Transit-Related Land Use Coordination
Background
This is a ground-breaking time for transit planning in both Pinellas County and the larger Tampa Bay region, with enthusiasm for new projects driven by the recent creation of the Tampa Bay Area Regional Transportation Authority (TBARTA), an influx of federal stimulus dollars directed at transit and other alternative transportation modes, and new state legislation requiring local governments to plan for multimodal mobility. The PPC will be a vital partner in these efforts, particularly given its role in fostering intergovernmental coordination, and the opportunity to create a countywide framework for transit-supportive land use.
TBARTA, created by the 2007 Legislature (Section 343.90, Florida Statutes), is charged with planning and implementing, in conjunction with the Florida Deparment of Transportation (FDOT), a coordinated multimodal transportation system linking Pinellas, Hillsborough, Pasco, Hernando, Citrus, Sarasota, and Manatee counties. The effort, guided by the Regional Transportation Master Plan adopted by TBARTA in April 2009, will require the sustained, committed participation of its member counties and municipalities.
TBARTA’s planning and promotional efforts have generated renewed interest in transit planning among local governments and the larger community. They have also led to the creation of a new partnership among the Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO), Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority (PSTA), TBARTA, and FDOT, for the purpose of more definitively researching the feasibility of various transit corridors and modes, and potentially pursuing funding from the Federal Transit Administration (FTA). The partnership was formed with the goal of performing an Alternatives Analysis, which is the first step in pursuing an FTA grant to help fund the construction of a high-quality transit system in Pinellas County.
Across Tampa Bay, Hillsborough County is in the process of planning for its own premium transit system, and is engaged in applying for FTA funds. Hillsborough representatives will be included in the Pinellas County transit planning efforts, with the ultimate goal of linking the two systems together, forming the backbone of a regional transit system whose coordination will be guided by TBARTA.
Because the FTA has stringent land use planning requirements that will require cooperation among participating local governments and agencies, it is appropriate for the PPC, as the agency with primary responsibility for coordinating land use at the countywide level, to take an active role in supporting the Alternatives Analysis. In March 2010, the PPC approved a multi-year work program for coordinating transit-related land use planning at the countywide level, with respect to the FTA process.
Implementation of the Transit-Related Land Use Work Program will include numerous work products and presentations, which will be posted on this web page.
Note: Documents require the free program Adobe Acrobat Reader.
September 7, 2010: Amendment of the Countywide Rules Re: Transit Oriented Development Countywide Plan Map Category (PAC Presentation)
July 21, 2010: Preliminary Draft of Countywide Rule Amendments
June 16, 2010: Public Hearing for Amendment of Updated Countywide Plan – Transit-Related Land Use and Intergovernmental Coordination (Part II - Plan Strategies)
May 19, 2010: Transit Related Land Use Coordination – Preliminary Draft of Countywide Plan Amendments
March 17, 2010: Transit Related Land Use Coordination – Proposed Outline and Timeframes
February 17, 2010: Status Report Re: Transit Initiatives and Coordination with Pinellas Planning Council
