Introduction

Reducing greenhouse gas emissions in urbanized areas is one of the key challenges for planners in the 21st century. Over the past decades, planners, policy-makers, and academics have explored various approaches to reducing greenhouse gas emissions. One approach includes planning for transit-connected communities in urbanized areas. Transit-connected communities are characterized by higher densities and mixed uses around rapid transit stations. By planning for transit-connected communities, planners can pave the way for residents to live a climate-friendly lifestyle. However, actually implementing transit-connected communities presents a metropolitan governance challenge since people tend to live and work in different communities. To ensure a functioning transit system, multiple levels of government responsible for land use and transit decisions must continuously cooperate and collaborate. Implementing low-carbon development patterns requires actions taken in the land use sector to spatially align with actions taken in the transportation sector.