What the Citizens of
Black Diamond Are Saying

Thank you to everyone who joined us for our community open house on January 19, 2008. In addition to the great conversations we had with the more than 500 people who attended, we also received many important and helpful comments on the project. We thank everyone for attending and providing their comments and thoughts. We also want to encourage continuing dialog. You can use this website to send us additional comments, ideas and concerns, or contact one of our team members directly.

You can also sign up to receive periodic email updates and announcements of upcoming public meetings, CLICK HERE. Or, submit a comment email us.

Below is a summary of the comments that we received during the open house.

ENVIRONMENT & WATER

• Use landscaping and trees to serve as natural buffers between neighborhoods
• Consider roadway runoff in roadway designs
• Protect the wildlife habitats
• Preserve the natural environment
• Design retention ponds to blend in with the surrounding environment
• Embrace open space and greenbelts in the design

TRANSPORTATION

• Design roads that accommodate all types of users: drivers, bikers, and walkers
• Create ways to minimize traffic in Black Diamond
• The whole transportation system, in and around Black Diamond, needs to address increased volume from local and adjoining areas
• Time traffic signals throughout the area to improve traffic flow
• Encourage traffic to stay on arterial routes; away from rural roads
• We don’t want it to take 20 minutes to get across town

DENSITY

• Bring in a mix of housing types so that there aren’t just rows and rows of high-density housing
• Space homes appropriately and leave open space
• Townhomes and condos would be better than just apartments
• Create a development that doesn’t just focus on squeezing in houses; but one that focuses on community

AMENITIES

• Use “smart lighting” to minimize light pollution and help keep the night sky dark
• Make the streets pedestrian-friendly with walkways and paths
• Bring in recreational activities such as a Children’s Museum or bowling alley
• More sidewalks
• Consider bringing in senior and retirement living communities and services
• Bring a sports complex to Black Diamond – with everything from basketball to pickle ball to walking and bike trails
• Develop a mixed-use church/community center
• More restaurants and pubs
• Create central gathering spaces like the one in Kent Station
• Bring in a large, preferably local, grocery store
• Lots of diverse retail and shops
• Parks and playgrounds within walking distance of homes
• Well-designed community center and shopping is desired
• Create areas for kids that are safe and friendly

TOWN CHARACTER

• Build a community that will be inviting to visitors
• Make the town unique; not like every other town with the same look and feel
• Try to keep a small town feel
• Take steps to integrate the existing city’s focal points into the overall new community
• Respect the unique, rural and historic character of Black Diamond
• Embrace historic architectural design styles and development layouts
• Create a community that caters to people of all ages and incomes
• Make a community that says to people from other cities “Come and visit us”
• Support small, locally owned businesses
• Make sure that the architecture looks like it belongs within the existing context of Black Diamond
• Bring a diverse community to Black Diamond
• Include features and elements that maintain and capitalize on the history of Black Diamond
• Revitalize the old downtown
• Be mindful of the rural feel of this town
• There are many older people in Black Diamond; create a walkable area similar to European towns where they can meet and mingle
• Keep storefronts casual and inviting; not too much metal.
• Keep Black Diamond feeling like a rural community
• Create a town that can sustain itself
• Help Black Diamond evolve with a unique character and feel that will draw residents and tourists to the community

SCHOOLS

• Be a part of the solution of the future schools’ needs
• Plan schools in central locations
• Make public schools a priority in the development
• Make sure there are enough schools to accommodate all of the area children