Santa Clara VTA slates TOD meetings

The Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) has scheduled three meetings to update residents and businesses on transit-oriented development (TOD) plans at light-rail stations.

The agency's developer selection panel will discuss how the land can be used, VTA officials said in a press release.

According to agency policy, each housing site in a TOD project must dedicate at least 20 percent of the units to affordable housing.

This summer, VTA issued requests for proposals (RFPs) for TOD projects near the Curtner and Blossom Hill light-rail stations. The agency also called for a TOD project next to the new Milpitas Intermodal Transit Center, which is served by VTA light rail and Bay Area Rapid Transit. The RFPs are due this fall.

The meetings will be held Oct. 10 for the Curtner Station project, Oct. 25 for Blossom Hill Station development and Nov. 15 for the Milpitas Transit Center.

"VTA has two main objectives in its pursuit of TOD. First and foremost is to increase ridership, by making transit more accessible to housing, retail and jobs," agency officials said. "This development also creates important long term, sustainable revenue sources for VTA, by providing long-term ground leases to developers."