Grand plans in Alamo Heights (Trolley line mentioned)

[sirkingwilliam]

Grand plans in Alamo Heights

By Colin McDonald - Express-News

The wish list for Alamo Heights' comprehensive city plan includes a trolley car to downtown San Antonio, buried utility lines and a park within a five-minute walk of every residence.

“Because they are pretty well educated and have traveled a lot, their expectations are higher,” community development director Ann McGlone said of the 450 residents who participated in the plan's creation.

At Monday's City Council meeting, McGlone presented the final draft of the plan she and her staff have been working on since the fall. It's the city's first such blueprint since 1965 and a synopsis of community members' hopes and dreams for Alamo Heights.

Funding sources for the projects have not been identified, McGlone said. The plan is written to serve as a guiding document for the council and city staff for the next 15 years.

Its biggest point is to turn Alamo Heights into a walking and bicycling-friendly community that conserves resources and has lots of open space, a vibrant shopping area/public square and streets that don't flood.

Right now the city has incomplete sidewalks, a downtown dominated by cars, and flooding issues. The report states, “Broadway was originally more aptly called ‘River Road.'”

Because the flooding is so bad, McGlone said it would be one of the first projects to be dealt with under the new plan. That will present opportunities to incorporate some of the other goals.

When the city tears up a street to put in underground drainage tunnels, McGlone wants the engineers and planners to know residents favor a street that is as welcoming to pedestrians as it is to vehicles — even if that means slower traffic and fewer lanes.

Residents also want street lamps that conserve energy and direct light down toward the street instead of into the sky so people can still see the stars from their back yards. As for drainage, when possible residents want natural alternatives such as mini-wetlands to filter the runoff and retention ponds to slow its flow.

Initial meetings are set this month to explore the feasibility of a trolley line on Broadway from downtown to as far as the airport.

“I really did not think I would see this for three to four years,” said Councilwoman Jill Souter, who ran on the issue of creating a comprehensive plan four years ago. “This really is the people's plan.”

With banners, letters, post cards, e-mails and media coverage, the city staff tried to contact every resident and business owner in Alamo Heights to give them the opportunity to participate. With that effort and the popularity of the meetings, McGlone said she is confidant the plan shows where the community wants to go.

The plan is expected to be adopted by the council at its May 26 meeting.

To check out the plan, visit www.alamoheightstx.gov/.

[jaga185]

A trolley to the Airport would mean wonders for visitors who want options in transportation to downtown, do they take donations?!? lol

[miaht82]

Everybody wants something, but who is the one that will be okay with a park/green space being next to them? I think they should underground lines, although I can already hear the complaints during the construction. And they should put restrictions on design/layout of retail along broadway/austin hwy.

[oldmanshirt]

Its ambitious, to say the least.

[sirkingwilliam]

Ambitious? Yes. Doable? Yes.

Though the trolley (hopefully they mean street car) line will have to be in corporation with the COSA and with Castro as Mayor, I can see that happening.

[oldmanshirt]

Another article, this time with a rendering of Broadway.

Alamo Heights sees its future in the past
By Colin McDonald - Express-News

Alamo Heights is about to face reality.

For the past nine months, the city has been asking residents and business owners to imagine everything they ever wanted the city to be. The result was a comprehensive plan envisioning an environmentally aware, pedestrian-friendly village where people can shop, work and go to school by walking, bicycling or a taking a short trolley ride.

http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/loc..._the_past.html



The article also provides the perspective of a handful of local business owners on the proposed changes. Seems the prevailing opinion is "cautiously open to the idea".

[Keep-SA-Lame]

Those business owners don't represent what the vast majority of residents feel. Though they are quoted in the article, not a single one of those business people went to the Council meeting to voice their dissent. In fact, not one person spoke out against the plan either at that meeting or at any of the recent public meetings.

[miaht82]

Caught this from a few days ago.
Its a start, but AH needs to do away with streetside parking lots for future development as well. Sure a streetcar line running up Broadway would help, but it isn't necessary. Even though it might seem like it is dense to some, the land use is horrible. How about the city buying up that block next to Central Market and making their city offices walkable. Have a nice mixed use building with a small plaza on the side so that when people do walk, they have a place to sit and rest before they head back home. I think I expect too much from Alamo Heights, but the truth is that it is probably one of the only places in the Metro that can take on full development and get the high rents/costs for condos that new projects demand.

http://www.mysanantonio.com/communit...age=1#storytop

Alamo Heights City Council on Aug. 23 tackled a range of municipal business, including restricting buildings with drive-through sections, revising EMS fees and mulling where to locate a proposed community garden.
Community Development Director Brian Chandler said limiting drive-through facilities would promote a more pedestrian-friendly environment.

He outlined proposed changes to existing ordinance language designed to restrict such new development, but allowing continued use by an existing bank taking over a vacated building with the feature already intact.

The main impetus behind the proposed ordinance revision is to control development types, particularly preventing an influx of fast-food restaurants and similar uses running counter to the city's comprehensive plan.

Read more....

[Keep-SA-Lame]

Originally Posted by miaht82

How about the city buying up that block next to Central Market and making their city offices walkable. Have a nice mixed use building with a small plaza on the side so that when people do walk, they have a place to sit and rest before they head back home. I think I expect too much from Alamo Heights, but the truth is that it is probably one of the only places in the Metro that can take on full development and get the high rents/costs for condos that new projects demand.

That would be a great idea miah. I absolutely despise that shopping center. It's a great place for a mixed used project (something like the scale of the new Pearl apartment block). But unfortunately it will never happen:

1- Last year the city of AH tried a modest $10mill bond to build a new city hall at the current site. It was voted down because it was considered too ambitious by the tea-partyers.

2- The city of AH can't afford it. Land everywhere in AH is extremely expensive. If the city could sell its current land and move everything next to Central Market it might work out financially, but because of the water towers at the current location a complete move isn't practical.

3- The land in question is owned by mr scumbag himself, george geis (yes, the one from the 1221 Broadway). I don't know what his plans are for the property, but they certainly don't involve selling it to the city.


As for future urban improvements to A.H..... don't hold your breath. We just elected (and by we I mean not me) a tea bagger city council that is already proven itself as being pretty much useless even doing the regular city business. I agree that AH has enormous potential, but as you said, it's really just too much for AH.



edit: I thought AH had prohibited drive thrus for years already?

[miaht82]

Originally Posted by Keep-SA-Lame

That would be a great idea miah. I absolutely despise that shopping center. It's a great place for a mixed used project (something like the scale of the new Pearl apartment block). But unfortunately it will never happen:

1- Last year the city of AH tried a modest $10mill bond to build a new city hall at the current site. It was voted down because it was considered too ambitious by the tea-partyers.

2- The city of AH can't afford it. Land everywhere in AH is extremely expensive. If the city could sell its current land and move everything next to Central Market it might work out financially, but because of the water towers at the current location a complete move isn't practical.

3- The land in question is owned by mr scumbag himself, george geis (yes, the one from the 1221 Broadway). I don't know what his plans are for the property, but they certainly don't involve selling it to the city.


As for future urban improvements to A.H..... don't hold your breath. We just elected (and by we I mean not me) a tea bagger city council that is already proven itself as being pretty much useless even doing the regular city business. I agree that AH has enormous potential, but as you said, it's really just too much for AH.



edit: I thought AH had prohibited drive thrus for years already?

Thanks.
If the block is owned by Geis, then he should be hiding, not making the case for walkability. If, at the very least, they (AH) took it a step further and put out more requirements that encourage walkability, then even if it took 10-20 years, it would be a move in the right direction. Allowing higher densities and getting rid of that angled street parking are also good ideas.
Oh well. I won't be holding my breath to see AH or OP change much soon. Parts of SA surrounding them? maybe.

[Keep-SA-Lame]

The Comprehensive Plan that the original article posted was about is still on the AH website I think if anyone wants to check it out. It actually has a very cool plan improving Broadway for pedestrians and is worth a look if you're an SA urban enthusiast.

[maxus]

Can you imagine that our city used to (88 years ago) have this extensive rail network throughout the urbanity! If the tax increase would have passed in 2000, we'd have a few lines already running by now. Probably Fred. to Med. Center and Broadway to Pearl for sure. Dang! What was the city thinking???

[IMG][/IMG]

[miaht82]

Originally Posted by maxus

Dang! What was the city thinking???

A majority of it wasn't.

[Keep-SA-Lame]

To the city's credit, it was pretty close.