Trail-oriented development involves at least two stakeholders: the trail owner and the property owner. Leveraging this partnership and others (e.g., realtors, developers, Chamber of Commerce, etc.) will bring additional resources and more buy-in from community members.

What can municipalities do to build strong partnerships?

• Commit to building trails in available municipal rights of way (ROW). 
• Promote the benefit of trails to the broader community. 
• Invite the Chamber of Commerce, bankers, and property owners to a walking meeting at a local trail to start a conversation about trail-oriented development. 
• Contact key property owners to test a pilot project. 
• Meet with local developers to clarify what is/is not allowed near trails and ask what would make trailside development strategies easier for them. 
• Work with economic development and tourism directors to create and improve trail-related events and use the events to gain feedback from the community through surveys and interviews. 
• Create a trail-oriented development task force of local property owners, municipal officials from a wide array of departments, and local community organizations with an interest in trails. Establish a clear set of goals to increase trail usage through trail-oriented development strategies. 
• Provide information to local businesses about applying for a Bike Friendly Business designation from the League of American Bicyclists to boost recognition and promote further adoption of trail-oriented development.

Communities interested in trail-oriented development strategies can support trailside development and land use policies that encourage those strategies. Support can come in the form of information gathering, research, planning, or policy proposals.

What can municipalities do to encourage trail-oriented policymaking?

• Regularly gather data to understand trail usage before and after implementing trail-oriented development strategies. 
• Analyze local parking demand and parking ordinances to identify underutilized parking facilities that can be converted into space for trail-oriented development. 
• Review current building codes to verify if trail-friendly retrofits are allowed on existing buildings. Determine the right time for an update to building codes that allow for trail-facing renovations. 
• Review ordinances on trails and sidewalks to ensure they support trail-oriented development and encourage connections between trails and trailside properties. 
• Include trail-oriented development strategies as a focus area in park and trail plans. When planning a new trail, consider locations that maximize opportunities for trail-oriented development, perhaps in a right-of-way adjacent to local businesses or community institutions like a library or school.
• Commit to regular trail maintenance near properties that have installed trail-oriented development strategies.

Implementing trail-oriented development is not free. Since most strategies are on private property, it is up to each property owner to make investments. It is critical that local governments make investment both easy and worthwhile for trailside businesses and institutions.

What can municipalities do to encourage funding?

• Work with your local economic development corporation to offer matching grants for low-investment strategies and pilot projects. 
• Connect property owners with local community groups and non-profits that can donate time or items (e.g., planters, trees, bike racks, etc.). 
• Conduct a temporary, low-cost installation of trail-oriented development strategies at a key location to demonstrate the benefits for property owners. 
• Explore options for allocating a portion of sales or property taxes to trail-oriented development strategies or trail improvements (this can include adopting a Section 4B Sales Tax, or creating a Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone). 
• Explore options for incentivizing trailside development with Chapter 380/381 agreements. These agreements allow local municipalities and counties to extend loans, grants, or services to promote economic development.
• Discuss cost-sharing agreements with developers for specific, trail-oriented development strategies.