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TRANSACTIONS NEWSLETTER ONLINE

September/October 2005

Commission Actions
Summer 2005

  • Approved a pioneering Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) Policy that ties the award of regional funding for eight planned Bay Area transit expansion projects, such as the BART extension to San Jose, to local planning for new housing and employment within a half-mile radius of stations along the extension corridors. The policy sets corridorwide minimum housing levels for new transit lines, with more capital-intensive modes requiring a higher number of housing units. To encourage affordable housing, below-market units will receive a 50-percent bonus toward meeting the corridor housing threshold. The policy also establishes a Station Area Planning Program to help local governments develop “transit villages” where jobs and housing are clustered next to transit stations (see grants below). MTC Resolution 3434-Revised
  • Awarded $2.8 million in grants to eight projects in the pilot cycle of the new Station Area Planning Program. A core element of the newly adopted Transit-Oriented Development Policy (see above), Station Area Plans will address the housing requirements, design standards, parking needs and access issues involved in implementing MTC’s TOD Policy at the individual transit-station level. Targeted areas include Downtown Santa Rosa, the Menlo Park station along the planned Dumbarton Bridge rail line, and the Santa Clara Transportation Center along the BART-to-San Jose extension. At the same time, the Commission earmarked $500,000 to provide jurisdictions with expert technical assistance in their TOD Policy implementation efforts.
  • Approved nearly $20 million in grants to eight public transit systems to advance the deployment of real-time transit arrival/departure information. The public will be able to find out when their bus or train will arrive via signage at bus stops and rail stations and other innovative mechanisms. The program is funded with bridge tolls from Regional Measure 2. MTC Resolution 3708

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