Urban Design Guidelines - Valley Metro

COMMUNITY FEA TURESThe integration of the light rail into theexisting community holds one of thegreatest opportunities for the system.The best transportation systems notonly serve the existing arenas, businesscenters and neighborhoods, they alsocreate the potential to provide newcommunity services as part of the transitexperience.Community Features may require coordinatedactions from the light rail projectteam and city planning staff to integratetheir design. A market analysis ofeach station area will determine whichstation areas can and should supportthe addition of transit-supportive landuses. The light rail team will assist thecity planning staff in developing appropriatetransit-oriented developmentzoning for the station areas with marketpotential. Those stations with the needfor specific rider conveniences will bedetermined by a review with the communityof actual needs.Urban DesignPerformance CriteriaMixed-Use Developments∆ Identify existing, adjacent land usesfor each station including cultural,educational, commercial, and recreationalentities.∆ Consider the thematic implicationsfor station design based upon thenature of adjacent community featuresand facilities.∆ Design and plan for appropriatedevelopment zones in station areasthat have present or future marketopportunities.∆ Design station areas with directlines-of-sight, convenient walkingpaths, and distances between communityfeatures and stations.and arcades, or the development ofcommunity features within arcadeconnections.∆ Work with the cities to facilitateadjacent land uses that providemulti-hour a day activity andpedestrian-oriented mixed-use inthe station area, enhancing securityand livability.Rider Conveniences∆ Pursue partnerships to create anextension of existing conveniencesor introduce new conveniences intothe design of the station platform,adjacent pedestrian areas, or busconnections. Examples include:satellite bank vending facilities, specialtycoffee shops, sale or loan ofmagazines and books (library extension),video leasing/and or videoreturn kiosks, the sale ofarts/crafts/tools produced by studentsat local schools, sports-orientedcollectibles at stadiums, museumartifacts, convention center displays,or entertainment ticket vending.∆ Evaluate the character and potentialof the station environment and userpopulation in each case for the additionof these features. Make surethat the conveniences fit the actualneed of the community for whichthey are proposed.∆ Investigate the potential integrationof uses that would tend to enhancesecurity and eyes-on-the-street forpark-and-ride areas, such as policesub-stations or community facilitieswith peak use on evenings or weekends.∆ Look for opportunities to integraterider conveniences within systemsbuildings to achieve design efficiencies.Page 52∆ Consider connections to existingbuildings by the use of canopies