CHAPTER 5:

PUTTING IT IN PLACES

Allegheny Places is a blueprint for the future for Allegheny County, showing how growth and redevelopment can be directed to existing and future Places to provide new economic opportunities, revitalize existing communities, protect natural features, maintain and develop transportation and infrastructure, and conserve open space and historic and cultural resources.

Allegheny Places is a call to action. This chapter describes the Plan implementation strategy. It includes a specific sequence of steps for the County, municipalities, COGs, local agencies, the state, and others to create a positive future for the County and all of its Places.

BENEFITS OF THE PLAN

Allegheny Places offers significant benefits to everyone.

Allegheny Places benefits the County by:

• Setting the vision and direction for the coming decades
• Providing a framework for decision-making
• Providing implementation strategies for a more vigorous approach to conservation, land development and economic initiatives
• Identifying new economic, residential and cultural opportunities
• Assisting in developing partnerships with residents, communities and businesses through their involvement in plan development
• Informing the County capital budget process to target goals more effectively

Allegheny Places benefits municipalities by:

• Providing a better understanding of multi-municipal issues
• Providing tools, models, best practices and funding sources
• Providing data and mapping to support development and redevelopment opportunities
• Strengthening applications for government grants and loans
• Facilitating the processing of permits

Allegheny Places benefits private developers by:

• Explaining County economic development policies and strategies
• Highlighting development opportunities
• Providing data and mapping for development sites
• Strengthening applications for government grants and loans (When applying for government grants, loans or permits, a development proposal that is consistent with County and local plans will be more likely to gain a favorable review)
• Facilitating the processing of permits
• Assisting in national and international marketing
• Providing a single source (the e-library) for municipal land development regulations

Allegheny Places benefits local nonprofit and civic organizations by:

• Providing a cohesive vision for enhancing the overall quality of life in Allegheny County
• Providing direction on where these organizations can focus their efforts and leverage their resources with other partners

The benefits of managed growth and revitalization may be realized only if Allegheny County is joined in action by local municipalities and their Councils of Government, public agencies, private organizations, developers, investors and others. Timely, coordinated planning efforts must make the most of opportunities to direct development, investment and activity to specific areas, and to ensure that initiatives occur in ways that support existing communities. Deliberate, cooperative steps to implement the Plan's goals, objectives and policies are required in order to create a bright future for Allegheny County.

THE COUNTY ROLE

Allegheny County will mobilize its resources and bring them to bear on the issues and opportunities raised by Allegheny Places. The Implementation Strategy outlined in this chapter calls for a higher County profile in planning over the coming years. The Implementation Strategy also calls for a higher

profile for local planning as well, with municipalities looking to the County for assistance to help them fulfill that role. County government will be the lead agency in the implementation of Allegheny Places.

Municipalities need to be able to receive county assistance in preparing local land use planning ordinances and plans, infrastructure plans, and other technical planning assistance. The County will develop a formal planning assistance program with local governments and other planning partners. The program will include the delivery of specialized professional planning services to local governments under contractual terms and/or the distribution of small grants to municipalities to assist them in engaging their own professional planning expertise.

There is plenty of work to be done to implement the Plan. Actions are required by all those influencing the future direction of Allegheny County, but the County Executive, the County Council, the Authorities, and the County Office of Economic Development will begin the process.

COUNTY COMMITMENT AND LEADERSHIP

Following adoption, Allegheny Places becomes the day-to-day policy document of the County regarding development and redevelopment. The decisions of Allegheny County and its Authorities will be consistent with Allegheny Places, including capital budget expenditures. Unequivocal support from County-level public officials will make it easier to persuade local officials, developers, and others to take the Plan seriously.

Similarly, all Allegheny County departments should integrate the Plan into their day-to-day work. Staff support of the Plan should be a basic obligation of employment, as should the dissemination of the Plan’s policies.

COUNTY PLANNING RESOURCES

The County will strengthen and mobilize its resources in order to help County Council and government to use the Plan. When the Plan is put into effect, outreach to municipalities will commence immediately upon Plan adoption and be sustained for the foreseeable future. Substantive planning issues raised by the Plan will need to be followed up with further studies, research, model ordinance preparation, and other professional planning activities. Plan amendments and updates will be ongoing to ensure that the Plan remains timely.

Plan implementation depends upon a much more prominent County planning role in the coming years. Allegheny County will need a planning staff that is comparable in size and capabilities to other counties in Pennsylvania that are populous, diverse, and committed to planning as a means to achieve economic growth and a high quality of life. Within a year of adoption of the Plan, there should be in place a ten-person planning staff with an adequate budget to cover the work program, estimated to be $1.2 million. Within five years of Plan adoption, Allegheny County should have a planning staff of twenty-five people, with a corresponding commitment to an adequate budget of at least $2.5 million in payroll support. Staff will be based both at a central planning office and at ‘planning area’ offices, such as described below.

COUNTY OUTREACH TO MUNICIPALITIES

The centerpiece of the Plan is its Places, which are the focus of the implementation program for the Plan. This message will be conveyed in discussions with municipalities and others that are the County’s partners in Plan implementation. The discussion below describes how the County will work with municipalities and other planning partners. Examining existing and proposed local land use policies, regulations, and other initiatives to ensure consistency with the Plan will be a common element of each partnership.

The County will publicize the Plan and provide information to its public and private planning partners so they can take actions necessary to support Plan implementation. The single most important group targeted for education and outreach is Allegheny County’s municipalities. The County will also work closely with its other partners, which will include federal, state, county and local agencies, authorities, institutions, and the private sector, to ensure their awareness and participation.

The County looks to its constituent municipalities, including the City of Pittsburgh, to take actions in support of Allegheny Places policies. Actions include adopting local comprehensive plans and ordinances that are generally consistent with Allegheny Places and providing planning and design support for the development of designated Places in the Plan. It is critical that Allegheny County achieves a high degree of cooperation from local

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municipalities, especially their acceptance of the basic principles of the Plan.

Cooperation, cross-acceptance, and consistency are the key guidelines toward establishing a solid relationship between municipalities and Allegheny Places. There are two major challenges, however, which are as follows:

• Allegheny County has a large number of municipalities. Outreach, interaction, and agreement can be slowed to an ineffective pace when the number of jurisdictions is so great.

• Many local elected and appointed officials are volunteers and may not have had the opportunity to become well versed in the latest planning concepts and tools. Allegheny County will need to help local officials obtain a working knowledge of the Plan. Doing so will show the many advantages and opportunities that working with the County and neighboring municipalities can provide. It will also allow discussions about planning tools and programs to occur from a common basis of knowledge.

There are some methods available to help overcome these shortcomings, which include harnessing a structure for intermunicipal cooperation that already exists. Councils of Government (COGs) are organizations that bring neighboring municipalities together for common purpose and should be utilized in the implementation of Allegheny Places. The County understands the need for additional funding as the COGs take on new responsibilities. As the process moves forward, funding sources will be identified. In the implementation of Allegheny Places, COGs can play new roles. These are discussed below.

Cooperation

The Councils of Government are existing multi-municipal organizations that can potentially be an important partner in advancing the Plan’s implementation. While there are many municipalities, most are grouped together into eight COGs. In the Allegheny Places era, each COG area will be considered a County sub-planning area. Professional planning personnel will be assigned from County staff to provide planning assistance germane to each planning area, promote the policies of the Plan, work with local municipalities on achieving consistency with the Plan, and facilitate the operations of Places Task Forces.

Allegheny County will work within each COG area to provide initial outreach and education about the Plan to local municipalities. As Plan implementation proceeds, the County will customize its messages about planning for each COG area.

Many of the Places identified in the Plan cross municipal boundaries. Among other things, the COGs can help to promote the cooperation of local municipalities with the County and with one another in order to make Places achieve their potential. The County will work within the COG areas to promote and support intermunicipal planning, cooperative zoning, and area master planning and design guidelines consistent with the Places defined in the Plan.

Cross-Acceptance and Consistency

Outreach and education is vital to help municipalities understand the potential that is expressed in the Plan and to explain local roles in Plan implementation. Advancing the policies of Allegheny Places will require that local comprehensive plans and ordinances be generally consistent with the Plan, and support the creation of new

Figure 5.1 – The Cross-Acceptance and Consistency Process

and revitalization of existing Places as directed in the Plan. Allegheny County will coordinate with the interCOG Council toward using the COG framework to gain the confidence and cooperation of local jurisdictions.

A first step will be to prepare the groundwork for a formal review of current (in general, those not more than ten years old) local plans and ordinances for their consistency with the County Plan. "Cross-acceptance" will be established in the form of a memorandum of understanding (MOU), in which municipalities agree to work with the County to implement the Plan. The MOU will outline the municipality's agreement in regard to the following points:

■ Municipal support for the implementation of Allegheny Places

■ Willingness to work with the County, the COG, and other municipal partners to implement the Plan

■ Authorization for consistency reviews that will identify the manner in which local plans can be made generally consistent with the County Plan

In addition to a formal letter prepared by County technical staff, consistency reviews will include roundtable discussions among local and County representatives. The letter will summarize potential inconsistencies and/or shortcomings of current plans and ordinances, outline steps that municipalities can use to achieve consistency, and identify appropriate resources.

If the comprehensive plan and implementing ordinances of a municipality are found to be generally consistent with Allegheny Places, the letter will summarize the points of consistency, and outline steps that the County and municipality may take to further support and implement the Plan.

COUNTY OUTREACH TO OTHER GROUPS

While the municipalities will be critical to the Plan's ultimate implementation, there are many other groups that will be equally important partners in Plan implementation. The County will provide outreach and education about the Plan to key groups for all levels of government and other institutions that have an interest in the Plan, and/or are important for implementation. How the County would like to work with a group or institution to implement the Plan will be central to the message. Follow up information and strategy sessions will be arranged with these groups and institutions to review the Plan and discuss how best to work together in the future.

YEARLY ACTIVITIES AND PLAN UPDATES

The chief mechanism for updating Allegheny Places will be the Annual Review. County planning staff will prepare an annual report to the County Executive and County Council summarizing development activities in the County and progress on Plan implementation. If there are any amendments to the Plan to be considered for adoption, County

Planning staff will prepare these for consideration as part of the annual report.

The Annual Review will, as an annual agenda item, include an Annual Plan, which outlines cross-acceptance agreements to be obtained, consistency reviews to be completed, studies to be undertaken, and other initiatives to be made over the coming year. The Annual Plan will also contain a two-, three-, and five-year Action Plan.

Figure 5.2 – The Annual Review Process

⬚ figure

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Capital Budget Review

The approved Annual Plan will be completed in time to be considered in the preparation of the County Capital budget. Proposed capital budget items will be reviewed by County staff for consistency with the Plan. Inconsistencies may indicate either the need for a change in the focus of expenditures, or an update to Allegheny Places.

ACTION PLAN FOR IMPLEMENTATION

Table 5-1 describes initial critical actions needed to implement the Plan, including internal County coordination and the addition of staff resources. Also included is enlisting the services of public and private agencies and organizations at all levels in order to coordinate policies and leverage available technical and financial resources.

THE ALLEGHENY PLACES FUND

The County's resources, including funding available through the County's general taxing powers and its special Authorities and grants from State and Federal agencies, will be applied toward the implementation of Allegheny Places. Many of the required implementation actions are basic commitments that adoption of a County Plan implies, such as education and outreach, cross-acceptance with local communities, and reviews of local plans and ordinances for consistency with the Plan.

Adoption of Allegheny Places also implies a commitment to follow through with the establishment or revitalization of Places, as designated in the Plan. Through Allegheny Places, the County has targeted specific locations for development and redevelopment. Allegheny County has made a commitment to these Places as the foundation for future growth and investment in the County through policy and programming. To that end, bonds issued by the County would provide funding for economic and community development and redevelopment projects in designated Places. The Allegheny Places Fund (APF) will support the mission of implementing Allegheny Places.

Eligible Applicants

Applicants will be Places Task Forces, established through cooperative agreements among the County, one or more COGs, and one or more municipalities that have Memoranda of Understanding with the County . A Place Task Force would be set up for the express purpose of overseeing the planning, design, development and/or redevelopment of a Place, as designated in the Future Land Use Plan of the Comprehensive Plan.

Funding for projects is expected to be highly competitive. Projects that meet the most Plan goals will be rated highest for receipt of funds.

Eligible Project Types

• Creation and adoption of specific master/urban design plans for designated Places
• Creation and adoption of new development regulations for designated Places
• Design, production and distribution of marketing brochures to solicit private partners to participate in the development/ redevelopment of designated Places
• Pre-construction activities, including approved demolition and engineering
• Construction or rehabilitation of infrastructure
• Acquisition, development, or improvement of civic open space, trails, and greenways
• Building and/or property acquisition and/or rehabilitation

Ineligible Project Types

• Administrative or operating costs of a Place Task Force
• Maintenance or operating costs for new or existing facilities or infrastructure

Required Community Involvement

To be eligible for grants from the APF, a Place Task Force for a designated Place must be set up through an agreement among the County, the relevant COG (or COGs), and the relevant municipality (or municipalities). Membership in the Task Force should include representatives of these same groups. Meetings of the Task Force should be open to the

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public, advertised, with opportunities for residents of the Place and its vicinity to participate. The Task Force must be able to demonstrate to the APF that applications for funding have been preceded by publicly-advertised community meetings in which the opportunity for residents to express opinions on the types of projects to be considered for funding have occurred.

Local Match

The APF will provide no more than 75% of total project costs for any project. The local match may come from a variety of sources, both public and private, including local, state, and federal sources, school districts, public authorities, foundations, lending institutions, and private developers.

DEVELOPMENTS OF REGIONAL SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT

Article III, Section 301 (7) (ii), of the Municipalities Planning Code (MPC) defines Developments of Regional Significance and Impact (DRSI) as "any land development that, because of its character, magnitude or location will have substantial effect upon the health, safety, or welfare of citizens in one or more than one municipality." The MPC specifies that a County Comprehensive Plan shall "identify current and proposed land uses which have a regional impact and significance, such as large shopping centers, major industrial parks, mines and related activities and recreational complexes, hospitals, airports and port facilities."

Some examples of DRSIs in Allegheny County include:

• The Casino planned for the North Shore in the City of Pittsburgh
• The new Pittsburgh Penguin Arena planned for the Hill District in the City of Pittsburgh
• The recently completed Pittsburgh Mills Mall in Fraser Township
• The Wal-Mart development in Kilbuck Township (application withdrawn)

Over the planning period it is expected that there will be other development in Allegheny County with the potential to have a substantial effect on the Region; for example, the Allegheny County Riverfronts Project and proposed Greenways Network. However, it is likely that there will be more smaller-scale developments whose potential effects are multi-municipal, rather than regional.

The MPC gives local municipalities the authority to approve subdivisions and land developments in the municipality. In Allegheny County, the county planning agency’s role is primarily advisory. The Planning Division will continue providing advisory reviews of proposed land developments, as required by the MPC. For those applications that meet the definition of a DRSI, whether regional or multi-municipal, the recommendations of Planning Division will be consistent with the goals and objectives of Allegheny Places.

Benchmarks to determine whether a proposed development is likely to have impacts on more than one municipality are needed. The Planning Division will consider the following criteria in reviewing potential DRSIs:

Distance of the project site from a municipal boundary;

• Size of the project (square footage of floor space, numbers of dwelling units, parking spaces, acreage);
• Use
• Height of structures;
• Extent of physical disturbance;
• Extent of excavation;
• Extent of demolition;
• Presence of historic resources;
• Presence of rare or endangered plants or wildlife;
• Presence of natural features;
• Presence of publicly-accessible open space;
• Trip generation rates (automobiles);
• Trip generation rates (trucks);
• Trip generation rates (rail and other "heavy" modes);
• Extent of stormwater runoff;
• Water consumption rates;
• Sewage generation rates;
• Noise generation rates;
• Airborne emissions generation rates;
• Extent of vibration;
• Extent of outdoor illumination.

Thresholds for the criteria and others that may be developed will be established as part of the ongoing implementation of the Plan. The findings of the Kilbuck Landslide Task Force, which was formed to investigate the causes of landslide that occurred in September of 2006, will be considered, and additional recommendations that may result from the work of the Task Force.

MODEL ZONING PROVISIONS – TRANSIT-ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT

Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) is characterized by compact, mixed-use development centered on transit stations. Concentrating complementary residential, commercial, and office uses around transit stations in a pedestrian-friendly environment creates an efficient land use setting in support of transit usage and provides convenience, mobility, and economy for residents, employees, and visitors. The model zoning provisions for TOD, following, explicitly support the following characteristics that are typically associated with TODs:

■ A mix of land uses including residential, retail, office, and civic space;

■ A strong network of pedestrian connections, amenities and proximity of destinations to promote a safe, convenient, and walkable environment;

■ More intense development closest to the transit facility, with a gradual reduction in intensity as one moves outwards;

■ “Infilling” existing districts and neighborhoods;

■ Orientation of buildings and building access to streets;

■ Reduction in parking requirements where compared with conventional development;

■ Balancing of land uses to maintain a steady flow of activity throughout the day and evening;

■ Safe, attractive, and convenient transit stations; and

■ Office and retail destinations within 1/8-mile of the transit station and the majority of residential units within 1/4-mile of the transit station. This configuration matches research that concludes that commuters will walk 1/8-mile from a transit station on a commute to work, but that they will walk a somewhat greater distance (1/4-mile) to transit stations from home.

MODEL ZONING PROVISIONS FOR ALLEGHENY COUNTY TOD PLACES

ARTICLE Y: TRANSIT-ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT DISTRICTS

Y00 General Provisions Y01 Permitted Uses Y02 Development Standards — Development Parcels Y03 Development Standards — Roadways Y04 TOD Station District Y05 TOD Primary Pedestrian District Y06 TOD Secondary Pedestrian District Y00 GENERAL PROVISIONS

Y00.01 Definitions.

Unless otherwise expressly stated, the following words shall, for the purpose of this Article, have the meanings indicated:

Cartway The extent of a street from curb to curb, including the travelway, shoulders, and on-street parking areas.

Neck-down A traffic calming device, usually at intersections, in which the curb line is brought out to the edge of the travelway. The effect of a neck-down is to reduce the effective width of the street for pedestrians, while maintaining the width of the street for the movement of traffic.

Primary pedestrian frontage A streetscape in which the front façades of buildings are constructed up to the street right-of-way and for which there are no building setbacks.

Right-of-way A strip of land occupied by a street, including its cartway, boulevard, and sidewalks.

Streetscape The area between building façades on either side of a street or between properties on either side of a street, encompassing its cartway, boulevards, sidewalks, setbacks, and property façades or frontages.

TOD station district A zoning district in the immediate vicinity of a transit station and encompassing lands generally within 1/8-mile of the transit station.

TOD primary pedestrian district A zoning district adjacent to a TOD Station District and encompassing lands generally with 1/4-mile of a transit station.

TOD secondary pedestrian district A zoning district adjacent to a TOD Primary Pedestrian District and encompassing lands generally with 1/2-mile of a transit station.

Traffic calming Physical measures taken within the right-of-way of a street that have the effect of increasing pedestrian safety. Traffic calming may be achieved by devices that lessen pedestrians' exposure to vehicles, increase pedestrians' visibility to motorists, reduce vehicular speeds, or have a combination of these effects.

Transit station A location for passenger boarding and alighting from public transportation vehicles traveling on fixed guideways, including rail stations.

Travelway The lanes of a street for moving traffic and any shoulders between the lanes and on-street parking areas.

Y00.02 Permitted Uses.

Uses are Permitted by Right, as Special Exceptions, and as Conditional Uses in transit-oriented development districts in accordance with Section Y01.

Y00.03 Conditional Uses.

The [governing body] is authorized to grant Conditional Uses for uses specified in Section Y01 in accordance with Article ____ and for applications meeting the following criteria:

A) The use shall not generate high levels of vehicular traffic, nor noise, noxious odors, air pollution, or glare;

B) The manner, location, and hours of operations and of deliveries to the premises shall be compatible with the daily cycle of active and quiet periods associated with any adjacent or nearby residential uses;

C) The use shall complement other uses in the district, creating a mixed-use character that contributes toward an increased rate of bicycle and pedestrian access to local services, including transit, minimized auto-trip generation, and additional security for district businesses;

D) Additional Conditional Use criteria specified in Sections of this Article are met, when appropriate.

Y00.04 Accessory Uses.

Accessory uses are permitted in accordance with Article ____.

Y00.05 Buffers.

Buffers shall be provided in accordance with Article ____.

Y00.06 Signs.

Signs shall be in accordance with Article ____.

Y00.07 Sewer and Water Facilities.

All development in transit-oriented development districts shall be served by central water and sanitary sewer facilities acceptable to the [governing body] and subject to the approval of the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection or its successor agency and the appropriate municipal authority providing water or sewer facilities.

Y00.08 Performance Standards.

Any activity or use in transit-oriented development districts shall comply with the performance standards of Article ____.

Y00.09 Street and Parcel Layout.

Transit-oriented development districts shall consist of an interconnected grid or modified grid layout of streets with development parcels generally bounded by streets formed as part of this layout. Rights-of-way and streets shall be in accordance with Section Y03.

Y00.10 Pedestrian and Bicycle Orientation.

Transit-oriented development districts shall facilitate pedestrian and bicycle access to the transit station and a high level of mobility throughout TOD districts. Sidewalks and bike lanes shall be provided in accordance with Section Y03. Additional routes for pedestrians and cyclists, such as mid-block cut throughs and all-weather trails, shall also be provided. Intersection neck-downs shall be provided wherever feasible. Traffic calming techniques shall be employed to promote pedestrian safety.

Y00.11 Use Mix.

Transit-oriented development districts shall consist of a mix of land uses. TOD Station Districts shall substantially comprise street-level shops, with office and residential uses above.

TOD Primary Pedestrian Districts shall substantially comprise residential uses with retail uses oriented to local residents.

TOD Secondary Pedestrian Districts shall comprise a mix of retail, retail, and other uses. Institutional uses, ranging from community centers and post offices to day-care centers, schools, and libraries, are recommended in transit-oriented development districts and strongly recommended in TOD Station Districts.

Y00.12 Transit Station.

Transit stations shall be located centrally within a TOD Station District, with a high degree of accessibility, surrounded by a closely-related mix of retail, office, and residential uses. Transit stations shall provide covered platforms and bicycle storage space for transit patrons. Access, drop-off, and waiting opportunities for rubber-tired transit vehicles (feeder bus, shuttle bus) and other vehicles (private auto, taxi) shall be provided. Civic open space shall be provided adjacent to the transit station.

Y00.13 Parking and Loading.

On-street parking is required in accordance with Section Y03. Off-street parking and loading shall be provided in accordance with Article ____. On-street parking spaces located within five hundred (500) feet of a use may be credited toward required off-street parking spaces as specified in Article ____. Off-street parking, including bicycle parking, should take the form of small lots behind buildings and as part of structures containing other uses, such as retail, residential, and office uses.

Y00.14 Open Space.

Linear open space corridors shall be provided to facilitate pedestrian and bicycle connections to the transit station as well as from TOD Station Districts to TOD Primary Pedestrian Districts and TOD Secondary Pedestrian Districts. Non-linear open space in TOD Station Districts shall be usable for civic and community functions. TOD Primary Pedestrian Districts shall contain open space areas for passive recreation and tot-lots. TOD Secondary Pedestrian Districts shall contain substantial open space areas for active and passive recreation. Open space shall protect natural features, including floodplains, wetlands, and tree masses.

Y00.15 Natural and Landscaped Areas.

Except as provided for in specific sections of this Article, all portions of a tract not occupied by buildings and required improvements shall be maintained as landscaped areas consisting of natural environmental features and/or planted vegetation.

Y01 - Y03 Please reference the tables immediately following section Y06

Y04 TOD STATION DISTRICT

Y04.01 Intent.

The intent of the TOD Station district is to provide for the combining of offices, stores and shops, hotels and inns, higher intensity residential uses, and civic, public, and semi-public uses in a closely-knit walking precinct at transit stations. It is the purpose of these regulations to encourage a diversification of uses in each TOD Station district and to promote close interrelationships among different uses; high-quality, visually-attractive, and environmentally-responsible site design and buildings; efficient circulation systems; conservation of land and energy resources; reduced rates of auto-trip generation; and increased opportunities for pedestrian circulation. In addition, the specific intent of the district is to:

A) Encourage the development of land and buildings at transit stations for a variety of uses, either individually or together within the same building, for compatible mixed-use developments;

B) Permit the development of functionally-related land uses in a manner that is supportive of transit usage and that is more efficient, environmentally-sensitive, and mutually-supporting than conventional sprawling, strip-type, low-intensity suburban development;

C) Maximize transit patronage and minimize auto-trip generation through maximizing opportunities for bicycle and pedestrian mobility to transit and bicycle and pedestrian movement and patronage of multiple facilities in a development district that emphasizes the interrelationship of uses and structures;

D) Establish a framework for development that anticipates and encourages the necessary conditions for a high level of transit utilization and pedestrian circulation;

E) Provide for civic, public, and semi-public uses, including exterior common use areas, convenient to office and commercial concentrations, so as to function for the general benefit of the community as places for relaxation, recreation, and social activity;

F) Enhance the functional values of natural and landscaped areas for developed areas, including groundwater recharge, runoff control, and microclimate moderation.

Y04.02 Permitted Uses.

Uses are Permitted by Right, as Special Exceptions, and as Conditional Uses in TOD Station districts in accordance with Section Y01.

Y04.03 Development Standards.

Uses shall occur in accordance with the standards of Section Y02.

Y04.04 Pedestrian Frontages.

At least seventy-five percent (75%) of streetscapes in TOD Station districts shall be primary pedestrian frontages.

Y04.05 Building Size and Spacing.

The greatest dimension of a structure, measured parallel to exterior walls, shall not exceed two hundred (200) feet. The minimum distance between structures shall be ten (10) feet, except that all structures connected by a common roof line or effectively connected by means of intervening covered areas shall be considered as one (1) structure.

Y05.06 Orientation of Retail and Service Commercial Premises.

Patron access to commercial premises shall be by way of a door or similar opening giving access directly from the sidewalk along the front of the property or directly from the street right-of-way.

Y04.07 Bicycle and Pedestrian Circulation Provisions for Natural and Landscaped Areas.

Natural and landscaped areas, as provided for in Section Y00.15, shall predominantly consist of natural environmental features or planted and maintained vegetation, but up to twenty percent (20%) of the total area may also consist of exterior common use areas such as pedestrian paths, sidewalks, plazas, courtyards, and recreational amenities. Whenever practicable, ground surfaces in common use areas shall be constructed of pavers in a sand setting bed with permeable joints, or similar partly-pervious surface treatments.

Y05 TOD PRIMARY PEDESTRIAN DISTRICT

Y05.01 Intent.

The intent of the TOD Primary Pedestrian district is to provide for the combining of medium-high intensity, residential uses, stores and shops, offices, and civic, public, and semi-public uses in a closely-knit walking precinct close to transit stations using all modes. It is the purpose of these regulations to encourage a diversification of uses in each TOD Primary Pedestrian district and to promote close interrelationships among different uses; high-quality, visually-attractive, and environmentally-responsible site design and buildings; efficient circulation systems; conservation of land and energy resources; reduced rates of auto-trip generation; and increased opportunities for pedestrian circulation. In addition, the specific intent of the district is to:

A) Encourage the development of land and buildings close to transit stations for a variety of uses, either individually or together within the same building, for compatible mixed-use developments;

B) Permit the development of functionally-related land uses in a manner that is supportive of transit usage and that is more efficient, environmentally-sensitive, and mutually-supporting than conventional sprawling, strip-type, low-intensity suburban development;

C) Maximize transit patronage and minimize auto-trip generation through maximizing opportunities for pedestrian and bicycle mobility to transit and pedestrian movement and patronage of multiple facilities in a development district that emphasizes the interrelationship of uses and structures;

D) Establish a framework for development that anticipates and encourages the necessary conditions for a high level of transit utilization and pedestrian and bicycle circulation;

E) Provide for public and semi-public uses, including exterior common use areas, convenient to medium-high density residential concentrations, so as to function for the general benefit of the community as places for relaxation, recreation, and social activity;

F) Enhance the functional values of natural and landscaped areas for developed areas, including groundwater recharge, runoff control, and microclimate moderation.

Y05.02 Permitted Uses.

Uses are Permitted by Right, as Special Exceptions, and as Conditional Uses in TOD Primary Pedestrian districts in accordance with Section Y01.

Y05.03 Development Standards.

Uses shall occur in accordance with the standards of Section X02.

Y05.04 Pedestrian Frontages.

At least fifty percent (50%) of streetscapes in TOD Primary Pedestrian districts shall be primary pedestrian frontages.

Y05.05 Retail and Service Commercial Uses.

Retail and service commercial uses shall be contained in multistory, mixed-use structures with retail and service commercial uses on the ground level and office and/or dwellings on the upper levels. The greatest dimension of a structure, measured parallel to exterior walls, shall not exceed two hundred (200) feet. The maximum ground level footprint of a retail and service commercial building shall be twenty thousand (20,000) square feet. The minimum distance between structures shall be ten (10) feet, except that all structures connected by a common roof line or effectively connected by means of intervening covered areas shall be considered as one (1) structure.

Y05.06 Orientation of Retail and Service Commercial Premises.

Patron access to commercial premises shall be by way of a door or similar opening giving access directly from the sidewalk along the front of the property or directly from the street and/or bicycle right-of-way.

Y05.07 Pedestrian Circulation Provisions for Natural and Landscaped Areas.

Natural and landscaped areas, as provided for in Section Y00.15, shall predominantly consist of natural environmental features or planted and maintained vegetation, but up to twenty percent (20%) of the total area may also consist of exterior common use areas such as pedestrian paths, sidewalks, plazas, courtyards, and recreational amenities. Whenever practicable, ground surfaces in common use areas shall be constructed of pavers in a sand setting bed with permeable joints, or similar partly-pervious surface treatments.

Y06 TOD SECONDARY PEDESTRIAN DISTRICT

Y06.01 Intent.

The intent of the TOD Secondary Pedestrian district is to provide for the combining of moderate-intensity residential uses, stores and shops, offices, and civic, public, and semi-public uses in areas near to transit stations. It is the purpose of these regulations to encourage a diversification of uses in each TOD Secondary Pedestrian and Bicycle district and to promote close interrelationships among different uses; high-quality, visually-attractive, and environmentally-responsible site design and buildings; efficient circulation systems; conservation of land and energy resources; reduced rates of auto-trip generation; and increased opportunities for pedestrian circulation. Furthermore, it is the intent to:

A) Establish or reinforce moderate-intensity, mixed-use areas, following the precedent of traditional towns, by keeping a variety of different, reasonably-compatible uses together in a closely-knit setting;

B) Provide for convenient, local services for residents living in and near to these areas and opportunities for short-distance trips by automobile or alternate means, such as by bicycle or on foot;

C) Encourage the use of transit;

D) Allow for moderate-intensity commercial uses where more intensive commercial use would have adverse effects on adjacent and neighboring residential areas;

E) Minimize auto-trip generation through maximizing opportunities for pedestrian movement and patronage of multiple facilities in a development district that emphasizes the interrelationship of uses and structures;

F) Establish a framework for development that anticipates and encourages the necessary conditions for a high level of pedestrian circulation.

G) Enhance the functional values of open space and landscaping for developed areas, including groundwater recharge, runoff control, microclimate moderation, noise attenuation, and visual buffering.

Y06.02 Permitted Uses.

Uses are Permitted by Right, as Special Exceptions, and as Conditional Uses in TOD Secondary Pedestrian districts in accordance with Section Y01.

Y06.03 Development Standards.

Uses shall occur in accordance with the standards of Section X02.

MODEL ZONING PROVISIONS FOR ALLEGHENY COUNTY TOD PLACES - Reference tables

Section Y01: Permitted Uses – Transit-Oriented Development Districts

P Permitted SE Special Exception CU Conditional Use STN. Station District PP Primary Pedestrian District SP Secondary Pedestrian District

MODEL ZONING PROVISIONS FOR ALLEGHENY COUNTY TOD PLACES

Section Y02: Development Standards – Transit-Oriented Development Districts

• Excluding parking structures required to meet minimum off-street parking requirements.

MODEL ZONING PROVISIONS FOR ALLEGHENY COUNTY TOD PLACES

Section Y03: Development Standards – Transit-Oriented Development Districts Roadway Types

• 28-foot-wide cartway ** 24-foot-wide cartway

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CRITERIA FOR CONSISTENCY REVIEW

— A CHECKLIST FOR ACED STAFF USE

LAND USE

Local Comprehensive Plans, Area Master Plans, and Ordinances

Is it generally consistent with the Future Land Use Plan’s distribution of land uses?

Does it recognize and support the Future Land Use Plan’s designation of Places, infill areas, conservation areas, and parks, open space, and greenways?

Does it provide for relatively-dense, mixed-use, walkable, bikeable, and transit-friendly districts? [Not every plan or ordinance will need to do this but, central as the question is to Allegheny Places generally, it ought at least to be asked.]

Land Developments

If the use is an “urban” use (residential, commercial, industrial, institutional), is it proposed for a location consistent with where the Future Land Use Plan directs such uses (ie Places or infill areas)?

Is the intensity of use and size of project proposed consistent with the Future Land Use Plan’s directing of major (intense, large) development to Places (i.e. major new developments not directed to infill areas)?

Is it a Development of Multi-Municipal Impact (DMMI)?

Will the use contribute to the revitalization of existing developed areas, or, if not, will it contribute to the development of a relatively-dense, mixed-use, walkable, bikeable, and transit-friendly Place?

Does the proposal mix uses, or, if not, does it positively contribute uses that will, together with existing and prospective development, form a mixed-use neighborhood, district, or Place?

Is the use accessible to transit, pedestrians, and bicyclists? If not, does it, though its features, anticipate and accommodate these modes being provided in the short- and/or medium-term future?

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Local Comprehensive Plans, Area Master Plans, and Ordinances

Does it provide a variety of locations and opportunities for employment, and respond to and accommodate current and prospective trends in business and industry?

Does it provide for a balance of housing and jobs?

Does it provide for close home-work linkages, including employment within walking distance of housing?

Does it provide for multi-modal access?

Land Developments

Does it provide for the kinds of jobs that match the skills of the resident labor force?

Is it supportive of the Comprehensive Plan’s endorsement of mixed-use development?

Does it address the home-work commute? Does it anticipate and accommodate employee and visitor access by multiple modes from the region?

Does it anticipate and accommodate access by the resident labor force, including pedestrians, bicyclists, and transit users?

Does it address the needs of employees for services during the workday, including retail services, day care, and recreation?

Are the impacts reasonable? Is the site appropriate for the use?

Does it anticipate and accommodate additional uses (residential, commercial, industrial, institutional) that may follow its implementation?

HOUSING

Local Comprehensive Plans, Area Master Plans, and Ordinances

Does it provide for a variety of housing opportunities, including affordable housing, to meet the needs of residents as they move through the life cycle?

Are there adequate areas to accommodate single-family detached, single-family attached, and multi-family units?

Do at least some districts allow for small-lot single-family detached units?

Is there provision for units for residents with specialized needs in housing?

Are accessory apartments permitted?

Do at least some districts allow for a wide range of housing types by right (versus special exception or conditional use)?

Are mixed-use developments encouraged?

Land Developments

Does it meet a local need for certain types of housing? An area need? A regional need?

Does it contribute toward a balance of uses (residential, commercial, industrial, institutional) in the community?

Does it contribute toward a balance of types of residential units in the community?

Does it provide work-live units?

Does it contain a mix of uses so that, for example, residents can reach retail services without making vehicular trips?

Does it have mixed-use buildings, so as to maximize residents’ convenience to services?

Do residents have convenient opportunities to reach destinations (jobs, school, day care, shopping, recreation) by means other than private vehicles?

Are there safe, separate bicycle and pedestrian facilities and amenities?

Is the development connected to the greenway system by an open space linkage? By some other means?

PARKS, RECREATION, OPEN SPACE, AND GREENWAYS

Local Comprehensive Plans, Area Master Plans, and Ordinances

Does it accommodate the range of spaces, facilities, and programs outlined for the type of community (small, mature suburban, rapidly-growing edge, urban) in the Comprehensive Plan?

Does it provide strategies to achieve the range of spaces, facilities, and programs outlined for the type of community (small, mature suburban, rapidly-growing edge, urban) in the Comprehensive Plan?

Does it acknowledge a need to conserve open space and identify strategies to do it?

Does it recognize the countywide greenway system and Active Allegheny system plan and support their implementation?

Land Developments

Are there appropriate facilities to accommodate the recreation and open space needs of the expected population? If not, will the developer contribute financially or otherwise to off-site accommodation of recreation and open space needs of the expected population?

Is the open space distributed logically throughout the development and are spaces linked to one another? Is there

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a means to circulate conveniently and safely within the open space and within the development on foot? By bicycle?

Is the development connected to the greenway system by an open space linkage? By some other means?

RESOURCE EXTRACTION

Local Comprehensive Plans, Area Master Plans, and Ordinances

Does it address the issue of mitigating effects of resource extraction, if applicable?

Land Developments

Will land development contribute positively to cleanup of mined areas?

AGRICULTURE

Local Comprehensive Plans, Area Master Plans, and Ordinances

Does it support agriculture as a viable economic activity, if applicable?

Land Developments

Does it threaten or support maintenance of economically-viable agricultural activities?

COMMUNITY FACILITIES

Local Comprehensive Plans, Area Master Plans, and Ordinances

Does it make provision for needed services and facilities?

Does it encourage sharing of services among providers?

Land Developments

Is it visible to its expected users? Is it easily found?

Is it accessible to its expected users by various means (vehicular, transit, pedestrian, bicycle)?

Is it accessible to its expected users, based on personal levels of mobility? Are the appropriate amenities present to support ADA, pedestrians, and bicyclists?

Will it provide multiple services at one location? Does it anticipate and accommodate expansion of services and of floor area?

TRANSPORTATION

Local and Regional Comprehensive Plans, Area Master Plans, and Ordinances

Does it provide for mobility by a variety of means (car, truck, rail, boat, air, transit, pedestrian, bicycle)?

Does it link Places, as designated in the County Comprehensive Plan?

Does it advocate 'complete streets', transit use, trails and other means for safe, separate bicycle and pedestrian mobility?

Does it contain measures that promote safety of its users across all modes?

Is it supported by recommendations in the SPC Long Range Plan? (www.spcregion.org)

Land Developments

What are its trip generation rates (automobiles, trucks, other)? Is there a traffic impact study? How will trips be accommodated? Is there a strategy to reduce automobile trip generation?

Does it have a grid or modified-grid systems of streets for multi-modal mobility?

Does it have ‘complete streets’, with sidewalks, crosswalks, landscaping, pedestrian-oriented lighting, provisions for transit stops and bicycle movement, and, in most cases, on-street parking?

UTILITIES

Local Comprehensive Plans, Area Master Plans, and Ordinances

Are utility extensions and expansions consistent with the Future Land Use Plan?

Does it address the need to conserve and protect water supplies?

Does it address the problem of stormwater management? Solid waste disposal? Sanitary sewer?

Does it support regionalization and shared use of utility assets?

Land Developments

What is its rate of stormwater generation? How does it address stormwater runoff?

What is its rate of water consumption? How is water conservation addressed?

What is its rate of solid waste generation? How is recycling and solid waste disposal handled?

ENVIRONMENTAL

Local Comprehensive Plans. Area Master Plans, and Ordinances

Is development directed to appropriate locations, in conformance with the Future Land Use Plan?

Does it address methods to reduce airborne emissions?

How are surface and ground water resources protected? Waterways and wetlands?

Are alternate transportation modes supported to reduce fossil fuel usage?

Land Developments

Is it designed so as to minimize impacts on environmentally-sensitive areas? What is the extent of natural features? Rare or endangered plants or wildlife?

Are physical disturbance and excavation minimized?

What are the rates of noise generation? Airborne emissions? Vibration?

What is the extent of outdoor illumination?

HISTORIC AND CULTURAL RESOURCES

Local Comprehensive Plans, Area Master Plans, and Ordinances

Does it protect historic and cultural resources, including viewsheds and corridors? How?

Does it promote historic and cultural resources? How?

Land Developments

Does it contribute to saving a resource from demolition or loss by neglect?

Does it contribute to the long-term protection of resources?

If adaptive reuse is proposed, is the extent and type of change appropriate?

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ENERGY CONSERVATION

Local Comprehensive Plans, Area Master Plans, and Ordinances

Does it promote compact, mixed-use centers that allow for less use of the automobile, especially in designated Places?

Does it promote reinvestment and adaptive reuse in existing centers?

Does it promote mobility by transit?

Does it promote alternative fuels? ‘Green’ buildings?

Does it promote dafe, separate bicycle and pedestrian facilities encouraging healthy lifestyles?

Land Developments

Is it a compact, mixed-use, walkable, bikable, and transit-friendly layout?

Is there a mix of residential and employment space, so that at least some workers can walk to their jobs?

Are there live-work units?

Are attached dwellings, multi-family residences, and multiple-unit structures present?

Are there shade trees? Any ‘green’ buildings?

TABLE 5.2 – Implementation Strategy for Allegheny Places

LAND USE

LAND USE

LAND USE

LAND USE

HISTORIC AND CULTURAL RESOURCES

HISTORIC AND CULTURAL RESOURCES

HISTORIC AND CULTURAL RESOURCES

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

HOUSING

HOUSING

PARKS, RECREATION, OPEN SPACE, AND GREENWAYS

PARKS, RECREATION, OPEN SPACE, AND GREENWAYS

PARKS, RECREATION, OPEN SPACE, AND GREENWAYS

PARKS, RECREATION, OPEN SPACE, AND GREENWAYS

RESOURCE EXTRACTION

AGRICULTURE

COMMUNITY FACILITIES

COMMUNITY FACILITIES

UTILITIES

UTILITIES

ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCES

ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCES

ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCES

ENERGY CONSERVATION

ENERGY CONSERVATION

TABLE 5.3 - Implementation Strategy for Allegheny Places Transportation Plan

ROADWAYS AND BRIDGES

PUBLIC TRANSIT

BICYCLE AND PEDESTRIAN

AIRPORTS

RAIL FREIGHT

WATERWAYS