Agenda - Planning Commission - 09/06/2012

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Density and the Planning Edge By Lisa Nisenson The growing demand for city living naturally boosts demand for building rehabilitation and redevelopment. However, urbanists hoping to accelerate the renaissance need to reckon with market and other forces that still hold back redevelop- ment. Ask developers, smart growth advo- cates, planners, and local officials to name the greatest barrier to redevelopment and infill, and there is one answer common to all: neighborhood opposition to new density and redevelopment. This is not a new observation. Smart growth and housing advocates have de- veloped a range of tool boxes, guides, and graphics to address the main points of op- position: reduced property values, traffic, and livability factors. Common resources tend to address these fears in three main ways: • by debunking property value and traffic arguments through research and "myth and fact" -type documents; • by listing the redevelopment benefits for watersheds, transportation, and housing supply; and • by using graphics, photo galleries, and photo -edited images to highlight amenities. These responses help make the case for why density and redevelopment should occur in the first place but do not address neighbors' legitimate concerns about intro- duced impacts. Instead, what is needed is a focused effort to identify potential impacts and methods to prevent, mitigate, or man- age them throughout the life of the project. This article begins a conversation on higher density redevelopment to answer a fundamental question: If neighborhood opposition is a predominant barrier to re- development and infill, why not dedicate more attention to design solutions and livability where new density meets the neighborhood? THE PLANNING EDGE What is the planning edge? Typically this edge includes the zone immediately surrounding an area where higher density redevelopment is planned or under development. The planning edge can also extend from the project area to include residential and commercial areas impacted (positively and negatively) by transportation, economic development, and infrastructure. Several terms are used when de- scribing the transition between areas of development intensity. For example, the term "interface" is used commonly be- tween undeveloped open space and rural housing. Some form -based codes include a category called "planning edge." For purposes of this article, the edge is defined functionally as the area where a higher level of impacts can potentially occur due to redevelopment. A FRAMEWORK FOR THE PLANNING EDGE First, it is helpful to think about what a specialized planning process can, and can- not, do. Focused planning can help shape neighborhood -friendly redevelopment with the following objectives: • to signal an honest, dedicated approach to identifying and addressing potential impacts; • to provide solutions in the design process that will lower costs and improve operation and maintenance throughout the life of the project; • to strengthen decision support analyses; QQ Why are Americans opposing development in their communities? Saint Consulting • to identify the full range of par- ticipants needed throughout the life of the project and get them to the table at the front end of the process; • to give stakeholders an organized, com- prehensive resource; and • to change the dynamics of land -use bat- tles where the urge to say "no" occurs be- cause information on neighborhood -friendly redevelopment is not readily available. However, such a process cannot be expected to stop opposition and lawsuits altogether, change the human fear of change and need to guard investments, prevent poor quality projects from coming forward, or substitute for vision -based and participa- tory planning that determines the appropri- ate location for density and redevelopment. TWO-PART FRAMEWORK FOR ADDRESSING NEIGHBORHOOD OPPOSITION AND CONCERN Saint Consulting conducts an annual survey to gauge the politics of land use. The 2011 Saint Index provides a snapshot of senti- ment, including the types of development projects most opposed and the reasons. Responses tend to be a mix of emotional and rational concerns. The emotional rea- sons are personal and close to home while the rational concerns are directed at measur- able impacts anticipated with higher density infill development and redevelopment. As such, the planning edge requires a two-part framework: ZONINGPRACTICE 8.12 AMERICAN PLANNING ASSOCIATION Ipage 2