07-08-13 Meeting of the La Porte Development Corporation Board of Directors

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Focus Area 3 - Enhanced Community Character The appearance of La Porte is the single most evident glimpse of its economic vitality, government proactiveness, and civic pride. The initial impression is formed by the quality of development, property upkeep, condition of public facilities, amount and quality of public spaces, and the design of roadways and other public buildings and infrastructure. Visual appeal reinforces the quality of life for those who reside in La Porte, as well as those making investment decisions. The City has a window of opportunity to enact policies and standards that influence the quality of its natural and built environments. Without a plan and development standards to accentuate the design of corridors, districts (like Downtown), neighborhoods, and open spaces, there may be a sense of "sameness" in the community with little to distinguish it from the surrounding cities. The City's character and appearance (i.e., the City's image) was among the concerns expressed throughout the public process. Indeed, the character of new development and redevelopment will contribute to the community's image and may affect the City's ability to attract and maintain new investment. Finally, aesthetic enhancements such as the design of buildings, landscaping and screening, sign control, and site amenities also contribute to enhanced community character. Key Planning Considerations Key planning considerations for enhancing community character include: 1) Pursuing opportunities to create unique, signature areas in the community (particular destinations, corridors, public facilities, parks and open space areas). 2) Enhancing first impression and "front door" appearance by focusing on the aesthetic treatments at community entries. 3) Coordinating gateway improvements so that a consistent, high-quality appearance exists at all entry points to the City. 4) Enhancing wayfinding, not only to help residents and visitors navigate the community and find its key destinations, but also as a unifying design element across the City. 5) Improving the appearance of the City's primary corridors so that an enhanced image of the City is created. Based on these planning considerations, the following goals, actions, and initiatives address specific issues and needs identified during the public participation process (and outlined in Chapter 1, Plan Context). ION FOP, 1A POKYE, 8 EXA -201.2 012 UPDAI:'E