Consultant Outlines Obstacles to TODs

Leland notes the corridor starts in LoDo in Downtown Denver at Union Station, travels through industrial areas, typical suburban housing areas ideal for mixed-uses, and undeveloped greenfields. "But not all TODs are created equal," says Leland, who also has had an office in Denver for the past 10 years. He says that there are a number of market barriers that can hamper TODs.

These barriers include regional and local economic conditions; insufficient market demand; surrounding communities that are not ready for density; fear of pioneering from developers; a lack of critical mass; a lack of visibility; and a lack of precedent, especially for high-density developments, such as those often found next to commuter or light rail stations.

In addition, there can be physical barriers, Leland says. They include a lack of good vehicular connections; sites that are separate from the community, creating little islands; vast seas of park and rides between the station area and the TOD; a poor pedestrian environment; lack of control of key parcels; incompatible land uses; inadequate site size and shape; and a lack of public realm issues.

Leland also points to financial barriers. They can include a lack of public money to seed projects, property acquisitions or programs. And developers might be able to obtain insufficient rents or selling prices, he says.

"The perceived risks can inhibit investments," he says. Also, there can be initial high land costs. And this can be compounded by the cost of tearing down, which likely will be inevitable, he says.

That's because TODs are evolving creatures that may start as low-density developments, but as the area matures, and the areas around the stations are actually served by rail--typically a 10-year to 15-year process--low-density development and surface parking may need to be replaced with high-density developments and either structured parking or other buildings, he notes.

Public-private partnerships are key, but this means surrounding communities must re-think how they operate, he says. "Cities can have outdated codes and standards in the way of goals," according to Leland.

Also, cities must be aware they may have inflexible codes that can lead to regulatory overkill, as well as overly prescriptive design standards. Leland also warns of onerous permitting process. "Time is money," he notes.