San Pablo Sustainable TOD
Master Plan
Executive
Summary
JANUARY 2024
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
PLAN PURPOSE
As a part of the holistic planning at the city, to support local and statewide sustainable transportation goals, and ongoing efforts to integrate and improve development and transit service, the City of San Pablo create their Sustainable Transit Oriented Development (TOD) Master Plan. The plan includes analysis and recommendations to facilitate equitable and climate-resilient TOD in San Pablo. The Master Plan builds on the existing condition and context of San Pablo, already-underway planning work and strategic direction, input from stakeholders and the public, and best practices in the field of transit-oriented community and development planning.
WHAT IS TRANSIT ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT?
Transportation Oriented Development (TOD) is the overlap of land use, mobility, and public space planning in a compact area. It promotes community design that offers housing and transportation choices for residents that are convenient, affordable, and create a high-quality environment and experience. TOD is a necessary strategy to achieve a more sustainable future, and is critical to create strong communities.
Components (the ingredients)
Transit or Transportation. The different transportation modes (transit, walking, bicycle, cars, taxis, etc.) and the infrastructure and amenities that these need (lanes, parking spots, stopping locations, stations, etc.) that provide mobility services to an area.
Oriented or Open Space. The public domain (plazas, patios, parks, sidewalks, etc.) that form the transition between the transportation facilities and the buildings, also known as ‘the spaces between, ’ which can be public or private property.
Development or Buildings. The built-up areas in (primarily) private parcels where a different human activities or uses occur that enable the activation of the surrounding open spaces and become a trip destination for transit and other modes.
T
D
O
Characteristics of TOD
Density: to create enough development intensity near station areas to ensure enough human activity and a transit-, bike-, and pedestrian-supportive ecosystem.
Land Use: to promote a series of land uses, including housing and jobs, which complement each other in creating a complete community that is active throughout the day, supporting transit ridership.
Mobility Choices: to provide a variety of mobility of options for residents, workers and visitors, so that they are not forced to use only one mode of transportation for their travel needs.
Placemaking: to produce a safe, comfortable, and human-scaled human environment within the influence area of the station, both improving the quality of the public realm and the accessibility to transit.
Sustainability: to produce an urban environment that minimizes the use of resources, both by producing these resources locally and efficiently using outside resources.
Health: to ensure an urban environment that is conducive to maintaining a healthy human lifestyle.
CITY OF SAN PABLO SUSTAINABLE TOD MASTER PLAN
2 PLANNING PROCESS
City of San Pablo staff worked with a team of consultant planners to develop this plan. They worked in three key stages to understand the conditions and opportunities unique to San Pablo for developing a plan that is responsive to the city’ s needs and aspirations.
• Existing Conditions Analysis
• Quantitative & Qualitative Spatial
Analysis
• Base Mapping
• Community Pop-Ups
• Stakeholder Meetings
• Online Engagement
• Set a TOD Vision for San Pablo
• Identify TOD Priority Areas
• Develop the Streetscape Toolkit
design tool
• Opportunities Analysis
• Community Charrette
• Stakeholder Workshops
• Survey
• Analysis of all inputs
and results
• Policy
recommendations
• Priority Matrix
• Implementation Plan
• Public Plan Review
Period
• Stakeholder Open
House
Technical
Team
EXPLORE ENVISION PLAN
Public &
Stakeholder
Input
EXPLORE PHASE
A needs assessment reviewed the existing policy work, and used mapping and geospatial analysis to understand the make up of the community and uncover the state of transportation, open space, development, housing and climate resiliency in San Pablo.
Transportation Takeaways
Takeaway 1: Balance Local and Regional Travel
Takeaway 2: Identify and Close Gaps in the Active
Transportation Network
Takeaway 3: Improve access to Higher-Order Transit
Open Space Takeaways
Takeaway 4: Increase the Amount of Parks and Open
Space
Takeaway 5: Build Strong Connections to Parks and
Open Space
Takeaway 6: Prioritize New Open Spaces near
Redevelopment Areas with High Densities
O R
DT Development and Housing Takeaways
Takeaway 7: Focus on Priority Development Areas
Takeaway 8: Embrace Local, Regional, and Statewide Housing Trends and Directions
Takeaway 9: Provide a Unified Citywide Policy Direction Climate Resiliency Takeaways
Takeaway 10: Create Sustainability Goals that can be
Monitored and Tracked
Takeaway 11: Tap into the Evolving Sustainability Market Takeaway 12: Intentionally Incorporate Infrastructure
Resiliency in Project Work
CITY OF SAN PABLO SUSTAINABLE TOD MASTER PLAN
3 ENVISION PHASE
TOD Priority Areas
An analysis of the key areas and corridors of San Pablo led to the identification of four Core TOD Priority Areas, where the initial TOD work including streetscape, open space, and development improvements could have the greatest impact. 0 N
0.25 0.5
Mi
am Rd
Richmond P
k w y
S tan t on A v e
Rd 2 0
E l P or tal Dr
M ar k e t A v e
Rd 2
0 B r o o k side Dr
B r oad
w a y A
v e
11t h S
t
R umr ill B l v d
Rumr
ill B
lvd
23r
d S
t
San P
ablo A
v e
San P ablo D
CIVIC
DISTRICT
R umr
ill B
lv d
San P
ablo A
v e
San P
ablo D
am Rd
r
Ch u ch L
n
PE l or tal Dr0Rd 2
San P
ablo A
v e
2 3r
d S
t
San P
ablo A
v e
WanlassPark
John HerbertDavis Park
Brentz LaneNeighborhoodPark
Salesian
CollegePrepatory
BayviewElementary
LakeElementary
23rd
DISTRICT
Contra CostaCollege
RiversideElementary
CIVIC
DISTRICT
REGIONAL
COMMERCIAL
DISTRICT
CENTRAL
DISTRICT
Downer Elementary School
SAN P
ABL
O D
AM
ROAD CORRIDOR
RUMRILL CORRIDOR
SAN P
ABL
O A
VE
NOR
TH CORRIDOR
KennedyPlaza
RumrillSportsComplex
Core TOD Priority Areas
Outlying Corridors
Core TOD Priority Areas
Concentrated, connected, transit-serviced, and all on or near San Pablo Avenue.
• 23rd Street District
• Central District
• Civic District
• Regional Commercial District
Outlying Corridors
Additional areas that create a supportive network without all of the functions of the Priority Areas.
• San Pablo Ave Corridor North
• Rumrill Boulevard Corridor
• San Pablo Dam Road Corridor
City-Wide
San Pablo may implement the policies and direction in this plan elsewhere in the city as needed, when targeted for revitalization.
CITY OF SAN PABLO SUSTAINABLE TOD MASTER PLAN
4 TOD Vision for San Pablo
Building on inputs from the community and the area analysis, a vision was created for TOD in San Pablo. This vision is that TOD Priority Areas all have a Gateway, Corridors, Activity Nodes, Community Heart, and Neighborhood Connections.
Opportunity Analysis
The planning team reviewed each Priority Area for opportunities to improve and integrate Transportation, Open Space, and Development that would achieve the TOD Vision.
TOD Vision Cont… | San Pablo Sustainable TOC MP | 16 Feb 2023 San Pablo has the perfect combination of: a rich history and culture; ideal and manageable size; and access to nearby jobs and resources. sense of place. Transit-Oriented Development can tackle the most complex and challenging mobility concerns while at the same time, providing sustainable and attractive built form that amenities.
01 District Gateway:
A place to Enter (T,O)
02 Corridors:
A place to Go Through (T,R)
03 Activity Nodes:
A place to Live (O,D,H,R)
05 Neighborhood Connections:
A place to Connect (T,O,R)
04 Community Heart:
A place to Gather (O,D)
CENTRAL DISTRICT
CIVIC DISTRICT
MH
MH
Church Ln
El Portal Dr
Rd 20
Church Ln
San Pablo AveVan Ness St
San Pablo
Community
Centre
Helms Middle
School
Old Maple
Hall
Alvarado
Adobe
Museum
College
Center
Walgreens
23rd St
Rd 20
El Portal Dr
San Pablo Ave
Brookside Dr
Rd 20
San Pablo
Supermarket
San Pablo
Supermarket
Kennedy
Plaza
23rd Street District Civic District
Central District Regional Commercial District
entry point
where people arrive by
different modes
main travel routes
activated streetscapes
housing
shops & services
community assets
gathering places
destinations
COMPONENTS WHAT THIS LOOKS
LIKE
local streets
pedestrian & cyclist
network
San Pablo Dam Road
Ridge Rd
Willow Rd
Vale Rd
Gateway Ave
Chattleton Ln
Villa Dr
Salesian
College
Prepatory
City Hall
San Pablo
Community
Center
Helms Middle
School
CENTRAL DISTRICT
CIVIC DISTRICT
REGIONAL COMMERCIAL
DISTRICT
MH
MH
MH
Church Ln
23rd St
El Portal Dr
Rd 20
Brookside Dr
Market Ave
San Pablo Dam Road
San Pablo Avenue
San Pablo Avenue
Ave
Market
Dover Ave
University
A
ve
Church Ln
Van Ness St
Mason St
Wildcat Creek
MH
Tribal
Lands
Wildcat Creek
Wildcat Creek Trail
San Pablo Avenue
San Pablo Avenue
• Implement “Great Street” improvements along San Pablo Ave to support its role as the primary corridor.
Support Transit Routes
• Provide enhanced stops, crossings, and amenities to improve the experience of transit users.
Accommodate Multiple Travel Modes
• Consider micromobility users’ needs including e-scooters, cyclists, pedestrians with strollers or mobility aids, and offer accessible places for mode transition and storage.
Prioritize Pedestrian Connectivity Through Neighborhoods • Create a new, interconnected street network that prioritizes pedestrians when large, impermeable blocks redevelop.
Improve and Complete Greenway & Trail System
• Provide access to creek trail system and connect open spaces via pedestrian and cyclist priority greenways.
Smooth the Flow of Traffic
• Direct vehicle traffic to wider corridors and calm neighborhood streets.
Transportation Opportunities SummaryT
Existing Trail System
Area to be Prioritized for
Pedestrian Connectivity
CITY OF SAN PABLO SUSTAINABLE TOD MASTER PLAN
5 D
Designate New Parks
• Continue to designage and build out new park space to serve new and existing residents and workers in that area.
Enhance Creeks and Natural Areas
• Renaturalize creeks and adjacent natural areas, and provide welcoming, attractive frontages and access points to activate these linear green spaces.
Build New Urban Open Spaces
• Provide hardsaped and softscaped urban open spaces with amenities at regular intervals along corridors to support “Great Street” streetscapes and offer spaces for activations.
Utilize and Connect Open Spaces
• Introduce green linkages that connect Wildcat Creek, San Pablo Creek, and destinations to the surrounding streets with pedestrian and cyclist-friendly paths that are lined with trees and green infrastructure.
Revitalize Main Streets Through Infill Development
• Introduce and encourage low-density, small-scale redevelopment and revitalization along neighborhood Main Streets through individual site infill.
Implement Frontage Improvements
• Maintain and revitalize existing development, particularly clusters of retail, by making improvements to frontages and exterior updates and creating a more pedestrian-friendly environment.
Redevelop Large Blocks with Mid-Density Development
• On large, impermeable “big store” sites, when redevelopment occurs, encourage a comprehensive mix of uses and fine-grained block pattern to be established.
Shopping Center Comprehensive Redevelopment
• Use Food Max Plaza and San Pablo Towne Center as catalyst projects for high density, mixed use, transit-serviced TOD development at the time that the landowners show interest in redevelopment, working closely with the developer to achieve community goals through the redesign.
Tribal
Lands
23rd DISTRICT
CIVIC DISTRICT
REGIONAL
COMMERCIAL DISTRICT
SCHOOLS & SPORTS FIELDS /
ESCUELAS Y CAMPOS DEPORTIVOS
EXISTING CREEK /
ARROYO EXISTENTE
ACTIVE FRONTAGE TOWARDS OPEN
SPACE /
FRONTAL ACTIVO HACIA EL ESPACIO
ABIERTO
GREEN LINKAGES /
VÍNCULOS VERDES
URBAN PLAZA /
PLAZA URBANA
STREETSCAPE CREEK ENHANCEMENT
MEJORA DE PAISAJE CALLEJERO
HACIA EL ARROYO
URBAN PARK /
PARQUE URBANO
CREEK DAYLIGHTING /
DRENAJE NATURAL DEL ARROYO
CREEKSIDE NATURAL PARK AND
RESTORATION /
PARQUE NATURAL AL LADO DEL
ARROYO Y RESTAURACIÓN
23rd St
San Pablo Avenue
San Pablo Dam Road
Church Ln
El Portal Dr
Rd 20
Brookside Dr
Market Ave
OPEN SPACE
ESPACIO ABIERTO
Legend
Leyenda
San Pablo Avenue
San Pablo Avenue
Rd 20
23rd St
San Pablo Dam Road
Ridge Rd
Willow Rd
Vale Rd
Gateway Ave
Chattleton Ln
Villa Dr
San Pablo Avenue
Salesian
College
Prepatory
City Hall
Wildcat Creek
St. Paul
School
Wildcat Creek Trail
San Pablo
Supermarket
College Center
Tribal
Lands
CIVIC DISTRICT
CENTRAL DISTRICT
Church Ln
23rd St
San Pablo Avenue
“SOFT” DETACHED RESIDENTIAL
NEIGHBORHOOD REDENSIFICATION /
REDENSIFICACIÓN “SUAVE” DEL
VECINDARIO
DEVELOPMENT
& HOUSING
DESARROLLO Y VIVIENDAS
ACQUISITION FOR GREENWAY /
ADQUISICIÓN PARA VÍA VERDE
LOWER-DENSITY INFILL /
RELLENO DE BAJA DENSIDAD
MID-DENSITY CONTEXTUAL
REDEVELOPMENT /
URBANIZACIÓN CONTEXTUAL DE
DENSIDAD MEDIA
LARGE-SCALE COMPREHENSIVE
REDEVELOPMENT /
REDESARROLLO INTEGRAL DE GRAN
ESCALA
FACADE REALIGNMENT / FRONTAGE
DENSIFICATION
REALINEACIÓN DE FACHADA / DENSIFI-
CACIÓN DE FRONTALES
BIG STORE REDEVELOPMENT /
RENOVACIÓN DE TIENDAS
GRANDES
TRIBAL TRUST (RESERVATION) LANDS /
TIERRAS DE FIDEICOMISO TRIBALES
(RESERVA)
TRIBAL FEE LANDS /
TIERRAS DE TARIFAS TRIBALES
Rd 20
San Pablo Dam Road
Legend
Leyenda
FOCUS AREA /
AREA DE ENFOQUE
REGIONAL
COMMERCIAL DISTRICT
San Pablo Dam Road
Ridge Rd
Willow Rd
Vale Rd
Gateway Ave
Chattleton Ln
Villa Dr
San Pablo Avenue
Salesian
College
Prepatory
City Hall
San Pablo
Community
Center
Helms Middle
School
23rd DISTRICT
El Portal Dr
Brookside Dr
San Pablo Avenue
San Pablo Avenue
Rd 20
23rd St
Ave
Market
Dover Ave
University
Ave
Church Ln
Van Ness St
Mason St
Wildcat Creek
Open Space Opportunities Summary
Development Opportunities Summary
O
Schools and Sports Fields
Existing Creek
Active Frontage Towards
Open Space
Green Linkages
Public Urban Open Space
Creekside Natural Park
and Restoration
Creek Daylighting
Acquisition for Greenway
Frontage Improvements
Lower-Density Contextual
Infill
Medium-Density
Contextual Areas
Large-Scale
Comprehensive Areas
Big Store Areas
Legend
CITY OF SAN PABLO SUSTAINABLE TOD MASTER PLAN
6 Public Input
Engagement from the public and stakeholders was critical throughout the process. This summary highlights the opportunities for online and in-person participation, and the key insights gained.
Engagement
Program
Engagement
Objectives
Insights and
Results
EXPLORE ENVISION PLAN
• Virtual Stakeholder Meetings
• Social Media Campaign
• Online Portal + Survey
• 3 Community Pop-ups
• What are the issues that the
TOD Plan should address?
• What are your concerns and
aspirations regarding mobility
and land use?
• How do you get around San
Pablo?
• Key themes included
cleanliness, safety, and
convenience
• Restaurants and New Parks
were the top desires
• Areas needing most
improvement ws reported
to be bikability, access to
park space, and safety while
traveling
• Respondents reported wanting
to live in closer proximity to
shopping/services, schools,
and work
• Respondents generally had
neutral or positive views of
many aspects of life in San
Pablo including their ability
to travel by transit, walk, and
public services
• 6 Stakeholder Listening Sessions
• Social Media Campaign
• Online Portal + Survey
• 3 Community Pop-ups
• Community Charrette
• What are your ideas for streetscape
design?
• What do you need on your street to get
around more comfortably, safer, and
faster?
• What are your priorities in the TOD Priority
Areas?
• Top elements desired for all TOD Priority
Areas:
• Streetscape Improvements
• Safer Pedestrian/Cyclist Zones
• More Walkable Destinations
• Transportation needs reported:
• Connectivity to other areas from San
Pablo
• Bike & pedestrian connections to
green space
• Improved traffic flow & safety
• Open Space needs reported:
• Safety in creek trails including lighting
• Better maintenance of public spaces
• Street beautification and placemaking
• Development needs reported:
• Locate public transportation near
housing
• High-density, affordable housing
• Virtual Stakeholder
Meeting(s)
• Draft Plan Online
Public Review Period
• Online Portal +
Comment Period
• Check out the draft
plan
• What is the plan
missing?
• What do you like in
the plan?
• TBD
CITY OF SAN PABLO SUSTAINABLE TOD MASTER PLAN
7 PLAN PHASE
Policy Recommendation Framework
To address the needs identified in the Explore phase, inputs from the community and the planning analysis were used to create policy recommendations.
57 recommendations
Policy
Recommendations
Physical
Recommendations
The Policy Recommendations Report contains 57 recommendations for transportation, open space, and development, which are built on the opportunities analysis. Each category has recommendations for policy (program and plan) and physical (site- specific) improvement opportunities.
The Policy Recommendations Report also considers two equity lenses: Housing and Climate Resiliency. These evaluate or enhance the policy recommendations in ways that support on-going work at the local and state level to promote equity within the community.
Climate Resiliency Lens
Recommendations that improve San Pablo’ s ability
to mitigate, respond, and adapt to climate-related
stresses and events.
Housing Lens
Recommendations that support the goals of the
Draft 2023 Housing Element, focused on using the
TOD Priority Areas as catalysts.
T
O
D
CITY OF SAN PABLO SUSTAINABLE TOD MASTER PLAN
8 Recommendations Summary
Policy
Recommendations
Physical
Recommendations
• Update and implement existing
plans to support TOD on roads,
streets, and frontages
• Implement a Complete Streets
Policy
• Support role of developers to
support multi-modal travel,
improve streetscape, and
support transit-supportive land
uses
• Establish cooperation and
partnerships to cooperatively
improve regional transit, bike
route, and trail networks
• Implement “Great Street”
measures
• Improve and complete trail
network
• Redesign intersections &
crossings
• Traffic calm Main Streets
• Enhance transit stops
• Prioritize a pedestrian-friendly,
fine-grained street network
when redeveloping large blocks
• Update existing plans to
support TOD in existing and
planned open spaces
• Enhance role of developers
to improve open spaces or
frontages onto open spaces
• Establish partnerships to
coordinate efforts to advance
the open space network
• Designate and build new parks
and plazas
• Renaturalize and enhance
creeks
• Connect open spaces with
green linkages
• Align with regional TOC efforts
• Support attractive, high-quality
built form and architecture
• Use public lands for community
uses
• Prioritize processing of TOD
Priority Area housing and
mixed use development
• Preserve existing and create
new affordable housing
• Work with partners, including
developers, to attain goals
• Encourage appropriate infill and
density
• Comprehensively redevelop
large sites and shopping
centers
• Create Towne Center Design
Guidelines
T O DTransportation Open Space Development
CITY OF SAN PABLO SUSTAINABLE TOD MASTER PLAN
9 Prioritization
Quick Starts
Specific, contextual, and responsive to an immediate need with the fewest regulatory barriers.
• May include pilot projects, activations, events.
• Generally smallest impact, but don’t underestimate the results that small budgets and short time frames can produce.
• Some quick starts include relatively simple plan/policy updates that enable big moves during implementation.
Planning Horizon
Recommendations that fit within a typical municipal process • May include policy updates, development review, general analysis and reporting.
• Introduce iterative and innovative ways to make changes continually over time with better projects and programs.
Big Moves
Often requiring their own plan, Big Moves define the standard for look and feel for the whole city.
• May include campus or mall-scale master planning sites or new policy programs
• Most stakeholders, costs, and time requirement, but have the ability to have long-lasting impacts.
Prioritization Levels Examples
• Establish partnerships to advocate
for rapid bus
• Daylight underground segments of
Wildcat Creek
• Comprehensive Redevelopment of
Shopping Centres
• Redesign pedestrian crossings by
schools
• Provide creek access
• Require tenant protection
• Enhance transit stops
• Activate Open Space Frontages
• Encourage Land Assemblies
T
T
T
O
O
O
D
D
D
BIG MOVES
PLANNING
HORIZON
QUICK
START
<1 year 2-5 years 5+ years
$
$$
$$$
T I M E F R A M E
C O S T
CITY OF SAN PABLO SUSTAINABLE TOD MASTER PLAN
10 Implementation Plan
TOD implementation is set in motion by three key drivers, which are assigned to each recommendation:
Funding
Team Assignment
Prompt
Grant cycles and municipal budget cycles play a key role in determining project priority, timeframe, and viability. • Municipal operating and capital project budget
• Partner and private market investment/land value capture • Grants and loan programs
Teams to lead various initiatives, from grant applications through to project completion. • Typically led by Community Services, Planning & Zoning, Housing or Building Services departments • May be further broken down into task forces, committees, or project teams • May include stakeholder groups including steering committees with members of the public The reason for the project to kick-off.
• Often is tied to receiving funding and grant timelines • May be tied to a private land owner’ s redevelopment interest timeline • May be prompted by council direction or community priorities including results of new studies, urgent event, or emerging needs
CITY OF SAN PABLO SUSTAINABLE TOD MASTER PLAN
11