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2/17/07 - Well after months of hard work on both the residents, business owners and planners' parts, we have our draft plan. It's pretty much everything the residents and business owners of this area were hoping for. This neighborhood of Reno will undergo a transformation that will soon make it the arts and cultural and historical hub of Reno. I am so excited!

So let's cut to the chase and look through the different policies and goals that will be put into place.

Goal N-1: Protect Established Residential Character of Neighborhood

• Policy N-1.1: Establish Targeted Residential Design Standards and Guidelines to Ensure Compatible Infill and Redevelopment: Creation and use of set of design guidelines, specific to the characteristics of the neighborhood that will ensure infill and redevelopment activities create compatible structures that enhance, rather than detract from the neighborhood
• Policy N-1.2: Preserve and Enhance Neighborhood Street Canopy: Mature trees line nearly all the streets of this neighborhood and are a major feature of the streetscape. As redevelopment occurs, existing mature trees located in parkways (planting area between sidewalk and street) should be retained. In areas where street trees do not currently exist, they will be required for new development and supplemented as part of a neighborhood-wide tree planting program.

Goal N-2: Promote and Facilitate Neighborhood Investment

• Policy N-2.1: Targeted Home ownership Education and Assistance: Home ownership and occupancy should be targeted within the neighborhood as a means of stabilizing the neighborhood through reduced resident turnover. Down payment and closing cost assistance programs will be targeted within the neighborhood for potential first time home buyers.  
• Policy N-2.2: Code Enforcement: Continue to aggressively pursue city code enforcement within the area.

Goal N-3: Preserve and Highlight History and Character of Neighborhood

• Policy N-3.1: Conduct Historic Inventory: Conduct historic inventory of homes between Wells and Holcomb and Wells and Kirman (north of Taylor) which will form the basis for preservation and conservation efforts.
• Policy N-3.2: Establish Neighborhood Conservation District: Upon completion of historic inventory, the findings will be used to determine the appropriate protection measures and boundaries of the historic area. Several mechanisms, including historic districts, historic landmark overlays, neighborhood conservation district can be utilized to accomplish this.
• Policy N-3.3: Organize Information info Walking Tour: Neighborhood groups and the Wells Avenue Business and Property Owners' Association will coordinate to organize formal waling tour of the neighborhood to highlight prominent historic structure sand destinations within the neighborhood.

Goal MUC-1: Continue to Enhance Wells Avenue as a Destination Mixed-Use District

• Policy MUC-1.1: Maintain Broad Mix of Neighborhood-Supportive Uses along the Corridor, including Residential: Additional residential development along the commercial corridor of Wells Ave should be included within mixed-use developments as it will serve to increase overall day-night activity, increase resident base for local businesses, and create additional housing options within the neighborhood.
• Policy MUC-1.2: Establish Design Guidelines and Standards for Wells Ave: The use of a combination of advisory and regulatory language will be included to address scale, massing, setbacks, building materials, landscaping, and signage.
• Policy MUC-1.3: Encourage Facade Improvements: The City will draw upon available federal CDBG and other resources to fund a commercial facade improvement program for Wells Ave. This program will offer low or no-interest loans or grants to local businesses to finance facade improvements to their commercial buildings. Local architects should be enlisted to provide low-cost design assistance. The Wells Avenue Business and Property Owner's Association should be the primary outreach entity to inform businesses of programs.
• Policy MUC-1.4: Established Spaces for Community Gathering and Interaction: Through programs like adaptations of parking lots to civic squares, alley beautification projects, and outdoor dining areas, a variety of spaces should be created for neighbors to gather and socialize.

Goal MUC-2: Support Arts-Based Mixed Use District

• Policy MUC-2.1: Support and Expand Arts-Based Business Cluster along Vassar: Many of the historic homes along Vassar west of Wells Avenue have been converted to commercial use and house a variety of independent, art-based businesses. This should be expanded upon to create a specialized business cluster.
• Policy MUC-2.2: Improve Marketing and Business OUtreach: The Wells Avenue Business and Property Owners Association should work with the Chamber of Commerce and current business owners in the area to support and expand the district through increased marketing and networking to draw a wider clientele and additional businesses to the area.

Goal MUC-3: Continue to Enhance the Pedestrian Environment along Wells Ave

• Policy MUC-3.1: Pedestrian Oriented Commercial Corridor: Recent investment along Wells Avenue corridor has significantly improved pedestrian environment. As new infill and redevelopment continues, attention should be given to designs of buildings to ensure they promote pedestrian-friendly atmosphere in their design and orientation. Amenities such as benches, trash receptacles, sidewalk widening and trees should be included in design guidelines for new and existing developments.
• Policy MUC-3.2: Continue to Improve Pedestrian Crossings: Additional efforts such as bump-outs, flashing pedestrian crossing lights will help enhance pedestrian safety.
• Policy MUC-2.4: Establish System of Wayfinding Signage: The corridor and neighborhood has intensified dramatically in the past two years, and a coordinated system of wayfinding sinage should be developed to help visitors navigate to the different businesses and destination the area has to offer; much like the singage in downtown Reno.

Goal HS-1: Enhance Health and Safety of Neighborhood

• Policy HS-1.1: Expand Recently Established Neighborhood Watch Programs
• Policy HS-1.2: Continue to coordinate ongoing safety concerns with Neighborhood Advisory Board
• Policy HS-1.3: Improve LIghting on Residential Streets: Identify dark spots along residential streets, particularly between Wells Ave and Holcomb Ave. Expand use of decorative lights on Wells Avenue along secondary corridors to reinforce major circulation routes and crate visual linkage between neighborhood activity centers.

Goal P-1.1: Develop clear Parks strategy for Neighborhood

• Policy P-1.1: The Neighborhood Framework Map identifies potential locations for parks in the neighborhood and prioritizes these locations. Use grants to acquire park locations currently privately owned.

Goal CA-1: Enhance Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety and Mobility within Neighborhood

• Policy CA-1.1: Establish and repair continuous sidewalks in neighborhood
• Policy CA-1.2: Install bicycle Amenities throughout Neighborhood: The neighborhood should be a safe inviting multi-modal transportation system that includes bicycles. Bike racks should be pursued to promote this form of transportation
• Policy CA-2.2: Facilitate East/West Vehicle Movement across Wells Ave: Monitor and track need for additional signals along Wells Ave to facilitate better east/west movement.

Wells Avenue Neighborhood Master Plan Draft Plan Revealed