The City of Tucson Planning and Development Services Department (PDSD) released a statement this week advising the public that they “will be conducting a design charrette for individuals and groups with an interest in the quarter mile focus area of the Tucson Modern Streetcar line (Sun Link).”
According to Wikipedia a “charrette (pronounced [shuh-ret]), is often Anglicized to charette and sometimes called a design charrette. It consists of an intense period of design activity.” For City of Tucson public relations personnel, it must have sounded better than, “hey we are having a meeting about the trolly’s design, join us.”
Interested neighbors, business owners, developers and all interested parties are encouraged to attend. The public process will begin with an opening reception on Monday, January 14, 2013 at 6:00 p.m.
A design charrette is a collaborative and open planning process conducted over multiple days. The goal of the Tucson Modern Streetcar Design Charrette is to listen to the community and stakeholders and to develop recommendations based on stakeholders input. A multidisciplinary team, consisting of stakeholders, community, support staff and consultants, will collaborate as part of this effort.
The Tucson Modern Streetcar Design Charrette will offer a variety of opportunities for public input including:
• Initial Visioning public meeting
• Strategy Meetings for identified areas within the Quarter Mile Focus Area of the Sun Link line
• One-on-one meetings for individuals or groups that prefer privacy
• A Public Open House
• A Final Presentation
Opening Reception/Initial Visioning Process (Public Meeting)
The Opening Reception and Initial Visioning Process will take place at The Historic Rialto Theater on Monday, January 14, 2013 at 6:00 PM. Meeting Location: The Historic Rialto Theater, 318 E. Congress, Tucson, AZ 85701
Strategy Meetings A, B, C, D, E and F
Strategy Meetings will take place at The Historic Depot, January 15 and 16, 2013. Meeting Location: The Historic Depot Building, 400 N. Toole, Suite 280, Tucson, AZ 85701 (Second Floor- Follow the Signs)
These Strategy Meetings will address the specific needs of the very distinct character areas identified along the Tucson Modern Streetcar Corridor. Select the location of your home, business, or land on the Character Areas Map and participate on the Strategy Meeting corresponding to your area:
Strategy Meeting A: Eastern Terminus/Main Gate Character Area (Tuesday, January 15 at 1:00 PM – The Historic Depot)
Strategy Meeting B: Western Terminus Character Area (Tuesday, January 15 at 5:30 PM – The Historic Depot)
Strategy Meeting C: Central Segment (University Boulevard) Character Area (Tuesday, January 15 at 7:30 PM – The Historic Depot)
Strategy Meeting D: Pima College and UA Students Wednesday (January 16 at 1:00 PM – The Historic Depot)
Strategy Meeting E: Central Segment (4th Avenue Business District) and Downtown Entertainment District (Congress and 4th Avenue Activity Center) Character Areas (Wednesday, January 16 at 5:30 PM – The Historic Depot)
Strategy Meeting F: Downtown Entertainment District (Downtown Central Business District) and Downtown Cultural/Convention District Character Areas (Wednesday, January 16 at 7:30 PM – The Historic Depot)
Strategy Meeting Topics: (1) Historic Preservation, Neighborhood Preservation/Compatibility and Housing Affordability (2) Parking, Connectivity, Traffic and Multimodal Transportation (3) Streetscapes, Walkability, Character and Sense of Place (4) Economic Development/Implementation.
On-on-one Meetings:
One-on-one meetings will take place at The Historic Depot on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday at those times provided on the Schedule. These meetings welcome individuals and/or small groups that may desire to meet one-on-one with team members. Walk in during these allotted times and we will be glad to have a one-on-one talk with you or your group. Meeting Location: The Historic Depot Building, 400 N. Toole, Suite 280, Tucson, AZ 85701 (Second Floor- Follow the Signs)
Open House:
The Open House will take place at The Historic Depot on Thursday, January 17, 2013 at 6:00 PM. Check the progress of your team as we integrate the input into vision, concepts, and guiding principles for each character area. Meeting Location: The Historic Depot Building, 400 N. Toole, Suite 280, Tucson, AZ 85701 (Second Floor- Follow the Signs)
Final Presentation:
The Final Presentation will take place at The Historic Rialto Theater on Saturday, January 19, 2013 at 10 am. Meeting Location: The Historic Rialto Theater, 318 E. Congress, Tucson, AZ 85701
A detailed schedule, map of the focus area and additional information is available at www.tucsonaz.gov/planning/streetcar_design_charette or by calling Planning and Development Services at 837-4996.