Navigating in Different Rivers

Transcription

1 Navigating in Different Rivers Suburban TOD Julie Jones, Planning Manager, City of Fridley Julie Farnham, Senior Planner, City of Bloomington Kersten Elverum, Director of Planning & Development, City of Hopkins Moderator: Lucy Galbraith, Director of TOD, Metro Transit September 24, 2015 MNAPA Bemidji

2 Regional context 7 counties, 182 cities 3 million people 1.6 million jobs 3000 square miles 15 th largest transit agency 52 parks 340 miles of trails 2

3 Regional System Plan 2040 All-day, frequent service Northstar Commuter Rail Light Rail Transit Blue Line Green Line Green Line Extension Blue Line Extension Highway Bus Rapid Transit Red Line Orange Line Gold Line 3

4 Three places, three modes, three opportunities Fridley First ring suburb Pop. 27,000 7,400 more jobs than people Northstar Commuter Rail Bloomington Fourth largest city in MN Pop. 86, ,000 jobs, 8000 hotel rooms Blue Line LRT &Orange Line BRT Hopkins Historic Main Street downtown Pop. 18,000 Origin as farm equipment center Green Line Extension LRT 4

5 Navigating in Different Rivers Suburban TOD Julie Jones Julie Farnham Kersten Elverum Moderator: Lucy Galbraith September 24, 2015 MNAPA Bemidji

6 The Fridley Story MnAPA Conference September 24, 2015

7 Where is Fridley? On Minneapolis northern border Bordered by Mississippi on the west Dissected by I 694 Served by Northstar Commuter Rail that connects to Light Rail system

8 Difficult TOD Location

9 What Made TOD Feasible? Mixed use already exists Surrounding residential neighborhoods with workforce housing Commercial district within ½ mile walk MRT bike trail Amenity of River/Park Traffic!

10 Planning for Redevelopment Special legislation for Transit TIF district Amended Hyde Park single family restriction Created the TOD overlay HRA invested heavily in TOD area Adopted a TOD Master Plan

11 Resulting Master Plans

12 Industrial Equities

13 Cielo Apartments

14 Previous corner business

15 Previous building setbacks 80

16 Creating Quite a Stir

17 University Ave - 34,500 VPD

18 Cielo Site May 2011

19 Decorative Fence Installation

20 Lessons Learned Get to know and engage leaders of various transportation modes and meet with them often Engage the business community for support Keep the vision before City leaders Don t accept No or the words it can t be done Try to get folks in charge of maintenance and security on board with the master plan vision Get out of your car!

21 Navigating TOD in Different Rivers MnAPA Conference September 24, 2015 Penn American District Bloomington, MN

22 Where is the Penn American District?

23 Large, multi fronted blocks Penn American District Typical Suburban Characteristics Ample surface parking Auto-oriented uses Dominant roads Low-density, dispersed development

24 Opportunities District Vision Adopted New Transportation Investments Catalytic Project

25 Challenges Creating a walkable, urban environment Increasing intensity & mixed use Transition from existing to future uses

26 Navigating the Transition Public Involvement Regulatory Balance Address Nonconformities

27 Public Involvement Setting the Table Land assembly & clean up Penn Ave New streets & utilities Public/Private partnership (master developer)

28 Regulatory Policy Question 1. Zone for District Vision? + Proactive approach enhances certainty; influences public and private investments + Expands spectrum of allowed uses + Increases allowed development intensity Creates non-conformities 2. Zone for Current Uses? + Minimizes non-conformities Prolongs under-utilization of land Reduce transit investment incentive Delays redevelopment that matches vision

29 City Council Directive Zone for the District vision Provide more flexibility

30 Finding the right Regulatory Balance Permissive How high to set the zoning bar? Prescriptive

31 Key Code Modifications Highest design on primary streets Street enclosure Height feet vs stories Landscape, fence/wall, and art alternatives Parking Flexibility Shared On-street Proof Transit proximity & TDM 25 ft min.

32 Key Code Modifications Façade transparency and activation Only applies to ground level Window substitutions: art, display boxes, façade decoration Entrances only required on streets with parking

33 Addressing Nonconformities Uses (primarily auto dealers) Structures Lots Site Characteristics

34 Approaches 1. Fine-tune code language and select standards 2. Amend Planned Development Agreement

35 Fine-tune Code Remove reference to intensification in definition of expansion of non-conforming use Make existing auto dealerships permitted use in new zoning districts Reduce FAR for auto dealerships

36 Reduced Floor Area Ratio (Existing Auto Dealers) Minimum FAR 0.6 City Council can reduce if: Area of passive uses less than active uses Jobs and customers increased Advances district design objectives C-5/transit station area minimum FAR (1.0) C-4/C-5 minimum FAR for existing auto dealers (0.6)

37 Amend Planned Development Agreement (Southtown) Allow amendments to defined building units: Can apply old zoning standards Allow minor additions (10%) Allow 30% decrease in floor area Allow total removal of specific building units Allow minimum FAR 0.4 unless/until BRT station approved

38 Lessons Learned 1. Make better, even if not ideal Transformation takes time; incremental Strive for improvement, not perfection 2. Working close with affected property owners is key Flexibility crucial to smooth transition Openness greatly appreciated, builds trust and support

39 Questions

40 Extra slides

41 Penn American District Vision

42 Regulatory Balance More Prescriptive More Permissive Required minimum FAR FAR reduction criteria Required minimum building height Higher building design standards Maximum street setbacks Measure height in feet vs stories Alternatives to meet design objectives Reduced setbacks for buildings and parking

43 Genesee Development

44 Home 2 Suites by Hilton

45 Fresh Thyme Farmer s Market

46 NAVIGATING TOD IN DIFFERENT RIVERS Kersten Elverum City of Hopkins September 24, 2015

47 HOPKINS AT A GLANCE 18,000 population 4-square miles Established at the turn of the century Diverse in every aspect

48 3 LRT STATIONS 3 APPROACHES

49 BLAKE: IMPROVING THE LIVABILITY

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52 DOWNTOWN HOPKINS: ENHANCING & CONNECTING THE THERE

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57 SHADY OAK: ESTABLISHING THE VISION

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59 LESSONS LEARNED: Partnerships result in better projects If you can t articulate your vision, you don t have one Small interventions can lead to big changes Citizen engagement must be done differently