The strong economic growth of the San Francisco Bay Area is generating changes that dramatically impact the quality of life.
These changes include increased land values, rising employment, growth in personal wealth, greater traffic congestion, a shortage of affordable housing, and pressure on historic, cultural, and recreational resources.
The City of San Carlos recognizes that this period of rapid change presents both challenges and opportunities.
In recent years, the City has undertaken a number of studies on various aspects of change in the downtown. To build on this, the City has determined the need to undertake a Downtown Visualization Process that will lead to a set of Urban Design Guidelines for the downtown.
The City has hired Tom Richman & Associates to lead the Downtown Visualization Study. The project integrates three main components:
1. A three-dimensional computer rendering that allows the community to See the Vision of their preferences and alternative development scenarios in an objective way.
2. Community Workshops, through which citizens were able to view downtown imagery, discuss development opportunities and constraints, and express their design preferences. You can learn about discussions that took place at the workshops by reading the Review the Process.
3. A set of Urban Design Guidelines intended to codify the vision of the community. These guidelines will be submitted to the City Council for adoption at the conclusion of the Visioning Process. Developers and citizens will be able to Read the Guidelines to inform themselves on the City's vision and requirements for future development.
Background Materials
To read background material about previous studies, you can view a variety of downloadable reports and web videos. Viewers will need a Java enabled web browser and the installation of the free Real Video and Audio player software to view the clips.
The newer presentations are also available in Windows Media Player format. To view the presentations in this format, use the free Windows Media Player that is downloadable from the Microsoft web site.
The City of San Carlos recognizes that this period of rapid change presents both challenges and opportunities.