Search

Visual Buffers and Landscaping

An illustration of a parking lot with callouts for visual buffer (trees/bushes) and a parking island. — Parking with Trees for Shade

A photo of a parking lot with a parking island with trees. — Parking with Trees for Shade

A photo of tall shrubs between a sidewalk and a parking lot. — Visual Buffer (Source: Flickr - Sergio Ruiz)

Minimize use of tall shrubs in favor of lower shrubs and groundcovers to allow for greater visibility within a parking area for pedestrian and vehicular safety. Clear lines of sight minimize...

A graph showing the trade off of increasing access and increase mobility. For example local streets have high access, but low mobility and freeways have high mobility and low access. — Access vs. Mobility

Build in flexibility. Use engineering design discretion to design streets in context with surrounding land uses. Look at the full range of values provided in design manuals, rather than default to...

Photo of a parking lot with several parked cars and trees in the background on a sunny day

Rethinking Parking Requirements: There are new ways to consider how much vehicle parking a city, development, or region should have. Many parking zoning codes err on the side of caution to...

Graphic of a map of a downtown with callout boxes of policies and programs that incentivize people to not drive for traveling — Support transportation demand management and reduce single occupant vehicle use

Photo of play structure and shaded amphitheater next to transit center — The Monrovia Station Plaza Play Area and Amphitheatre in Monrovia, CA activates the Monrovia Station Area (Source: IBI Group)

Graphic showing map with yellow, orange, red, and green colors indicating with higher or lower levels of VMT — Sample VMT heat map which can be used in CEQA screening; green and yellow areas have lower VMT, orange and red areas have higher VMT

A photo of a brick parking garage that blends blends in with adjacent development. — Parking Structure, Boulder, CO (Source: Flickr - Brett VA)

A photo of a parking garage next to a five story residential development. The parking garage has art and complements the color of the residential development. — LA Plaza Village Structured Parking, Los Angeles, CA (Source: Watry Design Inc. - Heather Collins)

Conform parking structure height and façades to match the surrounding built environment and adjacent uses. Parking structures should complement the scale and character of the neighborhood.

Co...

Two taller buildings surrounding a gated pedestrian walkway on a sunny day — 4th Street, San José, CA

Photo of taller building under construction with two bicyclists traveling in front — The James, San José, CA (Source: Flickr - Sergio Ruiz)

Section 1

Metropolitan Transportation Commission. “Priority Development Areas (PDAs).” https://mtc.ca.gov/our-work/plans-projects/focused-growth-livable-communities/priority-development-areas

Seattl...

Photo of parking garage with cars parked on both sides of the aisle — Parking Garage

Photo of several parking regulation signs — On-Street Pay Parking (Source: IBI Group)

Photo of people sitting in a parklet with string lights above, fake grass, a bench, a dog, and a person biking by with a child

The efficient use of parking facilities can provide numerous benefits related to site design, trip generation, development cost, and building design and function. When implemented effectively...

Photo of a street with a pedestrian crossing and warning signs to drivers with trees and a building — Typical Mixed Use Development, San José, CA

Photo of downtown San José area including freeways, buildings, homes, and a sports field — Diridon Station Area, San José, CA (Source: Flickr - Sergio Ruiz)

Photo of several shop entrances with trees and landscaping with parked vehicles and a sign that says "Pay to Park" — Retail Frontage, Portland, OR (Source: Flickr - Eric Fredericks)

An aerial photo of an surface level parking with an underground parking garage at Apple Park. — Off Street Parking Design, Apple Park Visitor Center (Source: Flickr - Jim Maurer)

A photo of close street lights on the sidewalk. — Street Lamp Illuminating the Ground Below

Illuminate parking facilities at recommended minimum average illumination levels used by the Illuminating Engineering Society (IES).

Point lights downward to minimize light pollution and...

A photo of people walking, biking, and walking a dog on a sidewalk. — Emeryville Greenway (Source: Flickr - Sergio Ruiz)

A photo of people walking on a crosswalk in a commercial corridor. — Prioritize Multi-Modal Travel (Source: Flickr - Eric Fredericks)

Implement policies that support healthy, active, and engaged communities.

Manage parking through Transportation Demand Management measures (e.g., parking reduction incentives...

Photo of playground next to grassy area with trees and apartment buildings in the background — Renaissance Park, Rancho Cordova, CA (Source: Flickr - Eric Fredericks)

Photo of pedestrian walkway with palm trees and signage and advertising kiosks — Fruitvale Village, Oakland, CA (Source: Flickr - Christopher Ulrich)

An illustration of a community with a mixed-use buildings and parks. — Lawrence Station Area Plan, Santa Clara, CA (Source: City of Santa Clara)

Photo of small street with people walking on sidewalk surrounded by large buildings and trees — Santana Row, San José, CA

Develop an outreach plan and expect lots of comments. Quick-build projects are public beta tests. They allow local agencies to get input on a design and modify it before it becomes permanent...

Role of Local Jurisdictions

Support Transit in Operations

VTA strongly recommends establishing transit first policies that favor rail and bus operations. Strong signal priority for transit operations in major corridors is...

A graphic of a neighborhood with a clear corridor and connection of two parks/open spaces. — Open Spaces and Multimodal Corridors

A photo of an urban plaza under an elevated roadway. — Park Space Under Elevated Roadway (Source: IBI Group)

Pursue the use of excess land adjacent to transit and roadway rights-of-way, and under elevated structures where available. Unused space beneath elevated transit lines and roadways can be...

Search

Visual Buffers and Landscaping

Functional Classifications

Rethinking Vehicle Parking Requirements - Home Page

Helping Communities Leave Their Cars at Home

Improving Station Area Environments

Modernize Transportation Analysis Policies

Parking Structure Design

Casting a Wide Net

Apportioned and Mitigated Risk

CDT - Bibliography

Section 1

"Unbundle" Parking Costs

Area Parking Management Plans

Parking Management - Home Page

Quantifiable Components of Mixed-Use

Environmental Regulations

Retail Vacancies

Safety and Pedestrian Circulation

Prioritize Multimodal Sustainable Travel

Special Taxes and Assessments

Innovative Market Analyses

Master Plans

Pursue Catalytic Projects

Quick Build Projects

Role of Local Jurisdictions

Open Space Structure