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TOD Feasibility Study Brown University, 2003. South Kingstown and Westerly: Final Recommendations. Context. Commuter rail in W. Kingston/Westerly 2008 at earliest Without planning, commuter rail increases growth pressures in these areas
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TOD Feasibility StudyBrown University, 2003 South Kingstown and Westerly: Final Recommendations
Context • Commuter rail in W. Kingston/Westerly 2008 at earliest • Without planning, commuter rail increases growth pressures in these areas • TOD provides opportunity for these communities to address major problems in Washington County • Loss of open space • Congestion • Affordable Housing
West Kingston: TOD on Hold • Town Plans • Kingston is third density option in S. Kingstown • Kingston is “periphery,” Wakefield is “core” • Infilling planned for Wakefield • Increase 5.3% affordable housing in already dense areas: Wakefield/Peacedale • Infrastructure • Aquifer protection important • No intention to allow residential development • No planned sewer tie-ins to American Power Conversion main lines
West Kingston: Commuting • 24% of auto commuters to/from South Kingstown along rail line would be captured by commuter transit - 1367 daily boardings projected without TOD • URI students live far from rail line • Potential extra capture • To S. Kingstown: American Power and URI employees • From S. Kingstown: Suburbanization feeding commuters to Providence
West Kingston: Recommendations Transit leading Development: TOD far in future • Enhance non-SOV transit options to avoid major parking investments, improve TOD potential • Bike storage at station • Non-reservation RIPTA service to URI from station • Provide pedestrian access to American Power and to south side of train station • Protect against sprawl when commuter rail comes • Use TDR, land trusts to concentrate development and protect open-space • Maintain strong building cap
Westerly: Commuting • Almost half of commuters go to New London or Foxwoods/Mohegan Sun • CT has extended Shoreline East back to New London, is interested in connecting to Westerly • 268 daily boardings projected without TOD
Westerly: Downtown Development • Station as anchor to vibrant downtown • River Walk Project • Additional parking planned for granary site just across Pawcatuck River in Connecticut • Vacant office/residential space near station • Commuter rail spurs investment
Westerly: Infrastructure/Housing • Affordable housing can provide density and options • Area north, west of station • HDR/6 zoning • Some vacant lots • Senator Algiere proposal for Enterprise zone (north of tracks) • New police station • Infrastructure not a major issue • Plenty of water: 1 million gallon well to be added for summer peak consumption • Sewage treatment capacity: 4 million gallons per day • Average flow: 2.5 million gallons per day
Westerly: Recommendations Development leading Transit: Preparing for TOD • Minimize commuter parking needs through development strategies • Integrate TOD with affordable housing action plan and updates to Comprehensive Town Plan
Recommendations – Working Group • TOD + Affordable housing • TOD enhances affordable housing and is enhanced by it • Reduces low income dependency on cars (Location-efficient mortgages) • Gives people options • Statewide incentives to put affordable housing near stations • Allow inclusionary zoning, but only if there are good transit options • Maintain 20% developer loophole in dense areas near transit hubs • RIHMFAC channeling more construction loans to developers who build near stations - especially for redevelopment • Regional agreements • Comparative advantage for density • Explore Transfer of Development Rights • Capture seasonal tourism with RIPTA
Further Information • Web address for the project: http://envstudies.brown.edu/classes/es201/2003/TOD/Homepage/Homepage.htm • Our emails • Brian Thurber: Brian_Thurber@Brown.edu • Nataliya Parasyuk: Nataliya_Parasyuk@Brown.edu • Ben Freitas: Benjamin_Freitas@Brown.edu