Inside the Multimodal Mixed-Use Area

My chief complaint about Central Planning is that no one talks about the end game for their plans.  What are they, and why are they doing it?   And how does a MMA fit into the Grand Plan?  When you read the City description of a MMA, notice how much information is missing.

State of Oregon: Multi-Modal Mixed Use Area 

From the Oregon State website:

When considering the adoption of an MMA, the local government must understand that it is considering a question of community values. Until recently, policies implementing our transportation system have placed high importance on movement of automobiles. This is accomplished through transportation system performance provisions in the TPR that are implemented almost entirely through state and local volume-to-capacity ratios or level-of-service (LOS) standards. By adopting an MMA designation, a local government must understand it is adopting a different set of values that places importance on multimodal travel and a compact, mixed-use pattern of development. 

A local government designating an MMA must understand that in return for the additional flexibility in development that the MMA designation provides, there is a trade-off in the amount of automobile congestion and longer travel times that may result. The local government must also understand that development may not be “business as usual” within the MMA, as low intensity and automobile-related types of development are no longer permitted in favor of pedestrian- oriented development. While congestion impacts considered through mobility performance measures will not be part of the approval criteria for future plan or land use regulation amendments in MMA areas, transportation facility providers have a responsibility for addressing safety and operation of all their facilities.

The MMA designation was conceived as a way for local governments to legislatively designate areas prior to requests for specific quasi-judicial zone changes. MMA designations may be accompanied by zone changes, particularly if necessary to implement the MMA. Communities that plan ahead and designate MMAs where appropriate become more attractive to development, as some restrictions are lifted. A community should consider the application of an MMA as a seal of approval for compact, mixed use development. 

Within an adopted MMA, these land use decisions need not be tested for “significant effect” for performance standards related to motor vehicle traffic congestion. Other transportation performance standards and policies – including those addressing safety, other modes of transportation, network connectivity, and freight accessibility – still apply 

Lake Oswego Planning Dept.: MMAs for Downtown

From the Staff Report (LU 13-0068)

The MMA is a local option that any local jurisdiction with a state highway running through it may use to exempt its downtown, Main Street, or similar mixed‐use area, from ODOT Highway Mobility Standards, provided the area meets the MMA definition under Oregon Administrative Rules (OAR 660‐ 012‐0010). A local jurisdiction uses it when amending its Comprehensive Plan Map or land use regulations and it is anticipated that such change would conflict with ODOT standards; the MMA designation does not exempt areas from having to meet ODOT safety and highway operations standards.

A majority of the City Council, in response to public testimony on mixed‐use development and traffic congestion in Downtown, wanted to remove references to the MMA from the Plan; but the Council also acknowledged that more information on the potential consequences this action is needed. Following the Council motion and as part of the Transportation System Plan (TSP) update process, Planning and Engineering staff met with staff from ODOT and Metro to discuss the MMA. According to the agencies, the City is not required to retain the MMA as it updates its TSP, and the MMA is not required to comply with Metro’s Regional Transportation Plan. The MMA is a local option, which applies only when a local jurisdiction elects to use it when amending its Comprehensive Plan or changing its land use regulations in a way that would significantly affect a state highway.  During 2012, the City amended its Comprehensive Plan and Community Development Code in adopting the Foothills District Framework Plan (Plan) and Foothills Mixed Use (FMU) Zone. The City concurrently adopted the MMA designation for its Downtown area, which includes Foothills. While the two actions coincided, it is not clear, based on the traffic analysis* for the Foothills District, that the MMA designation was necessary in adopting the Plan, and, therefore, the affect of removing of the MMA policy from the Comprehensive Plan is also unclear.

Regarding the larger issue of traffic congestion on Highway 43, ODOT recognizes that Lake Oswego, like its neighboring cities, has experienced increased traffic the highway due to overall traffic growth in the region. Over the next year, ODOT and Metro, in consultation with Portland area cities and counties, plan on developing alternate mobility standards for state highways within the Portland region; the intent would be to provide greater flexibility for local jurisdictions in implementing their land use plans while recognizing physical constraints highway widening and other expensive capital projects. However, until new standards are developed it is too soon to know what effect they would have on future planning decisions in the Downtown.  

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*  DKS Traffic Analysis for Foothills  

Keep reading for more about MMAs, the Comp Plan, and more.