Morse Road Design Study

Morse Road Design StudyCity of ColumbusDepartment of Trade and Development, Planning OfficeNorthland Community Council andNorthland Area Business Associationwith:Kinzelman Kline, Inc.LDR InternationalMain Street ConnectionsParsons Transportation Group December, 2000

TTTTTable of Contable of Contable of Contable of Contable of Contentsentsentsentsents

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Morse Road Design Study

Acknowledgements ii

Introduction 1

Inventory and Analysis 3Function and Aesthetics of the Corridor 3Strategic Assessment of the Corridor 7

Public Street Improvements 11Proposed Morse Road Street Section 11Access Management 12Street Plans 15Elements of the Streetscape 18County Improvements 22Preliminary Cost Estimates & Phasing 23

Opportunity Sites 25Site 1: Former Sun TV Site 26Site 2: Huntington Bank Site 27Site 3: Nazarene Church Camp Site 28Site 4: Arena Motors Site 28Site 5: Vacant Property 29Other Opportunity Sites 30

Outline Design Guidelines 31Site Design 31Landscape Design 33Signage 34

Strategic Recommendations 39Market Research 39Suggested Use Strategies 39Catalytic Projects 40Funding Options 40Plan Implementation and Enforcement 40Other Suggestion 40

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City of ColumbusMichael B. Coleman, Mayor

Columbus City CouncilMatthew D. Habash (President)Richard W. Sensenbrenner (President, Pro-Tem)Kevin L. BoyceJennette B. BradleyMichael C. MentelMaryellen O�ShaughnessyCharleta B. Tavares

Department of Trade and DevelopmentMark Barbash, DirectorJ. Patrick Grady, Deputy DirectorStephen R. McClary, Planning AdministratorDick Ritchie, Neighborhood Planning ManagerSuzanne Wingenfield, Senior Planner

Northland Community Council:Steve Thompson, PresidentPamela Thomas, Vice-PresidentChuck Wolfe, SecretaryRolla Wagner, Treasurer

Member Associations:Beaumont Neighborhood Civic AssociationBlendon Woods Civic AssociationBrandywine Meadows Civic AssociationChestnut Hill Civic AssociationClinton Estates Civic AssociationCooper Ridge Civic AssociationCreekridge Civic AssociationDevonshire Civic AssociationForest Park Civic AssociationFriendship VillageLittle Turtle Residents AssociationMaize Morse Tri-Area Civic AssociationMinerva Park Community AssociationNorthgate Civic AssociationNorthland Area Business AssociationNorthland JayceesParkview Civic AssociationPreston Commons Homeowners Association

Strawberry Farms Civic AssociationTanager Woods Civic AssociationTrouville Manor Homeowners AssociationWest Albany Civic AssociationWesterford Village Civic AssociationWestern Creek Civic AssociationWoodstream East Civic AssociationWoodstream West Civic Association

Northland Area Business Association:Steven Keller, PresidentCurtis McGuire, Vice PresidentBeth Ann Chesnes, TreasurerGreg Gerhard, Secretary

Members:Autoville USA, Karl Rd. Dental Group, Big Brother BigSister Assoc., Bob Caldwell Chrysler-Plymouth, BobCaldwell Dodge Country, Bob Daniels Buick Co.,Buckeye Maytag, (C) 3 Solutions For Nonprofit, C & GInvestment Assoc., Checkcare Systems Of Columbus,Chesrown Oldsmobile-GMC-KIA, Cooperonline.Com,Inc., Crown Hallmark Shop, Fair Trade Realty, FifthThird Bank-Morse Rd, Fifth Third-Kroger, Forest ParkVeterinary Clinic, Gabby�s, Goodwill Columbus, MorseRoad Family Dental Group, Gripping Solutions, HadlerCompanies, Jacinto W. Beard, D.D.S., JamesongEntertainment, The Kennel Club Of America, KriegerFord, Lamar Asset Mgmt & Realty, Linda C. BrownCosmetics, Litech Lighting Mgmt. Services,L.J.T.K. Inc. - Subway#11805, Mail Boxes Etc., MailBoxes Etc - 161, Maize Morse Civic Assoc., Mark A.Bell, Mark F. Taggart Co., Mobile Electronics, Monaco�sPalace, National City Bank, Northand CommunityCouncil, Northland Car Wash, Northland ChiropracticCenter, Northland Joint Venture, Northland Dental,Northland Mall, Northland Medical Pharmacy, OakleafVillage, Office Depot, Ohio Plastic Surgeons, OrginalsTo Remember, Plumbers & Factory Supplies, RalphW. Smithers, Redleg�s Lumper Service, RemaxAchievers, Rush Motors Sales Inc., Saint FrancisDesales H.S., Schoedinger Funeral Services,St.Matthias Church, Steven C. Emrich, D.D.S., TheSteven L. Keller CPA Co., Northland Coin Laundry, ThisWeek Comm. Newspaper, Trueman Club Hotel,United Skates Of America, North YMCA.

Morse Road Design Study SteeringCommittee:George Hadler, NABAMark Rush, NABAAndy Bukovinsky, NCCMark Bell, NCCJames Dean, The Richard E. Jacobs GroupDoug Krieger, NABAScott Blyze, Limited Real EstateTim Lucks, Franklin County Engineer�s OfficeRobert J. Weiler Jr., Columbus Board of RealtorsMichael Reese, City of Columbus - Mayor�s OfficePete Cass, City of Columbus - Legislative Re-search OfficeStephen R. McClary, City of Columbus - PlanningAdministratorBill Lewis, City of Columbus - Traffic EngineeringTammy Noble, Franklin County DevelopmentDepartment

Interview ParticipantsThe following individuals contributed to this docu-ment through individual and group interviews:Arlene Shoemaker, Dorothy Teater, Dewey Stokes,Guy Whorley, Tammy Noble, Dean Ringle, TimLucks, John Bryner, Jim Jewell, Matt Habash,Richard Sensenbrenner, Bill Bopp, George Hadler,Ron Barnes, Mike Green, Jim Hutchison, JayneKnost, Bob Weiler, Steve Moluse, Barry Weigand,Bill Hoffman, Bob Lawler, Mike Reese, MarkBarbash, Pat Grady, Steve McClary, Mark Rush,Doug Krieger, Jim Gill, Greg Gerhard, Dick Nourse,Connie Caldwell, Tim Doran, Jeff Farion, SuzanneWingenfield, Tim Rollins, Linda Patterson, SteveGladman, Columbus Apartment Associationmembers, Maryellen O�Shaughnessy, David Baker,Jeanette Bradley

IntrIntrIntrIntrIntroductionoductionoductionoductionoduction

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The Morse Road corridor became a major retailand residential center for Columbus in the 1960sand 1970s. Over time, competition in the retail,office and residential markets throughoutColumbus along with a decrease in investment inthe corridor has diminished the vitality of thisdistrict. Recognizing the impact that thisdeterioration was having on Columbus, andspecifically, the Northland community, ColumbusCity Council funded The Morse Road MarketStudy and Redevelopment Strategy that wascompleted in July of 1999. Using the generalrecommendations of this study as a foundation,the Morse Road Design Study establishes thevision for physical change to the corridor.

This Study addresses five miles of the MorseRoad corridor from Interstate 71 on the west toInterstate 270 on the east. The corridorInventory and Analysis includes a thoroughevaluation of traffic and circulation, land uses,pedestrian circulation and aesthetics. Thisinformation was gathered through data collection,field observations, and interviews with thecommunity. Public meetings and one-on-oneinterviews with local business owners andcommunity representatives revealed numerousissues and concerns regarding futureredevelopment of the corridor.

The recommendations of this plan are organizedinto four categories: Public StreetscapeImprovements, Opportunity Sites, Outline DesignGuidelines, and Strategic Recommendations.Public Streetscape Improvements address theenhancement of the public right-of-way, whichincludes: a landscaped median, and an upgradededge treatment with curb and gutter, street trees,sidewalks and streetlights. These improvementswill significantly improve the quality of thecorridor by controlling vehicular access anddefining a pedestrian environment. Other

improvements include pedestrian upgrades at allintersections and the enhancement and definitionof the Northland Community gateways.

Opportunity Sites identify catalyticredevelopment projects that could beimplemented at key sites along the corridor.Outline Design Guidelines establish the designprinciples that will guide the development ofthese key parcels. In addition, these standardswill guide the redevelopment of the rest of thecorridor as it changes over time.

Finally, Strategic Recommendations are madefor implementing the overall plan. Theserecommendations include suggestions foradditional market research, additional fundingoptions, establishment of a planned zoningdistrict, and the proposed structure of anappropriate organizational entity that will guidethe future redevelopment of the corridor.

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The Inventory of the existing condition of MorseRoad and the subsequent analysis which revealsthe opportunities and constraints of the corridorare achieved through data collection, fieldobservations, the previous observations of theMorse Road Market Study and RedevelopmentStrategy, and numerous interviews withcommunity members. The issues and concernsof the public were discussed at public meetingsand through individual interviews with localbusiness owners and community representatives.The corridor has consequently been evaluatedfrom two different perspectives. First, thephysical conditions that impact the functionalityand the aesthetics of the corridor are addressed.Secondly, the current market issues and policiesthat affect redevelopment along the corridor areaddressed in the Strategic Assessment.

Function and Aesthetics of theCorridor

The following physical conditions represent issuesthat could be addressed through streetscapeimprovements and redevelopment to enhance thefunctional and aesthetic qualities of the MorseRoad Corridor.

Access and Circulation

Left turns across at least threelanes of vehicular traffic occursfrom most parcels along MorseRoad. In addition, short dis-tances between curb cuts createunsafe conditions.

Curb cuts close to intersectionscreate unsafe conditions. Thiscondition is common at mostmajor intersections alongMorse Road and is often foundat gas stations that possessmultiple points of access.

Some parking areas are notphysically separated from theservice road or Morse Road.This creates an unsafe condi-tion by allowing vehicles toenter the road or enter the siteat any location.

Short stacking distances intoparcels or at service roads createscongestion.

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Most sites provide little or nointerior landscaping.

Pedestrian Access and Amenities

No sidewalkscurrently existalong MorseRoad.

Pedestrian access across MorseRoad is difficult today. The wideexpanse of pavement and the lackof pedestrian amenities at thecorners create an intimidatingpedestrian experience.

The lack of pedestrian side-walks makes it difficult toaccess the bus stops along thecorridor. In additon, only six ofthe thirty-eight bus stop loca-tions have shelters.

Aesthetics and Landscape

Few parking areas are screenedwith vegetation.

No street trees or additionallandscaping exists to visuallyunify the corridor.

Overhead utilities visually domi-nate much of Morse Road.Service lines that cross MorseRoad and leaning wooden utilitypoles with large cross arms areparticularly distracting.

While the typical seven lanecross section along Morse Roadis necessary to continue tomove vehicular traffic, theextremely wide cross section ofpavement lacks visual interestand may encourage highervehicular speeds.

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SignageLighting

�Cobra head� style lightfixtures currently lightthe majority of the MorseRoad corridor.

A variety of sign shapes, sizesand heights can be found onMorse Road

Billboards visually dominate theMorse Road landscape in someareas.

Sign height and size often donot relate to parcel size

Multiple signs on individualparcels create visual clutter

Directional traffic signs shouldbe sized appropriately

New bronze lightfixtures have recentlybeen used betweenSunbury Road andTrindel Way.

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Gateways

The Interstate 71 interchange,including the on ramps and offramps are currently maintainedat minimal levels.

The western gateway to theNorthland community (top) andthe eastern gateway (bottom)currently do not announce thecommunity or establish theappropriate image.

EastonThe Easton development area makes up theeastern end of the Morse Road corridor. Many ofthe functional and aesthetic issues that currentlyexist along Morse Road to the west are beingaddressed in this new development area throughnew site amenities and development standards.Easton possesses an identifiable image of its ownwith its distinctive blue light fixtures, traffic signsand traffic signals. Landscape plans for theEaston segment of Morse Road have beencompleted and will be installed in the near future.

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Strategic Assessment of theCorridor

A. Market Analysis

The following represents insights and commentsinto information found in the Morse Road MarketStudy and Redevelopment Strategy that wascommissioned by the city of Columbus andprepared by Wallace, Floyd and Associates.

1. Retail

Trade Area Boundaries

Although the Market Study and RedevelopmentStategy indicates that various factors were consid-ered when determining the primary market area(PMA) and secondary market area (SMA), thePMA and SMA boundaries were determined to beperfect rings. The PMA had a radius of 2.3 milesfrom the Morse Road/Cleveland Avenue intersectionand the SMA had a 3.5 mile radius. If factors suchas natural and physical boundaries, the nature ofexisting retail and competing retail concentrationswere taken into account, the result would bemarket areas defined as irregular shaped polygons,not concentric circles.

Competition

The Market Study and Redevelopment Strategyrecognizes increased retail competition in the�regional market� for the Morse Road retailers.However, the study does not specifically cite whatregional shopping malls/districts compete withNorthland Mall and its surrounding retailers. Thestudy does mention competitors that are in thetrade area but makes no mention of other outlyingregional shopping centers or districts that impact

the size of the trade area. Shopping districts thatcurrently compete with Northland Mall andNorthland corridor merchants include, at least tosome extent, City Center, Easton Town Center andits surrounding big box stores, the retail area onU.S. Route 23 north of I-270 that consists of bigbox stores like Kohl�s and Wal-Mart, the LennoxTown Center, the Sawmill Road retail corridor andthe retail development at the Polaris Centers ofCommerce.

With the planned new fashion mall at Easton andthe recent ground breaking for the new PolarisTown Center shopping mall, shopping patternsand trade area boundaries for the Morse Roadcorridor and especially Northland Mall are likelyto change dramatically over the next few years.Announced anchor department stores for Eastoninclude Nordstrom and Lazarus. Easton�s high-endfashion focus is sufficiently different fromNorthland�s target market which suggests that thetwo could successfully co-exist. However, with sixannounced department store anchors includingLazarus, Sears and JCPenney, the current anchorstores at Northland, Polaris will be a direct com-petitor to Northland for at least a portion of itscurrent trade area shoppers.

By taking existing significant competing centersof retail activity into consideration, it appears thatthe secondary market area may in fact at presentbe larger that estimated. The large amount ofinflow dollars that occurs in the area also seemsto indicate that the market area boundaries couldpotentially be expanded. On the other hand,when proposed new competition is taken intoconsideration, it appears that the market area forshopping goods may shrink significantly oncethese new centers are opened.

Morse Road has a regional shopping mall, ninemajor strip shopping centers, and 17 other

shopping centers with over 4.7 million square feetin the 3.5 mile radius trade area. The primary tradearea experienced $1.5 billion in retail and personalservice sales in 1998. Automotive dealers andauto-related goods comprised one-third of thesesales. The retail supply in the area was dominatedby automotive and auto-related goods, music-related goods, and furniture and home-relatedgoods.

Inflow/Outflow analysis indicates that an inflow tothe primary and combined trade areas currentlyexists for all store types. The analysis shows thatgeneral merchandise, apparel, home furnishings,building materials, and automotive stores in theprimary trade area have at least 50% net inflowof consumers from outside of the combined tradearea.

Other Considerations

Several retail trends are and will continue toimpact Morse Road�s commercial corridor thatmust be considered when determining the beststrategy to implement regarding residential andcommercial development and redevelopment.These trends include: the consolidation of big boxretailers, a renewed interest in urban markets,developers� increased interest in the �new urban-ist� and neo-traditional approaches to develop-ment and design, the redevelopment of oldermalls, Internet usage�s potential impact ontraditional in-store retail sales, and the rise ofretail/entertainment clusters.

Big Box Consolidation � Until recently, numerousretailers have competed in shopping goodscategories such as pharmacy, hardware andhome improvement, office supplies, and homeelectronics. Increasingly, these categories arebeing dominated by two or three major players.Retailers such as HQ and Builders Square have

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been pushed out of the market by Home Depot andLowes, leaving large vacant stores. The drug storeindustry is now dominated by CVS, Rite Aid, andWalGreens that are springing up on every heavilytraveled street corner attempting to gain a largermarket share. OfficeMax, Office Depot andStaples are dominating the office category. BestBuy and Circuit City are increasingly dominatingthe home electronics category.

Urban Retail Markets - Many big box retailersincluding Home Depot, Staples, CompUSA,Office Max, and Wal*Mart are increasinglyinterested in returning to often under-served olderurban areas. As the number of new sites avail-able for development at the outer edges ofmetropolitan areas dwindles, these retailers arebeginning to test smaller neighborhood storeconcepts for continued growth in older markets.Home Depot has built four stores in New Jerseyto test the viability of a new concept calledVillager�s Hardware. Staples introduced a smallerversion of its store in Boston nearly 10 years ago,called Staples Express. CompUSA is carefullydeveloping smaller stores in Texas. Office Maxhas begun testing a smaller version of its storethat is named PDQ and Wal*Mart is testing a40,000 square foot grocery store concept forneighborhood markets. The biggest challengesthese chain retailers will be faced with is adaptingtheir formats to the unique characteristics ofindividual neighborhoods and competing withlocal retailers that often offer superior customerservice and unique assortments.

New Urbanist and Neo-Traditional Development � Inan effort to counter the negative effects of sprawland take advantage of Americans� growing desirefor a more pedestrian scale and stronger sense ofcommunity in their neighborhoods, some develop-ers are applying new urbanist or neo-traditionalprinciples in the layout, design and function of the

new communities they are creating. These typesof projects are typically mixed-use, incorporating anumber of land-uses such as office, residential,and retail that complement and support oneanother. Other characteristics typical of thesedevelopments include higher density and pedes-trian orientation.

2. Office

According to the Market Study and RedevelopmentStrategy, the office market in Columbus remainsstrong with low vacancies and high absorptionrates. Downtown office vacancies were around 5%in 1998.

The Northeast sub-market contains approxi-mately 10% of the region�s Class A office spaceand 3% of the Class B space. The vacancy ratewas 2.5% for Class A space in 1998 with esti-mated net absorption of 362,000 square feet.Class B space had a vacancy rate of 6.4% with76,000 square feet of net absorption. Office leaserates for suburban space averaged $19.87 persquare foot, according to the Market Study andRedevelopment Strategy.

The study describes what additional developmentis currently occurring in the Columbus metropoli-tan area. New office development is occurring atEaston with a total of over 4 million square feetplanned. Current vacancies at Easton Oval total3%. An additional 1.4 million square feet of officedevelopment is planned for the Business Campusat New Albany.

3. Housing

Although no study has been conducted recentlyregarding what types and amounts of housingopportunity might exist in the vicinity of thecorridor, there appears to be a lack of move-up

housing in the area. There may also be sufficientdemand to support new multi-family housingcarefully positioned between existing market-rateand luxury projects in the vicinity. Quality multi-family housing for seniors may also be an area ofopportunity.

B. Stakeholder Interviews

The design team had the opportunity to talk with anumber of stakeholders that included representa-tives from the Morse Road commercial district, thecity of Columbus, and Franklin County. The goal ofthe interviews was to gain a more intimate knowl-edge of the issues that face property owners,merchants, and residents in the Morse Roadcorridor and realize the potential strategies thatcould be employed to address those issues.Interviewees were asked to define the most criticalissues facing the Columbus Metropolitan Area andMorse Road corridor, and to identify the revitaliza-tion/redevelopment tools that could be utilized forits renewal. Below is a summary of theinterviewees� responses.

Respondents were in general agreement that theMorse Road commercial corridor has and willcontinue to serve a critical role as the center ofeconomic activity in the Northland communityand, to a lesser extent, the broader region.Northland Mall is recognized as the center andmost important anchor of the corridor. Theconcentration of major, manufacturer-affiliatedauto dealers is also considered an anchor anddestination draw for the corridor. Most felt thatthe corridor remains strong at present but isthreatened by the challenges outlined below.There is a consensus that strong and collabora-tive action is needed quickly to prevent furtherdeterioration and disinvestment that will otherwiseensue.

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Most critical challenges facing Columbus Metro-politan Area (in order of mention frequency) �� sprawl/land-use patterns/sustainability� lack of a comprehensive plan (city, county,region)� transportation/infrastructure (projected in-creases in congestion, maintenance of existing,mass transit/rail)� workforce development/labor shortage� schools/education� downtown revitalization� level and quality of city services� housing (diversity, quality, low home ownershippercentage)� lack of effective public/private partnerships� political structure (at-large council)� tax structure (too low)

Most critical challenges facing Morse Roadcommercial corridor:� appearance/image (property & infrastructuremaintenance, inconsistent signage, vacancyappearance, etc.)� adjacent multi-family neighborhoods (manage-ment, maintenance, crime)� unfriendly to pedestrians (too wide, no side-walks, poor linkages to neighborhoods, speed oftraffic, etc.)� insufficient, reactive code enforcement� current and potential competing centers ofretail activity (Easton, Polaris, US 23, CityCenter)� over-built commercial (vacancy appearance,inappropriate uses, too many car dealers, etc.)� safety perception� lack of Morse-Bethel connector� not enough parks

Most appropriate role in renewal/redevelopmentof older commercial corridors:� City of Columbus � infrastructure developmentand maintenance, code enforcement, planning/

marketing studies, community policing, appropri-ate zoning and development standards, develop-ment incentives, streamlined approvals process,political leadership/vision� Franklin County � infrastructure developmentand maintenance, complementary zoning, codeenforcement, city/county collaboration regardinglong range planning, annexation, water/sewer, etc.� Foundations/Non-Profits � public amenities(beautification, recreation, culture); support of localsocial service agencies and community non-profits� Columbus Urban Growth Corporation � landassembly and preparation, development catalyst,public/private partnership facilitation.� Northland Community Council � communityconsensus building, leadership and advocacy;business community collaboration; planning anddesign review� Northland Area Business Association � city andcommunity collaboration; critical role in represent-ing and promoting area business interests; input toand cooperate with proposed zoning and codechanges and enforcement; augment city serviceswith Special Improvement District or other coopera-tive approach to such tasks as infrastructuremaintenance, parking lot security, marketing, etc.� Financial Institutions � community reinvestment,participation in creative approaches to financingredevelopment� COTA � convenient, attractive, affordable,accessible public transportation along corridorand between it, neighborhoods and regionaldestinations; rail development� MORPC � regional transportation planning

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Public SPublic SPublic SPublic SPublic Strtrtrtrtreeeeeeeeeetscape Imtscape Imtscape Imtscape Imtscape Imprprprprprooooovvvvvementsementsementsementsements

Many of the functional and aesthetic issuesidentified in the analysis phase of this study canbe addressed with physical improvements to thepublic streetscape. The following enhancementswill improve vehicular circulation, establish a safeand functional pedestrian environment andimprove the Northland Community image alongits most highly visible corridor.

Proposed Morse Road StreetSection

The proposed Morse Road street section includesa variety of improvements that will create a saferand more functional streetscape. A new land-scaped median will physically separate thevehicular traffic moving in opposite directions.

The primary benefit of such a median is theability to control vehicular movements along thecorridor. In addition, the median diminishes thevisual impact of the extremely wide pavementsection of Morse Road and may help reducetraffic speeds that are currently posted at 45 mph.The three existing lanes of traffic in each direc-tion should be maintained in order to accommo-date the existing traffic volume along MorseRoad.

The edges of Morse Road will be improved toclearly define and separate the vehicular environ-ment from the pedestrian environment. Curbsand gutters will be installed to control storm waterdrainage and continuous concrete sidewalks willbe placed 8 feet behind the curb. A continuous 5-foot bike lane will be part of the standard street

section adjacent to the street gutter. Otheramenities that will help visually unify the corridorinclude groupings of street trees, upgraded utilitypoles, upgraded street lights and decorativebanners.

EXISTING SERVICE ROADOR PARKING LOT

RELOCATED DRAINAGE SWALE

DOUBLE ROW DECIDUOUS CANOPY TREES

STREET LIGHTS & BANNERS

NEW STORM DRAINAGE SYSTEM

5� 11� 11� 11� 11� 11� 11� 5�+/-16�

BIKELANE

WESTBOUNDLANE

WESTBOUNDLANE

WESTBOUNDLANE

EASTBOUNDLANE

EASTBOUNDLANE

EASTBOUNDLANE

BIKELANE

STREET LIGHTS & BANNERS

DOUBLE ROW DECIDUOUS CANOPY TREES

RELOCATED DRAINAGE SWALE

EXISTING SERVICE ROADOR PARKING LOT

METALUTILITY POLE

LANDSCAPEDMEDIAN

CURB &GUTTER

CURB &GUTTER

NEW STORM DRAINAGE SYSTEM


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Access ManagementIn order to address the variety of vehicularaccess issues that were identified in the analysissegment of this study, a number of devices areproposed. These include the introduction of alandscaped median, the minimizing of curb cutsand improvements to service road intersections.

The MedianA continuous median that is placed in betweeneach signalized intersection along Morse Roadwill prohibit left hand turning movements acrossthree lanes of vehicular traffic. While this willcreate safer driving conditions, it will also limit theaccess to individual parcels to right in/right outmovements. The inability to make left turns in toand out of most parcels will be accommodated byproviding reasonable access for all parcels to asignalized intersection. This will require that theexisting service roads be extended in somelocations to achieve this access. Two suchlocations are illustrated below. In addition, u-turnmovements will be permitted at selected loca-tions. These locations will be determined througha more detailed traffic analysis.

A new service road will berequired in front of theHaimerl Center to provideaccess to a signalizedintersection. A low wall maybe considered in front of theCenter to define a courtyardand help screen the view tothe service road.

The introduction of a landscaped island will bringorganization to this area of uncontrolled parcel accessjust east of Almont Road. This collection of parcels iscurrently under parked. Efforts should be made in theredevelopment of this parking and access area to meetor exceed the existing number of spaces. Considerationshould be given to negotiating a shared accessagreement with the owner of the under utilized parkinglot at the northeast corner of Almont Road and MorseRoad. A new circulation route for service vehiclesshould also be provided. A possible solution may be toprovide access between the two buildings west ofMilano Florist and continue the service route behind theflorist to the retail center to the east.

MilanoFlorist

HaimerlCenter

EXTEND SERVICE DRIVETO PROVIDE ACCESSTO KARL ROAD

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Parcel Access and Curb CutsA maximum number of access points will bepermitted based on parcel size. Shared accesspoints will be encouraged between smallerparcels. Minimum distances will also be estab-lished between these access points and betweenaccess points and public street intersections. Seethe Outline Design Guidelines for more on ParcelAccess and Curb Cuts.

Service Road IntersectionsThe intersections of service roads with publicstreets or major parcel access drives are veryconfusing and often dangerous locations. Lack ofadequate stacking distance for automobilescreates congestion and confusion. In the shortterm, efforts should be made to eliminate theseintersections, where possible. In other locationswhere elimination is not practical, limiting certainturning movements could improve the safety atthose intersections.

Some service road connections should be eliminated to maximize stacking distances and create safer intersections.This service road connection to Northtowne Boulevard is not necessary because existing access to the retail centerand the restaurant outparcel is provided further away from the intersection.

All service road intersections should be evaluated inregards to existing access and safety. The diagramabove suggests refinements to the NorthtowneBoulevard/Walford Street service road intersections thatwould improve circulation and safety.

CLOSE SERVICEDRIVE ACCESS


Increasing stacking distances at public streetintersections and at entrances to private commercialdevelopment will improve circulation and safety. Thediagrams above illustrate a proposed improvement tothe Northtowne Retail Centre that would significantlyincrease the stacking distance.

existing condition proposed improvement


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Typical service road providing access to multipleparcels along Morse Road.

Eliminate service road when redevelopedproperties have direct access to the local north/south street network.

Future redevelopment of larger parcels whouldpromote the complete elimination of serviceroads by providing access to the local north/south street network and/or by establishing anew parallel street system.

1 2 3

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Street Plans

The following Street Plans are graphic depictionsof the proposed streetscape concept. The intentof these plans is to show the general design andlocations of the landscaped median and theresulting modifications to curb cuts and serviceroads. All improvements shown are conceptual

Interstate 71 to Maize Road

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Fairfield Inn

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ABANDON SERVICE ROAD-ALLOW PRIVATE PROPERTYTO REDUCE PAVEMENTSETBACK

POTENTIAL TRAFFIC SIGNALTO BE STUDIED IN CONTEXTOF EXISTING SIGNALIZATIONTIMING AND SEQUENCING

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and subject to further review and refinementduring preliminary engineering. More detail onthe elements of the streetscape, intersectiontreatments, gateways and the county improve-ments follow these plans.

Maize Road to Karl Road

ALIGN CURB CUTWITH INTERSECTION

ELIMINATE CURB CUT

ALLOW ONE RI/RO CURB CUTAT THIS LOCATION

ALIGN CURB CUT WITHSOUTHSIDE RETAIL CENTERAND ESTABLISH SHAREDACCESS AGREEMENT WITHFAST FOOD RESTAURANT.RI/LI/RO CURB CUTS

FENCEWAY DR.

MODIFY INTORI/RO CURB CUTS

ALMONT R

D.

PROVIDE ACCESSTO ALMONT ROAD

PROVIDE PLANTING ISLANDBETWEEN SREET ANDPARKING AREA

MODIFY INTORI/RO CURB CUT

RI ONLY CURB CUT


RO ONLY CURB CUTEXTEND SERVICE DRIVETO PROVIDE ACCESS TOKARL ROAD

TRANSITION 4LANES TO 3MODIFY INTORI/LI/RO CURB CUT

ELIMINATE CURB CUT

ELIMINATE CURB CUT


BankOne

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AscensionLutheran Church

HaimerlCenter

WhitesFurniture

SofaExpress


PROVIDE SERVICE DRIVE TOTRAFFIC SIGNAL AT ALMONT

ELIMINATE EXISTINGRIGHT TURN ONLY LANE

ESTABLISH RI/ROCURB CUT

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Karl Road to Lemarie Court

Lemarie Court to Cleveland Avenue

ELIMINATECURB CUT

ELIMINATECURB CUTS

ESTABLISH RI/RO CURB CUT

Col. Fire/P.D.

ELIMINATE CURB CUT FOLLOWINGRELOCATION OF FIRE STATION.MEDIAN SHOULD NOT BECONSTRUCTED IN THIS LOCATIONUNTIL FIRE STATION HASRELOCATED.

KA

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ESTABLISH RI/ROCURB CUT

ELIMINATECURB CUT

Krieger Ford


Bob Caldwell

ELIMINATECURB CUT


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AmericanFitnessWharehouse

Old Time Pottery


HuntingtonOperationsCenter

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Ron Rush LincolnMercury


ESTABLISHRIGHT ONLYTURN LANEMODIFYINTO RI/ROCURB CUT

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ON

DE

D C

ON

RA

IL R

R

CH

ES

FO

RD

RO

AD

NazareneChurch Camp

Krieger Jeep

Dennis Isuzu

DennisPontiac

QualityChevrolet

DU

NB

RID

GE

ST

RE

ET

D

UN

BR

IDG

E S

TR

EE

T

W

AY

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RIN

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L

ALU

MC

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Cleveland Avenue to Alum Creek

Alum Creek to Interstate 270


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Elements of the Streetscape

Landscaped MedianIn addition to the functional access managementaspects of the median, the treatment of thesespaces will help diminish the scale of the streetand establish a unique image for the corridor.The typical landscaped median will be 16� inwidth. A rhythm of post and banners that alter-nate with upright groupings of trees will add visualinterest without blocking views across the corri-dor. Low plantings of small shrubs or perennialcolor will be planted at the base of these trees.These plants should be particularly hardy andresistant to drought conditions and salt spray.Turf grass should be established on the majority

of the ground plane to simplify maintenance.Where left turn lanes reduce the median to awidth of 4� at intersections, the median should betreated with brick or concrete pavers to furtherreinforce the unique identity of the corridor.

Curb and GutterA new curb and gutter will divide the vehicularenvironment from the pedestrian environmentalong Morse Road. New storm drainage includ-ing catch basins and storm pipe will also berequired. A combination of the curb and gutterand a smaller open drainage swale may still berequired where old service roads exist. Thecondition and capacity of the existing stormdrainage system will need to be further evaluatedat the time of final design and engineering.

SidewalksStandard concrete sidewalks will be 5� wide andplaced 8� behind the curb. Handicap accessiblecurb ramps will be used at all access drives andpublic streets. Walks will connect with existingwalks at the crossing streets.

Bike Lanes5� wide asphalt bike lanes will be providedbetween the gutter and the inside vehicular trafficlane. The Morse Road corridor serves as a majoreast-west connector in the larger regionalbikeway network. These lanes will be clearlymarked with City of Columbus standard bikewaymarkings. These lanes should not follow the curband gutter line where right turn only lanes existfor automobiles. Rather, these lanes shouldcontinue as any other vehicular lane of traffic.

Street TreesThe placement of street trees along the edges ofMorse Road will help visually unify the corridorand establish a more comfortable pedestrianenvironment. Tree specimens must be able totolerate the harsh urban conditions of MorseRoad relative to heat, drought and salt spray.Trees should be large growing, long-lived decidu-ous trees. The form of these trees should beupright as opposed to broad and spreading tominimize the amount of overhang into the streetor into overhead utility lines. The canopy of thetrees should be maintained at a height of 8� toensure views under the trees to fronting commer-cial properties. A staggered spacing of trees willcreate a visual baffle that will also provide viewsinto sites. Trees should generally be planted ingroupings of five or seven and allow breaks orwindows into properties. While typical breaksbetween tree groupings will be 60� to 120�, largerbreaks of 120� to 180� will be permitted in front ofcar dealerships to allow views into their vehicular

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display areas. Site distance requirements shouldbe carefully considered in the placement of allstreet trees.

Utility PolesWhile the Morse Road Market Study and Rede-velopment Strategy proposed the burial of aboveground utilities, further research has found thecost to be prohibitive. An existing city ordinance910.06 should be further explored as an alterna-tive means of cost effectively burying utilitiesalong Morse Road or along other city streets. Apossible aesthetic upgrade to the existing aboveground utilities is to replace the existing woodutility poles with metal poles along both sides ofMorse Road. Poles along both sides will mini-mize, if not totally eliminate, the number of lines

A view looking west atSandy Hill Lane showshow the impact ofoverhead utility lineswill be diminished as aresult of thestreetscapeenhancements.

New bronze light fixtureshave recently been usedbetween Sunbury Roadand Trindel Way (left).Banners will be installed onstreet light poles and onornamental posts located inthe median (right).

that cross Morse Road. Poles should be paintedbronze to match the standard street light polecolor. All poles should be located behind thesidewalk and street tree plantings.

Street LightsContinue the use of the standard City of Colum-bus street light and pole that has been usedbetween Sunbury Road and Trindel Way. Breakaway banner arms should be specified as part ofthese light poles.

Posts and BannersBanners will be used along the corridor to en-hance visual interest and reinforce an identity forthe Northland community. As the Easton devel-opment has established its own clear identity, so

to should the Northland community. This treat-ment should begin at the eastern and westerngateways to Northland. Banners should be hungfrom street lights and from ornamental postslocated within the landscaped median. A bannerprogram could be established that changes withthe seasons or announces special annual eventsin the community.

Traffic SignsThe collection of smaller items can add visualclutter along the corridor. Consistent treatment ofsmaller elements such as traffic signage can helpto visually unify the corridor. Bronze sign postsand bronze sign backgrounds are recommendedfor all traffic signs along the corridor.

Traffic signs can beconsistently treated alongthe corridor with bronzepainted posts andbackgrounds. The Eastondevelopment hasimplemented a similartreatment in the �Eastonblue� color.


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IntersectionsAll signalized intersections will receive broad,painted cross walks to alert drivers to the pedes-trian crossing. Traffic signals will be hung frombronze mast arms at all intersections. This willeliminate the amount of visual clutter at eachintersection. Street names will be hung fromthese mast arms as well to aid in visual recogni-tion of the crossing streets. Major intersectionsalong Morse Road at Karl Road, ClevelandAvenue and Westerville Road will receive addi-tional amenities to reinforce their importance asmajor nodes along the corridor. Amenitiesinclude low masonry walls, specialty paving at thecorners, and ornamental plantings.

Proposedimprovements to anexisting bus stoplocated west of AlmontRoad.

Bus StopsBus stops along the corridor will be significantlyimproved by providing safe and convenientpedestrian access to the stops with the introduc-tion of concrete walks. Concrete pads will also beinstalled to provide access to the buses that willstop along the curb. COTA is currently exploringoptions for a new standard bus shelter. Thesenew shelters should be significantly more open ortransparent than the existing shelters. This willpromote the sense of security with added visualsurveillance. Over time, shelters should beinstalled at all of the bus stops along the corridor.

Proposed improvements tothe intersection of KarlRoad and Morse Road.

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ornamental lighting. �Northland� could be an-nounced with painted letters on the bridge orperhaps on a separate sign that could be attachedto the bridge structure. Since this gateway alsorepresents the threshold into the Beechwold/Clintonville neighborhood to the west, thosecommunities should be represented in anydesign/redevelopment of this gateway.

The right-of-way of the Interstate 71 interchangeshould also be improved. The infield areasshould be treated with a geometric planting oflarge upright trees that are easily recognizable asone travels at higher speeds along the highway.Off ramps and on ramps could also be enhancedwith slope plantings, trees and increased mainte-nance.

West Gateway and the I-71 Interchange

East Gateway at Alum Creek

GatewaysSpecial treatment should be given to the easternand western gateways into the Northland commu-nity. These thresholds represent unique opportu-nities to establish an image for Morse Road andthe Northland community. The Easton develop-ment should maintain its own identity along thecorridor by reinforcing its gateways at Interstate270 on the east end and at the intersection ofSunbury Road and Morse Road on the west end.

The west gateway to the Northland communitybegins at Indianola Avenue and includes theexisting railroad bridges and the Interstate 71overpass. In addition to the basic streetscapeelements, special treatment should be given tothe side slopes and the railroad bridges. Thebridges should be painted and possibly receive

The east gateway to the Northland communityshould be established just west of the Alum CreekBridge. A large painted area of asphalt that is notcurrently used for vehicular traffic lanes couldbecome a landscaped median. This medianwould consist of the standard pattern of plantingand posts with banners that will be common fromInterstate 71 to Cleveland Avenue to the west.


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County Improvements

Over one mile of the five mile Morse Road right -of-way is currently located within the jurisdictionof Franklin County and not in the city of Colum-bus. This segment extends from ClevelandAvenue on the west to Trindel Way on the east.The County currently has plans to widen thissegment of road to match the seven lane crosssection to the east at Easton and to the west ofCleveland Avenue. Construction on this project isscheduled to begin in April, 2001.

In response to this study, the County has collabo-rated with the city of Columbus to integrate therecommendations of this plan into the wideningproject. A landscaped median cannot be incorpo-rated into this project as a result of the complexi-ties associated with access to the various smaller

parcels along this segment. Some of the follow-ing streetscape upgrades will be included as partof the county�s widening project or will be imple-mented after the project is complete.

Sidewalks - to be relocated from three feet toseven feet behind the curb where sufficient right-of-way allows.

Street Trees - to be installed at 40� on center inlocations where the sidewalk has been relocatedto seven feet behind the curb.

Street Lights with Banner Arms - to matchthe city of Columbus standard street lights thathave been installed from Sunbury Road to TrindelWay. Revisions should be made to the light polespecifications to include the appropriate bannerarms.

Utility Poles - existing wood poles along thesouth side of the road will be replaced withbronze metal poles which will be placed alongboth sides of the street to minimize utility linecrossings.

Intersection Upgrades - to match othersignalized intersections along the corridor withbroad, painted crosswalks and bronze mast arms.Specialty treatments should be provided at theintersection of Westerville Road (State Route 3).This will require coordination with the OhioDepartment of Transportation as they havejurisdiction of this state route.

Traffic Signs - to match the standard treatmentof bronze painted sign posts and backing withreflective sign decals.

In some locations, the existing right-of-way will not allowthe sidewalk to be relocated to seven feet behind thecurb. These parcels will conform over time as the sitesare renovated or redeveloped.

Road Section - Proposed County Road Widening

Road Section - with Proposed Streetscape Upgrades

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Preliminary Cost Estimates andPhasing

The following preliminary estimates of probableconstruction costs have been provided in order toestablish preliminary budgets for individualconstruction projects. The individual projectswere selected based on their ability to be con-structed with a logical and definable beginningand end. Any or all of these definable projectscould be combined based on available funds. Infact, every effort should be made to obtainsufficient funding to complete all of the improve-ments concurrently. Any phasing of this projectrisks leaving portions undone as a result ofchanging budget priorities. Funding opportunitiesare discussed in more detail in the StrategicRecommendations of this plan.

Clarifications1. The estimate of probable construction costsinclude material and labor at current prevailingwage rates.2. Testing, handling and removal of any materi-als deemed to be hazardous is excluded.3. Special insurance and bonds are excluded.4. The estimate of probable construction costsreflect year 2000 costs. Estimated projectionsmust be made into subsequent years as and ifconstruction is to take place in those subsequentyears.5. The costs for the following items are notincluded in the construction budget:

A. Water main and sanitary sewer main lineor lateral line repair or replacement.

B. Storm sewer construction outside of theMorse Road right-of-way.

C. Fire hydrant replacement beyond theexisting number currently found within the MorseRoad right-of-way.

D. Sidewalks, street trees and other im-provements to the north and south of the MorseRoad right-of-way into adjacent neighborhoods.

E. Bus SheltersF. Electrical distribution, light fixtures, storm

drainage, water service, or irrigation systemwithin the center median islands.

G. Utility relocation from existing poles tonew metal poles. Cost of metal pole upgrade andinstallation is included in this estimate.

H. Private property identification signageI. Reconstruction of existing Morse Road

travel lanes.

West Gateway$500,000 - $650,000Morse Road right-of-way from Indianola Avenueto the Interstate 71 north bound off ramp/onramp. Includes railroad bridge painting,earthwork, landscaping, and retaining walls.

I-71 Interchange$350,000 - $425,000ODOT right-of-way including infield areas and offramps and on ramps. Includes earthwork,landscaping, and new lighting.

East Gateway$160,000 - $200,000Morse Road right-of-way improvements includinga portion of median from Sunbury Road to TrindelWay. Includes pavement demolition, mediancurb and gutter, median pavement and landscap-ing, topsoil, street trees and post & banners.

I-71 to Karl Road$6,500,000 - $7,500,000Morse Road right-of-way from I-71 north boundon ramps and off ramps through the Karl Roadintersection. Includes limited pavement widening

and asphalt surface course, median segments,curb and gutter, storm drainage improvements,fire hydrant and valve relocations, traffic signalsand traffic control, earthwork, landscaping, streetlights and metal utility poles.

Karl Road to Cleveland Avenue$8,000,000 - $9,000,000Morse Road right-of-way from Karl Road throughthe Cleveland Avenue intersection. Includeslimited pavement widening and asphalt surfacecourse, median segments, curb and gutter, stormdrainage improvements, fire hydrant and valverelocations, traffic signals and traffic control,earthwork, landscaping, street lights and metalutility poles.

Upgrades to Proposed County WideningProject$750,000 - $900,000Upgrades to the proposed Franklin County roadwidening project from Cleveland Avenue toTrindel Way. Includes street trees, banner arms,metal utility poles, traffic signal mast arms,crosswalk paint, specialty intersection treatmentsand traffic signage.

Annual Landscape Maintenance Estimate$100,000Annual maintenance of all turf and plant materialsfrom the West Gateway to the East Gateway.This assumes that maintenance of the Eastonsegment of Morse Road will continue to bemanaged independently. This includes turfmowing (22 cuts per season), turf fertilization andweed control (3 applications), plant bed mulching(once per season), spring and fall leaf cleanup,and pruning of shrubs and trees. This estimatedoes not include maintenance of additionalamenities such as specialty pavers, banners orspecialty traffic signs.

OpporOpporOpporOpporOpportunity Sittunity Sittunity Sittunity Sittunity Siteseseseses

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While improvements within the public right-of-way will create a more functional street andimprove the image and identity of the corridor,the future reinvestment into private properties isessential to the redevelopment of this corridor. Inconsidering the potential opportunities for privateredevelopment along the Morse Road corridor, avariety of current market issues and physicalplanning issues need to be considered. Thefollowing redevelopment challenges must beaddressed.

� Existing retail is overbuilt and spread alongcorridor� Much of existing retail is functionally obsolete� Current zoning is not conducive to residentialor mixed-use land uses� Limited availability of incentive or assistancefor redevelopment� Community/Neighborhood identity is notexpressed along the corridor� Conflicts exist between current retail and multi-family residential� Lack of park space adjacent to residential areas� Fragmented secondary road network

In order to address these challenges, any futureplanning along the corridor should consider thefollowing redevelopment objectives:

� Reduce the amount of �retail land� in thecorridor� Cluster retail development at specific nodesalong the corridor� Encourage mixed-use development� Promote residential infill including seniorhousing� Improve pedestrian and vehicular linkages tothe surrounding neighborhoods.� Encourage enhancement and rehabilitation ofexisting properties� Seek catalytic redevelopment projects

Several redevelopment opportunities exist alongthe corridor today. Many other opportunitiescontinue to present themselves on almost a dailybasis. This plan studied five sites along thecorridor. These sites were selected based on theiravailability, size and location along the corridor.Although some of these sites have changedownership or use recently, they still deserve furtherstudy as to their long term land use.

The following opportunity sites have been re-viewed in this study:

� Site 1: Former Sun TV Site� Site 2: Huntington Bank Site� Site 3: Nazarene Church Camp Site� Site 4: Arena Motors Site� Site 5: Vacant Property

With the previously mentioned redevelopmentobjectives as a foundation, the following landuses have been considered for opportunity sites.

� Hotel - for high visibility/high image sites� Restaurants - freestanding and/or integratedwith larger sites� Office - range of office types based on location� Mixed Use - encouraged for medium and largescale sites� Residential - range of densities that comple-ment adjacent neighborhoods


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Site 1: Former Sun TV Site9.88 acres

Option II � Office/Restaurant Option III - OfficeOption I � Hotel/Office

This site is unique because of its extremely highvisibility and access from Interstate 71. While thesite could accommodate one or two office uses(Option 3), it also possess ideal visibility for a hotel(Option 1). The site is large enough to accommo-date more than one use including a possibleoutparcel (Option 2). Because of the sites loca-tion, it becomes an integral part of the gatewayexperience as one travels east along Morse orexits Interstate 71. This suggests that regardlessof the use, architecture should address the streetwith parking located behind the structure.

View of the site frontage, looking east along Morse Road.


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Site 2: Huntington Bank Site18 acres

Option I � Multi-Family Residential Option II � Office/Multi-Family Residential

This site is currently available for re-use. Ascompetition continues regionally for Class A officeor retail, it may become increasingly difficult toreplace this user with a comparable use. Thesestudies therefore, represent new uses that wouldcompliment the adjacent neighborhood context.The residential context of multi-family housing tothe west and single family housing to the southimplies residential infill would be an appropriatetransition to the retail corners at Morse Road andCleveland Avenue (Option 1). Senior housingshould be encouraged based on the lack ofavailable housing options for seniors in the area.Possible combination of professional office in thenorth part of the site and residential in the southernportion may also be a possible opportunity on thissite (Option 2). All options should possessconnections to the existing street network andusable open space for area residents. View of the existing Huntington Operations Center.


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Site 3: Nazarene Church Camp Site27 acres

Site 4: Arena Motors Site2.8 acres

The Nazarene Church camp site represents aunique opportunity along the corridor for a mixeduse development. Its size will allow for a mix ofhigher density residential that transitions to a mixof retail and residential along the Morse Roadfrontage. The proximity of the site to Alum Creekparkland and to the Easton development furthereast suggests an opportunity for above marketresidential housing.

The Arena Motors site is small enough to beconsidered part of a larger redevelopment opportu-nity. A variety of smaller parcels and transitionaluses may suggest that a larger mixed use develop-ment could extend from the abandoned RR corridorwest to the node at Morse Road and ClevelandAvenue. Furthermore, the Central Ohio TransitAuthority (COTA) has identified the abandonedrailroad corridor as a future light rail corridor todowntown Columbus. Any development in thiszone should contribute to a possible transit-oriented, mixed use development. Any future raildevelopment should be grade separated fromvehicular and pedestrian traffic on Morse Road.

View of the Arena Motorsfrontage.

A remaining structure on theNazarene Church Camp Site


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Site 5: Vacant Property

Based on the adjacent neighborhood context ofthis site, the opportunity for above market residen-tial housing or senior housing exists. The proxim-ity of this site to a future recreation trail and theAlum Creek parkland, in addition to the proximityto the new Easton development will make this avery desirable place to live. Adjacent parcels couldbe consolidated and redeveloped as part of thisdevelopment project.

6.7 acres

View of the site, looking east along Morse Road.


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Other Opportunity Sites

While the previous five sites represent importantredevelopment opportunities along the corridor,many others exist and continue to present them-selves as land uses and parcel ownership change.One example exists at the northeast corner ofMorse Road and Maize Road. This abandoned gasstation is detrimental to the visual quality of theMorse Road corridor and reinforces its decliningimage. This site should be immediately improvedthrough demolition of the existing pavement andstructures and reseeded. With such high visibilityat the first major intersection from I-71, this sitecould become an extension of the Woodward ParkRetail Center or a free standing building. Architec-ture should engage the street intersection tomaximize visibility and define the intersection.

Site

View of the site, looking northeastacross the intersection of Morse Roadand Maize Road (top). The existingcondition of the site includes oldpavement, lighting and structures(left).

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Outline Design GuidelinesOutline Design GuidelinesOutline Design GuidelinesOutline Design GuidelinesOutline Design Guidelines

Site Issues and Recommendations

In March of 1992, the city of Columbus adoptedThe Northland Development Standards. Thesestandards address site development issuesthroughout the Northland community. Thefollowing outline design guidelines specificallyaddress site development issues along the MorseRoad corridor and provide recommendationstoward solving these problems through futuredevelopment. The City should use the followingrecommendations as the foundation for develop-ment standards that will be part of �The MorseRoad Planned District� (See Strategic Recom-mendations for more on the implementation ofthe Planned District). Ultimately, these new�Morse Road Development Standards� will beused in conjunction with The Northland Develop-ment Standards to guide and evaluate develop-ment along the corridor. The �Morse RoadDevelopment Standards� will take precedent overall other standards when considering site devel-opment within the Planned District.

The following site and landscape design issuesalong Morse Road were identified by analyzingthe overriding issues that surround the corridor:access and circulation, pedestrian access andamenities, aesthetics, signage, and redevelop-ment opportunities. Following each issue arerecommendations toward solving these problemsthrough future development. The issues andrecommendations are divided into three sections:site design, landscape design and signage.

1.0 Site Design

1.1 Parking Setbacks. Minimal setbacks forparking create traffic stacking issues and leaveonly minimal space for landscaping. By definingan appropriate parking setback, traffic safety andthe aesthetics of the corridor will be improved. Tocreate a consistent setback, the city should makeefforts to acquire all right-of-way necessary toestablish a consistent right-of-way along thecorridor.

Recommendations:� A 10� minimum setback should be adopted toprovide an adequate landscape buffer. Thissetback should only be permitted where thedesired right-of-way width has been established.Larger setbacks should be required along parcelswhere additional right-of-way acquisition is antici-pated by the city.� Parking should be encouraged to the side and/or rear of buildings.

While mostbuildings alongMorse Road willmaintain a deeperbuilding setback,freestanding retail,restaurants, smalloffices andelements of largerbuildings or retailcenters can addressthe street withminimal setbacks.

1.2 Building Setbacks and Orientations.On many sites, the significant building setbacksfrom the road allow broad expanses of parkingareas that dominate the viewshed. On othersites, the buildings are oriented in such a way thatvehicular circulation is too close to Morse Road tomaintain public safety.

Recommendations:� A minimum 20' setback for buildings is recom-mended. This setback should only be permittedwhere the desired right-of-way width has beenestablished. Larger setbacks should be requiredalong parcels where additional right-of-way acquisi-tion is anticipated by the city.� Where feasible, minimize parking in front ofretail uses to reduce building setback.� For small parcels such as restaurants, smalloffices and freestanding retail, parking should belocated at the sides and rear of the building only.�Large commercial sites and regional shoppingcenters should be organized to create sharedparking opportunity and clearly define pedestriancirculation.


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spacing of 600� from edge of pavement to edge ofpavement.� Buildings with drive-through service may bepermitted to have two curb cuts depending on sitelayout and if it is necessary to minimize back upson to Morse Road.� Shared access between adjoining propertiesshould be encouraged to minimize curb cuts.� Pad sites should share access with larger retailcenters for simplified on-site circulation.� Curb cuts should be spaced at least 125' fromany major intersection, edge of pavement to edgeof pavement.� Minimum spacing between curb cuts to be 250�,edge of pavement to edge of pavement.� Right-in/Right-out only access should beencouraged when secondary access is necessary.� Appropriate stacking distances should bedesigned for individual sites.

1.5 Service Roads. Service roads alongMorse Road reduce the number of curb cuts butcreate additional setbacks.

Recommendations:� Access points off the service road to parcelsshould be limited to one per parcel.� Where possible, maximize the distance fromMorse Road to the service road along crossstreets.� Where possible, extend or create service roadsto reduce or eliminate direct access to MorseRoad.� In the redevelopment of larger sites, eliminateservice road where possible by providing parcelaccess a minimum of 125� from Morse Road.

Service Roads can be eliminated over time through theredevelopment of larger sites.

1.3 Pedestrian Access. Currently, multiplebuildings are positioned on parcels with no clearorganization or pedestrian relationships betweenseparate businesses and the road. Many parcelsdo not provide adequate on-site sidewalks. Side-walks are needed between buildings and frompublic sidewalks to buildings. A coherent pedes-trian access plan is needed.

Recommendations:� Sidewalks should be 5� in width.� Sidewalks should be provided along the buildingface and along any parking that is adjacent to thestructure.� Sidewalks should connect structures with thepublic sidewalk.� Sidewalks connecting adjacent parcels areencouraged, where appropriate and feasible.� Sidewalks should be constructed of broomfinished concrete.� Connections for pedestrians and bicyclistsshould be provided between existing and newresidential development, particularly to the northand south of Morse Road, and commercial usesalong Morse Road.

1.4 Parcel Access and Curb Cuts. Numer-ous curb cuts exist along the corridor providingeach individual parcel with access. The curb cutsare often spaced too close together, creatingcirculation and safety problems. Standardsshould be adopted which address specific designcriteria including: shared entrances, spacingbetween entrances, spacing from intersections,access types and stacking distances on site.

Recommendations:� Each parcel should be limited to one curb cutoff Morse Road; shared curb cuts are to becreated wherever possible for contiguous parcels.� Larger sites (e.g. retail centers) will be permit-ted more than one curb cut with a minimum

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2.0 Landscape Design

2.1 Parking Lot Screening. Parking areasare inadequately screened along the majority of thecorridor.

Recommendations:� Screen surface parking lots with a minimum 3'high continuous evergreen or deciduous hedge,earth mounding, or masonry wall (hedge size atinstallation = 24" ht. and 30" spacing). A creativecombination of these elements is encouraged forlonger frontages to avoid visual monotony.� Car dealerships are not required to screenvehicular display areas, but are encouraged tomaintain a similar treatment with lower hedgematerial or perennial plantings.

2.2. Parking Lot Landscaping. Currently,very few parking areas provide interior landscap-ing that could improve the overall visual quality ofa site. Guidelines for improving the aestheticquality of parking areas and the site shouldaddress breaking up large expanses of pavementand providing shade, buffering, and screeningfrom adjacent properties and roadways.

Recommendations:� Any surface parking lot over 6,000 sq. ft. or 20+parking spaces shall provide interior landscapingwith a minimum of 5% of parking area designatedas green space.� No parking area should exceed 20 parkingspaces in a row without breaking up the pavementwith a landscape island, at least 36� X 9� in size or324 square feet.

� A minimum of two shade trees should be plantedper parking island.� Parking lot trees (at installation) should be largegrowing, deciduous shade trees 2 ½ - 3" cal. and12-14' height.� Car dealerships are not required to haveinterior landscaping in vehicular display areas.

Many parking lots abut service roads with little or noseparation. This parking lot should be improved withthe minimum parking lot setback and a 3� hedge toscreen the parking lot.

Hedges will visually screen parkedcars without obscuring views to thestorefronts beyond.

Interior parking lot landscaping visuallybreaks up large expanses of pavement.Fewer large islands are encouraged asopposed to a larger number of smallislands that create difficult environmentsfor tree growth.


34


2.3 Sight Distance. Sight distance may bean issue on certain parcels based on current sitedesign.

Recommendations:� The lowest branches of trees should be 8�.� Shrubs should not to exceed 24" in height.

2.4 Appropriate Selection of Plant Mate-rial. Plant material throughout the corridor isinconsistent and in some cases, inappropriate.Minimum plant sizes at installation and suggestedmaterials should be established.

Recommendations:� Minimum standard plant sizes at installation areas follows:Shade Trees � 2 ½� cal. 12-14' ht.Ornamental Trees � 8-10' ht.Evergreen and Deciduous Shrubs � 24" ht.

� Recommended plant materials are as follows:Shade Trees - to be used as street trees, parkinglot trees, and site perimeter areas

Acer platanoidesNorway MapleAcer rubrumRed MapleAcer saccharumSugar MapleCercidiphllum japonicumKatsura TreeGleditsia triacanthos inermis �Moraine�Moraine HoneylocustPlatanus acerifoliaColumbia London PlaneQuercus palustrisPin OakQuercus phellosWillow OakQuercus rubra

Red OakTilia cordata �Greenspire�Greenspire LindenZelkova serrata �Village Green�Village Green Zelkova

� Ornamental Trees � to be used as accenttrees in site perimeter areas

Amelanchier canadensisShadblow ServiceberryCercis canadensisEastern RedbudMalus spp.Crabapple Varieties

� Evergreen and Deciduous Shrubs � to beused as hedges to screen parking lots

Abelia grandifloraGlossy AbeliaBerberis thunbergiiRedleaved Japanese BarberryEuonumus alatus �Compactus�Dwarf Winged EuonymusHypericum calycinumSt. JohnswortIlex glabra �Compacta�Compact InkberryLigustrum obtusifoliumBorder PrivetMyrica pennsylvanicaBayberryTaxus media �Hicksii�Hick�s YewViburnum carlesii �Compactum�Compact Carlesii Viburnum

3.0 Signage

Inconsistent sign types, sizes, colors and loca-tions currently litter the Morse Road streetscape.The following recommendations for signagemodifications should apply to all new signs. Inaddition, the city of Columbus should considerimplementing a program that would requireexisting non-conforming signs to be modified orremoved over a designated period of time.

3.1 Type and Location. Many signs alongthe corridor are too tall or large for the businessthat they represent and the scale of the corridor.Appropriately sized signs in visible and appropri-ate locations are key to the success of businessand the visual appeal of the corridor.

Recommendations:� No sign should be placed as to interfere withthe safe movement of vehicles or pedestriansentering, leaving, or crossing a public right-of-way.� No views of approaching or intersecting trafficshould be obstructed.� Directional signs should not exceed two squarefeet in area and one foot in height.

3.2 General Wall Signs

Recommendations:� The maximum allowable size for any wall signshould be one square foot for every lineal foot ofwidth of the building face to which the sign isattached, but should not exceed the maximumsize allowed for the use by the Code.� Wall signs should generally be limited innumber to one per building or use. For buildingsor uses on corner lots having at least 100 feet oflot frontage on each of two public rights-of-way, asecond wall sign may be permitted facing thesecond right-of-way.

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� No two wall signs should be closer than 30 feetapart. The provision for a second sign should notapply to individual tenants in a multi-tenantbuilding.

3.3 General Ground Signs

Recommendations:� Ground signs may be monument, pylon,architectural, or pole-mounted. Monument signsare preferred for the corridor� All ground signs should be located on theproperty to which it refers. See Monument Signsfor sign easement option.� No sign should interfere with the safe move-ment of pedestrians and vehicles.� All heights are to be measured from the top ofthe sign to the established grade line.� Ground signs should be limited in number toone per lot or multiple lots if devoted to onespecific use or user. Buildings on corner lotshaving at least 100� of frontage on two publicrights-of-way may be entitled to two ground signs,one oriented to each street.

Monument Signs

Recommendations:� Monument signs should be encouraged in thecorridor.� Monument signs are defined as a horizontally-oriented sign that does not exceed 6� in height.� Setback - two conditions:a. Signs could be placed within service roadright-of-way if signage easement is establishedb. Provide a minimum 6� setback from right-of-way where no service road exists� Recommended maximum size is 60 sq ft. (6'height x 10' width)

Pylon Signs

Recommendations:� Pylon signs are defined as vertically-oriented,ground-mounted signs, not exceeding 15� inheight.� Recommended minimum setback from right-of-way � 12'� Recommended maximum size is 90 sq ft (15�maximum height x 6� width)

General Sign Types

Some good examples ofmonument signs and pylonsigns exist along thecorridor today.

-

R.O.W.

20�6�24�+15�5�8� 5�

With a service road

12� 40�

40�20�12�6�24�6�-+10-20�5�8� 5�

R.O.W.

With a signage easement

8�

Monument Pylon Architectural Pole-Mounted

16�

44�

10�

30�

15�

6�

10�

6�

With no service road

6�+15�8� 5� 5� 12� 20� 40�

R.O.W.

Signage Setbacks


36


Architectural Signs

Recommendations:� Architectural signs are defined as signs thatreflect an architectural character based on theirdesign and material.� Recommended minimum setback from right-of-way � 20�� Recommended maximum size of structure is300 sq ft (10� x�30)

Pole Mounted Signs

Recommendations:� Pole mounted signs are mounted on either oneor two poles not to exceed 44� in height.� Poles should be designed as an integral part ofthe sign with similar color, form and material.� Recommended minimum setback from right-of-way � 45'� Recommended maximum size is 144 sf (9�x16�)� Recommended maximum mounting height - 44�

3.4 Sign Design.

Recommendations:� Signs should be limited to four primary colors,including black and white. The background isconsidered one of the four permissible colors.Any other additional colors should be usedsparingly as accents.� Create contrast between background colors andlettering colors. Typically, lighter letters on darkbackgrounds are more legible than dark letters ona light background.� Coodinate and complement building colors withthe sign color(s).� Any multifaceted sign should consistentlydisplay the same name, message, and graphicson all faces.� Reverse side of single side signs should beunobtrusive and should blend in with the overallsign and its surroundings.� Reverse sides of all permanent signs andstructural supports must be completely enclosed.� Sign bases should be part of the overall signdesign and compliment the sign face, parcelarchitecture and landscape design.

3.5 Typography Style and Size.

Recommendations:� No more than two typefaces should be permit-ted per sign.� The use of upper and lower case letters (exceptfor upper-case only logos) should be used onlarger messages to conserve space and increasereadability of the sign message.� Building mounted signs should have letters thatare appropriately sized based on building sizeand facade. A maximum letter height should beestablished.� Monument and ground mounted signs shouldhave letters that are appropriately sized for thissmaller sign type. Recommended maximumletter height is 18� for a 60 sq. ft. sign.� No more than 2 sizes of lettering per sign.

Examples of quality signs on the corridor today: anarchitectural sign with joint identification (left) and a cardealership pole mounted sign (right).

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3.6 Sign Message. Many signs have toomuch information on one sign making themdifficult to read by passing motorists.

Recommendations:� Sign information should be restricted to thename, address, function and logo of the estab-lishment. Wording should be kept to a minimumfor motorist legibility.� Include the business address on the sign whenit is not clearly displayed on the building.� Gasoline stations, whose principal business isthe sale of motor fuel, may display, in addition tothose signs permitted above, the following:

- one, non-illuminated, double-faced signnot exceeding five square feet on a sidefor each set of motor fuel pumps identifying �self-service� or �full-service.�- price and grade information can bedisplayed only on the permitted sign, inmanually changeable copy. Changeable

copy for these purposes should notinclude liquid crystal display (LCD), lightemitting diodes (LED), or other similarelector/mechanical displays. This is theonly circumstance in which changeablecopy may be used.- Signs limited to the identification of thebrand name, logo or type of fuel sold andother signs as may be required by lawshall be permitted on the motor fuelpumps. Fuel pumps should not beilluminated. No signs projecting abovethe pumps may be permitted, except asrequired by law.- Any other signs as may be required bylaw.

� Drive-thru menu boards are should only bepermitted on the property to which it refers.Signs should not be visible from the public right-of-way and should not exceed 32 square feet insize.

3.7 Billboards. Billboards or billboard sizedsigns create visual clutter

Recommendations:� The city of Columbus should take all necessaryand appropriate steps to remove billboards andnon-conforming signs from the corridor. The cityshould consider implementing a program thatwould require signs to be removed over a desig-nated period of time.

3.8 Number of Signs. Too many signs perparcel compete for drivers� attention.

Recommendations:� The number of signs should generally berestricted to one ground mounted and onebuilding mounted per parcel. Exceptions may bemade for extremely large sites with multipleentries. Auto dealerships should be permitted twoground mounted and two building mounted signsif a separate new car and used car sales opera-tion exists on the same property.� Ground signs should be limited in number toone per lot or multiple lots if devoted to onespecific use or user. Buildings on corner lotshaving at least 100� of frontage on two publicrights-of-way may be entitled to two ground signs,one oriented to each street. The two signs shouldbe no closer than 75 feet.� An overall sign plan should be submitted for allbuildings and complexes with, or intended for,multiple tenants before sign permits for thecomplex or individual tenants are issued.� Joint identification signs are recommendedwhenever feasible. A joint identification signshould not exceed the maximum permitted heightof any ground sign. Signage of individual occu-pants (e.g. retail anchors) on that joint identifica-tion sign may not exceed 250 square feet.

Examples of existing joint identification signs at twoexisting retail centers along the corridor.


38


� One ground sign, identifying only the name of theshopping center or building complex, is preferredwhere there is a minimum of three uses sharing thesame site. Such signs are permitted in addition tothe permitted signs of individual occupants, butshould not list the names of these occupants.

3.9 Sign Lighting. Sign lighting along thecorridor is inconsistent, is often not properlydisguised and can be a hazard to vehicular traffic.

Recommendations:If sign lighting is required or desirable, one of thefollowing methods should be employed:� By a white, steady, stationary light of reason-able intensity, directed solely at the sign and/orotherwise prevented from beaming directly ontoadjacent properties or rights-of-way. Lightfixtures should be screened from view by sitegrading or evergreen shrubs. No exposed lightsources should be permitted.� By white interior light of reasonable intensitywith primary and secondary images lit or silhou-etted on an opaque background. The backgroundmust be opaque. No additional backgroundlighting or illuminated borders or outlines shouldbe permitted.� The level of illumination emitted or reflectedfrom a sign should not be of an intensity sufficientto constitute a demonstrable hazard to vehiculartraffic on any right-of-way or parking lot fromwhich the sign can be viewed.

3.10 Temporary Signage. Temporary signageclutters many sites along the corridor

Recommendations:� Use temporary banners or signs as an onpremise temporary sign for a period not toexceed 30 days.� Temporary signs should be limited to fourcolors, including black and white.

SSSSStrtrtrtrtratatatatategic Regic Regic Regic Regic Recommendationsecommendationsecommendationsecommendationsecommendations

39


Market Research

Retail

Through further analysis, a Northland revitaliza-tion organization should continue to refine thecurrent primary market area (PMA) and second-ary market area (SMA) for the Morse Roadcorridor. This will provide a more accuratedefinition of the natural and physical boundariesand identify the nature of existing retail andcompeting retail concentrations. Although someof the findings that resulted from analysis of theMorse Road PMA and SMA are significant,additional analysis would enable the gathering ofmore specific and more accurate demographicand retail expenditure data for the population thatresides in those census tracts and/or portions ofcensus tracts falling within the trade areas.Additional research would be of value in predict-ing anticipated changes in shopping behaviorwithin the corridor�s existing trade areas once thenew centers are opened and developing strate-gies to successfully address these new competi-tive realities.

The Morse Road Market Study and RevitalizationStrategy suggests that Morse Road retail shouldfocus primarily on meeting the needs of its arearesidents instead of residents in outlying areas,concluding that the area will have a difficult timecompeting with regional draws at Polaris, Easton,and Route 23. A clear direction regarding whatspecific opportunities might exist or where theretail should ideally be located still needs to beidentified. Additional research and more detailedanalysis of current demographics, existing retail,current and potential competition and trade areaswould be of value in developing a comprehensiveand achievable retail recruitment and develop-ment strategy.

NOTE: Demographic data at present reliesprimarily on projections from the 1990 Census.This data should be updated as soon as 2000Census results are available. As pointed out by anumber of interviews, the demographics of thearea have changed over the last decade. Retail-ers should position themselves in a way thatmeets the changing needs of their consumers.

Office

The Morse Road Market Study and RevitalizationStrategy suggests that an office opportunity existson the Morse Road corridor, specifically at the H.H. Gregg and Huntington sites. A more detailedanalysis is recommended to confirm this opportu-nity and define precisely what type of opportunityexists. Specifically, a detailed examination of jobgrowth patterns, competing developments andlevels and types of desired amenities would bebeneficial in determining the various officedevelopment opportunities.

Housing

A Northland revitalization organization shouldalso conduct more research on the housingmarket to confirm the above opportunities andidentify the specific types of new single and/ormulti-family housing that could be supported inthe area. Primary market research including atelephone survey with a representative samplingof area residents could be invaluable in confirm-ing and defining retail and housing behaviors anddemand potential for the area.

Suggested Use Strategies

Although additional research is necessary toconfirm and detail opportunities for new retail,office and housing uses along the corridor,

sufficient information exists to make a fewgeneral observations:

Retail:� As reflected in the numerous vacancies andmarginal or inappropriate retail uses along thecorridor, too much retail exists at present. Muchof what does exist is functionally obsolete beingtoo small for today�s big box retailers and toolarge for the convenience and specialty retailopportunities that appear to be present in themarket.� As redevelopment occurs, total retail spaceshould be reduced and clustered in nodes prima-rily in the vicinity of key intersections along thecorridor.� At Northland Mall, a significant investment inupgrading and augmenting the tenant mix will benecessary to stabilize the center and sustain itslong history of success in the community. Mallownership has indicated a willingness to pursuesuch an investment once competitive circum-stances are more clearly defined.� The southeast corner of Morse and Karl Roadsis currently occupied by city of Columbus policeand fire facilities. This is a key site that is moreappropriate for commercial development. Thecity should consider relocating its facilities to anunderutilized site along the corridor, making thissite available for appropriate, significant commer-cial development� A police substation in Northland Mall to addressperceived crime problems in the center should beconsidered.� Any new office and/or housing developmentsproposed for the corridor should consider inte-grating some convenience and/or specialty retail.Appropriate mixing of uses has been shown tocreate more viable and pedestrian friendlydevelopments.


40


Office:� While additional research is suggested toconfirm and define the opportunity, it may bepossible to successfully redevelop existing orbuild new office space along the corridor. Officeuses desiring proximity to an available workforce, professional services targeting the dense,middle-income, older population in the vicinityand users seeking value-priced, quality space andamenities could all be areas of opportunity.� An opportunity for office spaces with amenitiesand lease rates positioned above those currentlyavailable along the corridor, but below thoseavailable in new Class A locations such as Eastonand Polaris, may exist.� The feasibility and potential draw of installingfiber optic cable along the corridor as a means ofattracting technology-related office uses shouldbe considered.

Housing:� As indicated, there may be opportunities fornew single and multi-family developments atselected sites along the corridor including move-up housing and better quality multi-family andsenior housing.� Any effort to create new residential develop-ment along the corridor will require a high-density,multi-family component to offset the high cost ofacquisition based upon current land values on thecorridor.

Mixed-Use:� Several of the larger sites along the corridorcould be candidates for mixed-use developmentincorporating elements of residential, office, hoteland/or retail uses.

Catalytic Projects

Developing one or more of the key sites along thecorridor through a public/private partnership is acritical first step toward changing the Morse Roadimage and energizing private development/redevelopment along the corridor. Suggestionsregarding sites and types of developments thatmight be appropriate are contained in the Oppor-tunity Sites section of this plan.

Funding Options

With the current level of disinvestment andprojected additional competition facing mostMorse Road businesses and property owners,convincing them to finance a significant portion ofpublic infrastructure improvements may beproblematic over the near term. Most are alreadyoperating at a competitive disadvantage to newerdevelopments around the city�s edges featuringnew public infrastructure, large freshly pavedparking lots and the latest retail concepts. Manyof these projects have also benefited fromdevelopment incentives not currently available onMorse Road.

Alternative sources of funding for recommendedinfrastructure improvements should be thoroughlypursued before property owners are approachedfor a tax assessment. These sources couldinclude, but should not be limited to, the follow-ing:

� Other city departments including Public Ser-vice, Public Utilities, and Recreation and Parks� Ohio Public Works Commission� State departments including the Ohio Depart-ment of Transportation, the Ohio Department ofDevelopment and the Ohio Department ofNatural Resource

� Federal programs supporting development ofintermodal facilities such as the TransportationEquity Act (TEA-21), or any other federal bikewayand greenway programs.� Other local foundations and non-profits� Private sponsorships/donations and any otherprivate sector resources

Property owners should be encouraged to providefunding to maintain and promote the corridorthrough a Special Improvement District. Thismechanism will address such issues as land-scape maintenance, banner program mainte-nance, specialty signage maintenance, sidewalksnow removal, parking lot security, and market-ing.

Every effort should be made to obtain sufficientfunding so that the public infrastructure improve-ments proposed for the Morse Road corridor canbe completed as part of one project. Any phasingof this project risks leaving portions undone as aresult of unanticipated or conflicting budgetpriorities. For the revitalization of the corridor tobe effective, it must be able to take advantage ofthe traffic and activity levels present at both endsof the corridor.

Plan Implementation andEnforcement

In order to create a mechanism by which theserecommendations and outline design guidelinescan be enforced, it will be necessary to establish�The Morse Road Planned District�. This planneddistrict will become part of the City of ColumbusZoning code. Proper development text can beestablished for this planned district based on theOutline Design Guidelines and streetscapestandards established by this document as well asany relevant guidelines from the Northland


41


Development Standards. The Morse RoadPlanned District development text should include,but not be limited to, the following: prohibiteduses, site design, landscape design, signage, andlighting.

Other Suggestions

� Community circulator � COTA should beapproached about the possibility of adding aNorthland community circulator to transport arearesidents to key points within the community andalong the corridor.

� Organization � The steering committee as-sembled for this project, which includes represen-tation from all the key constituencies on andaffecting the corridor, should remain in place andlead an effort to create a permanent, non-profitNorthland revitalization organization to overseeimplementation of a comprehensive plan toredevelop the corridor. Northland Area BusinessAssociation, Northland Community Council, thecity and the county should all play important rolesin this effort. While the city has taken the leadthus far, leadership should ultimately be placed inthe hands of the Northland community with thecooperation and support of the city and countygovernment.

This organization should establish a Board ofDirectors that will dedicate itself to the growth andvitality of the Northland area through advocacy,marketing and management. Through this Board,a Community Development Corporation can beestablished that will cultivate private sectorleadership and development in the Northlandarea. This Board will also assist the Morse Roadproperty owners in establishing a Special Im-provement District for maintenance, security andmarketing of the corridor.

� Code enforcement � It appears that codeenforcement currently makes up somewherearound 1/2 of 1% of the city�s budget. Oneinterviewee stated that code enforcement oper-ates today with the same number of inspectors asit had in 1973. The area they have to cover hasgrown exponentially over that same period oftime. For the efforts and investments that arenecessary to redevelop these older commercialcorridors to be sustained over the long term, thecity�s code enforcement staff must be significantlyexpanded and strengthened. This is especiallytrue if recommendations for stronger, moredetailed codes are adopted. Some communitieshave successfully expanded their code enforce-ment efforts by augmenting their code enforce-ment staff with individuals from their fire, publichealth and/or police department staffs. Enforce-ment staff should also be given ticket-writingpower to increase the effectiveness of theirenforcement activities.

Morse Road Design Study

Real Estate

alum creek

overhead utility

arena motors

outline design

local business

adjacent neighborhood

bronze mast

special improvement