UPDATE (4/11/07): Here’s an updated map of the Heart of Peoria Plan Area boundaries.
On tap Tuesday night at the City Council meeting: the long-awaited, much-anticipated Land Development Code (LDC).
What is it? The LDC is a big step toward codifying the Heart of Peoria Plan. It’s essentially new zoning laws for the Heart of Peoria Plan area (I’m using the term “zoning” in a generic sense here). In case you’re wondering what that area is, it’s the portion of Peoria within the heavy border on this illustration:
It covers roughly 8,000 acres of the oldest portion of Peoria. This part of town grew up in the 1800s and early 1900s when transportation was decidedly low-speed. Hence, there’s a lot of density in this part of town: houses are close together, businesses front the street, and things are generally built to pedestrian scale.
The problem is that the current zoning laws that cover this older portion of town are the same zoning laws that cover the suburban landscape of the northernmost portion of Peoria. Another way of saying this is that our zoning is “one size fits all.” But unfortunately, one size does not really fit all.
The zoning needs of north Peoria are a lot different than the zoning needs in the older parts of town. Whereas you would expect to find lots of surface parking in suburban areas and businesses set far back from the road (after all, the only access to these places is via automobile), you don’t expect this on Main street. On Main, you expect buildings to be built right up to the sidewalk, to utilize shared parking in back of the businesses or along the street, and to be pedestrian in scale.
But our “one-size-fits-all” zoning laws try to fit suburban design standards into older, urban parts of the city. Thus, we have developments like Campustown, and businesses like Jimmy Johns that set their business back 80 feet from the road with surface parking in front. This is not necessarily the fault of the developers, but rather the zoning laws that require suburban-style development without any regard for the urban character of the street. Like trying to put a round peg in a square hole, the result is, frankly, a mess.
And that’s where the Land Development Code comes in. The LDC is designed to preserve and maintain the urban character of the older parts of the city. It encourages redevelopment and infill, but with design standards that are compatible with the existing business districts and neighborhoods.
Form and use
In addition to the look, or form, of urban design, another big difference between urban and suburban zoning is in the area of permitted uses. In suburban areas, different uses are segregated: residential areas are separated from office parks, which are separated from retail areas, which are separated from industrial areas, etc. The only connections between each of these enclaves are streets, making suburbanites completely automobile-dependent.
In contrast, urban areas allow a mix of uses. Stores can have apartments above them, offices can be adjacent to or between retail shops, etc. This, coupled with the density and pedestrian scale of development, means that one’s basic needs are all within walking distance — one could conceivably live, work, and shop without having to drive (although driving is not precluded, of course).
What does that mean? It means less money spent on gasoline. It means that older people who are quite capable of living independently but can’t drive anymore don’t have to be “warehoused” in retirement homes. It means children who are old enough to go to the store unsupervised but not old enough to drive can ride their bikes to go shopping or to a movie instead of relying on someone to chauffeur them around.
But perhaps at its most basic level it means choice. Many people actually prefer to live in an urban area. In fact, the much ballyhooed “creative class” that Peoria is trying to attract likes urban living a lot, if surveys and polls are to be believed. Peoria has plenty of suburban amenities to offer, but is sorely lacking in urban living options. This is a chance to revitalize the older part of town, not by trying to mimic the suburbs which it could never do adequately anyway, but by building on its strengths.
Going forward
The Land Development Code is a big topic — too big to be discussed in just one blog post. So consider this an introduction. Today and tomorrow, I’ll be posting some follow-up posts about what the LDC has in it, what objections might come up, and of course, reaction to the city council discussion tomorrow night.
The code is such a big document, it’s unlikely that final action will be taken Tuesday night — although it could. I would expect, though, that this would span a couple of council meetings.
It also seems to gain some serious urgency with inevitable limits on energy use, petroleum use, emissions, runoff limits, and so forth that will be coming our way in the next 10 or 15 years. Smart municipalities will start heavily embracing (and/or forcing) “smart growth” and high-density, low-transit urban renewal NOW, instead of trying to turn the Titanic at the last second in 10 years when mandates start coming down with very short time horizons.
(And smart homeowners will start thinking “pre-1970 cottage in urban neighborhood” rather than “2007 McMansion with poor insulation 5 miles from the grocery” and re-evaluating how grandma managed to raise 8 kids in 1800 square feet and one bathroom, because I don’t need to be Carnac the Magnificent to predict the cost of maintenance per square foot in housing is going to EXPLODE with rising energy costs and that gas prices ain’t likely to fall.)
CJ,
I beleive your map is wrong. The map shows the “initial Heart of Peoria” area. not the extended area. Follow I-74 thru town . . . . . . .. . . .
Eyebrows,
I hope you are accurate
Gary, you’re correct — more land was added to the Heart of Peoria Plan area after the HOP Plan was completed. However, this is the only map I have available to me at this time; I should have made mention of that in my post. I’ll see if I can’t get a more recent map with the current boundaries. Still, this map is illustrative of the bulk of the HOP Plan area.
Thanks!
I wish this covered University between McClure and Florence. Also, is the Sheridan-Loucks “triangle”, still in?
Both of these areas could take advantage of these ‘walking’ neighborhoods. Some of the University retail area between Forrest Hill and War Memorial is vacant. If this area is every redeveloped, it should be under the HOP form based code. The empty bowling alley being the biggest example… There are plenty other buildings that could go also.
Central Peoria,
Yes those areas are mostly in. I believe the Northern boundary is Forrest Hill, not Florence tho. Included is Sheridan Triangle, University is west boundary and east boundary is the river so Prospect and most of what is generally considered the “East Bluff” is in also.
“Some of the University retail area between Forrest Hill and War Memorial is vacant.”
That whole area is a nightmare. We can walk there, but it’s unpleasant and frequently unsafe to do so. (And driving is often not much better with the 8 gazillion inlets and outlets and too many lights anyway.) I’m told they basically plopped a shopping center down on what used to be University Ford and all its parking lots? The lots need repaving in the worst way, and the whole thing should be moved around, redesigned, and re-landscaped. It would be lovely if they fronted those buildings on the west side of University up to the road and put the parking lot BEHIND and with a handful of high-quality, well-placed access points. And then included crosswalks and sidewalks, ideally not carriageways because walking smack up against University can be a bit scary.
This always reminds me of what I’ve seen in the multiple large/small cities I’ve lived in or near ** – the lack of viable housing in downtown areas. This is why so many “downtown” areas need to “revitalize.” You can build all the pretty museums and great restaurants and fabulous office buildings you want, but if people can live there and walk or quickly bus to a decent grocery store or pharmacy or the basic needs kinda stuff – nobody’s gonna live there!
Hence, hearing the term “mixed use” makes me happy, and I live out in the car-dependent Northwest sector. I’m trying to “green up” in many other ways, though, and accept my suburban lifestyle. We like to grow stuff and need the land.
not only housing, but AFFORDABLE housing. Most people can’t afford what’s down there already. Sullivan has studio apt. for $900/month. I’m not talking about Section 8 housing, but at least apartments that recent college grads can afford.
You can find all documents related to the City Council Review Draft – Land Development Code at the following location:
http://www.ci.peoria.il.us/services/depts/plangrowth/
“That whole area is a nightmare. We can walk there, but it’s unpleasant and frequently unsafe to do so.”
AGREED! I live in the St. Phil’s area and can easily walk down Hudson to University. However, once you get to University, you have no where to go. There are so many business “driveways” that you have to watch where you walk or risk getting creamed by a vehicle.
Also, I hate to drone on, but, unless I need a cash loan from one of our fine 5-6 neighborhood Cash Store’s; there is no reason to even go up there! That is free market though, in regards to what businesses want to locate there.
I kind of wish that I wouldn’t have signed the petition for the Ethnic Foods not to have a liquor license. Now, TITLE-MAX, (the mother of all cash stores) has landed in it’s place.
First, bury the power lines. Second, fix the damn sidewalks, or even widen them. Lastly, give the area a plan. There just seems to be no general plan. Go north on University past War Mem., and University has a nice blvd with trees and grass. Go South, and it’s a disaster of hodge-podge.
I love my neighborhood, but the retail surrounding it, leaves plenty to be desired….
Just curious…. what does a recent college grad consider ‘affordable’ ?
Also, thanks Gary for clarifying the boundry for the HOP.
To the “affordability” question, it depends what your degree is in 🙂 Out here in fakey Dunlap/Peoria a decent sized 1 bedroom in newish construction costs around $650, 2 bedrooms $850-$900. A friend on Water Street pays almost $900 for a one bedroom and the building has income requirements that I don’t meet. Apparently I’m the rif raf they are trying to keep out.