Suburban neighborhoods are becoming vibrant and healthy environments as new residential and commercial development around transit stops emerges, leading to decreased automobile dependency and carbon emissions.

TOD projects typically consist of a high density mixed use area centered on a station with lower density areas spread out from this point, providing housing solutions to accommodate individuals of various income levels.

Benefits

Transit-oriented development provides housing, jobs, retail services and services within walking distance of transit stations. This type of development offers high-quality walking environments that promote sustainable lifestyles while increasing property values while decreasing driving and energy consumption.

But it is crucial to keep in mind that TOD should be carefully planned; otherwise it can cause congestion and increase parking demands, necessitating cooperation among public transportation agencies and city planning departments as well as value capture strategies like joint development.

Equitable TOD (eTOD) meets the needs of low and moderate income people by offering affordable housing near transit. This is essential to TOD sustainability because it ensures that people from all walks of life can take advantage of its benefits without dislodging existing residents, and addresses concerns of gentrification in urban communities.

Locations

TODs (Transit Oriented Developments) are compact, mixed-use communities located near high quality public transit systems that encourage compact development with walkability. TOD overlays help address flaws of traditional zoning by encouraging development near transportation nodes and corridors to increase access to neighborhood amenities.

This approach reduces car dependency, promotes healthier lifestyles, and provides economic stimulus to local businesses and jobs. Hennepin County’s Lake Street Transit Village, for instance, integrates housing with retail and service amenities near Lake Street/Midtown Station on Metro Transit Blue Line for example.

TOD often coincides with parking reform. Eliminating or reducing parking requirements allows residents to match transportation needs with housing options without paying an unnecessary premium for parking spaces; additionally, this approach encourages walking and cycling as more sustainable practices.

Infrastructure

TOD requires more than just high-quality public transit; it requires supporting infrastructure as well. Local government partners should collaborate on identifying areas of opportunity for TOD development before working closely with community members on creating a master plan that includes specific redevelopment goals.

These plans should allow for high-density mixed-use development near transit stations, waive or minimize parking requirements and streamline permit and approval processes for TOD developers. Furthermore, provisions should be in place to ensure at least some development is affordable in order to address regional housing needs and foster economic equity.

State-led TOD policies can help overcome local barriers to dense development that often stem from higher transportation costs, climate pollution, or land-use conflicts. They provide incentives to lower building heights and minimum floor area ratio (FAR) standards near transit stations as well as grants that support necessary infrastructure such as water and sewer services and transportation services. Furthermore, such policies could encourage using Silva Cells to speed the growth of shade trees that improve air quality.

Planning

Building vibrant, livable communities centered on high quality transit systems can have significant positive ramifications on real estate markets. This is due to increased demand for residential and commercial properties offering walkable lifestyles without dependence on cars.

Municipalities can foster TOD by employing zoning to promote development around transit stations by creating TOD overlay districts or permitting higher density uses than in regular zones. These overlay districts should target areas that can expect new transit ridership growth while including both low-intensity development as well as more intense projects.

Zoning that encourages higher density development near transit can also serve as a powerful incentive for developers, particularly if combined with additional benefits like reduced fees or faster permit approval timelines and/or funding of essential public infrastructure projects. Appraisers are an essential element of TOD development by providing professional yet trustworthy appraisals for new property developments as well as land banking or loan underwriting services.