La Pine Community Design Charrette

The La Pine Community Design Charrette report details a three-day intensive workshop held in April 2000 to develop a spatial vision for La Pine, Oregon. Facilitated by the Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI), the charrette involved local residents and technical experts collaborating to identify optimal locations for community facilities and to establish design principles aimed at reducing urban sprawl and increasing walkability.

• The charrette identified a significant overabundance of commercial zoning in La Pine. Analysis by consultant Ed Starkie suggested that the community requires far less commercial zoning than currently exists, as current zoning allows for a population of 26,000 residents, whereas the actual population is between 12,000 and 15,000.
• To combat sprawl and attract investment, the charrette recommended creating a concentrated Town Center of 50,000 to 75,000 square feet. This hub would cluster commercial, civic, and community uses within walking distance, specifically proposing a civic center at the intersection of First and Highway 97.
• The report proposes several specific community projects and their ideal locations: a Senior Center and Community Health Center located near each other for accessibility; a Performing Arts Center, Pool, and South College Campus along Coach Road; and a Skate Park on First Street near the Sheriff's substation.
• To improve pedestrian safety on Highway 97, the charrette suggested implementing 'pedestrian ears'—widening sidewalks at intersections to create a visual narrowing of the road. This design would reduce the pavement width from 70 feet to 42 feet at intersections such as First, Fourth, and Sixth streets without reducing lane width.
• The design for the 'Greater La Pine Community' emphasizes an 'intimate connection to nature' through a greenbelt system focused on the Little Deschutes River. Proposed strategies to secure this greenbelt include purchasing access easements, creating tax incentives, and preserving floodways.
• The report estimates that approximately $12.25 million would be needed to construct the proposed civic and community facilities, excluding land costs. It notes that many of these projects, such as the fairgrounds, would not generate tax revenue and thus cannot be funded through tax increment financing.

APA

Kinsley, M., & Uncapher, J. (2000). La Pine Community Design Charrette. RMI. https://rmi.org/app/uploads/2017/05/RMI_Document_Repository_Public-Reprts_ER00-28_LaPineCharrette.pdf

Chicago

Kinsley, Michael, and Jen Uncapher. La Pine Community Design Charrette. RMI, 2000. https://rmi.org/app/uploads/2017/05/RMI_Document_Repository_Public-Reprts_ER00-28_LaPineCharrette.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Kinsley |first1=Michael |last2=Uncapher |first2=Jen |title=La Pine Community Design Charrette |publisher=RMI |date=July 2000 |url=https://rmi.org/app/uploads/2017/05/RMI_Document_Repository_Public-Reprts_ER00-28_LaPineCharrette.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{kinsley2000pine, author = {Kinsley, Michael and Uncapher, Jen}, title = {{La Pine Community Design Charrette}}, institution = {RMI}, year = {2000}, month = jul, url = {https://rmi.org/app/uploads/2017/05/RMI_Document_Repository_Public-Reprts_ER00-28_LaPineCharrette.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }