Farmway Village Master Plan

Farmway Village, owned and operated by Caldwell Housing Authority, has been helping to meet housing needs in the region since 1940. Farmway Village offers an affordable housing option for low-income individuals and families as well as for seasonal agriculture workers. The aim of Farmway Village is not only to provide housing, but also to create safety, security, stability, and a sense of community for residents.

Caldwell Housing Authority is working to continue the legacy of Farmway Village by enhancing and expanding upon the 80-acre development. Like many fast-growing cities and regions, addressing the need for affordable housing in Caldwell is imperative for the overall health of the community. To explore ways to meet current needs and position Farmway Village for the future, the organization partnered with Cushing Terrell on a master planning effort that began in 2022 and represents a collaboration with residents and other stakeholders, taking growth, socio-economic projections, definitions of community, agricultural industry needs, and quality of life into consideration.

Master planning activities included:

• Establishing a design language for the neighborhood and its assets.
• Creating a sense of place for the community by thoughtful building placement, landscape design, architectural elements, finishes, and furnishings.
• Developing a road map for current and future Caldwell Housing Authority board members to identify projects.
• Assisting with understanding funding needs and providing a timeline for completing each respective expansion phase.
• Aiding Caldwell Housing Authority management, policy makers, and the community by providing conceptual ideas.
• Assisting the local jurisdiction in setting a permanent zoning designation for Farmway Village.

Understanding the needs of the resident community, as well as the cultural, geographic, and economic context of Farmway Village was key to developing the master plan.

Several strategies were used to gather responses, anecdotes, and ideas from residents living at Farmway Village as well as from Caldwell Housing Authority leadership. Outreach to residents came in the form of a dual-language website and on-line survey. Other methods for collecting input included a walking tour with Caldwell Housing Authority Director Mike Dittenber; a one-day, on-site design charette; and interactive polling during the charette.

Based on the input gathered, the master plan imagines a mixed-use neighborhood that prioritizes community areas, parks, and open space; creates commercial and retail opportunities; enhances lifestyle assets, such as housing size and type; maintains the rural nature the community, which was identified by residents as an asset; and overall, creates a place that is attractive to young people — a place where people can grow up and raise their own families — and where an ageing population can also live comfortably. Inspired by community and stakeholder feedback, existing physical conditions and historic legacies, the plan illustrates infill development, and future investment in community amenities that include space for community gatherings and improvements to the existing network of streets. At the heart of the community, a new vibrant greenway is introduced that invites pedestrian activity and links the community in a safe, efficient manner.

The greatest needs in the community were identified as those that have historically been deficiencies for Farmway Village, such as infrastructure, a variety of housing types, and complete roadways. Responses to questions about desirable building and land-use types landed heavily in the realm of mixed-use development in order to make available important amenities and services, as well as provide economic opportunity.  In terms of community vitality, respondents to the online survey expressed a desire to see Farmway Village continue to grow with new businesses, services, housing, and recreational opportunities.