Monday, August 27, 2007

Getting Your Ducks in a Row: Morning Session

Welcome to the Live Clog. This morning we had an introduction by Edward Beimborn at the University of Wisconsin at Milwaukee.
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Sam Seskin:

Benefits and Issues of Transit Oriented Regions: Presentation

Providing Travel Options
Density and Connectivity
Increased Land Value
Efficiency of Land Use - Substantial Savings on Mobility and Infrastructure
Preservation Resource Lands - Need more lands for the benefits of ecosystems and farming communities
Environment
Health
Safety

What do you think is at stake in the Transit Oriented Region? Move on down to the comments and let us know!
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Chris Porter

Transportation and Land Use Planning: A Review of National Experience | Presentation

Looking at the FTA Land Use Policy - Chris states that the Land Use policy is similarly weighted to the cost effectiveness rating

15-25 Units per acre will get you a Medium High Rating in New Starts
FAR of 8-10 for Medium High
Low Parking Ratios
He had a really cool chart, check the power point to see what densities qualify for what ratings.

Discussion on the MTC housing policy. MTC set some minimum density criteria for getting stations according to different types of modes.

The KRM line in Milwaukee has already done their land use plans around the stations (Station Portfolios) even though they aren't in PE yet for New Starts.

Seattle: Interim overlay district increases the density of development and restricts auto oriented uses. It's intended to make sure that the planning in place doesn't preclude good transit oriented-development

Zoning District Changes: There are a lot of changes you can make for small bus systems as well. Boulder specifically has rezoned for mixed use along transit corridors. They've had some success at attracting mu projects.

Massachusettes: the Smart Growth Toolkit. A model TOD Overlay District.

Joint development: leasing of transit agency property is the most popular, but there are a number of other strategies. WMATA has over 15 Billion in Joint Development. They have a real estate department as a part of their operations.

DART in Dallas also has a program to do similar programs including land swaps.

State Agency Support: Maryland and the State DOT have coordinated all of the engineers and local planners to do station area improvements.

Conclusions: Transportation agencies are doing

Question: Do you have examples of bus oriented policy

Answer: The way you think about bus is more at the corridor level rather than the station area level (BRT) The arterial and the land uses along East Colfax is a good example. They have put in a form based code. The other key is the transit agency getting involved in the developing permitting process. Snohmish county transit agency has been looking at the site plans for a while to make sure that they can comment on the orientation towards pedestrians.

Question: Have they had luck with circumferential development in Boulder?

Answer: Not sure , Anyone want to comment in the comments section below?

Question: How do you herd all the cats of the different departments and agencies.

Answer: Not sure if there is an answer, a leader such as a mayor is extremely helpful at pulling people together, areas where agencies have interests that are the same and being persistent helps as well. Takes leadership.
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Charles R. Goodman (FTA) Director of Systems Planning

Connected Transit/Land Use Planning: SAFETEA LU Opportunities in Planning and Project Development

What kinds of changes took place in SAFETEA LU for the Metropolitan Planning Program

The traditional roles of the MPO.

Expanded Scope of Planning: SL kept some things from Tea 21. The intent of congress is that this is a cross cutting ethic. The focus is that there be balance between transportation and land use.

1. Expanded and Improved Public/Stakeholder Involvement: MPOs need to prepare a participation plan. Involvement as Land Management Stewards.

2. Improved means of communication: detailing communication methods including electronically accessible format, such as the web. Scenario planning is implied. Then compare the plan with local plans.

3. Early Attention to Environment and Community Resources. Working at systems level and corridors. Not quite to the NEPA level but put together opportunities and enable folks to look at linking planning and the environment.

4. Emphasis on Operations and Management: plans to include operations and management strategies.

5. Broader definition of Project Eligibility for Funding: Allows changes for Capital Project that can provide revenue and cost sharing or joint development income.

6. Special New Programs: Center for Transit Oriented Development, Public Transportation Participation Program, Transportation, Economic, and Land Use System (Telus)

Questions: Which are the transit agencies go beyond the T in TOD and act aggressively?

Answer: From the literature RTD in Denver seems to do it well. WMATA, Portland Oregon (Tri-Met has done a lot of joint ventures) Seattle, BC, Dallas (DART) Hired a TOD Manager, Jack W. Austin Capital Metro
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Mary Kay Christopher :

Bus Transit Service in Land Development: TCRP 67 | Presentation

May 2006: Documenting the Relationship between bus and land use planning

Case Studies developed: LYNX, CATA, Omnitrans, Metro Transit, GO Boulder

Lynx Orlando:

Parking revenues support a downtown circulator
Developer support as well. Instead of asking for a bus shelter, now they are looking for the development to pay for startup bus service for two to three years. They don't always get the full amount, but they think its better to ask for that money.

CATA: State College in PA

Strong Local Support. Local officials are champions for transit. They share a planner with the regional planning agency, 20 hours here, 20 hours there. They know everything about what's going on in both places.

Omnitrans: San Bernadino California

Greenfield development at 5500 acres. Orchards and grazing land. They decided they have to plan for transit so they dedicated some land for a transit ROW. Also integrate the ROW with a greater transit system

Metro Transit: Twin Cities

The transit authority is a part of the Met Council. They have a lot of cooperation and land development does occur.

Go Boulder: Not a Transit Authority, but part of the local government

Strong local support, very strong downtown parking management. Funding for parking goes to passes for downtown employees. They have transit supportive corridor zoning. Open space program, residents tax themselves for open space.

Challenges:

Lack of resources. How do I pay for new service for this new development? I don't have enough staff to look at all of these development reviews that are coming through.

Inclusion in the process. Responsibility. Transit planners are now responsible for land development. Unless there are the same goals all around, things don't happen the right way.

Early involvement is key: Strong land development planning, Solid support for local transit officials, institutional policies and practices, funding, regulatory tools.

Conclusions: Find ways to get involved early in the process, really difficult but once you're involved you need to get the points across. Make friends and develop relationships with folks at different agencies. Mix strategies for the greatest impact.

Question: How does CATA actually do their sharing?

Answer: They've been doing this quite a while and it probably evolved from a staff shortage. CATA has developed a good relationship with other municipalities in the region.

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Francis Cheung: AVV Transport Research Center, Netherlands

Transit Inputs to Sustainable Land Use Development: Four Dutch Examples | Presentation

The local governments have more power, decentralization if possible and centralization

Fifty Years of Spacial Planning

1991: Concentrate Development in Growth Centers and Nodes. The focus would be high speed rail

Land Use Planning: 1956 - 2006

If we allow for free development there will be urban sprawl and that is what we do not want. They are looking for sustainable development and sustainable growth.

They define compact development: All of the policy documents stated that if they didn't build compactly, they would sprawl.

Developed a very comprehensive railway network.

Population has increased greatly, but the auto growth has grown even more. Even in spite of investment, railway ridership have stayed flat.

Building the North South Line. They are building a subway and expect about 200,000 riders per day.

Rotterdam, Den Haag rail lines are different. Phileas BRT.

Development around the Centraal Station in Rotterdam.

Houten: small city, 5000 people to 50,000 in 2010 Planned city next to the railway center

Lessons Learned:

Mobility gains substantially from good spacial planning
High Density with good public transport and road pricing to give public transport a second life
Transport policy and spacial policy need to work together.

Question: What is the new role of the central government if you need the local jurisdictions the decentralize.

Answer: we need to change the legislation to enable a national spacial strategy to create level playing fields to everyone can be involved. A learning process

Question: Why was a bus based solution chosen over rail?

Answer: The decision was with the local authorities. They thought the investment in LRT would be too expensive. They came up with a new product and would like to try it. They are articulated with high frequency.

Question: How are land use decisions made in the Netherlands? In the US they are made by local cities and developers? How do they keep coordinated

Answer: We have a strategic plan that will create the basis for local authorities. It has to be approved by local and regional and national for large projects. Integrated development planning. Very similar to the idea of Transit Oriented Development.

Question: Could you expand on your program? We focus on user fees and impact fees and low gas tax revenue.

Answer: EU directives, all revenue from Congestion pricing has to go back into the transport system. 'Polluter pays and user pays.'

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