Summary of Workshop Comments

The following further summarizes the comments provided in the November 17^th “Envisioning our Future” Community-wide Workshop.  The full summary of all the comments taken from the written notes, notes provided on easel-sized note pads and those written on the drawings are provided in the document entitled “Composite Summary”.

This “Summary of Workshop Comments” eliminates duplication and organizes the comments by category.  In the third of the summary documents, entitled “Final Summary”, these are further distilled into narrative descriptions roughly organized by location or area of focus (such as the historic core area).   These descriptions and the process of “reconciling” the drawings, will provide the elements of the “preliminary vision”.

Architecture/Design

·        Should be historically consistent – established design, color, materials.

·        Create a rural standard on the south side of the River – Cracker style, oaks, River.

·        Use old Florida style materials.

·        1890’s architecture.

·        Need architectural elements to know you have arrived. 

·        The Bridge would be the identifiable center of Alva.

·        What is the rural community look?  Narrow streets, buildings with character, variable roof line, eclectic look due to variable development over time, sidewalks. (no Mediterranean style, keep Cracker style).

Community Character – Core Area

·        Create sense of entry.

·        Sense of arrival at bridge.

·        Sense of community (think of as a community rather than a town).

·        Create “village “ core with shops/ mixed use.

·        Density in Alva center but rural elsewhere.

·        Have shops so you can walk – pedestrian friendly, walk, place to place.

·        Re-establish “walkable” blocks.

·        Narrow streets, pedestrian oriented.

·        Create Community Use Block (Church/EMS).

·        Stores used to be in Alva near intersection. 

·        Stores off main road but some business near or on River. 

·        In principle Alva key residential and business areas should be connected by 8 ft wide bike path.

·        Core retail area—crafts, antiques, historic area (north of River).

·        Commercial area and professional buildings with housing above, two stories.

·        Bakery, hardware, coffee shops are desired uses.

·        General store.

·        What is the start of Alva Core?  Parkinson Road on SR 78 from west, Alva Diner on SR 80 from West

·        Mixed use – commercial/residential

·        Commercial: South/North -- Encourage heart; cross walk

Long term zoning conversion

Mainstreet

Square

·        In core business area, encourage some professional business, doctors’ offices.

·        Some businesses to attract tourists.

·        Multi use buildings with independent vendors.

·        Core retail is neighborhood with emphasis on walking to shops, not driving; historic downtown.

·        Bed and breakfast?

·        Properties next to museum – try to acquire for community use.

·        Parking lots behind the buildings.

·        Efficient use of parking areas (want fewer, centrally located). Use cross parking agreements.

·        Streetscape program in core.

·        Inviting landscape and buffers.

·        Variation of height of buildings (commercial buildings with housing above 2 or 3 stories with foot height limitations.

·        Variation of paving materials, crushed shell, pavers.

·        Limits on size and heights of signs.

·        Community school.

·        Do not want manufactured homes or camping sites.

·        No HR apartments or box type apartments

·        No more big mobile home developments.

Close in residential

·        Encourage “family” housing near core

Riverfront

·        River is an important “jewel”.

·        High Street right of way may still exist along the river, could be half of riverwalk.

·        Other half on west side of Broadway bridge.

·        Pedestrian over bridge.

·        Create a riverwalk – from bridge to bay ramp; bridge to park, through to restaurant.

·        Maximize the Riverfront (Corps land).

·        Walking areas along river in commercial development.

·        Compatible commercial and residential in the area next to river in urban land use category and keeping rural village character etc.

·        Eco-tourism hub.

·        Improve and enhance boat ramp facilities.

·        Utilize Corps land for promenade.

·        Waterfront amphitheater.

·        Outdoor pavilions, small rural scale.

·        Buy marina next to Post Office (but problem is no parking.

·        Commercial lots should have appropriate depth.

·        Create neighborhood (Traditional Neighborhood Development) centers (every quarter mile?).

·        Charleston Park needs its own neighborhood center with commercial uses such as a Laundromat, grocery store (small).

·        Buy the marina (but there is no parking there).

·        Buy 2 houses next to museum.

·        No canals, keep it natural.

Community Character SR 80

·        Gateway to Alva at 80 and Broadway.

·        SR 80 traffic will be served, will want to take advantage of community to blend services for 80 travelers, but will be with rural village; direct character of establishments on 80; direct architectural style of franchises

·        Phasing of development should emphasize the quadrant north of SR 80 and west of Broadway first, then focus on the area south of SR 80 and west of Alva Diner for later development when key sites north of 80 and west of Broadway have been completed.  In this area south of 80 have “main” street of the commercial area off of SR 80.

·        No car dealers.

·        Future development of 80 and Broadway should provide a sense of Alva, Rural village, architectural standards, landscaped median.

·        No strip shopping, avoid strip mall, have central access, maintain access for current business as well as new.

·        Consider the value of medians versus turn lanes.  Turn lanes do not afford opportunities for trees, landscaping to establish the style of Alva.

·        Speed on 80 should be reduced to 45 mph as 80 passes through Alva.

·        Present design of 80 is like a wall going through the community and is not satisfactory.

·        Should segments of 80 be treated differently?  Higher density on SR 80 and Highway 31 south of River, Alva Town Center, South of River along 80 to west.

·        Commercial along SR 80 square ft limits; transitional commercial along SR 80 approaching Town center  - no strip development.

·        General parking area, but need service road area for between.

·        Work out arrangement with church parking for general use.

·        Business setbacks with landscape should be key.

·        Backlit signs not good - sign setback preferred.

·        All existing business signs etc are grandfathered in, but if sold need to comply.

·        Street lights only at major intersections and lighting goes off on timers. 

·        Lights non light polluting, focus down, not out, astronomer’s friend.

Landscaping

·        Landscaping barriers required between business and residences.

·        Oaks should be preserved and added in the commercial areas.

·        Current organizations use to help with landscaping etc – garden club.

·        Landscape along River and SR 80

Sidewalks/Bikepaths etc.

·        Bike off-street for safety.

·        Want wide sidewalk with landscaping on highway 80 and through Alva, perhaps along 78 out to Caloosahatchee Park.

·        Develop bridge crossing/pedestrian. 

·        Bike paths on both sides of 80.

·        Sidewalk to Alva middle school from Hwy 80 would be best. 

·        Sidewalks and bikepaths to school to Charleston Park.

·        Want bike path to go to existing Alva community center and park

·        School children need sidewalk and retention ponds need fence.  Landscaping around retention ponds and fences.

·        There are no pedestrian connections – need sidewalks on 78 around school, sidewalks in Charleston Park

·        Lack of connection from Charleston Park and River Oaks.

·        Oak Park should be connected to downtown by bike path/golf cart park.

·        Connect downtown with Caloosahatchee Regional Park and Mitigation Park along south river under ridge to north bridge along 80.

·        Use replicas of swing bridge as pedestrian bridge to Alva.

·        Extend bike path past the park to the locks.

·        Prioritize where the bike paths should go first. Concern about amphitheater going in next to Hickey Creek.

·        Perhaps a butcher shop at locks, and or bait, souvenirs

Parks

·        Alva Inc. should take back park from habitat for humanity – ask county for umbrella insurance to cover. 

·        Ask county to buy 5 acres north of park next to school.  Dodie Hall says Alva flower only now growing on that 5 acres.  Suggests 2020 or Audubon might contribute funds to keep it natural.

·        Fix up park at boat launch.

·        Community Pool by Alva Park.

·        Large Oaks should be preserved.

Preservation of Rural Character/Conservation network

·        Land Trust to create green space.

·        Use TDRs as an incentive to preserve open space and/or agricultural uses.

·        No pole lights for illumination.

·        Rural land uses should provide for agricultural, open space, large lot residential.

·        Use bike/pedestrian/golf cart/ horse paths without lights to connect conser4vation and recreation lands.

·        Density:  clustering is ok but don’ want lots of clustered communities with golf courses - want open space (currently 40% is required).

·        Distribution of people is key.  Don’t raise the number of dwelling units, keep the maximum growth currently permitted as the maximum allowable.

·        Could transfer density from north side of River to south side.

·        Question of more rules versus fewer rules (to result in the preservation of rural environment).

·        Should there be a limitation on use of golf courses in clustered developments as a means of meeting the open space requirements?

·        How far should the purview of the Alva Plan extend into the surrounding rural area? Boundaries?

·        Keep DRGR designation where it exists now.

·        Work with Lee County on restoration of Spanish Creek.

·        Get rid of Urban Community designation in the outlying area.

·        Emphasize pedestrianism.

·        Develop the Alva surroundings by creating preserves.

·        Get dollars for right of ways for bike paths from ISTEA grants.

·        Get DOT bikepaths on SR 80 with the widening.

·        Create a wildlife corridor.

·        Buy Telegraph—Babcock/State wants property – keep as a preserve, connect to regional park. (acquire as conservation area?).

·        Connect with Calososahatchee Regional  Park.

·        Buckingham 1 acre per home.

·        Change Hickey Creek land use density presently 6 units per acre (no super density between our 2 parks).

·        One suggestion for boundaries. Boundaries county line on north and east, west line of sections 3, 10, 15

·        Keep 78 “scenic” designate as such – no commercial.

·        Lower density in urban community near Hickey Creek from 6:1 to 1:1.

·        Want wildlife corridor in Mitigation Park.

·        Keep greenways for animals.

·        Create a land trust to help acquire land north of regional park (north side of 78 or purchase by 2020 and add to regional park).

Water management

·        Need to coordinate the plan with SWFWMD’s water management planning on north side of River from Hendry County Line to SR 31.  Incorporate June 1996 study proposal into Alva plan.

·        Get plan Craig A Smith Associates – South Florida Water Management.

·        “4 corners drainage plan” to develop a drainage plan for area north of 78.

Transportation Network

·        Packinghouse straightened and traffic light at 80 and Broadway.  Speed should be reduced to 45 there.

·        Direct Truck traffic around village (78).

·        Currently there is high traffic on 78.

·        Preserve rural character and scenic quality of 78.

·        By pass Route 78, avoid school.

·        There is no bus service to Charleston Park.

Enhance existing

·        Beautification programs to improve what we have (rehab program to keep up what we already have).

Community Services

·        Strive for advanced cardiac life support on fire truck.

·        Safety speed zones around school.

·        Enforce no thru truck school to 31.

·        Encourage habitat for humanity to build in Charleston Park (Review Board become part of the neighborhood).

Sewer and Water

• Sewer and water – privately done? Is county done?

• Limited use sewer and water.

• Is sewer and water a slippery slope for more development?

From Drawing

·        Unique features on the drawing include a recommended re-route of Highway 78 to pass to the north of the village.  This would function as an evacuation route.  Apparently, some of the right of way exists.

·        The boat launching area is shown as expanded to include facilities for children, increased docking area, and a connection to the town.

·        The existing wetlands area is designated for passive recreation and a 2020 purchase.  The edge should be protected.  Just south of the wetlands in the upland area could be an eco tourism resort/campus area with limited heights.

·        A cross hatched green area is shown along the route of the creek area flowing from the River and south of SR 80 across to Packinghouse Road.

·        The village core identifies an opportunity site for a community cultural facility, church site, or perhaps an expansion to the existing park site at the north west corner of the existing Alva Community Park Area. (cross hatched in lavender and black).

·        Legend doesn’t indicate what the orange areas are but believe it is area for shops/mixed use. Commercial areas are shown on the north River front and one block in on Broadway; Cross hatched commercial along both sides of Broadway between SR 80 and the River and along SR 80 east of Broadway.

·        A circle is drawn around the intersection of Packinghouse, SR 80 and Broadway. 

From Drawing

·        Drawing shows landscape buffer areas along both sides of SR 80, down Joel Road; around the area that occupies the northwest corner quadrant of SR 80 and Broadway; along river front on northeast side of bridge, and large landscaped area on both sides of the foot of the bridge on the south side.

·        Location of pedestrian bridge over SR 80.

·        Notes indicate need for turning lane, landscaped median, and oak trees landscaping along SR 80.

·        Shows location for boat dock area on south side of river.

From Drawing (s)

·        One drawing shows nodes and planning focal points.  Identified areas where commercial would be appropriate.  Indicated neighborhood commercial node at Charleston Park.  Also pedestrian and bicycle linkages along SR 80 to be implemented as 80 is widened.  Noted planned location of DOT water. retention pond and opportunity to make it into a landscape feature rather than fenced eyesore.

·        Other drawing is a “vision” sketch of the view as one arrives over the bridge to the “civic center”.

·        Drawings show neighborhood commercial designation for SR 80 at Charleston Park.