North Line Transit Oriented Development (TOD) Study Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority December 2006 North Line Transit Oriented Development (TOD) Study Prepared For: Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority Prepared By: 400 Northpark Town Center 1000 Abernathy Road NE, Suite 900 Atlanta, GA 30328 In association with: Planners for Environmental Quality (PEQ) DW & Associates Sycamore Consulting Bleakly Advisory Group The Schapiro Group North Line Transit Oriented Development (TOD) Study Table of Contents EXECUTIVE SUMMARY .......................................................................................... ES-1 1.0 INTRODUCTION.............................................................................................1-1 1.1 Study Background...........................................................................................1-1 1.2 Study Purpose.................................................................................................1-1 1.3 Study Area Description....................................................................................1-3 1.4 Study Approach...............................................................................................1-5 1.5 Report Organization ........................................................................................1-7 2.0 CLUSTER ANALYSIS – EXISTING CONDITIONS........................................2-1 2.1 Study Area Demographics ..............................................................................2-1 2.2 Land Use and Development Characteristics ..................................................2-17 2.3 Transportation System Characteristics ..........................................................2-43 2.4 Results of Existing Conditions Analysis .........................................................2-55 3.0 EMERGING REGIONAL CONCEPT DESIGN ...............................................3-1 3.1 Market Overview.............................................................................................3-2 3.2 Analysis of Alternative TOD Locations ...........................................................3-16 3.3 Transit Suitability Assessment .......................................................................3-19 4.0 POTENTIAL TOD CONCEPT AND ASSESSMENT ......................................4-1 4.1 TOD Concept Plan ..........................................................................................4-2 4.2 Connectivity.....................................................................................................4-9 4.3 Concept Development Plan............................................................................4-11 4.4 TOD Pricing, Absorption and Capture Analysis .............................................4-14 5.0 STAKEHOLDER AND PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT...........................................5-1 5.1 Corridor Advisory Committee ..........................................................................5-1 5.2 Stakeholder Interviews....................................................................................5-2 5.3 Public Meeting Opportunities ..........................................................................5-3 5.4 Public Opinion Surveys ...................................................................................5-4 5.5 Media Advisories and Press Releases............................................................5-5 5.6 Newsletters and Presentation Materials..........................................................5-5 5.7 Stakeholder and Public Input ..........................................................................5-5 6.0 RECOMMENDATIONS FOR TOD IMPLEMENTATION ................................6-1 6.1 Recommendations for Station Area Planning and Code Revisions ................6-2 6.2 Conclusion.......................................................................................................6-7 APPENDICES North Line TOD Study Report i December 2006 North Line Transit Oriented Development (TOD) Study List of Figures Figure 1-1: North Line TOD Study Area....................................................................1-4 Figure 2-1: 2005 Population Density by Cluster Area ...............................................2-3 Figure 2-2: 2030 Population Density by Cluster Area ...............................................2-4 Figure 2-3: 2005 Employment Density by Cluster Area ............................................2-6 Figure 2-4: 2030 Employment Density by Cluster Area ............................................2-7 Figure 2-5: Major Employers in North Line Study Area.............................................2-9 Figure 2-6: 2000 Minority Population .......................................................................2-13 Figure 2-7: 2000 Senior Population .........................................................................2-14 Figure 2-8: 2000 Low Income Population ................................................................2-15 Figure 2-9: 2000 Median household Income by Block Group ..................................2-16 Figure 2-10: Northridge Cluster Current Land Use ....................................................2-22 Figure 2-11: Holcomb Bridge Cluster Current Land Use ...........................................2-23 Figure 2-12: North Point Cluster Current Land Use ...................................................2-24 Figure 2-13: Northridge Cluster Current Land Use ....................................................2-25 Figure 2-14: Windward South Cluster Current Land Use...........................................2-26 Figure 2-15: Windward North Cluster Current Land Use ...........................................2-27 Figure 2-16: McGinnis Ferry Cluster Current Land Use.............................................2-28 Figure 2-17: 2020 Land Use ......................................................................................2-30 Figure 2-18: Northridge Cluster Current Zoning.........................................................2-35 Figure 2-19: Holcomb Bridge Cluster Current Zoning................................................2-36 Figure 2-20: North Point Cluster Current Zoning .......................................................2-37 Figure 2-21: Old Milton Cluster Current Zoning .........................................................2-38 Figure 2-22: Windward South Cluster Current Zoning ...............................................2-39 Figure 2-23: Windward North Cluster Current Zoning................................................2-40 Figure 2-24: McGinnis Ferry Cluster Current Zoning .................................................2-41 Figure 2-26: Existing Roadway Network....................................................................2-44 Figure 2-27: Existing MARTA Bus Routes.................................................................2-46 Figure 3-1: Potential MARTA Station Location Sites .................................................3-21 Figure 3-2: Holcomb Bridge Road TOD Opportunity Areas .......................................3-22 Figure 3-3: Mansell Road TOD Opportunity Areas ....................................................3-23 Figure 3-4: Center Bridge Road TOD Opportunity Areas ..........................................3-24 Figure 3-5: Haynes Bridge Road TOD Opportunity Areas .........................................3-25 Figure 3-6: Old Milton parkway TOD Opportunity Areas............................................3-26 Figure 3-7: Windward Parkway TOD Opportunity Areas ...........................................3-27 Figure 4-1: Center Bridge Road TOD Concept ...........................................................4-3 Figure 4-2: Center Bridge Road TOD Concept ...........................................................4-5 Figure 4-3: Examples of Mixed Use Development......................................................4-6 Figure 4-4: Examples of Mixed Use Development......................................................4-7 Figure 4-5: Example of a Roadway Bridge Pedestrian Walkway................................4-8 Figure 4-6: Network Connectivity Diagram ................................................................4-10 Figure 4-7: TOD Development Plan...........................................................................4-13 North Line TOD Study Report ii December 2006 North Line Transit Oriented Development (TOD) Study List of Tables Table 2-1: Population Data by Cluster Area.............................................................2-2 Table 2-2: Employment Data by Cluster Area..........................................................2-5 Table 2-3: Major Employers in the North Line Study Area ......................................2-8 Table 2-4: 2000 Transit Dependent Population by Cluster Area ............................2-10 Table 2-5: 2000 Median Household Income in 1999 Dollars .................................2-12 Table 2-6: North Line TOD Cluster Area Land Uses ..............................................2-21 Table 2-7: Percent Change of Current and Future Land Use Patterns ..................2-29 Table 2-8: CUP District Allowances .......................................................................2-32 Table 2-9: North Line TOD Cluster Area Zoning Data ...........................................2-34 Table 2-10: Study Area Bus Routes .........................................................................2-45 Table 2-11: Existing North Line Rail Stations and Associated Landmarks ...............2-47 Table 2-12: Sidewalk Coverage................................................................................2-49