HomeMy Public PortalAbout10.5) 8A Presentation - Traffic ThresholdsVMT Traffic Thresholds of Significance
City Council Hearing
June 16, 2020
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Introduction
General Plan Guidance
Air quality
Goal NR 2: Improved Air Quality. Air quality that enhances the health and well -being for all residents of Temple City.
•Land Use Mix and Balance
Goal NR 3: Land Use Mix and Balance. A balanced mix of land uses that promote clean air and reduce automobile trips and energy consumption.
Mobility
Goal M 6: Sustainable Transportation. A sustainable transportation system that can be built, operated, and maintained within the City’s existing and future resource limitations.
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Summar y
•Council action required to adopt new “thresholds of
significance” for CEQA
•State now requires city to replace level of service (LOS)with
vehicle miles traveled (VMT) in CEQA
•City has some discretion
•Staff’s recommendation is to
Follow state guidance to limit future litigation risk
Choose VMT metrics that promote economic development
Study LOS outside of CEQA to address traffic congestion
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Introduction
•CEQA requires review of a project’s impacts
•Requires project’s impacts to be:
Mitigated (reduced)
Disclosed
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CEQA & Thresholds of Significance
•Types of Impacts
A.No impact
B.Less than significant impact (Negative Declaration)
C.Less than significant with mitigation measures (Mitigated Negative Declaration)
D.Significant and unavoidable impact (Environmental Impact Report)
•Thresholds of Significance –Sets when an impact is
significant
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CEQA & Thresholds of Significance
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Threshold of Significance
Less than
Significant
No Impact
Significant
Impact
Changes in Planning
•SB 743 –Vehicle Miles Traveled
Installation of a bicycle lane is a significant environmental impact?
Traffic congestion is not, in and of itself, an impact on the natural environment
Eliminates level of service (LOS) under CEQA
Moves away from automobile delay
Requires use of VMT -looks at total trips and length of trips
Air quality
Greenhouse gas emissions
City can have auto delay/LOS standards as policy.
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VMT Discussion Points
The City has 6 points in which it has discretion:
1.Screening Out Local Serving Projects
2.Screening Out Projects in Low VMT Areas
3.Screening Out Projects in Transit Priority Areas (TPAs)
4.Screening Out Affordable Housing Projects
5.Setting a Baseline VMT
6.When a VMT Impact Becomes Significant
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VMT Discussion Points
1. Screening Out Local Serving Projects
Likely reduce the distance people drive to get services and goods
Staff recommendation: Be consistent with OPR
Examples of local serving projects:
Retail less than 50,000 sq ft
Local parks
K-12 schools
Daycare centers
Churches
Attachment 3 for more examples
Projects generating less than 110 daily trips
City can adopt lower, not higher threshold
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VMT Discussion Points
2.Screening Out Projects in Low VMT Areas
These areas likely have a good mix of uses
Adding more uses provides less and/or shorter trips and bundling of trips
Staff recommendation: Be consistent with OPR
Screen out residential and office projects located in low VMT areas
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VMT Discussion Points
3. Screening Out Projects in Transit Priority Areas (TPAs)
Staff recommendation: Be consistent with OPR
TPA = within half-a-mile of a transit stop or station with a minimum of 15-minute headways during peak commute hours
No TPAs currently within Temple City
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VMT Discussion Points
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Transit Priority Areas
VMT Discussion Points
4. Screening Out Affordable Housing Projects
Staff recommendation: Be consistent with OPR
Helps promote affordable housing
Middle and low-income families are more likely to use transit options and active transportation (bicycle and walking)
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VMT Discussion Points
5. Setting a Baseline VMT
Applies to projects that are not screened out
Compare the project’s VMT to the “baseline” VMT
Baseline VMT = Average VMT in an area
City
Subarea of the COG (Alhambra, San Gabriel, Temple City, and El Monte)
San Gabriel Valley Council of Governments
SCAG region
Staff recommends choosing the SGVCOG as the baseline
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VMT Discussion Points
6. When a VMT Impact Becomes Significant:
Staff recommendation: Be consistent with OPR
Land Use Plans: Significant impacts occurs if a plan generates VMT higher than 15 percent below the baseline VMT
Projects: Significant impacts occurs if a project generates VMT higher than 15 percent below the baseline VMT
Transportation Projects: Significant impacts will occur if the projects result in a net increase in VMT.
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What this means for Temple City
•VMT rule change coincides with General Plan and Crossroads
Specific Plan (CSP)
•Projects that are compatible with General Plan and CSP will
most likely be screened out
•Projects inconsistent with General Plan and CSP will require
additional VMT analysis and may need an EIR or mitigation
•The City will still review for auto congestion,just outside of
CEQA
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Planning Commission
Planning Commission hearing on May 26
Planning Commission recommended that the City Council
approve staff’s recommendations.
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Conclusion
Recommendation
Adopt the attached resolution finding that the action is
exempt from CEQA and adopting the proposed
thresholds of significance .
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ADDITIONAL RESOURCE SLIDES
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