[2] Pro-actively Plan Vibrant Communities

While recognizing that land use decisions are made locally, provide a regional framework to achieve regional goals. Maintain and increase proactive regional and local land use and transportation planning efforts. Emphasize consideration of potential impacts of development before specific projects are proposed so developers know what is expected. Use planning to focus growth to reinforce existing and create new mixed use, vibrant neighborhoods that are efficient to serve with transportation. Recognize and address situations where transportation design or use is incompatible with the surrounding neighborhood. Design projects that are sensitive to the communities through which they traverse. Improve site and access design practice to better accommodate pedestrians, bicycles, goods movement, transit, and auto access.

Expected Benefits

Improvements are most noticeable in overall quality of life. Proactive planning results in improvements in compatibility between traffic and development and more sensitive placement of development (avoidance of agricultural and open space areas, and minimal disruption of adjoining houses and businesses. Continuing and expanding these efforts will be essential for protection of transportation investments.

There are many benefits to making the Capital District a vibrant place. There is a growing body of evidence that regions that are "special" places -- where visitors and residents alike feel community pride and activity -- are more likely to be strong economic regions as well. The nature of work is changing away from manufacturing towards technology and service intensive industries. Information-intensive businesses can locate anywhere. Regions that attract such businesses will do so because people want to live there.

"For an increasingly large share of the economy, a particular business does not have to be anywhere in particular. Among other things, this means that today, more than in the past, jobs can follow people rather than the reverse. In the most rapidly growing sectors, in fact, the critical factors are human intelligence and skill in the form of technical innovators and entrepreneurs. Therefore, businesses are more likely to locate where these people want to live. Thus, the changes in the nation's economy have made it much more important that cities link economic development and quality of life. Cities that are not livable places are not likely to perform important economic functions in the future. Enhancing livability, therefore, should be a central objective in every city's economic transition strategy, and the elements of livability should be employed as economic development tools."[1]

Furthermore, the kinds of things that are done to increase liveliness -- such as increased pedestrian activity using mixed land uses -- provide direct benefits to the overall transportation system. These benefits are improved access, accessibility, congestion relief and flexibility from improving the "fit" between transportation and adjoining land uses. Positive impacts to resource requirements and external effects are also evident. This is primarily because many of the specific actions that implement this strategy are aimed at improving the availability and desirability of non-auto modes. Correspondingly, making the Capital Region a more bicycle- and pedestrian-friendly place improves overall quality of life, which has positive spillover benefits for the economy.

Improving site and access design reduces accident occurrence and severity, total transportation system costs, and energy consumption. The transportation system works better if all modes are accommodated, and transportation is less disruptive to communities.

Implications

There are both budgetary and institutional implications of a more integrated land use and transportation planning process. Much of this strategy is a change in approach or philosophy. As such, institutional barriers can be expected. A regional land use plan that provides a framework for local decision-makers is a cornerstone of implementing this strategy. Getting it done will require a substantial cooperative process involving CDRPC, the State Commission on the Capital Region, local governments, and extensive outreach to the business community and citizenry.

Budgetary impacts primarily involve a shift in priorities, not necessarily an increase in funding levels. However, an increase in funding for planning would make success more likely. CDTC has integrated land use and transportation planning in a number of corridor studies completed or now underway. Comprehensive land use planning at the local level can be further encouraged and integrated with transportation planning through cooperation with local communities. Funding for comprehensive planning at both the regional and local level are addressed in the Budget chapter.

Actions

1) Prepare and maintain a comprehensive Regional Development Plan (RDP).

Local governments make land use and development decisions in the Capital Region, often showing little concern about long-term regional impacts. Municipalities weigh the costs of development and supporting infrastructure against the benefits of the taxes generated. Where public opposition to development exists, developers seek locations with the least barriers, which may not be the most desirable locations from a regional perspective. The result can be that development threatens the community character of suburban and rural areas, while cities decline. Further, that lack of predictability in the development process can discourage economic development.

All four counties of the region have been suburbanizing -- measured by both households and employment. Saratoga has been the fastest growing County. These trends have led to increasing traffic congestion in the suburbs, and notably in the Northway corridor. The CDTC Land Use Model examined alternative land use and development scenarios in the Capital District and the results show that it will be difficult to change regional patterns dramatically. For example, it is highly likely that Saratoga County will continue to experience the fastest growth under any scenario. The analysis of the impacts of different development scenarios is further described in the Growth Futures task force report Evaluation of the Transportation Impacts of Land Use and Development Scenarios.

With this in mind, the RDP should be updated in a cooperative fashion that builds on the New Visions Plan and process. CDRPC would be the lead agency. The RDP will guide continuing public and private investment and transportation policy.

Key Transportation-related Components of a RDP

Regional Development Vision

The RDP must take the New Visions discussion and advance it to a clearer definition of a broad regional vision. This includes work to confirm the interconnections and interdependence of the four counties and work to clarify how mutual benefits will be derived from growing as a region, rather that as 70+ municipalities. From a transportation perspective, the interdependence is indisputable and cooperation is essential.

The RDP must also build a win-win vision for all communities. This vision should recognize the region's unique geographic arrangement of four central cities with suburban development between them. The region's high quality of life, educated work force, many livable neighborhoods, availability of under-used industrial land, strategic location, and high-quality transportation system are other positive attributes. The opportunities that a cohesive vision and development strategy would present to the region by are nearly unlimited.

Economic Development and Urban Reinvestment

Transportation investment can play a significant role in facilitating economic health and growth in the region. The RDP must identify a cohesive regional economic policy that leverages the strengths of the region in competing in a global marketplace. At the same time, the historic strengths of this region -- its cities -- are at risk. The RDP must also incorporate a clear message regarding how these communities can survive and prosper in the 21st Century. The New Visions effort positions CDTC to use transportation investment as a tool both for regional economic development and for urban revitalization.

Transportation benefits would accrue from more intense urban development. However, transportation policies alone will not stimulate urban reinvestment -- many other policies would be necessary. Many factors can be brought to bear to support the community quality of life in the central cities, inner suburbs, outer suburbs, small cities and villages, and rural towns of the Capital District. Strategies to reinvest in the region's cities and urban areas preserve community quality of life not only for the cities, but for the suburbs and rural towns as well. Transportation strategies are essential to pursue, but must be coordinated with other regional development policies to be most effective. Regional goals of compact development and optimal use of existing industrial land can be fostered by encouraging freight-intensive industries to locate along active rail lines.

Transit as a Tool

There is an important relationship between land use patterns and transit. Investigation into the feasibility of fixed guideway transit options for the Capital District pointed to the paramount importance of a coordinated approach. Major transit investments can be a tool to encourage reinvestment in urban areas, but only if a regional land use and development vision includes additional supporting policies. The development of a comprehensive RDP will allow the Capital District to preserve and enhance its existing urban form, quality of place, and economic competitiveness.

Understanding Location Decisions

Multimodal transportation investments can support the location of high tech and service industry firms in the Capital District, but only if a better understanding of decision-making factors is cultivated. A survey that identifies the requirements of firms regarding proximity to urban and suburban centers and industrial parks, arterial access needs, and transit needs should be part of updating the Regional Development Plan. Knowledge of the importance to firms of future investments in the Albany International Airport, Amtrak stations, high speed rail and/or Maglev, the Port of Albany, Selkirk Yards, and other intermodal facilities will help guide regional investment priorities. Knowledge of private sector requirements for technological innovations such as telecommuting and satellite office facilities is also important. The relative importance of non-transportation factors such as housing, education, and corporate and personal taxes need to be brought into the equation. Armed with this information, projects and strategies can be identified that best support and attract the location of high tech and service industry firms in the region.

Benefit Sharing

Mechanisms to share the economic benefits (and costs) of regionally significant development projects regionally would encourage cooperation between local governments for "the good of the region". The State Commission on the Capital Region explored methods to "regionalize" various functions -- ranging from solid waste disposal to medical services to land use planning. A number of mechanisms have been implemented in other regions, including regional property tax sharing, shared-cost arrangements for consolidated purchasing, and corridor impact fees or assessment districts. Use of federal transportation funds for projects of regional significance can be viewed as a form of cost sharing and can be explored as a basis for benefit sharing. Further dialogue regarding these (and other) mechanisms will help the Capital Region function more as a region. A simple first step would be a policy to locate civic functions and buildings within the urban service area.

"In place of destructive competition between cities, suburbs, and rural areas for private investment, the United States must establish a coordinated regional approach to economic development. The goal is to make sure that regional infrastructure is provided in the most efficient and timely manner. Decisions to grant private land development rights must be made at the regional level in order to tie them to planned infrastructure improvements and environmental concerns. Only a planned metropolitan development effort is capable of avoiding inter-jurisdictional tax competition, thereby strengthening the hand of local governments to collect tax revenues for critical public investments. A regional approach will maximize the efficiency of this public investment, thereby lowering the costs of living and the costs of doing business."[2]

There was a consensus within the New Visions Growth Futures task force that a Regional Development Plan (RDP) will require cooperation and dialogue among municipalities, as well as respect for community goals and values. Public support for a RDP is essential. Both the New Visions and State Commission on the Capital Region processes have demonstrated that there is positive support from the public for such a plan.

Impacts

The impacts of the regional land use vision are positive across a variety of performance measures, including economic cost. Although the benefits are very high, implementation of the regional land use vision will be difficult, and the task of building public support and cooperation among municipalities will be a challenge. Access to transit and other modes would be supported by encouraging development to occur in urbanized areas near arterials with transit service. The urban reinvestment scenario tested by the Growth Futures task force resulted in an 8 percent increase in trips considered transit accessible in the afternoon peak hour in year 2015. The scenario would also increase the number of trips that can be made by walking and cycling by virtue of locating more development in closer proximity to complementary uses. Accessibility in the region would increase by modest amounts. The largest travel-time savings under the urban reinvestment scenario were found in the Northway corridor, where travel-time savings of 5 minutes would be achieved in the afternoon peak direction. Infill and redevelopment of urban areas and compact development would moderately relieve regional congestion. The urban reinvestment strategy decreased PM vehicle hours of excess delay by 10 percent. The benefits would be most noticeable in suburban towns and the Northway corridor.

A regional land use vision provides significant support for economic growth by making this region attractive to developers. The protection and strengthening of community "livability" of the Capital District will enhance this region's competitive position into the 21st century. A regional land use vision would have traffic safety and energy benefits. Economic cost would include modest planning and implementation costs that would be offset by benefits to governments: user and societal cost savings could exceed those in the transportation sector. Air quality impacts would be moderately positive. Open space outside of the Urban Service Area (see below) would be protected through infill and redevelopment. Areas with insufficient water and sewer infrastructure would be protected from development that threatens groundwater resources.

In combination with other CDTC transportation - land use policies and arterial management actions, a regional development vision would have dramatic benefits to the highway and land use compatibility index. Residential land use conflict and arterial land access conflict in developing corridors would be minimized.

There is evidence from other areas, such as the Connecticut River Valley and Portland, Oregon, that regional solutions to regional problems provide regional benefits. Working together, regions can improve economic competitiveness by improving quality of life, using transportation improvements as a lever. It can be done here, too.

Efforts to define the form of the RDP began with CDRPC’s 1999 interpretation of satellite imagery to identify suburban land use changes over the period 1986-1997. Current work to examine parallel changes in the established urban areas will provide a basis for regional discussions regarding the most effective product for CDRPC to provide to local communities.

2) Establish an Urban Service Area.

An Urban Service Area encourages new commercial and residential development to locate in areas with adequate water, sewer, and transportation infrastructure. Increased activity can be absorbed there due to the extensive street network and public services, including transit. A starting point in drawing Urban Service Area boundaries in the Capital Region would be those adopted in the 1978 RDP, updated with information from the 1990 Census and the Saratoga Sewer District in Saratoga County. The Urban Service Area can be extended to include areas that already have infrastructure in place; but further study and extensive collaboration with local government is necessary to specifically map the boundaries.

The Urban Service Area with urban reinvestment scenario provides significant protection for community quality of life. It keeps the central cities vital; protects suburban character and prevents the suburbs from being overwhelmed by development. Rural character is protected by preventing suburbs from expanding. Reducing the cost and increasing the efficiency of development by using existing infrastructure encourages economic development. However, restricting development locations may increase the cost of new houses incrementally by increasing land value and mitigation costs.

The Capital Region is presented with an opportunity to build upon a strong base of walkable, mixed land use development in the cities and along transit corridors linking these cities. Private sector investment (supported by public policies) in development along traditionally strong transit corridors and potentially strong corridors would help constrain the growth in travel associated with new economic activity. This effectively increases the size of the transit market (the number of trips that can safely and conveniently use the transit system) without requiring increases in overall development densities. There are opportunities for new large-scale mixed-use development along strong transit corridors.

Use of an Urban Service Area does not mean that safety, pavement, and bridge conditions outside the area are ignored or given low priority. It simply means that public funding for transportation projects that encourage or accommodate development is focussed on areas within the agreed boundary. Rural areas depend on small local industries (farming, mining, lumber mills and logging, cottage businesses) which in turn depend on goods pick-ups and deliveries (milk trucks, UPS, etc.). Poor roads can create problems for these small businesses and increase the likelihood of their failure. Farm failures increase suburbanization of rural areas by making land available for subdivisions. Lack of local employment means that residents must travel to the cities and inner suburbs to find jobs, further exacerbating traffic congestion.

It is important to provide for basic rural transportation needs while preserving rural features such as hamlets, villages, farmland and open space. Transportation improvements appropriate for rural areas will be identified as part of defining an Urban Service Area, including appropriate design standards for rural roads. Guidelines will be developed for the creation of roadway plans for rural towns, villages or hamlets. Driveway distances, speed limits, roadway maintenance and improvements, pavement widths, and customized design guidelines can be designated in such plans. These designations would be specific to the different classifications of roadways included in the rural town, including principal and minor arterials, major and minor collectors and local roads. Many localities have required developers to build new subdivision roadways to design standards that raise expectations for widening and paving of other town roads, threatening the rural character of the town.

Rural areas have traditionally been well served by a network of "farm-to-market" roads in the Capital District. If growth is successfully concentrated in already dense areas through transportation investment policy, these roads will be able to continue to function at acceptable levels of service.

3) Provide funding for and staff participation in community-based planning.

A coordinated land use/transportation planning process at the community and corridor levels provides a framework for predictable development consistent with community goals. Cooperative studies with local governments are the backbone of CDTC's previous planning efforts and an essential part of future efforts to develop a regional vision. CDTC is not an implementing agency -- it has no land use powers, operates no transit service, and is not responsible for maintaining the roads or bridges. For CDTC's plans and programs to be successfully implemented, a cooperative relationship with local government and operating agencies is required. The New Visions Principles call for a land use management program or agreement to exist for any highway capacity expansion. Consideration of a transportation project's consistency with local, corridor and regional comprehensive plans has historically been and will continue to be an important part of the TIP project selection process.

Contractual arrangements for cooperative planning efforts are either underway or completed in

· Clifton Park (Master Plan)

· Rotterdam (Burdeck Street)

· Bethlehem (Master Plan)

· Niskayuna (Balltown Road)

· Glenville (Route 50)

· Colonie (Albany International Airport/Wolf Road area)

· Halfmoon (East-west corridor)

· West Avenue in Saratoga Springs (corridor management initiative)

· the Albany Pinebush (environmental studies)

· Washington Avenue (corridor management initiative), and

· Brunswick (Route 7)

CDTC is committed to these studies and plans, and participating in community-based, corridor-level land use and transportation plans in other corridors.

The following components of transportation and land use planning will be encouraged:

· Adoption by local municipalities of a transportation element in their local comprehensive plans that is consistent with the New Visions Regional Transportation Plan.

· Use of official maps by local municipalities to show present and proposed future roads within their boundaries that are consistent with their comprehensive plans. These maps could also identify

¨ the functional class of existing roadways and proposed improvements;

¨ conflicts between the functional classification of roads and adjacent land uses; and

¨ transportation mitigations, including alternative land uses that minimize traffic conflicts.

These maps would be incorporated into a regional transportation map that would reflect local, corridor and regional considerations. Appropriate arterial corridor management plan map elements (such as the location of future service roads and road expansions) can also be incorporated into the local official map.

· Use of existing state enabling legislation encourages municipalities to join to adopt a comprehensive plan and land use regulation.

· Use of comprehensive plans to relate the effect of growth-inducing capital improvements for water and sewer in the public facilities component of the comprehensive plan to their impact on existing and future road capacities.

· Incorporation of arterial management strategies into corridor plans and in local site plans to mitigate land use/road function conflicts. Corridor management plans identify and implement corridor-specific conflict reducing measures such as installation of service or frontage roads, sidewalks, bike lanes or paths, driveway consolidation, and transit accommodation.