I’m impressed by how developers in San Diego County have bought into the idea of transit-oriented development.

I’m thinking specifically of Otay Ranch, the master-planned community in Chula Vista, which features a corridor dedicated to public transit lying along the main streets of each of the development’s villages.

The corridor may some day accommodate the extension of San Diego’s light rail system, but already carries city bus traffic.

Each of the transit stops is within a quarter-mile of sixty percent of the residences in the neighborhood.

This is a perfect example of transit-oriented development, which is being revived as a key way to create more tightly clustered, mixed-use projects that are more pedestrian friendly and less dependent on automobiles for access.

A publication from the Urban Land Institute, “Ten Principles for Successful Development Around Transit” outlines how this can be done.

Transit-oriented development (TOD), also described as transit-focused development and transit villages, is not new. Before automobiles overwhelmed America in the postwar years, this kind of development was offered as a combination living/working environment that also included a means of getting to another place.

However, now it is promoted as an environment that offers an alternative means of traveling to other places - a way to avoid traffic congestion, according to the ULI publication.

Such development generally includes densely developed housing, stores, commercial buildings, entertainment facilities and public open spaces.

It is usually developed within a one-half mile radius of public transit (either heavy rail, light rail, commuter rail, or buses), which connects the development to other places, thus reducing the dependency on automobiles.

As you see, the Otay Ranch plan goes the textbook TOD one better with a quarter-mile.

The booklet's 10 principles are based on a shift in workplace culture that is increasingly oriented toward convenience of location, in response to time-conscious workers.

The 10 principles for successful transit-oriented development are:

Making it better with a vision, which means imagining a development future that recognizes both the community's potential and the operative economic, political and environmental constraints.

Applying the power of partnerships, meaning that the public sector has the power to resolve land-assembly problems, ensure the site is development-ready, ease the entitlement process, and contribute land, infrastructure or both. Private developers provide the real estate savvy contacts with end users and understanding of financial resources. Public-private partnerships provide opportunities to set mutual expectations and share risks, costs and rewards, as well as framework for conflict resolution.

Thinking development when thinking about transit. Opportunities for creating higher densities, and for mixing product types to market to a broader spectrum of incomes, should be sought out during transit project development. Higher densities strengthen demand for transit.

Getting the parking right, which means moving the parking away from the transit platform, providing more development opportunities; sharing the parking among patrons who will use the development at different times for different purposes; providing parking decks and charge for parking to offset costs, and “wrapping” parking areas with retail.

Building places, not projects, by taking advantage of the potential of transit-oriented development to create a destination providing both economic and cultural benefits to the surrounding community.

Making retail development market-driven, not transit-driven. Retail may be viewed as the generator of excitement for development around transit; it cannot be the justification for the development.

Mixing uses, but not necessarily in the same place. The creation of an attractive community does not require that uses be mixed on the same site or at the same station. A transit corridor that offers an advantageous mix of uses can be used to integrate a number of separate activity nodes, particularly when the uses are close together, easily accessible and support each other.

Making buses a great idea. To attract transit-oriented development, buses need to serve a strong cross-section of the community, including middle-class riders. To eliminate the perception of buses as the transit mode of last resort, they need to be clean, attractive, fast and reliable, with attractive, comfortable bus stops and clearly posted schedules.

Encouraging every price point to live around transit. People from every part of the economic spectrum like to live near transit. These groups include people who are tired of fighting traffic and are willing to give up their second car; people from various age groups seeking opportunities to move up or down in housing size, and seniors seeking an independent lifestyle and a reduction in their automobile dependency.

Engaging corporate attention. Corporations can influence development around transit. If transit is viewed as a valuable tool for recruiting talented workers, companies will include transit access on their checklist of considerations for site selection.