10 myths and mistakes o f first generation tod p resentation to prince george’s county planning...

10 Myths and Mistakesof First Generation TOD

presentation to Prince George’s County Planning StaffAlia Anderson, ULI Washington

June 29, 2012

Characteristics:

• Close to high-quality transit• High(er) Density• Mixed-use• Walkable• Less parking

Benefits:

• Reduced transportation costs• Community investment and

revitalization• Improved job access and regional

economic competitiveness• Enhanced community amenities

including retail, services, open space, institutional uses

• Less congestion and improved air quality

• Healthier families with reduced obesity rates

Transit-oriented Development (TOD)

1. Transit-adjacent ≠ Transit-oriented TOD = A walkable neighborhood near transit

• Transit station platforms must be an easy and attractive walk to destinations

• Sidewalks must be wide, well-lighted and landscaped

• Small parks and open spaces throughout

Payoff from TOD

Red

uced

Car

Trip

s

1. Transit-adjacent ≠ Transit-oriented Example: Mockingbird Station, Dallas

• Model TOD has been criticized for lack of strong pedestrian connectivity

Mockingbird Station, Dallas Texas

http://www.dallascityhall.com/forwardDallas/pdf/UrbanDesignElement.pdf

2. Overbuilding Retail

Why is mixed-use fundamental to TOD? Active streetscape Walk to errands, lunch, etc.

But…• Many places can’t support entire ground floor

of retail

• Goal is mixed-use district – not every building has to be vertical mixed-use

• Can activate streetscape in other ways

Siena Park, Arlington

3. Who benefits from TOD?

Many early TOD projects didn’t prioritize affordability

• Low income people spend higher portion of income on housing + transportation

• New development can lead to increased surrounding property values

Solutions Preservation

New Units

3. Who benefits from TOD?Preservation of existing affordable units

• Help maintain district affordability & preserve neighborhood character

• Help bring community on board with TOD

Case Study: LA Housing Dept. TOD Preservation

http://reconnectingamerica.org/assets/PDFs/20120524LAHDTODPreservationFinal.pdf

3. Who benefits from TOD?New Units

• Regulatory strategies or incentives

• Market-affordable projects

• Property Acquisition

Case Study:

Rhode Island Station, Washington, DC

4. Family-oriented TOD Biggest demand for TOD coming from empty nesters and young professionals

Family-friendly TOD can: Create diverse and stable communities around transit Help retain existing residents Improve physical activity and access to opportunity for youth

Strategies:

• Identify which stations are best for family-focused TOD

• Involve students and youth in your planning process

• Create a place for school officials in the planning process

5. NIMBYsCreating YIMBYs takes:

• Long-term commitment • Ex: Great Communities Collaborative

• Early public engagement

• Champions

“Developers worry about the market but fear public process.”

5. NIMBYsWhat we know about champions:

• One Champion must be an influential political official

• Champions need to be able to make the business case

• Projects also need “Technical Champions”

• Project champions need to know, trust and work together

• Champions need to be in it for the long haul

6. Myth: “If you zone it, they will come”• Transit alone is not enough

• Great zoning alone is not enough

• TOD ingredients: Transit Market Infrastructure Zoning

• Might involve saying NO to projects

• Requiring new partnerships• Example: Central Corridor Funders Collaborative

“Is greenfield development still

cheaper and easier than infill and TOD?”

7. Creative parking and TDM• Parking drives the economics and design of a project

A study found that TOD projects in CA provided 37% more parking spaces than needed during peak hours.

“Are TODs Over-Parked?” Cervero et. al. 2011

Strategies:

• Shared parking, Market pricing, Variable pricing, Parking maximums….

• Creative transportation demand management programs:

• Example: Pleasant Hill BART Station Segwey-share

8. Prioritizing TOD efforts• Jurisdictions must have laser focus on priority areas

Case Study: Portland Metro’s TOD Strategic Plan

9. The Role of Transit• Focus is on frequency and reliability of transit, not mode

• Some success with BRT TOD but still limited• Example: Cleveland

• TOD without transit? Walkable Urban Places

$4.3 billion in private investment along

corridor

In the DC region, as walkability features that attract pedestrians increase, so do office, residential, and retail rents, retail revenues, and

for-sale residential values.“Walk this Way: The Economic Promise of Walkable Places in Metropolitan Washington, D.C.” Lineberger

and Alfonzo, 2012

10. Making TOD Unique• Most people think of TOD as….

• TOD should be unique and indigenous

• Historic Preservation is key

• Product depends on the context

• Housing• Office• Retail (big box?)

• Case Study: Englewood, CO

Transit-oriented Development (TOD) 

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