Equitable Transit Oriented Development Policy Plan

Tear down I35

Great policy plan! I love all of the policy options the city is allowing itself in Project Connect and city planning. As somebody who has lived in a greatly equitable country (Finland) this plan makes me smile. Please reduce parking minimums and reduce necessary permitting steps within the TOD corridors so that development can happen faster and more effectively.

I'm curious why the Cameron/Dessau Road corridor is entirely left out of the discussion.

This is nothing but CodeNext revisited. Planning to redevelop affordable homes within 1/2 mile of stations is an insult to those of us who live here already. City Hall is intent on displacing existing residents to make space for higher-income newcomers. And it is overreach to treat bus (i.e. MetroRapid) stations the same as light rail stations.

If city council passes in December the compatibility on corridors amendment there is an awkward situation where most of the light rail sites (Justin Lamar) are capped at 60' due to the TOD zoning while other corridor sites would be able to get 90' and higher in some places. this should be addressed and amended in the upcoming council meeting as there is bigger development pressure closer to the light rail and stations.

Compatibility should be eliminated in all Station Areas as a first step. Missing Middle transects should be applied through the planning process.

'Soft density' should include fourplexes as they are allowed under standard federal residential housing mortgage guidelines (a fourplex is a house) and are among the most cost efficient housing forms. Allowing more units within the same building envelope encourages smaller, more naturally affordable units.

Minimum parking requirements should be eliminated in all TOD areas if not city-wide. Parking caps and disincentives should be utilized as well.

Station Areas such as Springdale and along Riverside on the Blue Line are under immense development pressure and have significant redevelopment potential due to vacant and underutilized land and should be elevated to High Priority. Station Areas such as Mueller and Seaholm are mostly built out with recent development and have very limited redevelopment potential and should be Low priority for planning services.