HomeMy Public PortalAboutCity Council_Resolution No. 24-5727__4/2/2024_RegularRESOLUTION 24-5727
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF TEMPLE CITY
ADOPTING "VEHICLE MILES TRAVELED" THRESHOLDS OF
SIGNIFICANCE FOR PURPOSES OF ANALYZING
TRANSPORTATION IMPACTS UNDER THE CALIFORNIA
ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT
WHEREAS, the California Environmental Quality Act Guidelines ("CEQA
Guidelines") encourage public agencies to develop and publish generally applicable
"thresholds of significance" to be used in determining the significance of a project's
environmental effects; and
WHEREAS, CEQA Guidelines section 15064.7(a) defines a threshold of
significance as "an identifiable quantitative, qualitative or performance level of a
particular environmental effect, noncompliance with which means the effect will
normally be determined to be significant by the agency and compliance with which
means the effect normally will be determined to be less than significant"; and
WHEREAS, CEQA Guidelines section 15064.7(b) requires that thresholds of
significance must be adopted by ordinance, resolution, rule, or regulations, developed
through a public review process, and be supported by substantial evidence; and
WHEREAS, pursuant to CEQA Guidelines section 15064.7(c), when adopting
thresholds of significance, a public agency may consider thresholds of significance
adopted or recommended by other public agencies provided that the decision of the
agency is supported by substantial evidence; and
WHEREAS, Senate Bill 743, enacted in 2013 and codified in Public Resources
Code section 21099, required changes to the CEQA Guidelines regarding the criteria
for determining the significance of transportation impacts of projects; and
WHEREAS, in 2018, the Governor's Office of Planning and Research ("OPR")
proposed, and the California Natural Resources Agency certified and adopted, new
CEQA Guidelines section 15064.3 that identifies vehicle miles traveled ("VMT") —
meaning the amount and distance of automobile travel attributable to a project — as
the most appropriate metric to evaluate a project's transportation impacts; and
WHEREAS, CEQA Guidelines section 15064.3 went into effect on July 1, 2020;
and
WHEREAS, the Temple City is one of 26 San Gabriel Valley Council of
Governments (SGVCOG) member cities that opted into the SGVCOG SB 743
Implementation process; and
Resolution No. 24-5727
File 24-4478
Citywide
Page 2 of 3
WHEREAS, at the conclusion of the process, the SGVCOG VMT Evaluation
Tool was developed for the SGVCOG region, including VMT screening establishing a
baseline threshold; and
WHEREAS, the current SGVCOG VMT Evaluation Tool is based on VMT
outputs from the 2016 Regional Transportation Plan/Sustainable Communities
Strategies (RTP/SCS) trip -based model and the City needs to update it to be
consistent with the 2020 RTP/SCS activity -based model. Additionally, the 2020
RPT/SCS has updated population, employment, and traffic counts; and
WHEREAS, both updates have resulted in changes to the VMT threshold
numbers and low VMT areas throughout the SGVCOG region; and
WHEREAS, the City of Temple City, following a public review process
consisting of a public hearing and staff presentation before the Planning Commission
resulting in a recommendation from the Planning Commission that the City Council
adopt the proposed VMT thresholds of significance for determining the significance of
transportation impacts; and
WHEREAS, the City of Temple City, wishes to adopt the VMT thresholds of
significance for determining the significance of transportation impacts.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of
Temple City as follows:
SECTION 1. The City Council finds that this action is exempt from CEQA. The
adoption of revised local CEQA thresholds of significance for transportation impacts
and the amending of the city's Local Transportation Assessment Guidelines will not
have a significant environmental impact and are exempt from the CEQA pursuant to
Section 15308 of Title 14 of the California Code of Regulations because the actions
are undertaken by the City for the protection of the environment. The revised CEQA
thresholds will be compliant with a State mandate (SB 743) and will be used in a
regulatory process (CEQA process) that involves procedures for the protection of the
environment.
SECTION 2. The City Council adopts VMT thresholds for each VMT type based on
15 percent below the baseline VMT that sets the most achievable VMT target. The
VMT per employee threshold for employment -generating projects shall be based on
15 percent below either the SGVCOG Southwest Subarea or SGVCOG Region,
whichever results in the largest numerical value. The VMT per capita thresholds for
residential projects may be based on the City, SGVCOG Southwest Subarea, or
SGVCOG Region, whichever results in the largest numerical value. The VMT per
service population thresholds for mixed -use projects may be based on the City,
SGVCOG Southwest Subarea, or SGVCOG Region, whichever results in the largest
numerical value.
Resolution No. 24-5727
File 24-4478
Citywide
Page 3 of 3
SECTION 3. This Resolution shall take effect immediately upon its adoption by the
City Council.
SECTION 4. The Secretary shall certify the adoption of this Resolution.
APPROVED AND ADOPTED on this 2nd day of April, 202
ATTEST:
Tom Chaves =yor
APPROVE S TO FORM:
11-\ COPIA k
Murphy, Ci Attorn
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Peggy Kuo, City !Clerk Gr ` ory ey✓
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I hereby certify that the foregoing Resolution was adopted by the City Council
of the City of Temple City at a meeting held on the 2„d of April, 2024, by the following
vote:
YES: Councilmember- Chen, Man, Sternquist, Yu, Man
NO: Councilmember- None
ABSENT: Councilmember- None
ABSTAIN: Councilmember- None
ATTEST:
Peggy K'o, ' i ' Clerk