2019 Community Planning Program Implementation Report

January 15, 2020

By Alex Devlin, Senior Planner, RTA

The RTA is pleased to share the 2019 Community Planning Implementation Report. To better understand and convey the impact that the Community Planning program has had on local development, the RTA once again administered a survey to past project partners. The survey asks communities to identify any policy changes or infrastructure improvements that were put in place to support the recommendations from completed RTA planning efforts. In addition, they are asked to list any new developments that were approved, under construction, or completed in their TOD area during the previous calendar year. The results of the survey are then included in this annual implementation report.

The 2019 Implementation Report provides details on 59 real estate developments in 2018, with 10 being approved for construction, 23 being under construction, and 16 being completed during the course of the year. The 59 developments include 3,589 residential units and 407,757 square feet of commercial/retail space, as well as 28,152 square feet of office space, all located within close proximity to convenient transit service. Overall, these figures illustrate the growing progress of RTA-supported community plans being implemented across the region.

Established in 1998, the RTA Community Planning program helps local governments to promote development that supports transit ridership and improves access to public transportation while also supporting the communities’ economic goals. The program provides technical support and funding that communities use to plan for and implement transit-oriented development. The RTA’s efforts have positively affected the region by revitalizing downtowns, streamlining local development approval processes, and enhancing the accessibility of station areas.

We encourage you to read this year’s implementation report to find out more. For additional information about the Community Planning program, please visit our website.