charretteUniversity of Georgia school of environmental design and alliance for quality growth 22000011

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This publication was produced by the Public Service and Outreach, School of Environmental Design, University of Georgia.

For electronic version of this publication on PDF, contact us at (706) 542.4731 Richmondhill_04_2002

forAllianceQuality Growth

The University of Georgia's School of Environmental Designhas been using the charrette process to help communitiesfor many decades. Through interaction between our vigor-ous, fresh and highly capable students, the spirit of placethat exudes form Georgia towns and the gentle guidanceand experience from committed faculty, we have been ableto produce a vision for communities. The process has manyproponents and has gained special favor in a new era ofcontemporary town planning, new urbanism, neo- traditional-ism and just plain, hometown, good old fashioned concernfor where you live.

The charrette is one of the tools communities use to improvetheir fate. When accidental failure is the norm, many placeshave discovered that the charrette is a way to plan for suc-cess. Many organizations now have guides for planningcharrettes for everything , from ecological restoration toneighborhood revitalization. It is easy to see that the char-rette is applicable to corridor planning. In fact, it may beone of the most effective tools for making roadways moreattractive and more responsive to the needs of the cities andcounties they go through.

US 17 and the special places it connects is a perfect fit forcharrette planning. The three charrettes that were conduct-ed in February 2002 in Woodbine, Brunswick and RichmondHill, Georgia and the charrette that was conducted in theprevious year in Darien prove that point. The followinginstructions for conducting charrettes, determining communi-ty needs and finding the right team should help when it istime for other communities to host their own charrette.

The Public Service and Outreach Office, the staff and stu-dents of the School of Environmental Design and theGeorgia Alliance for Quality Growth stand committed to help-ing US 17 become the pipeline of success it once was, with-out losing the character that makes it a Drive throughGeorgia's Past.

Pratt CassityPublic Service & Outreach DirectorSchool of Environmental DesignCollege of Environment and Design at UGA

What is a Charrette?Charrette is a Frenchwork that translates "littlecart." At the leadingarchitecture school of the19th century, the Ecoledes Beaux-Arts in Paris,students would beassigned a tough designproblem to work outunder pressure of time.

They'd continue sketchingas fast as they could, evenas little carts (charrettes)carried their drawing boardsaway to be judged andgraded.Today, "charrette"has come to describe therapid, intensive, and cre-ative work session, usuallylasting a week or more, inwhich a design team focus-es on a particular designproblem and arrives at acollaborative solution.Charrettes are product-ori-ented. The public charretteis fast becoming a preferredway to face the planningchallenges confrontingAmerican cities.by Jeff Schommer,CharretteCenter

T h e p r o c e s s o f a c h a r r e t t e

A charrette is an intensive, multi-discipli-nary planning process. It is designed tofacilitate an open discussion between all ofthe stakeholders of a given developmentproject, including architects, communitygroups, developers and neighbors. A char-rette is usually a short process, from 3days to 2 weeks long, resulting in a clear,detailed, realistic vision for development.

There are three main parts to acharrette:

· Exploration and Issue Identification:Stakeholders and design professionalsmeet to explore the area (e.g., building,site, neighborhood) and discuss issuesthat the stakeholders feel are importantto the development.

· Design:Design professionals create a few differ-ent schematic images to representnumerous design solutions that take intoconsideration the issues that the stake-holders discussed in step one: buildingtypology, design elements, green spaces,landscaping, parking, recreation, traffic,safety, sustainable development andwater management, to name just a few.

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· Call to Action /Implementation Plan: A development document sum-marizes the vision and is adopt-ed by stakeholders as a guidefor present and future develop-ments.The process is basedupon stakeholder participationand includes numerous optionsfor stakeholders to offer theirinput and comment on designsand how the proposed designsaddress the community issues.

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MarianneCramerAssistant Professorof LandscapeArchitecture

Students:Micah Lipscomb,MLASarah McCullough,MHPAnne Riley, MLAChaozhong Wang,MLADavid Warren, MHP

The early days ofRichmond Hill rely to the"crossroadsness" of thecity's location. Thatpremise should guidegrowth today,

without obliterating someof the very nice featuresthat brought growth to theregion in the first place.Namely, the natural char-acter and environmentalquality of coastal Georgia,the association with Ford,a distinct building style anda very interesting story totell.

The charrette processdeveloped several goalsearly in the intensivelook at this community.

T h e e a r l y d a y s . . .

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The goals can beachieved through anew and updated phys-ical planning process, anew policy related toaesthetics and a sys-tem of managementpractices that will makeRichmond Hill uniquerather than just anothercommercial strip alonga Georgia four-lane.Component pieces ofthis improved land useand planning frame-work are explained asissues and recommen-dations.

Those goals are:

· To establish Highway 17 asa historic corridor

· To recommend generaldesign guidelines for thecorridor and for Highway144

· To encourage visitors toRichmond Hill from Highway17

· To provide legible andattractive signage to guidevisitors

· To define the character ofthe Richmond Hill city core.

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old Native American paths had evolvedinto Stage Road and Hencart Road,and a small settlement calledCrossroads had been established attheir point of intersection. The areabecame a rich agricultural region andby the mid-nineteenth century came tobe called Way's Station in honor ofplantation owner and train depot oper-ator William Way. The train depotstood approximately at the site of thepresent Richmond Hill City Hall.

During the War Between the States,troops under the command of BrigadierGeneral Justin Kilpatrick campedunder the majestic oaks of theCrossroads, some of which still remaintoday. Following the war, Way'sStation remained a railroad settlement.The town would not undergo signifi-cant change until 1925, when industri-alist Henry Ford purchased approxi-mately 85,000 acres. Ford built ahome place and a working plantation,which he named Richmond Hill. Heembarked on an enormous buildingproject that consisted of nearly threehundred buildings. Among the Ford

building projects was "The Bottom" aresidential development for Ford work-ers where each house had a detachedgarage. Ford also built a communityhouse, kindergarten, and health clinicto serve the community of Fordemployees. Ford suggested the needfor a new name for the burgeoningcommunity but did not want the town'sname to include his own. In 1941,seven hundred residents signed a peti-tion to change the name of the town tothat of Ford's plantation, RichmondHill.

Following the years of Henry Ford, theland of his former plantation was sold,and the property was transformed intoa residential and golf course develop-ment. It is currently being developedas Ford Plantation, a 1,800-acre pri-vate residential community. Parallelingthe development of Ford Plantationhas been the phenomenal growth ofRichmond Hill. The town has experi-enced a staggering growth rate of over160% in the past two decades.Though several of the original Fordbuildings remain, including the houses

How Richmond Hill got to this point……….

Though not incorporated as a town until 1962, Richmond Hill traces its earlybeginnings as a crossroads to the days when it served as a meeting point forNative American trading paths. In the eighteenth century, rice productionbecame the primary money crop for this area of the new colony. Rice cultivationwas extremely advanced for eighteenth century engineering, with the building ofembankments, culverts, and gates to control tidal flow. By the mid-eighteenthcentury, enough settlement had taken place that General James Oglethorpe sawthe need to appoint surveyors in the area. By the early nineteenth century, the

R i c h m o n d H i l l

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strate an effort and a desire to create a vibrantcity center. The blending of civic activities,recreation, residential, and commercial activi-ties in this area form a foundation upon whichRichmond Hill can build a community core. Inconjunction with the physical elements of thisarea, it is critical that there be program ele-ments to foster community identity develop-ment. One such area that can be pursued isexpanded use of the city park for communityevents. Using the park for such events pro-vides citizens with the opportunity to gainexposure to and develop an appreciation forthe diverse range of talents and cultures thatthrive in their community. As individuals cometo appreciate their community center throughattending these events, their sense of owner-ship in the park and pride in their communitywill increase.

Both elected officials and private citizens haveexpressed an interest in creating a heart totheir city. With the foundation that has alreadybeen laid, wisdom, and a willingness toengage in long-term planning, this goal can beachieved. A concerted effort to guide growthwill result in a city that takes pride in its pastand has hope in its future.

and garages of The Bottom, therapid growth poses a threat tothe structures if protective guide-lines are not implemented. Theformer Native American pathsare now Highways 144 and 17.Their historic significance wasrecognized when the GeorgiaGeneral Assembly officiallynamed the intersection "TheCrossroads" in 1979. A few ofthe majestic live oaks which onceshaded Native American traders,Oglethorpe, and Union troops

today stand against a backdropof fast food chains and conven-ience stores and face the threatof bustling traffic. It is with anappreciation of the history thatthe live oaks have witnessed andthe role they play in the aesthet-ics of Richmond Hill, they canagain be the focal point of thehistoric Crossroads.The recent expansion and growthof Richmond Hill have broughtnew opportunities as well as newchallenges with regard to cre-ation of a strong sense of com-munity. However, the develop-ment of the City Hall complexand J. L. Gregory Park demon-

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This iis aa ggreat pplace.”

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GATEWAYSRichmond Hill has manywonderful things to offerthe visitor and resident.Without a system to divertvisitors into the town,these resources go unno-ticed. A system of inno-vative signs is needed tomake the town known tothose traveling Highways17 and 144. Anannouncement that "youare there" is necessary tograb the attention of thecasual passerby. An evenstronger element of “SlowDown! This is a greatplace” is needed for theperson who are travelingthrough Richmond Hill toget somewhere else.

s i g n s a t e n t r a n c e s Signs at Entrances to

town - An easily readimage that reflects thecharacter of the city isone of the most importantpieces of the puzzle thatvisitors and locals mustfigure out to navigate andbe informed. Placementof signs at the entrancepoints to the city onHighway 17 and Highway144 will help with theidentification of RichmondHill as a distinct place.The signs will use theproposed logo consistingof the current emblem ofthe city, architectural ele-ments from the Ford era,and a Ford convertibleautomobile.

REVITALIZE "THE CROSSROADS"The city must plan, manage andrebuild "The Crossroads"—The intersection of 144 and 17.

Using Richmond Hill's rich history as a foundation, a number of techniques, can make this happen.

R e v i t a l i z e t h e “ c r o s s r o a d s ”

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CREATE A LANDMARKA new cultural landmark isneeded in Richmond Hillto once again identify thisintersection as an impor-tant site. The Crossroadscould once again becomethe community's recogniz-able landmark. One solu-tion for doing this is toreplace the traffic lights atthe intersection ofHighways 17 and 144 andreplace it with a traffic cir-cle. The conversion of theintersection from one oftraffic lights and highway

anonymity to that of a traf-fic circle with a new cacheserves three functions:

a.A traffic circle enhancesthe aesthetics of the inter-section by creating agreen space in its center.This visual change signalsvisitors that they havearrived in Richmond Hill.

b.Traffic circles slow trafficand improve safety.

c. Slowing traffic enablesvehicles on Highway 17 toeasily turn on to Highway144 toward the proposedcity center.

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B u r y U t i l i t y L i n e s

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BURY UTILITY LINESMoving the existing over-head utility lines under-ground is more visuallyunifying and creates a lessdisjointed, chaotic and con-fusing environment. Nooverhead utility lines allowsfor planting of additionaltrees without creating thefuture problem of interfer-ence from branches lead-ing to poor pruning andunsightliness. The powerlines did not appearovernight and their removalwill not happen quicklyeither. It is a major coordi-nated effort on the part ofcity officials, the utilities,business persons, resi-dents and property owners.

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unif

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tInformation from the

American PlanningAssociationhttp://www.planning.org/

and Scenic Americahttp://www.scenic.org/can help you pursuethis task.

T h e V i l l a g e G r e e n

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The following drawings andtext illustrate a series ofcity sponsored projects thatwould jump start the muchneeded creation of identityand specialness inRichmond Hill:

THE VILLAGE GREENIn the current City Hallcomplex, a green spacecreated in the parking lotbetween City Hall and thePolice Station will providean area that encouragescommunity interaction.

The charrette partici-pants offer two solutionfor this new public green: 1) The first solution

keeps the existingroad, now with aroundabout as a ter-minal vista, and park-ing behind City Hall;

2) The second creates avillage green with aterminal vista, uniformstreet building set-backs, and moreparking at the rear ofthe buildings.

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C r e a t i n g a S e n s e o f P l a c eC r e a t i n g a S e n s e o f P l a c e

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MIXED USE ACROSSFROM THE CITY COMPLEX

The area across Highway144 from the City Hall com-plex provides the ideallocation for a mixed-usedevelopment (commercialspace - retail and office,public space and residen-tial units). The architectur-al style of the City Hallcomplex provides a tem-plate for the new buildings.It should be compatiblewith the Ford-era buildingsand follow the RichmondHill design guidelines. Asthe town continues to grow,this development providesthe ideal location for a newlibrary and post office,when the demands of thepopulation exceed thecapabilities of the currentfacilities.

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eThe village green concept proposed for the City Hall complex will be repeated in thisarea, with terminal vistas on opposing ends. In order to insure that this is a city cen-ter that appeals to residents, the buildings must be consistent with the visual charac-ter of Richmond Hill

S t r e e t T r e e s

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STREET TREESA standardized menu oflandscape improvementsalong corridors from whichowners, the city and devel-opers can choose willbegin to create a consis-tent appearance. The useof large canopy shadetrees (like Live Oaks) alongthe streets will help to miti-gate the negative effectsfrom the wide expanse ofroads by creating a senseof enclosure. GeorgiaDepartment ofTransportation regulationsrequire that a minimum75% of all plant materialsshould be species native tothe region.

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S t r e e t s c a p e i m p r o v e m e n t s

MEDIAN PLANTINGSEstablishing median strips onHighway 144 from the railroadtracks to Highway 17 will createa safe environment for driversand provides additional spacefor vegetation such as palmsand native grasses. The plant-ing palette for this median stripshould mimic that which is usedat the gateway points and alongthe 17-corridor median strip.Repetition of design elementswill insure that residents andvisitors are able to identify thecore of Richmond Hill. Themedian is also a safety factorfor pedestrians and will removethe hazardous condition createdby the "suicide lane"- the onelane turning area with two waytraffic . The median improvespedestrian safety by providing asafe island as pedestrians crossthe highway.

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TREE ORDINANCEA tree ordinance will helppreserve the existing treesin Richmond Hill. Keepinggood control on theremoval of all large treeswill avoid bad mistakesthat take decades to rectify.The attentive managementof vegetation, like trees,will insure that designgoals are met.Maintenance and protec-tion of the existing "her-itage live oaks" at TheCrossroads and the intro-duction of new trees willdevelop a distinctive beau-ty that is sadly missingfrom the roadways.

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a. NEW CONSTRUCTION· New construction should compli-

ment the character of the both thebuilt and natural environments

· New construction should be com-patible with Ford era structures interms of:

• Materials • Setback• Height• Scale• Mass • Footprint

The following specific factors.using the Ford era buildings asa model, should be maintainedwhen new buildings are intro-duced or existing buildings areupdated.

1. Horizontal or vertical orientationwith front gable and full pediment

2. Wood clapboard used as primaryconstruction material

3. Brick and stucco used as second-ary construction materials

4. Square or round pillars, oftenclustered

5. Pillars made of wood6. Double-hung sash windows, with

D e s i g n G u i d e l i n e s

If Richmond Hill implements adesign review program, a clear,easy to follow and consistentset of design guidelines will beinvaluable. Design guidelines,especially for new construction,will encourage compatibility, aunified appearance and arebirth of the character thatonce was Richmond Hill. Thechanges will take place overtime as buildings are intro-duced. The new "look" will bean alternative to typical sprawl-

ing development. A design reviewdistrict should encompass all theareas that are visible from the road-way and that extend into newlydeveloped land.

Typical Guidelines contain provisionsfor a wide variety of proposedchanges. Richmond Hill's designreview program should encompassthe following changes at a minimum:

a. NEW CONSTRUCTIONb. PARKINGc. SIGNSd. LANDSCAPE IMPROVEMENTS

six over six or eightover eight rectangularlites. Exceptions aremade for commercialbuildings, with store-front windows such asthat in the Commissary.

7. Vertically oriented doorsof wood, glass, or acombination. Doorsmay be single or double

8. Corner windows9. Paired or tripled win-

dows10. Proper solid to void ratio

(rhythm)11. Roof height and pitch

proportionate to size ofbuilding

12. Roofing material asphaltshingle or standingseam metal

13. Wide board window sur-rounds

14. Gable vent and/or dou-ble hung sash windowin gable

b. PARKINGSufficient parking isneeded for all busi-nesses in RichmondHill.

· Parking should be con-fined to the rear of newbusinesses

· Surface parking lots(and any other largeexpanse of pavedareas) should bescreened with appropri-ate vegetation

c. SIGNSSignage, like parking,is essential to anybusiness. Signsattracts pedestrianand vehicular trafficand can add charmand character tostreets.

· Signs should be monu-ment style.

· Building and sign mate-rials should be compati-ble.

· Neon or interior lit signsshould be avoided.

· Avoid moveable orportable signs.

· Any kind or size of bill-board should be strictlyprohibited.

d. LANDSCAPEIMPROVEMENTSLack of greenery con-tributes much to theunattractive look ofthe area.

· Avoid disturbing existingtrees, especially maturetrees.

· Mature trees in the areashould be protected..

· Native plants should beused (see plant selec-tion pallet).

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1. Utilize local and regional talent(artists, entertainers, craftsmen) toprovide a showcase for Georgia tal-ent.

2. Create regular organized communi-ty events, like clean-ups pepperedwith special activities to instill in citi-zens a sense of ownership of theirtown.

3. Enhance the celebration ofFounder's Day which connects citi-zens with their past.

4. Pay attention to ecologicalresources to create an awarenessof beauty and to perpetuate thecommunity's long relationship withthe land and water. It is critical thatJ. L. Gregory City Park be includedin local school activities.

5. Visitor preferences should be lis-tened to and changes made to themix of retail and service industry.

6. Local desires and length of car tripswill help the city entice new com-mercial activity to reduce the needto drive far away for services.

7. The city's website is a terrific way toget the leisure traveler to come andtake a look at Richmond Hill.Special incentives and discounted

specials can add even more to theinternet's ability to attract visitors.

8. Include a well rounded sampling ofthe best things the community hasto offer. That list might look some-thing like this:

· Founder's Day of Richmond Hill;school children re-enactment withpicnic; educational opportunity

· Park Clean-Up; community-widevolunteer effort

· Memorial Day Picnic-in-the-Park· Nature Walk; education, history,

and ecology of site· July 4/Historic Car Road Rally from

Savannah; coordinate with Model AClub and Ford Plantation; Picnicand Fireworks in the park

· Labor Day Picnic Festival· Seafood Festival· Park Clean up· Re-enactment festivities with Ft.

McAllister· Christmas Parade and the annual

Audubon Christmas Bird Count· First Night family New Year's Eve

celebration· Weekends in the Park· Unique "outsider" music and art fes-

tivals

m a r k e t i n g

MARKETINGThe approaches to improving Richmond Hill should all create a new or renewed senseof place. A good marketing plan will respect the needs of visitors and residents andpromote the much sought sense of community identity and distinction. A marketingplan, similar to any marketing plan for a business - but this time for the city, might buildon the success of the Seafood Festival. Suggested marketing concepts should addressyear-round activities that will appeal to both residents and tourists. Components of a revised promotion plan should:

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· Ford Ballroom dancecontest and lessons.

The Chamber ofCommerce, based ontheir success with theSeafood Festival,could perhaps coordi-nate events such asthese.

Miscellaneous IssuesRichmond Hill is for-ward thinking in itsdesire to address therecreational needs.

Such features as theBMX track, bird-watch-ing platform, and out-door classroomdemonstrate a commit-ment to education andrecreation.

While one option underconsideration by thecity for the park is thedevelopment of a his-tory village consistingof the Ford buildingsscattered throughouttown, it is preferable tokeep the buildings intheir current location.By doing so, the build-

ings maintain their eligi-bility for NationalRegister listing. Oncelisted on the NationalRegister, the structureswill have a measure ofprotection from develop-ment and perhaps makethem eligible for morefunding sources. A driv-ing tour of the Ford sitescould then be developed.If this option is not feasi-ble, then moving thestructures to the park forthe creation of a historyvillage is recommendedif this is deemed to bestmeans of ensuring thatthe buildings are pre-served.

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This publication was produced by the Public Service and Outreach, School of Environmental Design, University of Georgia.

For electronic version of this publication on PDF, contact us at (706) 542.4731 Richmondhill_04_2002.pdf

forAllianceQuality Growth

The University of Georgia's School of Environmental Designhas been using the charrette process to help communitiesfor many decades. Through interaction between our vigor-ous, fresh and highly capable students, the spirit of placethat exudes form Georgia towns and the gentle guidanceand experience from committed faculty, we have been ableto produce a vision for communities. The process has manyproponents and has gained special favor in a new era ofcontemporary town planning, new urbanism, neo- traditional-ism and just plain, hometown, good old fashioned concernfor where you live.

The charrette is one of the tools communities use to improvetheir fate. When accidental failure is the norm, many placeshave discovered that the charrette is a way to plan for suc-cess. Many organizations now have guides for planningcharrettes for everything , from ecological restoration toneighborhood revitalization. It is easy to see that the char-rette is applicable to corridor planning. In fact, it may beone of the most effective tools for making roadways moreattractive and more responsive to the needs of the cities andcounties they go through.

US 17 and the special places it connects is a perfect fit forcharrette planning. The three charrettes that were conduct-ed in February 2002 in Woodbine, Brunswick and RichmondHill, Georgia and the charrette that was conducted in theprevious year in Darien prove that point. The followinginstructions for conducting charrettes, determining communi-ty needs and finding the right team should help when it istime for other communities to host their own charrette.

The Public Service and Outreach Office, the staff and stu-dents of the School of Environmental Design and theGeorgia Alliance for Quality Growth stand committed to help-ing US 17 become the pipeline of success it once was, with-out losing the character that makes it a Drive throughGeorgia's Past.

Pratt CassityPublic Service & Outreach DirectorSchool of Environmental DesignCollege of Environment and Design at UGA