51 Historical walking tour Sculpture commemorating history Historical plaque or signage Photo drive Historical celebration or parade PLACEMAKING IN SE FORSYTH COUNTY
RMSPEEA-NACUCETITIVEAMTI#O7N: UNDERUTILIZED & PRIVATELY OWNED SPACES Present-day placemaking is a response to the New Semi-Private Developments in destruction of human-centered and culture-rich southeast Forsyth County spaces of the early 20th century. The construction of highways, the growth of suburbs, and the There are several developments either planned or development of expansive, vehicular-heavy already existing in southeast Forsyth County that parking lots and strip shopping centers have had are privately owned, but have done a good job in a part in creating communities that lack unique promoting placemaking for the community. identity. This systemic issue can be blamed for the vacant and underutilized spaces we have in Halcyon is en route to becoming a mixed-use southeast Forsyth County. village in Forsyth County. It is located in the South Georgia 400 Character Area. Here, people will Placemaking in Underutilized Spaces not need to get in a car to get where they need to go, they can walk or bike instead. Office spaces Many underutilized areas in southeast Forsyth planned here aim to allow business meetings to County can be considered prime candidates occur outside instead of within an office space. for reactivation through placemaking. When Nature trails and parks are planned to connect placemaking initiatives occur, those spaces have residents and visitors of Halcyon to the Big Creek a better chance developing from a neglected Greenway. space to a community-rich destination over time. Some examples of spaces in the county to look for The Collection at Forsyth is a development when thinking about reactivation include: similar to Avalon in Alpharetta in that it is an • Parking lots outdoor shopping destination that features a • Ailing strip shopping centers or malls variety of premier national retailers, restaurants, • Vacant structures or vacant lots and a movie theater, as well as specialty local • Underutilized public plazas and parks shops and eateries. The shopping center offers Placemaking in Semi-Private Spaces Another form of reactivation can occur in semi- private spaces. The challenge is to make these spaces available for any member of the community to enjoy as a public use. Because much of SE Forsyth County is developed land, reactivation or the creation of new semi-private spaces should be reviewed, much like what the Avalon shopping center did for the community in Alpharetta, Georgia (described in further detail on page 21). 52 PLACEMAKING IN SE FORSYTH COUNTY
It is difficult to design a space that will not 53 attract people. What is remarkable is how often this has been accomplished. -William H. Whyte the surrounding community places to gather and activities make their school, neighborhood, and enjoy outdoor as well as indoor spaces. home a place of importance that becomes more valuable to them over time. For example, an Semi-private spaces in southeast Forsyth elementary school in Portland, Oregon created County that could also be utilized for a School Ground Greening Coalition (SGGC). placemaking in the future This program helps students, staff and families become school ground placemakers by engaging Corporate Campuses are spaces that are already them in projects every step of the way. Students heavily used, however, they are generally used and families participate in ‘charrettes’ (community during peak business hours. These spaces often design workshops) and take an active role in the clear out after 5pm when rush hour for the ride design, planning, fundraising, building, planting, home begins. Collaborating with corporate office use and stewardship of their green community parks in your community to allow placemaking spaces. type events and activities to occur after-hours Northside Hospital Forsyth is a large campus and could not only improve overall safety, but also could possibly be a space to hold events. Some provide a nice space for people to gather. hospitals have gardens for both patients and visitors to meander through and enjoy. Hospitals Placemaking at these corporate campuses can are generally located near residential areas, also be improved during the daytime for the making it more easily accessible for people to users of the buildings themselves. More and navigate to by foot or bike, should it become a more suburban office spaces are evolving to offer space for an event, meeting, or gathering point. different amenities to their employees, such as Golf Courses can be found in many different outdoor seating, collaborative space, rooftop areas within southeast Forsyth such as the St gardens, cafeterias, grab-and-go cafes, food Marlo Country Club, Windmere Golf Club, Olde trucks, fitness centers, and child care or pet care Atlanta Golf Club, and the Polo Golf and Country centers. Club. When these golf courses are not being used for golfing events, other community events Schools are like corporate campuses in that and placemaking can occur given the right teachers and students using the space generally collaboration efforts between owners and the clear out at the end of the day. These too can groups planning these social events. Because of be spaces used for public meetings or events the nature and logistics of golf course design, they after-hours. are well-suited to become spaces for recreation and field sport events and can hold large groups Placemaking can also occur at schools in the of people. form of activities offered to the students. Giving students roles and a purpose through placemaking PLACEMAKING IN SE FORSYTH COUNTY
GET INSPIRED! Here’s some ways you can activate or Pop-up town halls should utilize locations re-activate spaces in your community: where civic discussion is already occurring. For instance, some pop-up town halls are 1. Temporarily activate a development site with organized in tandem with conferences, Site Pre-Vitalization. Site pre-vitalization is exhibitions, festivals, and other events. the temporary re-activation of a previously 3. Organize events that take place in vacant or inactive, underutilized parcel of land. This underutilized spaces in southeast Forsyth, tactic brings a variety of art, food, and such as an art walk, musical or theatrical retail uses to a single location. Typically, performances. Holding an event in a space this is done to generate needed revenue that is underutilized is not only cost-effective for the developer, raise the community’s for participants, but also helps bring awareness about the site’s long-term people of all age groups to spaces that are potential, and to build community while normally neglected. An event like an artist supporting local entrepreneurs. This often walk is generally put on by local artists and includes public markets, art exhibitions and community activists. Underutilized surface studios, community festivals, beer gardens, parking lots are another great location to micro-retail opportunities, flea markets, and use for events. other temporary programs capable of “pre- 4. Connect with non-profits and grassroot vitalizing” a site before more permanent organizations that come in and improve building is possible. Typical leaders and abandoned buildings and lots, such as non- organizers would include citizen activists, profits like the Georgia Trust for Historic business improvement districts, developers, Preservation. and local governments. 5. Promote the temporary use of vacant retail space or lots with pop-up retail shops. 2. Provide a temporary forum for discussions Pop-up retail spaces can take place in empty of civic importance with a pop-up town hall. storefronts in shopping centers, oversized This is meant to offer a non-governmental parking lots, and any other underutilized meeting space to discuss the future of public space. This tactical experiment one’s county, neighborhood, etc. Meeting gives the business owner an inexpensive somewhere that is not your typical meeting outlet to finding permanent locations for spot for public meetings that has a fun vibe their store without completely committing helps get communities more amped and to a permanent brick and mortar location. excited for change. Meeting in, for instance, Business owners are then more incentivized a vacant building that has the potential to to test opening their shop in areas they may become a vibrant part of the neighborhood not have been interested in before. The helps give the community a visual perspective interest and public exposure that pop-ups for the change and action necessary for generate due to their temporary nature that space. While pop-up town halls often provide a powerful tool for sparking long- make use of underutilized public spaces, term change. such as vacant lots or storefronts, they can also be held in a myriad of other venues. 54 PLACEMAKING IN SE FORSYTH COUNTY
Pop-up Town 55 Hall meeting Event held in place underutilized space Event held in vacant space Example of site pre-vitalization Example of site Example of a Pop-up pre-vitalization pop-up retail town hall shop Example of site Pop-up pre-vitalization town hall PLACEMAKING IN SE FORSYTH COUNTY
WHERE TO START? POLICY & PROJECTS THE COUNTY CAN USE TO BUILD MOMENTUM Synopsis The other portion should be set aside to install temporary installations and gain feedback from The County has expressed interest in users. placemaking and has committed to making it After analyzing feedback, create a more happen. The ideas presented in this section are permanent installation or experiment again. If just one path to starting that process. Remember you are experimenting again, keep repeating that part of the lesson of placemaking is to make until you are satisfied. Once you are satisfied, small experiments and to build on the lessons find somthing else to improve. learned each time. As part of creating this guide, TSW and the County engaged with the public and received feedback The following pages detail specific policy and about the items that they were most excited project recommendations the County can use about. Gateway and entry signage, fountains, to start building momentum in the southeast and interactive gardens all scored highly. The Forsyth community around placemaking. In the County should start with these interests and spirit of experimentation, it would make sense see how to expand them further as placemaking to divide the initial funding into two allocations. in southeast Forsyth County becomes more and Some funding should be devoted to encourage more common. citizen participation. 1 23 Encourage Experiment Assess Participation Installation Devote some funding to Set aside some of Incorporate feedback to either encourage citizen participation those funds to create a create a more permanent temporary installation and in placemaking initiatives. installation or to experiment gather feedback. again. 56 PLACEMAKING IN SE FORSYTH COUNTY
COUNTY SPHERE 57 OF INFLUENCE Competitive Signage, grants, tax furniture, incentives, etc. art, etc. FUNDING Sculpture, ROADS furniture, PARKS water features, etc. COUNTY WHAT THE COUNTY OWNED LAND DIRECTLY SUBDIVISIONS CONTROLS with HOAs Art, history, collaboration, etc. WHAT THE COMMERCIAL COUNTY CAN FORSYTH DEVELOPMENT NOT CONTROL COUNTY DIRECTLY PLACEMAKING IN SE FORSYTH COUNTY
WHERE TO START? POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS POLICIES What are these? The policies below are guidelines that provide direction for placemaking in Forsyth County. They often support specific projects and serve as the basis for actions by Forsyth County. Policies should also guide other actors (residents, business owners, non-profit groups, grassroots organizations, etc.) as they work to enact placemaking in the county. POL-1: Pursue creative financing designated for POL-7: Encourage developers to include artist placemaking projects around southeast Forsyth live-work spaces, studios, rehearsal, and County. performance spaces as an active ground floor POL-2: Support the use of building facades for use. art exhibitions and murals. POL-8: Encourage partnerships with the private POL-3: Encourage the inclusion of public art in sector and organizations to encourage monetary private development. and non-monetary support for arts and culture. POL-4: Explore innovative public and private POL-9: Encourage grassroots and neighbor- funding opportunities for public art. hood-based organizations and activities that POL-5: Work toward broader geographic promote art, imagination, and creativity to distribution of public art throughout southeast enhance the role the arts play in community life. Forsyth neighborhoods. POL-10: Increase the availability of significant POL-6: Encourage performances, exhibits, public art or materials to designate districts and events in nontraditional settings such as and/or their entrances and to assist visitors in parks, schools, streets, and vacant buildings, in navigating the area. addition to traditional venues such as museums, POL-11: Explore existing County policies, historic sites, and concert halls. processes, and regulations to determine what changes can be made to coordinate these with 58 PLACEMAKING IN SE FORSYTH COUNTY placemaking processes and goals.
59 POL-12: Develop and implement strategies to POL-22: Collaborate with sponsoring create and sustain the live music industry while organizations, the County, and transportation addressing noise compatibility. companies to develop special event POL-13: Encourage use of public land for transportation plans to mitigate traffic community gardens. congestion associated with these events. POL-15: Form cross-sector partnerships POL-23: Allow mobile food shops to be placed between artists, community members, and in the public right-of-way and on private property. public and private sector organizations. POL-24: Allow zoning “grace periods” POL-16: Incorporate site-specific art in public which temporarily allow entrepreneurs and facilities, parks and trails, and along key public local officials to participate in placemaking corridors. experiments. POL-17: Incorporate public art into the planning POL-25: Encourage pop-up events in areas of stages of publicly-funded projects and projects the county that are not traditionally the recipient on county-owned land. of private investments. POL-18: Use such tools as incentives, start-up loans, and art incubators to encourage artists to locate in the county. POL-19: Remove barriers for informal placemaking and short-term arts events and programs arising from the community. Barriers can be anything from permit fees to lengthy applications to lack of access. POL-20: Incorporate the arts and cultural preservation themes and elements into small area plans, such as neighborhood and corridor plans. POL-21: Create incentives and programs to promote the inclusion of public art into new development. PLACEMAKING IN SE FORSYTH COUNTY
WHERE TO START? PROJECT RECOMMENDATIONS PROJECTS STP-3: Identify and develop an application process that is specifically geared towards What are these? helping placemaking project applicants get through the permiting process successfully. Projects are specific tasks. Most can be initiated by a local agency such as Forsyth County staff Below is a list of potential information to include: and officials, but other actors could and should be involved. • Recommendations for possible street locations and guidance on what types of SHORT-TERM streets to avoid, such as state highways PROJECTS or ones designated as arterial or collector roadways. These are projects that would help spur long- term changes and would best be implemented • Requirements for emergency vehicle access first. and ADA compliance STP-1: Hold a design charrette with the public to map out locations in southeast Forsyth • Information of required signage and safety County where placemaking should occur. at the installation site *Based on the results from previous public • Types of permits (event permit, street closure participation held in southeast Forsyth County, permit, etc.) water features and gateway and wayfinding signage were voted as most important. Focusing • Information on how the County will evaluate the first design charrette on the placement the project application and design of these placemaking initiatives is recommended. • A list of potential materials that will be STP-2: Start a pilot program to help needed for the project (i.e. traffic cones). build momentum in the community about placemaking. The City of Fayetteville, STP-4: Identify specific locations where Arkansas held a design workshop with the tactical experiments (e.g. streets that could public to help plan for and install a temporary potentially be temporarily shut down for a play mini-roundabout at a selected intersection. streets event or open streets event) could occur. The goal was to jump-start placemaking in the community. 60 PLACEMAKING IN SE FORSYTH COUNTY
Initial ideas on selecting a location in southeast 61 Forsyth County for placemaking to occur GATHERING ACTIVITY AREAS NODES NODES ENTRANCES INTERSECTIONS McFarland McFarland Pkwy @ Ronald Reagan Blvd South GA 400 Peachtree Pkwy @ Brookwood Rd Buford Hwy @ Trammel Rd Big Creek Peachtree Pkwy @ Georgia 400 Haw Creek & Dave’s Creek awapthCaatrrhtekeeaiknbPgoFuuelbotsltitx? PARKS SCHOOLS Big Creek Greenway Elementary Schools: Caney Creek Preserve Big Creek, Brandywine, Brookwood, Chattahoochee Pointe Daves Creek, Haw Creek, John’s Chattahoochee River National River Creek, Midway, Mashburn, Settles Association (CRNRA) Bridge, Sharon, Shiloh Point, Haw Creek Park Vickery Creek, Whitlow Joint Venture Park at Daves Creek Sharon Springs Middle Schools: Windmere Park Desana, Lakeside, Piney Grove Riverwatch, South Forsyth, Vickery Creek High Schools: Denmark, Lambert, South Forsyth PLACEMAKING IN SE FORSYTH COUNTY
WHERE TO START? PROJECT RECOMMENDATIONS MID-TERM PROJECTS Example guidebooks being used by other municipalities to ignite MTP-1: Add a page to the County website placemaking initiatives that directs visitors to everything they need to know about placemaking in southeast Forsyth County including, but not limited to, related permit applications, County regulations, and information on current placemaking projects in place. MTP-2: Open up an online survey to allow citizens to provide on-going feedback on current placemaking projects. MTP-3: Convene a placemaking working group representing various Forsyth County departments to identify and promote cooperative efforts for placemaking. When appropriate, additional stakeholders and community groups should be involved in the working groups. MTP-4: Hire or appoint a community liason or event coordinator to help answer questions, process applications, schedule events, etc. LONG-TERM PROJECTS LTP-1: Restructure current regulations to permit potential placemaking efforts that would otherwise be prohibited such as criteria that allows pop-up bike lanes that could be used to connect residential neighborhoods within southeast Forsyth County schools or parks like Echols Road near Haw Creek Elementary and Lakeside Middle School. These projects may require collaboration between Forsyth County planning staff, County traffic engineers, the 62 PLACEMAKING IN SE FORSYTH COUNTY
63 Georgia State department of transportation Example guidebooks being used (GDOT), etc. (The Macon Connects Pop-up Bike by other municipalities to ignite Lane Experiment is a good example). placemaking initiatives LTP-2: Create a handbook to help property ecarcsteoahtanniFtWstdioivnmeriesunheypesnotplhtapuiorceCcieneoyosgmonuiusnsentotrfrsygoutoeuhmcu!nattaidthvye- owners conduct their own placemaking projects. An example could include a set of PLACEMAKING IN SE FORSYTH COUNTY guidelines for property owners to use to get a permit for a parklet in a Pavement-To-Parks Program (the San Fransisco Parklet Manual; the City of Richmond, Virginia Parklet Design Guidelines; and the Seattle Department of Transportation Parklet Handbook are good resouces). Below is a list of potential information to include: • Design and construction guidelines; • Site selection and public outreach (parklet location criteria, site plan and existing conditions, project narrative); • Initial proposal review (shortlist selection, public notice period, potential public hearings, how to address insurance); • Design development (design elements, final construction package, fee schedule); • Fabrication and installation (required materials, pre-installation on-site inspection, installation); and • Post-construction (upkeep and maintenance, permit renewal, change of ownership, removal, monitoring). LTP-3: Work in partnership with SE Forsyth County property owners to start a Pop Up Shop Program. This program would offer local entrepreneurs a no-cost short-term lease in vacant properties. (The OPEN Downtown Pop Up Shop Program in San Antonio is a good example).
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