The City of Sacramento is developing an ordinance for Transit Oriented Development (TOD), in part due to negative publicity about approval of car-oriented development in close proximity to light rail transit stations. The process is in the early stages, and the draft proposal will be before the Planning & Design Commission on September 20, 6:00PM, for discussion.

STAR talked about TOD at our August Action Team, and will continue talking, but we have not taken a position yet. Obviously we believe in transit oriented development, but have concerns about the best tools for achieving that. Simple prohibitions, without incentives for high quality development, are unlikely to work well. Though there are many great examples of TOD, there are also many examples of failures, what is often called ‘transit-adjacent development’ which is close to transit but doesn’t increase ridership.

We also believe that SacRT should be much more proactive in creating TOD development on its own properties, and working with adjacent owners to encourage TOD. SacRT has overbuilt parking capacity at several stations, and these parking lots would be great locations for housing.

So far in the Sacramento region, there is only one development that was intended as TOD, the La Valentina development at the La Valentina/Alkalai Flat Station on the Blue Line (below). It seems moderately successful, but the retail/office first floor has never filled.

If you follow Bay Area news, you’ll know there is a bill on the Governor’s desk, AB 2923, that would give BART the authority to develop housing on its properties, mostly surface parking lots currently, adjacent to stations. I (Dan) ride Capitol Corridor frequently, and it is amazing how many large apartment complexes and mixed use developments have been constructed in the last few years along the rail corridor. To a lesser degree, this has also happened along the Caltrain corridor.

• transit