Council member Margaret Abe-Koga, claims no other city in the county has zoning in place that allows up to 60 homes per acre. The City Staff states “higher densities along major streets and near public transit, and away from one-and two-story homes.”

So why did Council member Margaret Abe-Koga and other Council members vote for the high density multistory Toll Brother project at the Mayfield Mall/HP site.

They have not evidence or data that residence will use transit or that high density will result in less traffic. High density households produce about 5 to 9 trips per day. If 10 percent of the residence use transit that means that means there is an additional traffic load increase of 5 to 9 trips by 90 percent of the residence and the 10 percent transit riders will add 3 to 7 trips - reduce by 2 transit trips.

The big spin was that HP was at a convenient transit site and would be convent and used by their employees. To my knowledge there is not data the shows the employees used transit to get to work. Now the spin is that high density housing will use transit.

Council member Abe-Koga and some other cannot be so stupid as to belief that high density housing near transit (or where else will reduce traffic congestion. They are delusional or ignorant of the reality and data that high density continually increases traffic congestion on local streets and the highways (even diamond lanes are now stop and go).

All of the planning data suggests that high density should go where it fits and the HP site was identified in the housing plan as a transit center. Staff completed several studies on traffic. As far as 60 ubits per acre, MAK is technically correct but cities do build higher density projects and approve the higher density in a PP. I drive central exp. and san antonio every day during commute hours and it is no more crowded that ECR and Grant road during the same time periods.