Planning Workshops Elicit Community Participation

Town Planning and Urban Design Collaborative (TPUDC), planning consultants working with the University of the South, held a series of open design workshops Aug. 10–13 to develop a plan for the Sewanee downtown area. TPUDC has been charged with finalizing a downtown master plan and overseeing design and development. They expect to have the development plan completed by the end of the year.

Two previous studies, the Sewanee Village Vision Plan (2012) and the Sewanee Village Action Plan (2014), were intended to gather ideas and demonstrate what might be possible downtown. The TPUDC plan will acknowledge and integrate existing features and infrastructure (streets, leaseholds, drainage areas, etc.) and move toward implementation.

The sessions were well-attended, with about 65 residents at the opening presentation describing the process, dozens attending separate sessions on topics such as pedestrian and bike connectivity, and more than 80 residents at the closing presentation of findings. In addition, the design studio was open each day for visitors to watch the process and ask questions. Rather than using a committee or focus groups, the process was public; there will be opportunities for additional input and feedback before the plan is finalized.

Brian Wright and other team members from TPUDC have spent time in Sewanee for several months, learning the landscape, meeting residents and beginning conversations with public utilities and state agencies.

Some of the concerns and elements that were emphasized by residents during the week included noise and light pollution, parking, sustainability, biking and hiking options, and a mix of housing types. These will be considerations as the downtown master plan is refined. Highlights of the well-received preliminary plan include “civilizing” and narrowing Highway 41A to two lanes (without the previously planned roundabout), new leaseholds and neighborhoods, a “town commons” park across the highway from Shenanigans, and both a bike lane and a parking lane on University Avenue.

The final plan will emphasize walkability, integration of the campus community, increased housing options at a variety of income levels, and improved streetscape and architecture. The plan will serve as a road map for future development in the downtown district.