Planning for Growth in the Cities Along Woodward Avenue:

Planning for Growth in the Cities
Along Woodward Avenue:
The Benefits of mixed-use and Transit Oriented
Development in your community.
In partnership
With:

Mixed-Use Development
Definition
Trends/Demand
Benefits
How to make it happen

Definition
Mixed-Use
Transit
Oriented
Development

What makes other places different?
Liberty Street, Ann Arbor
Main Street, Royal Oak
Portland’s Pearl District
Denver’s Skyline

What is mixed-use development?
A building or district which hosts multiple
integrated land uses, such as residential, office
and retail
The Ellington Lofts
at Mack and Woodward
Detroit, MI
Campus Martius Park Area
Downtown Detroit, MI
Source:Rundell Associates

What could be….
Current view north of Woodward and 12 Mile

What could be….
Future view north of Woodward and 12 Mile?

What is Transit Oriented
Development?
A compact, pedestrian-friendly, mixed-use development
containing medium to high density residential, office and
retail uses within walking distance of certain transit
stations
Mixed-Use
Detroit, MI
Transit Oriented Development
DART station: Dallas, Tx

People want TOD
The Principles of TOD are:
1. A mix of uses
2. Walkable
3. Compact development
4. Near a transit stop

How we develop our land
determines our transportation
choices
TOD offers Transportation Choices
Photos Courtesy of Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Center
- including public transit, biking, and walking

TOD is a process
The transit part is great but it doesn’t always come right away:
Worst Case Scenario
Mixed Use
Walkable
You have a development
that offers:
• More choices
• A sense of place
• Economic & Environmental
Sustainability
Compact

What could be….
Current view south of Woodward and 14 Mile

What could be….
Future view south of Woodward and 14 Mile?

Trends/Demand
Business 2.0
Mixed-Use and
walkable development
located near
transit stops
are HOT
July 7 2006
USA Today
June 10, 2007
The Wall Street Journal
“Transit-oriented developments are so
popular with residents who crave the
opportunity to live in a walkable
June 11, 2007
community that at least a dozen cities and
suburbs across the USA are embracing
the concept – even if they don’t have rail.”
“Dense settlements, not sprawling ranch houses,
are the future of housing - and could make for a
smart real-estate investment.”
“In dozens of cities -- from Charlotte, N.C., to
Denver to Portland, Ore. -- the hottest
redevelopment project is happening next to the
local train station.”

The Elderly will be the new
majority
SEMCOG
predicts
that by
2030 about
1/3 of the
region’s
population
will be
over 55

From 2000-2030:
Trend of Young and Senior Citizens population in cities
along Woodward
35000
30000
18-34yr age grp.
Decrease in age group of
18-34 by 4,454 people
25000
20000
65yr+age grp.
Increase in age group of
65+ by 7,232 people
15000
10000
5000
0
2000 2030
18-34 Age Group 65+ Age Group

The Hottest type of developments are
Mixed-Use and Transit Oriented
16 million households
will desire TOD by 2030
Over 30% of housing
demand is for
townhouses,
apartments, and
condos in compact,
walkable, urban style
neighborhoods
Nationally only 2% of
new housing is meeting
this demand

Economic Trends
1. Young professionals are
critical to the economy
2. High gas prices are making
transportation options
important to people in the
region, state, and country
3. Cities and suburbs alike are
changing development
policies to revitalize local
economies
Credit: Portland Oregon Visitors Association

Benefits
Municipal
Individual
Community
Region

Benefits for Municipalities:
Dallas, TX (Case Study)
• $3.3 billion invested near DART stations in 8
years
• 39% higher property values
• Local Property Tax revenue from TOD: $78
million
• Estimate that TOD has added $6.5 million in
sales taxes for local
municipalities annually

Mixed Use Development creates
Vibrant “24 Hour” Places
- where people can Live, Work, Shop, and Play
Royal Oak
Source: Detroit Rising
Royal Oak is one of the hottest spot for professionals
in metro Detroit to live, work, shop, and play!

Having Transportation Options Saves
$ Money $
• Households in TODs drive 45% less
than people in auto-dependent
neighborhoods
• This saves an average of 512
gallons of fuel and $1,400 in fuel
expenses annually - Linda Bailey, APTA
Center for Housing Policy illustration by Randy Lyhus.
In greater Detroit, working class
households are spending
more money on transportation than
for housing
- Center for Housing Policy
Sacramento, CA

Environmental benefits
Preserves Land
Reduces Air Pollution
Improves Water Quality
Greening of Detroit Park
Source: PPS

Mixed Use Types creates Communities:
Improve Quality of Life for everyone
• Less time in traffic = More time with family and friends
• Improved accessibility = Affordable living
Portland, OR
Source: Portland Transport
Good for your health
• Encourages Walking and Biking
High Point, Seattle, WA
Source: Active Living Network
Portland, OR
Source: lightrailnow.org
Safe for Pedestrians
• Slower auto traffic
• Less auto accidents
• More “eyes on the street”

What could be….
Current view at Woodward and 13 Mile

What could be….
Future view at Woodward and 13 Mile ?

How to make
it happen
Business Leaders
Citizens
Local Officials

Business Leaders
• Attend planning meetings to support good projects
• Lobby for zoning law changes that allow for higher
density and mixed uses
• Locate businesses near public transportation and
existing infrastructure
• Encourage employees to actively support proposals
for higher-density housing near jobs and
transportation

Citizens
• Learn about the importance of TOD and spread
the word
• Get involved early in comprehensive community
planning
Urge local leaders to create a communitybased
vision for future TOD
• Attend planning meetings and insist on:
Quality design that fits in with the community
and are Integrated with the transportation
system

Local Officials
• Determine your community’s vision for transit.
Determine what is already underway as far as
transit is concerned
Align your vision with surrounding cities plans
• Determine where transit stops would be beneficial
• Determine how your community is going to
accommodate transit and provide services for it

Local Officials
• Modify your zoning to accommodate transit and
mixed-use at those sites
• Be prepared for where transit can be incorporated
into the city when the opportunity arises
• Contact SMART, SEMCOG, city planners or
commissioners
• Create incentives that demonstrate the value back
to the community through a mixed-use or transit
development

For Cities Along Woodward Avenue:
Steps to implement for T.O.D type of Development.
Transit Oriented Development
Step 1:
Step 2:
Step 3:
Allow
Review Master Plans
Amend Zoning Codes
Adopt Form Based Codes
Allow
Mixed UseDevelopments
Step 4:
Integrate with
Planned Unit Development
Step 5:
Transportation System
Result:
A Transit Oriented Type of Development

Fields for Zoning Amendments:
Zoning Amendment.
Parking Flexibility
Access current parking facilities
and their uses.
Reduce or eliminate huge parking
facilities near the transit area.
Place the required parking
behind the buildings
Change “ Parking Minimum”
To “Parking Maximum”
Density
Floor Area Ratio=1 or more
Residential Area=7 units per acre
Commercial center=25 employees
per acre near bus transit.
Source: Resource CD [Golden Spike T.O.D Assessments Tool Kit]

Form-Based Zoning Codes
Form-Based Zoning Codes
• Assure that the design of buildings, streets, and blocks will be predictable
• This allows the community to chose the uses appropriate for each different form
Credit: Duany Plater-Zyberk
Allows different land uses to be mixed together without
compromising the health, safety, or welfare of the citizens

T.O.D Design Guidelines:
Transit friendly design Standards
Design Standards
Well lit and well defined road crossing
Large interesting windows along the
sidewalks with ground level retails
Pedestrian level Signage and Way
finding
Buffers separating pedestrian from
cars using trees and on street
parking
Quality parks squares and other places
Incentives
Incentives:
Density Allowance Bonuses
Transportation enhancement
grants
Property tax abatements
Parking requirement waivers
Location efficient mortgages
Continues sidewalks 10ft-25ft
depending on the context
Source: Golden Spike White Paper, T.O.D Assessments Tool Kit.

What currently is ….
Current view in Pontiac

What could be….
Future view in Pontiac?

What could be….
Current view at Woodward and 9 Mile

What could be….
Future view at Woodward and 9 Mile ?

Questions?