September, 2006
Welcome to the monthly Prairie Trail newsletter! The objective of this newsletter is to keep you informed about Prairie Trail with relevant information and insights.
Prairie Trail is a significant development for Ankeny and for Central Iowa, and our goal is to communicate with our stakeholders and partners on a regular basis.
The Prairie Trail Pattern Book
Recently, the master plan for Prairie Trail was released to the community. This master plan is a vision of what Prairie Trail will be in the coming years. To bring this vision to life, a Pattern Book must first be created to ensure that the architecture of the individual structures will be in keeping with the overall vision.
The production of the Pattern Book will be an important step in connecting the master plan with actual placemaking, the process of designing a building or public space into a great space where people want to be. These places are designed to be compatible with the people who use them. It will also provide a marketing tool for homebuilders. The Pattern Book could be enacted as a zoning ordinance regulation and/or attached as a codicil to land sales to builders to maintain consistency and quality in execution.
The Prairie Trail Pattern Book is a detailed picture of the various neighborhoods and addresses within Prairie Trail. Builders, architects and buyers will be able to visualize the different choices and range of styles and know precisely what is expected of them and how the guidelines will work to create great neighborhoods. It is important that the Pattern Book be highly graphic in order to clearly communicate the character of the community.
The Prairie Trail Pattern Book will have four sections:
Introduction and Overview will set the vision for the community and will illustrate precedents for character and quality. It will provide a sense of the whole, explain the use of the Pattern Book and set out the mix of lot types, architectural character and variety of addresses within the plan.
Community Patterns will establish general site controls for placing buildings on their lots and will illustrate in perspective the key spaces and neighborhoods in the plan.
Architectural Patterns will establish an appropriate palette of architectural styles for the site based on Ankeny, Des Moines, and Iowa traditions. Architects and builders will use these elements and styles as the guidelines for designing individual buildings. These guidelines will also serve as an objective resource for design review and coordination by DRA as the master developer.
Landscape Patterns will provide guidelines for planting palettes and ancillary structures such as walls, fences and storage buildings on private lots. These will serve to complement the public realm landscaping and focus energy and investment on the essential patterns while maintaining the freedom and delight of the individual expression.
Once the Prairie Trail Pattern Book is complete, formal adoption of the book will move through the Plan & Zoning Commission and City Council.
