HomeMy WebLinkAbout01.09.1969 Friendswood - Where friendship is a way of life ReportCITY OF FRIENDSWOOD
"where friendship his a Way of life"
Prepared by
Clovis Heimsath Associates, AIA
Architects/Planners
January 9, 1969
January 9, 1969
CITY OF FRIEIZDSW OD
"where friendship is a way of life"
FRIENDS!,;OOD PLAN -- a step by step implementation plan to make
Friendswood a better place to live, row.
Prepared by Clovis H eimsath Associates, Architects/Planners
HISTORY
Friendswood was founded in 1895 by Frank J, Brown and his family who
purchased 1535 acres for the establishment of a settlement for the
Society of Friends (Quakers). Friendswood is located in Galveston
County, eleven miles west of the National Aeronautics and Space
Administration -- Manned Spacecraft Center.
The first church of the Society of Friends was established that same
year and the first school opened in 1896 to become part of the Clear
Creek School District in 1897. Friendswood greta and prospered as
a farm and ranch community, but it remained unincorporated as a city
until 1960 when it officially became a city in name as well as in fact,
In discussing Friendswood it is important to note that the city limits
today are adjacent to an equally sizeable area to the west that will at
some later date be incorporated into the city limits. (This area is
held for safe keeping by a one hundred foot surrounding strip belonging
to the City of Priendswood. ) The planning area of Friendsvood, then,
will include both the existing city limits and this additional area to the
west.
Today Friendswood has a population of some 6000 persons and a fine
school system that has grown from an enrollment of 163 in 1950 to
1016 in 1966-67, The population is centered mainly in a series of
subdivisions -- Longwood Park, Village Green, the Whitehall subdivision,
Annalea, lmperial Estates, Rmpere Chateau, Harwood, Imperial
Gardens, Quaker's Landing, Briar lieadow, Friendswood Forest,
1Ierriwood, Lori Woods, and in the larger planning area Sun Neadows..
Other homes are adjacent to the original center of town located on
Friends mod Drive,
Today the City boasts a number of churches, elementary schools,
a high school, the Friendswood Bank, a number of shopping centers,
and a City Hall and Fire Station, built by the citizens as a gesture of
their civic interest.
In 1968 a Comprehensive Plan (in three volumes) was prepared for the
Mayor, City Council, City Planning Commission and the people of
Friendswood by Bovay Engineers. This report is an in-depth presentation
of all areas of development in Friendswood as it exists today and a plan
for an orderly future, This plan is the essential document for all future
development of the City; its scope, however, does not cover implementa-
tion or the architectural character the City aspires to reflect, The firm
of Clovis Heimsath Associates, Architects/Planners, was retained in
October, 1968 as consultant to the City Planning Commission, with its
first assignment the preparation of such an implementation plan. This
report, called the FRIENDSi:100D PLAN, in no way changes the major
work by Bo vay Engineers, rather it is a supplementary report to direct
efforts by the citizens of Friendswrood to make it a better place to
live -- now. It concentrates on the implementation by local citizens, it
suggests actions of the City Council which will augment their efforts,
and it reflects the sentiments of the people themselves who have con-
tributed to the idea here presented through a series of meetings of the
Advisory_Committee.
PLANVING CONSIDERATIONS
1, The City of Friendswood has a real opportunity to become a community
center west of the Galveston Freeway, Areas adjoining the Galveston
Freeway, while located on the central axis of transportation, are thought
of as points along the linear path of traffic, It is harder for such a
community to be a center, Friendswood, on the other hand, is far enough
from the freeway that it is a legitimate center in itself, Adjoined on one
side by Llarris County, not likely to develop into a center, Friendswood
can attract these people to their City, as well as local citizens.
14W -2-
2. All the landscape around and including P''riendswood is flat, with small
wooden areas and large sections of undeveloped farm land, Since there
are no outstanding geographic features, the beginnings and endings of
communities is highly ambiguous, amorphous, Even centers of cities
in the area seem often like shopping developments at highway intersections
rather than focal points for communities, In determining how best to
develop Friendswood, it is necessary to keep in mind the limitations
imposed by the landscape itself,
3. A similar problem in creating identity is the historic lack of zoning, sign
or utility pole control, Thus we have fine houses and churches facing
third rate dwellings across the street. Yet we see not one side of the
street at a time, tut in three dimensions, both sides of the street at the
same time and in perspective, In planning parlance, we see in streets -
capes, not in elevations. Our job, then, is to dress up existing streets
as well as protect newly developing areas.
4. If comprehensive planning is to be accomplished$ all decisions made by
the City that affect the visual appearance of it must be checked through
the City Plannin; Commission to be sure they conform with the intent of
the Comprehensive Plan, i,ost cities historically are not accustomed to
granting such review authority to a Planning Commission. Only when a
Mayor, City Council and citizens are dedicated to comprehensive planning
is the City Planning Commission granted the responsibility of significant
coordination. This entails ordinances that will give the City Planning
Commission authority to approve or disapprove the designintent of
projects as well as meeting listed regulations. (heedless to say, when a
zoning ordinance is adopted, the review board will have some of these
responsibilities. However, the zoning ordinance as written does not
center this responsibility with the City Planning Commission.)
5. A healthy community is one that is balanced, that has commercial areas,
multifamily dwellings and industrial areas as well as single family
dwellings. Although in Friendswood the single family dwelling will
predominate, these other types of building will add fabric to the visual
environment, density where needed to attract shopping, and improve the
tax load carried by the individual family. To provide this mixture,
Particularly in the commercial and light industrial areas, the City must
compete for these industries, in demand by'all cities in the area.
(Too often a community concentrates solely on restrictions and does not
realize they must seelt suitable industry if -they are going to have any to
restrict.) If light industry is centered in industrial parks there is little
visual problem to their presence for like facilities are grouped. Of
greater visual problem is the existing streetscape along Friendswood
Drive where signs, utility poles, lights and an uncoordinated mixture of
commercial and residential buildings compete for attention. Giving order
to this central part of Friendswood is a far more serious problem than
those that might occur in clustering industrial buildings.
5, At this time 2-riendswood has a total area of 2,596 acres, of which only
673.1 are developed, or approximately 26 percent. (In the following
chart it will be noted that currently Friendswood has a very small
percentage of land in either commercial or industrial use).
USE OF LAND WITHIN THE CORPORATE LIMITS OF FRIENDSWOOD
3ANTUARY 1968
Fzom Comprehensive
Report; prepared
byFovay
Engineerspp��qq
AREA CLASSIFICATION
ACRES
TOTAL AREA
D�V&PED
AREA 1���5QivS
Residential
431,4
16.60
64,10
12.3p
Public and Semi -Public
41,3
1.59
6.13
1.19
Parks and Playgrounds
18.4
0.71
2.73
0,53
Churches
45,0
1.73
6,68
1,29
Streets and ;'toads
121.0
4.66
18,00
3,46
Commercial
12,9
0.50
1.91
0.37
Light Industry
3,1
0.12
0,45
0.09
TOTAL DEVELOPED AREA
673,1 .
25.91
1fl0.00
19,22
Vacant and Agriculture
1,922,9
74.09
TOTAL jVREA
2.596.0
100.00
Accepting the small population of Friendsknod relative to the un-
developed land available, two conclusions should be reachedr
--3-
a. Efforts to increase the population will greatly aid Friendsimod
by adding interest to the visual environment and, more important, by
increasing density to attract area shopping and dining facilities;
b. Until the density has greatly increased the City should con-
centrate its efforts in creating a single Center* The 'reason for
concentratinp, first planning efforts on the existing center is
based on (1) the low population density, and (25 the historic implications
of continuing an area already established in the minds of local residents
as the torm center. Tlhen the City grows, then it will be possible to think
of other centers, for now one is all that is warranted, and it will
require a lot of effort if it is to really be a significant place.
OBJECTIVES
road.ly stated, the objectives of the Friendswood Plan are these:
1, The City will define in some detail the image it wants to project in the
coming ;rears, and an architectural and landscaping thane to support
this ima-e. Having determined this image it will publicize it to attract
compatible people and commerce.
2. The City will develop the procedures necessary to implement the
Comprehensive Plan for its future and for remedial beautification.
'Iita these procedures all decisions affecting the visual impression of
the community will be coordinated to conform with the predetermined
goals of the Comprehensive Plan,
DIAGE-THEME
It is proposed that an "early Texas, "'rural America updated to twig
theme be approved as the theme for Friendswood, _-Atheme must be
specific enough so that various buildings trill begin to tie together
and auxiliary planning and design features such as signs and landscaping
will have a point of departure, At the same time it must be general
enough) flexible enough to allow for creative, individual expression.
An "early Texas" theme should not be defined to too great detail,
i'eedless to say it assumes the use of natural woods, strong rustic
detailing, covered arcades, and more or less compact planning since
an early Texas town was a pedestrian town. Updated to today, the
thane should allow for contemporary innovations in form and planning
while using the environmental guidelines of "early Texas" as the
design generator.
This theme seems appropriate in supporting the quality of the community
as it now exists. Friendsuood is today a rural community and at best it
has the character of an early Texas toT•m, Its people see themselves
with the qualities of early Texans, God-fearing, family oriented --
more important, civic minded. Few communities can boast the number
of civic clubs, local garden clubs, or active political structure centered
around the City Hall. J`riendswood is truly a place where friendship and
community loyalty are realities. It seems appropriate, therefore, to
strengthen the visual image of such a character in those things that
connote "early Texas."
INFLUMITTATION PROJECTS
The following items are specific suggestions for implementing the
Objectives and Image -Theme stated above. The order listed sloes not
necessarily imply order of preference for a number of these projects
should be attempted simultaneously, and the final priority should come
from the Advisory Committee.
1. Create a new sign (possibly a symbol as well) for the City of Friendswood.
This sign will be placed at all entrances to the City and two others at the
intersections of Priendswood Drive and Willowic.t Avenue and Friendswood
Drive and Spreading Oaks Avenue to direct traffic to the City Hall and
the new library,
2. Add a fence, lights, planting along with this new sign at the intersection
of Friendswood Drive and AllowicTs Avenue to block out the existing store
any: lead the eye to the City :-Tall, a blocl: off this intersection.
3, The City will add paving and a curb to this intersection to set off the
planting,
-4-
4. Develop a plan for landscaping and lighting the area between the City Hall
and the new Library to mare it feasible and pleasant to walk from one
building to another. The trees an A cipated in the plan can be planted
as soon as possible, while the final landscaping will have to wait until
the Library is completed.
5, Adopt as ordinance that requires paving of all mobile home parks,
proper signing, lights to fit in with city standards, and approved
screening. This ordinance will require existing trailer courts to improve
their image and set the standards for additional developments,
6, Develop one central and a number of local community parks. These
parks must be recreational] that is be set up with specific recreation
in mind. A plan should be drawn to be certain that park land will actually
have a use.
7. Review the proposed zoning ordinance carefully and after some modifica-
tions enact it, This procedure will take a number of months and other
projects should not be held up pending this passage. It is proposed that
review authority be centered in the City Planning Commission which will
be given the authority to make decisions affecting the design intent of
projects, A professional consultant to the Planning Commission is
recommended on a ; early retainer basis.
8. A special ordinance needs to be written prohibiting all but approved signs
in the three or four block downtown area■ Such a sign ordinance might be
modified for other areas of 'riendsvood as well. It is essential to the
downtown area if the focus of attention is to be directed here,
9. Power poles on Friendswood Drive should be moved and the lines run
underground, A committee should begin wort[ immediately to determine
the cost to the City in making this change. Similarly, the lights along
this three or four block area should be replaced with lights standardized
for the community.
10, A brochure should be undertalten that will tell the story of Friendswood.
This brochure will be the key item in attracting new people and commerce;
it will be distributed to real estate developers, real estate agents and
businesses wanting to locate in the NASA area.
11, A series of TV programs and newspaper stories publicizing Friendswood
and giving particular attention to the fourth of July celebration should
be prepared, Once they have been initially used, provisions should be
made for some follovup at various seasons of the year.
12, Restore the historic Brown house on land donated for this purpose.
13, Contact the business people in the area around the medical clinic and
shopping center to dress up their stores in keeping with the themep add
lights, planting areas and coordinate signs,
14. Coordinate the activities of all civic groups and clubs so that their
efforts will become part of the Friendswood Plan,
PROCEDURE
It is proposed that the above report in this preliminary form be reviewed
by the Advisory Committee and its four subcommittees, Once it is
approved, the first projects will begin at once and detailed plans
drawn for those to follow,