Study: Clarifying California’s Vague Definition of Transit Stops Could Make 1.3M Acres Eligible for Density Bonuses

New research from UCLA's Institute of Transportation Studies reveals that California municipalities are using different definitions for “transit stops,” which has a major impact on density rules and development policies in areas around transit.

As Damien Newton explains in Streetsblog California, “Major transit stops are mostly Bus Rapid Transit, light rail, or heavy rail stops or ferry terminals, but there are a handful of regular bus stops that have enough service to also qualify.” The researchers say using a broader definition could open up much more land to higher-density housing development.

Per the article,

After extensive mapping of the data, the UCLA team claims that if government bodies were to consider the area surrounding boarding location owned by the agency or city that surrounds the boarding location as the transit stop, it could add more than 1.3 million acres of land statewide where housing bonuses would apply, nearly tripling the amount of land currently eligible.

According to the study, no transit agency, city council, or other government body is currently using the broader definition. “For cities actively looking to maximize housing near transit redefining the transit stop, or seeking clearer guidance from the state, could be a way to unlock additional development opportunities.” See the source article for links to a StoryMap that illustrates how the “maximal approach” could affect development around California transit lines.