Compact Development – Above Green

Required

Intent

To conserve land. To promote livability, walkability, and transportation efficiency, including reduced vehicle distance traveled.To leverage and support transit investments. To reduce public health risks by encouraging daily physical activity associated with walking and bicycling.

Requirements

Design and build the project to meet the densities specified below. Minimum densities must be met for both (1) the entire project at full build-out and (2) the portion of the project that will be built within five years of the date that the first new building of any type is occupied.

Path 1. Projects with access to quality transit

For projects with existing or planned transit service (i.e., service with the funding commitments as specified in SLL Prerequisite Smart Location) that meets or exceeds the 2-point threshold in SLLc3 Access to Quality Transit Option 1, build at the following densities, based on the walking distances to the transit service specified in that SLL credit:

for residential components located within the walking distances: 12 or more dwelling units per acre (30 DU per hectare) of buildable land available for residential uses;
for residential components falling outside the walking distances: 7 or more dwelling units per acre (17.5 DU per hectare) of buildable land available for residential uses;
for nonresidential components located within the walking distances: 0.80 or higher floor-area ratio (FAR) for the buildable land available for nonresidential uses; and
for nonresidential components falling outside the walking distances: 0.50 or higher FAR for the buildable land available for nonresidential uses.

If the project location is served by a transit agency whose guidelines for minimum service densities are greater than the densities required by this prerequisite, the project must achieve those service densities instead.

Case 2. All other projects

Build any residential components of the project at a density of 7 or more dwelling units per acre (17.5 DU per hectare) of buildable land available for residential uses. Build any nonresidential components of the project at a density of 0.50 or higher FAR for the buildable land available for nonresidential uses.

For all projects

Density calculations include all planned and existing buildings within the project boundary, excluding those portions of parking structures devoted exclusively to parking. If the residential component of the project meets the minimum density requirement but the nonresidential component does not, or vice versa, include only the qualifying density. Use that component’s dwelling units or nonresidential floor area in the numerator and the total buildable land area in the denominator. If the resulting density meets the minimum requirement, the prerequisite is achieved.