www.camsys.com TRANSIT‐SUPPORTIVE LAND USE TOOLKIT VERSION 1.1 Best Practices, Recommendations, and Implementation Steps for the San Antonio Region prepared for VIA Metropolitan Transit prepared by Cambridge Systematics, Inc. with MOSAIC Fregonese Associates Urban Biology LLC September 2014 September 22014 Transit-Supportive Land Use Toolkit Table of Contents 1.0 Introduction ............................................................................................................ 1 1.1 Background ................................................................................................................. 1 1.2 Toolkit Overview ......................................................................................................... 2 1.3 VIA’s Role in Transit-Supportive Land Use .................................................................. 3 1.4 Process for Developing Toolkit .................................................................................... 5 1.5 Benefits of Applying the Toolkit .................................................................................. 5 2.0 Summary of Recommended Actions ......................................................................... 7 3.0 Policy Framework: Planning and Zoning for Transit-Supportive Land Use .................. 15 3.1 Planning .................................................................................................................... 16 3.1.1 Best Practices ................................................................................................ 16 3.1.2 Current San Antonio Region Practice ............................................................ 22 3.1.3 Recommendations ........................................................................................ 23 3.2 Development Codes and Zoning ................................................................................ 24 3.2.1 Best Practices ................................................................................................ 26 3.2.2 Current San Antonio Region Practice ............................................................ 31 3.2.3 Recommendations ........................................................................................ 33 4.0 Transit-Supportive Plan and Code Elements ............................................................ 37 4.1 Transit Facilities ......................................................................................................... 37 4.1.1 Best Practices ................................................................................................ 38 4.1.2 Current San Antonio Region Practice ............................................................ 40 4.1.3 Recommendations ........................................................................................ 41 4.2 Pedestrian-Supportive Design, Access, and Connectivity .......................................... 43 4.2.1 Best Practices ................................................................................................ 43 4.2.2 Current San Antonio Region Practice ............................................................ 53 4.2.3 Recommendations ........................................................................................ 57 4.3 Transit-Supportive Density ........................................................................................ 61 4.3.1 Best Practices ................................................................................................ 61 4.3.2 Current San Antonio Region Practice ............................................................ 68 4.3.3 Recommendations ........................................................................................ 70 4.4 Mixed-Use Environment .............................................................................................71 4.4.1 Best Practice ..................................................................................................71 4.4.2 Current San Antonio Region Practice ............................................................. 77 4.4.3 Recommendations ........................................................................................ 79 Cambridge Systematics, Inc. i Transit-Supportive Land Use Toolkit 4.5 Parking Supply ........................................................................................................... 80 4.5.1 Best Practices ................................................................................................ 80 4.5.2 Current San Antonio Region Practice ............................................................ 86 4.5.3 Recommendations ........................................................................................ 87 5.0 Other Implementation Tools .................................................................................. 89 5.1.1 Best Practices ................................................................................................ 89 5.1.2 Current San Antonio Practice ...................................................................... 100 5.1.3 Recommendations ...................................................................................... 104 6.0 Conclusion ...........................................................................................................107 Appendix A Recommendations for the San Antonio Unified Development Code ............. 108 Appendix B Review of Other San Antonio Area Municipalities’ Plans and Codes ............... 115 Overview ........................................................................................................................... 115 Findings ............................................................................................................................. 117 Group One – Currently Supportive of TSLU ...................................................................... 118 Schertz .................................................................................................................... 118 Group Two – Somewhat Supportive of TSLU ................................................................... 120 Balcones Heights ..................................................................................................... 120 Boerne .................................................................................................................... 121 Leon Valley .............................................................................................................. 122 New Braunfels ......................................................................................................... 123 Group Three – Not Yet Supportive of TSLU ...................................................................... 124 Bulverde .................................................................................................................. 124 Converse .................................................................................................................. 125 Seguin .................................................................................................................... 126 Shavano Park ............................................................................................................127 ii Cambridge Systematics, Inc. Transit-Supportive Land Use Toolkit List of Tables Table 2.1 Actions for Transit-Supportive Land Use Implementation ...................................... 8 Table 4.1 Density Levels to Support Transit Services............................................................ 61 Table 4.2 Federal Transit Administration Benchmarks for Density ....................................... 62 Table 4.4 Densities Specified in the San Antonio TOD Use Pattern ...................................... 68 Table 4.5 Density Guidelines for the San Antonio Form-Based Zoning District .................... 68 Table 4.6 Assessment of Parking in Other Municipal Plans and Ordinances ......................... 69 Table 4.7 FTA Guidance for Parking Ratings ......................................................................... 81 Table 4.8 Assessment of Parking in Other Municipal Plans and Ordinances ......................... 87 Table 4.9 Options for Transit-Supportive Parking Policies .................................................... 88 Table 5.1 Financial Tools and Incentives ............................................................................... 91 Table 5.2 Summary of Development by Transit Corridor in Denver ...................................... 99 Table 5.3 CCHIP scoring matrix, as prepared by Center City Development Office. ............. 101 Table A.1 Recommendations for San Antonio UDC Changes .............................................. 108 Table A.2 Potential Approaches to UDC Revision ............................................................... 112 Table B.1 Municipal Code Review – Schertz ........................................................................ 119 Table B.2 Municipal Code Review – Balcones Heights ........................................................ 120 Table B.3 Municipal Code Review – Boerne ........................................................................ 121 Table B.4 Municipal Code Review – Leon Valley ................................................................. 122 Table B.5 Municipal Code Review – New Braunfels ............................................................. 123 Table B.6 Municipal Code Review – Bulverde ...................................................................... 124 Table B.7 Municipal Code Review