Page 26 - Cuero, TX Downtown Plan

3. Shared Parking 7. Context-Sensitive Design

Large expanses of surface parking create a New development, especially in or near the historic
deadening effect on major parts of Downtown. part of Downtown, should relate to surrounding
By mixing daytime (i.e., retail) and evening uses buildings in terms of size, materials and repeating
(residential) as well as weekday (offices) and elements. They should attempt to mitigate off-site
weekend uses (churches) in close proximity, impacts that may affect surrounding properties
DOWNTOWN CUERO PLAN
parking can be shared by multiple users. Restricted- such as stormwater runoff and light blockage, and
use parking leases can be negotiated into public- avoid major departures from local architectural
private development agreements and can provide a traditions. Unique, contrasting buildings, on the
valuable source of revenue for lessors. other hand, are okay where no clear building type
or style is present or where the design distinction
4. Hedge With Housing in the surrounding area is otherwise lacking.
Having a dense mixture of attached and multifamily Climate-appropriate elements such as arcades,
housing has been a key factor in the revival of overhangs, rooftop solar systems, ample street trees
most healthy Downtown neighborhoods. Housing and indigenous, drought-tolerant landscaping are
provides a built-in market for many Downtown examples of context sensitive environmental design
businesses and helps keep the neighborhood alive appropriate for southwestern climates.
at night and on weekends. Housing also helps
keep Downtown’s “lights on” after dark and can 8. Concentrated Civic Functions
discourage the opportunity for crime that often Having most of a city’s core administrative and
occurs when nobody is around. cultural facilities grouped in Downtown provides
functional advantages that help reinforce
5. Green Design Downtown’s role as the center of civic life.
Among their many benefits, green buildings such These facilities can also help stabilize or spur
as those that employ passive daylighting and energy the Downtown real estate market and provide
efficient components can drastically reduce utility important synergies with private development.
costs and help reduce stormwater and heat build- Dispersal of these facilities can lead to a cycle of
up; planted or “white-painted” roofs are both disinvestment as the businesses that rely on these
particularly effective in this regard. Anecdotal facilities also decamp or go out of business.
evidence also suggests that they may be more
healthful to live or work in and can contribute to 9. Transit & Transferring
worker productivity. The restoration and retrofitting Maintaining transit services to Downtown and
of existing buildings in most cases is inherently hubbing services is key to maintaining Downtown as
greener and more economical than complete the “central place” where all things come together.
demolition and reconstruction and should be Bus stations and transfer points create concentrated
encouraged whenever practical. Well landscaped customer flow opportunities for businesses and fuel
streets also help with cooling and drainage and add Downtown’s pedestrian environment.
color and visual relief.
10. Brand Management
6. Design Guidelines People need to know what Downtown is all “about”
Having a common set of design standards and what unique businesses and experiences can
helps assure that basic aesthetic principles are be found there. This needs to be communicated
adhered to, and can reduce arbitrariness in the through general marketing efforts, design motifs,
development review process. Design guidelines and other messages that reinforce a consistent
can strengthen developer confidence by assuring message. Control of the message should come
that there are barriers to low-quality development under purview of a privately organized Downtown
that could dampen property values. Where market management group made up of, and funded by,
conditions are poor, however, the imposition of local businesses and property owners. This group
design standards may provide another reason for would also help collectively “manage” Downtown by
developers to stay away unless financial incentives promoting co-marketing efforts, special events, and
are in place to offset them. maintaining consistent hours among other things.

26 ADOPTED 03.04.13