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DATE: April 15,2002
TO: Planning Commission and City Council
FROM: Stephen C. Richardson, Planning Manager
SUBJECT: Request to consider the adoption of the South Park Neighborhood Sketch Plan.
FILE: 621 -013
STAFF REPORT
The Planning Manager recommends adoption of the South Park Neighborhood Sketch Plan.
The South Park Neighborhood Sketch Plan contains sections addressing existing neighborhood
conditions, suggestions or proposals for future actions, goals and objectives similar in content
to other adopted neighborhood plans, and a final section entitled "The Next Step: An Action
Plan." The last section of the plan is intended to encourage neighborhood stakeholders and
specifically the South Park Neighborhood Association to prepare a "5-Year Strategic Action
Plan" for implementing the proposals within the South Park Neighborhood Sketch Plan. It is
in the action plan that neighborhood stakeholders will identify their priorities in addressing
current problems and implementing long-term efforts to achieve their vision of South Park
years in the future.
The proposed Sketch Plan supports the provisions of the current Major Street and Highway and
Parks, Recreation, and Open Space Plans. It also emphasized the importance of the relationship
of Lamar University to the future redevelopment of the South Park area as well as the
importance of the revitalization of the South Park area to the future growth of Lamar
University. Goal 11 of the text specifically addresses this concern.
The plan also proposes that many future actions, i.e., studies and subject specific plans, be
implemented over the ensuing years. It is those "future" actions that would actually achieve
the revitalization of the South Park area. One example of such a future action is the proposal
that the City's current development regulations, which require suburban design standards not
in character with some portions of South Park, be reviewed and modified in their application
to the South Park area or some portion thereof. The intent would be to require that future infill
development be more in character with the historic physical character of the area where they
are proposed to be located. Another suggestion of the sketch plan is the proposal that
"conservation districts" be considered for implementation in some portions of the
neighborhood. Other Texas cities have used this technique to stabilize and renovate
neighborhoods not appropriate for the establishment of an historic district.
STAFF REPORT continued
The Sketch Plan is intended to serve as a guide in implementing a systematic approach to
revitalizing the South Park area over the next five to seven years in a manner consistent with
the plan's twenty plus year vision for the area.