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Development Principles

Principles are statements of intent that describe in words how the physical environment, both natural and manmade, should be treated in the future. The principles for the Rockville's Pike plan came directly out of public input that was generated at the Kick-Off meeting in December 2007 and the Stakeholder Workshop in February 2008. The public process was designed to encourage collaborative understanding and information sharing among local citizens, stakeholders, staff and consultants. The principles guided the work of the consultant and staff team during the Community Design Charrette (May 31-June 4, 2008), and played a central role in the development of the draft Rockville's Pike plan.

Participants of the First Report to the Community in March 2008 confirmed the significance of these principles. Participants were asked to rate the importance of each principle on a scale of 1 to 5, where 1 indicated a principle was not important to the future of the Pike and 5 indicated it was very important. They also had the option to provide comments on each principle. Overall, the draft principles were well received, with the average rating of all ten being between 3.11 and 4.42, or "important" to "very important."

Here is a brief description of each of the Rockville's Pike development principles:

	1. Quality architecture and urban design will create a visually appealing environment along the Pike. Participants consistently emphasized the importance of high quality architecture and coherent design in planning for the future of the Pike. Their recommendations addressed such issues as: structural renovations, façade improvements, bringing buildings closer to the street, enforcing building maintenance codes, reducing the prominence of surface parking, and emphasizing quality landscaping, among other issues.
	2. Roadway and intersection improvements on the Pike will allow for smooth, safe vehicular flow. Traffic congestion and the need for improved traffic safety are significant concerns for people who travel along the Pike. Participants provided numerous suggestions for addressing traffic concerns including: street pavement repairs, improved signal timing, redesign of intersections, and improving access to and from shopping centers.
	3. The Pike will feature a safe and pleasant environment for walking and biking. Throughout the public process participants expressed strong concerns about pedestrian safety, and emphasized the importance of creating an environment on the Pike that is safe for pedestrians and cyclists. Participant recommendations included: sidewalk enhancements, bicycle lanes, walking/biking trails, signal timings that allow pedestrians to cross the Pike comfortably, improved access to shops and surrounding neighborhoods, and the reconfiguration of buildings and parking lots to enhance the pedestrian environment, among others.
	4. Additional open space, landscaping, and environmentally friendly development will contribute to a "greener" Pike. The Rockville's Pike process revealed a strong community desire for a greener Pike in terms of landscaping, visual aesthetics and environmental quality. Participant recommendations suggested providing more parks and open space, planting more trees, improving landscaping, reducing impervious surfaces, and supporting green building, among other initiatives.
	5. The Pike will feature vibrant, walkable mixed-use developments. Participants would like to encourage more mixed-use development along the Pike. They see a mix of uses as contributing to the vibrancy of the Pike, encouraging more street life and providing opportunities for nightlife, public gathering, and a greater sense of community. Participants identified the areas in close proximity to the Metro stations as being most appropriate for intensive mixed-use development.
	6. New public spaces on the Pike will provide a pleasant environment for community gathering and outdoor activity. As it exists today, with its extensive surface parking lots and high speed traffic, the Pike may not seem conducive for public gathering spaces and outdoor cafes. However, participants envision such community amenities as important components of the Pike in the future. Their suggestions support the creation of a pleasant public realm that will invite outdoor activity and community interaction—including mixed-use developments that incorporate green space and encourage walking, public spaces that integrate flowers, fountains, and public art, and civic areas that support community activities such as farmers markets.
	7. The economic success of Rockville's Pike will be maintained by supporting both local and national retail and encouraging property redevelopment. Retail is central to the economic success of the Pike, from the large national chains that draw shoppers from throughout the region, to the smaller "mom and pop" stores that contribute to the unique commercial character of the Pike. Participants identified the commercial and retail success of Rockville Pike as an element that should continue to be supported. As shopping centers age and redevelopment opportunities arise, they would like to see the shops that they patronize remain.
	8. Rockville's Pike will be well connected with surrounding areas, providing choices for cars and pedestrians to access and move between properties along the Pike. Many participants cited the need to better connect Rockville Pike in terms of adjacent shopping centers and surrounding neighborhoods and streets. The current configuration of the street network features incomplete service roads and multiple driveway entrances, which tend to force much of the local traffic onto Rockville Pike —even for very short trips between nearby shopping centers.
	9.The Pike will feature efficient and reliable public transportation options. Concerns about the reliability of public transportation arose throughout the public process. While a bus route is scheduled to run along the Pike frequently, public input indicates that the timing of the current service is not predictable or reliable enough to encourage more widespread use. Safety concerns were also cited related to the mid-block location of bus stops, which tends to encourage pedestrians to cross the Pike mid-block. Many individuals who do not currently ride the bus expressed an interest in using a more efficient public transportation option that would enable them to refrain from driving along the Pike.
	10. Appropriate signage, lighting, and wayfinding tools will make the Pike an inviting and easily navigable environment. Participants indicated they would like to see wayfinding improvements that will maintain and enhance the economic success of the Pike. They want to see better signage and lighting that will make the Pike more welcoming and navigable for residents and visitors alike.