Talent Railroad District Feasibility Study
Talent, OR · 2023
Client: City of Talent, Community Development
Location: Talent, OR
Year: 2023
CP Role: Lead consultant
Practice Area: Spatial Planning + Placemaking
Team: Alex Joyce; Victor Tran; Lanier Hagerty
The Challenge
Talent adopted its Railroad District Master Plan in 2007, but few of the needed infrastructure investments followed and developers showed little interest. The City's 2017 Housing Needs Analysis found a significant need for more housing, and the City wanted to know whether the district could supply a major share of it.
Our Approach
We reviewed the master plan and background documents, interviewed stakeholders, and did concept planning for the district. We summarized planning-level infrastructure costs, identified market-calibrated housing types, and compared the district's current densities with market-feasible zoning standards. We then tested whether zoning changes, direct infrastructure investment, or public-private partnership incentives could unlock development, and wrote a Housing Implementation Plan with prioritized actions, working with an advisory committee and presenting to City leaders.
Outcome
The study showed how costly the Railroad District would be to serve and build out, giving City leaders the information to weigh continued investment there against other growth areas. The City has since begun exploring options for its urban growth boundary, including a possible land exchange, and has asked residents for input through a public survey.
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