Description
While mixed use refers to providing diversity of land uses within close proximity to each other, density refers to allowing for a greater concentration of buildings in a given area. The strategies are often implemented simultaneously. Tourism based mixed use is a similar concept but strategically combine tourism-focused amenities with other land uses like residential, retail, office, and entertainment to create a destination that attracts visitors and serves the needs of local communities simultaneously. Examples of this type of mixed use include resort towns such as Disney Springs. Providing incentives for mixed-use and denser development promotes the integration of residential, commercial, and recreational spaces, reducing travel distances and supporting walkability. Incentive-based zoning provides developers with increased opportunities for a more profitable development such as density or floor-area bonuses, for meeting certain objectives. Incentives could also include financial benefits such as temporary tax reductions to encourage economic development or tax benefit zones.
Implementation Details
- Develop local tax abatement or density bonus programs for developers that include mixed-use and affordable housing components near high-frequency SunLine corridors
- Coordinate with economic development departments in cities to offer fast-track permitting and reduced impact fees for mixed use infill projects with transit and active transportation connections.
- Ensure incentives are tied to transit priority zones and VMT screening thresholds under SB 743.
Mitigation Potential
While mixed use refers to providing diversity of land uses within close proximity to each other, density refers to allowing for a greater concentration of buildings in a given area. Mixed-use development and density are often implemented together and quantification methods often focus on increasing density. These strategies reduce VMT by placing greater amounts of housing, jobs, shops, and services within close proximity of each other. This proximity allows people to complete daily trips without relying on a car, encouraging walking, cycling, or use of public transit.
For more details, see CAPCOA, T-1. Increase Residential Density, pg. 70-72, CAPCOA, T-2. Increase Job Density, pg. 73-75 and CALTRANS SB743 Program Mitigation Playbook, Residential and Employment Density, pg. 15-21 for VMT reduction quantification. For quantification of tourism based mixed use, intercept surveys and big data from comparable land use contexts can provide more information on VMT reduction potential for a similar implementation within Coachella Valley.
Linked Strategies
Equity Considerations
Equity-focused implementation should tie incentives to affordable housing requirements, particularly in high-opportunity transit areas. Prioritize TOD projects in historically excluded communities and ensure that incentives support displacement prevention, such as preserving existing affordable units or supporting community land trusts. Fast-tracked approvals should be paired with public engagement to reflect community needs.
Funding Sources
Funding sources include the Regional Early Action Planning Grants Program (Southern California Association of Governments / Western Riverside Council of Governments), the Community Development Block Grant (U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development), the Affordable Housing and Sustainable Communities Program (California Department of Housing and Community Development), the Sustainable Transportation Planning Grant Program: Sustainable Communities: Competitive and Technical (Caltrans), the Transformative Climate Communities Program (California Strategic Growth Council), and the FTA Pilot Program for TOD Planning (Federal Transit Administration).
Examples/Case Studies
California HCD Infill Incentives Guide
This guide outlines property tax abatements and permit fee waivers to promote dense, transit-accessible mixed-use development in priority growth areas
Urban Land Institute Fiscal Tools for Mixed-Use Development
ULI highlights successful programs from California cities that used tax increment financing and expedited permitting to support affordable, mixed-use TOD projects