The Avenues was a strategic visioning exercise in Chico, to help the community quantify its goals while developing specific approaches to meeting those goals. With considerable community involvement during a charette process, excellent input and a clear vision emerged, and the resulting analysis and recommendations have been adopted as official goals, helping to guide planning in this portion of Chico. The residents of the Avenues neighborhood made clear the things they wanted: complete streets and improved streetscapes leading to both an improved retail environment and a better residential neighborhood. The neighborhood association was very involved from the inception of the process through the charette process. The existing conditions and space inventory were led by members of the neighborhood association on bicycles, covering the entire scope of the study area. After the document was presented to the community, it was embraced with such enthusiasm that the neighborhood association fought to champion it with the City Council, and succeeded.

Located in eastern Sacramento County, Hazel Avenue connects the City of Roseville and Placer County to Orangevale and Fair Oaks. The purpose of this study was to initiate assessment as well as look at land use patterns along Hazel Avenue, while assessing potential revitalization options relative to roadway improvements. Possible options for the land included a linear parkway, selling parcels to adjacent landowners for private use, and/or selling the parcels for redevelopment. The approximately 2.5 mile long study area passes through a variety of land uses. Low Density Residential is the most prevalent, however non-residential uses include neighborhood shopping centers, small-scale offices, a church and school, fire station, an assisted living facility, a mini-storage, and small strip commercial establishments. The concepts in the study point out options for ways that the area could evolve over the long term if initiated by the private sector.

The Fair Oaks Village Enhancement Committee was formed to pursue improvements for this unique portion of the community to provide a means to preserve and enhance the historic, neighborhood serving village through a collaborative process. The committee partnered with Sacramento County, the Fair Oaks Chamber of Commerce, Mogavero Architects and others to guide improvements to the Village’s commercial area, resulting in the creation of a visioning document. The Village Enhancement Vision provided an opportunity for community members to shape the neighborhood where they live and work. The visioning process addressed land use, zoning, transportation, and urban design. The goal of the Village Enhancement report was to summarize the work completed to date and to provide a document that could be used to implement a shared vision over a period of time.

The critical role of Downtown Grass Valley as the economic and cultural heart of the community was recognized by the City’s 2020 General Plan. This Plan identifies Downtown as the preferred location for various public amenities such as a community plaza, performing arts center and central transit facilities, as well as the logical center for a balanced mix of land uses including retail and service¬†commercial, office and affordable housing. The purpose of the Downtown Strategic Plan was to translate the broad goals and visions of the General Plan into specific priorities and implementation activities. The desired outcome of the Strategic Plan would: Identify “highest and best use” potentials for vacant parcels and opportunities for redevelopment/reuse of developed, but underutilized properties throughout the planning area; Develop strategies for job generation and affordable housing opportunities; Define location opportunities and cost estimates for development of public improvements, facilities or amenities which would strengthen the sense of place and economic vitality of the planning area Identify potential funding resources for implementing needed and desired public improvement, facilities or amenities.

This master plan envisions the revitalization of Martin Luther King Boulevard in south Oak Park, a challenged neighborhood with tremendous opportunities. During a 16-month collaborative design process, our team involved members of the community and the Sacramento Housing and Redevelopment Agency, engaging them in planning for the street’s rebirth. Stakeholders coalesced around the ideas of creating a sustainable, integrated strategy that improves resident quality of life and enhances the character of the streetscape. Work included a survey of existing conditions along with investigations of opportunities and constraints. As ideas emerged and plans evolved, community member input was sought to make sure the design team was on track. Extensive input from stakeholders ended up being included in the plan, which called for undergrounding utilities, widening sidewalks, improved lighting, and installing bus shelters and landscaping. Key intersections were targeted with pedestrian enhancements as well as catalyst development projects identified and vetted by the team.