According to researchers, no California jurisdictions are using the broadest possible definition of a transit stop.
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.
FULL STORY: UCLA Study Shows How Ambiguous Definition of “Major Transit Stop” Creates Wiggle Room for Municipalities
LA Delays State TOD Law to 2030 With its Own, Lower-density Plan
SB 79 allows cities to delay its implementation if they come up with alternate plans to boost density while retaining local control near transit.
1,000 New Homes Sprouting Around San Diego Trolley Station
Multiple projects, helped along by city and state incentives, will densify the area around the Palm Avenue station.
San Diego wants to limit upzoning law to just 16% of transit-adjacent parcels
The city's planning director says some areas are unfit for immediate upzoning due to a lack of resources or hazards such as wildfire risk.
The state-sanctioned urbicide of Austin
People don’t kill cities. Freeways do.
US to reduce Colorado River water deliveries to Mexico
A new Colorado Treaty amendment reduces Mexico’s Colorado River water allocation by 250,000 acre feet.
New Jersey’s second-largest city bans standalone data centers
Jersey City will continue to allow co-location facilities, such as those meant for research institutions that store their own data.
Amtrak not solely to blame for New Jersey commuter rail's unreliability, report finds
A new study from the Garden State Initiative found that NJ Transit’s budget grew 20% across a 4 year period, but reliability declined significantly over the same period.
EPA erases limits on planet-warming pollution from power plants
Under Monday’s plan, power plants would still have some limits on how much mercury, arsenic and other contaminants they can emit.
Phoenix announces new on-demand transit service, more frequent RAPID buses
Both new services will launch in October, and are part of Phoenix's Project Effective Access Solutions for Easing Congestion.
FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?
After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.
Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold
The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.
Eagle County Government
Harvard University Graduate School of Design
Nashville Planning Department
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
The Pocatello Development Authority
The Urban Renewal Agency of the City of Pocatello
Journal of the American Planning Association