Model TOD Zoning Ordinance (PDF, 3.7 MB) - Reconnecting America

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June 29, 2001 ■Model Transit-Oriented District Overlay Zoning Ordinance12. Drive-Through FacilitiesEstablishments with drive-in or drive-through windows such as fast-food restaurants, drugstores,and banks should go through a stringent conditional use review to make certain that the drivethroughfacilities do not degrade the transit-friendly and pedestrian-oriented environment requiredin the TOD Overlay District. Such establishments typically consume an undue amount of land,require excessive curbcuts, and result in an unfriendly environment for pedestrians. Theytypically lead to the buildings being set further back from the street. They also give thepsychological signal to the driver to not get out of the car and conduct other errands on foot, andin turn impart a sense of auto-dominance to the pedestrian.Figure 12.a: This Walgreens in Oakland, CA has itsentrance oriented to an active street with side-onparking.Figure 12.b: The drive-through of this sameWalgreens is accessible from a more auto-orientedside street and through the side-on parking lot.13. Gas StationsGas stations are a necessary component within a community, but are generally not conducive tocreating a transit-friendly or pedestrian-oriented environment. Therefore, the number and locationof gas stations within a TOD should be controlled. When they do occur, their design should behighly regulated in order to avoid the typically mass-produced character of corporate design andshould instead conform with the surrounding neighborhood, and provide a high level and qualityof detail. Gas station operators should look to historic examples of gas station design when thearchitecture was more refined and often had a relationship to its surroundings. Gas stations oftenhave excessive curb cuts for convenience to the auto. Solutions may entail specifying a maximumallowed proportion of curb cut to frontage. This will require property owners to consolidateaccess points or create narrower one-way entries and exits. Within a TOD, where a mix of uses isa prerequisite, accompanying gas station uses such as mini-marts, convenience sundries sales, carwashes, etc., are unnecessary, therefore, they should be prohibited.Page 14 ■Chapter V ■ Valley Connections
Model Transit-Oriented District Overlay Zoning Ordinance ■ June 29, 200114. Light Industrial UsesMost industrial uses are not conducive to creating a transit-supportive and pedestrian-orientedenvironment. Relative to other employment uses, modern industrial manufacturing, warehousing,and processing tend to create low demands on labor and, in turn, create streetscapes with littleactivity except for autos and trucks. This is an issue for transit, because low job generation willalso affect transit ridership numbers. Neither are noxious and noisy activities conducive tocreating a comfortable street environment.Moreover, industry typically requires larger parcels of land to carry out large-scale activities andto allow easy maneuvering of trucks around a site. They also require large building footprints andhave little need for windows. Therefore, industrial sites become quite inaccessible for pedestrians.Unlike pre-WWII structures, which brought life to streets with large industrial sash windows,modern structures often face the street with massive, blank walls as electrical lighting and coolinghave eliminated the need for windows. Moreover, low-cost construction techniques and theinherent internal orientation of industrial uses have done away with façade details that are anessential component to creating pedestrian-friendly public spaces.Types of uses that would create street activity, such as accessory office or retail space should belocated towards the street frontage of industrial buildings and lots. Permitted industrial projectsshould include supportive commercial uses such as restaurants, coffee shops, and uses thatsupport other daily needs of employees and allow them walking opportunities throughout the day.Moreover, a mix of uses should be encouraged that spans the gamut from industry to residential.It is important that uses be compatible. Some light industrial uses, such as artisan and lightassembly uses, can be more compatible with context-sensitive uses such as residential. In turn,allowing live-work will also minimize the disparity between these two uses as residents are partof the employment and work force.15. Outdoor Recreational UsesThe provision of open space within a community is a necessary component of successfulcommunity planning and urban design. The function and distribution of public open space shouldmeet the passive and active recreational needs of the community it serves. Meeting friends,playing ball, sunning, picnicking, running, and just plain sitting and watching the surroundingactivity is often seen as an essential part of what forms a community. The central location of thetransit station is a natural location for a public plaza or park as a large number of uses and acritical mass of people will be focused around this node. This combination can be an effectiveway of structuring a community.Public space should not be an afterthought, particularly in situations where it plays such a centralrole. Ideally, uses will surround it and focus their front doors onto it to provide an active streetlife around its perimeter creating the opportunity for community policing of the space.Valley Connections ■ Chapter V ■ Page 15
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Model TOD Zoning Ordinance (PDF, 3.7 MB) - Reconnecting America

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