Transit-Oriented Development: City of Coquitlam

Session: Transforming Suburbs

April 16, 10:15 AM

Deborah Day
City of Coquitlam, B.C.

The concept of Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) can be defined as “The revival of the lost art of place making…the creation and restoration of compact, pedestrian-friendly mixed use neighbourhoods containing housing, workplaces, shops, entertainment, schools, parks, and civic facilities essential to the daily lives of their residents – all within easy walking distance. TOD promotes increased use of commuter and light rail transit, instead of building more highways and roads for auto travel. Transit-oriented development is essentially a city on a small scale.”

This session focuses on how principles of TOD have been applied and adapted to communities around planned rapid transit stations in some Canadian and American suburban centres including the Vancouver region in Canada (Coquitlam), Minneapolis area, Chicago area, and San Francisco Area.

Suburban centres are typically auto-oriented consisting of large areas of paved parking lots serving low-density land uses that encourage the use of automobiles. With the use of illustrations, each case study presentation will discuss the challenges and successes of incorporating TOD principles, and the immediate and anticipated results.

Land use/transportation challenges for suburban centres will be addressed including:

Which government initiatives at each of the diverse levels involved in land use and transportation planning have been effective in fostering TOD principles in local plans? Which government initiatives have been barriers?
How can planning and the introduction of rapid transit to a neighbourhood foster positive economic impacts?
Besides increased accessibility and mobility choices, what other public amenities and issues should be included in a successful TOD plan?
Place making in the suburbs has been seen as a continuing challenge, so can rapid transit be a catalyst?
How can existing traditional auto-oriented retailers make the transition to street-front retailing in the suburbs?
Can affordable housing stock in different tenures be accommodated in the vicinity of a rapid transit station?
How are TODs sustainable economically, socially, and environmentally and what role do the public and private sectors play?

How have these specific TOD plans accommodated incremental development so that the built out whole plan is stronger than the parts?

Transit-Oriented Development: City of Coquitlam

Author and Copyright Information

Deb Day is the General Manager of the Planning and Development Department with the City of Coquitlam, BC. The Department has responsibilities for integrated community, development, and transportation planning and approvals. This integration has fostered a comprehensive approach to the opportunities and challenges of the extension of SkyTrain Rapid Transit to this growing suburban municipality, which is slated for a significant share of future regional growth. This role involves active collaboration with the provincial, regional and municipal planning and transportation agencies and committees. Earlier in her career, Deb Day was part of the City of Calgary team that prepared the initial South Corridor Light Rail Transit Land Use Plan, as well as being the Manager of Downtown Planning and Development as the C-Train system evolved.