WELCOME TO THE 1 st PUBLIC MEETING

1. WELCOME TO THE 1st PUBLIC MEETING

2. WELCOME & INTRODUCTIONS Project website: www.newmobileplan.com

3. MOBILE PLANNING TEAM MEMBERS EDSA, Inc. Urban Design, Visioning and Community Planning www.edsaplan.com RKG Associates, Inc. Economic Development, Implementation Strategies Asset Property Disposition - APD, Inc. Neighborhood Revitalization, Public Participation, Housing Volkert and Associates, Inc. Transportation, Parking & Infrastructure Susan Turner Associates Historic Preservation, Cultural Resources STA

4. WHY DO A STRATEGIC PLAN? • Mobile is well positioned for both physical and economic growth over the next 10 years • As stated in the Mayor’s Transition Task Force Report, “…The City of Mobile should become the leading business and cultural community in the State of Alabama in order to be nationally recognized as the regional center for economic growth and quality lifestyle along the northern Gulf Coast. A vibrant, culturally diverse, residentially and commercially desirable downtown area core is critical to having the City of Mobile achieve this goal. We must build upon the energy and success of our immediate past and stand upon our 300 years of coastal heritage to move forward together.” • To succeed at this goal, the City and its citizenry, businesses, property owners and industries must prepare a new guiding plan that provides direction for strategic public and private investments that will continue to foster growth in Mobile’s downtown business and neighborhood core.

5. CREATING A NEW MOBILE PLAN FOR 2008-2018 Study Area & Project Approach Acknowledging the distinct character of each zone, the different opportunities & constraints and developing an overall framework and a unified vision. • Downtown Core, Waterfront & Midtown West Corridors Plan • Midtown North Neighborhood & Corridor Plan • Midtown South Neighborhoods & Corridor Plan

6. PROJECT ORGANIZATION & SCHEDULE • Multiple Client Process • Office of the Mayor • Project Manager • Communications Director • Community/Citizen Groups • Business Community • Property Owners • Five Simultaneous Working Tracks • We’re at Step 1 – Orientation • Research and Observation – Learning about Downtown & Midtown Mobile • Field Observation and Public Participation Initiation • Analyzing and Conveying Current Conditions in Mobile

7. FORMAT OF TONIGHT’S MEETING • This meeting is designed to facilitate the creation of a community-wide vision, develop consensus points and share information. • The participants will be divided into (6) groups. As you signed in you should have received a NUMBER which identifies your breakout group. • The breakout sessions will allow participants to collaborate and educate the planning team on strengths , weaknesses, opportunities and threats surrounding the zone in the areas of Urban Design, Housing & Neighborhood Conservation, Economic Development, Cultural & Historic Preservation, and Transportation & Infrastructure • Each breakout group will be led by a facilitator from the planning team and supported by a record keeper and mapper to document all the information discussed. • Each breakout group is responsible for completing the (2) exercises provided.

8. North Industrial Area Orange Grove Fisher Owens DeTontiSquare Central Business District Lower Dauphin Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue Lyons Park Old Dauphin Way St. Stephens Rd Georgia Avenue Church Street East Spring Hill Avenue Old Shell Rd Hannon Park Oakleigh Garden Dauphin Street Leinkauf Government Street Leikauf Texas Street Oakleigh Garden Riverfront Industrial Area S. Washington Ave. Oakdale Catherine St. S. Broad St. Virginia Street Maysville Baltimore Michigan Ave. S. Ann St. UNDERSTANDING THE MOBILE URBAN FRAMEWORK The “URBAN MENU” • A Downtown Core • Major East-West and North-South Streets • Fifteen “Geographic” Neighborhood Areas • Six Historic Districts • Business/Retail Centers • Employment Centers • Tourism Destinations • Infill Housing Programs • Open Space Resources • Walkway and Bikeway Linkages • Public Service Areas • …And many others

9. ZONE 2: URBAN FRAMEWORK

10. KEYS TO DEVELOPING A SUCCESSFUL PLAN Urban Design Drivers: • Enhanced neighborhood linkages to services, schools, parks, etc. • Continue to expand and refresh the neighborhood residential base • Strategic uses for key vacant sites in the neighborhood which discourage investment and use • Focused revitalization of radial commercial corridors – Rethinking the future land use pattern • Public realm improvements where needed and where development could likely occur • Introduce more housing types/choices & park amenities • Consider flood surge impacts on residential areas

11. KEYS TO DEVELOPING A SUCCESSFUL PLAN Key Economic/Market Project Drivers: • Creating a Vision that Captures the Attention of Neighborhood Residents, the Real Estate Development & Business Community • Making the Development Vision Reflect Market Reality • Creating an Improved Urban Framework and Sense of Place to Drive Development Demand & Real Estate Value • Creating Public Realm/Private Catalyst Projects to Spark Reinvestment in Key Areas • Make Sure Projects createCash Flow from a Private Market and Municipal Context (financial viability) • Community Outreach and Marketing of the Plan to Key Constituent Groups

12. Neighborhood Planning & Public Involvement: KEYS TO DEVELOPING A SUCCESSFUL PLAN Neighborhood Planning & Public Involvement: • Knowing the neighborhood’s greatest assets, constraints and opportunities? • Community Capacity Building is a key element of most successful neighborhood strategies; What potential still exists to be tapped? • Celebrate the history and culture of the neighborhood as part of the plan strategy. • The identification of key project catalyst areas, creating a vision to demonstrate what these areas could look like. • Establishing implementation strategies to launch catalyst projects are key steps in successful neighborhood revitalization.

13. KEYS TO DEVELOPING A SUCCESSFUL PLAN Historic Preservation Drivers: • What cultural places, well known and obscure, are significant to residents? • What are the historic land uses in the study area? • How well are neighborhoods in the study area linked, both culturally and economically? • What are the deterrents to preservation or conservation in the neighborhoods and zones today? • What preservation resources are available in the community beyond the typical state and federal programs?

14. KEYS TO DEVELOPING A SUCCESSFUL PLAN Transportation, Parking Infrastructure & Signage: • Provide multi-modal transportation corridors • Improve pedestrian access and safety • Increase efficiency of existing parking and establish new parking resources • Provide increased signage for parking opportunities • Improve drainage for existing and developing areas • Provide dependable water and sewer service for residential and commercial development

15. EXERCISE #1 • Answer the following questions, write each answer on the Post-It Notes provided and place it in the appropriate category on the board provided. • Identify (2) areas of greatest need specific to the area. • Identify (2) opportunities or assets specific to the area.

16. EXERCISE #2A • Using the large aerial base map, colored markers and colored dots provided, please work with facilitators to develop a future framework and analysis map of the Zone in the areas of: • URBAN DESIGN: Community landmarks and assets, public realm enhancements • HOUSING & NEIGHBORHOOD CONSERVATION: Good neighborhood model areas, areas for housing infill opportunities, Unsafe areas • ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT: Business areas that serve the community and opportunities • CULTURAL & HISTORIC PRESERVATION: Cultural or historic sites important to neighborhood heritage • TRANSPORTATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE: Walkway/ Bikeway linkages, Roadway or utility improvement EXERCISE #2B • Using the chart of questions provided from the presentation, please work with facilitators to develop answers for each area in as much detail as possible.

17. ZONE 2: COMMUNITY “SELF-ANALYSIS” MAP EXERCISE

18. ZONE 2: COMMUNITY DISCUSSION

19. NEXT STEPS: • City to gather public comment handouts by April 1, 2008 • Tabulate results and comments to inform the process • Compile neighborhood analysis drawings into summary analysis drawings. • Conduct follow-up economic, historic and physical research • Establish preliminary areas of focus for public review in late May/early June • Prepare preliminary planning concepts and strategies for consideration at 2nd round of public input meetings Project website: www.newmobileplan.com

20. WRAP-UP: • Thank you for your participation this evening ! • Special thanks to: • Mayor Sam Jones • AL Stokes • Barbara Drummond • Dan Dealy • Allyson Wynn • The Downtown Business Alliance • And a special thanks to: • The many volunteers and local professionals that helped with our break-out groups this evening. • We look forward to meeting with you again in June!