Vision & Goals
A Vision describes an ideal snapshot of how an area might evolve in the future. A certain degree of change is inevitable over time and a vision can guide and shape that change for the benefit of the community.
During the first three Planning Team meetings, and two community meetings, community members articulated important values and identified the Eastside Community Area’s strengths, challenges to overcome, and opportunities. This feedback became the basis for the emerging Eastside vision and goals described below. Once reviewed and refined, the vision and goals are intended to guide planning, future development, and investment decisions in the Eastside Community Area.
VISION FOR THE EASTSIDE COMMUNITY AREA
Diverse communities of people will live, participate, and thrive together in Eastside neighborhoods. Places of historical and cultural heritage will be preserved and valued. More employment opportunities will be located in the area and available for local residents. Neighbors will feel comfortable, safe, and secure spending time outside, getting exercise, traveling, walking, and engaging with neighbors.
Goal 1: Create safe and vibrant destinations with a diversity of strategically located and high-quality housing, employment, and mixed-use developments that respects existing neighborhoods and avoid conflict with the Airport.
Goal 2: Improve existing streets and create new connections that are truly multimodal, aesthetically pleasing and provide stormwater benefits.
Goal 3: Increase equitable access to parks, open space, trails and recreational amenities throughout the Regional Center.
Goal 4: Address safety concerns and barriers created by transportation infrastructure of all types throughout the Regional Center.
Goal 5: Improve comfort, safety and aesthetics throughout the Regional Center with trees, other urban greening, and integration of sustainable infrastructure.
Goal 6: Enhance transit connections to amenities within the Greater Airport Regional Center, to Downtown, and to other Regional Centers in and outside of San Antonio for residents, employees, and visitors.
Goal 7: Promote quality infill development and redevelopment within neighborhoods and commercial areas that are compatible with existing homes and provides more housing options for existing and new residents.
GOALS FOR THE EASTSIDE COMMUNITY AREA
Community Stability and Inclusion
- Diverse housing options will be available for current and future generations.
- Residents will feel comfortable and able to afford to remain in their neighborhoods throughout all stages of life.
- Residents and businesses will maintain and enhance neighborhood character in order to provide stability to the area.
- Neighbors will feel safe and secure in their homes and out in the community.
Employment and Opportunity
- There will be more employment and entrepreneurial opportunities easily accessible by local residents in the Eastside Community area.
- Negative side effects of economic growth, such as rental housing affordability issues will be proactively minimized and mitigated.
History, Culture, and Art
- The cultural landscape, comprised of buildings, business, public spaces, and natural features will be valued and preserved.
Gathering Places
- Public places will support interaction among people from diverse backgrounds.
- A complete and maintained network of sidewalks will provide easy access to public places.
- Diverse retail establishments and services will be available, including familiar and traditional businesses that are relevant to existing residents.
Connected Neighborhoods
- Basic infrastructure for walking, such as sidewalks, lighting, and trees will be complete and maintained.
- Additional infrastructure improvements will be of exemplary quality, supporting multiple community goals, including social interaction and health, complementing cultural assets, and enhancing transportation choices.
- Complete streets will make walking, bicycling, and riding transit safe, convenient, and comfortable.
Healthy Green Neighborhoods
- Residents will be connected to trails, parks, and other green spaces.
- Large canopy trees and green stormwater infrastructure will reduce the urban heat island, improve air and water quality, and enhance the health of the community.
What is a Vision Statement?
A vision statement describes the desired state of a place in the future. With community support, an effective vision can influence decisions and inspire action to move toward that idealized future. Goals further describe the outcomes that will support the realization of the vision. These, in turn, are supported by more specific recommendations and strategies that will implement the bigger-picture vision and goals. These strategies will involve specific proposed projects, programs, policies, and other means of achieving the community vision.
The Eastside Community Area Vision and Goals were developed with input from residents and community stakeholders through an iterative process of developing and refining these concepts. During preliminary community engagement efforts, community members articulated important values and identified the Eastside Community Area’s assets, challenges, and opportunities. This community input became the basis for the Eastside Community Area’s Vision and Goals, which were refined with feedback from the Planning Team and participants at a second Community Meeting.
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