Design First Walters fm qxd 2/26/04 7: 50 pm page I

particular, properly designed village and neighbor-
hood centers are inherently transit-supportive, and
should therefore be planned and developed early,
irrespective of the current modes of transit that can
serve them, or even if no transit is currently available.
As the market matures and urbanizes, transit can
serve these centers efficiently when it’s practical to do
DESIGN FIRST: DESIGN-BASED PLANNING FOR COMMUNITIES
170
Walters_07.qxd 2/26/04 7:29 PM Page 170

---

CHAPTER SEVEN
●
THE REGION
171
so with little need of retrofitting for rights of way.
Ways to promote these changes were discussed in the
answer to question 1.
The third question inquired: 
Given the existing level
of public and private investment, can these other models
have enough impact to affect the required change?
There is no doubt that the money invested in and
earmarked for the suburban pattern of large separated
single-use developments, coupled with new freeways
to serve this dispersed pattern represents a substantial
commitment to the status quo. However, the planned
commuter rail lines in the region will begin to change
people’s perceptions, and this more sustainable trans-
portation option is the vital catalyst for new patterns
of development.
It would only take three or four traditional neigh-
borhoods with their accompanying neighborhood or
village centers to make a significant difference to this
area. Following the criteria for neighborhood design set
out in Chapter 6, four new neighborhoods could house
the next 10 000 residents in a more sustainable pattern
1 neighborhood
125 acres (50 ha)
8 dwellings
per acre (average)
2.6 persons
per dwelling
4