HomeMy Public PortalAbout2012 Grow Smart Award Nomination Narrative-MRAMcCall Redevelopment Agency: McCall Lake Front/Legacy Park and 2010 Improvement Project
The McCall Redevelopment Agency has invested over $4,834,000 in the identified urban renewal area in McCall since 2006. A series of urban renewal projects, including the redevelopment
of the Lake Front/ Legacy Park and the 2010 Improvement Project, have provided significant public amenities and infrastructure improvements in the Central Business District. These
MRA projects located in the downtown core of McCall provide an excellent example of Smart Growth principles as described below.
The MRA projects offer a variety of transportation choices including pedestrian, bicycle, vehicle, motorized and non-motorized boating to access parks, retail, restaurants, professional
offices, residences, and recreational opportunities. The redevelopment of the Lake Front/Legacy Park area included modifying a two-way local street into a one-way street with back-in
angled parking with a bike lane and a pedestrian promenade. The street was designed to be closed to vehicles as needed for events in order to create a community gathering place with
Payette Lake as a backdrop. An example of this was the 2011 McCall Centennial, when over 1500 people gathered in the Legacy Park area to celebrate McCall’s first 100 years. The addition
of approximate 3,320 lineal feet of new connected sidewalks in this area creates walkable neighborhoods.
The MRA projects were designed to link commercial districts and encourage mixed land uses and development in the downtown core. The completion of a public parking lot located off of
Mill Road was designed for vehicles and boat trailers to easily access the nearby lake, commercial areas, the Farmer’s Market and park. The addition of connected sidewalks increases
pedestrian safety and creates a more desirable area for future investment and private development.
The Central Business District includes a range of housing opportunities and choices. While the MRA projects did not directly create any new housing opportunities, the desired outcome
for the improvements to this area is to create a vibrant and livable downtown area to attract more people and investment to this area. In addition, the project fosters compact building
patterns in the CBD, as required by City code, and efficient infrastructure design as evidenced through the improved traffic flow and parking.
The McCall Lake Front Improvements included extensive public participation to create the adopted plan. The design development plan began in 2006 when the project team worked closely
with the Design Oversight Committee (DOC) that included MRA Board members, representatives from City advisory committees and many citizens of McCall and the surrounding area. The project
team engaged the public at large at key points to gain input on design ideas and priorities to encourage community and stakeholder collaboration.
The public process was continued when developing area plans and construction drawings throughout different phases to ensure decisions were predictable, fair, and cost-effective. MRA
has a history of working with businesses and property owners adjacent to the project to build public-private partnerships.
The MRA projects foster distinctive communities with a strong sense of place. There were numerous project goals, including, but not limited to: 1) preserve and enhance views and access
to the lake, 2) strengthen the Lake Front and Legacy Park as community amenities and visitor/tourist focus areas, 3) develop a promenade and improve streetscape wayfinding, interpretive
and historic elements, and 4) construct a new public restroom facility which preserves the fabulous views of the lake and mountains from the pedestrian promenade.
The design of the streetscape furnishings was created with local input and some of the newer furnishings were produced by a local business. The purpose was to create a distinctive waterfront
district with these furnishings. Likewise, the park design includes important historical family names, natural features and interpretive panels with local historical, and wayfinding
information.
The MRA redevelopment projects have preserved open space, parks, farmland, natural beauty, and environmentally critical areas. In the 2010 phase, additional storm water measures and
landscaping were added to existing infrastructure. The projects emphasized the use of native plant species and stone materials.
Since the completion of the construction of the MRA projects, there have been positive economic impacts that have strengthened and directed development toward this area of downtown such
as the Hotel McCall expansion. It is expected that growth and development will continue to enhance the vitality of the downtown.