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Membership Meeting
FOLLOW-UP MEETING FOR THE BEACH AREA MASTER PLAN CHARRETTE REPORT
The City of Delray Beach, the Community Redevelopment Agency, and the Beach Property Owners' Association sponsored a community charrette to establish a Beach Area Master Plan on 7 November 2009. The overall goal of the Master Plan is to improve and enhance the look and feel of this very important and visible part of Delray Beach. The Master Plan will serve as future guidance to establish a sense of place and community through design elements, reflect the unique character of the beach neighborhood, and complement the natural beach environment. Specific areas covered during the charrette included ongoing maintenance, landscaping, anticipated replacement and upgrades, and future improvements and new features.
The charrette examined areas such as the Ocean Blvd./A1A sidewalk, lighting, landscaping, public amenities, public parks, and other streetscape issues. The session was led by Cambridge architect Perry Neubauer. His report has been submitted and will be reviewed at an upcoming public meeting. The meeting is open to all residents of Delray Beach and the business community. It will be held on Wednesday, 24 March 2010, starting at 7:00 PM in the upstairs meeting room of Northern Trust Bank, 770 E. Atlantic Avenue, Delray Beach (south side of the street just West of the Intracoastal bridge).
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BEACH AREA MASTER PLAN
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The BPOA is undertaking a new project to work with the city to develop a Beach Area Master Plan. Other parts of the city have had a great deal of time, effort and funds applied to improve their appearance, guide future development, and to highlight their unique character. Various thematic touches have been added, or are in the plans, for those areas; items such as sidewalks, lights, landscaping, design guidelines, public art, entry arch at Atlantic and I-95, entry arch to Pineapple Grove, etc. We would like to see a similar Master Plan process defined for the beach area to guide future repairs, upgrades, and new improvements. The beach area is geographically well defined as being east of the Intra-coastal Waterway. It is a major attraction for all Delray Beach residents and out-of-town visitors. The area has been changing in recent years with the addition and upscaling of many hotel rooms. It is also an area that generates the highest level of property tax collections per square foot given the appraised property values near the beach and the Intra-coastal. In addition to the high tax collected in the area, tax revenues are also increased by the extra hotel taxes generated, as well as other economic activity generated by the hotel visitors. The area can certainly justify and draw attention and funds to its future planned improvements.
Below are some of the elements that can be considered as part of a long-range plan. Perhaps a charrette approach similar to those held for other parts of the city can be used to better define the process and goals.
DESIGN GUIDELINES – The BPOA assisted the city in developing design guidelines for certain single-family-zoned sections of the beach area. Guidelines should be examined for the multi-family areas as well with particular emphasis on Atlantic Avenue and Ocean Blvd.
SIDEWALKS – Emphasis should be given to the promenade sidewalk on the east side of Ocean Blvd. along the public beach.
LIGHTING – A characteristically stylized light-pole design would add a defining touch to the area. Of course requirements for turtle nest concerns would also be met.
BENCHES – A characteristic and attractive style would enhance the whole feel of the neighborhood. Their placement and spacing should also be better thought out than the current method used for the citizen-donated recycled-material benches.
LANDSCAPING – Public space landscaping guidelines should be formalized with regard to types of trees and spacing. Perhaps some trees along the beach for appearance and shade would be welcome as well.
PUBLIC ART – An effort should be made to have several pieces of public art placed in the green areas between the eastern sidewalk on A1A and the dune fence. A nature or ocean theme for the art would be very appropriate. Perhaps even a sundial near Atlantic and A1A would serve as both an art and education feature.
SIGNS and PLAQUES – Signs for general information, nature awareness, and historical preservation would be encouraged at several places. These signs can have a style that better defines the beach area as a unique neighborhood.
OTHER FEATURES – The list below is just a start on other aspects of the beach area that should be examined. Everyone should be encouraged to think of ideas to add to this list:
- Parking Meters Design and Placement
- Parking Lots and Garages
- Crosswalks Design and Placement
- Public Parks
- Defining Neighborhood Feature at Atlantic/A1A Intersection
- Shelter/Gazebo Design and Placement
- Lifeguard Towers Design
- Beach Sidewalk Showers Design and Placement
- Public Amenities (Bathrooms, Chair and Umbrella Rentals, Recreation Areas)
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Copyright © by Beach Property Owners Association. All Right Reserved.
Published on: 2008-11-03 (905 reads) |
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