AIABaltimore Committee page: Urban Design Committee--2000 Agenda

The following is an outline of the BCAIA Urban Design Committee’s objectives for Baltimore in the coming year, as discussed at the UDC meeting on January 12, 2000. The following goals are related to the Mayoral discussion questions presented to the mayoral candidates preceding last year’s elections. They have been modified, extended, and supplemented to form the basis of an agenda for action on the part of the Committee and (hopefully) the BCAIA. After review and modification, the next step is the generation of an action plan for implementation, which will be the subject of the UDC meetings in the coming year.

Planning and development initiatives are inextricably intertwined with the organization of the city government.

Proactive Planning: The Planning Department should be given the authority and the tools to establish the objectives for any proposed modifications to the physical fabric of the city. The DPW, BDC, DHCD, etc. should be charged with implementing established objectives in a coordinated manner. At present, each department or entity seems to have its own plan and many of these are at cross purposes.

The UDC will Promote stronger, more organized planning in meetings with city representatives, including the mayor if possible. UDC representatives acting as observers/advisors for various planning initiatives (particularyly the West Side process) will also act as advocates for coordination with other projects as well as a rational planning process. The UDC shall support the planning department where and as feasible, both politically and in an advisory capacity when requested.

Planning efforts must be both broadened to include regional issues and adjacent jurisdictions and localized to include the concerns relevant to individual communities and neighborhoods.

The UDC will appoint liasons to both the regional organizations such as 1000 Friends of Maryland (two UDC members are already members of UDC) and organizations with a more local focus such as the NDC and CPHA. The UDC shall support initiatives being promoted by these organizations.

Planning Process: Inclusive planning that can respond to the needs of the city, the neighborhood, and the region in a fast-moving world must be responsive to changing conditions without losing focus. This can only be done by giving the planning process priority over a static document. Lines of communication must be established between the city and the regional and local constituencies in a way that creates clear areas of responsibility and authority as appropriate at each level. At present, the Planning Department seems to solicit generalized "opinions" from city residents but local groups have no true representation regarding planning decisions. The Planning Department should act as the coordinating agency for this communication network, setting guidelines and policy, and should make those decisions that are appropriately assigned to a city agency.

The UDC will nurture its contacts with various organizations and groups within the City and attempt to initiate contacts and convey concerns where lines of communication are not already established. The UDC will ask to review planning proposals and will urge the City to adopt an active process.

Prioritization: We support the PlanBaltimore proposal to evaluate and categorize neighborhoods in order to assign resources in those areas where they will do the most good. We must use limited resources to stabilize areas on the edge and to assure that stable neighborhoods stay that way. Areas with deeper problems may require multiple strategies that will consume many resources; these areas may need to be tackled sequentially and may require more extreme solutions.

Mayor O’Malley has endorsed this approach. The UDC will support it in an advisory capacity. We shall suggest ways in which urban design considerations should be included in the evaluations.

Regulatory Reform: The present regulatory climate for projects within the city is unpredictable and user "unfriendly". Planning goals remain undefined and change for each project; PUD’s are used to approve projects that are championed by particular constituents and may have no connection to the long term health of the city; regulations exist that are outmoded and that may have no correlation with the results that they are intended to produce; and the approvals process itself is unnecessarily obstructionist.

We advocate major revisions to City regulations. The zoning code is outmoded and inflexible and does not promote pleasant urban environments- it would prevent construction today of most of the most admired districts within the city. A possible alternative is to combine a city-wide performance-based zoning code (ensuring basic levels of performance) with district plans that can more accurately direct development in a positive and, for developers, a more predictable direction. PUDs could become unecessary.
The building codes themselves should allow for a more performance-based approach so that practical means of equivalent life safety, etc. are not rejected out-of-hand. The BOCA Code has a system for establishing such equivalence, but Baltimore has deleted these sections from the Code for a number of years.
Permits and approvals should have regularly defined processes that do not change drastically from year to year and that reward obvious conformance with the intent of city regulations and plans with expedited approvals. This would provide an incentive to submit projects that support the goals of the district plans.

The UDC can have a limited impact through its involvement with various city agencies and organizations. These initiatives are best pursued by the AIA through partnerships with other organizations. We shall support efforts in this direction (such as the Smart Codes proposals).

At the most basic level, the committee agrees that Baltimore needs a system of transportation, not the present confusion of competing interests.

Coordination: Transportation, including transit, should be dealt with as both a regional and a local issue. At present there is no coordinating authority or group that is dealing with all of the aspects of transportation planning for the city and the region (although one exists theoretically, for the region). Transportation planning is dealt with by different agencies as a series of responses to immediate needs and pressures - MTA, DPW, Transit & Traffic, SHA, etc., all have their own agendas, and are under pressure from local constituencies, politicians, bureaucratic structures, etc.

The UDC shall support the initiatives under development by other organizations, such as CPHA and 1000 Friends of Maryland. This is a large and very political issue.

Wholistic Planning: Transportation planning should be dealt with wholistically- the implications for social and development patterns should be considered. These patterns are rarely questioned at present. Working groups must be formed that include representatives empowered to make decisions that conform to long-range goals. These groups must be provided with real information on costs (life cycle costs, including collateral development expenses), efficiency, social and development patterns, environmental impacts, etc.

The UDC shall advocate consideration of a wide range of issues in transportation planning. We shall provide advice on the incorporation of urban design principles and shall push for the employment of consultants that can provide the required information to the reponsible authorities.

Parking and Transit Policy: The City should consider a "transportation authority" or coordinating body (with representatives from concerned agencies and groups) similar to those in other cities. Pittsburgh has a parking authority that at least begins to ensure that parking is distributed efficiently. A better model would be a group that balances all transportation modes to form a workable system. Such a group could work with the MTA , the various city agencies, and private entities to promote the development of a system that supports the city’s goals as set by the administration and the citizens. As a specific instance, parking and transit could be developed as a system that would minimize the negative impact upon the urban environment (such as the construction of multiple parking garages), as well as the actual and opportunity costs to the City.

This has been a continuing item of discussion within the committee. We have had meetings with the Downtown Partnership, BDC, the Planning Department, and others. The UDC can continue to publicize alternative approaches in a way that will bring them to the attention of residents and members of the business community as well as relevant authorities.

The Urban Design Committee of course agrees that preservation of the historic character of the city is vital. The scale, proportion, and detail of historic districts are difficult to reproduce today and are a vital asset to Baltimore.

CHAP Districts: The Committee would like to see additional CHAP districts within the city, not just national disticts, as the city has authority to control development within these districts.

The UDC will continue to promote this policy, but it might be more effectively advanced by the Chapter in partnership with other organizations such as Baltimore Heritage and Preservation Maryland.

Promotion of Historic Preservation: The committee would like to see CHAP given more resources to expand its role as a proactive agency. CHAP could help enact and promote benefits for the City and land owners resulting from historic preservation. Tax benefits, Heritage Areas, etc. could be encouraged in conjunction with such groups as Baltimore Heritage and Preservation Maryland.

Again, the UDC will support the activities of organizations with broader constituencies.

The Urban Design Committee supports the creation of an integrated network of meaningful open spaces within the City.

Open Space Plan: A framework for defining the function and location of different types of open spaces and linkages between them needs to be part of the planning process for the city. Optimal sizes, activities, cachement areas, linkage types and distances, configurations, adjacent uses, transit linkages, and type classifications have never been established. We need to define where we are and where we want to be.

The UDC will continue to support this concept through our actions in an advisory capacity and through specific proposals where they are deemed to be of general importance to the City.

Open Space Synergy: Open spaces within the City need to support and be supported by other aspects of the goals for the city. For example, in many cities dual-function parks have been established on school grounds. These parks are used for school activities during the day and public recreation in the evening and on weekends. This has served to provide a neighborhood amenity at less first and maintenance cost than a separate park while simultaneously reinforcing the image of the school as one of the centers of the community.

The UDC will back Mayor O’Malley in his efforts to resuscitate the Parks and Recreation Department and to promote parks and other outdoor spaces as important assets for the city. We will attempt to to bring these considerations to the attention of all parties in our review of development and planning proposals.

The Urban Design Committee has specifically championed the specific proposal to open up the Middle Branch, beyond the football stadium, as a recreational area and "Baltimore’s second waterfront". This would be a perfect location for an amusement park, exhibition area, or recreational facility, and could be programmed to take advantage of the same facilities as are needed by the stadiums (parking, transit, lodging, etc.). The second waterfront would create a dual focus to downtown (along with the inner harbor), extending the economic benefits into this area of the city.

The Urban Design Committee has also advocated the creation of an "Orioles Plaza" to the north of Camden Sation. This would provide a needed gathering place for the crowds in this area and help to slow and distribute the pedestrian traffic from the stadiums and the Convention Center. A focal point of this type could stimulate economic growth and dvelopment throughout the area.

The Committee has promoted the removal of the existing Arena and the creation of a pedestrian connection from Redwood Street in the UMB area to Hopkins Plaza. This would help to strengthen the connection of the UMB activity zone with the central business district, accompanied by associated economic benefits.
The Committee has also recommended the creation of a network of smaller urban spaces and connecting linkages within the downtown area to assist access by potential customers, support residential development, and increase public safety. This approach has worked in other cities.

The UDC shall propose meetings with the relevant parties in the new administration to bring these proposals to their attention. The potential for economic revitalization shall be emphasized in addition to the positive impact on the urban environment. The committee may further develop these proposals if enough interest can be generated.

The committee will establish ongoing relationships with various private and public organizations to act as a type of liason between them and the AIA and to promote the goal of quality urban design. We have found that guidance and education at the right time can have an impact many times greater than actions after the fact.

The UDC will aid other organizations in promoting agendas and projects that coincide with our interests. For example, we have been involved with the NDC "Undercrowding" initiative and have had an impact in determining the goals and methods employed, and sit on the PAC Committee for the West Side program.

The UDC will become more involved in the individual communities, in an advisory capacity. We are often aware of larger issues and strategies that may be helpful in promoting effective urban design in individual communities. Initiatives:

The UDC will promote specific projects that have no other specific constituency but that will benefit the city, such as the Middle Branch and Orioles Plaza proposals. These will be "hands-on" projects.

The UDC will promote specific city-wide initiatives that will have a profound impact upon urban design, such as the city agenda issues noted above.

The UDC will need additional bodies to accomplish these goals. We will attempt to increase participation through newsletter updates/agendas, phone trees, and e-mail and fax "bulletins".

The UDC will attempt to strengthen ties with the AIA board, and shall make proposals that may be of general interest to the AIA and that would be better carried out by the Chapter as a whole.

The UDC will assign personnel to various projects and liasons and maintain contacts and the exchange of information at meetings and through bulletins. We shall attempt to distribute this information to the Chapter as a whole through the newsletter, meetings, etc.

The UDC shall generate position papers and letters for issuance by the committee and through the AIA board where the board deems this advantageous and advisable.

As one of the committees that is most visible to a large segment of the public, the Urban Design Committee can be an effective tool in influencing the built environment and promoting a positive image of Architects and the AIA in the Baltimore area.