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Comprehensive Plan, City of Paris, Texas Planning Principles Transportation Access Clustering retail-commercial uses where arterial roads intersect benefits the commercial use while protecting the capacity of local roads to carry traffic, in addition to protecting nearby residential districts from intrusive development. The governing body of a municipality by ordinance may extend to the extraterritorial jurisdiction (ETJ) of Paris the application of municipal ordinances relating to access to public roads, as provided in subdivision regulations. Proper access control includes limitation on curb cuts, widths of driveway and related design issues. The planning principles for Paris in the Comprehensive Plan are relevant to redevelopment, as well, as it occurs on arterial streets, such as Main Street, M.L.K. Boulevard and Clarksville Street. The City must protect not only existing development but also certain "urban systems." Growth along major arterial roads must be carefully planned to allow the major thoroughfare to continue carrying traffic. Development along the arterial roads must be designed to minimize conflicts. Access within Paris to the regional highway network is important for a) convenience of residents and b) continued growth of commercial and industrial districts around the loop. The viability of the local arterial street system to carry future traffic is critical. Development of local arterial streets corridors from the loop highway-similar to the access created by Pine Mill Road and U.S. 82 east of the loop, where Wal-Mart was built-is critical to future growth of Paris and must be done in a planned way. The Major Street Plan shows the "Future Road Comidors" where needed improvements must be made to accommodate growth. Standards for clustering of retail and office use help channel traffic efficiently onto arterial streets. Clusters of retail-commercial activity create discrete retail "destinations." Retail districts also create opportunities for the joint use of parking facilities. Commercial design standards become a tool for implementation of the Comprehensive Plan. To support commercial and industrial growth, the Major Thoroughfare Plan must be followed to create efficient access to internal land areas from the regional highway network. Neighborhood Design Focusing on neighborhood design can summarize the concern about urban design. Good urban design can help new developments relate to adjacent developments to form strong neighborhoods. The land use pattern of a neighborhood plays a major role in determining its strengths and weaknesses. The current Paris pattern of parks and schools in the historic neighborhoods meets basic planning standards. They were developed in a traditional grid street pattern, which today is called a"neo- traditional" pattern. Proposed locations for parks, which will serve growth areas of Paris should be planned in areas shown on the Parks and Recreation Plan Map. Such public improvements are needed in the long term to serve the recreational and cultural needs of future residential districts. A linear park system should be considered as extensions of the Dragon Park walking/jogging track, perhaps along abandoned rail rights-of-way where possible. S:V8288\WPC1f'mal rcpun 2-Ol.doc 18 BWR