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Part 5 - Bay Fair Transit Village - Narrative Caltrans awarded BART a Community-Based Transportation Planning Grant to conduct a station area plan around the Bay Fair BART Station. The Plan would provide a vision and framework for Transit-Oriented Development (TaD) opportunities, as well as identify and recommend access improvements. BART and the City of San Leandro also contributed funding for this study. The study area borders the City of San Leandro and the unincorporated Alameda County area of Ashland and includes the Bay Fair BART Station, Bayfair Center, and East 14th Street and Hesperian Boulevard corridors. Because of its multi-jurisdictional location and complex land and access issues, BART prepared the Bay Fair BART TaD and Access Plan in partnership with the City, County, Caltrans, Bayfair Center and AC Transit. This area has exciting possibilities as a transit-oriented retail and residential destination. The public policy framework set forth by the City, County, BART and AC Transit favors the creation of an environment at Bay Fair Station area that is higher density, mixed-use and promotes pedestrian, bicycle and transit activities. This framework is further guided by the project Goals and Objectives to make the Bay Fair Station area "a great place" that is attractive and safe; improve connections to jobs, services and transit; provide a range of housing options and foster fiscal and economic growth. Through BART's Strategic Plan and TaD Policy, the transit agency is looking at creative ways to enhance its financial base. One strategy is to work with local jurisdictions, developers and community to build TaD projects on available BART properties. These projects would help BART achieve two goals: (1) receive a revenue stream that would help fund BART operations to maintain on-time service, focus efforts to clean stations and vehicles, and upgrade the 35-year old transit system; and (2) grow ridership without significant physical infrastructure investments. The II-month planning process included frequent consultation with private and public stakeholders. The Technical Advisory Committee (T AC) was formed to provide technical input, while the Policy Advisory Committee (PAC) was established to provide higher level policy guidance. Four TAC meetings and three PAC meetings were held. The TAC, PAC and consultant team identified and evaluated the following key issues that informed the overall plan development: · Lack of direct connections from BART to Bayfair Center, Hesperian Boulevard and East 14th Street creates access and development challenges; · Physical barriers such as Estudillo Canal, Union Pacific (UP) and BART tracks also create access and development challenges; · Bayfair Center tenant lease agreements to maintain customer parking are critical to the shared parking discussions; · Projected area growth, future BART expansions and the City's desire to reduce parking in Downtown San Leandro are crucial in the discussion and decision for BART replacement parking. Bay Fair BART Transit-Oriented Development (TaD) & Access Plan;