If you care about transit oriented development, you may have resigned yourself to the idea that state policymakers in Olympia will never be a major player on the issue. The state doesn’t invest in light rail, and doesn’t do much to assist localities in providing transit service. Sometimes they can be downright hostile. Which makes this proposed legislation such a welcome change:
Transportation Choices and Futurewise are running a bill that seeks to capitalize on the ST2 investment. The bill which will be sponsored by Rep. Sharon Nelson (D-Vashon Island) and Senator Chris Marr (D-Spokane) will encourage transit oriented development around transit stations across the state. The bill is entitled “Creating Transit Communities” and will create land use guidelines and incentives to ensure that dense, walkable, and accessible development takes shape around light rail and BRT stations.
The state does some heavy lifting on land-use issues. Things like passing, then defending, growth management. Encouraging transit oriented development is something usually left to counties and municipalities. Some of the goals of this legislation:
Encourage walkable compact communities with an average density of 50 units per acre within a half mile radius around high capacity transit stations.
Provide local jurisdictions the resources and a framework to grow in a sustainable way.
Offer incentives for development in transit oriented communities.
Allow for transit oriented development in our urban centers that encourages a reduction in vehicle miles traveled and helps Washington achieve its emissions reductions goals.
Strengthen existing provisions to ensure that low-income housing is available within the transit accessible communities.
Things are getting interesting as once local housing activist (who also is a die-hard light rail opponent) is spreading disinformation about the bill.
We have lots of money available for that.
@1
Eh, how so? This just mandates zoning changes. That is a pretty low cost activity compared to digging highway tunnels or widening freeways.
Looks good to me. Let’s hope it doesn’t get derailed by people nitpicking over small stuff.
Speaking of Olympia…
Goldy had better hope that HB 1286 doesn’t pass since the HA website is 93% “false and defamatory electioneering communication,” 6% hyperventilation, 4% Darcy fantasies, and 2% butterscotch ripple. [For you Lefties that are even slower than most of your ilk, the numbers are a movie reference, not a result of union-first-kids-last book learnin’.]
To quote the bill:
“The legislature finds that… the political process will benefit from vigorous political debate that is not made with actual malice and is not defamatory.”
“If a violation is proven, damages are presumed and do not need to be proven.”
Oh, no! Now you’re going to have to go out and get a real job, Goldy!
Perhaps they should give this bill one of those cute titles like the “Goldstein Muzzle Act.”
I would be surprised if the state did make TOD a priority. Although with Amtrak Cascades, they have the potential for some at Tukwilla, whenever the permanent SOUNDER Station there gets built.
Also, I would like to see more amenities provided. I like the small grocery store in Downtown Seattle, the Kress IGA, hope it works out.
Also, there is an interesting self-serve package-delivery system that might be worth trying, but has drawbacks. One is safety, the other, the company that has tried it out in their home market, is pulling out of the U.S. Market. They probably have the system patented.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Packstation
http://www.dhl.de/dhl?lang=de_.....File=53008
Will opined:
Will, which party runs Olympia? Who besides re-run trumpets this state being big time blue, discussing the Republican losses? StillBentOver (AKA ByeByeGoober).
When you have those two leftist pinhead losers cheer leading them on HA and all of your ilk voting for them year after year what do you expect from Olympia? You got what you voted for.
If the legislature wanted to support better development, the first thing they need to do is spend available money on it. They’ll have a chance.
There’s about to be a $515 million federal pot available for most any type of transportation – thanks to Congress and Obama. State legislators currently plan to earmark 90% of it. If that happens, they’ll give it all to the road and asphalt lobby.
In addition to promoting this legislation, when are the environmental groups going to wake up and tell the legislature to say no to more asphalt and roads to nowhere with the new Obama money?
Unless people wake up, it’ll all happen in secret before anybody has a chance to really see what they’ve done. That’s what the boys and girls over at the state highway department are hoping.
Ironic that people elected a new President and a new Congress promising change, then to find out that the President and the Congress doing the first piece of legislation in the same old way at the control of special interests in the highway lobby. There might by no earmarks in Washington, DC – but the highway boys know that powerful state legislators will now be in charge of the earmarking in state capitols all over the country.
The Governor should demand that the state highway department publish its intentions now. No more secrets.
It would be a shame if Obama’s first big bill wound up being a big pork frenzy by the highway boys and the legislators they own in Olympia.
Does anyone else find it strange that the sponsors of this bill are from Vashon Island and Spokane???