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Transit-Supportive Development

Transit-Supportive Development Primer | Transit-Supportive Development Guidebook (1.9 MB)

Transportation ImageIntroduction

In 2000 and 2001, MARC initiated a project on transit-supportive development.The project was undertaken to raise understanding of the relationship between land use development (density and design) and community livability and mobility. This effort builds on MARC's Creating Quality Places and Metro Transit initiatives.

The program included public forums and informational materials, the development of alternative land use scenarios for six area prototype sites, and technical resource tools for local governments. MARC was supported by a consulting team of Glatting Jackson Kercher Anglin Lopez Rinehart; Patti Banks Associates; Stinson Mag Fizzell; and ETC Institute. Walter Kulash, P.E. with Glatting Jackson served as the project manager.The project was funded by a grant from the Federal Highway Administration's Transportation and Community and System Preservation Program.

Steering Committee and Stakeholders

A Steering Committee assisted MARC in the decision-making process. Direction and advice from the committee influenced the selection of the six prototype sites. MARC identified stakeholders including public officials, community groups, developers and builders, transportation groups, city and county staff representatives of the various jurisdictions, and others to participate in the Public Forums and the Prototype Workshops.

Kick-off Presentation and Awareness Building Workshop

A kick-off presentation and awareness building session for the general public was held on September 25, 2000.The event focused on introducing the study and presenting information about the relationship between transit use and land use development. Featured speakers included Walter Kulash, P.E. with Glatting Jackson and Nancy Graham, the former mayor of West Palm Beach, Florida, and President of the Palm Beach Division of Watermark Communities, Inc. Approximately 150 persons attended the forum at the Westin Crown Center Hotel. The six prototype sites were described at the kick-off event, and participants had the opportunity to give initial ideas on development and design.

Primer on Transit-Supportive Development

A six-page primer on Transit-Supportive Development was prepared and disseminated at the public forum and the six charrettes held in September.

Site Selection for the Development of Prototype Applications

During the early stages of the project, the Steering Committee identified six prototype locations. Transit-supportive development policies will be used to develop land use and design scenario plans for each site. Eight to ten candidate locations were presented to the committee along with a set of selection criteria to finalize the selection of sites. The sites include a range of urban core, older suburb and newly developing area locations.

The land use and design scenarios for the prototype locations were developed in cooperation with community stakeholders.The scenarios demonstrate how changing land use assumptions and patterns could improve opportunities for increased transit system use and improve overall mobility.The consultants identified appropriate technical and policy tools, such as ordinances, financing techniques and design guidelines to provide support to local communities interested in encouraging more transit-supportive development along key corridors or at potential transit center locations.

Workshop for Each Prototype Location

MARC conducted six half-day visioning workshops on September 26 through 28 with selected stakeholders, staff, property owners and members of the Steering Committee that had an interest in a particular prototype location. For each of these workshops, the consultants prepared visual products that assisted participants in the development of transit-supportive land use strategies. A PowerPoint presentation at the beginning of each workshop described transit-supportive principles and how they might be applied to the specific site under analysis. Over 200 individuals attended the six charrettes.

Urban Design and Land Use Scenarios for Each Prototype Application

With input received from each visioning workshop, the consultants developed a conceptual transit-supportive master plan for each prototype location that includes:

  • Color urban design plan (1"=200') of an transit supportive development scenario attainable in our generation
  • Aerial perspective of development scenario
  • Hand-rendered or enhanced-photo perspective illustrating the character of each area

Each prototype master plan is supported by "before" and "after" analyses of its transit-supportive potential.

Presentation of Prototype Development Scenarios

The consultants met with the participants of each workshop to present draft design concepts and to discuss implementation strategies. In addition to these meetings, the Steering Committee reviewed the design products and discuss implementation strategies.

Development of Implementation Guidebook

The consultants also prepared an implementation guidebook to identify the policy framework needed to realize transit-supportive development patterns in Kansas City area local communities.The guidebook includes information on the project; a summary of principles of transit-supportive development, barriers (regulatory, institutional, market and cultural), a description of the prototype development applications, and means to implement changes (model land development regulations, incentives and guidelines for project financing.

Financial support for the project was provided by the Federal Highway Administration's Transportation and Community and System Preservation Grant program.

For more information contact Marlene Nagel or Mell Henderson.

 


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