TOD Design Key Streets

BUILDING PLACEMENT AND DESIGN

Key Streets

Key Streets are streets within the TOD Special District that are in the direct vicinity of the rail station. Projects along Key Streets must follow special development standards aimed at developing the most vital areas to facilitate walkable, vibrant, and economically active streets. These standards support modal shifts towards active mobility in TOD areas. Key Streets are identified for each station area in Article 9 of the Land Use Ordinance (see maps at bottom of page for officially designated key streets). Additional key streets maps will become available as they are approved by City Council.

Key Street References in the Land Use Ordinance

Active ground floor use: in the business mixed-use district, the ground floor of buildings facing a key street must be designed and used for active ground floor activities for at least 80 percent of the ground-floor building frontage. In the apartment mixed-use district, the ground floor of the building frontage facing a key street must be designed and used as residential dwelling units or active ground floor activities. On corner lots, these requirements must be met on each key-street-facing facade.

Building placement and setback improvements: buildings facing key streets must be within a maximum front yard setback (10 to 15 feet) and also be within 30 feet from a corner connected to a key street. Setback improvements, as specified in Sec. 21-9.100-8(a)(3)(E) of the Land Use Ordinance, must be provided along all key street frontages.

For lots on key streets in the apartment mixed-use district, walls and fences located between the property line and front facade of a building set back 15 feet or less cannot exceed three feet in height.

Building transparency: building facades within 20 feet of a front or street-facing property line must contain windows, doors, or other openings for at least 60 percent of the building facade area located between 2.5 and 7 feet above the level of the sidewalk. Blank walls cannot extend for more than 25 feet in a continuous horizontal plane without an opening on the ground floor of a building. These requirements apply to all buildings on key streets, except for the portions of a building with dwelling units on the ground floor.

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