The City of San Gabriel and the City of Ontario, both clients of PBS&J (EIP Associates), were recently honored at the Southern California Association of Governments’ (SCAG) first annual Blueprint Compass Awards ceremony. The Blueprint Compass Awards recognize outstanding planning and development work as blueprints for regional growth to improve the mobility, livability, prosperity and sustainability of Southern California.
The SGAC conferred an “Award of Excellence” to the City of San Gabriel for the Valley Vision: Valley Boulevard Neighborhoods Sustainability Plan and an “Award for Achievement” to the City of Ontario for the New Model Colony. PBS&J developed urban plans for both projects.
The awards were presented in late May by SCAG’s president and San Bernardino County Supervisor, Gary Ovitt, along with the executive director of the Urban Land Institute’s Los Angeles Chapter, Phil Hart.
“We’re very pleased to have won two awards for transformative planning projects,“ said Woodie Tescher, PBS&J’s Principal Technical Director for Planning and Urban Design in Los Angeles. “These projects are based on sound principals of sustainable development and will strengthen the economic vitality of each community.”
Valley Vision
San Gabriel’s Valley Vision plan will facilitate change along Valley Boulevard (the community’s major transportation corridor) and adjacent residential neighborhoods into a vibrant, mixed-use area. Mixed-use buildings including housing, office, and light industrial elements, will be located near public transit to promote pedestrian walkability while decreasing auto transportation and air pollution. Attractive streetscaping and landscaping with drought-tolerant native plants will add to the aesthetics of the community while saving water.
The Valley Vision Plan also provides policies and incentives to encourage developers to incorporate green building practices into their projects as outlined by the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System™. Both the plan and Environmental Impact Report (EIR) were prepared by PBS&J, and adopted by the City of San Gabriel in December 2006 to support goals and objectives outlined in the City’s 2004 General Plan.
New Model Colony
The City of Ontario and PBS&J formulated a comprehensive general plan and EIR for the City’s 8,200 acre specific plan district—called the “Sphere of Influence"—to provide guidance for the conversion of area’s existing dairy operations. Located in the former San Bernardino County Agricultural Preserve, the land used by the dairies will become Ontario’s New Model Colony. The plan provides for development of a series of residential villages, high density mixed-use centers, a town center and business parks, all integrated by an area wide greenways network that includes a lake, a park, and other amenities. PBS&J is currently providing ongoing consulting services to the City for the New Model Colony development.
