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-7- <br />Streetscape <br />As a major entryway into Santa Ana's downtown and the Civic Center complex, <br />it is very important that Civic Center Drive be a visually attractive <br />street. The City must upgrade landscaping along the right-of-way through <br />increased tree plantings, ground covering in the parkway and provide <br />Visual screening of the parking tot and stadium on the south side of <br />Civic Center Drive. Also recommended is that a landscaped median be <br />constructed along this section of Civic Center Drive in conjunction with <br />the other right-of-way improvements. A median in Civic Center Drive <br />will not only upgrade the aesthetic nature of this corridor, but, will <br />also provide a barrier to through traffic in and out of the neighborhood <br />to the north. A median along Civic Center Drive will prohibit eastbound <br />lefthand turns from Civic Center Drive and prohibit southbound lefthand <br />turns out of the neighborhood. A median here will greatly reduce through <br />north -south traffic in Washington Square . <br />These improvements would constitute a major public investment; however, <br />it would be promoting high standards for new development in this area <br />and would make this area a much more attractive entryway to the downtown <br />area. <br />Additionally, neighborhood entryway treatments are being designed as <br />part of the Neighborhood Preservation Program. These portals will also <br />complement other public investment along the corridor. <br />CONCLUSION <br />The adoption of the Specific Plan for the Civic Center Drive Corridor <br />between Flower and Bristol Streets will provide a mechanism that will <br />accomplish the goal of protecting the residential neighborhoods adjacent <br />to the corridor while establishing responsible development standards <br />that will permit quality growth to occur on the corridor. This balanced <br />approach to planning for the future of the area will insure that the <br />problems of the past and the current ambiguous status of planning for <br />the area will come to an end. The deterioration that has occurred because <br />of the inability to properly develop the area should also stop and the <br />entire corridor should begin to be revitalized as responsible development <br />occurs. <br />It is recommended that the provisions contained in this Specific Plan be <br />adopted and implementation of the plan started. <br />