Landscape Architects Role: Project Management, Planning, Public Participation

In September 2003, a 40% voter turnout in Tulsa County approved a series of improvements called "Vision 2025" aimed at revitalizing their communities. Several of those improvements involved the Arkansas River, whose 42-mile course traversed 5 cities from the Keystone Dam southward to the county line.

The Indian Nations Council of Governments formed a coalition of the cities of Tulsa, Sand Springs, Jenks, Bixby, and Broken Arrow plus Tulsa County to pursue a master plan effort for the entire 42 miles of the Arkansas River within the county. A small Steering Committee and a larger Advisory Committee was formed to direct the master plan project.

The project requirements were fairly straightforward, but daunting due to the size of the project site:

• The process must  be community-based and look far into the future.

• Consensus on the plan must be obtained throughout the 5 cities, with separate meetings in each locale.

• Solutions must balance economic development with preserving existing natural habitat assets.

• The plan must address the interrupted flow of the river, which is regulated by Keystone Dam at the upstream limits of the project.

As a result of 10 programming meetings throughout the project area and key stakeholder meetings with business leaders, the Design Team identified a pent-up demand for enhancement of the sense of place and quality of life as well as economic development. These formed several driving philosophies, which affected design decisions:

• The Arkansas River must become a river again, in order to fulfill ecological and economic needs.

• The shoreline is a finite resource for all of the communities, and must be planned with the highest and best uses. The context of the river within the fabric of Tulsa County created the opportunity for unique solutions by the Design Team:

• Staccato Hydrology: The Arkansas River flows only when the dam releases water to make power, so the river can flow normally one day and be dry the next, revealing a 200-yard wide stretch of sandbars. In addition to the undesirable appearance, which discouraged desirable economic investment along the river, the rapid swing in flows decimated the aquatic habitats and menaced endangered species such as the Least Tern.

o The Design Team proposed a series of low water dams at specific locations that retain the water during times of low flow. Based upon the overall gradient of the river, the resulting lakes stretched as much as 2 miles upriver from each low water dam. The resulting lakes provided for a dependable, desirable view as a stable habitat.

As a result, much needed economic development can be encouraged, which faces the river and takes advantage of the river's views and the draw of the "river's edge." Stable aquatic habitat can be created within the lakes as well as islands for Least Tern habitat. Eagle Habitat: Bald Eagle habitat exists along the edges of the river, throughout the northern and central portions of the river. Preserving this habitat to the greatest extent possible was very important to the citizenry.

o  The Design Team preserved the known eagle habitat and proposed retaining large masses of trees along the banks to extend the habitat. Scenic parkways and boulevards were proposed in conjunction with these habitat areas.

Linking Downtowns to the River: Even though downtown Tulsa and Sand Springs were very close to the river, there were no meaningful physical or visual connections to it, because of the "on again, off again" nature of the view.

o Physical connections to the river were proposed, including extending the downtown street grids.

o Land uses were changed so that denser, mixed-use developments on the river's edge became a destination for residences as well as entertainment.

o These were developed in connection with the proposed lakes, so that economic development could be encouraged more easily.

• Redevelopment of Industrial Area: Across the Arkansas River from downtown Tulsa is an industrial area, which occupies over 2 miles of river frontage.

o The Design Team proposed extending a Riverside Drive East and placing another bridge at 41`t Street to extend the street grid through this area, providing greater access.

• The refinery sites were proposed for redevelopment over the very long term.

• A key activity generator, such as the relocation of an AA league baseball field for the popular Tulsa Drillers, was proposed along the  shoreline.

• Mixed-use redevelopment as well as high density residential was proposed along the shoreline.

• The new fabric provided an urban living extension of the "near downtown" area.

   Expand Festival Park

o Festival Park, near the existing industrial area and directly across from downtown, is the site of well-attended festivals and concerts throughout any given year.

o Room to accommodate larger events, a desire to compete with other concert venues, and a need to address current spatial needs drove the question of expanding Festival Park or moving it.

• The Design Team chose to expand Festival Park in place because the sense of place and community ownership created by its location directly across from Downtown Tulsa could not be replicated elsewhere.

• This involved long discussions with landowners in the area as well as a weaving of the active use park into the fabric of the proposed redevelopment of the west bank of the river.

• Connecting the vibrant Brookside District to the River: The Brookside District is a vibrant entertainment and commercial district approximately 1/2-mile east of the Arkansas River.

o The close proximity to the river afforded the opportunity to extend its vibrancy to the river, provided that an appropriate connection could be made.

• The Design Team took advantage of a creek, which flowed through Brookside to the river. Crow Creek was proposed to be an entertainment and commercial corridor, facing an expanded, flowing waterway that led to the river.

• Land uses along the River: Land uses along the Arkansas River did not treat the shoreline as a finite resource. In fact, the river was often seen as a detriment by the business community.

o Existing commercial and residential land uses turned their back on the River.

• The Design Team proposed intensifying the land uses in the areas where lakes had been proposed. With such public investment in key infrastructure, such as the low water dams, the business community indicated that a response of greater development would follow.

• Commercial, mixed-use residential/ entertainment, and higher density residential districts were proposed, which were connected by a network of extensions of River Parks (see next item), preserved natural areas, and parkways.

• New development efforts already underway and destinations such as the Oklahoma.

• Aquarium was enhanced and extended further.

Extending River Parks Authority Lands: River Parks is a heavily used, successful trail and park system along the eastern edge of the Arkansas River. The River Parks Authority also owns a significant tract called Turkey Mountain, which is located on the west bank of the River.

o The entire region identifies itself with River Parks. It is a highly successful and well-maintained system.

• The Design Team extended River Parks along both banks, weaving it into the commercial and mixed­use districts along the River.