At a town hall meeting attended by about 60 people on Oct. 24, urban design consultant ROMA presented a formal draft of the Waller Creek District Master Plan and gathered further ideas from the community. Some of the key questions about which attendees voiced opinions included:
1) How should a planned pathway system be designed along the creek? New paths need to accommodate both bicylists and those on foot. They must connect well with the Downtown grid at the street level while also working at the subterranean creek level. New features needed could include bridges, elevated boardwalks, on-grade paths, and street crossings.
2) How should restoration of the creek’s ecological integrity be balanced with creating a new aquatic urban amenity and attraction? The more beautiful and well-done the creekscape, the more likely the area will attract visitors and positive redevelopment. Do we want views of the water from the street level or dense greenery along the banks?
3) How can the project best serve as a catalyst for positive public-private redevelopment? In particular, new projects facing the creek need to be carefully designed and regulated through zoning code provisions.
City Project Manager Jim Robertson said he’s optimistic that, while funding sources still need to be identified, the master plan will be implemented. He cited the tunnel project (which removes the flood plain that previously blocked redevelopment), the leadership of Council Member Sheryl Cole, and the strong interest of the city manager as three big factors in the project’s favor.
The draft master plan and extensive backup information are online at www.wallercreekplan.org. Robertson encouraged citizens with additional comments to provide them through the website within the next few weeks. Having now gathered extensive stakeholder input from citizens, boards and commissions, the business community, cyclists, and others – including two rounds with the Waller Creek Citizen Advisory Committee – the team is beginning its next round of revisions. Austinites will get a chance to review the final master plan in the first quarter of next year; Robertson hopes to take the ultimate version to City Council by March 2010.
Still lacking is a financing plan to accompany the master plan once it’s approved. “It becomes a whole new campaign after that,” Robertson said, commenting that a nonprofit foundation or other group may be required to rally the community and funding to implement the vision.
This article appears in November 13 • 2009.