Council OKs process for developing equitable development around transit

A variety of citizens with different opinions on equitable transit-oriented developments had their say at City Council on Thursday before Council adopted a resolution to start the process for choosing policies for the eTODs. One particularly thorny problem brought up by speakers relates to how much parking will be allowed around Project Connect stations and accompanying developments. That will likely come up again throughout the planning process. Council Member Natasha Harper-Madison noted that the planning for transit has been ongoing for the past several years and thanked colleagues, past and present, for their work. She said eTODs will allow the city to be the template moving forward for equity. “I want to make sure that all types of people can live” in our city, she said. She also urged her colleagues and staff to do the work to make sure the policy is not simply a binder on a shelf but is a policy that has been implemented. Staff has estimated that it could be a year before the new policies come back to Council for adoption.