TRANSIT-ORIENTED

DEVELOPMENT POLICY
DRAFT
City Planning and Development Department
Kansas City, Missouri
What is Transit Oriented
Development (TOD)?
 Development that focuses land uses around a
transit station or within a transit corridor
 Maximize access to frequent, high-quality transit.
 Characterized by dense, compact development
with a mix of uses in a pedestrian-oriented
environment.
Why do we need a TOD Policy?
 Downtown streetcar line
 New development supports major transit investment

 Future streetcar expansions

 Guides more detailed planning (neighborhoods, station
areas)
 Improves position for future transit funds

 Ensure existing/future plans incorporate TOD policies

 Identifies potential barriers
 Assists in prioritizing capital improvements
 Facilitates improved coordination of agencies and departments
 Identifies a concise implementation program
 Applies Citywide and all modes: bus, streetcar, and other rail.
How was this draft created?
 Outgrowth of a variety of initiatives including:
 Nextrail Phase II Streetcar Expansion Plan
 Smart Moves Regional Transit Plan

 Greater Downtown Area Plan

 Best Practices review

Public/Stakeholder Engagement
 Nextrail Planning Process
 Nextrail KC engaged an estimated 20,000 stakeholders including person-to-person and
social media
 229 community meetings with 219 neighborhoods, businesses, and other organizations
 8,315 online participants.
 My Sidewalk
 Presentations/Meetings (ongoing)
 KC Streetcar Authority
 KCATA
 Parking and Transportation Commission
 KC Regional Transit Alliance
 KC Transit Action network
 GDAP Implementation Committee
 MainCor
 Downtown Council
 TOD Framework
 Connectivity:
 Expand transit access, increase mobility options
 Integrated system of pedestrian, bicycle, and auto facilities

 Density:
 Compact development
 Concentrate jobs, housing, shopping, and services close to transit

 Diversity:
 Locate a mix of transit-serving uses, services, activities, and destinations conveniently
near transit and limiting uses that only serve automobiles.
 Accommodating a range of ages, incomes, and lifestyle preferences,
 Connect transit to those who need it, and provide opportunities for those who use it.

 Design:
 Enhances the desirability of transit
 Provide a comfortable and inviting environment
 TOD Goals
Environmental Goals Economic Goals Social and Cultural
• Resource • Local Prosperity Goals
 Accessibility &
Conservation • Creativity &
Mobility
• Open Space Innovation
 Diversity &
Preservation • Commercial Integration
• Mitigate Climate Clustering/Business
 Neighborhood
Change Niches Identity
• Improve Air Quality • Productivity  Affordable Housing
• Improve Water • Housing Diversity  Safety & Security
Quality • Fiscal Sustainability.  Public Health
• Biodiversity
Typologies
 Recommendations
• Connectivity:
– Expand transit access, increase mobility options
– Integrated system of pedestrian, bicycle, and auto facilities

• Density:
– Compact development
– Concentrate jobs, housing, shopping, and services close to transit

• Diversity:
– Locate a mix of transit-serving uses, services, activities, and destinations
conveniently near transit and limiting uses that only serve automobiles.
– Accommodating a range of ages, incomes, and lifestyle preferences,
– Connect transit to those who need it, and provide opportunities for those who
use it.

• Design:
– Enhances the desirability of transit
– Provide a comfortable and inviting environment
 Connectivity
 Transit Facility Location maximize access
 Transit Integration Layer & integrate transit modes
 Transit User Experience make user experience
convenient and intuitive
 Accessibility Improve accessibility and support universal
design
 Street Maintenance repair, and upgrades to pedestrian
and bicycle infrastructure.
 Pedestrian Assessments in transit corridors.
 Pedestrian Zones designate transit corridors as
pedestrians zones
 Street Network high density of intersections, direct and
convenient paths for pedestrians
 Managing Off-Street Connections Integrate multi-use
trails
 Improving Off-Street Connections Trails & bikeways.
 Multi-Modal Streets accommodate all modes.
 Wayfinding Improve usability of the transit system, &
navigation to final destinations.
 Density
 Incentivizing Transit-Oriented Development overlay, appropriate to each TOD location
incentive policy to focus on TOD locations  Boundaries and Transitions Establish
 Prioritizing Urban Infrastructure in TOD appropriate transitions in a new TOD overlay
Areas & existing urban areas protect adjacent neighborhoods.
 Zoning for Density accommodate dense,  Planning for TOD Identify TOD locations in
mixed- use development appropriate to each area planning processes
TOD location.
 Minimum Density in TOD Areas new TOD
Diversity
 Zoning for a Mix of Uses allow multiple uses in a district.  Incentivizing Affordable Housing using available incentives
in areas where affordable housing is needed.
 Incentivizing Mixed-Use Development incentive policy to
focus on TOD locations  Requiring Affordable Housing in Designated Areas where
affordable housing lacking
 Requiring Active Ground Floor Uses generate more
pedestrian activity  Recognizing Historic Resources incent preservation and
reuse
 Limiting Incompatible Uses Prohibit uses that are not transit
supportive  Limiting Demolition Permits prevent irreversible or
gratuitous demolitions.
 Crafting a Housing Plan Establish a housing policy and
affordability goals in TOD areas  Recreational and Cultural Amenities Incorporate parks,
public art, and other cultural facilities
 Promoting Housing Variety to accommodate diverse
population
Design – Public Spaces
 Integrate Public  Comfort and
Space: Safety
 Destinations  Amenities
 Private  Dynamic and
Development Flexible
 Variety of  Transportation
Experiences Amenities
 Public Space  Alleys as Public
Surroundings Spaces
 Accessibility
Design – Development
 Relationship to Surrounding
Development Update existing
development standards for screening,
buffering, and transitions
 Authenticity and Neighborhood
Character Promote the use of high
quality materials, attention to
architectural details and design
excellence.
 Universal Design Support universal
design standards in building
regulations
 Building Massing and Orientation
Develop standards that address
frontage to streets and public spaces,
a pedestrian scale, solar orientation,
topography, response to existing
character and built environment
 Accommodation of Multi-Modal
Facilities Incorporate pedestrian,
bicycle, and transit facilities into the
design of new projects, and encourage
the retrofit of existing development
 Design – Transit Facilities
 Integration with Sidewalk and Public
Space enhance the experience for transit
users, ensure efficient movement in the
corridor, and create quality places.
 Coordination with Surrounding Uses
provide transit users convenient access to
a variety of opportunities and services.
 Transit Facility Placement and Design
Facilities function as icons or landmarks,
provide wayfinding elements, or unifying
features
 Universal Design Standards Design
transit facilities to be aesthetic and
usable to the greatest extent possible by
everyone
Design – Parking
 Parking Lot Location Parking not located between
the street and the building frontage
 Integration of Parking Structures Not significantly
visible at street level. Encourage underground
parking or wrapped structures. Include active ground
floor uses.
 On-Street Parking Standards Incorporate on-street
parking strategies into City street standards .
 On-Street Parking Locations Increase the capacity
for active, productive uses in TOD areas
 Shared Parking Reduce overall parking demand,
efficiently use existing supply, facilitate public access
to underutilized lots, and promote a “park once”
environment.
 District Parking & Demand Management Craft a
parking strategy to more effectively share and
manage available parking& increase availability
 Remove Parking Subsidies Removes public subsidy
of parking in TOD areas.
 Separate Parking and Development Costs Update
the City parking standards to eliminate minimum
parking requirements
 Parking Limits Establish a parking maximum for new
development
 Park and Ride Identify appropriate locations with
consideration of the surrounding urban environment
Implementation
 Policy
 Transit; Complete Streets; Trails; Economic Development; Housing; Parking
 Long Range Planning
 Area Plans
 Station Area Plans
 Station Area Planning
 Development Code
 TOD Zoning
 Design Guidelines
 Street Standards
 Capital Improvements
 Incentives
 TOD Specific Incentive Tool
Station Area Planning
 Many of the  Four ways station area
recommendations in this planning supports TOD:
policy find their  planning new
implementation in station development
area planning.  design of streets and

 Apply broad policy public spaces

recommendations to  design and location of

each station area. transit facilities, and

 location-specific
strategies for parking.
 Development Code / TOD Overlay
 TOD Overlay Framework
 Application driven by Station
Area Planning
 Key Elements:
 Minimum Density in TOD Areas
 Boundaries and Transitions
 TOD Locations
 Active Ground Floor Uses:
 Incompatible Uses: Prohibit uses
that are not transit supportive
 Affordable Housing
Requirement in Designated
Areas:
 Limiting Building Demolition
Permits
 Public Space Amenities
 Street / Building Interface
 Manage Curb Cuts
 Building Massing and
Orientation
 Accommodation of Pedestrian,
Bicycle, and Transit
 Facilities
 Parking Lot Location
 Integration of Parking
Structures
Feedback
 Apply new zoning
 Emphasize bus transit
 Clarify “trigger” for application of TOD policies
 Coordination with other entities (County, etc..)
Approaches/Questions

• Is this a citywide or corridor based

approach?
• Responding to existing ridership or
encourage future riders?
Draft Document
 City Planning Web Page:
 http://kcmo.gov/planning/todpolicy/

 Project info and links to document

 Open Data
 https://data.kcmo.org/
Questions
 Gerald Williams, AICP
Lead Planner, Long Range Planning & Preservation
Gerald.Williams@kcmo.org
 Jeffrey Williams, AICP
Planning Director
Jeffrey.Williams@kcmo.org