COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT in tod station planning //
“Building community support for TOD relies on three priorities —
fostering trust and credibility, humanizing the message, and respecting community reality. The process itself of gathering in a neutral setting to discuss a controversial topic can bring opposing sides closer together. In each case, we should ask, how does this new development align with the aspirations of the residents?”
Erin Machell, Troy Reinhalter, and Karen Chapple, “Building Support for Transit-Oriented Development: Do Community Engagement Toolkits Work?” Center for Community Innovation, The Institute of Urban and Regional Development, August 2009
2007–Present
Calgary // Alberta As a city, Calgary has experienced a profound change in the past 30 years, with both the population and footprint doubling. Projections for continued growth and an additional 1.3 million people in the next 30 to 60 years have spurred policy discussions and a shift towards prioritizing new growth in infill locations. Transit stations are natural places for development, and several of the city-owned park-and-ride lots are now the focus of future urban activity centers. The city and its land
development arm, the Office Land Servicing & Housing (OLSH), began a process in 2007 to engage citizens in planning for a flagship TOD around Anderson Station, a legacy station with a large park-and-ride lot. Neighborhood and community input contributed to the evolution of the design, in particular, the acceptable density and mix of uses. Recently, the city also began planning efforts for the new Green Line LRT, holding public charrettes for station areas. tinyurl.com/hvw5ldm
We have recognized as a city that we have to grow differently — we have to grow up, not out — and the best places to start doing that are around transit stations. The fact that we’ve surrounded a transit station, the most walkable of locations, with a sea of parking just doesn’t make sense any more. Councillor Gian-Carlo Carra, City of Calgary, Ward 9
The communities that we engaged with want to see medium density housing options in walking distance of the stations, linkages to the adjacent neighborhoods, and a reasonable approach to replacing some of the park-and-ride capacity. Calgary is a carcentric city, so it has been a challenging conversation for the people who rely on the parking daily to think about these changes over time. Shifting from surface lots to development requires community support and political will.
Linda Hackman, Office of Land Servicing & Housing, City of Calgary
2015–Present
Hennepin County // Minnesota The METRO Blue Line Extension will connect communities northwest of downtown Minneapolis to the METRO LRT system through 13 miles of new track and 11 new stations. Four suburban cities will gain access to the system — Golden Valley, Robbinsdale, Crystal, and Brooklyn Park. As the LRT line is being designed, Hennepin County dedicated additional resources to help each city go through an in-depth station area planning process to better understand the potential changes in land uses and connections within a 1/2 mile walk from stations.
Extensive engagement allowed the communities to explore challenges and opportunities that accompany the new LRT access and create a common vision. These cities represent a wide range of demographics, including minority and immigrant populations, ranges of incomes, transportation preferences, and lifestyles. Working together, Hennepin County, the cities, and community-based organizations consciously tackled challenges in the process, with the goal of engendering authentic community participation. tinyurl.com/gu26ucd
Photo by Eric Wheeler, Metro Transit
In preparing communities for a major investment like the Blue Line Extension, station area planning fosters a dialogue with cities, neighborhoods, and residents along the route about their needs, desires and concerns for how the station will fit into their community. Station area plans also identify the investments needed to integrate the line into neighborhoods. Mike Opat, Chair and Commissioner and Linda Higgins, Commissioner, Hennepin County Board of Commissioners
2014–Present
Council Bluffs // Iowa Council Bluffs is a westward-looking city, across the Missouri River from Omaha, Nebraska. Historically, it served as the eastern terminus of the Transcontinental Railroad and grew into a major center for grain storage. As economies changed in the twentieth century, the city strived to realign its identity. Visitors to Council Bluffs today can witness downtown revitalization and new development being attracted near the river. Omaha was recently awarded a TIGER grant and began planning a new bus rapid transit system to connect downtown, the
hospitals, and regional destinations. Council Bluffs recognized a multifaceted opportunity to revitalize its auto-oriented West Broadway corridor and to plan for the extension of BRT across the river and along the city-owned right-of-way. Realizing the importance of this effort, the city initiated a public engagement process, allowing the community to develop visions for the corridor. Broad-based participation helped build support for the project and act as a basis for more detailed station area planning in the future. tinyurl.com/ptbz6yc
The West Broadway Corridor Plan provided a unique opportunity for city leaders, private businesses, and the general public to engage in a discussion about creating a shared vision for the West Broadway corridor. The successful implementation of the plan’s vision will result in improved traffic movement and transportation options, and enhanced community image, housing options, and economic development opportunities. Matt Walsh, Mayor, City of Council Bluffs
Lessons Learned // in Community Engagement for TOD 1. Ask simple, open-ended questions — get the full range of perspectives 2. Focus on regular people and their needs 3. Use imagery that is relatable and offers real alternatives 4. Have honest conversations about community benefits and costs 5. Use precedents and concrete examples of places people know 6. Provide transparent and straightforward information 7. Keep local context in mind 8. Employ formats that encourage people to listen to alternative perspectives from their peers, especially in contentious situations 9. Identify under-represented groups and make special efforts to create welcoming and meaningful participation for all members of a community 10. Design an engagement process that emphasizes listening rather than educating