A transit-oriented development plan for Reading’s downtown would encourage commercial and residential growth, support public transit and increase walkability, planners said.
Pankaj Jobanputra, a planner with Simone Collins Landscape Architecture, and Peter Simone, a founder of the firm, presented the draft Transit-Oriented Development, or TOD, zoning overlay to City Council at a recent meeting.
The Norristown firm is under contract with Reading to develop the plan in collaboration with city staff.
A zoning overlay is used to manage development of specific areas within existing or multiple zoning districts.
TOD planning should promote a dense mix of residential and commercial development, Simone explained, and consider pedestrian safety, efficiency and mobility.
“So you have these mixed uses, typically in a dense area located along transit routes, whether it’s the rail station, whether it’s bus routes, that focus on a pedestrian-oriented environment and encourage the use of public transportation,” Jobanputra said.
The defined area surrounds the Franklin Street train station and excludes areas such as the Riverfront Development District and much of the residential neighborhoods to the north, he said.
“We really focused on the area around the train station,” Jobanputra said. “The area where there’s higher density development, where there’s more commercial mixed-use potential and existing uses, that becomes the core of the TOD district.”
Ideally, the overlay can be used as a tool to attract investment while preserving housing affordability and improving the pedestrian experience in central Reading, he said.
The aim is to promote adaptive reuse of existing structures, create infill opportunities for underutilized spaces, support workforce housing and improve pedestrian infrastructure, he said.
One of the key goals is to make development more flexible, Jobanputra said. New uses to be allowed in the district would include artisan manufacturing, co-working spaces, live-work units, boutique hotels, brewpubs and stacked townhomes.
Under the proposal, workforce housing would be required for residential developments with at least 30 dwelling units, he said. A portion of units, typically 10% in projects with 100 or more homes, would need to be affordable to households earning between 60% and 120% of the area median income.
Based on 2024 data for the Reading metropolitan area, that range equates to roughly $56,000 to $111,000 for a four-person household, he noted.
“This includes essential sectors — teachers, police officers, EMS staff, delivery workers, hospital support staff — who are the lifeblood of our community,” Jobanputra said. “We want them to be able to live here, too.”
Other requirements for developers would include creating civic space on larger developments with more than 18,000 square feet. That space could take the form of plazas, gathering areas, public art installations or landscaped corners, he said.
“When we do a lot of our plans, we do a survey and we ask people what they want to see,” Jobanputra said. “And a lot of times, people say, ‘Hey, look, give me a bench,’ or, ‘I want a shade tree so I can just enjoy and relax,’ or ‘a trash can so I can run my trash in.’ So it’s the little things.”
Design guidelines would ensure buildings fit the character of the district and enhance the pedestrian experience, he said.
The ordinance would relax requirements on height limits, lot size, building coverage and impervious surfaces, changes that could mean denser development. However, Jobanputra said stormwater management standards would still apply and be strictly enforced.
Parking flexibility would be a central feature and align with efforts to reduce parking minimums, especially for developments near public transit and garages and those with agreements with the Reading Parking Authority.
The draft ordinance is still being revised in coordination with city staff, Jobanputra said. A final draft for council’s review should be ready later this year.
Source: Berkshire mont