master plan update - City of Boca Raton
master plan update - City of Boca Raton
master plan update - City of Boca Raton
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SUMMARY OF KEYMESSAGES TO DATE»»»»»Many people are excited by theopportunity to strengthen Downtown<strong>Boca</strong> <strong>Raton</strong>. They see a needand opportunity for the MasterPlan to connect a series <strong>of</strong> strong,yet currently disconnected, parts <strong>of</strong>Downtown.There is widespread agreementregarding many <strong>of</strong> the steps thatcan be taken to strengthen theconnections in Downtown. Thisincludes creating and enhancingpedestrian, cycling and transitconnections while still facilitatingsmooth car access and parking.Many people are looking at <strong>Boca</strong><strong>Raton</strong>’s Downtown and comparingit to what’s happening in nearbyareas like Las Olas and DelrayBeach. They are interested in making<strong>Boca</strong> <strong>Raton</strong> a place that hasmore <strong>of</strong> the activity, life, and feel <strong>of</strong>these places, and also better meetsthe needs <strong>of</strong> the residents.The Intracoastal Waterway and theAtlantic Ocean are great assets toDowntown <strong>Boca</strong> <strong>Raton</strong>. The <strong>City</strong>would benefit from easier accessfrom Downtown to enjoy the water.It is important to take advantage<strong>of</strong> opportunities to preserve andcelebrate <strong>Boca</strong> <strong>Raton</strong>’s heritage.This should be done in a way thatfits with the other elements <strong>of</strong> thefuture vision many people have forthe <strong>City</strong>.»»In order to make the Master Plan areality, some critical policy changeswill be required to facilitate publicand private investment as well asdevelopment and design decisions.In response to the ideas testedduring the Charrette, participantsidentified and confirmed that priorityareas for actions include:› Making it easier to cross CentralPalmetto Park Road – this is acritical Downtown connection.› Making it possible to connectsouth from Mizner Park to RoyalPalm Plaza.› Making more <strong>of</strong> Sanborn Square,how it’s used and how it’s connectedto the surrounding area.› Improving Palmetto Park RoadEast, including dramaticallyimproving the streetscape andexperience for people makingtheir way to the waterfront.GOALS AND PRINCIPLESFrom this input and our analyses, wehave identified a set <strong>of</strong> Goals which canserve as Planning Principles:» Create a unique identity for Downtown<strong>Boca</strong> <strong>Raton</strong> as the cultural,civic, and specialized retail center <strong>of</strong>the region, with a full complement<strong>of</strong> residential accommodations andrecreational amenities.» Create a comfortable pedestrianscaleenvironment connecting all<strong>of</strong> the parts <strong>of</strong> Downtown, whileproviding appropriate accommodation<strong>of</strong> vehicular movement.»»»»Provide an appropriate mix <strong>of</strong><strong>of</strong>fice, residential, hotel, retail, cultural,civic, and recreational uses.Provide a coordinated strategy forparking and access.Provide the basis for a diversearchitectural and environmentalcharacter for the various parts <strong>of</strong>Downtown that both reflect its historyand current scale.Enhance Downtown’ s connectionto the waterfronts and its quality <strong>of</strong>open space.11