Approving the requested refinement plan text amendment will enable the development of a new <br />transit station on the property. This new station will be designed with current and future buses, <br />station facilities, ridership, and customer needs in mind. Accessibility and convenience, including the <br />needs of those who are transportation disadvantaged, will be improved. <br />Establish a BRT system composed of frequent, fast transit service along major corridors and <br />neighborhood feeder service that connects with the corridor service and with activity centers, if <br />the system is shown to increase transit mode split along BRT corridors, if local governments <br />demonstrate support, and if financing for the system is feasible. (Policy F. 19) <br />The new transit station will be designed and constructed with BRT (EmX) needs in mind. Approving <br />the requested refinement plan text amendment will allow for the provision of a BRT-enabled transit <br />station in a neighborhood where one does not otherwise exist. <br />Provide for a pedestrian environment that is well integrated with adjacent land uses and is <br />designed to enhance the safety, comfort, and convenience of walking. (Policy F.26) <br />Walking to and from the bus is integral to public transit service. Allowing the proposed transit center <br />to occur on the subject property will enable pedestrian facilities to be developed both on-site and <br />across the site, as well as on the adjacent roadway system and nearby sidewalks, crosswalks, and <br />neighboring properties and destinations." <br />c) Remaining portions of the refinement plan. <br />The application is consistent with the remainder of the River Road Santa-Clara Urban Facilities Plan. <br />The policy text amendment is a site-specific revision that only impacts the subject property, which is <br />identified in Ordinance No. 20407 as "the area of the former Santa Clara Elementary School at the <br />southeast corner of the intersection of River Road and Hunsaker Lane, between Hunsaker Lane and <br />Green Lane." In other words, the amendment that would allow transit facilities to be built on the <br />subject property does not reach to other properties within the refinement plan area, and would not <br />allow other prohibited motor vehicle related uses, consistent with the intent of the original policy <br />direction. <br />The applicant also finds, "Given that the requested refinement plan amendment is text only, the <br />request does not affect the refinement plan's land use diagram or any of the subarea land use <br />diagrams. The requested addition to permitted land uses -transit facilities - is normally permitted in <br />the property's commercial designation. The commercial designation facilitates commercial zoning, <br />which the property is zoned. Transit facilities - i.e., transit park and ride and transit station - are <br />permitted in the commercial zone within the Motor Vehicle Related Uses use category (EC Table <br />9.2160)." <br />The text amendment is also consistent with the following refinement plan policy: <br />Provide for land uses that conform to Metropolitan Plan goals and policies and that consider <br />the provision of a full range of urban services in an efficient and cost-effective manner. <br />(General Land Use Policies, Policy 3.0) <br />Page 14 <br />