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City of Roseville MN Twin Lakes Design Checl\lisIS - DRAFT ESTABLISHING A STRONG PUBLIC REALM: A list of Urban Design Principles to ensure Livability, Walkability and Sustainability. Revised: December 19, 2002 WHAT IS THE SMALL BLOCK PATTERN? Another urban fonn that is found throughout many of Roseville's older residential neighborhoods is the small block. ~e,,/ : I.. ~~~ I <<. . ,/ /' ..... <' > . ,.-" ............ ........... -" .... "' ". ..... Twin Lakes will require a panem of interconnected streets forming complete blocks of a size no greater than 500 feet in any direction. Buildings will face outward. fronting public streets. while private spaces are created in the interior of the block. \ ) The small block pattern enhances walkahilitv: small blocks allow for a network of interconnected streets. This network is vital for pedestrians. Large blocks force pedestrians to walk around them - often creating walking distances that are too long. It is widely known that pedestrians will only consider walking if the trip can be made within three to five minutes. In Minnesota's winters, cutting down walking distances are even more important especially in a life style, open air shopping development. Small blocks reduce average walking distances. The small hlock pattern enhances sustainahilitv: Designing blocks creates flexible increments of development over time. Small blocks lead to more efficient parceling and subdividing, reducing the average increment and scale of each development. Developing Twin Lakes one small block at a time creates a reusable infrastructure by ensuring that second phases or second generations of development can be inserted or redeveloped 'right across the street' without creating awkward transitions between uses. A smaller block pattern also increases the lineal frontage per square foot of land, creating better access and more opportunities for different uses within the same block. A ~ @ 2002 ChorTett6Center.com Inc. ~~