste of time and energy on the behalf of city staff. If the city is interested to develop design guidelines, then do a real urban study of existing infrastructural conditions, physical conditions of structures, and character and compatibility studies. This report utilizes a mix n’ match reasoning behind employing high restrictions due to the land use type, which makes no sense for new building types to be developed, that might not necessarily fit the traditional town house, or high rise residential.

All I’m saying is, if you want to amend the land use map to encourage growth of a land use type, then fine, change it based on growth patterns or best practices. Or if you want to develop design guidelines thats fine as well, but don’t designate an area X-type residential and restrict the design structure specifically.

This will encourage development to be done in a very specific way, and reduce the flexibility of these structures to be reused in the future.

I would encourage design guidelines to be developed on a compatibility basis to adjacent structures, this way the development community can develop a whole spectrum of building heights and massing organizations which will allow the flexibility of additional uses in the future.

This report feels less like future planning but rather a series of knee jerk reactions.

My suggestion Somar, the Den, Uptown use the area to sponsor outdoor concerts for the grown folk.

I keep excess inventory (namely boxes) in storage and occasionally need to go there to pick some up during the week. A few times even during store hours. In some ways it’s too far as it is. We do have an upstairs unit though. I used to have my stuff in a different place, but their access wasn’t as good; their hours not as convenient; and their facilities not as nice. And yes, I drive there to pick up boxes even though it’s all of half a mile away.

As for plant nurseries, was their a specific reason they are ruled out completely? I can think of water as a main reason, but I think breaking up tall buildings with lots can make a city more interesting, even if others see it as a waste of space. On the other hand, I can’t see the numbers working on that kind of business. Ironically I was looking at the kiosks in front of City Hall last night thinking that a florist might survive in one of those small spots if the rent was cheap enough. A few potted plants for offices would fit right in, but I’m not sure what the legal definition of a “nursery” is vs “florist” that sells plants.

I was originally ambivalent about parking on the vacant lot next to the Fox, and played devil’s advocate in asking about why the land owner couldn’t do what they wanted. But after hearing some solid arguments (namely re pedestrians), I get it and I agree that it shouldn’t be for parking. How about those big people sculptures from the Crucible’s Fire Arts Festival that are currently in a lot off Mandela? That would be cool there.