Transit-Oriented Communities Policy
City Council Study Session
Planning and Economic Development
Transportation & Public Works
July 28, 2026
Transit -Oriented Communities Policy
OBAG funds
transportation
projects that
advance
safety, climate
goals and
focused growth
Aligns Bay Area
jurisdictions
with regional
transit and
housing goals
Adopted by
MTC in 2022:
Rooted in
Plan Bay Area
2050
Positions City
for additional
$2 -$4 M in next
One Bay Area
Grant (OBAG)
funding cycle
Policies must
be adopted or
verified before
OBAG 4 funding
scoring begins:
July 2027
Supports
adopted City
land use,
transportation,
and climate
plans
TOC Defintion
Areas within ½ mile of existing and planned fixed-railway transit stops and stations:
• Regional rail (e.g., Bay Area Rapid Transit, Caltrain) • Commuter rail (e.g. Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit)
• Light-rail transit (LRT)
Population of 200k + and/or 4+ TOCs qualify for additional incentive funding
• City population as of January 2025: 178,452
• No additional fixed railway stops or stations planned TOC Areas: ½ Mile Radius from SMART
LEGEND
½ Mile Buffer (TOC)
Specific Plan Area
SMART Railway
SMART Station
LEGEND
½ Mile Buffer (TOC)
Specific Plan Area
SMART Railway
SMART Station
North Station Area Downtown Station Area
Background
TOC Policy focuses on four elements:
Residential density and commercial office
intensity for new development
Affordable housing and commercial stabilization
Parking management
Transit station access and circulation
Residential Density &
Commercial Intensity
Affordable Housing &
Commercial Stabilization
Parking
Management
TOC Policy Scoring
Station Access &
Circulation
All policies must be adopted or
verified by July 1, 2027
At least 85 of 100 points required
for additional grant funding
25 POINTS
25 POINTS
25 POINTS
25 POINTS
POLICY AREAS FOR COUNCIL DIRECTION:
Focus of Study Session
PARKING
MAXIMUMS
TRANSPORTATION
DEMAND
MANAGEMENT
AFFORDABLE
HOUSING
POLICIES
Decision Framework
COUNCIL
POLICY
DIRECTION
REGIONAL
PRIORITIES
• Transit-Oriented Communities
• Focused Growth
• Climate Goals
FUNDING
OPPORTUNITIES
• Upcoming OBAG cycle
• Potential alignment required
for additional MTC grants
LOCAL FOCUS
• Economic Vitality
• Business Needs
• Neighborhood
Context
IMPLEMENTATION
• Existing built
environment
• Infrastructure
• Market feasibility
Previous OBAG Funding for Santa Rosa
Roseland Specific Plan
US-101 Bicycle/Pedestrian Overcrossing
Santa Rosa Avenue Improvements
Downtown Streetscape Improvements
CityBus System Plan and Optimization
Downtown Station Area Specific Plan
Renewal Enterprise District
US-101 Bicycle/Pedestrian Overcrossing
Signal Interconnectivity Project
Transit Mall Roadbed Rehabilitation
Various Street Rehabilitations
South Santa Rosa Specific Plan
Southeast Greenway Master Plan
TOC Planning/Re-Zoning
Downtown Parking and Curb Management Plans
Hearn Multi-Use Path
Downtown Pavement Rehabilitation/Curb Ramps
Class IV Bicycle Lane Materials
$5,113,177 $6,716,000$6,583,000
OBAG 1 OBAG 3OBAG 2
20222012 2015
S anta Ros a has s ec ured more than $1 8. 4 million in OB AG funds over the las t 1 4 years
• Improve access to SMART Stations through a 10-
minute walk and 15-minute active transportation
connections
• Enhance public realm to support safety, electric
travel methods, and bicycle infrastructure
• Prioritize Capital Improvement Program (CIP)
Projects within TOC Areas
• Advance multimodal roadway safety policies to
reduce traffic fatalities
Transit Station Access & Circulation
Transit Station Access & Circulation
Category Compliance with TOC Policy Score
Complete Streets Policy Consistent 3 of 3
Prioritize or Implement Active
Transportation Projects Consistent 7 of 7
Access Gap Analysis Consistent 9 of 9
Mobility Hub Consistent 6 of 6
Current Total: 25/25
Transit Station Access & Circulation
• Active Transportation Plan (adopted in 2025)
meets "Access Gap Analysis" and "Project
Prioritization“ criteria
• Projects currently underway include:
⚬ Discussion with Transportation Network
Companies (e.g. Uber & Lyft) re: shared
mobility "Mobility Hub" compliance
⚬ Increase in transit frequency
⚬ Bike and Pedestrian low stress infrastructure
• Complete Streets Policy adopted in 2015
Residential Density and Office Intensity
Focuses on more people in transit focused areas to reduce vehicle miles traveled and greenhouse gas emissions
through:
• Increasing average residential density
• Increasing commercial intensity
• Preserving industrial and open spaces zoning districts Residential Density and Office Intensity
Category Anticipated Compliance with TOC Policy Score
Minimum Residential Density Consistent 8 of 8
Maximum Residential Density Consistent 12 of 12
Minimum Commercial Intensity Consistent 2 of 2
Maximum Commercial Intensity Consistent 3 of 3
Anticipated Total: 25/25
• North Station Area is not consistent with TOC Policy
⚬ Minimum Requirement - 25 Units an Acre
⚬ Currently – 9 Units an Acre
⚬ Commercial building heights must increase or utilize Floor Area Ratio (FAR) to meet minimum requirement
• Downtown Station Area is consistent with TOC Policy
Residential Density and Office Intensity
• North Santa Rosa Station Area Specific Plan requires
amendments to meet TOC Policy
• $300,000 TOC grant and Advance Planning fund
being utilized for consultant support to update the
North Santa Rosa Station Area Specific Plan and
prepare a Subsequent EIR
Began July 1, 2026
Requires adoption by July 1, 2027
Residential Density and Office Intensity
Affordable Housing & Commercial Stabilization
Focuses on housing affordability, preventing
displacement, and ensuring residents and businesses
benefit from transit-oriented growth.
• Increase affordable housing production
• Preserve existing affordable units
• Protect tenants from displacement
• Support small businesses
Affordable Housing & Commercial Stabilization
Category Compliance with TOC Policy Score
Production Policies Partially consistent: 1 of 2 policies 4 of 8 Preservation Policies Fully consistent: 2 of 2 policies 8 of 8 Protection Policies Partially consistent: 1 of 2 policies 4 of 8 Commercial Stabilization
Policies Fully consistent: 1 of 1 policies 1 of 1
Current Total: 17/25
EXISTING CITY PROCESS
Affordable Housing: Production
Development Certainty and Streamlined
Entitlement Process
• California Senate Bill 330 establishes vested rights
and fees for residential developments through a
preliminary application
• Requires timely processing of housing applications
that are consistent with objective zoning standards
Affordable Housing: Preservation
Mobilehome Rehabilitation Loan Program
• City administers CalHome Mobilehome Rehabilitation Loan Program up to $50,000 per household
• Helps low-income residents repair and rehabilitate their owner-occupied mobile homes
EXISTING CITY POLICY & PROGRAM
Mobile Home Closure Ordinance
• Requires Tenant Relocation Assistance Plan
• Provides tenant protections, benefits and relocation payments • Must be accepted by Planning Commission prior to approval of conversion or closure of a mobile home park
Affordable Housing: Protection
Mobile Home Rent Stabilization
• Limits maximum allowable rent increase
• Defines a local enforcement mechanism where
residents can dispute rent increases that exceed
limits
EXISTING CITY POLICY
Commercial Stabilization
Small Business Advocate Office
Business Concierge Program
• Single point of contact for small businesses
• Customized support for business establishment
and expansion
• Technical assistance and resources
• Guidance on permits and regulations
EXISTING CITY PROGRAM
Affordable Housing Policy Options
Multiple policy pathways are
available to improve the City’s
TOC score.
Affordable housing policies represent one of
several strategies Council may choose to
pursue.
OPTION TO CONSIDER
Ministerial Housing Ordinance
(Production)
By-right approval process for qualifying housing
developments that include at least 15% affordable
units.
Additional affordable housing policy
options are limited by existing staff
capacity and the requirement for
ongoing funding commitments.
TOC BENEFIT
POINTS
Implementation Consideration
+4
Parking Management
• Focuses on increasing biking, walking, and other active transportation modes to reduce traffic congestion and
vehicle emissions
• Prioritizes land area for shared transportation modes such as SMART and CityBus
• Rewards parking management strategies to reduce
automobile trips
Parking & Transportation Demand Management
Category Anticipated Compliance with TOC Policy Score
Vehicle Parking Minimums Consistent for Residential and Commercial 4 of 4 Vehicle Parking Maximums -
Residential Dependent on Council Direction ? of 4
Vehicle Parking Maximums -
Commercial Dependent on Council Direction ? of 4
Bicycle Parking Minimums Consistent for Residential and Commercial 6 of 6 Unbundled Parking Consistent for Residential and Commercial 2 of 2 Shared Parking Consistent for Residential and Commercial 2 of 2 Parking Management Strategies Partially Consistent with 1 of 3 Policies 1 of 3 Anticipated Total: 15/25
Parking & Transportation Demand Management
Working with consultant TYLin through an MTC grant to:
• Review and update Vehicle and Bicycle Parking Zoning
Code Requirements
• Review and update Shared and Unbundled
Parking Requirements
• Remove parking minimums per State Law within Station
Areas
• Explore Parking Demand Management Strategies
Most efforts are currently focused on North Station Area • TYLin assisted City with similar effort within Downtown Station Area in 2025
Parking Management Outreach: North Station
February 3 – March 12, 2026
• Purpose: Gather input to inform parking and TDM
recommendations
• Engagement activities : Seven focus groups and five stakeholder interviews
• Who we heard from : Local businesses, schools,
developers/housing representatives, transit providers,
transportation advocates, community groups, and area
residents
• Topics discussed: Transit, active transportation, parking, and carpooling
• Engagement approach: Sessions included a project overview, existing conditions presentation, and a facilitated discussion
Parking Management Outreach: North Station
Transit
• Positive: SMART and bus service are important assets
• Needs Improvement: Frequency, agency coordination, and access to stations
Active Transportation
• Positive: High potential to increase walking and biking trips • Needs Improvement: Sidewalk gaps, wayfinding, lighting, and safe bike parking
Parking
• Positive: Several areas have manageable parking supply during non- peak times
• Needs Improvement: Peak demand parking, spillover, and parking at the SMART Station
Carpooling
• Participants did not identify carpooling as a focus area for future improvements
City worked with TYLin to update various Parking policies and programs, approved by Council in November 2025
which included:
• Updates to Priced Parking areas in Garages and Meters • New Residential Permits for large developments due to demand
• Introduction of Parking Validation
• Creation of Premium Parking Zones to incentivize garage use, active transportation, and transit
• Removal of certain parking meter areas and Free Parking days to promote Economic Development
Parking Management: Downtown
TOC Policy requires parking maximums for new development, limited to:
⚬ 1.5 Parking Spaces per Residential Unit and
⚬ 4 Spaces per 1000 square feet Non-Residential Space
Zoning Code does not currently require any parking maximums TOC Objectives and City Initiatives
⚬ Aims to reduce Vehicle Miles Traveled and Greenhouse Gas Emissions ⚬ Promotes walking, biking, and transit as other modes of transportation Potential Challenge: Developer Financing and Feasibility ⚬ Developer financing strategies and commercial real estate leases have parking space requirements ⚬ Reduced average daily vehicle trips could impact attraction of larger businesses and projects that rely on high vehicle trip counts
Vehicle Parking Maximums
Lance Drive Housing (672 MF and 94 SF Units with 1508 Spaces Total) ⚬ 1.7 Spaces per Multi Family unit
⚬ 3.4 Spaces per Single Family unit
Aviara Apartments (136 MF Units with 179 S paces Total) ⚬ 1.3 Spaces per unit
Annadel Apartments (207 MF Units with 401 Spaces Total) ⚬ 1.94 Spaces per unit
The Stewart Cannery Apartments (129 MF Units with 52 Spaces Total) • 0.4 Spaces per unit
• 39 additional spaces provided by City parking permits Vehicle Parking Maximums - Residential
Decision Point
• Full Consistency - (4 Points) - 1.5 Parking Spaces per Residential Unit
• Partial Consistency (2 Points ) - 2 Parking Spaces per Residential Unit
• Limited Consistency (1 Point) - Any type of parking maximum • No Points – No Parking Maximum
Vehicle Parking Maximums - Commercial
Decision Point
• Full Consistency - (4 Points) - 4 Spaces per 1,000 square feet of nonresidential space
• Partial Consistency (2 Points) - 5 Spaces per 1,000 square feet of nonresidential space
• Limited Consistency (1 Point) - Any type of parking maximum • No Points – No Parking Maximum
North Station Examples:
Lance Drive Retail Phase (5,000 Square Feet)
⚬ 28 Spaces Total
⚬ 5.6 Spaces per 1,000 Square Feet
Target (143,000 Square Feet)
⚬ 327 Spaces Total - 572 Spaces Required
⚬ 4 Spaces per 1,000 Square Feet - 246 shared with Coddingtown Dick’s Sporting Goods (50,000 Square Feet)
⚬ 176 Spaces Total - 209 Required
⚬ 4 spaces per 1,000 Square Feet - 33 removed with Parking Reduction Coddingtown (825,000 Square Feet)
⚬ 4 Spaces per 1,000 square feet
⚬ 3,300 Spaces Total - Rents extra parking spaces to surrounding residential uses
• City provides 1,480 parking permits to businesses and residents Downtown in garages and parking lots
• Many of these spaces are provided due to a demand from recent developments including:
o The Cannery in Railroad Square
o 888 4th St Apartments
o Felix at 420 Mendocino Ave
• Parking infrastructure can absorb current demand but has limited supply
• Future Downtown developments are already discussing parking permit options in these garages and lots
• Areas with new development are facing overflow of parking on the streets causing illegal parking
Downtown Parking
Parking Management Strategies
WHAT IS TRANSPORTATION DEMAND
MANAGEMENT (TDM)?
Policies and programs that manage parking demand by
providing travelers with flexible and safer sustainable travel options such as transit, carpooling, biking, and walking.
As travelers begin to use other transportation methods, shifting trips away from single occupancy vehicles results in
lower
greenhouse gas emissions (GHG), vehicle miles traveled (VMT), and
reduced congestion.
Proposed TDM Program and Measures
On-site Affordable Housing
On-site Childcare
Healthy Food Retail
Real Time Information Display
Transportation Marketing
Promote Safe Routes to Schools
Network Improvements
Bicycle Parking
Lockers & Showers
Bike & Scooter Share
Repair Station
Wayfinding
Increase Transit Services
Transit Subsidy
Unlimited Ride Program
Bus Stop Improvements
Car Share
Parking Membership
Unbundled Parking
Shared Parking
Priced Workplace Parking
Employee Parking Cash Out
Carpool Program
Development Programming & Education Bike and Ped
Transit Vehicle
Program would require a developer to select from a Menu of TDM Measures to reach 20 points* • Threshold for TDM Program: 20 Residential Units OR 20,000 Square Feet of Non-residential Space * 1 Point = 1% Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) Reduction TDM Case Studies in the Bay Area
Sonoma County Transportation and Climate Authorities (SCTCA) TDM Plan • Supports and promotes existing regional resources and operates as a coordinated County effort to assist jurisdictions with technical assistance and toolkits to develop TDM and parking policies
San Francisco TDM Plan
• Larger City – 800,000 Population
• Utilizes a point-based system with a menu of TDM options for new development and ongoing monitoring with staff
• Focuses on reducing vehicle trips and shifting people to different modes of transportation
San Carlos (San Mateo County) TDM Plan
• Smaller City – 30,000 Population
• TDM Checklist with minimum requirements and ongoing monitoring with staff • Threshold new development of 10 units or 10,000 square feet of nonresidential space or change of use
• Focuses on reducing vehicle trips by 20%
TDM Program Applicability
Priority Development Areas are established by
MTC to provide opportunities for compact, infill
development in proximity to transit, jobs, schools,
shopping, and services.
Decision Point
• All Priority Development Areas
⚬ Beyond TOC Requirements and supports greater
regional planning efforts
• North Station and Downtown Station Area
⚬ Supports both SMART Stations and the Transit Mall
• North Station Area Only
⚬ Minimum TOC Requirement
• No TDM Program
Plan includes:
Staff time for 3-5 years of monitoring with the Developer Ongoing and one-time costs for developers
1 Point
0 Points
Existing Project with TDM - Casa Roseland
• Roseland Priority Development Area
• 75 units - 100% affordable housing
• 324 shared parking spaces with Tierra de Rosas
• 33 spaces for unbundled covered parking
• On-site childcare for young children and teens
• 68 private bicycle parking spaces
Hypothetical Project – Mendocino Ave Corridor
TDM Selections – Mixed Use Project
50,000 Sq Ft Office and 100 MF Units
Required Bike Parking
(110 spaces)
Required Pedestrian Access Upgrades
Unbundled Parking
Price Workplace Parking
Total Points: Residential: 21 & Nonresidential: 25
Mixed-Use projects have an easier time reaching the TDM requirements due to shared uses on the same site.
Hypothetical Project – Santa Rosa Ave Corridor
TDM Selections - Nonresidential Project
50,000 Sq Ft Office
Required Bike Parking
(10 spaces)
Required Pedestrian Access Upgrades
Carpool Program
Employee Parking Cash Out (60% Eligible)
Total Points: 20
Nonresidential projects can satisfy the threshold through a single high-value measure (parking pricing) or through a combination of improvements and programs.
Hypothetical Project – Sebastopol Rd Corridor
TDM Selections - Residential Project
100 Multifamily Units
Required Bike Parking
(100 spaces)
Required Pedestrian Access Upgrades
Transit Passes
20% Affordable Housing
Transportation Marketing
Real-time display
Total Points: 20
Residential projects can meet the threshold through site design and parking management measures (unbundled parking) OR may incorporate other transportation benefits and user incentives.
Path to TOC Eligibility
Residential Density &
Commercial Intensity
Affordable Housing &
Commercial Stabilization
Parking
Management
Station Access &
Circulation
25/25
POINTS
17/25
POINTS
15/25
POINTS
25/25
POINTS
COUNCIL DIRECTION REQUESTED
Which policies should staff pursue in TOC areas to achieve incentive eligibility? Parking
Maximums
Transportation
Demand
Management (TDM)
Ministerial
Housing Ordinance
Establish parking maximums for
residential and/or commercial uses
Require TDM strategies for new
residential and developments
By-right approvals for qualifying
affordable housing projects
(15% or more units as affordable)
82 Points
Anticipated Score
85 Points
Eligibility Threshold
+ 3 Points Needed
+1 t o +8
Points
+4
Points
+1
Point
Point value depends on level of
maximums selected
Provides 1 TOC point Provides 4 TOC points
Questions and Feedback