university neighborhood renaissance plan - stockton nrp 2010.pdf · the city of stockton is...

U N I V E R S I T Y

neighborhood renaissance plan

January 2010

UNIVERSITY

neighborhood renaissance plan

Mayor Ann Johnston

Vice Mayor Katherine M. Miller - District 2

District 1 - Councilmember

Elbert H. Holman, Jr.


Leslie Baranco Martin


Diana Lowery


Susan Talamantes Eggman


Dale Fritchen

City Manager

J. Gordon Palmer, Jr.

Neighborhood Renaissance

Core Committee

Sue Marks, Redevelopment Division Chair

Barbara Berlin, Planning Division

Lance Calkins, Fire Department

Ron Girard, Neighborhood Services Division

Eric Jones, Police Department

Gordon MacKay, Public Works Department

Cynthia Marsh, Redevelopment Division

Katherine Meissner, City Clerk

Pamela Sloan, Community Services Department

Amanda Thomas, Revitalization Department

Kitty Walker, Redevelopment Division

Neighborhood Action Committee

Rosie Bachand

Greg Bahr

Emily Ballus, Miracle Mile Improvement District

Pastor David Bennett, Central United Methodist

Gregg Halladay

Nancy Heinz

Larry Nordstrom

Mark Plovnick, University of the Pacifi c

Amanda VanZwaluwenburg

Barbara Walker

Consultant Team, MIG, Inc.

Chris Beynon, Principal-in-Charge

Jill Eulate, Project Manager

Susan Hartmann, Project Associate

Ed Canalin, Graphic Designer

Acknowledgements

Introduction 5

University Neighborhood Renaissance Plan Purpose ................................................................................................ 5

Neighborhood Renaissance Program ......................................................................................................................... 5

Process Summary ........................................................................................................................................................ 6

Plan Organization ........................................................................................................................................................ 9

Chapter 1: Neighborhood Profi le 11

University Neighborhood Planning Area ................................................................................................................... 11

Neighborhood Assets and Challenges ........................................................................................................................14

Chapter 2: Neighborhood Improvement Framework 17

Building a Vision ....................................................................................................................................................... 18

Improvement Themes and Goals ..............................................................................................................................20

Improvement Strategy ...............................................................................................................................................28

Chapter 3: Neighborhood Improvement Priorities 31

The Prioritization Process ..........................................................................................................................................31

University Neighborhood Top Priority Improvements ............................................................................................ 32

Chapter 4: Comprehensive Improvement Actions 43

Chapter 5: Directions for the Future 85

Plan Implementation ................................................................................................................................................. 85

Table of Contents

List of FiguresFigure 1: University Neighborhood

Improvement Process Graphic ....................................8

Figure 2: Wallgraphic

Community Workshop #1 ...........................................8

Figure 3: University Neighborhood City Context ....11

Figure 4: Framework Components ......................... 17

List of MapsMap 1: University Neighborhood Planning Area .... 12

Map 2: Strategy Diagram .........................................29

U N I V E R S I T Y N E I G H B O R H O O D R E N A I S S A N C E P L A N [ 5 ]

CITIES TODAY ARE INCREASINGLY RECOGNIZING the effectiveness of

empowering residents as equal partners

in planning for — and implementing —

neighborhood improvements. This shift toward

community-based planning has led to

positive changes in neighborhoods across

the country. Collaborating with community

members as an integral part of neighborhood

planning also strengthens neighborhood

organizations; improves the volunteer base and

fundraising efforts; and allows for the most

strategic leveraging of resources for priority

improvements. Perhaps most importantly,

involving residents engenders civic pride and

can empower neighborhood stewards who are

committed to carrying out implementation

measures into the future.

The City of Stockton is embracing a community-

based approach to neighborhood rejuvenation

through its Neighborhood Renaissance Program.

As part of this Program, the dynamic and

centrally-located University neighborhood

is the fi rst in a series of neighborhoods identifi ed

for improvement throughout the city.

University Neighborhood Renaissance Plan Purpose

The University Neighborhood Renaissance Plan

outlines directions for achieving improvement

goals distinct to the University neighborhood.

Drawing on extensive community participation,

the Plan describes a vision for the future,

identifi es key goals, and presents priorities for

physical and programmatic changes that will

most effectively target the specifi c, diverse needs

of residents.

The University Neighborhood Renaissance Plan

will serve as a tool to:

• Help the City respond most effectively to

community needs;

• Determine where to focus scarce resources;

• Guide City staff in completing priority im-

provements; and

• Empower residents to help implement

neighborhood improvements.

Neighborhood Renaissance Program

The Neighborhood Renaissance Program (NRP)

was launched by the Mayor and the City Council

in spring 2006 as a means of uniting with, and

strengthening, the City’s neighborhoods. The

Introduction

NRP relies on a community-based planning

approach that involves collaboration among the

City Council, Mayor, City departments, business

owners and residents to realize neighborhood

improvements. At the outset of the Program,

Mayor Edward Chavez’ 2007 State of the City

address highlighted the importance of listening

to neighborhood residents and responding to

citywide priorities.

The NRP seeks to focus resources from the City

and Redevelopment Agency, along with private

investment and public-private partnerships, to

achieve shared Council and neighborhood goals,

including:

• Reducing crime and improving safety;

• Monitoring fi scal health;

• Articulating a vision for continued revitaliza-

tion of the City;

• Developing a long-term vision for viable

development and growth; and

• Accomplishing neighborhood-specifi c goals.

Over the long term, the City aims to build on

the momentum and strength of neighborhood

organizations and community leaders to

further expand the role of the public in area

planning, and develop a series of neighborhood

renaissance plans based on residents’ vision,

ideas and participation. By collaborating with

residents to examine the unique physical

and social attributes that characterize their

neighborhoods, improvements can be made to

create more livable neighborhoods, each with

their own distinct identity.

In sharing responsibility with community

members for shaping neighborhoods, the

City can maximize its return on investment in

area improvements. Dedicated neighborhood

leaders and volunteers can make signifi cant

contributions, committing valuable time and

energy to see improvements through.

As part of the NRP, the City of Stockton

envisions working towards creating an internal

organizational structure that better facilitates

staff and community member collaboration.

Currently, Stockton’s services are delivered on a

project-by-project basis. Under a new paradigm,

each neighborhood in the city would have a

geographically-based neighborhood service

delivery team assigned to handle services and

conduct community outreach. By conceiving of

the City of Stockton as a collection of distinct

neighborhoods, staff can coordinate with

residents to accomplish a greater range of tasks.

Process Summary

The overall process to develop the fi rst NRP

neighborhood renaissance plan relied on

an 18-month collaborative effort involving:

community members; a Neighborhood Action

Committee (NAC) made up of residents,

property owners and other neighborhood

stakeholders; City staff from Redevelopment,

Planning, Community Services, Police, Code

Enforcement, among others; and City Council

representatives. The planning process was led by

urban planning consultants MIG, Inc.

While the community provided key direction

in developing the content of the Plan, City staff

provided technical guidance to ensure that

recommended improvements align with existing

codes and planning efforts.

NRP Strategic Planning ProcessLeading up to the development of the University

Neighborhood Renaissance Plan, City staff

conducted an intensive six-month strategic

planning endeavor to set goals and parameters

for the greater NRP community-based

improvement effort. Based on staff workshops,

[ 6 ] S T O C K T O N N E I G H B O R H O O D R E N A I S S A N C E P R O G R A M

I N T R O D U C T I O N


2I N T R O D U C T I O N


2

focus groups and a City Council study session,

staff outlined a process and organizational

structure to carry forward specifi c neighborhood

planning efforts. The University neighborhood

was identifi ed as a pilot neighborhood to serve as

the fi rst community-based improvement effort

in the City of Stockton.

University Neighborhood Improvement Planning ProcessIn fall 2008, City staff began their collaboration

with the University community by identifying

local stakeholders and neighborhood leaders,

and conducting extensive outreach to build a

strong participant base.

A Neighborhood Action Committee (NAC)

was assembled to guide development of the

improvement plan and to play a future role in

spearheading neighborhood improvements. The

NAC is composed of residents, property owners,

business owners, University of the Pacifi c (UOP)

representatives, Council representatives, local

faith organizations and other stakeholders.

Six NAC meetings, including a neighborhood

bus tour, were held between September and

July 2009 to gather insight into preferred

types of neighborhood improvements. NAC

meetings were open to the public and regularly

attended by both NAC members and interested

community stakeholders. Two community

workshops and an open house were also held to

garner broad community input into developing

a plan tailored to the needs of the University

neighborhood.

Throughout the year-long neighborhood

planning process, staff maintained strong

public outreach, publicizing meetings and

workshops, and distributing update materials

to the community via local schools and faith

organizations, at local events, and through

the newspaper. A Neighborhood Renaissance

Program website (http://www.stocktongov.

com/nrp/index.cfm) allowed broad community

access to project information, including meeting

announcements and progress summaries.

The University neighborhood improvement

planning process was organized into four

chronological phases:

Phase I: Vision, Opportunities and Challenges

Phase II: Improvement Actions and Priorities

Phase III: Plan Development

Phase IV: Implementation

These phases are described in more detail over

the following pages. A “process graphic” on the

next page illustrates major phases and tasks

in relation to an overall timeline (see Figure 1:

University Neighborhood Improvement Process

Graphic).

Phase I: Vision, Opportunitiesand ChallengesThe intent of this fi rst phase was to examine

current physical, economic and social conditions

in the University neighborhood and identify

long-term goals for neighborhood improvement.

Through a series of facilitated discussions,

community members articulated the assets,

challenges and opportunities facing the area;

identifi ed key improvement themes and goals;

and crafted a collective vision for the future.

During community workshops and NAC

meetings, participants’ ideas were graphically

recorded on large wall-sized sheets of paper

(wallgraphics) to help establish a group memory

for both the fl ow and content of discussions (see

Figure 2: Wallgraphic – Community Workshop

#1). These wallgraphics provided a strong basis


I N T R O D U C T I O N

Figure 1: University Neighborhood Improvement Process Graphic

Figure 2: Wallgraphic - Community Workshop #1

Phase I: Vision, Opportunities and Challenges Phase II: Improvement Actions & Priorities Phase III: Plan Development

Community Workshop #1:Vision, Opportunities

& Challenges(September 4)

NAC Meeting #1(October 8)

NAC Meeting #2:Bus Tour

(November 1)

NAC Meeting #3(December 4)

NAC Meeting #4(March 5)

NAC Meeting #5(June 18)

NAC Meeting #6(TBD)

Community Workshop #2:Improvement Actions

& Priorities(April 16)

Open House:Draft Plan Elements

Plan Adoption

Implementation

September — November 2008 December 2008 — April 2009 May — August 2009


2I N T R O D U C T I O N

for generating more detailed neighborhood

improvement concepts.

Phase II: Improvement Actionsand PrioritiesThe second phase of the planning process

focused on identifying and locating specifi c

improvements and potential projects to achieve

the community’s goals. As an integral part of

this phase, community members were tasked

with prioritizing their proposed menu of actions

to arrive at a list of top priorities. Suggested

improvements ranged in scale, type and level

of leadership required for implementation. The

resulting menu of improvements is intended

to strategically guide staff and community

members to direct resources toward the

neighborhood’s most critical needs.

Phase III: Plan DevelopmentBased on the framework for neighborhood

improvement developed in the earlier

phases, MIG, Inc. created a draft University

Neighborhood Renaissance Plan document

in collaboration with City staff. This draft was

reviewed and refi ned with feedback from the

NAC, in preparation for a community-wide open

house and University neighborhood celebration.

Following the open house, staff and consultants

fi nalized the Plan for presentation and adoption

by the Planning Commission and City Council in

fall 2009.

Phase IV: ImplementationDuring the Implementation Phase, City staff,

NAC members and community volunteers will

use the University Neighborhood Renaissance

Plan as a guide to carry out improvements.

A key NRP aspiration is to support a long-

term grassroots approach to neighborhood

improvement, with the NAC becoming an

autonomous group – or even a nonprofi t

organization – directing meetings, creating

task forces to address areas of special concern

and relying on technical support from City staff

where necessary.

Plan Organization

Following this introduction, the University

Neighborhood Renaissance Plan is organized

as follows:

Chapter 1: Neighborhood Profi le provides

a description of the area’s baseline existing

conditions, including analyses of physical

and demographic conditions, and assets and

challenges that may impact future neighborhood

improvement efforts.

Chapter 2: Neighborhood Improvement

Framework presents a strategic framework

for improving the neighborhood, composed of a

vision, improvement themes, goals and physical,

conceptual design strategies to guide Plan

implementation.

Chapter 3: Neighborhood Improvement

Priorities describes the community’s highest

priority actions proposed to improve the

University neighborhood.

Chapter 4: Comprehensive Improvement

Actions presents a table of all improvement

actions identifi ed to carry out neighborhood

goals.

Chapter 5: Directions for the Future

discusses next steps for community members,

the NAC and City staff as they collaboratively

implement neighborhood improvements.


LOCATED IN CENTRAL STOCKTON, THE UNIVERSITY NEIGHBORHOOD covers

an area of 1,210 acres, approximately 1.5 miles

north of Downtown (see Figure 3: University

Neighborhood City Context). The area is

culturally and economically diverse, and enjoys

a small-town, family-oriented atmosphere, along

with youthful energy from the University of

the Pacifi c (UOP) student body. Key University

neighborhood destinations include the UOP

campus, the Miracle Mile retail district, Caldwell

and American Legion parks, and St. Joseph’s

Medical Center.

University Neighborhood Planning Area

The boundaries of the University neighborhood

planning area are: North Pershing Avenue

to the west; West Harding Way to the south;

Cemetery Lane and North El Dorado Street

to the east, connected by Alpine Avenue; and

the Calaveras River to the north (see Map 1:

University Neighborhood Planning Area on

page 12). The neighborhood encompasses the

UOP campus, including campus buildings north

of the Calaveras River between Pacifi c Avenue

and North Pershing Avenue. Major cross-

neighborhood arterial streets include Pacifi c

Avenue, North El Dorado Street, West Harding

Way and North California Street.

Land UseThe predominant land use is residential, with

the area divided into four sub-neighborhoods:

Tuxedo Park, Bours Park, Alpine Manor and

College View. Most homes are single family,

interspersed with duplexes and converted

single family homes. The neighborhood’s few

apartment complexes are generally located north

of Alpine Avenue, near the UOP campus.

The area has a number of commercial corridors

located throughout the neighborhood. The most

Neighborhood Profi le 1chapter

Figure 3: University Neighborhood City Context

City of Stockton

UNIVERSITYNEIGHBORHOOD

DOWNTOWN

STOCKTON


1 N E I G H B O R H O O D P R O F I L E1 N E I G H B O R H O O D P R O F I L E

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Miracle Mile Property-BasedCommercial Improvement District

Railroad Tracks

Neighborhood Planning Area Boundary


1N E I G H B O R H O O D P R O F I L E

prominent commercial area is the Miracle Mile

located along Pacifi c Avenue between Alpine

Avenue and West Harding Way. Secondary

commercial corridors include: West Harding

Way between Lincoln Street and North

California Street; North El Dorado Street north

of Alpine Avenue; and North California Street

between West Harding Way and Alpine Avenue.

The neighborhood’s largest institutions are St.

Joseph’s Medical Center and the UOP campus.

Demographics1 The University neighborhood is a culturally

and economically diverse area with a strong

presence of both youthful and older adults.

Future improvement efforts should aim to

bridge potential economic and behavioral

differences between younger and older members

of the community, and balance services to

accommodate a wide variety of needs.

The neighborhood has a population of

approximately 12,000 and comprises nearly

fi ve percent of Stockton’s total population.

Residents represent a variety of ethnicities and

backgrounds, with the majority of residents

identifying as White, followed by those

identifying as two or more races, Asian and

African American. Approximately one quarter of

residents identify as Hispanic or Latino.

Age distribution data indicate that the University

neighborhood is slightly older than the rest of

the city, with signifi cantly fewer children. Nearly

40 percent of residents are between ages 18 and

39, a fi gure that likely suggests the presence

of UOP students in the area. The area also has

a relatively large proportion of residents ages

65 and older compared to the city as a whole.

This most likely refl ects the neighborhood’s

established character and its many long-term

residents.

There are approximately 4,460 households

in the University neighborhood, with slightly

smaller average household sizes than the city

overall. The neighborhood also has higher

levels of homeownership and owner-occupancy.

The area has a comparatively large proportion

of non-family households. Coupled with age

distribution, these data highlight the signifi cant

impact that UOP has on the composition of the

University neighborhood and provide insight

into its unique character.

The neighborhood is relatively well-educated,

with nearly 30 percent of residents having

attained bachelor’s, professional school or

1 Demographic data in this Plan represent U.S. Census 2000 data, the most recent year for which comprehensive data are available at the neighborhood level.


graduate degrees, a fi gure twice that of the city.

In addition, the neighborhood is economically

diverse, with a range of median household

incomes represented throughout the area.

Neighborhood Assets and Challenges

The University neighborhood enjoys many

benefi ts - ranging from location, to vital retail

and convenient access to recreational resources.

At the same time, the neighborhood faces a

number of challenges that will be critical to

address in future improvement endeavors.

AssetsThe University neighborhood has a rich,

historic character that sets it apart from other

neighborhoods in Stockton. Characterized by

tree-lined streets, red brick façades and older

homes, the area has a strong sense of place

and a charm that differentiates it from more

contemporary developments and subdivisions.

The neighborhood’s central location within

Stockton, proximity to Downtown and regular

transit service provide the community with

relatively good vehicular connectivity to other

areas of the city.

The people of the University neighborhood

represent many different ethnicities and

backgrounds. The area offers a wide range of

housing options affordable to households at

a variety of income levels. Many residents have

lived in the neighborhood for generations, and

take pride in the area’s history, buildings and

unique character. Community members value

the neighborhood’s small-town feel and

family-oriented qualities.

The area’s primary retail district, the Miracle

Mile, is a citywide shopping destination.

On the Mile and in the neighborhood’s other

commercial areas, many businesses provide

affordable goods and services to residents.

Residents enjoy access to open space, with

American Legion and Caldwell parks within

the University neighborhood, and additional

parks nearby. These open spaces enhance

the neighborhood with shady picnic areas

and recreational amenities, and provide

opportunities for expanded neighborhood events

and programs.

The UOP campus, with its ivy-covered brick

buildings, is an asset to the surrounding

community that provides attractive

pedestrian areas, facilities for recreational

and entertainment uses, and the energy and

1 N E I G H B O R H O O D P R O F I L E


vibrancy of a youthful, diverse student body.

Recent collaborations between UOP and the

neighborhood have introduced new and exciting

possibilities for volunteer partnerships and

neighborhood celebrations.

ChallengesA primary challenge in the University

neighborhood is that key arterial streets – most

notably North El Dorado Street and West

Harding Way - were originally designed solely

to accommodate vehicular volume and speed,

without consideration for pedestrian use.

They are wide, multi-lane roadways with few

traffi c signals or pedestrian crosswalks, and

poorly marked bus turn-outs. These arterials

divide the neighborhood physically and

psychologically, and pose a critical safety

concern for those who are walking, bicycling

or taking public transit. In addition, because

the University neighborhood’s main arterials

provide key access routes to northern parts

of Stockton, the area struggles with heavy

volumes of through-traffi c and cut-

through traffi c on its residential streets.

Many commercial areas in the community are

marked by deferred maintenance, and could

benefi t from exterior upgrades and updated

façades. Away from the Miracle Mile, some

retail areas are struggling, particularly

auto-oriented retail strips located along the

neighborhood’s main arterials. High traffi c

volume further discourages pedestrian use

of these businesses, and hinders convenient

vehicular access.

There is debate among community members

regarding the level of crime in the University

neighborhood – many believe that crime rates

are high, particularly related to property crime.

However, police statistics indicate that crime

rates in the University neighborhood are not

as high as may be perceived. Realities and

perceptions of crime can discourage visitors,

residents and UOP students from walking in

the neighborhood, using parks, patronizing

certain businesses and engaging in community

life. Addressing crime and safety are important

steps in rebuilding community spirit and

reinvigorating commercial corridors and

residential neighborhoods.

1N E I G H B O R H O O D P R O F I L E


2chapter

Neighborhood Improvement Framework

THE NEIGHBORHOOD IMPROVEMENT FRAMEWORK provides a “road map” for

shaping neighborhood change. The framework is

composed of: a University neighborhood vision;

improvement themes; goals; and improvement

actions. These key framework components are

described in more detail below.

University Neighborhood Vision – describes

ideal conditions of how the neighborhood might

appear in the future.

Improvement Themes – highlight topical

improvement areas most relevant to the

neighborhood.

Goals – set a general direction toward a desired

end state.

Improvement Actions – identify specifi c steps

needed to carry out the goals and long-term vision.

A strategy diagram supports this framework by

locating physical improvements on a map of the

University neighborhood (see Map 2: Strategy

Diagram on page 29).

Together, these components serve as strategic

directions for City staff and partners,

highlighting where time and resources should be

focused to achieve long-term aspirations.

From an organizational standpoint, framework

components provide a tiered approach to

informing improvement efforts – the vision

provides broad, overarching direction, with

related themes, goals and actions providing

increasing levels of specifi city (see Figure 4:

Framework Components).

The community-based vision, themes, goals and

physical improvement strategy that emerged as

critical to University neighborhood improvement

are presented in this chapter. Improvement

actions are detailed in the following two

chapters, with Chapter 3 describing the highest

priority improvements and Chapter 4 listing all

improvement actions proposed by community

members to bring about positive change. Figure 4: Framework Components


2 N E I G H B O R H O O D I M P R O V E M E N T F R A M E W O R K

Building a Vision

A vision is critical for providing big-picture

perspective and a foundation for more specifi c

improvement actions. During the neighborhood

renaissance plan process, community members

conveyed an inspirational view of the University

neighborhood as envisioned 20 years into the

future. Their vision describes preferred physical,

economic and social attributes that might

characterize the neighborhood in the absence of

constraints.

Present tense is used in the adjacent vision

narrative to portray a real-time experience of the

ideal neighborhood transformation.

The University neighborhood is a welcoming, culturally diverse and intergenerational area where residents know one another. Community members enjoy a high quality of life, and the neighborhood is a desirable place to live, work, shop, play and learn. Neighborhood leadership is strong and well-organized.

Residents and property owners possess a strong sense of pride in the University neighborhood, and work closely with the University of the Pacifi c (UOP) and City staff to keep the neighborhood beautiful, clean and safe. UOP students actively engage in community life, adding to the

neighborhood’s vitality and energy. University is known as an important arts center in the city.

The University neighborhood is made up of historic residential neighborhoods, characterized by attractive, walkable and tree-lined streets. There is a range of high-quality housing options affordable to families at all income levels. Neighborhood watch groups maintain a high level of security.

The street environment is pedestrian-friendly, with easily navigable pathways and bike lanes. Neighborhood sidewalks and crosswalks are safe,

University Neighborhood VisionCommunity members envision a future in which…


2N E I G H B O R H O O D I M P R O V E M E N T F R A M E W O R K

particularly near schools and parks, and across major arterial streets. Traffi c is calm and fl ows smoothly, with minimal traffi c congestion. The local public transportation system is effi cient and well-utilized.

Residents have convenient access to safe, well-maintained parks and recreation facilities. Popular American Legion and Caldwell parks are safe and active. A trail along the Calaveras River provides a key recreational amenity for residents, and connects to a citywide recreational trail system. Neighborhood youth and teens have access to high-quality

community facilities, including a teen center, a library and joint-use facilities such as churches that host engaging programs and extensive social events in a positive, healthy environment.

Community members enjoy vibrant commercial areas with high-quality uses that serve the local neighborhoods. Residents can walk to nearby neighborhood retail to meet their regular shopping needs. The Miracle Mile is an important citywide destination for shopping, dining and entertainment. The area hosts celebrations, community events and parades that attract visitors from across the city.

Photos left to right:

Community events such as farmers’ markets

provide opportunities for social interaction. Safe

and accessible bike and pedestrian pathways

are key neighborhood transportation and health

amenities. Mixed-use development can ensure

that there are housing options affordable to

households at many income levels. Key neigh-

borhood intersections with a mix of housing and

retail can become vibrant activity nodes. A mix

of uses located along edges can activate parks.



Improvement Themes and Goals

During the improvement planning process,

a number of themes emerged as critical to

University neighborhood improvement efforts.

These themes provide the foundation for goals

and specifi c improvement actions proposed

to help the community achieve its long-term

aspirations.

University neighborhood improvement themes

include:

• Corridors;

• Neighborhoods;

• Parks and open space;

• Economic development;

• Programs and facilities;

• Safety and security; and

• Neighborhood organization and

communication.

Improvement themes are presented on the

following pages, along with the goals that fall

into each theme area. Theme descriptions

capture the rationale for the community’s

emphasis on the particular topic area, including

a snapshot of key issues and opportunities.

They are not presented in a priority order. Each

theme is associated with four to six goals that

community members identifi ed as key directives,

moving forward.

In order to enhance document readability and

help organize plan content in a user-friendly

way, University neighborhood improvement

themes are tied to a particular color throughout

the remainder of this plan document.

These colors key to each of the top priority

improvements presented in the next chapter

(Chapter 3), and to the table of comprehensive

improvement actions presented in Chapter 4.

Use this color-coded key to track broad themes

throughout the plan document.

F SAFETY AND SECURITY

NEIGHBORHOOD ORGANIZATION AND COMMUNICATION

G

E PROGRAMS AND FACILITIES

D ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

C PARKS AND OPEN SPACE

B NEIGHBORHOODS

A CORRIDORS



goals

A CORRIDORS

Arterial boulevards running through the

neighborhood, including North El Dorado Street,

North California Street, West Harding Way and

Pacifi c Avenue, are a vital part of the community

fabric. The corridors provide commercial activity

and diverse uses, and connect different parts of

the University neighborhood internally and with

other areas of the city. In some instances, these

thoroughfares act as barriers that could provide

stronger pedestrian links between various sub-

neighborhoods. Corridors could also benefi t from

intensifi ed neighborhood-serving commercial

nodes with context-appropriate uses and unifi ed

streetscape improvements.

• Revitalize North El Dorado Street,

North California Street and West

Harding Way as neighborhood-serving

corridors with commercial nodes that

support the needs of residents, visitors

and workers.

• Promote the Miracle Mile as a citywide

destination.

• Create a unifi ed character along key

corridors and provide a more inviting

and safe pedestrian environment.

• Improve outreach to business and

property owners regarding existing

codes to reduce violations and ensure

well-maintained corridors.



goalsThe residential neighborhoods of Tuxedo Park,

Alpine Manor, Bours Park and College View

compose the University neighborhood planning

area. Residents value the area’s diversity, historic

character, affordability, proximity to commercial

corridors and relationship to UOP. Safe

pedestrian and bicycle connections throughout

the neighborhood are limited, with high-volume

arterial traffi c, speeding and cut-through traffi c

on other thoroughfares and few pedestrian

crossings. Implementing traffi c calming and

pedestrian improvements, and creating a network

of pedestrian pathways, multi-use trails and

designated bicycle boulevards will help unify the

area. The University neighborhood can build

on its unique identity with distinctive gateways,

landscaping and well-maintained streets and

properties.

• Create a network of comfortable and

safe pedestrian and bicycle con-

nections throughout the University

neighborhood.

• Support multiple modes of trans-

portation, including bicycles, buses,

trolleys and automobiles.

• Enhance the sense of place and iden-

tity in the University neighborhood

and its sub-neighborhoods.

• Encourage attractive public areas,

landscaping and streetscapes that are

context-based and respond to local

history.

• Ensure clean and well-maintained

neighborhoods.

• Improve streetscapes and landscap-

ing to enhance the unique character

of the area and to create a unifi ed

character.

B NEIGHBORHOODS



goals

PARKS AND OPEN SPACEC

Residents enjoy access to a range of parks and

open spaces that serve as recreational and

community gathering places. Existing parks,

such as Caldwell and American Legion parks,

could be better activated through pedestrian

improvements and design enhancements that

create broad appeal and strengthen relationships

to adjacent uses. Additional aspirations for the

community involve maximizing opportunities

for recreation along the Calaveras River,

expanding the network of open space and multi-

use trails, and integrating community gardens

where possible.

• Add to the network of University neigh-

borhood parks and open space.

• Collaborate with the Friends of the

Lower Calaveras River to enhance res-

toration and recreational opportunities

along the Calaveras River.

• Develop a system of multi-use recre-

ational trails throughout neighbor-

hoods.

• Improve and activate existing neighbor-

hood parks and open spaces.

• Explore opportunities to develop

underutilized parcels as parks,

community gardens or green space.



goals

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENTD

The University neighborhood boasts

economically vibrant corridors and commercial

nodes, a range of housing types and affordability

levels, and well-established employers, most

prominently UOP and St. Joseph’s Medical

Center. There are a number of vacant storefronts

and underutilized sites in the area that present

opportunities to attract new businesses, increase

retail sales and invest in potentially catalytic

development. Other potential improvements

that support local economic development

include: addressing deferred maintenance of

infrastructure and façades; pursuing mixed-

use and multi-family residential development;

building on core strengths in healthcare and

education while fortifying retail and other

sectors; and cultivating a distinct role and

character for the neighborhood’s various

commercial areas.

• Maximize mixed-use development and

multi-family residential development

around potential neighborhood nodes.

• Pursue infi ll development opportunities

that support economic revitalization.

• Connect business and property owners

with revitalization and organizational

tools.



goals

PROGRAMS AND FACILITIESE

Residents rely on nearby schools and churches

to provide space for community gathering and

recreational programs and services. Cleveland,

Wilson and El Dorado schools are especially

valued resources, as are the many religious

institutions in the vicinity. The neighborhood

aims to improve access to facilities such as a

dedicated teen center and a satellite library.

Residents are particularly committed to:

expanding diverse and stimulating programs

for youth and teens, such as recreational,

educational and after-school programs;

exploring opportunities to formalize shared

use of existing facilities in the vicinity; and

strengthening outreach and marketing about

available programming.

• Improve access to community facilities.

• Develop community programs and

facilities to serve the health, social,

educational and recreational needs of

University neighborhood residents of

all ages.

• Ensure diverse, high-quality program-

ming to target the needs and interests

of youth and teens.



goalsSafe and secure living and working environments

are essential to all community members.

Raising public awareness both about the

realities and perceptions of criminal activity in

the neighborhood is an important step toward

problem-solving. Crime prevention measures

ranging from expanded neighborhood watch

to increased lighting and other environmental

design techniques can help protect the health and

well-being of residents, workers and visitors.

• Raise awareness of both perceptions

and realities of criminal activity in the

neighborhood.

• Strengthen City-resident partnership to

improve safety and security.

• Increase public safety and reduce the

fear of crime in the neighborhood.

• Create a strong neighborhood watch

network.

• Limit and mitigate nuisances, such as

vandalism, graffi ti, panhandling and

noise.

SAFETY AND SECURITYF



NEIGHBORHOOD ORGANIZATION AND COMMUNICATIONG

goalsUniversity neighborhood residents are dedicated

to enhancing their community and addressing

area-wide concerns. There are a number of

neighborhood groups active in the area, including

neighborhood organizations, neighborhood

watch groups, the Miracle Mile Improvement

District, the UOP Town and Gown Committee,

local faith organizations and other community-

based organizations. Strengthening leadership,

communication and collaboration between

neighborhood groups can improve community

participation and ensure support for University

neighborhood events and revitalization efforts.

• Strengthen neighborhood leadership,

advocacy and organizational capacity.

• Expand collaboration with UOP admin-

istration and student body.

• Build community cohesion through

neighborhood social events.

• Improve communication about neigh-

borhood activities, events and news.



Improvement Strategy

An important step toward implementing change

involves locating desired physical improvement

strategies on a map. The strategy diagram

illustrates physical design proposals at a

schematic level (see Map 2: Strategy Diagram on

facing page).

A range of strategies is proposed to better the

University neighborhood, such as: intersection

improvements; traffi c calming measures;

expanded “neighborhood nodes” - clusters of

retail development within walking distance

of residential neighborhoods; pedestrian and

bicycle connections; among others. These

strategy elements make up the community’s

physical plan for creating a more livable and

attractive neighborhood.

The strategy elements represent

proposals to address neighborhood

challenges and maximize opportunities

for improvement (see adjacent columns).

These strategies, recommendations and

improvements for enhancing the neighborhood

are physically depicted in the strategy diagram.

The improvement actions presented in the

next two chapters indicate specifi c methods

or how-to steps for implementing these

physical improvements, as well as social and

programmatic endeavors.

Water Access and Recreation. Improv-ing access to existing parks and unique water resources, such as the Calaveras River and Yosemite Lake, will enhance recreational opportunities for community members.

Bicycle Routes. Designating bicycle con-nections through the neighborhood can help reduce auto traffi c and improve community health.

Pedestrian Links. Providing new cross-walks and expanding pedestrian pathways can help increase safety and walkability, and strengthen connections between the area’s sub-neighborhoods.

Intersection Improvements. Installing new and improved mid-block crossings and crosswalks at key intersections will provide greater visibility while enhancing pedestrian safety, accessibility and connectivity.

Traffi c Calming. Addressing concerns about high-speed and high-volume traf-fi c, and reducing the negative impacts of cut-through traffi c in residential areas will improve quality of life in the neighborhood.

Trolley Connector. Providing expanded public transit options may help reduce the negative parking and traffi c impacts, while supporting local economic development efforts.

Neighborhood Node Enhancement. Focusing new development and/or rede-velopment of retail and commercial service clusters or “nodes” within walking distance of residential areas can contribute to overall vitality and walkability of the University neighborhood.

Development Opportunity Sites. In-tensifying development or redeveloping va-cant and underutilized sites with active uses that complement surrounding businesses and adjacent residential areas may catalyze neighborhood improvement efforts.

Gateway Opportunities. Installing public art and streetscape enhancements at key neighborhood entryways can create a distinctive environment and contribute to the University’s sense of place.

Lighting and Safety Enhancements. Installing new lighting or improving exist-ing lighting in and around local parks can improve safety and security, and increase park use.

Bicycle Trail. Completing a bicycle trail along the south side of the Calaveras River can maximize an important recreational amenity in the community.

Strategy Elements

W FLORA

W POPLAR

W PARK

W OA

A V

ISTA

AV

NB I5 ON RAMP

W AC

PICARDY DR

N O

RA

NG

E S

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N A

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ON

AU

T S

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Park

Other Open Space

Miracle Mile Property-BasedCommercial Improvement District

University/Institution

School

Railroad Tracks City of Stockton

University Neighborhood

San Joaquin County Bicycle/Pedestrian Trail

Existing Bicycle Route

ST

Existing Conditions

N E I G H B O R H O O D I M P R O V E M E N T F R A M E W O R K



Map 2: Strategy Diagram

MA

NC

HESTER AVE

YosemiteLake

Calave

ras Rive

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S-Mart

American Fine Furnishings

PostOffice

Alpine Market

N E

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ALIFO

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MAGNOLIA ST

N B

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W ELM ST

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W WALNUT ST

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ROSEMARIE LN

W MARCH LN

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ALVA

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E SONOMA AVE

E MARIPOSA AV

E ELLIS ST

W MENDOCINO AVE

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W BIANCHI RD

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W FULTON ST

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E CHURCHILL ST

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BEDFORD RD

E ARCADE ST

W ELLIS STW NOBLE ST

W ARCADE ST

E FARGO STE GIBSON ST

E HARPER STE INGRAM ST

E VINE ST

E MONTEREY AVE

W MARIPOSA AV

E ROSE ST

E MAGNOLIA ST

ACACIA ST

E DOWNS ST

W E

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E EUCLID AVE

LEXINGTON AVE

S TUXEDO DR

N TUXEDO DR TUXEDO CTS CENTRAL AVEN CENTRAL AVE

S REGEN ST

W VERNAL WY

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MA

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EL MONTE ST

N PER

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DW

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DW

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W ROSE ST

W ATLEE ST

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W PINE ST

W CLEVELAND ST

W WYANDOTTE ST

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N A

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N A

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ST

W MONTEREY AVE

DAVE BRUBECK WY

W BARRYMORE ST

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W SONOMA AVE

W MENDOCINO AVE

W MONTEREY AVE

MICHIGAN AVE

W MENDOCINO AVE

CLID AVE

TON AVE

APH AVE

ALPINE AVE

W ALPINE AVE

MIDDLEFIELD AVE

TUXEDOS AVE

OXFORD WY

ELMWOOD AVE

COUNTRY CLUB BLVD

ROSELAWN AVE

W SONOMA AVE

PODESTO LN

W MCKENZIE AVEW DOWN ST

N O

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N SA

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W ADAMS ST

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IVER DR

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W VINE ST

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Universityof the Pacific

Cleveland

Elem. School

Oak Park

Wilson

Elem. School

CaldwellPark

American Legion Park

RuralCemetery

Cal StateUniversityStanislaus

San JoaquinCatholic

Cemetery

El Dorado Elem.

School & SUSD

Adult School

St. Joseph’s

Med

ical Center

TUXEDO PARK

ALPINEMANOR

COLLEGE VIEW

BOURSPARK

First Unitarian Universalist Church

Iglesia Ni Cristo

Central United Methodist Church

First Baptist Church

Faith Lutheran Church

Community of Christ


THROUGHOUT THE NEIGHBORHOOD

IMPROVEMENT planning process,

Neighborhood Action Committee (NAC)

and community members identifi ed over

65 improvement actions as instrumental in

meeting the neighborhood’s improvement goals.

Organized within the seven improvement theme

categories, these actions include a broad array of

physical and programmatic improvements.

While the comprehensive list of proposed

actions is located in the next chapter (Chapter

4), the focus of this chapter is to highlight

the improvements that community members

deemed most critical.

Although the long-term intent is to implement

all of the improvement actions, a priority “short

list” provides a strategic starting point from

which City staff and NAC members can begin

initial improvement endeavors. This list of top

priority improvements will guide the

implementation process, defi ning where time

and early resources should be focused.

The Prioritization Process

In order to arrive at a well-balanced menu of top

improvement priorities, stakeholders took part

in a workshop prioritization activity. The activity

involved a review of all proposed improvements,

and a discriminatory selection of the actions

believed to have the greatest potential to

bring about positive change in the University

neighborhood.

Criteria for SuccessIn addition to weighing existing conditions

factors and considering the collective

neighborhood vision, participants also

assessed improvements according to criteria

that can indicate the likelihood of successful

implementation. These criteria are summarized

as follows.

Community Support - Projects with the highest

levels of community support have the greatest

potential for success.

Visibility - Projects with broad ranging positive

impacts send a positive message and benefi t the

entire neighborhood.

Resources - Projects for which there is potential for

funding and/or implementation partnerships may be

more likely to be successful.

3chapter

Neighborhood Improvement Priorities


N E I G H B O R H O O D I M P R O V E M E N T P R I O R I T I E S3

Timeframe - Anticipating the amount of time

required to complete a project and choosing a range

of both short and long-term projects can help fuel

momentum for ongoing improvement endeavors.

Value - Projects that provide a high return on

public investment may be more benefi cial for

the community.

Ease of Implementation - Straight-forward

projects and “quick-wins” can make an immediate

positive impact and may generate support for

other projects.

Balanced Improvement TypesFocusing on a range of improvement types

strategically positions staff and NAC members

to begin work on shorter-term initiatives, while

beginning the longer-term processes required to

pursue large-scale capital projects.

Large-scale physical improvement projects can

take years to come to fruition and often require

intensive City participation, planning and

funding resources. Alternatively, neighborhood-

initiated projects can begin at any time and

generally do not require initial large capital

investments.

To ensure a balance of improvement types,

proposed actions were sorted into one of four

categories as part of the workshop prioritization

activity. These refl ect improvement type, scale,

and level of investment and leadership required

for implementation.

More specifi c characteristics of these

improvement types are defi ned below.

Large-scale physical improvements – large in

physical size; major capital investments; require a

high level of City staff involvement and leadership.

Small-scale improvements – smaller in physical

size; moderate investment; require a high level of

City staff involvement and leadership.

Programmatic improvements – enhanced and

expanded ongoing services; rely on ongoing City

staff commitment and leadership.

Neighborhood-initiated improvements –

straight-forward grassroots endeavors; require

neighborhood leadership, with City support.

University Neighborhood Top Priority Improvements

The remainder of this chapter features the

top priority improvements that the University

community is most committed to implementing.

The priority improvements are arranged

by improvement action type. A reference is

provided in parentheses at the end of each

priority description, indicating its location in

the comprehensive improvement action table

(beginning on page 44). In addition, colored

titles link each priority action to its larger

improvement theme (see color-coded key at

right).

The priority improvement actions are not

presented according to rank or intended

implementation schedule. While early

resources should be directed toward priority

improvements, steps should be taken to initiate

all actions identifi ed in the comprehensive

improvement action table. Factors such as

funding and ease of implementation, among

others, will play a role in determining a strategic

implementation schedule.

Use this color-coded key to track broad themes

throughout the plan document.


NEIGHBORHOOD ORGANIZATION AND COMMUNICATION

G




B NEIGHBORHOODS

A CORRIDORS


N E I G H B O R H O O D I M P R O V E M E N T P R I O R I T I E S 3

Install crosswalk improvements at key North California Street intersections.

Pedestrian improvements along North California

Street, such as well-defi ned and evenly-spaced

crosswalks, are critical to increasing safety along

the corridor. There is particular urgency around

the need for safe pedestrian crossings to the

Alpine Market, and from St. Joseph’s Medical

Center to the Bours Park area.

In addition to improving safety conditions,

increasing pedestrian connections across North

California Street may support local economic

development efforts to revive underutilized retail

and commercial areas in the eastern part of the

neighborhood.

In response to concerns raised during the

NRP University neighborhood improvement

process, the City of Stockton issued a Request

for Proposals (RFP) in December 2008, calling

for street improvements on North California

Street. Planned improvements include: street

grading and wheelchair ramp installations

between Sonoma and Monterey avenues; erosion

control measures; and street striping and in-

roadway crosswalk warning lights at Arcade

Street. Implementation of the North California

Street improvements is projected to begin in

the coming year (see Chapter 4, Improvement

Action A7).

LARGE-SCALE PHYSICAL IMPROVEMENTS

Existing conditions, looking northwest

on North California Street: The wide

corridor with no crosswalks, and long

distances between traffi c stops encour-

ages speeding, creates dangerous condi-

tions for pedestrians and bicycles, and

discourages use of neighborhood retail.

Photosimulation of potential improvements on North California Street:

Streetscape enhancements such as designated crosswalks, bicycle lanes, sidewalks, street

trees, a landscaped median, and bus shelters can improve the overall safety and comfort

of the street experience for all. Intensifi ed mixed-use development can further activate this

neighborhood node and provide convenient access to neighborhood services.


Install crosswalk improvements at key North El Dorado Street intersections.

Improving pedestrian safety on North El Dorado

Street is the foremost priority in the University

neighborhood. Critical concerns include the

width of the street, the limited number of

safe crosswalks, high-speed and high-volume

traffi c, and the street’s proximity to Wilson

Elementary and Cleveland Elementary schools.

Recent City plans to widen the roadway and

reduce sidewalk space have prompted a strong

response from the community amidst mounting

concerns about the street’s negative impact

on neighborhood cohesion and character.

Crosswalks are currently located at the following

signalized North El Dorado Street intersections:

Churchill Street, Fulton Street and Alpine

Avenue. As of this printing, the City Council

subcommittee has selected a citizen plan to add

new crosswalks and widen sidewalks along the

street. Although planning and design efforts

are ongoing, crosswalks may be installed at

intersections with Fargo Street and Knowles

Street. All of these intersections are located

along the northern segment of North El Dorado

Street between Alpine Avenue and the Calaveras

River. Installing well-designed, evenly-spaced

crosswalks between West Harding Way and

Alpine Avenue can help improve pedestrian

connectivity in the neighborhood and better

activate the existing neighborhood retail

node at Adams Street. In addition, improving

pedestrian crosswalks across North El Dorado

Street can help connect employees and medical

center visitors to the Miracle Mile and other

neighborhood retail areas (see Chapter 4,

Improvement Action A3).

Improve bus shelters, bus turn-outs, and passenger loading/unloading areas identifi ed for key corridors and identify other locations for improvement throughout the neighborhood.

Over the long term, residents aim to increase

public transit ridership, reduce auto traffi c and

make alternative modes of transportation more

viable options. Immediate action steps involve

improving the overall experience for transit

riders with physical bus stop improvements and

effi cient connections between neighborhoods

and other areas of the city.

At this time, the majority of San Joaquin RTD

bus routes are located on major north-south

arterial roads: North Pershing Avenue, Pacifi c

Avenue, North El Dorado Street and North

California Street. Additional east-west routes

include Harding Way and West Alpine Avenue.



Typically, bus stops along these routes are

uncovered waiting areas without bus turn-outs

to designate loading and unloading zones.

Making physical improvements to bus loading/

unloading areas, such as clearly delineating bus

stops and installing shelter to protect riders from

rain or heat can make the transit experience

more comfortable. Improving bus turn-outs

and locations of stops can further improve

pedestrian safety and facilitate easier traffi c fl ow

along bus routes (see Chapter 4, Improvement

Action B3).

Improve pedestrian access and visibility at American Legion Park with sidewalks along South Tuxedo Drive and a well-marked entrance.

Improving pedestrian access and visibility into

American Legion Park will improve overall

safety and encourage more active use of this

open space asset.

Currently, high fl ood control embankments

surround the park and limit visibility into its

interior. In addition, lack of pedestrian pathways

over the embankments from South Tuxedo Drive

force visitors to walk up over steep grassy areas

to enter the park from the north.

A well-marked park entrance and accessible

pedestrian pathways will help make the park a

welcoming place that is better integrated into the

surrounding neighborhood. Increasing public

use of the park can also augment overall sense of

security in the area (see Chapter 4, Improvement

Action C9).

Improve access to Caldwell Park by installing sidewalks along Allston Way.

Installing sidewalks near Caldwell Park along

Allston Way will improve safe access and use of

the park.

Currently, visitors parallel park cars along

Allston Way, creating a barrier to pedestrian

access. Connections are especially limited

approaching the park from residential areas

to the west. While the park features a tot lot,

picnic facilities and open green spaces, there are

limited walking paths within the park.

Caldwell Park is most popular on the weekends,

with frequent picnicking and family celebrations,

but the park is generally underutilized during

weekdays and evenings.

Improving connections to the park from the

surrounding neighborhoods, installing ADA

accessible sidewalks around the park and

creating interior park pathways will maximize

this local recreational resource and may increase

park use during off-peak hours. Another idea

that warrants further exploration involves

examining the feasibility of narrowing Allston

Way between Alpine and Monterey avenues,

and using the reclaimed area to accommodate

sidewalks and street improvements (see Chapter

4, Improvement Action C11).



Install lighting improvements to deter crime in and around Caldwell and American Legion parks.

Recognizing the benefi t of adequate lighting in

deterring crime, installing lighting in Caldwell

and American Legion parks may improve overall

park security. Community members report

vandalism, drug use and people sleeping in the

park during twilight and evening hours. These

activities along with inadequate lighting create

a sense of unease among community members

and discourage park use, especially during

these evening hours. Improving area lighting

may deter illegal activity and allow residents

to comfortably access the park later into the

evening (see Chapter 4, Improvement Action

F5).

Identify vacant sites along the Miracle Mile and explore possible uses for sites that will support surrounding businesses, such as parking facilities or gathering spaces.

Vacant and underutilized sites along the Miracle

Mile could potentially be redeveloped with uses

to support surrounding businesses and enhance

the corridor through high-quality planning and

design.

By coordinating planning efforts, the City

and Miracle Mile Improvement District can

ensure that any future uses of these sites are

complementary to existing businesses and

consistent with overall Miracle Mile design

objectives. Preliminary sites identifi ed for reuse

include parcels at the following Pacifi c Avenue

intersections: Walnut Street; East Castle Street;

and Bedford Road.

In particular, enhancing the area with outdoor

seating and gathering areas–both covered

and open air–and expanding convenient

parking facilities may help attract more

patrons to Miracle Mile retail and commercial

establishments (see Chapter 4, Improvement

Action A15).

Identify possible pedestrian trail or mid-block pathways to create safe and pleasant connections through the neighborhood.

Additional pedestrian trails and mid-block

pathways can enhance the pedestrian experience

and strengthen connectivity throughout the

University neighborhood, particularly between

the Miracle Mile and the UOP campus, and


SMALL-SCALE IMPROVEMENTS


College View area.

Initial locations to consider for feasibility

include: existing underutilized alleyways in

the Bours Park and Tuxedo Park areas; the

former Union Pacifi c right-of-way located just

north of West Essex Street in the College View

neighborhood; and along the south side of the

Calaveras River. Pedestrian-oriented design

features could include landscaping, lighting

and public art installations (see Chapter 4,

Improvement Action B1).

Coordinate with the City’s existing bike plans to designate bicycle boulevards with bicycle improvements and interconnected bike routes in the neighborhood.

Improving bicycle safety can help increase

the overall number of bicycle trips in the

neighborhood. In addition to the bicycle network

improvements outlined in the City’s Bicycle

Master Plan, expanded bicycle amenities can

include formally designated “bicycle boulevards”

on selected residential streets and wayfi nding

signs to direct bicyclists to key neighborhood

destinations. Bicycle boulevards can incorporate

enhancements such as: boulevard-specifi c

striping; specially-designated street signs to

demarcate bicycle boulevards; and extended

clearance intervals at signalized intersections

to ensure that cyclists can cross intersections

safely. Additional amenities include plentiful

and secure bicycle parking facilities, and

neighborhood bicycle route maps.

Adopted in 2008, the City’s Bicycle Master

Plan identifi es current and future bicycle routes

in the University neighborhood. Designated

north-south existing and future routes include

Kensington Way, North California Street, North

Sutter Street and segments of Pershing Avenue

and North El Dorado Street. East-west routes

include: West Mendocino Avenue between

Pershing Avenue and Kensington Way; West

Fulton Street between Pacifi c Avenue and North

El Dorado Street; and West Wyandotte Street

between North Center Street and North Sutter

Street. There is also a designated Class I bicycle

route along the north and south banks of the

Calaveras River.

Developing a neighborhood bicycle boulevard

plan presents an opportunity to supplement the

City’s Bicycle Master Plan by directing bicycle

traffi c to key residential streets and designating

additional east-west routes to improve

connections to Pacifi c Avenue, parks and local

schools (see Chapter 4, Improvement Action

B2).

Encourage residents to participate in the City’s Neighborhood Traffi c Management Program (NTMP) and identify high-traffi c streets in order to address concerns about safety, noise and quality of life issues related to auto traffi c.

There are a number of University neighborhood

streets that experience signifi cant negative

impacts from auto traffi c related to safety,

noise and quality of life. Encouraging residents

on these streets to participate in the City’s



Neighborhood Traffi c Management Program

(NTMP) can help address traffi c-related

concerns. Although some of these streets have

already participated in the NTMP, there are

others that have not participated or have not

completed NTMP improvements to date. The

program requires signatures from a minimum of

ten households on the street.

The NTMP is a resident-initiated program

that can help neighborhoods implement traffi c

calming measures ranging from physical

interventions –bulbouts, traffi c circles, chicanes,

speed bumps, speed cushions and diversion

measures (such as half-road closures) to non-

physical interventions - lane striping, signage,

high-visibility crosswalks and increased

enforcement (see Chapter 4, Improvement

Action B4).

Remove excess signage and billboards or consolidate signage, where possible, to maintain the character and desired aesthetic quality of the University Neighborhood.

Billboards and excess signage are key concerns

in the neighborhood. Unsightly signage and

billboards detract from the ambiance of the

area’s commercial corridors and are inconsistent

with the preferred neighborhood character.

Residents cite Harding Way between North

Lincoln Street and North California Street,

as a particularly unattractive area, with many

billboards and signs lining both sides of the

road. Due to the fact that this area encompasses

the southern entrance to the Miracle Mile, it

adversely impacts visitors’ fi rst impressions

of the neighborhood’s commercial center.

Additional locations on Pacifi c Avenue where

residents indicate the need for sign and billboard

changes include the areas surrounding the

Central Avenue and Bedford Road intersections.

Current sign and billboard design guidelines

apply to new and renovated properties, and

do not address existing signs and billboards.

Residents can partner with the City’s Economic

Development Department to encourage

commercial property and billboard owners to

minimize and modernize existing signage to

comply with the City’s sign design guidelines for

new development (see Chapter 4, Improvement

Action A21).


PROGRAMMATIC IMPROVEMENTS


Encourage property owners to implement façade improvements along the Miracle Mile that create a unifi ed character and reinforce the sense of place.

The Miracle Mile is an important asset to the

community and enhancements to the corridor

can have major impacts on the success of

neighborhood improvement efforts. Enhancing

the Miracle Mile’s appearance could improve

its perception citywide, as well as increase pride

among residents.

Current Miracle Mile design guidelines seek

to reinforce the area’s small-town character by

requiring high-quality design with a pedestrian

orientation. Architectural character along the

Mile should provide visually interesting roof

designs that are consistent with the overall

design of the building and surrounding

buildings. These guidelines apply only to new

buildings, additions to existing buildings,

substantial rehabilitation and exterior

remodeling of existing buildings, and new signs

and awnings. University residents can encourage

commercial building owners to implement

façade improvements that create a more unifi ed

character and reinforce the area’s sense of place

(see Chapter 4, Improvement Action A14).

Capture opportunities to engage UOP students on the Miracle Mile.

The University of the Pacifi c is a prominent local

institution that contributes positively to the

character of the neighborhood. It attracts faculty,

staff and students from across the nation,

provides high-quality academic and professional

program offerings, and hosts cultural events

that are regularly open to the public. The UOP

campus itself provides recreational amenities

to residents, and its strong architectural

presence adds to the neighborhood’s sense of

place. University residents recognize UOP’s

importance to the area and seek to fi nd new

ways to engage students in the community.

Despite UOP’s proximity to the Miracle Mile,

students often choose to shop and dine at the

Weberstown Mall, seeking national chain stores,

department stores and restaurants. Reaching out

to UOP students to inform them about events

and services available on the Miracle Mile can

help support neighborhood businesses and bring

a young vitality to the area. Potential outreach

actions include surveying students’ retail and

shopping experience preferences, developing

marketing materials to change students’

mindsets about the Mile and providing students

with discount coupons to use at shops located

on the Mile (see Chapter 4, Improvement Action

D9).



2 N E I G H B O R H O O D I M P R O V E M E N T P R I O R I T I E S

Hold neighborhood celebrations, parades, antique fairs, and other retail and social events.

Neighborhood celebrations and community

social events are a high priority for University

neighborhood residents. Festivals and events

can:

• Enhance the overall sense of community

pride;

• Improve participation in neighborhood

improvement efforts;

• Benefi t local businesses; and

• Contribute to neighborhood economic

development efforts.

At this time, most neighborhood social events

are sponsored by the Miracle Mile Improvement

District, and include Jazz on the Mile, an

annual Jazz festival, and Prowl’n the Mile, a

street festival coordinated with UOP students.

Partnering with organizations such as local faith

institutions, schools and UOP, the University

neighborhood can enhance the success and

variety of community events. In addition,

expanding the location of events to include

neighborhoods, parks and commercial areas

other than the Miracle Mile can help build

community ties and support businesses in other

commercial zones (see Chapter 4, Improvement

Action G4).

Collaborate with UOP to provide mutually-benefi cial service-learning opportunities that supplement students’ classroom learning experiences and enhance the neighborhood.

Increasing collaboration with UOP to involve

students in the University neighborhood can

provide myriad benefi ts such as: expanding the

neighborhood volunteer base; building future

neighborhood stewards; better integrating

students into the community; and providing

valuable mentoring opportunities.

In order to ensure the success and long-term

sustainability of collaborative partnerships,

volunteer and service-learning opportunities

should supplement students’ classroom learning

experiences.

Current UOP service-learning programs are

coordinated through the UOP Center for

Community Involvement (CCI) and focus

primarily on providing tutoring services. The

CCI hires approximately 100 students per year

to tutor Stockton youth in fi ve city schools,

including Cleveland Elementary School in the

University neighborhood. Opportunities exist

to expand UOP tutors’ involvement at Wilson

and El Dorado Elementary Schools, as well as

in other service-learning pursuits. Exploring

partnerships with the UOP Business School,

the School of Education and the Pharmacy and

Health Services School could diversify service-

learning opportunities in the neighborhood, and

contribute greatly to neighborhood improvement

efforts (see Chapter 4, Improvement Action G3).

NEIGHBORHOOD-INITIATED IMPROVEMENTS

3


2N E I G H B O R H O O D I M P R O V E M E N T P R I O R I T I E S

Host a neighborhood website to connect with residents.

At community workshops and NAC meetings,

University residents expressed a need to

fi nd new ways to connect with one another

and stay current with neighborhood events.

In particular, residents could benefi t from

improved communication concerning University

neighborhood and UOP events, news from the

Miracle Mile and other neighborhood retail

areas, volunteer opportunities, public safety,

neighborhood watch groups, and important City

and community contacts.

At this time, the monthly Caravan newspaper

provides citywide arts, entertainment and

events information online and through direct

newspaper deliveries. The Miracle Mile

Improvement District posts event listings and

public meeting information on its website, and

collaborates actively with UOP to encourage

students to shop and dine on the Mile. In

addition, the City hosts a Neighborhood

Renaissance Program informational website

that links to a University NAC page. Further

web outreach opportunities can sustain

neighborhood improvement efforts and to

better engage UOP, St. Joseph’s Medical

Center, VISTAS2 and businesses located off the

Mile along El Dorado Street, North California

Street and West Harding Way (see Chapter 4,

Improvement Action G5).

2 Volunteers In Service to Aid Stockton (VISTAS) is a City-sponsored program to connect local volunteers with targeted volunteer opportunities in the city.

3


4chapter

Comprehensive Improvement Actions

THIS CHAPTER PRESENTS ALL OF THE SPECIFIC IMPROVEMENT actions proposed

to carry out the University neighborhood’s vision

and goals. Presented in table format, each action

step is tied to a designated lead responsible party

and key partners, an estimated time frame for

completion and potential funding sources.

Improvement actions are arranged by theme,

and organized into more particular topic

areas within each theme. Top priority

improvements are designated with a

colored title and boxed number.

Endeavors range from large and small-scale

physical improvements, to programmatic

and neighborhood-initiated improvements.

As discussed in the previous chapter, these

improvement type classifi cations signal the

scale, level of investment and leadership, and

can be helpful in determining a strategy for most

effectively moving forward. On the following

pages, improvement types are identifi ed per

action using the following codes in the table

column:

• Large-scale (LS);

• Small-scale (SS);

• Programmatic (P); and

• Neighborhood-initiated (NI).

The order in which the improvement

actions are listed does not necessarily

refl ect the order in which they should

be implemented. While early focus should

be on the top priorities, improvements should

take place as funding and resources become

available. Factors such as funding and ease

of implementation are often instrumental in

strategically driving the implementation process.

Steps should be taken to initiate as many of the

improvement actions as possible, while allowing

fl exibility to seize implementation opportunities

as they arise.


C O M P R E H E N S I V E I M P R O V E M E N T A C T I O N S4 C O M P R E H E N S I V E I M P R O V E M E N T A C T I O N S4

Goals

Revitalize North El Dorado Street, North California Street and

West Harding Way as neighborhood-serving corridors with

commercial nodes that support the needs of residents, visitors and

workers.

Promote the Miracle Mile as a citywide destination.

Create a unifi ed character along key corridors and provide a more

inviting and safe pedestrian environment.

Improve outreach to business and property owners regarding

existing codes to reduce violations and ensure well-maintained

corridors.

A CORRIDORS


C O M P R E H E N S I V E I M P R O V E M E N T A C T I O N S 4C O M P R E H E N S I V E I M P R O V E M E N T A C T I O N S 4

NORTH EL DORADO STREET

Improvement Actions

Project TypeLarge-scale (LS)Small-scale (SS)

Programmatic (P)Neighborhood-

initiated (NI)

Time FrameShort = <2 yearsMid = 2 – 5 yearsLong = >5 years

Lead ResponsibilityAnd Principal Partners

Resources

A1. Building on the General Plan and existing design guidelines, revitalize existing nodes and create new vibrant, neighborhood-serving nodes along North El Dorado Street. Revitalization efforts should:

> Defi ne preferred uses tailored to specifi c node locations (such as mixed-uses, neighborhood-serving retail, dining and entertainment);

> Specify undesirable business types and uses, including locations that are subject to Use Permits (such as adult entertainment uses and off-sale alcohol establishments) to ensure that businesses are congruent with the needs and preferences of the neighborhood; and

> Identify existing nodes or develop new neighborhood nodes. Preliminary locations include: the area between Castle and Adams streets, and near the intersection of Churchill Street.

SS Short City Planning

NAC

A CORRIDORS


C O M P R E H E N S I V E I M P R O V E M E N T A C T I O N S4


Improvement Actions



initiated (NI)



Resources

A2. Assess traffi c calming needs related to North El Dorado Street and explore mitigation measures.

SS Short City Traffi c (Public Works)

NAC

A3. Install crosswalk improvements at the follow-ing North El Dorado Street intersections:

> Castle Street;

> Fargo Street;

> Wyandotte Street.

In locations where traffi c signals exist, crosswalk improvements may focus on improving pedes-trian safety and access. Potential intersections for these improvements include:

> Churchill Street;

> Fulton Street;

> Mariposa Avenue; and

> Alpine Avenue.

LS Mid-Long City Traffi c (Public Works)

NAC

A CORRIDORS

A3


C O M P R E H E N S I V E I M P R O V E M E N T A C T I O N S 4


Improvement Actions



initiated (NI)



Resources

A4. Identify locations for streetscape improvements, including:

> Landscaped medians;

> Improved bus shelters, bus turn-outs and passenger loading/unloading areas;

> Street trees;

> Street furniture; and

> Public Art.


NAC

NORTH CALIFORNIA STREET

A5. Building on the General Plan and existing design guidelines, revitalize the existing neighborhood node on North California Street near Monterey Avenue (See Corridors A1). Additional efforts on North California Street should support the creation of retail, dining and commercial options to serve hospital employees, visitors and neighborhood residents.


City Economic Development

NAC

St. Joseph’s Hospital

Revitalization Funding

A CORRIDORS




Improvement Actions



initiated (NI)



Resources

A6. Assess traffi c calming needs related to North Cal-ifornia Street and explore mitigation measures. Consider directing traffi c onto major thorough-fares around the hospital via barriers to through-traffi c on residential streets. Explore opportunities for publicly-accessible green space buffers in these areas.

SS Short City Traffi c (Public Works)

NAC

Existing City Traffi c Calm-ing Program Budget

A7. Install crosswalk improvements at the follow-ing North California Street intersections:

> Cleveland Street; and

> Alder Street.

In locations where traffi c signals exist, crosswalk improvements may focus on improving pedes-trian safety and access. A potential intersection for these improvements includes:

> Alpine Avenue.

LS Short-Mid City Traffi c (Public Works)

A CORRIDORS

A7




Improvement Actions



initiated (NI)



Resources

A8. Implement streetscape improvements along North California Street between Arcade Street and Alpine Avenue including:

> Install lighted crosswalk at the Arcade intersection; and

> Install new/repair curb, gutter, sidewalk and ramps.

LS Underway Public Works Funded

PACIFIC AVENUE

A9. Expand outreach to support the use of the Empire Theatre for fi lms and community events.

NI Short NAC

A10. Implement a wayfi nding plan for the Miracle Mile in coordination with the Miracle Mile Improvement District (MMID).

SS Mid-Long MMID Grant

A CORRIDORS



PACIFIC AVENUE

Improvement Actions



initiated (NI)



Resources

A11. Investigate the feasibility of a trolley service along the Miracle Mile (between UOP and West Harding Way) as a green and alternative transportation option.

NI Short MMID

NAC

Transportation Grant with RTD

A12. Develop outreach strategies to broaden circula-tion of the Miracle Mile newsletter and utiliza-tion of the community website, highlighting activities and events relevant to the corridor.

NI Short MMID

NAC

A13. Extend the northern boundary of the Miracle Mile Improvement District (MMID) to the Calaveras River.

NI Mid MMID

NAC

A1. Encourage property owners to implement façade improvements along the Miracle Mile that create a unifi ed character and reinforce the sense of place.

P Short MMID

NAC

A CORRIDORS

A14



PACIFIC AVENUE

Improvement Actions



initiated (NI)



Resources

A15 Identify vacant sites along the Miracle Mile and explore possible uses for sites that will support surrounding businesses, such as park-ing facilities or gathering spaces. Potential sites for study include:

> Walnut Street and Pacifi c Avenue;

> East Castle and Pacifi c Avenue; and

> Bedford Road and Pacifi c Avenue.

SS Mid MMID

City Planning

NAC

A16. Install a fl ashing crosswalk at the intersection of Regent Street and Pacifi c Avenue to improve access to the post offi ce.

LS Mid-Long City Traffi c (Public Works)

A17. Install planted medians in areas where striped medians currently exist. If possible, partner with the MMID to incorporate streetscape and landscape improvements into an overall Miracle Mile identity program.

SS Mid-Long Public Works

MMID

A CORRIDORS

A15



WEST HARDING WAY (NORTH PERSHING AVENUE TO NORTH CALIFORNIA STREET)

Improvement Actions



initiated (NI)



Resources

A18. Building on the General Plan and existing de-sign guidelines, revitalize the existing neighbor-hood node along West Harding Way between Pacifi c and North El Dorado streets. (See Cor-ridors A1). Additional efforts should support the improved integration of this node into the Miracle Mile Improvement District.

SS Mid City Planning

MMID

NAC

A19. Implement streetscape improvements, such as:

> Street trees;

> Landscaping;

> Trash receptacles; and

> Improved bus shelters, bus turn-outs and passenger loading/unloading areas.

SS Mid City Redevelopment

Public Works Capital Improvement Program

NAC

A CORRIDORS



CODE ENFORCEMENT

Improvement Actions



initiated (NI)



Resources

A20. In coordination with the City’s V.O.I.C.E. pro-gram, strengthen code enforcement for new signage and encourage those grandfathered under old signage codes to voluntarily adapt to new codes to maintain preferred neighborhood character. Particular areas to improve include:

> Alpine Avenue at North El Dorado Street;

> Harding Way at North El Dorado Street; and

> Harding Way at Pacifi c Avenue.

P Short Neighborhood Services (Police Department)

NAC

MMID

A2. Remove excessive signage and billboards or consolidate signage, where possible, to main-tain the character and desired aesthetic quality of the University neighborhood.

P Mid Code Enforcement (Police Department)

NAC

MMID

A CORRIDORS

A21



Goals

Create a network of comfortable and safe pedestrian and

bicycle connections throughout the University neighborhood.

Support multiple modes of transportation, including bicycles,

buses, trolleys and automobiles.

Enhance the sense of place and identity in the University

neighborhood and its sub-neighborhoods.

Encourage attractive public areas, landscaping and streetscapes

that are context-based and respond to local history.

Ensure clean and well-maintained neighborhoods.

Improve streetscapes and landscaping to enhance the unique

character of the area and to create a unifi ed character.

B NEIGHBORHOODS



NEIGHBORHOOD CONNECTIONS

Improvement Actions



initiated (NI)



Resources

B1. Identify possible pedestrian trail or mid-block pathways to create safe and pleasant connec-tions through the neighborhood. Especially target links that strengthen connections: to the south of the College View area; to the east of North El Dorado Street; to the Calav-eras River; and to the UOP campus. Explore opportunities in the following areas:

> The alleyway between Alpine Avenue and Dave Brubeck Way (as a connection to the Miracle Mile);

> Other underutilized alleyways;

> Former Union Pacifi c rights-of-way; and

> Areas along the south side of the Calaveras River.


NAC

Transportation Funding

B NEIGHBORHOODS

B1



NEIGHBORHOOD CONNECTIONS

Improvement Actions



initiated (NI)



Resources

B2. Coordinate with the City’s existing bike plans to designate bicycle boulevards with bicycle improvements and interconnected bike routes in the neighborhood, such as:

> Bike lane striping; and

> Bicycle boulevard street signs and directional and distance signs.


City Planning

NAC

Local Bike Clubs

Transportation Funding

B3. Improve bus shelters, bus turn-outs, passen-ger loading/unloading areas identifi ed for key corridors (see Corridors) and identify other locations for improvement throughout the neighborhood.

LS Short SJRTD

Public Works

NAC

B NEIGHBORHOODS

B3

B2



TRAFFIC CALMING

Improvement Actions



initiated (NI)



Resources

B4. Encourage residents to participate in the City’s Neighborhood Traffi c Management Pro-gram (NTMP) and identify high-traffi c streets in order to address concerns about safety, noise and quality of life issues related to auto traffi c. Following are streets that community members have identifi ed as high-traffi c areas, but either have not participated in the NTMP or have not completed NTMP improvements:

> Monterey Street between El Dorado Street and California Street;

> South Tuxedo Drive between Kensington Way and Pacifi c Avenue;

> Fulton Street between El Dorado Street and Pacifi c Avenue;

> Castle Street; and

> Oxford Circle area, west of Stockton Street, south of Oxford Street, North of Tuxedo street and East of Pershing Avenue.

SS Short Public Works

NAC

B NEIGHBORHOODS

B4



NEIGHBORHOOD IDENTITY

Improvement Actions



initiated (NI)



Resources

B5. Design and install markers and/or public art to reinforce the unique qualities of the University neighborhood. Installations can be placed within the University neighborhood’s sub-neighbor-hoods, or to mark the following gateways into the area:

> North Pershing Avenue at River Drive;

> North Pershing Avenue at Mendocino Avenue;

> Pacifi c Avenue at West Harding Way (also see Corridors);

> Pacifi c Avenue at Calaveras River;

> Pacifi c Avenue at Alpine Avenue;

> North El Dorado at West Harding (also see Corridors); and

> North El Dorado at Calaveras River (also see Corridors).

SS Mid-Long City Public Art Com-mittee

MMID

NAC

UO P Art Department

Local Galleries

B NEIGHBORHOODS



NEIGHBORHOOD IDENTITY

Improvement Actions



initiated (NI)



Resources

B6. Collaborate with Stockton’s Cultural Heritage Board to consider creating a historic district in Bours Park and/or Tuxedo Park.

NI Short-Mid NAC

Cultural Heritage Board

B7. In coordination with UOP, develop a wayfi nd-ing strategy to improve access and orientation around and through the campus.

NI Mid UOP

NAC

B8. Improve outreach to residents regarding existing codes to reduce violations and ensure well-main-tained neighborhood properties.

> Hold a regular informational forum and training for property owners to review current codes.

P Short NAC

B9. Trim street trees throughout the neighborhood and remove mistletoe.

P Mid NAC

MMID

B NEIGHBORHOODS



Goals

Add to the network of University neighborhood parks and open

space.

Collaborate with the Friends of the Lower Calaveras River to

enhance restoration and recreational opportunities along the

Calaveras River.

Develop a system of multi-use recreational trails

throughout neighborhoods.

Improve and activate existing neighborhood parks

and open spaces.

Explore opportunities to develop underutilized parcels as parks,

community gardens or green space.




OPEN SPACE NETWORK EXPANSION

Improvement Actions



initiated (NI)



Resources

C1. Identify sites for potential “pocket” parks, tot lots and recreational amenities within walking distance of homes. Preliminary areas to target include:

> Bours Park; and

> College View neighborhood.

SS Mid-Long City Redevelopment

City Planning

Public Works

NAC

C2. Locate opportunity sites for community gardens and school gardens and conduct feasibility assessments.

SS Mid NAC

C3. Identify areas for plazas, community gathering places and other social infrastructure, particularly along the Miracle Mile and in areas currently lack-ing gathering space.


NAC





Improvement Actions



initiated (NI)



Resources

C4. Explore opportunities to clean up and reuse con-taminated parcels as parks or gathering areas. Seek opportunities to secure state funds for clean-up of Brownfi eld sites.


City Planning

NAC

C5. Collaborate with the Friends of the Lower Cala-veras River to champion river-related improve-ments, such as identifying areas for environmen-tal restoration and recreational amenities. Include the area between Pacifi c Avenue and North El Dorado Street.

SS Short NAC

Friends of the Lower Calaveras River

UOP

C6. Assess the feasibility of developing of a linear park (with a multi-use bike trail) along the south side of the Calaveras River.

SS Short Parks


UOP





Improvement Actions



initiated (NI)



Resources

C7. Explore feasibility of developing a network of rec-reational trails in areas including:

> Along the south side of the Calaveras River;

> Along the former Union Pacifi c right-of-way; and

> In underutilized areas.


City Community Services


C8. Locate sites for use as community gardens. SS Mid Revitalization Department

Parks

IMPROVEMENTS TO EXISTING PARKS

C8. Improve pedestrian access and visibility at American Legion Park with sidewalks along Tuxedo and a well-marked entrance.

LS Short Public Works



C9




Improvement Actions



initiated (NI)



Resources

C10. Explore opportunities to activate Caldwell Park and improve the relationship between the park and adjacent retail uses (particularly S-Mart). Consider improved park and retail orientation, strengthened pedestrian connections and po-tential retail use (such as outdoor seating) that spill into the park.


C. Improve access to Caldwell Park by installing sidewalks along Allston Way. Explore feasibil-ity of narrowing Allston Way between Alpine Avenue and Monterey Avenue, and using re-claimed area for new sidewalks and streetscape improvements.

LS Mid Public Works


C12. Redesign and renovate public restrooms in American Legion and Caldwell parks.

SS Long City Redevelopment



C11




Improvement Actions



initiated (NI)



Resources

C13. Explore possible opportunities to install gazebos or other amenities that help attract users and support community events at parks, such as concerts and fairs.

SS Mid-Long City Planning


NAC




Goals

Maximize mixed-use development and multi-family residential

development around potential neighborhood nodes.

Pursue infi ll development opportunities that support

economic revitalization.

Connect business and property owners with revitalization

and organizational tools.




BUSINESS RETENTION AND ATTRACTION

Improvement Actions



initiated (NI)



Resources

D1. Inventory vacant businesses and conduct a mar-ket analysis to assess viable business opportuni-ties.

SS Short City Economic Development

NAC

D2. Develop a business attraction strategy and incen-tives to:

> Attract preferred businesses and development proposals that align with corridor revitalization plans and neighborhood node guidelines;

> Attract neighborhood-serving retail and commercial services to key corridors, particularly around neighborhood nodes;

> Encourage mixed-use, mid-rise multi-family housing around neighborhood nodes to ensure adequate density to support local retail.

SS Short City Redevelopment

City Economic Development

NAC

D3. Revitalize “Antique Row” along West Harding Way and develop strategies to attract shoppers and out-of-town visitors.

SS Short MMID

NAC




REVITALIZATION SITES

Improvement Actions



initiated (NI)



Resources

D4. Identify neglected “orphan” sites and target revitalization projects. Capitalize on funding that may be available for clean-up of Brownfi eld sites.

SS Short-Mid Revitalization Department

NAC

OUTREACH AND MARKETING

D5. Strengthen outreach to maximize use of the fa-çade loan program and develop other incentives to encourage façade improvements.

P Short Revitalization Department

NAC

D6. Provide PBID formation tools to encourage and assist business owners and stakeholders in imple-menting improvements


D7. Expand outreach to business owners to increase participation in small business development programs.


NAC




OUTREACH AND MARKETING

Improvement Actions



initiated (NI)



Resources

D8. In cooperation with local PBIDs and merchants’ associations, develop a neighborhood-wide marketing campaign to encourage residents to “shop local” and support University neighborhood businesses.

P Short MMID

NAC

D9. Capture opportunities to engage UOP stu-dents on the Miracle Mile by:

> Surveying student retail and shopping experience preferences; and

> Developing marketing materials to change the mindset about the Mile.

P Ongoing Town and Gown Group

NAC

MMID

UOP

D10. Distribute “Pacifi c Passes” or other discount coupons to UOP students to encourage them to shop the Miracle Mile.

NI Short MMID


D9



Goals

Improve access to community facilities.

Develop community programs and facilities to serve

the health, social, educational and recreational needs of

University neighborhood residents of all ages.

Ensure diverse, high-quality programming to target the

needs and interests of youth and teens.




PROGRAMS

Improvement Actions



initiated (NI)



Resources

E1. Conduct a University neighborhood-specifi c com-munity needs assessment to determine compre-hensive program needs for the area.

SS Short City Redevelopment


NAC

E2. Expand diverse and constructive programs for youth and teens through recreation and after-school programs.

P Mid City Community Services

PARTNERSHIPS

E3. Pursue joint-use facility agreements to accom-modate space for youth and teen program use. Explore initial opportunities with:

> Central United Methodist Church;

> First Baptist Church;

> Oak Park; and

> El Dorado School grounds.

SS Short City Community Services

NAC

UOP




PARTNERSHIPS

Improvement Actions



initiated (NI)



Resources

E4. Partner with the Adult School to expand recre-ational space and provide programs for area youth, teens and UOP students. Ideas to explore include:

> Youth or college radio station;

> Billiards room; and

> Computer center.

SS Short SUSD

NAC

UOP




PARTNERSHIPS

Improvement Actions



initiated (NI)



Resources

E5. Develop strategic partnerships with local orga-nizations to enrich and maximize facility use and program offerings. Explore opportunities to for-malize partnerships with:

> The faith community (Central United Methodist, First Unitarian, First Baptist Church, Annunciation Parish, among others);

> The Rotary Club, Boy/Girl Scouts of America and other service organizations;

> Neighborhood schools and the Stockton Unifi ed School District;

> University of the Pacifi c (UOP);

> The Stockton library system;

> Stockton2020; and

> St. Joseph’s Hospital.

SS Short-Mid City Community Services

NAC




PARTNERSHIPS

Improvement Actions



initiated (NI)



Resources

E6. Partner with local schools to engage students in neighborhood improvement activities, such as lit-ter abatement, street planting and public art.

NI Short NAC

MMID

UOP




COMMUNITY FACILITIES

Improvement Actions



initiated (NI)



Resources

E7. Identify a location for a potential satellite or branch library and/or other opportunities to expand library services in the neighborhood. Ex-plore the possibility of using an existing retail or storefront space, such as:

> West Harding Way at Madison Street (former branch location); or

> Along North El Dorado Street.

SS Short-Mid City Community Services

Stockton 2020

E8. Partner with the Stockton Unifi ed School District to adopt policies to allow community use of school facilities during non-school hours.

NI Short-Mid City Redevelopment


NAC




Goals

Raise awareness of both perceptions and realities of criminal

activity in the neighborhood.

Strengthen City-resident partnership to improve safety

and security.

Increase public safety and reduce the fear of crime in the

neighborhood.

Create a strong neighborhood watch network.

Limit and mitigate nuisances such as vandalism, graffi ti,

panhandling and noise.




OUTREACH AND COLLABORATION

Improvement Actions



initiated (NI)



Resources

F1. Develop a public awareness education program to inform residents about public safety concerns in the neighborhood. Include outreach such as:

> Widely distributing information about existing crime prevention programs to the community; and

> Organizing public safety forums and crime prevention presentations by police offi cers to review crime statistics, discuss neighborhood watch and present safety precautions for residents. Target audiences include neighborhood residents, community organizations, school groups, property and home owners’ associations and neighborhood watch groups.

P Short Police Department

NAC




OUTREACH AND COLLABORATION

Improvement Actions



initiated (NI)



Resources

F2. Hold community safety events to foster coopera-tion between neighbors, police and the City. Pos-sible event themes include National Night Out or a community night safety walk to identify specifi c areas of concern.

P Ongoing Police Department

NAC

PHYSICAL IMPROVEMENTS

F3. Encourage residential and commercial property owners to install yard/house lighting through public outreach and/or incentives. Where possible, encourage the use of light bulbs and lighting designs that reduce light pollution.

P Mid Police Department

NAC

F4. Identify priority areas to install residential street lighting and repair existing street lights.

SS Mid Police Department

Public Works

NAC





Improvement Actions



initiated (NI)



Resources

F5. Install lighting improvements to deter crime in and around Caldwell and American Legion parks.

LS Short City Community Services

Public Works

NAC

F6. Develop and adopt design guidelines that deter criminal activity in neighborhoods, streets and public areas. Encourage physical design and ac-tive uses that allow for “eyes on the street” or informal surveillance of public areas. Initial guide-lines should include mixed uses that facilitate natural surveillance, and design features such as: doors and windows that look onto streets and other common areas; front porches; low land-scaping; adequate lighting; transparent fencing; and windowed stairwells.

SS Long City Planning

NAC


F5



Goals

Strengthen neighborhood leadership, advocacy and

organizational capacity.

Expand collaboration with the University of the Pacifi c (UOP)

administration and student body.

Build community cohesion through neighborhood

social events.

Improve communication about neighborhood activities,

events and news.

G NEIGHBORHOOD ORGANIZATION AND COMMUNICATION



NEIGHBORHOOD ORGANIZATION AND COHESION

Improvement Actions



initiated (NI)



Resources

G1. Support local neighborhood groups to proactive-ly pursue neighborhood improvements by:

> Providing tools for neighborhood-based groups to gain nonprofi t status and improve access to funding and other resources; and

> Holding neighborhood leadership training programs.

P Ongoing City Planning

City Redevelopment (Community You)

G2. Recruit a Neighborhood Action Committee (NAC) representative to participate in the City’s Town and Gown Committee.

NI Completed NAC

Town and Gown Committee




NEIGHBORHOOD ORGANIZATION AND COHESION

Improvement Actions



initiated (NI)



Resources

G3. Collaborate with UOP to provide mutually benefi cial service-learning opportunities that supplement students’ classroom learning experiences and enhance the neighborhood. Explore arrangements such as independent study credits for service. Service projects could include:

> Writing grant proposals;

> Organizing neighborhood events; or

> Assisting neighborhood committees.

NI Short NAC

UOP

City Redevelopment (Community You)

G4. Hold neighborhood celebrations, parades, an-tique fairs, and other retail and social events. Neighborhood diversity and history could be key celebration focus areas.

> Form a committee(s) to spearhead ongoing neighborhood social events, including larger celebrations as well as small-scale endeavors such as holiday decorating; and

> Collaborate with UOP to organize special events.

NI Short NAC

MMID


G4

G3



NEIGHBORHOOD COMMUNICATION

Improvement Actions



initiated (NI)



Resources

G5. Host a neighborhood website to connect with residents. The site could include information about: neighborhood and UOP events and projects, Miracle Mile news and other retail node information, volunteer opportunities, safety, neighborhood watch groups and im-portant contacts.

NI Short NAC

MMID

UOP

G6. Install a message kiosk in a key location on the Miracle Mile to post neighborhood communication.

SS Short MMID


G5


THE UNIVERSITY NEIGHBORHOOD RENAISSANCE PLAN represents the fi rst

step in making positive improvements in the

area. Moving into implementation stages, the

growth of the Neighborhood Action Committee

(NAC) into a cohesive planning body, capable of

sustaining the interests of the community and

engendering broad community participation is a

top priority.

Plan Implementation

This Plan provides a strategic framework for

future actions and guidance to community

members as they work, with assistance from City

staff, to advance the neighborhood’s vision for

the future. However, ongoing participation

from both community members and

staff is essential to the success of the

neighborhood improvement planning

effort. Local residents, businesses and property

owners, and other stakeholders are encouraged

to continue to participate in reshaping the

community over time.

Moving forward, the NAC will be pivotal to

continuing the life and success of the aspirations

defi ned in this document. With the December

2009 adoption of the University Neighborhood

Renaissance Plan, the NAC’s primary

responsibility shifts from providing insight into

Plan development, to working in partnership

with the City to achieve neighborhood

improvement goals.

During this “implementation” phase, focal

responsibilities of the NAC and community

volunteers may include:

• Championing implementation of neighbor-

hood-initiated top priority improvements;

• Collaborating with City staff to assist with

implementation of other improvements

where possible;

• Working with staff to build partnerships

with UOP, faith organizations and schools;

• Seeking funding through grants, and other

public and private investments to leverage

improvements;

• Providing input to the City for design and

development of public projects;

• Acting as information liaisons to the greater

University neighborhood on the status of

projects underway; and

• Periodically reviewing improvement themes,

goals and actions, and adjusting priorities as

improvements are accomplished.

A key Neighborhood Renaissance Program

(NRP) aspiration is to support a long-

term grassroots approach to neighborhood

improvement, with the NAC becoming an

autonomous group – or even a nonprofi t

organization – directing meetings, creating

task forces to address areas of special concern,

and relying on technical support from City staff

where necessary.

Directions for the Future 5chapter


Capacity building sessions involving topics

such as facilitation, consensus-building and

leadership training are planned to support the

NAC and prospective volunteers in these efforts

to proactively carry out improvements outlined

in the University Neighborhood Renaissance

Plan. The NAC may consider applying for

501(c)3 status in order to enable it to raise

funds, have autonomy as it implements the

improvements and ensure that the neighborhood

improvement process continues to move forward

in the coming years.

Progress UnderwayMany key improvement actions have already

received attention as a result of the community’s

participation in the neighborhood improvement

process to-date. Implementation of these actions

was initiated by both community members and

City staff, and the actions fall under a number

of different improvement themes and project

categories. Following is a list of improvement

actions underway at the time of this Plan’s

writing.

California Street Improvements. Planned street

improvements include street grading and wheelchair

ramp installations, erosion control measures, and

street striping and in-roadway crosswalk warning

lights at Arcade Street. Implementation of the North

California Street improvements is projected to begin

in 2010.

North El Dorado Street Widening. Community

opposition to the City’s plans to widen the roadway

and reduce sidewalk rights-of-way prompted the

City Council to direct community members and

City staff to negotiate a compromise plan. As of

this writing, the City Council subcommittee selected

a citizen plan to add new crosswalks and widen

sidewalks along the street.

University Neighborhood Website. UOP offi cials

responded to community members’ concerns about

neighborhood communication by offering to host a

website for members of the University neighborhood.

Discussions are underway between the Miracle Mile

Improvement District (MMID), UOP and City staff

regarding website implementation.

Prowl‘n the Mile Street Festival. Students from

the UOP Business School partnered with the Miracle

Mile Improvement District to host a free street

festival on Pacifi c Avenue for UOP students and

community members. Community members hope

that this will become an annual event, and part of

regular efforts to coordinate celebratory events with

UOP.

Trolley Service. The MMID and RTD piloted a free

trolley service connecting UOP, the Miracle Mile and

Downtown Stockton during the 2008 holiday season.

The MMID plans to explore future opportunities

to operate a trolley service along the Miracle Mile,

with the hope of establishing a regular service in the

future.

Miracle Mile Improvement District Gateway

Plan. The MMID has taken steps to implement a

strategy to mark the north and south entrances

to the Miracle Mile with public art, pedestrian

safety improvements and landscaping. They have

worked with a local landscape architect to design

the gateways and will present their plans to the City

for support and funding in the near future. Their

gateway plan enjoys broad community support and

ties in with Pacifi c Avenue improvements currently

planned north of the Calaveras River.

D I R E C T I O N S F O R T H E F U T U R E5

Prepared by

MIG, Inc.

800 Hearst Avenue

Berkeley, California 94710

510 845 7549

www.migcom.com

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