HomeMy WebLinkAboutVisionOshkoshOshkosh
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Prepared by: A. Nelessen Associates, Inc.
Prepared for: The City of Oshkosh, WI
Summer 2009
Vision Report: City of Oshkosh
Acknowledgements:
The City of Oshkosh
Oshkosh Area Community Foundation
Oshkosh Chamber of Commerce
Oshkosh Convention & Visitors Bureau
University of Wisconsin Oshkosh
The Northwestern
Propel
Lutheran Homes of Oshkosh
Mercy Medical Center - Affi nity Health Systems
Table of Contents
Introduction 1
Community Assessment 5
Streets 23
Built Form 33
Pedestrian Realm 43
Frontages 49
Waterfront 51
Sustainability 55
Health 61
UW Oshkosh Relationship 67
First Priorities 71
Appendix 73
Introduction
1 A. Nelessen Associates, Inc. - Visioning | Planning | Urban Design
Overview
Where do you think Oshkosh will be in fi ve years? Ten years? Twen-
ty years? How do you think Oshkosh can take better advantage of
the natural, recreational and cultural resources that are part of our
community? What is your vision for making Oshkosh a better place
to live, work and play?
These were all questions that citizens, community organizations
and the city as a whole needed better answers, particularly at a time
of a major economic downturn. With these questions in mind, con-
cerned community partners came together to fund and develop a
process to develop a unifi ed vision for the community.
After discussing expectations and requesting proposals from a num-
ber of consultants, the steering committee hired A. Nelessen Asso-
ciates to conduct an inclusive community-wide visioning process.
At the completion of the visioning process, we anticipate that A. Ne-
lessen Associates will have identifi ed and analyze emerging trends
and community issues, articulated core community values, develop
a community vision based on communities’ core values and es-
tablish a vision action plan to implement the vision, and defi ned a
method to revisit and update the vision and action plan.
Our goal is to establish a vision that will enhance the appeal of Osh-
kosh in ways that would be consistent with the heritage of the com-
munity, the character of commercial interests and neighbors, and
the future that we all want to make as promising as possible. We
anticipate that a unifi ed vision will create a profound and positive
impact on the social, residential and commercial enterprises of the
Oshkosh area.
The A. Nelessen Associates Process
Public participation is critical for the future implementation of any
plan, because no one knows a community better than the people
who live and work there. By sponsoring Vision Oshkosh, the Steer-
ing Committee of Oshkosh gave residents, visitors, business opera-
tors, developers and land owners, an opportunity to participate in
the creation of the future plan for their City. This unique process,
which utilized a variety of Meetings, Community Workshops, and
the Internet, was successful due to extraordinary civic interest.
Obtaining public input is a hallmark of good planning. A. Nelessen
Associates, Inc. (ANA) was selected to guide Vision Oshkosh because
of their innovative public involvement process. Three primary
2City of Oshkosh Vision Report
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techniques were used to gather information from the community:
the Visual Preference SurveyTM (VPSTM), a Demographic, Market
and Policy Questionnaire, and the Vision Translation Workshop.
The intricacies of each of these techniques will be described in the
following section.
The outreach process began with a meeting between the ANA and
the Steering Committee. The ANA Team held a conversational
meeting with this committee to gain a better understanding of the
attitudes and beliefs of the community. A second larger meeting
with the Citizens Advisory Committee (CAC), which was open to
the public, was held following the Steering Committee meeting. The
CAC meeting consisted of an overview of the ANA process, current
trends in planning, as well as a question and answer session soliciting
feedback from area residents on the strengths and opportunities
for change available in Oshkosh. Feedback from these stakeholders
was utilized to tailor the Community Workshop to meet the City’s
unique needs. Results from the Community Workshop and Online
participation informed the fi nal Vision Report recommendations
found in this document.
The results will be presented in categories including; streets, built
form, pedestrian realm, frontages, waterfront, sustainability,
health, and UW relationship. Each category will form a chapter
that reveals the fi ndings from the Community Workshops, and
Online participation. A series of actions and recommendations are
clearly defi ned from these fi ndings. The fi nal chapter of this report
will list the top priorities and next steps for the City of Oshkosh. As
this report and visioning process was conducted during the 2008-
2009 recession, proposals have been made for the near term that
will cost the City little, many of them pertain to further planning
and zoning efforts. These efforts will provide the City with the
necessary direction, vision, and regulations in order to incorporate
new development once the markets rebound, as well as work with
State and County governments to ensure large infrastructure
projects also include the pertinent elements of this vision. The
Vision generated by the citizens of Oshkosh sets a new standards
and trend for healthy sustainable cities in the New North.
The Study Area
The Base Map used at the public meetings is shown on the right.
The Study area delineated in red includes the entire City of Oshkosh.
The City is made up of approximately 24 sq miles of land area
located in the heart of the Fox River valley. Within the boundaries
is a diverse mix of single family homes, downtown shops, highway
strip malls, and waterfront. Approximately 65,000 residents call
Oshkosh home.
3 A. Nelessen Associates, Inc. - Visioning | Planning | Urban Design
Introduction
0 2,000 4,000 Feet
0 1 2 Miles
Lake Winnebago
Lake Butte des Morts
UN
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Wittman
Regional Airport
Westhaven
Golf Club
University of
Wisconsin
Oshkosh
Lakeshore
Golf Club
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Parks
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Map No. 1 Study Area
4City of Oshkosh Vision Report
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Inthepast10years,theCityofOshkosh:
27%
25%
6%
Inthepast10years,theCityofOshkosh:
Becamemoreofaplacethat
I want to live and/or work27%
25%
6%
Inthepast10years,theCityofOshkosh:
Becamemoreofaplacethat
Iwanttoliveand/orwork
BecamelessofaplacethatI
wanttoliveand/orwork
Remained the same
27%
42%
25%
6%
Inthepast10years,theCityofOshkosh:
Becamemoreofaplacethat
Iwanttoliveand/orwork
BecamelessofaplacethatI
wanttoliveand/orwork
Remainedthesame
Can’tjudge
27%
42%
25%
6%
Inthepast10years,theCityofOshkosh:
Becamemoreofaplacethat
Iwanttoliveand/orwork
BecamelessofaplacethatI
wanttoliveand/orwork
Remainedthesame
Can’tjudge
27%
42%
25%
6%
Inthepast10years,theCityofOshkosh:
Becamemoreofaplacethat
Iwanttoliveand/orwork
BecamelessofaplacethatI
wanttoliveand/orwork
Remainedthesame
Can’tjudge
27%
42%
25%
6%
Inthepast10years,theCityofOshkosh:
Becamemoreofaplacethat
Iwanttoliveand/orwork
BecamelessofaplacethatI
wanttoliveand/orwork
Remainedthesame
Can’tjudge
DoyouconsiderOshkoshasafeplacetolive,work,
andrecreate?*
73%
DoyouconsiderOshkoshasafeplacetolive,work,
andrecreate?*
73%
DoyouconsiderOshkoshasafeplacetolive,work,
andrecreate?*
73%
25%
DoyouconsiderOshkoshasafeplacetolive,work,
andrecreate?*
73%
25%
1%
Yes Insomeplaces No
DoyouconsiderOshkoshasafeplacetolive,work,
andrecreate?*
73%
25%
1%
Yes Insomeplaces No
DoyouconsiderOshkoshasafeplacetolive,work,
andrecreate?*
73%
25%
1%
Yes Insomeplaces No
DoyouconsiderOshkoshasafeplacetolive,work,
andrecreate?*
47%
26%
18%
PleasebestrankyourcurrentQualityofLifeliving
inthisArea:
6%
47%
26%
18%
4%1%
Highly
Satisfied
Satisfied Neutral Unsatisfied Highly
Unsatisfied
Idon't
know
PleasebestrankyourcurrentQualityofLifeliving
inthisArea:
Participants view Oshkosh as a safe
and satisfactory place to live. The re-
sults of the middle graph, 42% report-
ing that Oshkosh has become less of a
place they want to live and/or work,
suggests that they their satisfaction is
waning with every year and with only
6% of participants reporting that they
are highly satisfi ed with their qual-
ity of life in Oshkosh, people are not
enthusiastic or aspirant about thier
lives in Oshkosh. These results suggest
a general aceptance of the status quo
until the status quo is compared to the
past.
Community Assessment
5 A. Nelessen Associates, Inc. - Visioning | Planning | Urban Design
2321 participants helped generate the future vision
for Oshkosh, which is an extraordinary turn out for
cities much larger than Oshkosh.
Workshop Summary
The Visioning Process included two full Community Workshops
as well as online participation. In April, two full-scale public
Community Workshops were held. Both events were held at the
Oshkosh Convention Center. Nearly 200 people participated in the
Community Workshops where attendees completed the VPSTM and
Questionnaire, and then formed design teams to tackle the Vision
Translation Workshop. In total, the input from 36 design teams was
incorporated into the mapping results found in this plan.
An unprecedented number of concerned citizens participated in
the Visioning process online; 2,141 participants in only a six week
period. The total amount of participants was approximately 2,321.
The results from both of the Community Workshops and the Online
Survey were combined and are compiled in the Appendix. Anything
marked with an “*” in this document was tested exclusively at the
public meetings and was not available online. This section will
provide a description of each portion of the Community Workshop,
the VPS, Questionnaire, and Translation Workshop. Demographics,
existing photo results, and the Susceptibility to Change map will be
presented to establish a baseline for the Study Area.
Each of the following public participation tools will be described in
this section:
1) The Visual Preference Survey TM
2) Demographic, Market, and Policy Questionnaire
3) Vision Translation Workshop
6City of Oshkosh Vision Report
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7 A. Nelessen Associates, Inc. - Visioning | Planning | Urban Design
The Visual Preference Survey TM
The Visual Preference Survey (VPSTM) is a planning technique that
brings residents, planners, business owners, and community lead-
ers together to discuss and plan for the future. This technique was
fi rst used by ANA in 1975 and has since been used by hundreds of
communities to develop a consensus vision as to what they would
like their community to look and feel like in the future. Unlike other
surveys, the VPSTM aims to gather visual data from the people who
know a place best.
The Oshkosh VPSTM was built from a collection of local images, al-
ternatives from other locations, and digital simulations chosen to
measure preferences for future land use forms and transportation-
related issues. The local images were captured during the initial
fi eldwork in Oshkosh, while alternative images were assembled
from the nationally recognized ANA image library.
Participants were asked to rate each image on a scale of +10 to -10
on a computer scan form based on their appropriateness for the
study area. Images were presented in a variety of categories in-
cluding streets, building form, and sustainability. The results were
tabulated by mean and standard deviation. The composite scores
for each image revealed preferences and desires that are often dif-
fi cult to gather through traditional survey means.
Participants were asked to rank a series of images with the follow-
ing question in mind:
How appropriate is this image
now and in the future for the
City of Oshkosh?
Image 15 Street Types:Portions of major streets in Wheaton
could be converted to residential “urban boulevards” Tray 1Values are recorded from
-10 to +10. Fill in the circle
th tli th tonthe correctline that
corresponds to your image
response. For example, if
you feelthe imagetotheyoufeelthe imagetothe
right gets a +5 you would
fill in the +5 on the
corresponding linenumbercorresponding linenumber.
Less appropriate More appropriate
8City of Oshkosh Vision Report
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A Visual Preference Survey was administered during two public
meetings held on April 23rd & 24th, 2009. Approximately 180 par-
ticipants completed the VPSTM during these two meetings. The VP-
STM was also accessible to the community via the web. 2159 mem-
bers of the community logged on to thenorthwestern.com to take
the online version of the Visual Preference Survey.
The intensity of the reactions to each image provides direction for
future planning, zoning, development, and redevelopment options.
Negatively rated images illustrate the visual and spatial characteris-
tics of what people do not want and will not support. Images which
receive high positive ratings illustrate the elements and character-
istics that people want. The highest values within a single category
often set the agenda for future planning and policy efforts.
Two statistics are used to analyze each image; the mean (fi rst
number) is the average score generated by the participants who took
the survey. The standard deviation (number in parentheses) is an
approximate range of the participants’ scores. To best understand
the degree of consensus, add or subtract the standard deviation from
the mean to approximate the range. Smaller standard deviations
suggest a great degree of consensus surrounding an image.
The highest rated images represent the visual and spatial
characteristics desired for Oshkosh. These highest rated images
along with the results of the questionnaire and the synthesis
of the Vision Translation Workshop were formulated into the
recommendations presented here.
The Visual Preference Survey™ was composed of eight categories:
• Streets
• Built Form
• Pedestrian Realm
• Frontages
• Waterfront
• Sustainability
• Health
• UW Relationship
Rating = +6 (4)
Standard Deviation
Mean
How to Read the Scores
It is important to understand that
negative images are a visual and emo-
tional depressant robbing the future of
hope.
Positive images provide a real hope
for the future.
9 A. Nelessen Associates, Inc. - Visioning | Planning | Urban Design
VPSTM Existing Photo Results
In order to set a visual baseline for the study, it is illustrative to view the scores of all of the present day Oshkosh
photos. Those that have a neutral or negative score illustrate areas for future change, such as burying power
lines, improving architectural standards or improving streetscapes. Those images that scored positively
should serve as guidepost for future improvements and development. The following photos are provided
solely to illustrate how Oshkosh residents currently rate their city. Oshkosh images from six categories are
represented. Exact policy recommendations will be made in the following sections.
Line 31 Existing Arterial Street
4(4)4(4)
Line 34 One Way Street
3(5)-3(5)
Existing: Streets
Line 47 Power Lines
5(4)-5(4)
Line 30 Existing Arterial Street
2(5)-2(5)
Line 35 Two Way Streets
0(5)0(5)
Line 36 Existing Frontage Street
1(5)-1(5)
10City of Oshkosh Vision Report
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Existing: Buildings
Line 2 Existing Historic Mixed Use
6(4)6(4)
Line 1 Existing Multi-Family Housing
1(6)1(6)
Line 12 Existing Town Homes
1(5)-1(5)
11 A. Nelessen Associates, Inc. - Visioning | Planning | Urban Design
Line 19 Commercial Tree lined Sidewalk
6(4)6(4)
Existing: Pedestrian Realm - Positive
Line 26 Tree lined Residential Sidewalk
5(4)5(4)
Line 25 Residential sidewalk with wide Terrace
4(4)4(4)
12City of Oshkosh Vision Report
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Line 21 Highway Retail Frontage Street
2(5)-2(5)
Line 16 Commercial sidewalk without Terrace
3(5)-3(5)
Line 23 Residential sidewalk without Terrace
7(4)-7(4)
Line 27 Residential Sidewalk with no curbs
4(5)-4(5)
Line 24 Residential sidewalk with narrow Terrace
1(5)-1(5)
Existing: Pedestrian Realm - Negative
13 A. Nelessen Associates, Inc. - Visioning | Planning | Urban Design
Line 50 Clear Glass Window Retail Frontage
3(4)3(4)
Line 58 Flat Retail Signage
2(4)2(4)
Line 49 Existing Retail Frontage
1(5)-1(5)
Line 48 Existing Hwy 41
2(4)2(4)
Line 60 Large Signs
1(5)-1(5)
Existing: Frontages
14City of Oshkosh Vision Report
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Line 5 Campus Gateway
1(5)1(5)
Line 7 Campus Housing
0(5)0(5)
Line 4 Campus
6(4)6(4)
Line 70 Leech Amphitheater
6(4)6(4)
Line 71 Waterfront Industrial Buildings
6(5)-6(5)
Existing: Waterfront Existing: UW Campus
Line 67 Waterfront Single-Family Housing
3(5)3(5)
15 A. Nelessen Associates, Inc. - Visioning | Planning | Urban Design
Highest Rated VPSTM Images:
What People Want
Line 79 Farmer’s Market
8(3)8(3)
Line 62 Urban Riverfront Park
7(4)7(4)
This photo was the highest rated im-
age of the VPSTM was in the Health cat-
egory. This suggests that health is a
major priority for Oshkosh residents.
The addition of a Farmer’s market will
not only provide residents with access
to fresh produce it will also become an
important social space that should be
part of a walking experience.
Bicycle Paths consistently ranked well
in the VPS.TM The development of a
comprehensive network of multi use
trails and paths will provide a real al-
ternative to using an automobile for
local trips, improving personal health
and reducing air pollution.
The VPSTM clearly shows a desire for
continued improvement of waterfront
areas of the City. The walking experi-
ence must include trees, benches near
the water, quality beautiful paving
material and a multi-use bicycle trail
along the side of the walkway.
16City of Oshkosh Vision Report
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Lowest Rated VPSTM Images:
What People Don’t Want
Line 23 Residential sidewalk without Terrace
7(4)-7(4)
Line 47 Power Lines
5(4)-5(4)
This photo was the lowest rated im-
age of the VPS.TM This image like the
ones below it are of existing conditions
in the City. The focus or this photo is
the deteriorating pedestrian realm.
Cyclone fencing, deteriorated street
surfaces, and lack of any protection of
the pedestrian from the street by a ter-
race, trees, or bollards.
This photo represents a huge potential
for re-utilized waterfront industrial
sites. The later results in this report
indicate a desire to incorporate green
space in to any new development on
old industrial waterfront land.
This photo suggests that participates
do not think overhead wires are ap-
propriate for future development.
When new development occurs or
streets are repaved, efforts should be
made to conceal wires under ground,
or in alleys.
Line 71 Waterfront Industrial Buildings
6(5)-6(5)
17 A. Nelessen Associates, Inc. - Visioning | Planning | Urban Design
Questionnaire
After fi nishing the image-based VPS™, survey participants were
asked to complete a multiple-choice Demographic, Market, and
Policy Questionnaire. The questions were specifi cally tailored to
Oshkosh and allowed the consultant team to gather quantitative
data that correlated with the data collected from the VPSTM. The
questions ranged in subject but primarily dealt with current
conditions and a variety of development alternatives and priorities.
Topics included shopping patterns, economic development, traffi c
and commuting patterns, ratings of public facilities, neighborhoods
and housing, urban design, health, sustainability, the university,
and open space.
The full results of the questionnaire are located in the Appendix.
The demographic results are presented on the next pages to offer
a clear understanding of who participated in this process. Results
from each category are discussed within their corresponding section
of this report.
Demographics of the Participants
• People with a wide range of ages
participated from 15 to 67+. The
largest group of participants
ranged from 29 to 55.
• When asked to best describe their
interest in the future of Oshkosh,
the most frequent responses were:
home owner in the City (42.9%*),
property and business owner in the
City (17.2%*), and interested citizen
working in the City (14.1%*)
• Nearly half of public meeting
participants said the farthest they
travel to go shopping is Appleton
or Fond du Lac.
• Just over half (51.2%) of
participants live in a two person
household.
• 39.5%* of participants lived in
or near the City of Oshkosh for
more than 30 years and 43.5%* of
respondents plan to spend the rest
of their lives in or near the City.
When were you born?
30 0%
35.0%
Whenwereyouborn?
21 9%
30.4%29.5%
20 0%
25.0%
30.0%
21.9%
10 0%
15.0%
20.0%
7.4%
10.6%
0.1%
0 0%
5.0%
10.0%
0.0%
Before1941 1942to
1953
1954to
1965
1966to
1980
1981to
1994
After1995
3%
1%
2%
1%
1%
8%
Town of Black Wolf
TownofNekimi
TownofWinneconne
CityofMenasha
TownofVinland
Other
Wheredoyoulive?
71%
3%
9%
2%
3%
1%
2%
1%
1%
8%
CityofOshkosh
TownofOshkosh
TownofAlgoma
CityofNeenah
TownofBlackWolf
TownofNekimi
TownofWinneconne
CityofMenasha
TownofVinland
Other
Wheredoyoulive?
* Tested exclusively at public meetings and was not available online.
18City of Oshkosh Vision Report
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f d h d b i iHowoftendoyoushopordobusinessinDowntown
Oshkosh?
E d
5%
6%
14%
7%
Everyday
Alot(4timesormorea14%
37%
(
week)
Often(1to3timesa
week)
31%
week)
Sometimes(1to4timesa
month)
Rarely(1to2timesinsix
months)
How often do you shop or do business along theHowoftendoyoushopordobusinessalongthe
Highway41Corridor?
Every day
6%16%
5%1%Everyday
Alot(4timesormorea
30%week)
Often(1to3timesa
k)
42%
week)
Sometimes(1to4times
a month)amonth)
Rarely(1to2timesinsix
months)
What is your gender?Whatisyourgender?
41%
59%Female
MaleMale
19 A. Nelessen Associates, Inc. - Visioning | Planning | Urban Design
Vision Translation Workshop
Responses from the Visual Preference SurveyTM (VPS) and
community questionnaire provide an understanding of what
the community envisions as appropriate land use, visually and
spatially and perceptually for their future. The results of the Vision
Translation Workshop reveal where the community wants change
to occur,and what types of development or redevelopment should
occur in these locations.
Teams participated in the Vision Translation workshop portion of the
Community Workshops by completing drawing exercises on large
GIS base maps of the area. In total 36 design teams contributed to this
Vision Plan. Three maps were generated through these exercises at
the public meeting: Susceptibility to Change, Street Improvements,
and Locations for Types of Growth and Neighborhood Centers.
These exercises ask participants to physically identify areas in need
of improvement as well as the placement of a range of urban design
elements and mobility options. Workshop maps are described
throughout this document in the section to which they pertain with
the exception of the Susceptibility to Change Map which is explained
in detail on the following pages. It is important to understand the
results of this particular mapping exercise as it shows where the
greatest potential for redevelopment and change is perceived. It
provides a good baseline to work from. The Appendix has all 3 fi nal
workshop maps.
O S H K O S H
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Illustration of mapping exercise completed during the Transation
Workshop.
20City of Oshkosh Vision Report
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W
Illustration of mapping exercise complet-
ed during the Transation Workshop.
Participants at the Vision Translation workshop.
21 A. Nelessen Associates, Inc. - Visioning | Planning | Urban Design
Susceptibility to Change
The map shown on the following page represents a synthesis of the
input gathered during the Workshops. The susceptibility to change
maps indicates four broad categories: high, moderate, low, and
none.
High Susceptibility to Change – Colored Red
Areas identifi ed as highly susceptible to change, colored red on the
map, are the fi rst priority for development and redevelopment.
These are locations where the majority of participants thought
change from the existing conditions was imminent and necessary
in the immediate future. The highly susceptible areas on this map
typically include buildings in deteriorating condition, older single
story buildings, underutilized surface parking lots and aging and
vacant commercial buildings.
Moderate Susceptibility to Change – Colored Orange
The second highest priority redevelopment areas are indicated
in orange as moderately susceptible to change. The areas colored
orange are areas that will go through major changes including
removal of some existing buildings, rehabilitation of others and
targeted infi ll. Low
Susceptibility to Change – Colored Yellow
Areas needing only minor improvements and rehabilitation are
indicated in yellow on the maps. Little or no growth is expected in
low susceptibility to change areas. While these buildings will not
be redeveloped, it is our recommendation that any remodeling
or rehabilitation that happens in this area to conform to the
recommendations outlined in this plan. The areas colored yellow
are lots or buildings that will go through minor changes but will
substantially remain the same.
No Susceptibility to Change – Colored Green
The green areas found on the maps illustrate where change should
not occur. Included in this category are historically signifi cant and
newer buildings in excellent condition. Buildings within these areas
will not change in the foreseeable future (20-30 years)
The “Susceptibility to Change” results of the workshops show a
concentration of red along the two commercial corridors in Oshkosh,
Main Street and Highway 41. The areas north of the Downtown and
surrounding the University have been colored orange, as well as areas
along Highway 41 and the major streets leading from the highway
to the interior of the City. Areas of newer construction to the South
and West have been colored yellow and green. This pattern suggests
that greater focus is needed on maintaining or redeveloping existing
buildings as the majority of older neighborhoods were colored yellow
or orange. A focus on maintenance in yellow areas will allow the
City to concentrate redevelopment on the most egregious offenders
along the river front, lake front, Downtown and Highway 41.
The City should set its locations
redevelopment and public improvement
plans in the following order:
1) Red – Address immediately
2) Orange – Address soon
3) Yellow – on-going maintenance
4) Green – no need for change
22City of Oshkosh Vision Report
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0 2,000 4,000 Feet
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Lake Winnebago
Lake Butte des Morts
Wittman
Regional Airport
Westhaven
Golf Club
University of
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Oshkosh
Lakeshore
Golf Club
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Susceptibility To Change
None
Low
Moderate
High
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N O R T H
Streets
23 A. Nelessen Associates, Inc. - Visioning | Planning | Urban Design
* Tested exclusively at public meetings and was not available online.
Streets are a city’s most important public spaces – it
is where the major image of the City are formed.
Key Findings:
• Excessive noise and speed generated from vehicular traffi c
were identifi ed as problems on many of the City’s roadways.
Similarly, the current confi guration of many streets and
intersections has resulted in several pedestrian-vehicle
confl ict areas.
• Images depicting bicycling and bicycle infrastructure
received some of the highest scores during the Visual
Preference Survey™.
• 85% of all participants believe it is appropriate or extremely
appropriate to bury overhead utility lines while streets are
being improved or areas are being redeveloped.
• 64%* of public meeting participants believe it is appropriate
to eliminate some or all of the one-way streets in downtown
Oshkosh and replace them with streets carrying two-way
traffi c.
• 73%* of public meeting participants believe it is appropriate
or extremely appropriate to provide on-street parking
where possible. Furthermore, 60%* identifi ed angled head-
in parking as the preferred on-street parking arrangement.
9%
2%1%4%
Howappropriateisburyingutilitieswhenareasare
beingredevelopedorstreetsrepaved?
ExtremelyAppropriate
52%
32%
9%y pp p
Appropriate
SomewhatAppropriate
NotAppropriate
ExtremelyInappropriate
Idon’tknow
24City of Oshkosh Vision Report
St
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Howappropriateisittoimprovetheexistingcorridors
thatconnectHighway41todowntownOshkosh?
33%
20%
5%1%
5%ExtremelyAppropriate
20%Appropriate
SomewhatAppropriate
N t A i t
36%
NotAppropriate
ExtremelyInappropriate
I don’t knowIdon tknow
4%1%1%
Howappropriatewoulditbetonarrowexistingstreetsin
ordertoincreasethesizeofterracesandprovideonͲstreet
bikelanes?
47%
34%
13%
ExtremelyAppropriate
Appropriate
SomewhatAppropriate
NotAppropriate
ExtremelyInappropriate
Idon’tknow
Howappropriateiseliminatingsomeorallofthe
oneͲwaystreetsindowntownOshkoshandreplacing
themwithtwoͲwaystreetswithamaximumoftwo
drivinglanes?
25%
39%
18%
9%2%7%ExtremelyAppropriate
Appropriate
SomewhatAppropriate
NotAppropriate
ExtremelyInappropriate
Idon’tknow
25 A. Nelessen Associates, Inc. - Visioning | Planning | Urban Design
Line 43 Bicycle Paths
7(4)7(4)
Line 37 Main Street with wide sidewalks, trees and bike lanes
5(5)5(5)
Line 32 Arterial with wide sidewalks and street trees
6(4)6(4)
Bicycle paths were among the high-
est rated images in the entire Visual
Preference Survey™. Bicycle infra-
structure can become a critical link in
the City’s transportation network. A
comprehensive bicycle strategy will
include on-street bicycle lanes, multi-
use paths, trails, and storage facilities.
The implementation of a complete bi-
cycle network should be one of the pri-
orities for the City.
The high scores this street received are
attributable to its comfortable propor-
tions, wide sidewalks, regular street
trees, and continuous building wall.
This combination of factors makes it
both a pleasant driving and walking
experience.
This simulation tests a variety of en-
hancements to the City’s existing Main
Street (shown on the opposite page).
On-street parking is accommodated
using a system of curb bumpouts and
a prominently painted bicycle lane is
provided along the roadway. Distinc-
tive banners, lighting, and the use of
special paving materials adds to the
street’s sense of place. Well designed
ground fl oor retail serves to activate
the street. This improvement must be
coordinated with the improvements
being proposed by WisDOT.
26City of Oshkosh Vision Report
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Line 47 Power Lines
5(4)-5(4)
Line 34 One Way Street
3(5)-3(5)
Line 29 Existing Main Street
3(5)-3(5)
The most negative images in the Streets
category all depict various character-
istics of existing Oshkosh streets. This
image highlighting utilitiy poles and
overhead wires was one of the lowest
rated images in the Visual Preference
Survey™. The survey also indicated
that 85% want overhead wires buried
when the streets are being improved.
One way streets scored poorly in the
Visual Preference Survey™ and the
Questionnaire. This particular street
most likely received low scores be-
cause of its Overly wide driving lanes
encourages speeding. lack of street
trees, frequent curb cuts, placement of
parking lots along the sidewalk edge
and low building which create an un-
appealing proportion – all factors that
result in an unpleasant driving and
pedestrian experience.
This photo of Main Street received low
scores particularly when compared
to the simulation which was done for
the same street (shown on the oppo-
site page). Vacant store fronts, incon-
sistent street trees, and deteriorating
curbs, overly wide driving lanes, nar-
row sidewalks, and striping probably
contributed to this image’s rating.
27 A. Nelessen Associates, Inc. - Visioning | Planning | Urban Design
General Streets Recommendations:
Prepare and adopt a street regulating plan for all streets. The •
street regulating plan should strive to ensure all streets in
Oshkosh become “Complete Streets.” Complete streets are
defi ned as streets that are designed and operated to enable
safe access for all users – pedestrians, bicyclists, motorists
and bus riders of all ages and abilities. See www.complet-
estreets.org for more information.
• Establish a continuous bicycle network that allows for safe
and convenient travel throughout the City. The network
should include a combination of lanes, paths, and trails
depending on the local context. Where possible, bicycle
lanes should be integrated into the existing street network
to ensure direct access to major sites and attractions.
The bicycle network should connect neighborhoods and
incorporate links to the City’s existing trail system.
• Where possible, narrow existing drive lane widths in order
to calm traffi c and accommodate on-street parking, striped
bicycle lanes, wider sidewalks, with specifi c emphasis on
wider planting terraces, street trees, and snow storage.
• Prioritize street improvements, such as repaving, lighting,
and streetscaping to critical thoroughfares shown on maps
3A and B. The public identifi ed critical east-west connections
to and from Highway 41, such as Oshkosh Avenue and W. 9th
Avenue, as well downtown’s core streets, North and South
Main St., Oregon St., and Jackson St., as the streets most
in need. These streets and other information concerning
street improvements are identifi ed on Map No. 3 Street
Improvements.
• Place existing and new utility infrastructure underground as
a part of the City’s redevelopment strategy , particularly as
streets are improved and redevelopment occurs.
• Develop comprehensive lighting standards that help establish
a hierarchy of major, minor, and local streets. Lighting
elements should enhance visual appeal and safety along
major corridors and within neighborhoods. Put emphasis
on decorative pedestrian oriented lighting standards as
opposed to highway “cobra head” type lighting.
• Use strategically located gateway features to reinforce a sense
of identity for existing neighborhoods and help create a new
identity for downtown. Recommendations for the location
of gateways were generated from the Public Meeting and
can be found on Map No. 3 Street Improvements. Gateway
features may include unique landscaping, signage, public
art or sculptural elements, water features, special paving
materials, and building design.
• Analyze the feasibility of converting some or all of downtown’s
28City of Oshkosh Vision Report
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• Where possible, transform existing wide arterial streets into
boulevards containing decorative landscaped medians.
• Analyze the feasibility of converting some or all of
downtown’s one-way streets to accommodate two-way
traffi c with parallel parking. In most cases, no more than
two driving lanes should be provided.
• Install crosswalks and other pedestrian infrastructure at
problem intersections as identifi ed in Map No. 3 Street
Improvements.
• Integrate stormwater best management practices into the
design of streets with emphasis on green swales as streets
are improved.
• Start a city wide tree survey and extend ReLeaf Oshkosh to
the street trees as well as park trees.
• Implement an extensive tree planting campaign throughout
the City. Priority streets for tree planting were identifi ed
during the public meeting and can be found on Map No. 3
Street Improvements. Plant trees at a minimum of 3” caliper
20 to 30 on center along the sidewalk.
• Preserve the existing grid of streets in all new development
and extend and continue the street grid in the redevelopment
of existing megablocks and former industiral lands. Do not
use cul-de-sacs or dead ends.
• Street improvements should be concentrated only on
the top 5 priority streets indicated on Map 3B until they
are all completed. Exceptions should only be maybe for
“experimental” residential streets where terraces should
be widened, trees planted, driving lanes narrowed, and
bike lanes added as seen in the example residential street
section.
29 A. Nelessen Associates, Inc. - Visioning | Planning | Urban Design
Line 41 Residential
5(4)5(4)
Line 40 Tree lined street
5(4)5(4)
These images of neighborhood resi-
dential streets received high ratings
during the Visual Preference Survey™
and illustrate many characteristics
that are appropriate for residential
development in Oshkosh – continu-
ous sidewalks, wide terraces that can
accommodate regularly spaced street
trees, and single-family homes with
small front yards.
Recommendations for Commercial Streets:
• Expand sidwalk widths to the widest extent possible and
unify streetscape treatments, including lighting design
and signage, along commercial streets and throughout the
downtown to create a positive visual identity and establish
continuity.
• Where appropriate, use textured paving, bumpo-uts and
signalization to emphasize pedestrian crosswalks and
activity.
• Accommodate on-street parking along commercial streets
to lessen dependence on surface parking lots and create a
buffer between pedestrians and moving cars.
• Narrow vehicular travel lanes on commercial streets to
a maximum of 11½ feet. Newly narrowed streets may be
able to accommodate bicycle lanes and wider sidewalks in
addition to on-street parking.
• Add street trees, carefully select and trim trees that do not
block store windows and signs
Recommendations for Residential Streets:
• Maintain speed limits of 25 mph or lower on residential
streets and narrow individual travel lanes to a maximum of
10 feet as a traffi c calming measure.
• Ensure continuous sidewalk and planting terrace network
alongside residential streets, minimum residential sidewalk
width of 4 feet 6 inches.
• Ensure residential streets contain curbing and/or bioswales
to help manage stormwater.
• Widen terraces to the furthest extent possible and plant
street trees along all terraces.
30City of Oshkosh Vision Report
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Map No. 3A Street Improvements
0 2,000 4,000 Feet
0 1 2 Miles
Lake Winnebago
Lake Butte des Morts
Wittman
Regional Airport
Westhaven
Golf Club
University of
Wisconsin
Oshkosh
Lakeshore
Golf Club
41
21
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45
76
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41
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WITZEL AVE
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MERRITT AVE
HIGH
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ELM
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WAUGOO A
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S.
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W. 20th AVE
N.
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W. 5th AVE
W. 20th AVE
CHUR
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CONGRESS AVE
WASHINGTON AVE
W. 9th AVE
Street Improvements
Bicycle lanes and paths
Street trees
Gateway features
i
N O R T H
31 A. Nelessen Associates, Inc. - Visioning | Planning | Urban Design
0 2,000 4,000 Feet
0 1 2 Miles
Lake Winnebago
Lake Butte des Morts
Wittman
Regional Airport
Westhaven
Golf Club
University of
Wisconsin
Oshkosh
Lakeshore
Golf Club
X
X
X
X X
XX
X
41
21
44
45
76
41
41
41
45
45
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44
21
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WITZEL AVE
N.
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MERRITT AVE
HIGH
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ELM
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OSHK
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WAUGOO A
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W. 20th AVE
N.
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W. 5th AVE
W. 20th AVE
CHUR
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A
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CONGRESS AVE
WASHINGTON AVE
W. 9th AVE
Street Improvements
Traffic calming
Crosswalks
Top 5 Street for Improvements
X
i
N O R T H
Map No. 3B Street Improvements
32City of Oshkosh Vision Report
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Example Commercial or Mixed-Use Sreet Section
Example Residential Street Section
Buildings
33 A. Nelessen Associates, Inc. - Visioning | Planning | Urban Design
0%
19%7%
Whatisyourgeneralimpressionregardingmostof
downtown'sexistingbuildingstock?
Generallyinexcellentcondition
Generallyingoodcondition,mayneed
some minor improvements
18%
56%
someminorimprovements
Generallyinfairtopoorcondition,some
rehabiliationneeded
Pocketsofbuildingsingoodcondition
andotherswherebuildingsareoutof
dateand/orinneedofredevelopment
Mostbuildingsareinpoorconditionand
needseriousredevelopment
Infi lling appropriately design buildings are the key
to the future character of Oshkosh.
Key Findings:
• 89%* of public meeting participants agree or strongly agree
that vacant lots, industrial sites, and underutilized surface
parking lots can provide much of the needed space for infi ll
and redevelopment.
• During the public meeting mapping exercises, participants
overwhelmingly selected downtown locations as the
appropriate site for future commercial and retail (including
entertainment and restaurant uses) growth. Locations for
future park and residential development were more dispersed
throughout the City (See Map No. 4 Future Growth). Many
participants indicated that the greatest potential for future
development lies in the downtown and believe City policy
should refl ect this potential. The southern portion of the
downtown should be converted to an urban green space or
as an alternative location for an urban farm or location for a
wind farm in a green setting.
• When asked in the questionnaire, a majority of respondents
(51%) supported some limitations on development along
the Highway 41 Corridor and feels development should be
focused on downtown and other distinctive sub-centers.
29% do not support limitations on development while nearly
8% feel that new growth will need to be balanced between
the downtown and Highway.
• 52% feel that the existing buildings along Highway 41 are
generally in good condition with only minor improvements
needed.
• 81% of public meeting participants agree or strongly agree
that the City should encourage new development to be
mixed-us with ground fl oor retail.
• Large surface parking lots without landscaping received
some of the lowest scores in the entire Visual Preference
Survey™ which are predominent along Highway 41.
* Tested exclusively at public meetings and was not available online.
34City of Oshkosh Vision Report
Bu
i
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t
F
o
r
m
28%15%
3% 1%
TheCityofOshkoshshouldencouragenewdevelopment
tobemixedͲusewithgroundfloorretail
28%
53%
15%StronglyAgree
Agree
Neutral
Disagree
StronglyDisagree
Howappropriateisittoprovideaffordablehousingin
Oshkoshinthefuture?
9%
2%1% 1%
ExtremelyAppropriate
44%
43%
Appropriate
SomewhatAppropriate
43%NotAppropriate
ExtremelyInappropriate
I d ’t kIdon’tknow
If portions of the downtown were to beIfportionsofthedowntownweretobe
redeveloped,whatisthemaximumnumberof
storiesyouwouldsupport?
6%
5%
6%
sto es you ou d suppo t?
1to2stories6%
34%
12%
6%
2to4stories
4to8stories
37%8to12stories
12to16stories
16to20stories
35 A. Nelessen Associates, Inc. - Visioning | Planning | Urban Design
Line 2 Existing Historic Mixed Use
6(4)6(4)
Line 7 Parking behind building
5(4)5(4)
Line 11 Single Family Homes
5(4)5(4)
The most positive images in the Build-
ing Form category provide important
guidance for development in Oshkosh.
Throughout the visioning process there
was widespread support for preserv-
ing historic buildings and resources
throughout the City. This distinctive
downtown building illustrates a tra-
ditional mixed-used building along
Main Street. Its unique architecture
and location have made it a downtown
landmark.
New buildings should be located close
to the edge of the sidewalk with park-
ing in the rear. How parking is ac-
commodated has a dramatic impact
on a community’s sense of place. Lo-
cating parking behind buildings can
play an important role in improving
the perception and experience of vari-
ous streets throughout the City. To the
extent possible all parking should be
located behind appropriately scaled
buildings in the downtown area.
Single family homes will continue to be
an important part of the fabric of Os-
hkosh. This highly rated image of an
attractive, modestly sized, affordable
home on a small lot, with a narrow
front yard and a larger back yard. and
parking access from a rear alley, may
be a model for new development.
36City of Oshkosh Vision Report
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Line 1 Existing Multi-Family Housing
1(6)1(6)
Line 12 Existing Town Homes
1(5)-1(5)
Line 8 Existing Parking Lots
3(5)-3(5)
These images of existing conditions
around the City were among the lowest
rated images in the Building Form cat-
egory. This photo of an existing apart-
ment building received a wide range
of scores. Although it received a low
positive score, the building’s punched
windows, no roof cornice line and the
monochromatic color are responsible
for the low score.
The lack of landscaping and architec-
tural detail, overly large front yard,
lack of semi public edge, and slab on
grade construction likely led to this
image’s negative rating.
The visioning results suggest that
large unlandscaped surface parking
lots should be discouraged in the future
particularly in the downtown. How-
ever, when necessary the appearance
and perception of large surface park-
ing can be greatly improved through
the use of landscaping and pedestrian
circulation techniques.
37 A. Nelessen Associates, Inc. - Visioning | Planning | Urban Design
General Built Form Recommendations:
• Encourage mixed-use development particularly within the
downtown area. Mixed-use developments combine more
than one use in a single building. This type of development
activates urban areas during more hours of the day, reduces
auto dependence, encourages pedestrian activity, and helps
create a local sense of place. Encourage all new buildings
in the downtown to accommodate retail, offi ce, or more
than 10 residential units so as to incorporate multiple uses.
Providing residential uses on upper fl oors of mixed-use
buildings provides a range of housing types and sizes which
can accommodate young professionals, empty nesters, and
growing families.
• Facilitate a university and north and south main street design
charrette to enhance the existing plan for downtown Oshkosh
and create a form-based code for future development. The
charrette may include discussion of specifi c architectural
regulations, see www.smartcodecentral.com and www.
formbasedcodes.org for more information on form-based
code development.
• If mixed-use buildings are not feasible, a variety of uses
should be clustered within walking distance to create “one
stop” or “park once” locations for drivers, transit uses,
cyclists, and pedestrians.
• All new commercial development, aside from big box
retail, should be focused in the downtown and surrounding
neighborhoods rather than along Highway 41.
• Devise public-private fi nancing strategies to encourage infi ll
development and alternative uses for formerly industrial
sites.
• The city must enforce proper maintenance of homes and
businesses and should do so through a combination of
stricter codes and fi nes.
• Develop building design standards which guide the
development of new mixed-use, residential, and commercial
buildings. The development standards must address the
form, the site plans relation to the location and character
of the street, materials, and massing of new buildings and
include provisions to preserve and enhance the historic
buildings and resources within the City. Historic buildings
and facades should be incorporated into new development
whenever possible.
This mixed-use building with retail on
the ground fl oor and housing above
utilizes a series of building stepbacks
to maintain a comfortable pedestrian
realm and create architectural inter-
est.
IBW
IBW
IBW
IBW
IBW
An Individual Building Width (IBWs)
is the division of a façade into distinct
modules or sections. Although sections
of a single façade share a common de-
sign vocabulary, each section should
be distinguishable from its adjacent
modules. IBWs can be distinguished
by changes in material, color, window
and door treatment, masonry pattern,
cornice treatment or appropriate com-
binations of these items.
38City of Oshkosh Vision Report
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Map No. 4 Future Growth
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Future Growth
Parks
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New Single Family Homes
New Mixed-Use Entertain-
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New Downtown Multifamily
New Park Space
Wind Farm Park
39 A. Nelessen Associates, Inc. - Visioning | Planning | Urban Design
• Create a sense of enclosure along City streets by ensuring
appropriate relationships between building height and
street width. Height to width ratios should be in the range
of 1:2 to 1:3. Building stepbacks at appropriate heights can
be instrumental to creating comfortable street proportions.
In much of downtown, stepbacks should occur between the
4th and 6th fl oor.
• Ensure that new buildings do not present blank walls to
public streets and sidewalks. Buildings should relate to
streets through the appropriate placement of entrances and
windows along public right-of-ways.
• Use special corner treatments, such as chamfered or curved
corners, at strategic locations to emphasize landmark
buildings and locations throughout the City.
Incorporate sustainable building techniques, such as solar •
panels, green roofs, and wind turbines into building design,
see LEED Neighborhood Design Standards at
www.usgbc.org
• Employ context sensitive design for new buildings – use
the City’s traditional architectural styles, materials, and
character as inspiration for the design of new buildings.
Recommendations for Commercial Buildings:
• Ensure commercial and mixed-use buildings in the
downtown and within commercial areas are built up to the
sidewalk edge creating a consistent “streetwall.”
• Height maximums for downtown buildings should range
from 4 to 8 Stories.
• Buildings should have articulated lower and upper level
cornice lines.
• The city should reevaluate its rent control policy for Main
Street buildings to determine whether their rent control
status is impeding building improvements and further
investment along Main Street.
• Ground level retail uses must incorporate large display
windows that invite pedestrian activity.
• Employ Identifi able Building Widths (IBW), stepbacks, and
a range of window types to create attractive and interesting
buildings.
• Preserve Oshkosh’s existing Victorian style buildings.
Special building treatments can be ap-
plied at strategic locations and promi-
nent corners to emphasize landmark
locations and create gateway features
that add to a location’s sense of place.
40City of Oshkosh Vision Report
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Parking Recommendations:
• Revise parking requirements to include parking maximums
rather than parking minimum standards. Dealing with
parking maximums will decrease the over provision of
parking and allow the market to determine parking need, eg
4 spots per 1,000 s.f. for big box retail or 2 spots per 1,000
s.f. for downtown retail.
• Form a public-private partnership to develop centrally
located mixed-use parking structures in downtown Oshkosh
that can be used by shoppers, residents, business owners, and
the university. The careful placement of these structures can
help promote pedestrian activity and accommodate parking
demand as infi ll development occurs on existing surface
parking lots. Allow developers to purchase parking in these
structures as a subsitute for providing on-site parking.
• Ensure that any new parking for commercial, mixed-use,
or multifamily residential buildings is embedded within the
building or located to the rear of lots and buildings. Surface
parking lots should be visually screened from the street or
sidewalks. No parking should be allowed in the front yards
of structures facing a street.
• Promote the use of shared parking facilities. Shared parking
facilities add effi ciencies by allowing a dedicated parking
space to be counted towards the parking requirement for
two or more different uses provided certain conditions are
met.
• Existing and new surface parking lots must be heavily
landscaped and incorporate permeable paving techniques
or materials as appropriate. The interior of surface lots
shall be landscaped with trees at the rate of 1 tree for every
4-6 parking spaces and additional ground cover and where
possible, bio-swales to minimize runoff. It is recommended
that one tree is planted for every four parking spaces.
• Parking lot layout should incorporate pedestrian movement
into their confi guration. Clearly marked pedestrian crossings
should be installed at convenient locations.
• Encourage on-street parking wherever possible. When
applicable, these spaces should be allowed to count towards
parking requirements.
Line 10 Parking –Mixed-use Parking Structure
4(4)4(4)
Line 9 Parking –Intense landscaping in parking area with walkway
5(4)5(4)
Line 14 Garages in back of houses
5(4)5(4)
Mixed-use parking structures (top),
intensely landscaped surface parking
lots (middle), and garages located be-
hind homes (bottom) all received high
ratings during the Visual Preference
Survey™.
41 A. Nelessen Associates, Inc. - Visioning | Planning | Urban Design
Recommendations for Residential Buildings:
• New single family residential areas should be planned for a
minimum average of 4 (preferably 7) units per gross acre.
New multifamily density should range from 12 up to 40
units per acre.
• Residential development should only be allowed where
existing water and sewer infrastructure currently exists. No
new water and sewer extensions should be provided until
existing underdevelopment areas are built out.
• A variety of housing choices, including condos, apartments,
townhouses, and single family homes, should be encouraged
throughout the City. Map No. 5 Residential Growth illustrates
the location workshop participants selected for single-family
(yellow) and multifamily (orange) development.
• Multifamily, senior, and affordable housing should be
integrated into existing neighborhoods.
• Townhomes and multifamily residential buildings should
be setback from the sidewalk to provide landscaped space
called a semi-public edge of no more than 15 feet that
separates housing from the street.
• The fi rst fl oor of multifamily housing must be raised above
the grade of the adjacent sidewalk by 2 to 5 feet.
• Institute a rigorous and comprehensive property
maintenance code enforcement program to ensure ongoing
maintenance of the City’s housing stock.
• Encourage the use of building materials that require
minimum maintenance and meet LEED guidelines.
• Incorporate sustainable building techniques, such as solar
panels, green roofs, and wind turbines into building design.
• Single-family homes should incorporate creative parking
solutions including rear garages and alley accessible
parking.
• Single-family homes should include design elements that
emphasize the home’s relationship to the street such as
front porches.
42City of Oshkosh Vision Report
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Residential Growth
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New Single Family Homes
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Pedestrian Realm
43 A. Nelessen Associates, Inc. - Visioning | Planning | Urban Design
D th t th h ld b ifi dDoyouagreethatthereshouldbeaunified
streetscapingcomponentthatdifferentiatesthe
residential from the commercial areas of the City?residentialfromthecommercialareasoftheCity?
Disagree/StronglyDisagree Neutral StronglyAgree/Agree
13%
59%
28%
59%
Walking on well designed, safe, and interesting
sidewalks are key for the future of Oshkosh.
Key Findings
• 59% of respondents agree that there should be unifi ed
streetscaping treatments that differentiate the residential
from the commercial areas of the City.
• Burying utilities when areas are being redeveloped or
streets are repaved was deemed appropriate or extremely
appropriate by 85% of participants.
• Nearly all respondents feel delineated crosswalks are
appropriate for the City of Oshkosh.
• Participants were divided over the idea of closing N. Main to
cars on weekends. However, 66% felt it was inappropriate
to convert N. Main Street into a pedestrian only area and
eliminate car traffi c at all times.
9%
16%15%7%
HowappropriateistheideaofclosingN.MainStreet
(indowntown)tocartrafficonweekends?
ExtremelyAppropriate
16%
22%31%
Appropriate
SomewhatAppropriate
SomewhatInappropriate
ExtremelyInappropriate
Idon’tknow
44City of Oshkosh Vision Report
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Line 18 Commercial Wide Sidewalk with Planters
6(4)6(4)
Line 19 Commercial Tree lined Sidewalk
6(4)6(4)
Line 22 Commercial Street with Furniture
6(4)6(4)
Many of the highest rated images in
the Pedestrian Realm category high-
light important attributes of success-
ful sidewalks in commercial areas. All
of the images depict wide sidewalks,
regularly spaced street trees, and a
variety of paving materials and treat-
ments. Retail frontage styles vary
between the fi rst and third photo but
each utilize large window displays and
a combination of awnings, pedestrian
scale signage, and outdoor elements
to create an enjoyable walking experi-
ence.
Each image demonstrates different ap-
proaches to creating a buffer between
vehicular lanes and pedestrian fl ow to
ensure walkers feel comfortable. Oth-
er important aspects of the pedestrian
realm include decorative lighting and
the provision of street furniture.
From the questionnaire, 94%* of par-
ticipants support more walking. Side-
walks must be safe, interesting and ac-
commodating.
In all the images, the priority must be
a design which buffers the pedestrian
from passing traffi c by use of trees,
lighting, terraces, or bollards.
45 A. Nelessen Associates, Inc. - Visioning | Planning | Urban Design
Line 23 Residential sidewalk without Terrace
7(4)-7(4)
Line 27 Residential Sidewalk with no curbs
4(5)-4(5)
Line 16 Commercial sidewalk without Terrace
3(5)-3(5)
These photos of the City’s existing
pedestrian realm received very low
ratings during the Visual Preference
Survey™. When compared with the
highest rated images in the Survey,
we can see that when critical elements
such as sidewalk width, paving condi-
tion, curbing, and landscaping play
the quality of the City’s pedestrian en-
vironment suffers.
In the top image of a pedestrian realm
next to a school, the lowest rated of
any image in the VPS, negatively im-
pacts children’s perception of walking.
This street and sidewalk should be a
very high priority for improvement by
the City.
In the second image, the wide pave-
ment, lack of curbing and street tress
contributes to its negative character.
Narrow sidewalks without a buffer be-
tween the pedestrian and traffi c con-
tributes to a negative rating.
46City of Oshkosh Vision Report
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General Recommendations
• Adopt design standards for sidewalks, terraces, and street
trees for all streets which are major elements of a street
regulating plan. This is specifi cally important to the
Downtown Plan and the Priority Streets. A pedestrian plan
should be incorporated in to these design guidelines that
sets standards for sidewalk width and materials, lighting,
signage, landscaping, way fi nding, crosswalks, curb ramps,
refuge islands, corner radii, and signals, terraces and snow
storage.
• Conduct a walkability study to target areas to determine
location of poor sidewalk conditions and connections as a
means of targeting future sidewalk improvement dollars.
• Set design standards to require street trees on all streets;
standards should specify species, size and regular
maintenance practices, e.g. minimum of 3 inch caliper, 12
feet high, space 20 feet on center.
• Develop a pedestrian network connecting all parts of
Oshkosh, not just those along the river, to encourage exercise
and use of alternative modes of transportation like bicycling
and walking.
• Ensure sidewalk widths are wide enough to accommodate
projected pedestrian traffi c for the development type.
• Encourage the texturing of sidewalks and crosswalks within
strict design and construction standards
• Bury utilities or run them along alleyways or rear property
lines when areas are repaved or redeveloped.
• Close North Main Street to auto traffi c on weekends during
the summer or for special events, but it should not be
permanently closed to traffi c.
47 A. Nelessen Associates, Inc. - Visioning | Planning | Urban Design
Commercial Recommendations
• Ensure commercial buildings are built to the edge of the
sidewalk and have at minimum, a 15 foot wide sidewalk
including planting areas.
• Encourage commercial uses which spill out into the
pedestrian realm (cafes, retail, etc.), particularly during
warmer seasons
• Provide pedestrian furniture such as benches, trash baskets,
planters, etc.
• Install pedestrian scale lighting, poles, and fi xtures.
• Promote a continuous and interesting streetwall of separate
but complementing buildings at a downtown scale and
spacing
• Plant trees at appropriate spacing along commercial streets
and where pedestrian traffi c is high provide compaction
protection for tree pits.
• Regulate appropriate signage along commercial pedestrian
realms.
• Ensure crosswalks are clearly visible through the use of
painting or texturing
• Encourage up lighting of key architectural features of the
historic downtown buildings.
Line 17 Commercial sidewalk with Terrace
5(4)5(4)
Line 20 Commercial sidewalk streetlights
6(4)6(4)
Selecting appropriate lighting is criti-
cal to the success of City’s pedestrian
realm. Street lights must meet illumi-
nation requirements while also en-
hancing the visual appeal and charac-
ter of a street.
This image shows that landscaping can
dramatically enhance the appeal of
sidewalks located next to major road-
ways with larger commercial uses.
Here regularly spaced street trees cre-
ate a buffer for pedestrians while sur-
face parking lots are screened by dense
shrubs and a decorative fence.
48City of Oshkosh Vision Report
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Residential Recommendations
• Set maximum setbacks for residential development to limit
the size of front yards, e.g. 4 to 8 feet for townhouses and
multifamily buildings and 10 to 15 feet for single family
• Set standards to require the minimum width of sidewalks
in residential areas to be at least 4-6 feet depending on
pedestrian fl ow.
• Provide pedestrian furniture such as benches, trash baskets,
planters, etc., at appropriate intersections or areas of
interest.
• Plant trees of a minimum 3 inch caliper at 20 feet on center
along residential streets in a continuous green terrace that
is at least 4 feet wide.
• Provide access for driveways via a dropped curb and sloped
apron in order to maintain a continuous sidewalk across any
driveway.
• Regulate appropriate signage along residential pedestrian
realms.
• Encourage front porches, stoops and stairs.
• Promote a semi public edge with hedges and picket fences.
Line 25 Residential sidewalk with wide Terrace
4(4)4(4)
Line 26 Tree lined Residential Sidewalk
5(4)5(4)
The high ratings given to these pho-
tos illustrate the value wide terraces,
continuous sidewalks, narrow front
yards, and street trees have in defi n-
ing a desirable residential neighbor-
hood pedestrian realm.
Frontages
49 A. Nelessen Associates, Inc. - Visioning | Planning | Urban Design
How the character and design of buildings,
signs, and landscape relate to the street.
Signage Recommendations
• Commercial signage should be integrated into the
architecture of buildings and be primarily pedestrian in
scale. Institute commercial signage design standards to
ensure the appropriate size, shape, color, and lighting of
signage throughout the City, but particularly in downtown.
• Limit commercial signage in the downtown area to include:
signs mounted on building fronts, small hanging signage,
awning signage, window signage, and signage mounted on
transoms.
• Enforce code violations to ensure conformity to design
standards and maintenance.
• Develop a system of wayfi nding signs which market the
downtown to residents and visitors. Additionally, downtown
signage can direct pedestrian traffi c, advertise amenities,
and identify parking locations. Wayfi nding signage should
be distinctive, highly-visible, and easy to read.
• Gateway signage should be designed and located at
key entrances to neighborhoods and commercial areas.
Suggested locations for the placement of gateway features
are identifi ed on Map No. 3 Street Improvements.
Examples of good signage
50City of Oshkosh Vision Report
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Line 48 Existing Hwy 41
2(4)2(4)
Landscape: Buffer and Yards
• Screen large surface parking lots from roads and highways
through intensive landscaping. These screenings can act
as landscape buffers which separate parking lots from
roadways.
• Incorporate multi-use paths into the design of frontage
roads on both sides of Highway 41. Other landscape buffers
throughout the City may be excellent candidates for the
placement of multi-use paths.
• Incorporate sustainability measures into the design of
terraces and front yards. These areas can include bioswales,
rain gardens, and landscaping designed to help meet
stormwater management needs.
• Ensure codes governing the maintenance and appearance of
front yards are adequate and properly enforced.
• Encourage the use of front porches and decorative fencing.
Line 56 Front Porch
6(4)6(4)
Line 55 Rain Garden Front Yard
5(5)5(5)
Line 52 Hwy 41 frontage with multi-use path and landscaping
6(4)6(4)
Line 57 White Picket Fences
3(5)3(5)
Highway 41 Before and After: This
simulation shows the positive impact
that landscaping and mobility options
(in this case a multi-use bicycle path)
can have on a community.
Waterfront
51 A. Nelessen Associates, Inc. - Visioning | Planning | Urban Design
Oshkosh’s major untapped resource.
Key Findings
• 98%*of participants thought a waterfront walkway would
be appropriate for the city verifying the completion of this
element must be a fi rst priority for Oshkosh
• The addition of more restaurants along the waterfront was
overwhelmingly appropriate. With 95% of participants
giving it a favorable response.
• Respondents were split on the appropriateness of single
family housing along the waterfront*. But, the results of Map
No. 4 Future Growth, suggests that multifamily housing is
more appropriate along the waterfront.
• Only 1% of respondents thought that a waterfront marina
would be inappropriate.
• When asked about the continuation of a riverfront walkway
on the South side of the river, 94% of respondents thought
it would be appropriate.*
• The results shown on Map No. 4 Future Growth reveal
a desire to concentrate entertainment and commercial
development along the waterfront and in the downtown
area.
Lake Winnebago
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Commercial
Map No. 4 - Future Growth (close up)
* Tested exclusively at public meetings and was not available online.
52City of Oshkosh Vision Report
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o
n
t
13%
3%2%
Extremely
Appropriate/Appropriate
82%
pp p / pp p
SomewhatAppropriate
NotAppropriate/Extremely
Inappropriate
Idon’tknow
ExtremelyAppropriate/Appropriate
SomewhatAppropriateSo e at pp op ate
NotAppropriate/ExtremelyInappropriate
I don’t know
78%
Idon tknow
13%6%2%
How appropriate would the addition of a hotel/resort
be to the waterfront?
How appropriate is the addition of waterfront
“boat up” resuarants
How appropriate is the addition of waterfront
multi-family housing?
16%8%2%ExtremelyAppropriate
33%
29%
12%Appropriate
SomewhatAppropriate
NotAppropriate
ExtremelyInappropriate
Idon’tknow
53 A. Nelessen Associates, Inc. - Visioning | Planning | Urban Design
Line 62 Urban Riverfront Park
7(4)7(4)
Line 63 Natural Waterfront Park
7(4)7(4)
Line 66 Waterfront Mixed Use Bars and Residential
6(4)6(4)
These three images scored the highest
in the Waterfront category, and the
top two were among the highest rated
images of the entire VPS.TM The top
image illustrates a more urbanized
waterfront edge that would be appro-
priate for the City. The second image
illustrates a type of naturalized water-
front edge that would be appropriate.
The bottom image would be appropri-
ate in sections of the urban waterfront
area.
If each of these images were realized
along a continuous pedestrian way,
the walking experience and public
perception of Oshkosh would be sig-
nifi cantly improved.
54City of Oshkosh Vision Report
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t
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r
f
r
o
n
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Line 71 Waterfront Industrial Buildings
6(5)-6(5)
Line 70 Leech Amphitheater
6(4)6(4)
Waterfront Recommendations
• Adopt design standards for water edge walkways and paths
that will ensure consistency of paving and landscaping.
• Create a network of trails and pedestrian connections that
link different areas of town to the waterfront.
• Designate the Fox River waterfront between Ohio St/
Wisconsin St and the Rail Line as an “Urban Waterfront
Area.”
• Complete the waterfront walkway along both sides the Fox
River as a fi rst priority.
• Locate marinas, restaurants, boat-up restaurants, hotels,
and entertainment venues in the Urban Waterfront Area.
• Maintain a minimum of a 40 foot wide pedestrian right of
way/easement along the entire Fox River waterfront. Within
this easement bicycle lanes and walking paths, and other
pedestrian amenities must be provided.
• Maintain a minimum vegetated buffer between all water
bodies and impervious services outside of the Urban
Waterfront Area.
• Redevelop the Pioneer Resort as a new hotel and
entertainment area by providing development incentives.
• Develop multi-family housing along the river front that
is mixed-use, provide amenities along the fi rst fl oor and
maintain the publically accessible 40 foot waterfront.
This existing waterfront entertain-
ment has been a success.
This existing waterfront area has the
potential to be transformed into some-
thing as positive as the image above.
Sustainability
55 A. Nelessen Associates, Inc. - Visioning | Planning | Urban Design
Sustainabiliity for the future of Oshkosh includes the integra-
tion of the City’s economic, social, and environmental life in
order to:: “meet the needs of the present without compromis-
ing the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.”
This encompasses a general conciousness in all decisions on
how the outcome will affect future generations’ environmen-
tal, social, and economic welfare and an effort to minimize
any adverse impacts.
Key Findings:
82%* of public meeting participants believe it is appropri-•
ate to incorporate sustainable design practices in to future
development in Oshkosh, specifi cally solar panels, solar ori-
entation of buildings, green roofs, and wind turbines.
77%* of public meeting participants would support the idea •
of an “On-Demand” Transit System for the City of Oshkosh
and adjacent areas. An “On-Demand” Transit System is es-
sentially a small bus that travels from point to point and is
accessible via web or cell phone. The system costs on aver-
age $3 per trip and may pickup multiple passengers along
the way to increase effi ciency. Reducing the use of the car is
an important policy to achieve sustainability.
71%* of public meeting participants believe it is appropriate •
to re-open a passenger and freight train line between Green
Bay and Milwaukee with stops in cities such as Appleton,
Fond du Lac, and Oshkosh.
At the Citizens Advisory Committee when asked what ob-•
stacles were an impediment to Oshkosh’s achievement of its
vision many respondents replied a lack of City Government
leadership will and a negative “can’t do” attitude toward
new development.
13%
6%
Howmuchwouldyousupportprovidingacurriculuminschools
whichpromotessustainableandhealthylifestyles?
81%
HighlySupport/Somewhat
Support
Neutral
DonotSupport/Extremely
Against
* Tested exclusively at public meetings and was not available online.
56City of Oshkosh Vision Report
Su
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t
a
i
n
a
b
i
l
i
t
y
5%5%
HowappropriateisthereͲopeningofapassengerandfreighttrain
linebetweenGreenBayandMilwaukeewithstopsincitiessuchas
Appleton,FondduLac,andOshkosh.
Extremely
A i t /A i t
71%
19%Appropriate/Appropriate
SomewhatAppropriate
NotAppropriate/Extremely
Inappropriate
Idon’tknow
3%5%
HowappropriateistheideaofCityͲwideprogramsforSmall
Business/Entrepreneurialdevelopment?
Extremely
A i t /A i t
78%
14%Appropriate/Appropriate
SomewhatAppropriate
NotAppropriate/Extremely
Inappropriate
Idon’tknow
8%
8%
HowappropriateistheideaofCityͲwideprogramsforlargebusiness
(OshkoshCorp,Bemis,etc.)development?
Extremely
64%
20%
Appropriate/Appropriate
SomewhatAppropriate
NotAppropriate/Extremely
Inappropriate
Idon’tknow
10%
1%
HowimportantiscoordinatedplanningbetweentheFoxCities,
GreenBay,FondduLacandOshkoshforOshkoshinthefuture?
89%
Extremely
Appropriate/Appropriate
SomewhatImportant
NotAppropriate/Extremely
Inappropriate
57 A. Nelessen Associates, Inc. - Visioning | Planning | Urban Design
Line 77 Bus Rapid Transit to Appleton or Green Bay
4 (5)
Line 75 Solar Panels
6(4)6(4)
Line 76 Community Compost Collection Areas
5(5)5(5)
Oshkosh residents embraced a variety
of sustainable technologies, includ-
ing solar panels, wind farms, and bus
rapid transit as means of lowering
Oshkosh’s carbon foot print and creat-
ing a sustainable community in the fu-
ture. Residents also indicated a desire
for increased means of reduce landfi ll
waste, such as creating a commuity
compost collection area.
58City of Oshkosh Vision Report
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Economic Sustainability Recommendations:
Create a “Buy Local” marketing campaign for the Oshkosh •
area and for the New North.
Concentrate new development in Downtown in order to cre-•
ate a vibrant business and retail center.
City government should work with stakeholders to build on •
this Vision Report to create consensus on controversial is-
sues and make strong decisive leadership decisions where
consensus already exists, such as riverfront development.
All aspects of the city, from residents to council members
to city employees need to adopt a “Can Do” attitude in order
to move the city forward and achieve any of the goals of this
Vision.
Develop a coordinated planning effort between the Fox •
Cities, Green Bay, Fond du Lac, Appleton, and Oshkosh is
highly recommended in order to create a strong competitive
regional economy.
Promote the new vision of Oshkosh through an extensive •
media and public relations campaign.
Increase the activities, events, and festivals that attract visi-•
tors to Oshkosh.
Continue to support the EAA Air Venture as a national •
event and encourage adjacent business development in and
around the airfi eld.
Oshkosh should strive to achieve a jobs to housing balance •
of 1 to 1 in order to create an economically, socially, and en-
vironmentally sustainable city.
Environmental Sustainability Recommendations:
Sustainability is the key to the future viability of Oshkosh.•
Oshkosh should institute sustainable design standards into •
the City’s building code for all future development and in-
clude elements like requirements or incentives for solar
panels, solar orientation of the building, green roofs, and
wind turbines.
Oshkosh should plan and create an off-street trail system •
to connect all residential areas to Downtown, Highway 41
retail, and employment centers in Oshkosh. Trails should be
a maximum of 1,800 feet from all residential areas.
Industrial lands waiting for redevelopment should be con-•
verted to green space as an interim use.
59 A. Nelessen Associates, Inc. - Visioning | Planning | Urban Design
Establish landscape standards for green roofs, rain gardens •
and pervious pavement.
Develop surface-runoff polices and plans that require diver-•
sion and collection of water to natural drainage and fi ltra-
tion areas.
Porous or pervious materials should be considered as a fi rst •
option for the construction of all new parking lots. If porous
or pervious mater
A tree canopy plan should be developed for the entire City to •
establish 50% to 100% canopy coverage.
All new development must set aside at least 10% of the de-•
velopable area as public green space.
The existing bus service should be expanded to make more •
frequent and convenient stops. GPS location signs should be
installed at major bus stops in order to alert riders to wait
times for various bus routes. Bus shelters should be provid-
ed at all possible locations. Regular bus service should be in
place for all residential and employment areas (preferably
within a ½ mile).
It is highly recommended that the cities of Oshkosh, Apple-•
ton, and Green Bay jointly explore the option of installing a
Bus Rapid Transit system along Highway 41 connecting all
three downtowns.
A new train station and the re-opening of the train line be-•
tween Green Bay and Milwaukee is highly recommended
and should become a policy priority.
New parks are highly encouraged. Locations for these new •
parks are indicated on Map 3 of the Vision Translation
Workshop Maps.
Conduct a transportation needs assessment study; develop •
a transportation plan emphasizing walking, bicycle rider-
ship, and transit ridership.
Promote and pursue alternative modes of transportation •
through policy and land use. Alternative transportation
modes should include a Bus Rapid Transit system, local bus
service, On-Demand transit, walking, and bicycle;
Improve the existing transit station and plaza to create a •
central meeting place for the city, coordinate plaza design
with surrounding streetscaping and street furniture;
Where appropriate designate bicycle lanes and bicycle park-•
ing and rental facilities to establish a comprehensive bicycle
network;
60City of Oshkosh Vision Report
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Reduce vehicular speeds in and around Neighborhoods and •
the University to provide greater safety.
Create a carbon foot print reduction plan.•
Promote a new school curriculum which promotes future •
sustainability and a green environment.
Incorporate LEED standards for all new construction and •
urban planning efforts.
Create an “All Together” recycling system that allows recy-•
clables to be mixed and therefore removes inconvenience
barriers to recycling.
Encourage recycling of building material and re-use of struc-•
tures instead of new construction, where possible.
Promote the use of wind turbines on the outskirts of the •
City.
Focus future and existing retail along Main Street whenever •
possible, except for local fruit and vegetable grocers which
should be distributed throughout the city.
Health
61 A. Nelessen Associates, Inc. - Visioning | Planning | Urban Design
Physical and emotional health are one of the great-
est gifts of life.
Key Findings:
95%* and 93%* of public meeting participants highly sup-•
port or support additional walking and bicycle amenities,
respectively.
85%* of public meeting participants rate their community •
health facilities as excellent or good. 0%* rated them as
poor.
81%* of public meeting participants highly support or sup-•
port gardening programs in the schools where the food
grown would be used for school lunches.
85%* of public meeting participants believe there is a prob-•
lem with obesity in the area.
64%* of public meeting participants believe there is a prob-•
lem with drugs/alcohol in the area.
62% of participants highly support/support an employer or •
city based incentive program for bicycling and walking to
work or school.
72%* of public meeting participants believe that it is ex-•
tremely appropriate/appropriate to promote the sustain-
ability in Oshkosh through living within walking distance to
areas where you can work and play.
14%
WhathealthͲrelatedactivitiesdoyoualreadytake
partin?
47%
17%
10%
12%
14%
Walking
Biking
RecreationalSports
Gym
Other
* Tested exclusively at public meetings and was not available online.
62City of Oshkosh Vision Report
He
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h
13%
1%
Doyoufeelhealthenhancingactivitiesarealready
availableinthearea?
Yes, there are many options
39%
47%
13%Yes,therearemanyoptions
Therearesomeoptions,butI
wouldliketoseemore
Therearenotthatmany
options
Therearenooptions
Howmuchwouldyousupportthe
expansionofneighborhoodcommunity
gardens?
35%36%
24%
5%
Highlysupport Support Neutral Donotsupport
Howmuchwouldyousupporttheprovisionof
schoolbreakfastsandlunchesfreetoallmoderate
andlowincomechildreninOshkosh?
Donotsupport Neutral Support Highlysupport
35%
32%
19%
13%
Wouldyousupportasmokingbaninmostbars
andallpublicbuildingsinOshkosh?
Yes No
81%
19%
63 A. Nelessen Associates, Inc. - Visioning | Planning | Urban Design
Oshkosh participants rated all Health
images extremely positively. This was
the highest rated category in the VPS
and signals Oshkosh’s residents’ de-
sire to increase healthy lifestyle op-
tions in their community. The image
of a Farmer’s Market was the highest
rated image in the VPS. Promotion of
Farmers’ Markets and local food sys-
tems, as well as alternative modes of
transportation should become a major
focus of Oshkosh policy and planning
initiatives.
Walking and bicycling should become
a priority. This will be diffi cult because
of the current reliance on the car for
most trips and the scattered land uses.
With students and the resident’s desire
for a healthier community, walking
and bicycling are an important part.
64City of Oshkosh Vision Report
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Roof gardens can provide not only in-
sulation to buildings, but green space
for residents and views of greenery for
neighboring buildings. Views of green
space have been proven to improve
health and mental capacity.
Community gardens can provide a
space to residents to grow their own
food and to socialize, therefore in-
creasing both the physical and social
health of the Oshkosh community.
65 A. Nelessen Associates, Inc. - Visioning | Planning | Urban Design
Health Recommendations:
Re-0rient city to be the “Healthiest” City of the New North.•
A “bike/walk Oshkosh” program should be started and heav-•
ily promoted by the City. A good example to follow is Louis-
ville, KY and their www.stepuplouisville.com program.
Adopt a policy to reduce obesity and promote community •
health within Oshkosh, see Model Resolution A in the ap-
pendix.
The local school system should look in to creating more af-•
terschool programs, especial those that teach healthy life-
style choices such as cooking and gardening.
Promote school curriculum addition that emphasizes health •
through walking, exercise, sports, and balanced eating.
All public facilities in Oshkosh should be ADA compliant, •
with special attention paid to crosswalks and pedestrian sig-
nalization in high traffi c areas.
Complete the walkability and bikeablity checklists as pro-•
vided by www.walkinginfo.org and www.bicyclinginfo.org
Incorporate requirements for views of greenery (including •
green roofs, parks, lawns, trees, etc) for all hospitals, senior
centers, or health related facilities.
The city should develop a food access plan to ensure that •
every neighborhood has easy access to a healthy supermar-
kets or fruit and vegetable stores. Use of municipal fi nancial
incentives to keep or attract healthy supermarkets is highly
encouraged.
The City should strive to promote community access to •
healthy food for all neighborhoods through its land use de-
cisions and provide incentives for healthy grocers to locate
in underserved neighborhoods.
Promote and protect existing farmer’s market and consider •
constructing a permanent shelter for the farmer’s market.
Establishing Land Use Protection for Farmer’s Market in
the appendix contains model general plan and zoning lan-
guage.
The City should identify locations for possible community •
gardens and urban agriculture and assist community groups
with the establishment of gardens and food production land
within the City limits. Soil testing should be conducted on
any land in consideration for a community garden. Estab-
lishing Land Use Protection for Community Gardens in
the appendix contains model general plan and zoning lan-
guage.
*25% of the under-19 population of the
United States is overweight or obese.
66City of Oshkosh Vision Report
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The City of Oshkosh should conduct a community food se-•
curity assessment created by the USDA ERS http://www.
ers.usda.gov/Publications/EFAN02013/
All formerly industrial land must have their soils tested and •
remediated if necessary before any redevelopment may oc-
cur. If contamination is found, signs should be posted to
alert the public to possible exposure issues.
A remediation plan for all contaminated sites should be de-•
veloped between the City and property owners to allow for
swift removal of contaminated soils.
Require all deteriorated and abandoned building to be de-•
molished and require lots to be replanted in ground cover
or temporary tree nursery because deteriorated, vacant, or
boarded up buildings are damaging to the environmental
and psychological health of a community and discourage
reinvestment.
Promote the reuse of structurally sound buildings before •
new buildings are construction.
UW Oshkosh Relationship
67 A. Nelessen Associates, Inc. - Visioning | Planning | Urban Design
The University of Wisconsin Oshkosh is a major as-
set for the City of Oshkosh as an educational, cul-
tural, and artistic center for the New North.
Key Findings:
83%* of public meeting participants believe that it is •
extremely appropriate/appropriate to expand con-
tinuing education course at UW-Oshkosh.
80% of all participants believe that student parking •
is at least somewhat of a problem in the city.
47%* of public meeting participants believe that stu-•
dent parking should be mostly limited to University-
owned lots. 39%* did not agree.
7%4%
HowappropriateisprovidingmorestudentͲorientedshopson
MainStreettogeneratemorestudentfoottraffic?
Extremely
/
65%
24%
Appropriate/Appropriate
SomewhatAppropriate
NotAppropriate/Extremely
Inappropriate
Idon’tknow
WouldyousupporttheUniversity'sexpansioninto
theCitytouseexistingunderutilizedbuildingsin
thecity/downtown?
45%
39%
11%5%Highlysupport
Support
Neutral
Donotsupport
4%2%
HowappropriateistheideaofthecollaborationbetweentheCity
ofOshkoshandtheUniversitytoredeveloppartsoftown
together?
Extremely
82%
12%
4%2%y
Appropriate/Appropriate
SomewhatAppropriate
NotAppropriate/Extremely
Inappropriate
Idon’tknow
* Tested exclusively at public meetings and was not available online.
68City of Oshkosh Vision Report
UW
O
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The historic buildings of the University
rated very highly in the VPSTM, suggest-
ing that the University should invest in
classical or complementary building
forms for thier academic buildings.
Line 4 Campus
6(4)6(4)
Line 6 Community Space on Campus
6(4)6(4)
Line 8 New Campus Housing
5(5)5(5)
Oshkosh residents would like to see an
outdoor/indoor community space on
Campus where residents, students, and
staff can be comfortable to mix and so-
cialize. This space could also serve as
an exhibition place for music, theater,
movies, or performing arts programs
from the University.
As can be seen on the following page,
current University housing scored
fairly low on the VPSTM, but this mod-
ern housing from another university
scored highly. A variety of materials
and facade depths, as well as the in-
clusion of public art and ground fl oor
retail, enhances this residence hall.
69 A. Nelessen Associates, Inc. - Visioning | Planning | Urban Design
Line 7 Campus Housing
0(5)0(5)
Line 5 Campus Gateway
1(5)1(5)
This gateway to the campus recieved a
positve score, but a high standard de-
viation, suggesting a high level of dis-
agreement in the community on this
image. Blank walls along street fronts
should be avoided as a rule. A campus
community space that is open and airy
would create a more welcoming gate-
way entrance to the campus.
When possible, new campus housing
should be developed to create a more
inviting and welcome edge to the Un-
versity campus. All student parking
should be consolidated in to a single
parking garage and surface parking
areas should be replaced with green
parks.
70City of Oshkosh Vision Report
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UW Relationship Recommendations:
The University should develop strict architectural •
design guidelines for all new university buildings.
All campus buildings should be built to front the •
street and provide a wide tree lined sidewalk.
All campus buildings should be open and perme-•
able on the ground fl oor in order to create an open
and inviting campus, especially when new housing
is constructed.
New campus buildings should incorporate Identifi -•
able Building Widths (IBW) into their façade design
(see diagram below) and use a variety of colors, bal-
conies, and bay windows in building design to ac-
centuate the IBW.
No parking should be provided on-site for campus •
housing, except for handicap spots.
All current surface parking should be consolidated •
in to mixed-use parking garages with facades that
mimic residential or classroom buildings. Surface
parking lots should be converted in to green space or
new academic buildings.
No blank or windowless walls should be permitted •
for any campus building, especially on the fi rst two
fl oors.
The University should develop an outdoor/indoor •
community space on campus, preferably on the wa-
ter, that can function as a community meeting place
and can showcase University music, theater, or mov-
ie performances.
Expand continuing education course offerings and •
expand outreach to Oshkosh residents concerning
University programs and activities.
IBW
IBW
IBW
IBW
IBW
Illustration of Individual Building
Widths or IBWs.
First Priorities
71 A. Nelessen Associates, Inc. - Visioning | Planning | Urban Design
The following actions should be the City’s fi rst steps towards implementing the Vision described in this
document.
Adopt this Vision Report as a non-binding resolution by the Steering Committee, the Planning •
Board, and the City Council.
Ensure that the Vision Report is review by all city staff.•
Adopt a mission statement to declare the City of Oshkosh as a healthy, sustainable, green city with a •
great waterfront.
Any plans or development proposals incorporating neo-traditional, New Urbanist, and smart •
growth principles should be given priority in the permitting process.
A design charrette for the area encompassing south and north Main Street, as well as the University, •
should be complete in order to develop a single coordinated consensus driven design plan for the
area.
Begin revisions to all land use, transportation, streets, and parking regulations in order to bring •
them in to compliance with this plan.
Develop a waterfront overlay plan for the “urbanized”/Downtown section of the river front in order •
to encourage redevelopment of the area in to a mixed-use entertainment and retail center for the
City.
Complete the waterfront walkway on both sides of the river with a differentiation between the •
downtown urban riverfront between the Ohio St bridge and the rail bridge and a more naturalized
and park-like riverfront walkway along the rest of the river.
Implement the model resolutions, land use and zoning language included in the appendix to en-•
courage and promote community gardens, farmers’ markets, and a healthy Oshkosh.
Develop and implement a comprehensive bicycle network, along with clear signage and maps, that •
connects not only the neighborhoods within Oshkosh, but connects to the surrounding communities
as well.
City government should work with stakeholders to build on this Vision Report to create consensus •
on controversial issues and make strong decisive leadership decisions where consensus already ex-
ists, such as riverfront development. All aspects of the city, from residents to council members to
city employees need to adopt a “Can Do” attitude in order to move the city forward and achieve any
of the goals of this Vision.
PLANT TREES! Plant trees everywhere and anywhere possible, as well as develop a tree canopy goal •
for the City of Oshkosh.
Rebrand the City as Wisconsin’s Healthiest City.•
Continue involvement and strong support of the New North.•
Bury utilities and repave streets where possible - specifi cally on priority streets and redevelopment •
areas
If a project, public or private, does not meet the standards of the Vision Plan, do not approve. Os-•
72City of Oshkosh Vision Report
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hkosh will never achieve anything better than it currently has without raising the requirements for
project approval.
This plan speaks to the aspirations of Oshkosh’s residents and while there is always be a vocal mi-•
nority to naysay any plan, this is Oshkosh’s time to follow the aspirations and vision laid out in this
plan.
Oshkosh can begin to immediately implement parts of this Vision Plan without any expense to the •
City by working with the Wisconsin Department of Transportation to ensure that the recommenda-
tions contain herein are incorporated to the future plans for Highway 41, the construction of High-
way 45, and by the adoption of a tree planting ordinance and inclusion of tree plantings in the next
Capital Improvement Plan.
References
Books
Visions for a New American Dream – Tony Nelessen•
The High Cost of Free Parking - Donald Shoup•
Websites
www.completestreets.org•
www.usgbc.org•
www.smartcodecentral.com•
www.formbasedcodes.org•
www.walkinginfo.org•
www.bicyclinginfo.org•
www.ers.usda.gov/Publications/EFAN02013•
www.stepuplouisville.com•
Appendix
73 A. Nelessen Associates, Inc. - Visioning | Planning | Urban Design
* Tested exclusively at public meetings and was not available online.
A. Full Questionnaire Results
Directions
1 Please mark your answers to this questionnaire on the RED FORM.
2 Write your ID# from your red form on this sheet.
3 Using a #2 pencil, color the circle that corresponds to your answer.
(Do not mark outside the circle )
4 Mark only one answer per question.
Existing Conditions
1 Please best rank your current Quality of Life living in this Area:
1 Highly Satisfied 5.7%
2 Satisfied 46.5%
3 Neutral 25 8%
This Demographic, Market, and Policy Questionnaire accompanies the Visual Preference Survey (VPS). Your responses are critical to assure
The Visual Preference Survey™ (VPS) and the Demographic, Market, and Policy Questionnaire have been developed specifically for the City of
ID Number ______
Vision Oshkosh
Demographic, Market, & Policy Questionnaire
“Exploring All Options”
A. Nelessen Associates, Inc
Visioning Planning and Design
April 2009
3 Neutral 25.8%
4 Unsatisfied 17.7%
5 Highly Unsatisfied 3.5%
6 I don't know 0.7%
2 In the past 10 years, the City of Oshkosh:
1 Became more of a place that I want to live and work 17.2%
2 Became more of a place that I want to live 6.2%
3 Became more of a place that I want to work 3.8%
4 Became less of a place that I want to live and work 24.4%
5 Became less of a place that I want to live 14.0%
6 Became less of a place that I want to work 3.1%
7 Remained the same 25.0%
8 Can’t judge 6.4%
3 Do you consider Oshkosh a safe place to live, work, and recreate?*
1 Yes 73.2%
2 In some places 24.9%
3 No 1.4%
74City of Oshkosh Vision Report
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4 How often do you shop or do business in Downtown Oshkosh?
1 Every day 5.3%
2 A lot (4 times or more a week)5.7%
3 Often (1 to 3 times a week)13.9%
4 Sometimes (1 to 4 times a month)31.4%
5 Rarely (1 to 2 times in six months)36.5%
6 Never 7.2%
5 How often do you shop or do business along the Highway 41 Corridor?
1 Every day 5.9%
2 A lot (4 times or more a week)16.3%
3 Often (1 to 3 times a week)42.4%
4 Sometimes (1 to 4 times a month)29.9%
5 Rarely (1 to 2 times in six months)4.9%
6 Never 0.6%
6 How often do you shop or do business in Appleton or Fond du Lac?
1 Every day 1.6%
2 A lot (4 times or more a week)4.2%
3 Often (1 to 3 times a week)12.9%
4 Sometimes (1 to 4 times a month)48.5%
5 Rarely (1 to 2 times in six months)29.3%
6 Never 3.6%
7 What is the farthest you would travel to go shopping?*
1 Appleton or Fond du Lac (approx. 20 miles)49.0%
2 Green Bay (approx. 55 miles)2.4%
3 Milwaukee (approx. 87 miles)16.3%
4 Madison (approx. 94 miles)6.3%
5 Chicago (approx. 180 miles)21.6%
6 Twin Cities (approx. 290 miles)4.3%
8 What is your general impression with regard to most of downtown's existing building stock?
1 Generally in excellent condition 0.6%
2 Generally in good condition and need some minor improvements 18.6%
3 Generally in fair to poor condition and need rehabilitation 18.0%
4 There are pockets of buildings in good condition and others where buildings are out of date and/or in need of
redevelopment 55.9%
5 Most buildings are in poor condition and need serious redevelopment 6.8%
9 What is your general impression with regard to most of the Highway 41 corridor's existing building
stock?
1 Generally in excellent condition 7.3%
2 Generally in good condition and need some minor improvements 51.6%
3 Generally in fair to poor condition and need rehabilitation 7.9%
4 There are pockets of buildings in good condition and others where buildings are out of date and/or in need of
redevelopment 32.0%
5 Most buildings are in poor condition and need serious redevelopment 1.2%
10 What is your impression on the existing inclusion of minorities within the community?*
1 Very Inclusive 1.0%
2 Somewhat inclusive 23.9%
3 Neutral 23.9%
4 Not very inclusive 35.9%
5 Extremely not inclusive 13.9%
6 I don't know 1.4%
* Tested exclusively at public meetings and was not available online.
75 A. Nelessen Associates, Inc. - Visioning | Planning | Urban Design
11 In your opinion, will people who retire remain in Oshkosh?*
1 Most/all will stay 38.3%
2 A small number will stay 16.7%
3 A portion of them will live here part time 43.1%
4 Most/all will leave 1.9%
Building Types
12 If redevelopment occurs in the future, what is the maximum number of stories you would recommend
in downtown?*
1 1 to 2 stories 6.2%
2 2 to 4 stories 34.0%
3 4 to 8 stories 36.8%
4 8 to 12 stories 12.4%
5 12 to 16 stories 4.8%
6 16 to 20 stories 5.7%
13 Do you agree with the following statement? "Vacant lots, industrial sites, and underutilized surface
parking lots can provide space for infill and redevelopment of tomorrow."*
1 Strongly Agree 63.2%
2 Agree 25.8%
3 Neutral 7.7%
4 Disagree 2.4%
5 Strongly Disagree 1.0%
14 How appropriate is it to provide affordable housing in Oshkosh in the future?*
1 Extremely Appropriate 43.8%
2 Appropriate 43.3%
3 Somewhat Appropriate 9.1%
4 Not Appropriate 1.4%
5 Extremely Inappropriate 1 0%5 Extremely Inappropriate 1.0%
6 I don’t know 1.4%
15 Where would you prefer that multi-family housing be focused in the City?*
1 Along Highway 41 4.9%
2 Downtown 13.2%
3 Along Lake Winnebago 2.4%
4 Along the Fox River 4.4%
5 Integrated Into Existing Neighborhoods 34.6%
6 All of the above 40.5%
* Tested exclusively at public meetings and was not available online.
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16 Where would you prefer that senior housing be focused in the City?
1 Along Highway 41 3.4%
2 Downtown 7.8%
3 Along Lake Winnebago 6.6%
4 Along the Fox River 8.9%
5 Integrated Into Existing Neighborhoods 34.2%
6 All of the above 39.1%
17 Should the city enforce proper maintenance of homes and businesses?
1 Yes 85.1%
2 No 14.8%
18 How should the City enforce property maintenance?
1 Fines 36.7%
2 Stricter Codes 28.0%
3 Use prisoners to fix up properties and charge owners the cost, like snow removal 23.6%
4 Require property owners to plant green to screen properties until it is redeveloped 11.8%
19 Do you agree that the City of Oshkosh should institute historic design standards for downtown?
1 Strongly Agree 24.8%
2 Agree 38.6%
3 Neutral 23.4%
4 Disagree 10.3%
5 Strongly Disagree 3.0%
20 Do you agree that the City should eliminate the downtown's rent control policy for downtown
buildings?
1 Strongly Agree 7.9%
2 Agree 19.2%
3 Neutral 57.3%
4 Disagree 12.9%4 9
5 Strongly Disagree 2.7%
Pedestrian Realm
21 Do you agree that there is an adequate network of sidewalks in Oshkosh?*
1 Strongly Agree 6.2%
2 Agree 34.4%
3 Neutral 16.3%
4 Disagree 34.0%
5 Strongly Disagree 9.1%
22 Do you agree that there should be a unified streetscaping component that differentiates the residential
from the commercial areas of the City?
1 Strongly Agree 11.9%
2 Agree 47.2%
3 Neutral 27.9%
4 Disagree 10.8%
5 Strongly Disagree 2.2%
23 How appropriate is burying utilities when areas are being redeveloped or streets repaved?
1 Extremely Appropriate 52.2%
2 Appropriate 32.3%
3 Somewhat Appropriate 9.4%
4 Not Appropriate 1.7%
5 Extremely Inappropriate 0.5%
6 I don’t know 3.9%
* Tested exclusively at public meetings and was not available online.
77 A. Nelessen Associates, Inc. - Visioning | Planning | Urban Design
24 How appropriate are delineated crosswalks (in Oshkosh)?*
1 Extremely Appropriate 38.3%
2 Appropriate 41.6%
3 Somewhat Appropriate 10.5%
4 Not Appropriate 2.9%
5 Extremely Inappropriate 0.5%
6 I don’t know 6.2%
25 How appropriate is the idea of closing of N. Main Street (in downtown) to car traffic on weekends to be
pedestrian-only?
1 Extremely Appropriate 9.2%
2 Appropriate 16.1%
3 Somewhat Appropriate 22.5%
4 Somewhat Inappropriate 30.6%
5 Extremely Inappropriate 15.1%
6 I don’t know 6.6%
26 How appropriate is the idea of closing of N. Main Street (in downtown) to car traffic at all times to be
pedestrian-only?
1 Extremely Appropriate 6.2%
2 Appropriate 9.5%
3 Somewhat Appropriate 12.7%
4 Not Appropriate 33.4%
5 Extremely Inappropriate 32.4%
6 I don’t know 5.8%
Streets
27 How appropriate is the elimination of one-way streets in downtown Oshkosh, and making each street
two-way with a maximum of two driving lanes?*
1 Extremely Appropriate 25.4%y pp p 5 4%
2 Appropriate 38.8%
3 Somewhat Appropriate 18.2%
4 Not Appropriate 8.6%
5 Extremely Inappropriate 1.9%
6 I don’t know 7.2%
28 How appropriate is the idea of adding parallel parking on all streets where possible?*
1 Extremely Appropriate 9.1%
2 Appropriate 36.8%
3 Somewhat Appropriate 27.3%
4 Not Appropriate 13.9%
5 Extremely Inappropriate 6.7%
6 I don’t know 6.2%
29 Do you prefer parallel parking, existing streets with no on-street parking, or angled head-in on-street
parking?
1 Parallel parking 19.3%
2 Angled head-in parking 60.2%
3 Existing streets with no on-street parking 6.9%
4 No preference 13.6%
* Tested exclusively at public meetings and was not available online.
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30 How appropriate is the idea of narrowing existing streets to increase the size of the terraces and
provide on-street bike lanes?*
1 Extremely Appropriate 47.1%
2 Appropriate 33.7%
3 Somewhat Appropriate 12.5%
4 Not Appropriate 4.3%
5 Extremely Inappropriate 1.4%
6 I don’t know 1.0%
31 How appropriate is it to improve the existing corridors leading from Highway 41(for example Murdock
Avenue) into the City of Oshkosh?
1 Extremely Appropriate 33.2%
2 Appropriate 36.1%
3 Somewhat Appropriate 20.4%
4 Not Appropriate 4.5%
5 Extremely Inappropriate 1.2%
6 I don’t know 4.5%
Frontages
32 Do you agree with the idea that all new retail will destroy old retail if the population and income of the
residents in the service areas remains on its current trend?
1 Strongly Agree 7.1%
2 Agree 23.3%
3 Neutral 27.8%
4 Disagree 36.2%
5 Strongly Disagree 5.7%
33 How much do you support the idea of limiting Highway 41 development and focusing development in
downtown and distinctive sub-centers?
1 Highly Support 22.4%
2 Somewhat Support 28.4%2 pp 28.4%
3 Neutral 12.6%
4 Do not Support 20.6%
5 Extremely Against 8.4%
6 It should be a balance between the two 7.5%
34 The City of Oshkosh should encourage new development to be mixed-use with ground floor retail.*
1 Strongly Agree 27.8%
2 Agree 53.1%
3 Neutral 14.4%
4 Disagree 3.3%
5 Strongly Disagree 1.0%
35 The greatest potential for future development is:
1 Downtown 27.6%
2 Highway 41 23.2%
3 Intersections of Arterials 5.9%
4 Everywhere 34.4%
5 Nowhere 0.7%
6 I don’t know 8.0%
* Tested exclusively at public meetings and was not available online.
79 A. Nelessen Associates, Inc. - Visioning | Planning | Urban Design
Waterfront
36 Waterfront Walkway*
1 Extremely Appropriate 91.3%
2 Appropriate 6.3%
3 Somewhat Appropriate 1.0%
4 Not Appropriate 0.5%
5 Extremely Inappropriate 0.5%
6 I don’t know 0.5%
37 Waterfront Restaurants*
1 Extremely Appropriate 76.6%
2 Appropriate 18.7%
3 Somewhat Appropriate 4.3%
4 Not Appropriate 0.0%
5 Extremely Inappropriate 0.0%
6 I don’t know 0.5%
38 Waterfront "Boat-Up" Restaurants
1 Extremely Appropriate 53.6%
2 Appropriate 28.3%
3 Somewhat Appropriate 13.3%
4 Not Appropriate 1.7%
5 Extremely Inappropriate 0.7%
6 I don’t know 2.3%
39 Waterfront Single Family Housing*
1 Extremely Appropriate 11.1%
2 Appropriate 19.7%
3 Somewhat Appropriate 34.1%
4 Not Appropriate 6%
For questions 40 to 46 Please rate how appropriate the addition would be to the waterfront in the City of Oshkosh.
4 Not Appropriate 22.6%
5 Extremely Inappropriate 10.6%
6 I don’t know 1.9%
40 Waterfront Multi-Family Housing*
1 Extremely Appropriate 16.3%
2 Appropriate 32.7%
3 Somewhat Appropriate 28.8%
4 Not Appropriate 11.5%
5 Extremely Inappropriate 8.2%
6 I don’t know 2.4%
* Tested exclusively at public meetings and was not available online.
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41 Waterfront Marina*
1 Extremely Appropriate 52.7%
2 Appropriate 31.4%
3 Somewhat Appropriate 14.0%
4 Not Appropriate 1.0%
5 Extremely Inappropriate 0.5%
6 80 0.5%
42 Waterfront Hotel/Resort
1 Extremely Appropriate 50.6%
2 Appropriate 27.6%
3 Somewhat Appropriate 13.3%
4 Not Appropriate 4.2%
5 Extremely Inappropriate 1.8%
6 I don’t know 2.5%
43 How appropriate is the continuation of a riverfront walkway on the South side of the river?*
1 Extremely Appropriate 74.4%
2 Appropriate 19.3%
3 Somewhat Appropriate 3.4%
4 Not Appropriate 1.4%
5 Extremely Inappropriate 1.0%
6 I don’t know 0.5%
Sustainability
44 How appropriate is incorporating sustainable design practices into future development (like solar
orientation, solar panels, green roofs, wind turbines)?*
1 Extremely Appropriate 59.4%
2 Appropriate 22.2%
3 Somewhat Appropriate 15.0%
4 Not Appropriate 1 9%4 Not Appropriate 1.9%
5 Extremely Inappropriate 1.0%
6 I don’t know 0.5%
45 How often do you ride the existing Bus System?
1 Every day 0.5%
2 A lot (4 times or more a week)1.1%
3 Often (1 to 3 times a week)1.0%
4 Sometimes (1 to 4 times a month)2.0%
5 Rarely (1 to 2 times in six months)10.7%
6 Never 84.6%
46 The existing Bus System should:
1 Remain the same 17.5%
2 Be expanded to travel more frequently 6.9%
3 Be expanded to make more stops 6.2%
4 Be expanded to travel more frequently and make more stops 17.3%
5 Eliminated 4.5%
6 I don’t know 47.6%
* Tested exclusively at public meetings and was not available online.
81 A. Nelessen Associates, Inc. - Visioning | Planning | Urban Design
47 How appropriate is the implementation of a Bus Rapid Transit (a bus that runs on a dedicated right-of-
way like a light rail without the rails) system along Hwy 41 for Oshkosh that would connect major
destinations?*
1 Extremely Appropriate 30.0%
2 Appropriate 27.1%
3 Somewhat Appropriate 27.5%
4 Not Appropriate 5.3%
5 Extremely Inappropriate 1.9%
6 I don’t know 8.2%
48 Would you support the idea of an “On-Demand” Transit System for the City of Oshkosh and adjacent
areas? An “On-Demand” Transit System is essentially a small bus that travels from point to point and
is accessible via web or cell phone. The system costs on average $3 per trip and may pickup multiple
passengers along the way to increase efficiency.*
1 Highly Support 29.5%
2 Support 47.3%
3 Neutral 20.8%
4 Do Not Support 2.4%
49 How appropriate is the re-opening of a passenger and freight train line between Green Bay and
Milwaukee with stops in cities such as Appleton, Fond du Lac, and Oshkosh.*
1 Extremely Appropriate 44.9%
2 Appropriate 26.3%
3 Somewhat Appropriate 19.0%
4 Not Appropriate 4.4%
5 Extremely Inappropriate 1.0%
6 I don’t know 4.4%
50 How important is the connection of the global market between Oshkosh and the rest of the world?*
1 Extremely Important 54.1%
2 Important 31.9%
3 SomewhatImportant 10 1%3 Somewhat Important 10.1%
4 Not Important 1.4%
5 Extremely Unimportant 0.0%
6 I don’t know 2.4%
51 How important is coordinated planning between the Fox Cities, Green Bay, Fond du Lac and Oshkosh
for Oshkosh in the future?*
1 Extremely Important 61.8%
2 Important 27.1%
3 Somewhat Important 10.1%
4 Not Important 1.0%
5 Extremely Unimportant 0.0%
6 I don’t know 0.0%
52 How much would you support providing a curriculum in schools which promotes sustainable and
healthy lifestyles?
1 Highly Support 54.8%
2 Somewhat Support 26.2%
3 Neutral 13.0%
4 Do not Support 4.3%
5 Extremely Against 1.7%
* Tested exclusively at public meetings and was not available online.
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53 How appropriate is the future collaboration between the City of Oshkosh and Chamber of Commerce
in regards to future economic development?*
1 Extremely Appropriate 70.7%
2 Appropriate 20.2%
3 Somewhat Appropriate 6.7%
4 Not Appropriate 0.0%
5 Extremely Inappropriate 0.5%
6 I don’t know 1.9%
54 What do you think will happen to energy prices for the home in the future?*
1 Remain the Same 2.4%
2 Decrease in Costs 2.9%
3 Increase 10-25%30.6%
4 Double in Costs 19.9%
5 Triple in Costs 11.7%
6 Increase, but I don't know how much 32.5%
55 Are global warming, climate change, and increases in water levels issues that Oshkosh should be
concerned about?*
1 Yes, Very Concerned 59.1%
2 Somewhat Concerned 28.8%
3 Not Very Concerned 5.3%
4 Not at All Concerned 4.8%
5 I don't know 1.4%
56 How appropriate would the expansion of the park system be for the City?*
1 Extremely Appropriate 46.6%
2 Appropriate 31.3%
3 Somewhat Appropriate 13.9%
4 Not Appropriate 5.3%
5 Extremely Inappropriate 1.4%
6 I don’t know 1.4%4
57 How appropriate is the institution of additional after school programs for the area?*
1 Extremely Appropriate 33.7%
2 Appropriate 35.6%
3 Somewhat Appropriate 14.9%
4 Not Appropriate 3.4%
5 Extremely Inappropriate 1.9%
6 I don’t know 10.6%
58 How appropriate is the idea of City-wide programs for Small Business/Entrepreneurial development?
1 Extremely Appropriate 42.3%
2 Appropriate 35.6%
3 Somewhat Appropriate 13.6%
4 Not Appropriate 2.5%
5 Extremely Inappropriate 0.7%
6 I don’t know 5.3%
* Tested exclusively at public meetings and was not available online.
83 A. Nelessen Associates, Inc. - Visioning | Planning | Urban Design
59 How appropriate is the idea of City-wide programs for large business (Oshkosh Corp, Bemis, etc.)
development?
1 Extremely Appropriate 31.8%
2 Appropriate 32.2%
3 Somewhat Appropriate 20.0%
4 Not Appropriate 6.4%
5 Extremely Inappropriate 2.0%
6 I don’t know 7.5%
60 What is the most appropriate way to attract new small and large businesses to start in Oshkosh?
1 Tax Incentives 25.2%
2 Providing more city-provided amenities (parks and recreation)5.6%
3 Improve shopping options 6.3%
4 Provide more diverse housing options 1.4%
5 Advertising that promotes the qualities and potential of Oshkosh 12.8%
6 A new vision for the City of Oshkosh 35.1%
7 Other ________________________________________13.8%
Health
61 What health-related activities do you already take part in?
1 Walking 47.5%
2 Biking 16.6%
3 Recreational Sports 9.5%
4 Gym 11.9%
5 Other ________________________________________14.5%
62 Do you feel health enhancing activities are already available in the area?
1 Yes, there are many options 38.8%
2 There are some options, but I would like to see more 47.2%
Th h i3Therearenotthatmany options 13.3%
4 There are no options 0.7%
63 How much would you support additional walking related amenities provided in the area?*
1 Highly support 70.0%
2 Support 24.6%
3 Neutral 3.9%
4 Do not support 1.4%
64 How much would you support additional biking related amenities provided in the area?*
1 Highly support 61.5%
2 Support 31.7%
3 Neutral 5.8%
4 Do not support 1.0%
65 How much would you support additional sports related amenities provided in the area?*
1 Highly support 28.0%
2 Support 42.5%
3 Neutral 22.7%
4 Do not support 6.3%
* Tested exclusively at public meetings and was not available online.
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66 How do you rate community health facilities (i.e. hospitals and clinics)?*
1 Excellent 39.8%
2 Good 45.6%
3 Fair 10.2%
4 Poor 0.5%
5 I don't know 3.4%
67 How much would you support the expansion of neighborhood community gardens?
1 Highly support 34.8%
2 Support 35.6%
3 Neutral 24.2%
4 Do not support 5.4%
68 How much would you support the gardening programs in the schools where the food grown would be
used for school lunches?*
1 Highly support 48.3%
2 Support 32.9%
3 Neutral 14.5%
4 Do not support 4.3%
69 How much would you support the provision of school breakfasts and lunches free to all moderate and
low income children in Oshkosh?
1 Highly support 35.4%
2 Support 32.5%
3 Neutral 19.2%
4 Do not support 12.9%
70 Do you think that there is a current problem with obesity in the area?*
1 Yes 85.0%
2 Somewhat 12.1%
3 No 2.4%
71 Do you think that there is a current problem with drugs/alcohol in the area?*
1 Yes 63.9%
2 Somewhat 32.7%
3 No 3.4%
72 Would you support a smoking ban in most bars and all public buildings in Oshkosh?
1 Yes 81.1%
2 No 18.8%
73 How would you support an employer/city incentive to bike/walk to work (I.e. financial compensation
for walking or biking instead of driving)?
1 Highly support 32.8%
2 Support 29.1%
3 Neutral 22.0%
4 Do not support 16.0%
74 How appropriate is the idea of promoting sustainability in Oshkosh through living within walking
distance to areas where you can work and play?*
1 Extremely Appropriate 35.1%
2 Appropriate 37.1%
3 Somewhat Appropriate 14.1%
4 Not Appropriate 6.8%
5 Extremely Inappropriate 4.4%
6 I don’t know 2.4%
* Tested exclusively at public meetings and was not available online.
85 A. Nelessen Associates, Inc. - Visioning | Planning | Urban Design
UW-Oshkosh and Fox Valley Technical College Connections
75 How appropriate is expanding continuing education courses at UW-Oshkosh?*
1 Extremely Appropriate 46.3%
2 Appropriate 36.6%
3 Somewhat Appropriate 11.2%
4 Not Appropriate 0.5%
5 Extremely Inappropriate 0.5%
6 I don’t know 4.9%
76 How appropriate is providing more student-oriented shops on Main Street to generate more student
foot traffic?
1 Extremely Appropriate 27.9%
2 Appropriate 36.7%
3 Somewhat Appropriate 24.2%
4 Not Appropriate 5.9%
5 Extremely Inappropriate 1.4%
6 I don’t know 3.9%
77 How would you support the University's expansion into the City to use existing underutilized buildings
in the city/downtown?
1 Highly support 44.9%
2 Support 38.9%
3 Neutral 11.1%
4 Do not support 5.1%
78 Is student parking a problem in the city?
1 Yes 46.7%
2 Somewhat 33.7%
3 No 19.6%
79 Should the University limit student parkingin the city to University-owned lots?*79 Should the University limit student parking in the city to University owned lots?
1 Yes 16.9%
2 Maybe 30.3%
3 No 38.8%
4 I don't know 13.9%
80 How appropriate is the idea of the collaboration between the City of Oshkosh and the University to
redevelop parts of town together?
1 Extremely Appropriate 49.8%
2 Appropriate 31.2%
3 Somewhat Appropriate 12.5%
4 Not Appropriate 2.2%
5 Extremely Inappropriate 1.9%
6 I don’t know 2.5%
* Tested exclusively at public meetings and was not available online.
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Demographics
81 When were you born?
1 Before 1941 7.4%
2 1942 to 1953 21.9%
3 1954 to 1965 30.4%
4 1966 to 1980 29.5%
5 1981 to 1994 10.6%
6 After 1995 0.1%
82 What is your gender?
1 Female 59.4%
2 Male 40.6%
83 Household Income
1 Under $10,000 1.7%
2 $10,000 - $24,999 4.6%
3 $25,000 - $34,999 7.2%
4 $35,000 - $49,999 11.5%
5 $50,000 - $74,999 22.9%
6 $75,000 - $99,999 19.6%
7 $100,000 - $149,999 18.9%
8 $150,000 - $200,000 5.0%
9 Above $200,000 3.7%
84 Education (Highest Level Completed)
1 Elementary/Junior High School 0.3%
2 High School 8.8%
3 Associates/Technical Degree 11.0%
4 Some College 15.9%
5 College, Bachelors Degree 51.8%
6 Masters Degree %6 Masters Degree 2.4%
7 PhD 9.8%
85 How many people live in your household?*
1 1 14.4%
2 2 51.2%
3 3 13.9%
4 4 12.4%
5 5 or more 7.5%
86 Where do you live?
1 City of Oshkosh 71.0%
2 Town of Oshkosh 2.8%
3 Town of Algoma 8.8%
4 City of Neenah 1.9%
5 Town of Black Wolf 3.0%
6 Town of Nekimi 0.9%
7 Town of Winneconne 1.6%
8 City of Menasha 0.7%
9 Town of Vinland 0.7%
10 Other __________________________________8.4%
* Tested exclusively at public meetings and was not available online.
87 A. Nelessen Associates, Inc. - Visioning | Planning | Urban Design
87 How long have you lived in or near the City of Oshkosh?*
1 Do not live in or near the City 2.6%
2 Less than one year 1.0%
3 1 to 2 years 2.6%
4 3 to 8 years 13.3%
5 9 to 20 years 20.0%
6 20 to 30 years 20.5%
7 More than 30 years 39.5%
88 How long do you intend to live in or near the City of Oshkosh?*
1 Do not live in or near the City 3.1%
2 Less than one year 3.6%
3 1 to 2 years 3.6%
4 3 to 8 years 11.4%
5 9 to 20 years 26.4%
6 20 to 30 years 8.3%
7 For the rest of my life 43.5%
89 Do you work in the City of Oshkosh?
1 Yes, and I do live in the City of Oshkosh 53.8%
2 Yes, but I do not live in the City of Oshkosh 20.7%
3 No 25.5%
90 Which category best describes your employment within the City of Oshkosh?*
1 College/University 9.4%
2 Manufacturing 4.2%
3 School District 4.2%
4 Healthcare 7.3%
5 Municipal (City or County)8.9%
6 Small Business 15.7%
7 Retail 5.8%
8 Other 30 4%8 Other __________________________________________30.4%
9 I do not work in the City of Oshkosh 14.1%
91 What is your current work status?
1 Employed- Full Time 70.5%
2 Employed- Full Time (underemployed)1.7%
3 Employed- Part Time 7.8%
4 Employed- Part Time (underemployed)0.2%
5 Contractor and/or Self-employed 2.3%
6 Unemployed 1.9%
7 Retired 11.0%
92 What best describes your interest in the future of the City of Oshkosh? (Choose one)*
1 Business owner in the City – but do not own the property 4.2%
2 Property and business owner in the City 17.3%
3 Property owner in the City (not including businesses or home owner)2.1%
4 Home owner in the City 42.9%
5 Renter in the City 5.8%
6 Student living and/or attending school in the City 2.1%
7 Interested Citizen working in the City 14.1%
8 Interested Citizen not living or working in the City 4.7%
9 Governmental Staff or Elected official 4.2%
10 Other 2.6%
* Tested exclusively at public meetings and was not available online.
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B. Full VPS Results
Vision Oshkosh
P bli Vi i i M iPublic Visioning Meeting
April 23, 2009
Effective Planning through Public
ParticipationParticipation
and Quality Urban Design
BUILDING
TYPESTYPES
Line 2 Existing Historic Mixed Use
6(4)6(4)
Line 6 Life Quality Center
5(4)5(4)
Line 7 Parking behind building
5(4)5(4)
Line 11 Single Family Homes
5(4)5(4)
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Line 9 Parking –Intense landscaping in parking area with walkway
5(4)5(4)
Line 14 Garages in back of houses
5(4)5(4)
Line 10 Parking –Mixed-use Parking Structure
4(4)4(4)
Line 13 Town Homes
4(4)4(4)
Line 4 Mixed-Use infill for Downtown
4(5)4(5)
Line 5 Mixed-Use Infill for Hwy 41
4(6)4(6)
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Line 3 Multi-Family Infill near Downtown
3(5)3(5)
Line 15 Garages in the Front of Houses
2(5)2(5)
Line 1 Existing Multi-Family Housing
1(6)1(6)
Line 12 Existing Town Homes
1(5)-1(5)
Line 8 Existing Parking Lots
3(5)-3(5)
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Line 18 Commercial Wide Sidewalk with Planters
6(4)6(4)
Line 19 Commercial Tree lined Sidewalk
6(4)6(4)
Line 20 Commercial sidewalk streetlights
6(4)6(4)
Line 22 Commercial Street with Furniture
6(4)6(4)
Line 17 Commercial sidewalk with Terrace
5(4)5(4)
PEDESTRIAN
REALM
The sidewalk design and treatment must
REALM
encourage people to want to walk.
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Line 26 Tree lined Residential Sidewalk
5(4)5(4)
Line 25 Residential sidewalk with wide Terrace
4(4)4(4)
Line 28 Bump-out
3(5)3(5)
Line 24 Residential sidewalk with narrow Terrace
1(5)-1(5)
Line 21 Highway Retail Frontage Street
2(5)-2(5)
Line 16 Commercial sidewalk without Terrace
3(5)-3(5)
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Line 27 Residential Sidewalk with no curbs
4(5)-4(5)
Line 23 Residential sidewalk without Terrace
7(4)-7(4)
STREETS
Streets are a city’s most important public
spaces.
Line 32 Arterial with wide sidewalks and street trees
6(4)6(4)
Line 40 Tree lined street
5(4)5(4)
Line 41 Residential
5(4)5(4)
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Line 37 Main Street with wide sidewalks, trees and bike lanes
5(5)5(5)Line 31 Existing Arterial Street
4(4)4(4)
Line 42 Bicycle Lanes
4(5)4(5)
Line 38 Pedestrian Street
3(5)3(5)
Line 46 Grid of Streets
2(4)2(4)
Line 45 Cul-de-Sac
2(5)2(5)
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Line 33 Existing Residential
0(4)0(4)
Line 35 Two Way Streets
0(5)0(5)
Line 44 Bus with a Bus Only Lane
0(6)0(6)
Line 36 Existing Frontage Street
1(5)-1(5)
Line 39 Street without Trees
2(4)-2(4)
Line 30 Existing Arterial Street
2(5)-2(5)
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Line 29 Existing Main Street
3(5)-3(5)
Line 34 One Way Street
3(5)-3(5)
Line 47 Power Lines
5(4)-5(4)
Frontages and
SiSignage
Line 52 Hwy 41 frontage with multi-use path and landscaping
6(4)6(4)
Line 51 Outdoor Dining
6(4)6(4)
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Line 56 Front Porch
6(4)6(4)
Line 55 Rain Garden Front Yard
5(5)5(5)
Line 54 Garden Front Yard
4(5)4(5)
Line 53 Grass Front Yard
4(4)4(4)
Line 61 Blade Signs
4(4)4(4)
Line 59 Wayfinding Signage
4(4)4(4)
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Line 50 Clear Glass Window Retail Frontage
3(4)3(4)
Line 57 White Picket Fences
3(5)3(5)
Line 48 Existing Hwy 41
2(4)2(4)
Line 58 Flat Retail Signage
2(4)2(4)
Line 49 Existing Retail Frontage
1(5)-1(5)
Line 60 Large Signs
1(5)-1(5)
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Waterfronts
Line 62 Urban Riverfront Park
7(4)7(4)
Line 63 Natural Waterfront Park
7(4)7(4)
Line 66 Waterfront Mixed Use Bars and Residential
6(4)6(4)
Line 70 Leech Amphitheater
6(4)6(4)
Line 64 Marina
5(5)5(5)
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Line 65 Docks
5(4)5(4)
Line 67 Waterfront Single-Family Housing
3(5)3(5)
Line 68 Waterfront Multi-Family Housing
3(5)3(5)
Line 69 Waterfront Multi-Family Housing
1(5)1(5)
Line 71 Waterfront Industrial Buildings
6(5)-6(5)
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SUSTAINABILITY
The ability to meet present needs without compromising
those of future generations. It relates to the continuity of g y
economic, social, institutional and environmental
aspects of human society, as well as the non-human
environment.
Line 75 Solar Panels
6(4)6(4)
Line 76 Community Compost Collection Areas
5(5)5(5)
Line 77 Bus Rapid Transit to Appleton or Green Bay
4 (5)
Line 78 New Train Station
4(5)4(5)
Line 73 Wind Farms
3(6)3(6)
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Line 72 Rain Water Collection
2(6)2(6)
Line 74 Wind Farms in a Lake
1(7)1(7)
HEALTH
Line 79 Farmer’s Market
8(3)8(3)
Line 2 Walking
7(3)7(3)
Line 3 Bicycling
6(4)6(4)
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Line 1 Community Gardens
6(4)6(4)
Line 80 Roof Gardens
5(5)5(5)
UWO and Oshkosh
Line 12 Low Rise Housing fronting on park
6(3)*6(3)*
Line 9 New Row house
6(3)*6(3)*
Line 6 Community Space on Campus
6(4)6(4)
* Tested exclusively at public meetings and was not available online.
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Line 4 Campus
6(4)6(4)
Line 8 New Campus Housing
5(5)5(5)
Line 10 Mixed use Housing
4(4)*4(4)*
Line 11 New High Rise Housing with park setting
3(4)*3(4)*
Line 5 Campus Gateway
1(5)1(5)
Line 7 Campus Housing
0(5)0(5)
* Tested exclusively at public meetings and was not available online.
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Tree Lined Residential Street
SimulationSimulationSimulationSimulationSimulationSimulation
Main Street Improvements
SimulationSimulationSimulationSimulation
Hwy 41 Frontage Street Improvements
SimulationSimulation
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C. Translation Maps
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VISION Oshkosh, WI
Lake Winnebago
Lake Butte des Morts
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Westhaven
Golf Club
University of
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VISIONING | PLANNING | URBAN DESIGN
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0 2,000 4,000 Feet
0 1 2 Miles
VISION Oshkosh, WI
Lake Winnebago
Lake Butte des Morts
Wittman
Regional Airport
Westhaven
Golf Club
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Lakeshore
Golf Club
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A. NELESSEN ASSOCIATES
VISIONING | PLANNING | URBAN DESIGN
Street Improvements
Traffic calming
Crosswalks
Bicycle lanes and paths
Street trees
Gateway features
Priority street improvements
X
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VISION Oshkosh, WI
Lake Winnebago
Lake Butte des Morts
W I N N E B A G O
O S H K O S H
A L G O M A
N E K I M I
B L A C K W O L F
T O W N o f O S H K O S H
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A. NELESSEN ASSOCIATES
VISIONING | PLANNING | URBAN DESIGN
Future Growth
Parks
Residential
Entertainment/Restaurant
Commercial
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N O R T H
A L G
41
21
44
45
76
41
41
41
45
45
45
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Wittman
Regional Airport
Westhaven
Golf Club
University of
Wisconsin
Oshkosh
Lakeshore
Golf Club
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D. Model Resolution for reducing obesity and promoting community health
CITY/COUNTY MODEL RESOLUTION
[CITY/COUNTY] OF _________________________________
RESOLUTION NO. ____________
ADOPTING A POLICY TO REDUCE OBESITY AND PROMOTE COMMUNITY
HEALTH
WHEREAS, obesity is a leading public health challenge facing California today
and is approaching epidemic proportions; and
WHEREAS, medical experts agree that obesity increases the risk for a number of
health hazards, including heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, and some cancers;
and
WHEREAS, the economic impact of obesity in terms of chronic disease risk factors
reaches $21.68 billion a year in California, including $10.2 billion in medical
care, $11.2 billion in lost employee productivity, and $338 million in workers
compensation costs, and will be devastating if left unchecked; and
WHEREAS, the problem of obesity is particularly acute among population
groups in low-income, underserved communities that generally have less access to
nutritious and healthful foods and fewer opportunities for physical activity; and
WHEREAS, the [City of ____________ (“City”)/County of ______________
(“County”)] is responsible for protecting the public health, safety, and welfare of
its citizens; and
WHEREAS, the [City/County] has direct authority to implement land use plans,
policies, and programs to meet the needs of its communities; and
WHEREAS, the built environment and land use decisions play an important
role in shaping the pattern of community development and in either promoting or
discouraging physical activity and nutritious food choices; and
WHEREAS, cities and counties throughout California are increasingly taking
steps to encourage farmers’ markets; promote opportunities for physical activity,
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such as walking and biking paths; and encourage patterns of development that
promote physical activity and discourage automobile dependency;
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that, to the maximum extent feasible,
the [City/County] should strive through its land use decisions to promote community
health, prevent and reduce obesity, and provide access to healthy food and
physical activity for all neighborhoods in the [City/County];
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that there may be
previously overlooked opportunities for the [City/County] to integrate public
health concerns into its land use planning and decision making; and
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the [City/
County] directs staff to conduct meetings, workshops or public hearings in
order to solicit input from interested individuals and organizations on opportunities
and recommendations for integrating public health concerns into local
land use planning; and
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the [City/
County] directs staff to report back to the [city council/board of supervisors]
in [insert time frame] with recommendations on ways that the [City/County]
may amend the [include these as appropriate: general plan, zoning ordinance,
municipal code, and/or county code] to address the above-stated public health
concerns.
ADOPTED BY THE FOLLOWING VOTE:
AYES:
NOES:
ABSENT:
Courtesy of Public Health Law and Policy’s Planning for Healthy Places “General Plans and Zoning”
document.
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E. Model Plan and Zoning Language for Farmers’ Markets
Establishing Land Use Protections for
Farmers’ Markets
March 2009
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Table of Contents
Introduction.....................................................................................................................3
Model GENERAL PLAN Language to
Protect and Expand Farmers’ Markets.........................................................................6
Model ZONING Language
Establishing a Farmers’ Market as an Approved Use.................................................8
Prepared by Planning for Healthy Places, a project of Public Health Law & Policy
www.healthyplanning.org
PHLP is a nonprofit organization that provides legal information on matters relating to public
health. The legal information provided in this document does not constitute legal advice or legal
representation. For legal advice, readers should consult a lawyer in their state.
Funded by the California Department of Public Health, through the Network for a Healthy
California
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Introduction
Local governments can promote healthy eating and active living in their communities by
supporting local farmers’ markets. Local farmers’ markets provide fresh produce to
community residents, support small farmers, serve as gathering places, and revitalize
community centers and downtown areas. There are many ways that local governments can
promote farmers markets.
Planning for Healthy Places, a project of Public Health Law & Policy, has created a set of
complementary model land use policies to help California communities create more
opportunities for farmers’ markets and ensure their long-term viability.
Model General Plan Language for Farmers’ Markets
This model general plan language suggests goals, policies, and actions to protect existing and
promote the creation of new farmers’ markets.
Model Zoning Ordinance Establishing Farmers’ Markets as a Permitted Use
This model ordinance provides that California Certified Farmers’ Markets are an approved
use of land in specific zones. This designation allows the establishment and maintenance of
Certified California Farmers’ Markets in such zones without requiring a permit, finding,
variance, or other land use approval. Certified Farmers’ Markets must obtain valid health
permits and, depending on the local community, other types of licenses and permits.
Why Land Use Protections?
There are several benefits to adopting land use policies for farmers’ markets.
1. Increase and Protect Farmers’ Markets by Removing Barriers
Land use policies can increase the numbers of farmers’ markets in their communities by
making it easier to establish new markets as well as protecting existing markets. Some
communities have difficulty establishing markets, because they struggle with a
cumbersome permitting process or have difficulty finding sites (either public or private)
for markets. In addition, generally, if a type of use of land is not defined and permitted in
a zoning code, it is considered illegal (even if the type of use does not appear at all in the
code). A zoning law that establishes farmers’ markets as an allowed use in the areas the
community selects eliminates the need for a permit and increases the land available for
markets. It can also help to protect existing markets in the allowed use area.
For example, until recently, zoning regulations in the city of Fresno, California,
prevented the establishment of farmers’ markets, since farmers’ markets were not a
legally defined use in the city’s zoning code. The lack of supportive land use policy for
farmers’ markets was particularly ironic—although Fresno County is one of the most
productive agriculture areas in the world, its farmers could not sell directly to residents in
their own community. Community members worked with the city’s planning department
to change the zoning code so that Fresno’s residents can now benefit from the fresh,
local food that farmers’ markets bring.1
1 Fresno Municipal Code § 4.5.
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4
2. Optimizing location
Land use policies can help to optimize the location of farmers’ markets by requiring the
community to decide where markets may operate. An advocacy effort to engage a
community in adopting zoning and general plan language to support markets will, ideally,
lead to a broader conversation about how a community could maximize the benefits of
farmers’ markets. One effect of zoning could be to allow the municipality to prioritize
markets in appropriate sites (such as near a school, a town center, near public
transportation, etc.) and plan for new/future markets.
3. Increasing access for low-income customers
Land use policies can be used both to increase the consumer base and to make fresh
local produce accessible and available for more community members, in particular, low-
income customers. Zoning provisions can require farmers’ markets to accept various
forms of food assistance. (See box for more information.) In San Francisco, for example,
farmers’ markets vendors are required to accept coupons, vouchers, and EBT cards
(Electronic Benefit Transfer cards for food stamps).2
Farmers’ Markets and Food Assistance Programs
In 1992, Congress established the Women, Infants and Children’s (WIC) Farmers’
Market Nutrition Program (FMNP) to provide fresh, locally grown produce to WIC
participants and to expand the awareness and use of farmers’ markets. Currently, 46
state agencies (including California) operate the FMNP. State agencies issue eligible
WIC participants FMNP coupons (typically between $10-30 per year, per recipient)
in addition to their regular WIC food vouchers.
The Senior Farmers’ Market Nutrition program (SFMNP), established in 2001,
extends the program to low-income seniors. In California, the SFMNP is
administered by local Area Agencies on Aging.
Beginning in 2009, the United States Department of Agriculture has approved a new
WIC food package that includes, for the first time, fresh fruits and vegetables. New
cash value vouchers will make available to WIC participants $6-10 per month for
fresh, frozen, or canned fruits and vegetables. Each state will decide whether these
vouchers may be redeemable at farmers’ markets. California has decided to pilot
WIC voucher redemption at one or two farmers’ markets before expanding the
program statewide.3
Other Ways to Promote and Create Farmers’ Markets
The model general plan and zoning ordinances offered here address only land use
protections. Local governments can take other action to support farmers’ markets, such as
such as streamlining permitting processes, sponsoring markets, and partnering with other
local agencies.
2 S.F. Park Code § 9A.15.
3 More information about the WIC Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program is available at:
www.cdph.ca.gov/programs/wicworks/Pages/WICFarmersMarketNutritionProgram.aspx. For more
information on the farmers’ market demonstration project, contact Andy Barbusca at the California
Department of Public Health WIC Division: any.barbusca@cdph.ca.gov.
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Partnering with Parks
In San Francisco, farmers’ markets may be located on parkland, provided that the
market does not significantly interfere with public use and enjoyment of other areas
of the park. San Francisco’s ordinance requires the Commissioner of Agriculture to
work with the Recreation and Park department to identify suitable sites for farmers’
markets on city parkland.4
Partnering with Schools
Communities may promote farmers’ markets by partnering with schools to allow
markets on school grounds. Some California communities have established thriving
farmers’ markets at schools. In 1998, parents at La Jolla Elementary School in San
Diego established a Sunday farmers’ market at their school. It has grown from a
market with 14 farmers and one artisan to become a central community meeting
place with nearly 100 vendors each Sunday. Since its inception, the market has
helped to fund a new library, and art, music, and technology programs at the school.
More information on the La Jolla Elementary School Open Aire Market is available
at www.lajollamarket.com.
Partnering with Local Organizations
Since 1993, the Millbrae, California, Chamber of Commerce has sponsored a
downtown farmers’ market in a city parking lot every Saturday year-round, with
many of the local merchants offering special prices on market days.5 Kaiser
Permanente hosts farmers’ markets at its hospitals in California, Colorado, Georgia,
Hawaii, Oregon, and Washington D.C.; the markets serve hospital visitors, patients,
and employees.6
No one model is right for every community. See www.healthyplanning.org for more ideas
and resources.
4 San Francisco Park Code § 9A.3.
5 More information on the Milbrae Farmers’ Market is available at: www.millbrae.com.
6 For more information, see http://members.kaiserpermanente.org/redirects/farmersmarkets/.
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Model GENERAL PLAN Language
to Protect and Expand Farmers’ Markets
California state law requires each county and city to adopt a comprehensive, long-term
general plan for the physical development of the county or city, called the general plan.7 As the
“constitution” of a community, the general plan underlies all land use decisions. Legally, all
local government land use policies must rest on the principles and goals of the general plan.8
General plans can be updated or amended to include policy language supporting
farmers’ markets.
For information on the general plan update and amendment process, see General Plans and
Zoning: A Toolkit on Land Use and Health, available at:
www.healthyplanning.org/toolkit_gpz.html.
For additional ideas for model general plan policies that support healthy communities, and
ideas for implementation, see How to Create and Implement Healthy General Plans, available at:
www.healthyplanning.org/toolkit_healthygp.html.
The following model general plan language establishes a land use policy to promote the
establishment of farmers markets as an important land use. The language is designed to be
tailored to the needs of an individual community, and can be incorporated into the general
plan in many ways.9 Language written in italics provides different options or explains the
type of information that needs to be inserted in the blank spaces in the policy.
Goal/Objective: Protect existing and establish additional farmers’ markets to
increase access to healthy, local, affordable, and culturally appropriate foods,
encourage community-building, support local agriculture and economic
development, and promote agri-tourism.
Policies/Actions
• Encourage the operation of at least [ insert number ] farmers’ market[s] in the
[ City/County ] at least [ insert frequency ] per week.
7 California Gov’t. Code § 65300.
8 Planning for Healthy Places. How to Create and Implement Healthy General Plans, “Section III: Writing a
Healthy General Plan.” Available at: www.healthyplanning.org/toolkit_healthygp.html.
9 California law requires that general plans address seven “elements,” or issue areas: land use,
circulation/transportation, housing, conservation, open space, noise, and safety. Other elements are
optional. Policies that support farmers markets could be incorporated in into land use, circulation, housing,
open space, air quality, parks and recreation, safety, and economic development elements. For more
information, see How to Create and Implement Healthy General Plans, “Section III: Writing a Healthy
General Plan.” Available at: www.healthyplanning.org/toolkit_healthygp.html.
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• Identify potential farmers’ market sites on public property, including parks, schools,
colleges and universities, and other institutions; on private property, including
hospitals and commercial centers; and, where feasible, on streets using street
closures.
• Adopt zoning regulations that establish farmers’ markets as a permitted use in
appropriate locations. Farmers’ markets are compatible with the [ insert names (e.g.,
Commercial, Public Facility, Open Space, Multifamily Residential) ] land use designations
shown on the General Plan land use map.
• Require City-sponsored farmers’ market programs to give priority to establishing
new farmers markets in neighborhoods without a currently operating farmers’
market and that have a lack of access to fresh produce.
• Where feasible, locate farmers’ markets on sites that have convenient pedestrian,
bike, and public transit access and sufficient off-street parking.
• Limit operation of farmers’ markets during peak commute hours if the site is on a
major thoroughfare with congested traffic.
• Encourage [ or require ] farmers’ markets to provide secure bike storage, recycling,
composting, and trash collection.
• Encourage [ or require ] developers to provide for the dedication of land for
neighborhood centers, public squares, or comparable uses that can be used for
farmers’ markets in new developments.
• Increase support for farmers’ markets through partnerships with other public
agencies and private institutions, including school districts, neighborhood groups,
senior centers, businesses, and agricultural organizations.
• Coordinate with neighborhood planning groups to promote local farmers’ markets.
• Work with and encourage school boards to offer locally grown foods in school
breakfast and lunch programs and to allow schools to host farmers’ markets on
weekends or after school hours.
For an editable (Microsoft Word) version of Model General Plan Language to
Protect and Expand Farmers’ Markets, see www.healthyplanning.org.
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Model ZONING Language
Establishing a Farmers’ Market as an Approved Use
California state law requires each county and city to adopt a comprehensive, long-term plan
for the physical development of the county or city, called the general plan.10 The community’s
zoning ordinances set forth the regulations to carry out the policies of the general plan.
Zoning is a regulatory mechanism by which a government divides a community, such as a
city or county, into separate districts with different land use regulations within each district.
Simply stated, zoning determines what can and cannot be built, and what activities can and
cannot take place on the parcels of land throughout a community.11
The following model language is designed for California cities or counties to tailor and adopt
as an amendment to their existing zoning code.12 It establishes that operating an outdoor
California Certified Farmers’ Market is an approved use of land in neighborhood
commercial, downtown commercial, institutional, and public land, as well as any additional
districts that the community might choose, subject to certain regulations the community
wishes to impose. This designation allows citizens to develop and maintain a farmers’ market
in the enumerated districts without requiring the citizens to obtain a conditional use permit,
variance or other type of local land use approval.
Market organizers will still need to obtain approval from their County Agriculture
Commissioner, as required under state law.13 Because no land use permits are required, the
ordinance sets forth basic regulations for community gardens. The farmers’ market and its
applicants need to obtain health permits and, depending upon local law, other types of
permits or licenses.
10 Please see the accompanying document for model general plan language promoting farmers markets.
11 For more information about zoning regulations and healthy communities, see General Plans and
Zoning: A Toolkit on Land Use and Health, available at: www.healthyplanning.org/toolkit_gpz.html.
12 For more information on how to amend zoning codes, see General Plans and Zoning: A Toolkit on Land
Use and Health, available at: www.healthyplanning.org/toolkit_gpz.html.
13 See Cal. Food & Agric. Code §§ 47000 - 47026; 3 C.C.R. Article 6.5.
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California Certified Farmers’ Markets
Briefly, a certified farmers’ market is a market (1) operated by a local government
agency, one or more certified producers, or a nonprofit organization; (2) certified by
and operating in a location approved by the county agricultural commissioner; and
(3) where farmers sell directly to consumers agricultural products or processed
products made from agricultural products that the farmers grow themselves (“direct
marketing”).14 State law requires that the agricultural products meet certain health
and safety standards, but provided that the produce meets certain quality
requirements, state law exempts the produce from size, standard pack, container, and
some labeling requirements.15 Certified farmers’ markets must adopt written rules
and procedures pertaining to the operation of the market.16
State law permits local communities to establish by zoning ordinance districts where
certified farmers’ markets may operate, but the county agricultural commissioner
must approve the location of and issue a certificate to permit the certified farmers’
market to operate.17 The county agricultural commissioner’s approval ensures that
only directly marketed agricultural products are included within the certified market.
Other vending must occur outside of the perimeter of the certified market.
Certified farmers’ markets are “food facilities” as defined in the California Uniform
Retail Food Facilities Law (CURFL).18 They must obtain a valid health permit to
operate and are regulated by local environmental health agencies.19 Depending on
the local community, certified farmers’ markets may also need to obtain other
licenses or permits to operate.
This zoning ordinance is directed toward outdoor farmers’ markets, because outdoor markets
raise zoning issues. An indoor market may be held in a public building (such as a school or
town hall) or in a private building (such as a church or shopping mall) under a lease
agreement; these indoor markets are unlikely to raise zoning issues. The fact that this
ordinance is directed toward outdoor markets would not prohibit vendors from using tents
or shade structures, consistent with the markets’ rules and operating agreements.
The local jurisdiction will need to determine where within its existing code the amendment
would best fit, make other amendments as necessary for consistency, and follow the
appropriate procedures for amending the zoning law. The language is designed to be tailored
to the needs of an individual community. Language written in italics provides different
options or explains the type of information that needs to be inserted in the blank spaces in
the ordinance. “Comments” provide additional information.
14 Cal. Food & Agric. Code § 47004(b); 3 C.C.R. § 1392.2.
15 Cal. Food & Agric. Code § 47002; 3 C.C.R. § 1392.4.
16 Cal. Food & Agric. Code § 47004(a); 3 C.C.R. § 1392.6.
17 Cal. Food & Agric. Code § 47004(a); 3 C.C.R. § 1392.2, § 1392.6. 18 Cal. Health & Safety Code § 113785(a)(3).
19 Cal. Health & Safety Code § 113920.
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Permitted Use of Farmers’ Markets
(a) Definition. A Farmers’ Market shall consist of a Certified California Farmers’
Market, pursuant to the requirements of Division 17, Chapter 10.5, Article One of
the California Food and Agricultural Code and Title 3, Division 3, Chapter 1,
Subchapter 4, Article 6.5 of the California Code of Regulations, or their successor
provisions.
Comment: This definition requires the farmers’ market to be a
Certified California Farmers’ Market, as described above.
(b) Permitted use. Farmers’ Markets are a permitted use in the following zoning
districts: downtown commercial, neighborhood commercial, institutional, public,
mixed-use, open space, multi-family residential)____________________ [ add other
use districts ] subject to the following regulations:
(1) All Farmers’ Markets and their vendors comply with all federal, state and
local laws relating to the operation, use and enjoyment of the market
premises;
(2) The county Agricultural Commissioner has approved the location of the
Farmers’ Markets.
Comment: State law requires the county Agricultural
Commissioner to approve the location of all Certified Farmers’
Markets.20
(3) All Farmers’ Markets and their vendors comply with all rules and
regulations of the County Agricultural Commissioner and
______________ [ add any additional rules and regulations ];
(4) All Farmers’ Markets and their vendors receive all required operating and
health permits and these permits (or copies) shall be in the possession of
the Farmers’ Market operator or the vendor, as applicable, on the site of
the Farmers’ Market during all hours of operation;
(5) All Farmers’ Markets and their vendors accept forms of payment by
participants of federal, state, or local food assistance programs, including
but not limited to the Food Stamps/Supplemental Nutrition Assistance
Program; the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) Farmers’ Market
Nutrition Program; and the Senior Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program.
Such forms of payment include but are not limited to coupons,
vouchers, and Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards.
Comment: It is important to require farmers’ markets to accept
payments from participants in food assistance programs to ensure
that low-income residents have access to fresh produce and local
20 3 C.C.R. § 1392.2.
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farmers can benefit from the spending power of these consumers.
California participates in the WIC Farmers’ Market Nutrition
Program. For more information on the program, see
www.cdph.ca.gov/programs/wicworks/Pages/
WICFarmersMarketNutritionProgram. Communities should consider
offering technical assistance and resources to markets to facilitate
their participation in these programs.
(6) All Farmers’ Markets have a representative of the operator authorized to
direct the operations of all vendors participating in the market on the site
of the market during all hours of operation.
(7) All Farmers’ Markets provide secure bicycle storage for their patrons and
provide for composting, recycling, and waste removal in accordance with
all applicable City codes.
(8) [ List additional regulations here such as permitted operating hours (including set-up
and clean-up), etc. ].
Comments: Communities may list additional operating
conditions here. Because Certified Farmers’ Markets are
required to have operating rules, it is not necessary to include
specific regulations addressing the internal operations of the
markets.
For an editable (Microsoft Word) version of Model Zoning Language
Establishing a Farmers’ Market as an Approved Use, see
www.healthyplanning.org.
Courtesy of Public Health Law and Policy’s Planning for Healthy Places “General Plans and Zoning”
document.
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E. Model Plan and Zoning Language for Farmers’ Markets
Establishing Land Use Protections for
Community Gardens
March 2009
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Table of Contents
Introduction ................................................................................. 3
Model GENERAL PLAN Language
to Protect and Expand Community Gardens ....................................... 7
Model ZONING Language
Establishing Community Gardens as an Approved Use ........................10
Prepared by Planning for Healthy Places, a project of Public Health Law & Policy
www.healthyplanning.org
PHLP is a nonprofit organization that provides legal information on matters relating to public
health. The legal information provided in this document does not constitute legal advice or legal
representation. For legal advice, readers should consult a lawyer in their state.
Funded by the California Department of Public Health, through the Network for a Healthy
California
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Introduction
Local government leaders are in a unique position to promote healthy eating and active
living in their communities by supporting community gardens. Community gardens are
places where neighbors and residents can gather to cultivate plants, vegetables, and fruits
and, depending on local laws, keep bees and raise chickens or other livestock and poultry.
Community gardens can improve nutrition, physical activity, community engagement, safety,
and economic vitality for a neighborhood and its residents and provide environmental
benefits to the community at large.1
Planning for Healthy Places, a project of Public Health Law & Policy, has created a set of
complementary model land use policies to help California communities create and preserve
community gardens.
1 Twiss J, Dickinson J, Duma S, et al. “Community Gardens: Lessons Learned from California Healthy Cities
and Communities.” American Journal of Public Health, 93(9): 1435-1438, 2003; Local Government
Commission. “Cultivating Community Gardens Fact Sheet.” Available at:
www.lgc.org/healthycommunities.
Model General Plan Language for Community Gardens
This model language establishes a policy within a general plan to protect existing and
create new community gardens. It provides specific goals or actions to implement the
policy. It is designed to be added to a city or county’s general plan to promote community
gardens created by the private or nonprofit sector (e.g., local community groups) as well
as the public sector.
Model Zoning Ordinances for Community Gardens
We have developed two options for zoning ordinances for community gardens. A
community may adopt one or both policies:
Open Space Protections for Community Gardens. The model zoning code
language provides that a community garden can be zoned as a sub-district or sub-
use within an open space zoning district. By enacting this policy, a community can
protect and preserve community gardens as an open space use.
Use Zone Protections for Community Gardens. The model zoning code
language provides that community gardens are an approved use of land in
residential, multifamily, industrial, and other districts added by the community
where appropriate. This designation allows citizens to develop and maintain
community gardens in the enumerated districts without requiring the sponsor to
obtain a permit, finding, variance, or other government approval.
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Community Gardens and Urban Agriculture
Cities are increasingly recognizing that urban food production can help provide food security
for their residents, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and help meet their goals to become
sustainable cities. Some communities use the phrase urban agriculture as an umbrella term to
encompass a wide range of activities—including community gardens—involving the raising,
cultivation, processing, marketing, and distribution of food in urban areas. Other
communities distinguish agricultural production (urban farms) from community gardens.
These communities view urban farms primarily as a commercial or entrepreneurial enterprise
and community gardens as recreation or leisure activity for gardeners to grow food for
themselves or to share with neighbors. As a result, communities may create separate
definitions for urban farms and community gardens and regulate them separately. For
example, they may allow community gardens in certain areas, such as residential districts,
where they would not permit an urban farm.
Both community gardens and urban farms provide important community benefits.
Community members and planners should work together at the local level to customize this
model to fit local needs.
Why Land Use Policies for Community Gardens?
Citizens interested in starting community gardens often face obstacles securing access to
land and ensuring preservation of land for community gardens. Supportive land use policies,
like zoning ordinances, can help to create community gardens and ensure their long-term
ability to operate on a site.
Other Actions to Promote Community Gardens
As described below, municipalities around the country have adopted a variety of polices and
programs to facilitate the creation and maintenance of community gardens and urban farms,
including providing financial support, technical assistance, and education. Communities can
also promote community gardens by encouraging interim or temporary use of underutilized
land for gardens, assist in land acquisition for gardens, and help manage and program
community gardens. No one model is right for every community. The following are
examples of government actions promoting community gardens.
Community Gardens on Vacant Public and Private Land
The City of Escondido, California, has an “Adopt-a-Lot” policy allowing community
gardens to be operated as an interim use on both publicly and privately owned
vacant land. A city employee works with landowners and the community to develop
an agreement for the conditions and tenure of use of the land as a garden.2
Des Moines has a community garden program that allows the establishment of
community gardens on city right-of-ways and real property.3
New York City has a law protecting and promoting the use of vacant lots for
gardens.4
2 Local Government Commission. “Cultivating Community Gardens Fact Sheet.” Available at:
www.lgc.org/healthycommunities.
3 Des Moines Municipal Code § 74-201, 74-202.
4 New York City Administrative Code §18-132.
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A number of cities, including Washington, D.C., and Hartford, Connecticut, collect
and maintain an inventory of public or private vacant land suitable for gardens.5
Financing and Acquiring Land for Community Gardens
Seattle has provided parks with bond monies, public housing funds, and
neighborhood matching grants to purchase land for and help maintain garden plots.6
Minneapolis allows use of tax-forfeited land (properties seized by the city from the
landowner due to unpaid taxes) as garden sites without charge.7
Chicago formed a nonprofit called NeighborSpace with the Chicago Park District
and the Forest Preserve District of Cook County. Each entity contributed funds to
purchase lands for community gardens.8
Madison, Wisconsin, has used federal Community Development Block Grant funds
to support community gardens.9
A number of cities, including Boston, Philadelphia, Providence (Rhode Island), and
New York City, have begun using land trusts to acquire and preserve community
gardens.10
Municipal Community Garden Programs
Several cities have created community garden programs operated by the city. The cities of
Hartford (Connecticut), Palo Alto (California), Portland (Oregon), and Sacramento
(California) maintain a municipal garden program.11 San Francisco has a community gardens
policy committee that establishes policies and implements gardening standards and operating
rules.12
Public-Private Partnerships
A number of communities have created partnerships with nonprofit organizations to acquire
land for and operate community gardens.
As noted earlier, Chicago created a city-funded nonprofit called NeighborSpace to
acquire property to preserve land for community gardens. It also enters into
5 D.C. ST § 48-402(1); Hartford, Connecticut, Municipal Code § 26-15(a)(1).
6 More information on Seattle’s community garden program is available at:
www.seattle.gov/neighborhoods/ppatch/. 7 Hennepin County Resolution 85-5-374.
8 More information on NeighborSpace is available at: www.neighbor-space.org.
9 More information on Madison’s use of community development block grants is available at:
www.ci.madison.wi.us/cdbg/docs/brochure_G.pdf.
10 More information on the South Side Community Land Trust in Providence, Rhode Island, is available at:
www.southsideclt.org; more information on the Neighborhood Gardener’s Association/A Philadelphia Land
Trust is available at: www.ngalandtrust.org.
11 Hartford, Connecticut, Municipal Code § 26-15; more information on the Sacramento program is available
at: www.cityofsacramento.org/parksandrecreation/parks/community_garden.htm.
12 More information on San Francisco’s community gardens policy committee is available at:
www.parks.sfgov.org/recpark_index.asp?id=27041.
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operating agreements with local groups to use and maintain the spaces.
The City of Seattle’s P-Patch Community Garden Program works with the nonprofit
Friends of P-Patch and the City Housing Authority to acquire, build, protect, and
advocate for the gardens.
For more ideas and resources, see www.healthyplanning.org.
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Model GENERAL PLAN Language
to Protect and Expand Community Gardens
California state law requires each county and city to adopt a comprehensive, long-term
general plan for the physical development of the county or city, called the general plan.13 As
the “constitution” of a community, the general plan underlies all land use decisions. Legally,
all local government land use policies must rest on the principles and goals of the general
plan.14
General plans can be updated or amended to include policy language supporting
community gardens.
For information on the general plan update and amendment process, see General Plans and
Zoning: A Toolkit on Land Use and Health, available at
www.healthyplanning.org/toolkit_gpz.html.
For additional ideas on model general plan policies that support healthy communities and
ideas for implementation, see How to Create and Implement Healthy General Plans, available at
www.healthyplanning.org/toolkit_healthygp.html.
The following model general plan language establishes a land use policy to promote the
establishment of community gardens as an important community feature. The language is
designed to be tailored to the needs of an individual community, and can be incorporated
into the general plan in many ways.15 Language written in italics provides different options or
explains the type of information that needs to be inserted in the blank spaces in the policy.
“Comments” describe the provisions in more detail or provide additional information.
Goal/Objective: Protect existing and establish new community gardens and urban
farms as important community resources that build social connections; offer
recreation, education, and economic development opportunities; and provide open
space and a local food source.
13 California Gov’t. Code §65300.
14 Planning for Healthy Places. How to Create and Implement Healthy General Plans, “Section III: Writing a
Healthy General Plan.” Available at: www.healthyplanning.org/toolkit_healthygp.html.
15 California law requires that general plans address seven “elements,” or issue areas: land use,
circulation/transportation, housing, conservation, open space, noise, and safety. Other elements are
optional. Policies that support community gardens could be incorporated in into land use, circulation,
housing, open space, air quality, parks and recreation, safety, and economic development elements. For
more information, see How to Create and Implement Healthy General Plans, “Section III: Writing a
Healthy General Plan.” Available at: www.healthyplanning.org/toolkit_healthygp.html.
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Policies/Actions
• Encourage the creation and operation of one community garden of no less than [one]
acre for every ____ [ 2,500 ] households. Identify neighborhoods that do not meet this
standard and prioritize the establishment of new gardens in neighborhoods that are
underserved by other open space and healthy eating opportunities.
Comment: The standard presented here is based on Seattle,
Washington’s standard – one community garden per 2,500 households.16
This standard matches closely the National Recreation and Park
Association’s widely used “best practice standards” for a neighborhood
park or tot lot (1/2 acre: 2500 households for a tot lot; 1 acre: 5000
households for a neighborhood lot17). Communities that are more or less
urban will need to assess whether this standard is appropriate for them.
• Identify existing and potential community garden sites on public property, including
parks; recreation and senior centers; public easements and right-of-ways; and surplus
property, and give high priority to community gardens in appropriate locations.
• Adopt zoning regulations that establish community gardens as a permitted use in
appropriate locations. Community gardens are compatible with the [ insert names (e.g.,
Commercial, Public Facility, Open Space, Multifamily Residential) ] land use designations shown
on the General Plan land use map.
• Encourage [ or require ] all new affordable housing units to contain designated yard or
other shared space for residents to garden.
• Encourage [ or require ] all [ or some, such as multifamily residential, commercial, institutional or
public ] new construction to incorporate green roofs, edible landscaping, and encourage
the use of existing roof space for community gardening.
Comment: Communities should ensure that building codes address
safety concerns, including appropriate fencing and added load weight,
when permitting roof gardens.
• Community gardens shall count towards park and open space allocations required by
local Quimby Act ordinances for new subdivisions and multifamily development.
Comment: The Quimby Act is a California policy that authorizes cities
and counties to pass ordinances requiring developers to dedicate land or
pay in lieu fees, or a combination of both, for park or recreational
purposes as a condition to approving a tentative map application.18
Dedication of land associated with the Quimby Act requires setting aside
between 3 to 5 acres of developable land for every 1,000 population
generated by the proposed development.19
16 Seattle, Washington Comprehensive Plan. Urban Village Appendix B. January 2005.
17 1990 Recreation, Park and Open Space Standards and Guidelines, and the 1996 Park, Recreation, Open
Space and Greenway Guidelines and Tables D1.2, D1.3, D1.4, D1.5, and D1.6. 18 Cal. Govt. Code § 66477.
19 The formula to calculate a proposed development’s Quimby requirement is as follows:
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• Create a Community Gardening Program within the [ Parks and Recreation Department ] to
support existing and create additional community gardens.
• Increase support for community gardens through partnerships with other governmental
agencies and private institutions including school district(s), neighborhood groups,
senior centers, businesses, and civic and gardening organizations.
• Secure additional community garden sites through long-term leases or through
ownership as permanent public assets by the City, nonprofit organizations, and public or
private institutions like universities, colleges, school districts, hospitals, and faith
communities.
• Encourage local law enforcement agencies to recognize the risk of vandalism of and
theft from community gardens and provide appropriate surveillance and security to
community gardens.
(persons per household)* X (number of units in development) X 3 to 5 acres**1,000* Estimates for
“Person’s per household” can be found in the Housing Element of a City or County’s General Plan or via
the census website, available at: www.census.gov.
** Specific acreage requirements will be determined by local ordinance.
For an editable (Microsoft Word) version of Model General Plan Language to
Protect and Expand Community Gardens, see www.healthyplanning.org.
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Model ZONING Language
Establishing Community Gardens as an Approved Use
California state law requires each county and city to adopt a comprehensive, long-term plan
for the physical development of the county or city, called the general plan.20,21 The
community’s zoning ordinances set forth the regulations to carry out the policies of the
general plan. Zoning is a regulatory mechanism by which a government divides a
community, such as a city or county, into separate districts with different land use
regulations within each district. Simply stated, zoning determines what can and cannot be
built, and what activities can and cannot take place, on the parcels of land throughout a
community.22
The majority of California’s cities have “use-based” zoning laws. Use-based codes divide the
jurisdiction into distinct districts, such as residential, commercial, multi- or mixed-use, and
industrial, and regulate the use and development of the land within the districts based on the
designation.23 Community gardens are not usually addressed in zoning codes, which leaves
them vulnerable to being closed down as “illegal” uses or to displacement by development
that is expressly permitted in the zoning district.
The following model language is designed for California cities or counties to tailor and adopt
as an amendment to their existing zoning laws.24 We offer two options: (1) an ordinance that
establishes that community gardens are an approved use of land in residential, multifamily,
mixed-use, industrial and any other districts in which a community garden would be
appropriate; and (2) an ordinance that establishes a separate subcategory or subdistrict of
open space dedicated for the use of community gardens.
The first designation allows residents to develop and maintain community gardens in the
enumerated districts without requiring the residents to obtain any type of permit, finding,
variance, or other government approval. Because no permits are required, the ordinance sets
forth basic regulations for community gardens.
The second designation establishes community gardens as a legitimate use in specified
zoning districts and gives them the same protections as other types of open space uses in the
20 California Gov’t. Code § 65300.
21 Please see the accompanying document for model general plan language promoting farmers’ markets.
22 For more information about zoning regulations and healthy communities, see General Plans and
Zoning: A Toolkit on Land Use and Health, available at: www.healthyplanning.org/toolkit_gpz.html.
23 Another form of zoning that is becoming increasingly popular with “smart growth” advocates is “form
based zoning.” While form based zoning is broader in how it defines allowed uses, use definitions still
apply. Most of the provisions here could be applied to form based codes. For more information on form
based and use based zoning, see Section V of How to Create and Implement Healthy General Plans,
available at: www.healthyplanning.org/healthygp_toolkit/HealthyGP_SectionV.pdf.
24 For more information on how to amend zoning codes, see General Plans and Zoning: A Toolkit on Land
Use and Health, available at: www.healthyplanning.org/toolkit_gpz.html.
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community. Communities can amend their zoning codes to include one or both of these
designations.
The local jurisdiction will need to determine where within its existing code the ordinances
would best fit, make other amendments as necessary for consistency, and follow the
appropriate procedures for amending the zoning law. The language is designed to be tailored
to the needs of an individual community. Language written in italics provides different
options or explains the type of information that needs to be inserted in the blank spaces in
the ordinance. “Comments” provide additional information.
Permitted Use of Community Gardens
Community Gardens shall consist of land used for the cultivation of fruits,
vegetables, plants, flowers, or herbs by multiple users. The land shall be served by a
water supply sufficient to support the cultivation practices used on the site. Such
land may include available public land. Community gardens are a permitted use in the
following zones: residential, multifamily, mixed-use, open space, industrial
____________ [ add other zoning districts ] subject to the following regulations:
Comment: Some communities may permit community
gardeners to keep bees and raise chickens on garden sites. If
so, this definition can be amended to allow these uses.
(a) Site users must provide a Phase I Environmental Site Assessment (ESA). Any
historical sources of contamination identified in the ESA must be tested to
determine type and level of contamination; appropriate remediation procedures
must be undertaken to ensure that soil is suitable for gardening.
Comment: Funds and grant for environmental site assessments,
testing and cleanup procedures may be available from a variety
of state and federal sources. Site users should coordinate with
their local economic development and redevelopment agencies,
as well as their local/regional Department of Toxic Substances
Control.
(b) Site users must have an established set of operating rules addressing the
governance structure of the garden, hours of operation, maintenance and security
requirements and responsibilities; a garden coordinator to perform the
coordinating role for the management of the community gardens; and must
assign garden plots according to the operating rules established for that garden.
The name and telephone number of the garden coordinator and a copy of the
operating rules shall be kept on file with the City [insert department name]
Department.
Comment: To function effectively, a community garden must
have established operating rules and a garden coordinator. In
this ordinance, a municipality could (1) require that gardens have
rules, as the model language does above, (2) provide a complete
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listing of rules; or (3) give authority for a particular city or county
department or officer to establish community garden rules and
require each community garden to adhere to those rules. A
municipality could also choose to address some or all of the
requirements for operating a community garden in this or an
accompanying ordinance.
(c) The site is designed and maintained so that water and fertilizer will not drain
onto adjacent property.
(d) There shall be no retail sales on site, except for produce grown on the site.
Comment: Community gardens can be a needed source of
income to low-income residents, as well as a source of produce
for neighbors who do not grow their own food. The model
language allows gardeners to sell the produce they have grown,
but permits no sales of other items. Because the model
ordinance permits community gardens to be established in a
variety of use districts, including residential districts, a
municipality may be reluctant to allow major retail operations on
garden sites. If the municipality chooses, it may allow more
expansive sales at garden sites. Alternatively, it could permit
gardeners to sell produce at a different site.
The model ordinance addresses land use issues when permitting
sales, but does not address other regulations that may affect
sales, such as health and sanitation laws or business license
regulations. Before permitting sales of community garden
produce, the municipality must ensure that those sales are
permitted under other state and local laws.
(e) No building or structures shall be permitted on the site; however, [ sheds for storage
of tools limited in size to [ _______ ] or subject to the requirements of section ____ ],
greenhouses that consist of buildings made of glass, plastic, or fiberglass in which
plants are cultivated, [ chicken coops ], benches, bike racks, raised/accessible
planting beds, compost or waste bins, picnic tables, seasonal farm stands, fences,
garden art, rain barrel systems, [ beehives ], [ barbeque grills, outdoor ovens ] and
children’s play areas shall be permitted. The combined area of all buildings or
structures shall not exceed [ 15 percent ] of the garden site lot areas. Any signs
shall comply with applicable [ city/county ] ordinances.
Comment: Some communities may wish to allow community
gardeners to erect sheds for the storage of tools on garden sites.
The municipality should make sure that any provision regarding
sheds conforms to other municipal code provisions regarding
storage sheds on property. Additionally, if communities permit
the cultivation of beehives and chickens in their community
gardens, structures for the care of these animals should be
included. Local laws vary on the keeping of farm animals in
different use districts.
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(f) Fences shall not exceed [ six feet ] in height, shall be at least [ fifty percent ] open if
they are taller than [ four feet ], and shall be constructed of wood, chain link, or
ornamental metal. For any garden that is [ 15,000 square feet in area or greater ] and
is in a location that is subject to design review and approval by the [ City Planning
Commission or Landmarks Commission ], no fence shall be installed without review
by the [ City Planning Director, on behalf of the Commission ], so that best efforts are
taken to ensure that the fence is compatible in appearance and placement with
the character of nearby properties.
Comment: Municipalities usually have requirements regarding
fences in their zoning or building codes. If the municipality has
existing regulations, it may not need this provision.
(g) Other Regulations
Comment: Communities may wish to impose additional
regulations on community gardens, including:
• Prohibiting connections to electricity or sewers without a permit
or other permission from the municipality or a particular
department;
• Imposing specific regulations regarding maintenance of the
site, such as frequency of waste collection;
• Requiring a community garden to have a nonprofit entity or
neighborhood group as a sponsor or to act as garden
coordinator; or
• Requiring particular landscaping or setbacks outside of the
garden within the public right-of-way.
Community Garden Open Space (Sub)districts
Community Garden open space subdistricts shall consist of land divided into
multiple plots appropriate for and limited to the cultivation of fruits, vegetables,
plants, flowers or herbs by various users. Such land may include available public land.
Comment: Some communities may permit community gardeners to
keep bees and raise chickens on garden sites, assuming local law so
permits. This definition can be amended to allow these uses.
For an editable (Microsoft Word) version of Model Zoning Language
Establishing a Community Garden as an Approved Use, see
www.healthyplanning.org.