Context Farm Pond Urban Sustainability - Daniella Fergusson

Overview
Farm Pond is a Neighborhood Statistical Area defined by the City of Charlotte. The neighborhood is bounded by Hickory Grove Road to the north, East W.T. Harris Boulevard to the east (Highway 24), Albemarle Road to the
South, and Farm Pond Lane to the west. Farm Pond is a 15 minute drive and 30 minute bus ride from Uptown Charlotte.
According to the 2000 Census, households in Farm Pond are smaller than households in the rest of Charlotte. Farm Pond also has a higher proportion of single-person and single-parent households compared to the city as a
whole. Almost three-quarters of people in Farm Pond are renters, having moved into the neighborhood relatively recently. Residents who are homeowners are likely to have lived in Farm Pond for at least 15 to 20 years.

Farm Pond Statistics

Statistics from 2008 American
Community Survey (Census.gov)
and 2010 Quality of Life Survey:
• Neighborhood Size (2010): 786 acres
• Population (2010): 5807
• Primary Dwellings (2010): 2,707
• Occupied Dwellings: 2520
• Owner-Occupied: 30%
• Accessory Dwellings: 0
• Net Residential Density: 3.44 DU/ac
• Single Family Detached: 29%
• Rowhouses/Duplexes: 11%
• Apartment 5-9 units: 20%
Uptown
• Apartment 10-19 units: 22% Charlotte
• Apartment 20-49 units: 7%
• Apartment 50+ units: 11%
• Commercial Use: 150,000 sq.ft. approx.
• Area devoted to center: 0%

Summary of Proposed
Interventions Farm Pond
• Divide Farm Pond into a north half
and a southern half. Farm Pond does not
have strong neighborhood identify, so this
move would not be disruptive.
• Improve connectivity by adding new
roads.
• Increase density by permitting
accessory units in back yards and by
adding row houses at street frontage
• Add a community center. Farm Pond
South already has Four Seasons Club
House at 5050 Farm Pond Lane. The
apartment complexes have club houses,
too.
3 miles
• Improve the level of transit service
along Albemarle Road.
 Neighborhood Diagrams Farm Pond Urban Sustainability - Daniella Fergusson
Theory
Sustainable Urbanism describes Clarence Perry’s neighborhood unit, having been improved by Duany Plater-Zyberk and Farr and Associates, as an area that meets the following characteristics (Farr 2008, 125-6):
• 160 acres to create a 1/4 mile ped-shed • Neighborhood center surrounded by civic buildings • Small parks in each quadrant of the ped-shed with habitat and infrastructure
• Clearly defined edges with commercial uses at the edges • Variety of housing densities that include car-free housing and enough people to greenways that give the neighborhood distinct edges

• Transit access on one edge, such as Bus Rapid Transit, Trolley, or Light Rail support a third place • Enough residents to support an elementary school
• Network of narrow streets • Renewable energy, such as a district energy system

Application in Farm Pond Current Conditions Hickory

Grove
Road
Application to Farm Pond
Hickory
Grove
Road
• At 786 acres, Farm Pond is the Hickory Grove Ro
ad Legend Hickory Grove Ro
ad
equivalent of 4+ ideal neighborhoods.
Sites with 1/4 mile radii

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• Farm Pond has well-defined edges:

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1 Hickory Grove Baptist Church 1

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Hickory Grove Road, W.T. Harris

EW

EW
Cra

Cra
Boulevard, and Albemarle Road are all 2 Campbell Creek Park

TH

TH
d

d
d Pl

d Pl
arterials with a median. The final edge

Orr R

Orr R
arri

arri
3 Wallace Creek Playground

woo

woo
sB

sB
Ln

Ln
on the west is a Duke Power easement.

ence

ence
4 Four Seasons Club House

lvd

lvd
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Dog
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Only the Albemarle Road edge offers

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commercial activity. 5 Eagle Woods Club House
• Farm Pond is served by express buses
to downtown on Albemarle Road and Wago
n Oak R
d 6 Regal Oaks Club House
Wago
n Oak R
d 1
7 Four Season Shopping Plaza
local buses on W.T. Harris Boulevard and
Hickory Grove Road. Bus Stops
• Farm Pond does not have a
neighborhood center. Civic uses, like banks Ba
rcl 2Barcli
and post offices, are on Albemarle Rd. iff
Dr ff D
r
• Farm Pond has single family homes,
town homes, and apartments.
• The local roads in Farm Pond are 20’
two-lane roads within a 60’ right of way
• One park exists in Farm Pond, Farm Pond
Campbell Creek Park. A greenway connects
Campbell Creek Park and the Four Seasons Boundary
4

E WT Harris Blvd

E WT Harris Blvd
Homeowner’s Association club house, but
the trails are overgrown and underutilized. 3
Hickory Grove Baptist Church has a 4
number of outdoor recreational spaces,
but they are not open and available to the
general public in Farm Pond.
• Farm Pond has approximately Wa
lla
Wa
lla
ce ce
5,800 residents, according to the 2010 Ave Ave

Neighborhood Quality of Life Survey.

5
• Densities along Albemarle Road may be
sufficient to support district energy. The 6
location of a steam user, such as a hospital

E E
or another institutional use, would make
district energy more feasible.

d d
le R 7 le R
ap

ap
mar mar
E WT Harris Blvd

E WT Harris Blvd
r

r
aven D

aven D
Albe Albe
Regal Oaks Dr

Regal Oaks Dr
Farm Pond Ln

Farm Pond Ln
Albemarle Rd Albemarle Rd

0 225 450 900 1,350 1,800 0 225 450 900 1,350 1,800
Winterh

Winterh
Feet Feet
1 inch = 1,000 feet 1 inch = 1,000 feet
 Neighborhood Definition Farm Pond Urban Sustainability - Daniella Fergusson
Theory 3. Mix of land uses and housing types: Appropriate mix includes at least three housing types and places where people can work,
be entertained, exercise, shop, and meet daily needs within walking distance. Walkable communities reduce traffic congestion,
The charter of the Congress for New Urbanism defines a neighborhood as “compact, pedestrian-friendly, and improve residents’ health, and enliven communities during all times of the day.
mixed-use” (Farr 2008, 127). Great neighborhoods have 5 characteristics (ibid, 127-131): 4. Integrated network of walkable streets: For a community to have an appropriate street network, the block perimeter should be
1. Identifiable center and edges: The center is a public space that functions as an “outdoor room” for the neighborhood, such as a 1,500 feet, with streets at 450 to 600 foot intervals. Small block sizes and frequent intersections make the walking experience more
plaza. Centers tend to have mixed uses and a higher density compared to the edges. enjoyable. A minimum building-height-to-street-width ratio of 1:3 slows down traffic and define streets as public spaces.

2. Walkable size of between 40 and 200 acres: People tend to fee comfortable walking a quarter mile or ten minutes. 5. Special sites for civic uses: Significant geographical areas should be reserved for civic uses. Civic uses include parks, plazas,
playgrounds, and community buildings. Squares and plazas, typically one acre, have edges defined by the surrounding buildings.

Application in Farm Pond Current Conditions Hickory

Grove
Road
Proposed InterventionHickory Grove
Road
Currently, Farm Pond has 8 identi- Hickory Grove Ro Hickory Grove Ro
Legend ad
Legend ad

fiable “neighborhoods,” or subdivi-

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sions. Except for Four Seasons, all Greenways

ood

ood
1 Four Seasons Homeowners

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of the subdivisions have identifi-

EW

EW
Cra

Cra
New Streets

TH

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able edges (most are fenced-in) 2 Wallace Creek Homeowners

d
d Pl

d Pl
Orr R

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arri

arri
and are a walkable size. The apart- Farm Pond North

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Ln

Ln
ence

ence
lvd

lvd
Dog

Dog
3 Delta Crossing Apartments

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ment complexes and Four Seasons 1/2 Mile Radius

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neighborhood have club houses (or
4 Somerstone Apartments
at least leasing offices) that func- n Oak R
d
n Oak R
d
Wago Wago
tion as common space, but not as 5 Regal Oaks Apartments
an identifiable community center.
Wallace Creek does not have a com- 6 Eagle Woods Apartments
munal area.
Ba Ba
7 Farm Lane Apartments rcl
i
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iff
ff D
Four Seasons neighborhood has r Dr

townhomes and single family 8 Forest Hills Apartments

homes. The homes covered by the
homeowners’ association is indis-
tinguishable in aesthetics from the 3
single family homes to the north,
and thus does not have identifiable
edges.

E WT Harris Blvd
Proposed Interventions
1 2
Farm Pond South
1/2 Mile Radius

• Divide Farm Pond into a north half

and a southern half. Farm Pond does not
have strong neighborhood identify, so this
Wa Wa
move would not be disruptive. lla lla

5
ce ce
Ave Ave
• Improve connectivity by adding new
roads.
6

E WT Harris Blvd
• Increase density by permitting
accessory units in back yards and by
7 4
8
adding row houses at street frontage

E E
• Add a community center in Farm
Pond North. Farm Pond South already has
Four Seasons Club House at 5050 Farm
d d
le R le R
ap

ap
Pond Lane. The apartment complexes have mar mar
E WT Harris Blvd

E WT Harris Blvd
r

r
aven D

aven D
Albe Albe
Regal Oaks Dr

Regal Oaks Dr
Farm Pond Ln

Farm Pond Ln
Albemarle Rd Albemarle Rd
club houses, too.
0 225 450 900 1,350 1,800 0 225 450 900 1,350 1,800
Winterh

Winterh
• Improve the level of transit service Feet Feet
along Albemarle Road. 1 inch = 1,000 feet 1 inch = 1,000 feet
 Neighborhood Completeness
Theory
For residents to meet their daily needs on foot, amenities should be clustered together and of sufficient variety. Sustainable Urbanism suggests the following businesses form a complete neighborhood (Farr 2008, 132-33):
• Bank
• Childcare facility
• Community center
• Convenience Store
Application in Farm Pond
Farm Pond has a high level of
neighborhood completeness, with
many of the amenities listed in Sus-
tainable Urbanism.
Most of the uses are concentrated
on Albemarle Road, which is not
accessible to people in the center of
Farm Pond.
Missing uses include:
• Hardware Store / Tool Library
• Live-work housing
• Medical and dental offices
• Pocket prks that are overlooked by
homes and businesses
• Coffee Shops
• Car sharing program
Proposed Interventions
As the Neighborhood Revitalization
Group implements facade improve-
ments in Four Seasons Plaza, the
company could consider attracting
the missing amenities listed above.
Priority should be placed on child-
care facilities, medical and dental
offices, coffee shops or a similar
local food establishment, and a
car sharing program. Attractive
outdoor space that encourages
residents to congregate would be
another welcome addition to Four
Seasons Plaza.
Farm Pond Urban Sustainability - Daniella Fergusson
• Hair care • Library • Pharmacy • Restaurant • Supermarket
• Hardware store • Live-work housing • Place of Worship • School • Third Place
• Health club or indoor recreation center • Medical/ Dental office • Police / Fire station • Senior care facility • Transit stop
• Laundromat / Dry cleaner • Park • Post Office • Shared cars
Current Conditions Legend: Complete list:
Police Department • Charlotte Police Department
• US Post Office
US Post Office • Charlotte Fire Department
• Charlotte Mecklenburg Library
Fire Department • Food Lion: Store Number 1365
• Save-A-Lot
Library • Aldi
• Europe Food Store
Grocery Store • Bi-Lo
• Island Grocery
Bank • Bank of America
• State Employees Credit Union
Childcare • Wachovia Bank
• BB&T - Albemarle Rd
School • BB&T - Hickory Grove
• KinderCare Learning Center
Senior Center • Tutor Time
• Ashford Academy
Recreation Center • Childcare Network
• Albemarle Road Middle School
Cleaning and Laundry • Albemarle Road Elementary
• Hickory Grove Baptist School
Convenience Store • Amity Presbyterian Pre-School
• Community School of the Arts:
East Music Satellite
Restaurant • Idlewild Elementary School
• Deaf and Hard of Hearing
Hair and Beauty Salon Resource Center
• Potter’s Wheel Community
Medical Clinic Development and Outreach Center
• Muslim American Society
• Comprehensive Community Care
Place of Worship • Brian Center Health &
Retirement
Pharmacy • YMCA
• Albemarle Road Rec Center
Community Center • Bally Total Fitness
• Liberty Coin Laundry
Bike Lane • C P Cleaners
• Sno-White Laundery + Dry
Cleaners
• Super Coin Laundry
• Circle K: Store Number 4522
• Family Dollar Store
• Petro Express
• Q A Food Stores Inc
• Sam’s Mart
• Family Dollar Store
• Pop Shoppe
• Dunkin’ Donuts
•
•
Sunrise Restaurant
McDonald’s
• K & J Cafe
• Woodlands Indian Restaurant
• Pizza Hut
• Papa John’s Pizza
• Bojangles’ Famous Chicken
• Sunrise Restaurant
• Kyoto Japanese/Korean Rstrnt
• McDonald’s
• Pizza & More
• Burger King
• Chin Chin
• Las Delicias
• Fast Wok
• Aggie’s Ice Cream & Grill
• ROYAL KABAB HUT
• Antojitos Catrachos
• Wendy’s
• Cook Out
• KFC
• Han’s Fish
• Pollos Mario Restaurant
• Chuuka Restaurant
• Lastortugas Restaurant
• Trimmer’s East Barbershop
• Hair Harmony
• Taylor’s Barber Shop
• Chenda’s Hair & Nail Studio
• Paolas Beauty Salon
• La Porsha’s Hait Center
• Shelia’s Hair Salon LLC
• Albemarle Road Family Practice
• Carolinas HealthCare Urgent
Care - Eastland
• Carolinas HealthCare Urgent
Care - Eastland
• Leighton Charles Dr
• Hickory Grove Untd Methodist
Church
• Albemarle Road Church
• Hickory Grove Presbyterian
Church
• Hickory Grove Untd Methodist
Church
• Central Church
• Hickory Grove Baptist Church:
Latin American Campus
• Drug Emporium: Pharmacy
• Walgreens Store Charlotte
• Rite Aid Pharmacy: May Vary
 Neighborhood + Car-Free Housing Farm Pond Urban Sustainability - Daniella Fergusson
Theory Zimmerman / Volk Associates estimates that the optimum residential mix for downtown and in-town neigh-
borhoods, based on market studies in 30 communities, has the following proportions (Farr 2008, 138):
The coincidence of retiring Baby Boomers and Millennials coming of age is creating a demand for urban resi-
dences. According to Sustainable Urbanism, the number of people desiring walkable communities is unprec- • Rental Apartments: 37%
edented. All new housing in Farm Pond should be designed to be car-free. Car-free housing is the provision • For Sale Condos: 25%
of homes that do not have off-street parking and are exempt from minimum parking requirements in zoning. • For Sale Rowhouses / Townhomes / Duplexes: 20%
Car-free housing makes housing more affordable, encourages transit use, and allows for greater density. Car
• For Sale Urban Detached Homes: 18%
sharing can be used in conjunction with car-free housing, with one shared car replacing 5-8 private vehicles.

Application in Farm Pond Proposed Intervention - Existing homes as accessory units to new homes Proposed Intervention Homes in Farm Pond have 45’ Setbacks

Farm Pond residents include retir- Legend

ees, younger singles and couples,
and families. So, the neighborhood Existing Homes
needs a variety of housing types. New Homes

Of 2520 occupied units in Farm

Ln
ond
Pond (American Fact Finder 2008): Farm Pond homes are spread out

mP
• 70% were renter occupied
Far

cce ry
ss
• Single Family Detached: 29%

Alle cesso

Ln
• Townhomes/Duplexes: 11%

obin
yA
• Apartment with 5-9 units: 20%

kR
Ac

Moc
• Apartment with 10-19 units: 22%

rea rea or
• Apartment with 20-49 units: 7% Sears homes are small enough to fit...

with
• Apartment with 50+ units: 11%
A
Uni mon
Saving $30-40,000 per house by
ts A
building car-free homes could make
Com

houses affordable in Farm Pond.

The 2010 Quality of Life Survey
reports that median household ... in front, behind, or between existing ones
income in Farm Pond is $33,850
($52,150 in Charlotte). The aver-
age home in Farm Pond is valued
at $83,340, which is declining as
the number of foreclosures and rate
of unemployment increases. Ac-
cording to the 2000 Census, over
a quarter of Farm Pond residents Infill:
paid more than 35% of their house- • Floor Plans and construction documents from Sears homes are still available (searsarchive.com).
hold income to rent. • Cheap to build, these small homes fit on lots 30’ wide by 40’ deep or less and are perfect for infill. Density
can be tripled by adding units in between existing homes, in the 45’ front yard setback, or in the rear yard.
Proposed Interventions • With porches and character, the homes would add to the single family nature of Farm Pond while
improving the public realm. Especially when placed in front yards, the porches would directly interact with
• Increase number of Rowhouses, Bonnybro the street and create a street frontage that does not currently exist in Farm Pond.
Townhomes, and Duplexes. oke Ln
• Or, the Sears homes could become the face of the street, with existing homes becoming accessory units.
• Build condos or convert some
apartments to condos. Generally increase • The infill would have to be car-free housing to avoid congestion and surface parking lots.
home ownership. • Implementation: Homeowners can sell property to recoup lost property value losses from recession. Or,
• Increase density by adding new homes developers could purchase foreclosed properties.
 Neighborhood Retail Farm Pond Urban Sustainability - Daniella Fergusson
Theory
In traditionally-planned neighborhoods, retail is not developed because it is perceived as too risky. Often, such retail under performs in sales leading to the businesses closing, because goods and services are not of a quality or
variety substantial enough to compete with commercial centers outside of the neighborhood. Three scales of retail are available for neighborhoods (Farr 2008, 139-41):
1. Corner Stores: 1,500 to 3,000 sq.ft. located along major local roads or near 2. Convenience Centers: 10,000 to 30,000 sq.ft. of retail located on a main street 3. Neighborhood Centers: offer a full range of goods and services, containing anchors
community amenities. Corner stores require 1,000 dwellings to support their sales and anchored by a speciality food market or pharmacy. The centers also often have 5 to like supermarkets, pharmacies, and other businesses. Neighborhood Centers have
and are generally located at the ground floor in a corner of a mixed-use building. Their 8 corner stores, too. Convenience centers require 2,000 dwellings to support them and 60,000 to 80,000 sq.ft. of retail and require 6,000 to 8,000 dwellings to support their
average trade area is a 5 minute walking radius. draw from a 1 mile radius trade area. sales. The primary trade area is 1-2 miles. Neighborhood centers are easier to finance as
they are more familiar lending products to banks.

Application in Farm Pond Hickory Grove Market (in blue)

1 Food Lion
Hickory Grove Market
With 2,520 households in Farm 2 Family Dollar
Pond in 2008 (according to the 1
Subway
3
American Fact Finder), Farm Pond Library
9 4
can support two corner stores or
2 Backyard
one convenience center. 10 5 Burgers

3 6 Jiffy Lube
Farm Pond has two Neighborhood
12 7 BB&T
Centers, and thus would not be able 5 11
Papa John’s
to support additional retail within 8
the residential neighborhood. 6 Hickory Grove
9 Automotive

Hickory Grove Market is approxi- 8 10 Hair Harmony

4 2
mately 70,000 sq.ft. and contains 7 11 Petro Express
4 13
Food Lion, Family Dollar, Subway, Queen City
12 Treatment

EW
Backyard Burgers, BB&T, Papa
d

Hickory Grove Ro Center

Orr R

ad

TH
Johns, and a Library. 13 Rite Aid

arri
14
ence

sB
14 Hickory Grove

lvd
Lawr

The owners of Four Seasons shop- Baptist Church

ping plaza (approx. 77,000 sq.ft.),
1 Taylor’s Barber
Neighborhood Revitalization Four Seasons Plaza (in pink) Four Seasons Plaza
2 Shell Gasoline
Group, have applied to the City for
3 Family Restaurant
a facade grant to renovate the retail
4 Sno-White Laundry
units. While upgrading the appear-
3 5 McDonalds
ance of the shopping center would
6 Save-A-Lot
make it more attractive, building 4 6
1 7 8 7 Bestway
residential units on top of the retail 9 12 13
8 Family Dollar
bays could help keep “eyes on the 9 It’s Fashion
10
street” for the crime-ridden and 2
5 15 10 Check Cashing
11
often-empty retail strip. 14
11
16 Beauty Plus
Albemarle Rd
12 Coin Laundry

Proposed Interventions 13 Alterations PDQ

2
• Increase density to allow for corner 20 14 JJ Fish & Chicken

stores within the center of Farm Pond. 22 21

15 Bank of America
Winterhaven Dr

18 17
Farm Pond Ln

• Build residential and office uses on 16 US Post Office

top of the retail units to keep “eyes on the 19 17 Sherwin Williams

street.” 18 Wendy’s

• Add retail frontage along Albemarle 19 Cookout

Road, Hickory Grove Road, and W.T. 20 KFC
Harris Boulevard so surface parking does
21 Sunrise Restaurant
not front the road.
22 ABC Store
 Locally Owned Stores + Third Places Farm Pond Urban Sustainability - Daniella Fergusson
Theory
In economic base theory, money flows into a local economy when manufactured goods are exported or when tourists visit. Money leaks from a regional economy when locals import goods and services or spend money in busi-
nesses that are owned by outsiders. So, local businesses ensure that more money earned locally circulates locally, leading to more employment, regional supply chains, increased charity, and an overall better place to live.
Third places are informal gathering points in a neighborhood. Sustainable Urbanism draws from work by Robert Oldenburg that describes third places as having the following qualities:
• Easily accessible for all people • Open 16+ hours a day, 5+ days a week • Ownership and management who take an interest in the local community
• Comfortable temperature and seating appropriate for hanging out • Good place for socially networking • Coffee shops, bus stops, parks, pubs, alleys, libraries, laundromats, and churches

Application in Farm Pond Current Conditions Hickory

Grove
Road 1 2 Proposed InterventionHickory Grove
Road
Businesses in Farm Pond are a mix Hickory Grove Ro
ad
Hickory Grove Ro
ad

of local and chain businesses. The

Dr

Dr
2010 Quality of Life Survey reports

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ood
3

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that 38% of Farm Pond residents

EW

EW
Cra

Cra
TH

TH
have access to basic retail.

d
d Pl

d Pl
Improved Pedestrian

Orr R

Orr R
arri

arri
woo

woo
sB

sB
Ln

Ln
The most popular places to spend Crossings

ence

ence
lvd

lvd
Dog

Dog
lpine

lpine
time in Farm Pond are Taylor’s Bar-

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McA

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bershop, McDonalds, and Sunrise. d d
Oak R Oak R
People do not spend much time in Wago
n
Multifamily Housing Wago
n

Campbell Creek Park, because peo- around Park Perimeter

ple think it is dangerous.
It is unclear how well the neigh- 4 B Ba
a rcl rcl
borhood club houses function as iff
Dr
iff
Dr
third places. In some apartment
complexes, such as Eagle Woods,
Somerstone, and Farm Lane Apart-
5
Legend
ments, the common area appears 1 Library

to function primarily as a leasing 2 Hair Harmony

office. 3 Hickory Grove Baptist Church

4 Campbell Creek Park

E WT Harris Blvd
Teens hang out on street corners
5 Delta Crossing Cllub House
and lack a space, like a coffee shop, 6
7 6 Wallace Creek Playground
to hang out.
7 Four Seasons Club House

8 Eagle Woods Club House

Proposed Interventions 9 Regal Oaks Club House

• Build multifamily housing, such as Wa

lla 10 Somerstone Club House Wa
lla
ce ce
townhomes, around Campbell Creek Park Ave Ave
8 11 Taylor’s Barbershop
to give the park a feeling of enclosure and
12 Sno-White Cleaners

E WT Harris Blvd
safety. A mixed-use residential building 9
with a convenience store or a coffee shop 13 McDonalds
Multifamily Housing
14
would also help to enclose Campbell Creek Launrdomat
over existing retail
Park. Improving Campbell Creek Park 10 15

E E
Sunrise Restaurant
as a Third Place gives Farm Pond North
residents a place to congregate.
• Improve pedestrian crossings over 11 12
14 d d
le R le R
ap

ap
Hickory Grove Road. Currently, to get to mar mar
E WT Harris Blvd

E WT Harris Blvd
r

r
13
aven D

aven D
Albe Albe
Regal Oaks Dr

Regal Oaks Dr
Farm Pond Ln

Farm Pond Ln
Albemarle Rd Albemarle Rd
the library, Farm Pond residents have to
jaywalk or cross Hickory Grove Road at 0 225 450 900 1,350 1,800 0 225 450 900 1,350 1,800
Winterh

Winterh
Feet Feet
W.T. Harris. 15
1 inch = 1,000 feet 1 inch = 1,000 feet
 Walkable Streets + Healthy Neighborhoods Farm Pond Urban Sustainability - Daniella Fergusson
Theory
Physical inactivity causes 2-300,000 premature deaths annually via cardiovascular disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, and other diseases. The solution is to create environments where people are active for 30 mins. 5+ times/wk.
According to Sustainable Urbanism a variety of factors can improve the walkability of an area (Farr 2008, 149):
• Sidewalks that are 6-8 feet wide and well-maintained • No garages visible from the street. Homes are 10’ to 30’ from the street • Parks and open space located within 800 feet of all homes
• Trees in planter strip spaced 15’ to 30’ apart, no above-ground utility lines • Streets are 22-9 feet wide with on-street parking and curbs on both sides of the • 10 to 20 DU/acre with mixed uses and good street connectivity
• Blocks spaced 300 to 400 feet apart with no curb cuts and alleys for utilities street. Streets appropriate for cycling, with slow traffic speeds, on-street parking, and • Well-lit pedestrian areas
street trees

Application in Farm Pond Current Conditions Proposed InterventionHickory Grove

Road
Farm Pond is currently a part of the Legend Legend
Hickory Grove Ro
ad

City of Charlotte’s the neighbor-

Dr
hood improvement program, which 90-100: Walker’s Paradise Greenways

ood
igw
adds sidewalks, curbs, and gutters

EW
70-89: Very Walkable New Streets

Cra

TH
to streets. Currently, many of the

d Pl
Orr R

arri
streets in Farm Pond lack curbs, 50-69: Somewhat Walkable

woo

sB
Ln

ence

lvd
Dog
lpine
gutters, and sidewalks. Farm Pond 25-49: Car Dependent

Lawr
McA
already has buried utilities.
0-24: Very Car Dependent d
n Oak R
The main challenge in Farm Pond Wago

is the block pattern, lack of alleys,

low density, and large setbacks for
homes. As Farm Pond was designed
as a single family home neighbor- Ba
rcl
iff
hood in the 1970s, it lacks public Dr

common areas and small pocket

parks.
The left-hand graphic is from
WalkScore.com and shows that
Farm Pond is not very walkable.

Proposed Interventions
• Complete sidewalks improvements in
Farm Pond. Plant street trees and install
pedestrian-level lighting. Continue to add
curbs, gutters.
• Add streets to improve connectivity and Wa
lla ce
walkability Ave

• Expand the parks and greenway system

E WT Harris Blvd
to improve connectivity for bikes and
pedestrians.
• Double or triple density by adding

E E
accessory units to backyards and new units
to front yards.
• Allow on-street parking on one side of
the street rather than widening the road to d
le R

ap
mar

E WT Harris Blvd
r
aven D
Albe

Regal Oaks Dr
Farm Pond Ln
accommodate on-street parking. This will Albemarle Rd

help slow down traffic. 0 225 450 900 1,350 1,800 0 225 450 900 1,350 1,800

Winterh
Feet Feet
1 inch = 1,000 feet 1 inch = 1,000 feet
 Complete Streets Farm Pond Urban Sustainability - Daniella Fergusson
Theory • Promote walkability in neighborhoods and mixed-use areas
• Allow multi-modal transportation choices
Small blocks (1,300 intersections per square mile or 300 ft. blocks) encourage walkability. Also, sidewalks,
curbs, and bike lanes should be present, with pedestrians separated from fast-moving traffic by trees and plant- • Complement adjacent land uses
ers. • Provide high quality public spaces
• Enhance the quality of life
According to Sustainable Urbanism, Complete streets are streets that (Farr 2008, 154):
• Protect the environment
• Support compact neighborhoods

Application in Farm Pond Current Conditions Sidewalks in Wallace Creek Sidewalks in Four Seasons
Since 2008, Farm Pond has been
part of a Charlotte Neighborhood
Improvement Program.
The Current Conditions diagram
shows current curbs, gutters, and
sidewalks in Farm Pond and identi-
fies where the Neighborhood Im-
provement Program will install new
sidewalks, curbs, and gutters.
The most important street to im-
prove is Albemarle Road, as many
neighborhood amenities are in Four
Seasons Plaza and the principle
Sidewalks and Bus Stop on Albemarle
buses that go downtown leave from
Albemarle Road.
3 Travel Lanes
Proposed Interventions
• Complete sidewalks improvements in
Farm Pond. Plant street trees and install
pedestrian-level lighting. Continue to add
curbs, gutters.
Surface Parking
• Add streets to improve connectivity and
walkability Fronts Street
• Allow on-street parking on one side of
the street rather than widening the road to Legend
accommodate on-street parking. This will
Existing Curb & Gutter
help slow down traffic. Intersection on Albemarle Road
New Curb & Gutter Above Ground
• Improve sidewalks, add street trees,
and create a buffer between pedestrians Existing Sidewalk Utilities
and cars on Albemarle Road, Hickory New Sidewalk
Grove Road, and W.T. Harris Boulevard.

E
• Improve bus stops to create attractive
bus shelters along Albemarle Road,
Hickory Grove Road, and W.T. Harris
Sidewalk on street
Boulevard. without buffer
• Add cycle lanes on Albemarle Road,
Hickory Grove Road, and W.T. Harris
0 225 450 900 1,350 1,800
Boulevard. Feet
1 inch = 1,000 feet
 Universal Basic Home Access Farm Pond Urban Sustainability - Daniella Fergusson
Theory Accessible homes should have the following characteristics:
Accessibility is becoming increasingly important as Baby Boomers retire and choose to age in place. To be • At least one entrance with no steps
accessible, homes should have one zero-step entrance from the street, doors that are wide enough to accom- • Wider doorways and hallways (32” clear passage), with doors having a low threshold
modate wheelchairs and other mobility assistance devices, and bathrooms that are designed for people with • One accessible bathroom on the first floor
mobility challenges. Ramps should be at a 1:12 grade or flatter. The advantage of having homes that provide
universal access is that neighborhoods are prepared for demographic changes - the retiring of Baby Boomers.
Also, universal access homes let people with mobility challenges visit friends with ease.

Application in Farm Pond Current Conditions Proposed Intervention

Many homes in Farm Pond are Four Seasons: Split Level Four Seasons: Ranch Four Seasons: Ranch
split-level homes, which are not ac- No Step Entrance
cessibly designed at all. Even some
ranch-style homes in Farm Pond
have steps from the driveway to the Wide porch and doors
front door. Also, as the photographs
show most of the apartment build- Gentle sloped entrance
ings are accessed by staircases.

Iowa City, Iowa

While the 2008 American Commu-
nity Survey reports that the average
age of residents in Farm Pond is 30
years old, interactions with resi-
dents reveal that many homeown-
Wallace Creek Outside of Four Seasons Outside of Four Seasons
ers have lived in the neighborhood
since purchasing their homes in Raised Electrical Outlets
the 1970s or 1980s. In other words, and Lowered Light Switches
a proportion of residents in Farm
Pond are choosing to age in place. Accessible Cabinets and
The 2010 Neighborhood Quality Appliances
of Life Survey reports that 5.3% of

Winchester Homes
Roll-under counters
Farm Pond residents are over the
age of 64, compared to 8.6% in the
City of Charlotte. 36’ Wide area

Proposed Interventions
As density increases in Farm Pond, Forest Hills Regal Oaks Somerstone
new buildings should incorporate Handles and Support
universal design standards.

Roll-in Shower

Greater Home Services

Comfort height toilet

Roll-under sink
 Managing Travel Demand Farm Pond Urban Sustainability - Daniella Fergusson
Theory
Transportation Demand Management is a term used to describe managing what modes of transportation people use. Residential density, mixed land uses, and design factors that promote walkability all help reduce the num-
ber of trips that people choose to make by car. Having good quality regional transit and charging for parking also encourage people to walk more.
Sustainable Urbanism reports that increasing density to 16 DU/acre would generate 28% fewer trips than homes at 3 DU/acre (Farr 2008, 163).

Application in Farm Pond Current Conditions Hickory

Grove
Road
Proposed InterventionHickory Grove
Road
Farm Pond is well-served by tran- Hickory Grove Ro
ad
Hickory Grove Ro
ad

sit, with the 2010 Neighborhood

Dr

Dr
Quality of Life Survey stating that Legend

ood

ood
igw

igw
over 76% of Farm Pond residents

EW

EW
1. Four Seasons Greenway and Campbell

Cra

Cra
TH

TH
have access to transit. Creek Park

d
d Pl

d Pl
Orr R

Orr R
arri

arri
woo

woo
sB

sB
Ln

Ln
2. Hickory Grove Baptist Church
Increasing the level of transit ser-

ence

ence
lvd

lvd
Dog

Dog
lpine

lpine
vice from bus to Bus Rapid Transit Bus Stops with 10 minute walking

Lawr

Lawr
McA

McA
2
radius
or trolley would encourage more d Rd
n Oak R Bus Stops with 20 minute walking n Oak
people to use transit, because peo- Wago Wago
radius
ple are willing to walk further (20
minutes, or 1/2 mile) to sheltered
transit stops with frequent and reli- Legend
able service. Express Bus: 40X toBDowntown
a Ba
rcl rcl
iff iff
Bus: 23 to Downtown Dr Dr

Proposed Interventions Bus: 9 to Downtown

• Increase level of transit service along Local Bus: 221 and 222 to Eastland
Albemarle Road to Bus Rapid Transit. Community Transit Center
This involves building a substantial transit Bus Stops with 10 minute walking
station, like a light rail stop. radius
• Increase residential density in

1
Farm Pond, especially in areas close to

E WT Harris Blvd

E WT Harris Blvd
Albemarle Road, W.T. Harris Boulevard,
and Hickory Grove Road.
• Improve walkability along Albemarle
Road by adding planting strips and street
trees between the road and the sidewalks.
• Improve greenways to create direct Wa Wa
lla ce lla ce
walking/bike paths from the center of Ave Ave
Farm Pond to the transit corridor.
• Encourage the Homeowners
Associations and apartment complexes
near Albemarle Road to provide free

E E
transit passes to residents to reduce traffic,
attract residents, and encourage walking.

d d
le R le R
ap

ap
mar mar
E WT Harris Blvd

E WT Harris Blvd
r

r
aven D

aven D
Albe Albe
Regal Oaks Dr

Regal Oaks Dr
Farm Pond Ln

Farm Pond Ln
Albemarle Rd Albemarle Rd

0 225 450 900 1,350 1,800 0 225 450 900 1,350 1,800
Winterh

Winterh
Feet Feet
1 inch = 1,000 feet 1 inch = 1,000 feet
 Car Sharing Farm Pond Urban Sustainability - Daniella Fergusson
Theory According to Sustainable Urbanism, car sharing programs are more likely to succeed when (Farr 2008, 167):
Car sharing is a membership service where people can reserve a car for short-term use, only paying for the • At least 30% of households are single-person households
costs of car ownership (like insurance) proportional to how much they use the cars. Shared cars are often • At least 55% of people drive alone to work or 5% walk to work
parked in convenient and reserved parking spots within a neighborhood. The parking spots and mix of cars • At least 50% of households have only one or have no vehicle
offered at the spots may change according to member demand. As car sharing programs alleviate consumers
• The neighborhood is at least 5 DU/acre
from the high fixed costs of car ownership, which do not change whether a person drives a little bit or a lot. In-
stead, car sharing programs charge members proportional to use, so consumers have an incentive to drive less.

Application in Farm Pond Current Conditions Hickory

Grove
Proposed Intervention
Road
In 2008 according to the American Hickory Grove Ro
ad
Community Survey, Farm Pond

Dr
had:

ood
igw

EW
Cra
• At least 38.6% of households were

TH
single-person households

d Pl
Orr R

arri
woo

sB
Ln
• No data is available regarding how

ence

lvd
Dog
lpine
people travel to work Legend

Lawr
McA
• Out of homeowners, 40% have one or
Owner d
no vehicles available. Out of renters, 70% n Oak R
Wago
have one or no vehicles available. Renter
pms 425
• The neighborhood is approximately 3.5
Car Sharing Site with 1/4 mile
DU/acre pms 369
radius (10 minute walk)
As a result, Farm Pond can support Ba
pms 368 (uncoated only)
rcl
a car-share program with 2-4 cars. iff
Dr

Proposed Interventions
Attract a national car sharing busi- How Car Sharing Programs Work:
ness to Charlotte or start a “Made 1. Join: People who are 21+ with a driver’s license and a
in Charlotte” car sharing program. good driving record can join a car sharing program. Most
programs cost between $20 and $50 to join. Co-operatives
• National car sharing programs like have higher joining fees, because you technically are

E WT Harris Blvd
ZipCar or UCarShare already have purchasing ownership shares in the company. Some cities
developed infrastructure like payment have not-for-profit car sharing programs, too.
plans and car reserving and unlocking 2. Reserve: Call the company or go online to choose the
systems that are necessary for car sharing type of car you want to reserve. Having access to a variety
networks. Also, members of national car of cars means that you can use different cars for running
sharing programs can reserve cars in other different types of errands.
cities when they visit. Wa
lla ce
Ave
3. Unlock: Most car sharing programs give you a smart
• Locally designed car sharing programs card that only unlocks the car you reserved. This ensures
keep money circulating in the local that no one else drives off with the car you wanted.
economy, and sometimes can offer
the product for cheaper. Often locally- 4. Drive: Driving shared cars is the same as a normal
based car sharing programs do not have car, but with added benefits. The cost of gasoline and car
insurance are covered by the membership fee and driving

E
reserving and unlocking technologies
that are as convenient (ie. smart cards) cost charges. So, your cost of driving is directly proportional
or as high tech (ie. cellphone apps) as to how much you drive. Usually, you have to return the car
the national competitors. Local car share to the same spot you picked it up from.
programs, like CityCarShare in the Bay le R
d
5. Cost: A 4 hour trip, or 25 miles, can cost in the range of
ap

mar
E WT Harris Blvd
r
aven D

Albe
Regal Oaks Dr
Farm Pond Ln

Area have usage agreements with other Albemarle Rd $20 to $50, depending on the car sharing firm (http://www.
local programs and co-ops. (http://www. 0 225 450 900 1,350 1,800 carsharing.net/where.html).
Winterh

Feet
citycarshare.org/roaming.do)
1 inch = 1,000 feet