Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) District

Purpose and Intent

The TOD District is established to accommodate compact, pedestrian-oriented development in proximity to transit stations consistent with the Comprehensive Plan and, where applicable, Station Area Master Plans. The TOD District is intended to increase convenient access to transit services through development that is characterized by a human scale, compact urban form, and multimodal connectivity. Buildings shall be located along property lines to create a desirable sense of enclosure and consistent street wall with activated storefronts. The TOD District encourages vertical and horizontal mixed-use development with higher density and intensity uses located closest to the transit station. Appropriate transitions in density and intensity are required adjacent to existing neighborhoods including massing, orientation, and scale. Additional guidelines for development are contained in the Station Area Master Plans.

Summary of Allowable Uses

Please refer to Section 18-168 for a complete list of principal uses; Section 18-334 contains a list of accessory uses; and Section 18-366 contains a list of temporary uses.

Legend:

• (SUP): Special Use Permit required 
• (L): Limited use standards apply
• (TUP) Temporary Use Permit required

Note: If no item in the legend is listed next to a listed land use, it is permitted by right in the TOD district

Main Uses

Agriculture and Animal Related Uses

• Community Garden
• Crop Production (L)

Commercial Uses

• Artisan Manufacturing (SUP)
• Bank, Credit Union, Financial Services 
• Bar / Lounge / Tavern (L)
• Food Truck Court
• General Commercial, 5,000 sq ft or less
• General Commercial, more than 5,000 sq ft (L)
• General Office / Professional Services, 5,000 sq ft or less
• General Office / Professional Services, more than 5,000 sq ft 
• Liquor Store (L)
• Medical Clinic 
• Micro Alcohol (L)
• Personal Services (L)
• Private Convention Center (SUP)
• Private Event/Banquet Facility
• Restaurant 5,000 sq ft or less
• Restaurant more than 5,000 sq ft (L)
• Tobacco Store

Entertainment Uses

• Cultural and Arts Facility
• Private Entertainment / Recreation / Fitness Facility, Indoor
• Movie Theater (L)

Industrial, Automotive, and Transportation Uses

• Heliport (SUP)
• Mining (SUP)
• Parking Structure (SUP)
• Transit Passenger Shelter
• Transit Station 
• Well / Production Sites

Lodging Uses

• Boarding / Rooming House (SUP)
• Hotel and Motel (SUP)

Public and Institutional Uses

• Civic Meeting Facility
• Day Care Facility
• Group Home
• Hospital / Sanitarium (SUP)
• Institutional Residential, Assisted Living and Long-Term Care (SUP)
• Library
• Park
• Post Office
• Public Entertainment / Recreation Facility 
• Public Service / Safety Facility
• Recovery Residence
• Religious Institution
• School, Public or Private (SUP)

Residential Uses

• Cottage Housing (single lot)
• Duplex (single lot) (L)
• Dwelling, 1 Unit Detached (single lot) (L)
• Dwelling, 2 Units Attached (1 unit per lot) (L)
• Dwelling, 3-8 Units Attached (1 unit per lot)
• Dwelling, Live-Work
• Multi-Unit Dwelling (single lot)
• Multi-Unit Dwelling Complex (single lot)
• Multi-Unit Dwelling, Above Ground Floor (single lot)
• Triplex/Quadplex (single lot)

Utilities and Infrastructure Uses

• Public Utility Facilities
• Utility or Government Installation Other than Listed (SUP)
• Wireless Telecommunications, Tower and Equipment (SUP)

Accessory Uses

• Accessory Building / Structure
• Accessory Community Center, Private
• Accessory Food Truck Court
• Accessory Game Court, Private
• Accessory Outdoor Merchandise Display and Sales
• Accessory Outdoor Seating
• Accessory Outdoor Storage
• Accessory Retail / Restaurant
• Amateur Telecommunications Facility
• Golf Safety Net (SUP)
• Home Occupation
• Short-Term Rental (SUP) 
• Solar Energy Collection System, Canopy
• Solar Energy Collection System, Ground-Mounted
• Solar Energy Collection System, Roof-Mounted
• Swimming Pool, Private
• Urban Garden
• Wind Energy Conversion Systems
• Wireless Telecommunications, Building/Structure Mounted (L)

• Mobile Vendor
• Pop-Up Retail / Restaurant 
• Seasonal Sales 
• Special Event
• Temporary Concrete or Asphalt Batch Plant
• Temporary Grazing
• Temporary Parking Lot
• Temporary Use, Other

Development Standards:

To access the complete development standards for the TOD zone district, use this link to Section 18-85 of the Code.

Table 18-85.1. TOD District dimensional standards by use.

Table 18-85.1 footnotes:

1.  Lot width for front-loaded dwellings can be reduced to match the alley-loaded dwellings if shared driveways are used.
2. See Section 18-573(d) and 18-574(d) for setback reductions in green court and motor court configurations.
3. The first number applies to a porch with or without living space above or to the building if no porch is provided. The second number applies to front-loaded garages.
4. Primary entrance required on at least one of the street facing façades.
5. No vehicular circulation or parking is allowed between the building and street where a maximum setback is listed.
6. Standard shall not apply if fire-rated partition wall meeting all Thornton Building Code requirements is provided.
7. Standard shall depend on required buffer yards as detailed in Section 18-600.
8. The first number is for the principal structure. The second number, if indicated, is for accessory structure or alley-loaded garage with no driveway. 
9. The first number is for principal structures and Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) above a garage in all development except Cottage Housing. The second number is for all other accessory structures. If a third number is listed, the third number is for principal structure in Cottage Housing development only.
10. Primary street is defined, for the purposes of this provision, to be at least one arterial street, and, if no arterial streets abut the project site, at least one collector, private street or other access easement abutting the site. 
11. Cottage Housing is exempt from this provision.

TOD District, Additional Standards 

Use this link to Section 18-85(b) to access the additional provisions. 

• Mix of uses required. Unless otherwise indicated in an approved Station Area Master Plan, new development in the TOD District over 10 acres shall provide a compatible mix of allowable uses identified for this district in the Principal Use Tables 18-168.2, 18-168.3, 18-168.5, 18-168.6, and 18-168.7 in Article IV from two or more of the following use categories:
  • Commercial;
  • Entertainment;
  • Lodging;
  • Public and Institutional; and
  • Residential
• Percentage required. 
  • If the development site location is not addressed in a Station Area Master Plan, a minimum of 25 percent of the ground floor area of the development shall include uses from any of the use categories listed in Subsections (b)(1)a., (b)(1)b., and (b)(1)d. of this section. 
  • If the development site location is addressed in a Station Area Master Plan, the minimum percentage of nonresidential uses from any of the use categories listed in Subsections (b)(1)a., (b)(1)b., and (b)(1)d. of this section shall be determined based on the preferred land use scenario indicated in the applicable Station Area Master Pan.
• Development may additionally include allowable principal uses from other use categories as well as accessory and temporary uses that are compatible and complementary.