DOWNTOWN Westport Master Plan T O W N O F W E S T P O R T, C O N N E C T I C U T January 6, 2015 DRAFT TABLE OF CONTENTS IS CLICKABLE To return to the TOC, click on the vertical blue bar at the bottom of each page ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The Downtown Westport Master Plan was funded by The Town of Westport. We would like to thank the following organizatons for their invaluable The planning process was led by the First Selectman’s ofce and a Downtown assistance in promotng YOUR DOWNTOWN to Westport residents: Steering Commitee comprised of neighborhood residents, members of the Beechwood Arts town’s professional staf, elected ofcials, and community-based organizatons. Celebrate Westport Downtown Steering Commitee (DSC) Democratc Town Commitee Melissa Kane, Chairman, DSC Democratc Women of Westport Ken Bernhard Earthplace Morley Boyd Miggs B Designs Larry Bradley Republican Women of Westport Steve Desloge Selectman’s Maintenance Study Commitee Steve Edwards Westport Arts Center Robert Jacobs Westport Board of Educaton Frances Henkels Westport Cinema Initatve Alan Hodge Westport Community Gardens Gerald Kagan Westport Country Playhouse Dewey Loselle Westport Department of Parks & Recreaton Jessica Newshel Westport Downtown Merchants Associaton Carla Rea Westport Garden Club Lois Schine Westport Historical Society Westport Library Westport Litle League Baseball Westport Republican Town Commitee Consultant Team: Westport Rotary Club Westport Senior Center The RBA Group of Connectcut, LLC - Norwalk, CT w/assistance from Urban Partners - Philadelphia, PA Westport Sunrise Rotary Westport Transit District Westport-Weston Chamber of Commerce Y’s Men of Westport/Weston All photographs and illustratons by The RBA Group, unless otherwise indicated in Photo Credits Click entries in the Table of Contents to go to a specific page TABLE OF CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ........................................................................................ i 1. STARTING POINTS .......................................................................................... 1 A. WHY A DOWNTOWN MASTER PLAN? ................................................................... 1 B. PURPOSE OF THE PLAN .......................................................................................... 2 C. THE PUBLIC REALM: PAST, PRESENT, FUTURE ...................................................... 3 D. INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENTS......................................................................... 6 E. THE DOWNTOWN ECONOMY ................................................................................ 8 F. PRIOR PLANS & STUDIES ...................................................................................... 10 G. PUBLIC OUTREACH............................................................................................... 16 H. DOWNTOWN VALUES .......................................................................................... 22 I. PLANNING DIRECTIVES ......................................................................................... 24 2. YOUR DOWNTOWN ..................................................................................... 25 PREAMBLE: CHANGE HAPPENS ............................................................................... 25 NAVIGATING THE STRATEGIES & RECOMMENDATIONS ........................................ 26 THE ILLUSTRATIVE PLAN .......................................................................................... 27 A. PLACES: STREETSCAPES & PUBLIC SPACES ......................................................... 29 B: MOBILITY: TRAFFIC & CIRCULATION ................................................................... 52 C. PARKING: CAPACITY & MANAGEMENT ............................................................... 76 D. WATER: STORMWATER & FLOOD PROTECTION ................................................. 88 3. PLAN IMPLEMENTATION & POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS .......................... 93 A. PHASING & IMPLEMENTATION ........................................................................... 93 B. FINANCING .......................................................................................................... 101 C. MANAGEMENT ................................................................................................... 108 D. POLICY & REGULATION ...................................................................................... 110 4. DOWNTOWN DESIGN GUIDELINES ............................................................ 117 INDEX OF FIGURES ......................................................................................... 137 PHOTO CREDITS ............................................................................................. 141 APPENDICES .................................................................................................. 143 Photo by Larry Untermeyer. Used with permission. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY PURPOSE OF THE PLAN THE PLANNING PROCESS Oev r teh oc ru se o f seev ral ed ac ed s , Donw tonw Westport ah s transti oi ne d rf o m Teh Donw tonw tS eerni g oC tim tee D( )CS seletc e d a oc nslu tant tea m l( e d yb Teh a loac l civic an d oc em raic l tonw ec nter ni to a ed stni atoi n tah t attratc s siv ti ors ABR rG opu ) to prepare tsih Plan . Teh teas’m rif st steps ew re to reeiv w onog ni g rf o m arc oss teh reoig n of r ti s sam ll tonw ahc ratc er , ptci ru eseuq revi rrf ont , pu sac le ni ev stem nts , proi r steidu s an d plans , an d to oc ntcud a am rek t assessem nt o f restaru ants , an d e-hgih n d ob tu euqi s . Teh pru pose o f teh Downtown Westport Donw tonw . Master Plan si to serev as a ediug of r tuf ru e plbu ci an d pravi te ni ev stem nts Teh D CS lanu ehc d teh OY RU DOWNTOWN ac pm angi to enerezig resedi nts to taek ni Donw tonw , an d to ensru e tah t Donw tonw Westport ream ni s a rbiv ant an d part ni teh plannni g proec ss . Teh ac pm angi ni ov lev d reanihc g otu to resedi nts secu ssluf plaec , lihw e relf etc ni g teh og als an d aspri atoi ns o f ti s resedi nts. trh o hgu lum tpi le em toh sd , ni lc nidu g We ,b eam- li , soaic l em aid , tratid oi nal press , Tsih Plan rasi es seev ral rc ti aci l euq stoi ns: an d posters . Man y Westport ,civic soaic l , an d rerc eatoi nal orag nazi toi ns eh lpe d proom te teh plannni g proec ss an d ti s eev nts to teh ri oc nstti eu neic s , hcihw  How much more can Downtown handle? aw s ni av lau lb e of r ni of rnim g resedi nts aob tu ek y plannni g eev nts . Teh OY RU  Where should the Town begin to reinvest in its infrastructure? DOWNTOWN ac pm angi ni lc edu d teh of lloniw g oc re eleem nts:  How should investments be coordinated and managed? • Donw tonw Westport Master Plan Wesb ti e  What values and goals should guide these investments? • Donw tonw ruS ev y of r eR sedi nts Tsih Plan eax nim es an d ard esses teh of lloniw g aspetc s o f Donw tonw : • Donw tonw siV oi nni g Worsk oh ps • Character & Design : siv au l ahc ratc erof/ r ,m artihc etc ru al ed sngi • Onog ni g oC num aci toi ns trh o hgu en- esw letters an d soaic l em aid , ni lc nidu g • Land Use & Development : oz nni ,g reed ev lopem nt , preserav toi n aF ec ob o k an d Ttiw ter. • Open Space : parsk , plaaz s , rerc eatoi n , revi r aec ss • OY RU DOWNTOWN ahC rrette • Public Works : tu li ti ei s , rd ani aeg Tsih Plan aw s ediug d yb teh reslu ts o f tsih lum taf-i ec te d civic enag eg em nt proec ss tah t reaehc d toh su ansd o f Westporters. • Streetscapes : sedi aw lsk , eb nehc s , trees , lthgi s , art • Trafic & Parking : ac rs , ekib s , peed strai ns , saef t , y transti , sngi saw/ nify nid g Tsih Plan liub sd on teh og als an d oejb tc evi s of r Donw tonw ni teh Tonw s’ 2007 Plan of Conservation and Development P( ODC ) an d ssbu eeuq nt Donw tonw plannni g eo� rts . Teh nif al Downtown Westport Master Plan si ni tened d to eb aod pte d yb teh Plannni g & oZ nni g oC sim soi n as an aem nemd nt to teh PODC . DOWNTOWN Westport Master Plan i DOWNTOWN VALUES PLANNING DIRECTIVES T hguo rh eht cilbup hca e rtuo ,se co rp la esre v de rahs seula v gnid ra g e r nw o tnw oD T eseh seula v del o t eht noitalumro f fo xis gninalp ,sevitce rid hcihw ,evah ni ,nru t ema ceb :ra elc depahs eht stnemele fo eht P:nal Maintain a “Small Town” Character a Reclaim and enhance riverfront access, views, and walkways. T eh nwo tnw oD Sru ev y ro f R stnedise dedulcni eht :noitseuq W“ tah snoitca e ra eht tsom tna tropmi o t redisno c ro f eht e ru tu f fo ” ? nw o tnw oD R de kna tsom tna tropmi gnoma la eht snoitpo sa w o t m“ aintain the ‘small town’ character of Downtown ” . W elih nwo tnw oD W troptse seunitno c o t evah a lams tnirpto f, ti si gnilif “ ”ni mo rf b Improve streetscape and landscape atractveness. ,nihtiw gnitse t eht stimil fo siht Ne w E dnalgn lams nw o t .nw o tnw oD A Downtown for Westporters nwo tnw oD W troptse swa rd elpoep mo rf tuohguo rht eht ,noig e r t,ey ro f ,stnedise r c Enhance and actvate public open spaces. ti si rieht eno ylno-dna- .nw o tnw oD T ereh si a dene thgieh esnes fo noitit epmo c ne wt eb nw o tnw oD laic remo c stse re tni dna .stnedise r R stnedise osla le f taht eht cilbup mla e r na c eb demialce r hguo rht eht noita rugifno ce r fo nepo ,se ca ps e ca frus ,gnikra p dna .sya wda o r d Enhance pedestrian connectons, walkways, and bike paths. Fiscally- and Environmentally-Responsible Implementaton I t si de rga taht dednemo ce r cilbup tneme v o rpmi stcejo rp dna citama rgo rp e Enhance connectons between key Downtown destnatons. sevitaitini dluohs eb de tnemelpmi ni a elbisnopse r-yla csif . renam W elih gniv o rpmi ytiliba kla w dna gnidna px e nepo se ca ps na c tifeneb eht tnemno rivne, la tnemno rivne ytilibania tsus s ro tca f dluohs eb de redisno c ni eht noita tnemelpmi fo la stcejo rp dna .se vitaitini f Improve trafc fow and parking management. ii TOWN OF WESTPORT, CONNECTICUT YOUR DOWNTOWN PLACES: Streetscapes & Public Spaces Westports’ open spaec netow r k oc nssi ts o f streetsac pes , parsk , plaaz s , trali s , an d allesy trh o hgu hcihw people traev l or sti an d enoj . y eR sedi nts oc num aci te d teh nee d to oc nnetc an d oc pm lete , rateh r tah n to rg o , w Donw tonw . Teh plan reoc em nsd pmi roniv g peed strai n oc nnetc oi ns tiw nih Donw tonw an d eb tew en Donw tonw an d aajd ec nt neobhgi roh osd . Teh plan also reoc em nsd aw sy to reev al an d reoc nnetc tiw h teh aS agu t kcu eviR r yb am nik g ti om re pronim ent , aec sslbi e , an d a part o f Donw tonw lefi . MOBILITY: Trafc & Circulaton Donw tonw soh lu d eb tter ab lanec teh neesd o f ac rs an d peed strai ns , lihw e also pronidiv g aoc om ad toi ns to ciblcy si ts . Teh Plan reoc em nsd aw sy to pmi roev oev rall aw lak lib ti , y am ek ni tersetc oi ns saef r , an d reecud atu oom lib e tra ci� yb rc eatni g oc ntid oi ns tah t proom te aw lnik g oev r rd nivi .g lA so , lni nik g Donw tonw ni to plbu ci transti ow lu d proediv alternatevi em ans of r epm loey es an d siv ti ors to rea hc Donw tonw . PARKING: Capacity & Management eR oc ng nizi g tah t Donw tonw parnik g si oe� n near ac patic , y teh Plan reoc em nsd a raneg o f strateeig s of r pmi roniv g teh spu pl y an d aec sslibi ti y o f parnik .g Teh se ni ov lev ahc neg s to parnik g rlu es , tenhc euqi s to reecud parnik g ed am n ,d oc nibm ni g an d oc am- nanig g ec rtani parnik g lots , an d oc nsedi rni g loneg rt- er m strateeig s to ni rc ease teh spu pl y o f parnik g ni aw sy tah t are oc nssi tent tiw h Westports’ s“ am ll tonw ” ahc ratc er. WATER: Stormwater & Flood Protecton Donw tonw si prone to lf oonid g rf o m ob t h relug ar rani eev nts an d am oj r storsm . aR teh r tah n ni ev st sngi acifi nt ac pti al to oc nstrtcu sea aw lls an d ppmu ni g statoi ns , teh Plan reoc em nsd lopmi-w atc ed ev lopem nt DIL( ) tenhc euqi s , hcihw ac n eb pmi leem nte d trh o hgu soem o f teh proej tc s reoc em ned d tiw nih tsih Plan. DOWNTOWN Westport Master Plan iii PLAN IMPLEMENTATION Phasing Funding & Responsibility T eh P nal stnese rp na ya ra fo tneme ganam seig e ta rts dna cilbup tnemtse vni I gnitnemelpm eht dednemo ce r stcejo rp liw e riuqe r tnedurp ,gnisahp -le w snoitadnemo ce r o t tse vnie r ni dna e ta ele v eht cilbup mla e r dna e cnahne eht de redisno c gnicnanif ,seig e ta rts dna ylau tum laicifeneb la tnemnre v o g re tni dna e fil- fo-ytilauq ni .nw o tnw oD E hca noitadnemo ce r/ y g e ta rts si de ziro g e ta c o tni eno e ta virp- cilbup .spihs rentra p C lu fe ra noitne ta o t dna noitanid ro c fo e cnane tniam fo e rht ,sesahp debircsed . w oleb sA eht nalp si gnieb ,de tnemelpmi eht y na c eb dna snoita repo liw e rusne taht stnemtse vni eunitno c o t e ta rene g eht de rised de ziro g e ta ce r fi . rase y cen semo c tuo ro f stnedise r dna rehto .s redlohe ka ts T ereh liw eb cilbup la tipa c ,stneme v o rpmi civic dna tifo rp-non ,sevitaitini dna e ta virp tnemtse vni taht pleh NEAR-TERM: ytiroirp-hgiH stcejo rp taht eht T nwo dluohs e taitini nihtiw eht tx en eihca ev eht cilbup esoprup fo eht .nalp T eh P nal sdnemo ce r sya w o t dnu f owt .s ra e y T sih sedulcni cilbup stnemtse vni taht dluohs eb de tanid ro c htiw stcejo rp o t eb tne tsisno c htiw eno fo eht e ro c gninalp :seula v elbisnopse r-yla csif de ta picitna e ta virp ed tnempole v .stcejo rp .noita tnemelpmi SHORT-TERM: P stcejo r taht dluohs eb de taitini ro de t elpmo c nihtiw eht tx en 5-2 .s ra e y Design Guidelines LONG-TERM: P stcejo r dna seitilibisop taht dluohs ro dluo c eb de taitini re �a T sih nalp sediv o rp ngised e cnadiug ro f t e rts ,sgnihsinru f ,gnithgil ,stneme va p dna ta tsa el 5 s ra e y evah .desa p S emo fo eseht e ra evita e rc sa edi ro /dna xelpmo c epa csdnal stnemele taht dluo w eb de ta ropro cni o tni .stcejo rp T eh e t ela p fo ngised s ro va edne esohw den dna stca pmi dluohs eb desesa sa eht stcejo rp ni eht owt stnemele de tse gus dluo w tnemelpmo c eht suoira v s re tca rahc fo .nw o tnw oD roirp se ga ts emo c o tni .e calp iv TOWN OF WESTPORT, CONNECTICUT START HERE Category Subsectons SEC ALP Existng Conditons & Analysis YTILIBOM Key Goals & Objectves Project Type Project Code Illustratve Plan Secton Number GNIKRA P { Strategies & Recommendatons M anagement RET A W C ore ex. R iverfront M3, C4 L I S T O F A L L S T TR E A G I E S & Timing Category Project Eo. Project R E C O M M E N T D I A O N S raeN T r secalP ansportat3C on evorpmI & etelpmoC eht klawediS krowteN raeN secalP 5C tnemelpmI niaM tertS epacstertS stnemevorpmI raeN secalP 6C etaerC a weN :daoR yrarbiL enaL A citaton system is utlized to help organize the strategies and raeN secalP 7C ngisedeR hcruhC enaL otni a derahS" "tertS recommendatons. This system reflects four different types of raeN secalP 02C tropuS stnemevorpmI ot teuqoT laH funding and implementaton profiles: raeN secalP 1R tropuS eht tnempolevedeR fo eht tseW ediS tnorfreviR M . Management and enhanced maintenance actvites, raeN secalP 2R dliuB a nairtsedeP egdirB gnisorC eht kcutaguaS including, for example, parking policy changes, directonal raeN secalP 3R etaerC a troptseW strA & erutluC egatireH "liarT" signs, and trash management. raeN ytiliboM 1C evorpmI nairtsedeP ytefaS ta tsoP daoR sgnisorC raeN ytiliboM 2C evorpmI .deP & raluciheV ytefaS ta tsoP dR snoitcesretnI urht cifarT langiS snoitacifidoM C . Capital improvement projects in the Downtown “core” raeN ytiliboM 4C ngisedeR eltryM eunevA snoitcesretnI area. This includes infrastructure projects in additon to private and insttutonal projects such as the Library Transfor- raeN ytiliboM 8C evorpmI cifarT stnemevoM ta eht etuoR 3/1 noitcesretnI maton Project and the Westport Cinema Initatve. raeN ytiliboM 4M evorpmI eht gnidnifyaW metsyS rof stsirotoM raeN ytiliboM 6M poleveD lanoitceriD & lanoitamrofnI sngiS rof snairtsedeP R . Public realm improvements designed to create an raeN ytiliboM 1T tropuS sevitaitinI ot secA & tcenoC nwotnwoD hguorht tisnarT amenity-rich, accessible Downtown riverfront. raeN ytiliboM 2T edivorP seitinemA rof tisnarT sregnesaP T . Transportaton/mobility-related projects. raeN ytiliboM 3T edivorP elcyciB gnikraP ni nwotnwoD raeN gnikraP 1M enibmoC dna ͲoC eganaM cilbuP & etavirP gnikraP stoL niwdlaB/mlE( htiw )yrevA raeN gnikraP 2M egnahC gnikraP morf Ͳ1 ruoH ot Ͳ2 ruoH mumixaM ni nwotnwoD raeN gnikraP 3M tnemelpmI lanosaeS telaV gnikraP raeN gnikraP 7M etacoleR gnoL Ͳ mreT gnikraP trohS secalP 5R tnevnieR puseJ nerG trohS secalP 01C etanidroC & tnemelpmI mrofinU epacstertS stnemevorpmI tuohguorht nwotnwoD trohS secalP 1C tropuS eht troptseW ameniC evitaitinI trohS secalP 21C rotinoM eht noitacoleR fo eht troptseW strA retneC trohS secalP 31C etaerC weN nairtsedeP syawegasaP trohS secalP 41C redisnoC eht erutuF fo mlE tertS trohS secalP 71C ngisedeR rolyaT tertS otni a derahS" "tertS trohS secalP 91C tropuS eht yrarbiL noitamrofsnarT tcejorP trohS gnikraP 61C evorpmI eht ecnaraepA & ytefaS fo eht lairepmI eunevA toL trohS gnikraP 8M redisnoC a ͲeF desaB metsyS ot eganaM gnikraP ni niatreC snoitacoL trohS ytiliboM 9C ngisedeR puseJ daoR trohS ytiliboM 51C dliuB a egdirB ot tcenoC ot eht lairepmI eunevA gnikraP toL trohS ytiliboM 81C ngisedeR eht niaM mlE/tertS tertS noitcesretnI trohS ytiliboM 5M redisnoC gnitnemelpmI a ͲlaeR emiT gnikraP noitamrofnI metsyS trohS ytiliboM 4T etaerC a nwoT Ͳ ediW elcyciB nalP gnoL secalP 4R mrofsnarT rekraP gnidraH azalP gnoL secalP 12C ecalP a éfaC no nerG gnoL secalP 2C edivorP cilbuP smortseR gnoL secalP 6R tcurtsnoC a nwotnwoD gnidnaL gnoL secalP 7R etaerC a egraB tnaruatseR gnoL secalP 8R dnetxE eht edistseW klawreviR gnoL gnikraP 1M enibmoC dna ͲoC eganaM cilbuP & etavirP gnikraP stoL eipseliG( retneC dlO/w nwoT )laH gnoL gnikraP 9M redisnoC gnidivorP lanoitidA gnikraP ylpuS DOWNTOWN Westport Master Plan v C3 C4 C2 C1 C7 M1 C6 C5 R3 C2 R2 C8 R1 vi TOWN OF WESTPORT, CONNECTICUT