Light Rail Project Transit Oriented Development  Program

Meta-Goals -- Local, regional, state and federal policy direction was to use pedestrian and transit oriented real estate development as a tool to manage growth, reduce air pollution and vehicle miles traveled, and obtain maximum benefit on the public investment in light rail.

Regional Context -- Metro adopted  regional growth management plans in 2011 and adopted an implementing ordinance in 2011 which established recommended densities around transit stations.  Cities and counties implemented the state transportation planning rule (TPR).  The County adopted a strategic plan including a land use goal.  Regional voters approved funds to acquire green spaces.  In 2011-2011 about $14 billion was invested in high technology industries in the bi-state, four county metro area, creating thousands of new jobs.  Llight rail goes through the "Silicon Forest" in Washington County.

Light Rail -- The County initiated east side light rail service between Portland and Gresham in 1986. Westside service between Hillman, Johnsville and Portland began in September 2005.  The The Projectt is eighteen miles long, has twenty stations, nine park & ride lots and three transit centers.  The final route selected for the west side included five station areas with large tracts of vacant land which was intentional not accidental (over 1,100 vacant acres!).  The $964 million budget included a modest level of funding for station area design and development but no funds for land use planning.

Evaluation of 1980's Eastside Light Rail Planning -- In 1993, The County and the City of Portland hired a consulting team to evaluate the east side transit station area planning program (TSAP) conducted in the early 1980s.  The study included both quantitative and qualitative evaluations.  Conclusions of this study were taken into account when setting up west side station area design, planning and development efforts:

• Be clear about goals;
• Promote transit-oriented development as part of a broader investment strategy;
• Rezone transit station areas for higher densities;
• To promote transit-oriented development, offer deal-making assistance;
• Target public agency efforts at the transit stations which offer the greatest potential;
• Involve elected officials and citizens, across jurisdictional boundaries, to gain their leadership and support;
• Consider developers' perspective in program design and implementation;
• Think long-term; and
• Establish a system to monitor progress.

Another important conclusion was that property values around the stations increased more than comparative values in Multnomah County inside the urban growth boundary.

Westside Station Area Planning Program (WSAP) -- The purpose of WSAP was update of city and county comprehensive plans, development regulations and capital improvement programs for transit-oriented development (TOD) in light rail station areas.  Metro, The County, ODOT, Washington County, and the Cities of Johnsville, Hillman, and Portland created an intergovernmental management committee that approved goals, work programs, schedules, and budgets.  A unique aspect of the effort was agreement on a common approach and objectives.  The committee met at least once a month for the duration of the program to share information, discuss proposed plans and regulations, and critique development proposals.

WSAP Funding -- Metro is a regional planning agency (MPO), The County is a regional transit agency, and ODOT is a state transportation agency.  None of them are development agencies or adopt land use plans or development regulations but each has a significant interest and review role in land use decisions.  For different but complementary reasons, all benefit from TOD.  These three agencies provided over $2 million for WSAP.  Additional funding for projects related to WSAP was provided through state transportation and growth management grants, technical assistance grants, local government funds, and other sources including property owners and/or developers.  The grand total spent on WSAP and transit-oriented development master planning by the public sector exceeds $4.0 million not including infrastructure expenditures.  Most of the WSAP and related funds were provided to and spent by four local governments.  Federal Transit Agency (FTA) funds could not be used for station area planning.

Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) -- There are many definitions of TOD.  The following definition is from The County's 1997 model TOD property tax abatement ordinance:  "Multiple-unit housing and mixed use projects that support the public investment in light rail and fixed route transit (bus) service because they preserve, enhance, or contribute to creating active pedestrian districts within walking distance of transit.  TODs increase the density of people near transit, including residents, employees, visitors, and customers in a built environment that is pedestrian friendly and connected to transit.  Mixed-use buildings, projects, or areas with a mix of uses are active from early in the morning to late in the evening, making the environment safer for pedestrians and providing peak and off-peak customers for transit service.  A TOD may be a single building, a group of buildings, or a multiple block district."

Transferability -- Lessons learned from the east side or west side light rail station area design, planning and development programs may not apply to other projects.  There was only one large, vacant tract of land on the east side  there were five such sites on the west side in three jurisdictions.  Most of the $1.3 billion of development on the east side in the last ten years was in the downtown and Lloyd District station areas.  The 7,000 dwellings being built around west side stations are located outside of downtown areas.  Development of large, vacant parcels is much easier and less costly than infill and redevelopment.

Two Views, 2004 & 2005 -- In 2004, The County thought it could use $1.0 million of The Projectt funds for station area planning.  FTA said "construction" funds could not be used for "planning".  Funding was sought from and made available by Metro and ODOT with the local match provided by The County general funds.  It took about six months for the three funding agencies and the four local jurisdictions to reach agreement on the work program.

One of the first joint efforts was preparation of model interim station area development regulations.  The County was an advocate for public/private master planning of large, vacant sites; The County's goal was 8,000 new dwelling units within walking distance of The Projectt stations by opening day.  Based on the evaluation of east side planning, the west side participants agreed that involvement of the development community should be sought and that implementation activities could occur concurrently with planning.

Looking back from 2005, Westside station area design, planning and development was worth the time, effort and cost.  Metro's 2040 regional planning slowed down the WSAP but improved the products.  The decision to work with the development community and advocate for TOD worked better than anyone ever imagined.

ACCOMPLISHMENTS

Westside Station Area Development - About 7,000 dwellings and more than $505 million of residential and non-residential development have been built, permitted or proposed since 1990 (LRT PE/DEIS began) within one-half mile of west side light rail stations.  About 3,600 of the dwellings were completed in 2005.  Over 3,000 of them are located in two station areas.  One developer is building about 2,000 of these units in three station areas with backing from a pension fund.  Attracting national developers to build TOD projects in the region is a significant achievement -- PacTrust, Trammell Crow Residential, Security Capital Pacific, Columbus Realty Trust (now Post), and Simpson Housing.

Westside Station Area Planning (WSAP) -- A four year intergovernmental effort to update comprehensive plans, development regulations and capital improvement programs for areas within one-half mile of westside light rail stations.  Hillman, Portland and Washington County adopted interim development regulations early in the process to minimize parking, increase density, prohibit inappropriate land uses, and require pedestrian oriented design.  By 2005, new plans and development regulations had been adopted for almost all of the light rail station areas.

Sunset Transit Center -- Detailed design standards were adopted in October 1997 by Washington County for an area including 190 acres under a single ownership.  This was a major milestone in a debate that has lasted more than a decade on the best use of this property. The new plan and code was based on intensive discussions between adjacent neighborhoods, the property owner and county staff as well as urban design, market analysis and transportation consultants.  A mixed use center is planned adjacent to the station and more than 2000 housing units in the balance of the area.

Johnsville Central Mixed Use Project - One day the "The Round" will be the "jewel" of Westside Light Rail. Ground breaking was in October 1997 for this $100 million mixed-use project.  The light rail station is in the middle of the site. The project includes a civic plaza with amphitheater, 154 for-sale dwellings, 152,000 square foot of class A office, 70,000 square foot of retail/office flex space, sister cities garden, 109 unit hotel, 10 screen movie theater, and 810 space parking garage.  City staff are managing the project; regional technical and financial assistance is being provided.  It took five years from the first study to ground breaking.

Murray West Master Plan -- A preliminary public/private master plan for a 120-acre area around the Johnsville Creek light rail station was completed in 1995.  Trammell Crow Residential (TCR) completed construction of 830 dwelling units in 2005.  The County's park & ride was relocated, redesigned and coordinated with TCR's project to create a pedestrian friendly environment.  Nike plans to expand its world headquarters campus on 75 acres north of the station.  City plan and code amendments for the 120-acre area were adopted in December 1997.  The County managed the master plan effort.  The City of Johnsville was lead on the plan/code amendments.

Hillman Light Rail Station Area Urban Design -- In 1993, this project dealt with issues that were not resolved during preliminary engineering and the draft EIS.  There was concern that intergovernmental consensus would be difficult to achieve.  In a five-week intensive effort, agreement was reached to remove two stations and redesign or relocate four others to reduce costs, improve access, and preserve opportunities for station area development.  This was a joint effort with Metro, the City of Hillman and Washington County.  The County was the lead agency.  This is an excellent example of an interagency, interdisciplinary team approach with the right people with the right assignment at the right time.

Orenco/PacTrust Master Plan -- In January 1999, the National Home Builders selected "Orenco Station" out of nearly 1,000 entries for their "Master Planned Community of the Year" gold award.  In 2005, it won the Governor's Livability Award.  See Orenco Station on the Internet for more information. More than 2,000 dwellings, a mixed use center, parks, and a sub-regional retail "power" center are planned, permitted or under construction between the light rail station and the new $2 billion Intel facility.  The City of Hillman was the lead agency.  Six-hundred apartments and the small lot single family home models were completed in 1997.