The document provides guidelines for creating Station Area Plans (SAPs) to promote smart growth near transit stations. A SAP focuses development within a half mile of a transit station. They integrate land use and transit and create compact, walkable neighborhoods. SAPs are needed due to changing demographics, population growth, and limits on road capacity. The Sierra Club created guidelines to educate on building livable communities by focusing on compact development, community benefits, pedestrian access, transportation options, and green buildings. The guidelines include a scoring system to evaluate SAP proposals.

1. Guidelines for Station Area Plans
Guidelines for Station Area Plans
• What is a Station Area Plan? Why do we need it?
• How is it helpful?
• Why does the Sierra Club have guidelines
• How can we use it
Guidelines for Station Area Planning

2. Guidelines for Station Area Plans
Guidelines for Station Area Plans
What is a SAP
What is a Station Area Plan?
Smart growth:
• Integrate land use and transit
Guidelines for Station Area Planning

3. Guidelines for Station Area Plans
Guidelines for Station Area Plans
What is a SAP
What is a Station Area Plan?
Smart growth:
• Integrate land use and transit
• Compact, walkable, mixed-use neighborhood
• 1/2 mile radius of a transit station.
Guidelines for Station Area Planning

4. Guidelines for Station Area Plans
Guidelines for Station Area Plans
Why do we need it
Changing demographics
+
Growth
of our population
Guidelines for Station Area Planning

5. Guidelines for Station Area Plans
Guidelines for Station Area Plans
Why do we need it
Senior Tsunami
• in less than 20 years,
1/4 of the adult
population of our
county will be over
65.
• Many will be non-
drivers
Guidelines for Station Area Planning

6. Guidelines for Station Area Plans
Guidelines for Station Area Plans
Why do we need it
Young people: singles, couples without children,
Guidelines for Station Area Planning

7. Guidelines for Station Area Plans
Guidelines for Station Area Plans
Why do we need it
More people are electing to remain single as a lifestyle
Guidelines for Station Area Planning

8. Guidelines for Station Area Plans
Guidelines for Station Area Plans
And our workforce needs to live near jobs
Guidelines for Station Area Planning

9. Guidelines for Station Area Plans
Guidelines for Station Area Plans
Why do we need it
Changing demographics
+
Growth
of our population
Freeways are at capacity
+
Need healthier lifestyles
Guidelines for Station Area Planning

10. Guidelines for Station Area Plans
Guidelines for Station Area Plans
How it is helpful to do an SAP?
State Law requires towns to meet SB 375 and AB 32
• climate change
• green house gas emissions
Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD!
• new clean air standards
So……
Association of Bay Area Governments:
• Reduce auto use
• Modify land-use to support TRANSIT
•JOBS- HOUSING balance is goal
Guidelines for Station Area Planning

11. Guidelines for Station Area Plans
Guidelines for Station Area Plans
Menlo Park Station Area Plan
• >1% of Menlo Park
• Create housing for
new demographic
• Create vibrant
economic town center
• Support transit with
compact development
and mix of uses
Guidelines for Station Area Planning

12. Guidelines for Station Area Plans
Guidelines for Station Area Plans
Why does Sierra Club have Guidelines?
Guidelines for Station Area Planning

13. Guidelines for Station Area Plans
Guidelines for Station Area Plans
Why does Sierra Club have Guidelines?
• Guidelines for Station Area Plans
(SAP)
for cities
• Guidelines for Transit Oriented Development
(TOD)
for developers
Guidelines for Station Area Planning

14. Guidelines for Station Area Plans
Guidelines for Station Area Plans
WHAT ARE THESE GUIDELINES?
Focus on FIVE issues
• Compact growth
• Community benefits
• Pedestrian top priority
• Transportation options: walk bike, shuttles, buses,
transit passes, car share, bike share, TDM, etc.
• Green buildings and site
Guidelines for Station Area Planning

15. Guidelines for Station Area Plans
Guidelines for Station Area Plans
How can we use it?
• Educate City officials
• Educate the client
• Educate the public
• Meet state law
• While preserving
neighborhooods
Guidelines for Station Area Planning

16. 1. Urban Form
1. Urban Form
A. Compact Development
A. Compact Development
Use highest score
Guidelines for Station Area Planning

17. 1. Urban Form
1. Urban Form
B. Affordability
B. Affordability
Use highest score
Guidelines for Station Area Planning

18. 2. Community & Economic Benefits-
2. Community & Economic Benefits-
A. Household Trips Accommodated
A. Household Trips Accommodated
1 2 3 4 5
76-80 81-85 86-90 91-95 96-100
pts. pts. pts. pts. pts.
www.walkscore.com Use highest score
Guidelines for Station Area Planning

19. 2. Community & Economic Benefits-
2. Community & Economic Benefits-
B. Additional Community & Economic Benefits – 1 point each
B. Additional Community & Economic Benefits – 1 point each
….to create a vibrant neighborhood
• “A Sense of Place”
• Prioritize existing local businesses
• State-of-the-Art Telecommunications facilities
• Safe Routes to Schools
• Upgraded parks
• Access to Open Space
• Daycare facilities
• Bike facilities & Complete Streets
• Electric Car charging spots
• Car Share within 3 blocks
10 possible points
Guidelines for Station Area Planning

20. 2. Additional Community & Economic Benefits
2. Additional Community & Economic Benefits
EXAMPLE: Fruitvale Transit Village at BART, Oakland
EXAMPLE: Fruitvale Transit Village at BART, Oakland
Features:
• Public Plaza
• Farmers Market
• Retail & Restaurants
• Office Space
How many points would it get?
Guidelines for Station Area Planning

21. 2. Additional Community & Economic Benefits
2. Additional Community & Economic Benefits
EXAMPLE: Fruitvale Transit Village at BART, Oakland
EXAMPLE: Fruitvale Transit Village at BART, Oakland
Features:
• Public Plaza
• Farmers Market
• Retail & Restaurants
• Office Space
• Library
• Child Care Facility
• Health Clinic
• <20% national chains
• Local Festivals
How many points would it get?
Guidelines for Station Area Planning

22. 3. Pedestrian Priority
3. Pedestrian Priority
EXAMPLE: CASTRO STREET, MOUNTAIN VIEW
EXAMPLE: CASTRO STREET, MOUNTAIN VIEW
• Auto traffic is slowed
• Wide active sidewalk
• Train station nearby
• On bus route
• SENSE of PLACE
• Elegant street details
• No chain stores
• Mid block crossings
• Mid block “Paseos”
Guidelines for Station Area Planning

23. 3. Pedestrian Priority
EXAMPLE: CASTRO STREET, MOUNTAIN VIEW
• Auto traffic is slowed
• Wide active sidewalk
• Train station near
• On bus route
• SENSE of PLACE
• Elegant street details
• No chain stores
• Mid block crossings
• Mid block “Paseos”
Guidelines for Station Area Planning

24. 4. Transportation Alternatives
1 point each
1 1 1 1 1
Each street Auto L.O.S. Equal modal Congestion Streets used
priority rated not used splits priority pricing for for uses e.g.
parking plaza
Guidelines for Station Area Planning

25. 4. More Transportation Alternatives
1 point each
1 1 1 1 1
Free transit Bike Share Free Access to Bicycle
pass within Shuttle buses bike and ped boulevards
provided 3 blocks trails
Guidelines for Station Area Planning

26. 5. Energy & Resource Efficiency
5. Energy & Resource Efficiency
Green Building – Use highest Score
Green Building – Use highest Score
Guidelines for Station Area Planning

27. 5. Additional Energy Efficiency features
5. Additional Energy Efficiency features
One Point each
One Point each
1 1 1 1 1
Low Impact Restored FSC certified De- Other
Develop- natural or recycled constructed innovations
ment services wood used at up to 75% (e.g.greywater)
(e.g.creeks) 75%
Guidelines for Station Area Planning

28. 5. Energy & Resource Efficient
5. Energy & Resource Efficient
Example: California Academy of Sciences, San Francisco
Example: California Academy of Sciences, San Francisco
Reducing the
carbon
footprint
and
Preserving
the natural
world.
Guidelines for Station Area Planning

29. Guidelines Scorecard
Guidelines Scorecard
The process used to review projects & make recommendations
The process used to review projects & make recommendations
Maximum possible score: 75
1. Compact Urban Form & Affordability 10
2. Community & Economic Benefits 30
3. Pedestrian Priority 5
4. Transportation Alternatives 15
5. Energy & Resource Efficiency 10
6. Other Features not listed 5
Min. Passing Grade is 30-35 however Goal 50
is:
Guidelines for Station Area Planning

30. Guidelines created by:
Guidelines created by:
Sustainable Land Use Committee
Sierra Club Loma Prieta Chapter
The Guidelines and Scorecard
are tools for
A vibrant livable “Station Area Plan”
Guidelines for Station Area Planning