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G.6_ SB743 TIA PresentationPlanning Commission Agenda Item G.6 -Presentation Update to Vehicles Miles Traveled (VMT) Traffic Impact Analysis Guidelines City Council Meeting August 24, 2021 VMT Resolution On July 14, 2020, the City Council Adopted Resolution 2020-26, “Vehicle Miles Traveled Thresholds for Analysis of Traffic Impacts Under the California Environmental Quality Act.” The Planning and Development Services Department monitors statewide implementation and updates the Traffic Impact Analysis (TIA) Guidelines with close coordination with SBCTA Technical Feedback As the City embarks on several significant projects the VMT analyses is based on technical feedback from local agencies and SBCTA. These jurisdictions, similar to Grand Terrace staff are refining Trip Generation consistent with our adopted resolution to account for internal trip capture Local Serving Local serving retail projects less than 50,000 square feet may be presumed to have a less than significant impact absent substantial evidence to the contrary. Local serving retail generally improves the convenience of shopping close to home and has the effect of reducing vehicle travel. In addition to local serving retail, there are, at the discretion of the City, be presumed to have a less than significant impact as their uses are local serving VMT Threshold of Significance This threshold ties directly to the Office of Planning Research (OPR) technical Advisory Memorandum which is contained in Grand Terrace’s VMT resolution. By adding retail opportunities into the urban fabric and thereby improving retail destination proximity, local- serving retail development tends to shorten trips and reduce VMT Project Specific Information Grand Terrace presumes such development creates a less-than-significant transportation impact. Many cities and counties define local-serving and regional-serving retail in their zoning codes. Lead agencies may refer to those local definitions when available, but should also consider any project-specific information, such as market studies or economic impacts analyses that might bear on customers’ travel behavior Behavior Because Grand Terrace best understands our travel behaviors of future project users, we are in the best position to decide when a project will likely be local serving. Retail development including stores larger than 50,000 square feet might be considered regional- serving, and so Grand Terrace should undertake an analysis to determine whether the project might increase or decrease VMT Threshold of Significance •Per the San Bernardino County travel model, Grand Terrace currently has a lower average VMT for residents and employees than the entire County •Residents and employees do not drive as far for commuting, shopping, and other services on average as the County •Grand Terrace must balance their local goals of growth and congestion management with the need to reduce VMT Traffic Impact Analysis Guidelines Staff has included refined retail opportunities consistent with State adopted project threshold direction and has been included as Footnote 4 on Page 23 of Attachment 2 (TIC Guidelines). Comparing back to the county average encourages development in this VMT-efficient location and further supports the legislative intent of SB 743. City staff has determined that this aligns with the local goals, vision, and values of the City of Grand Terrace as the adopted threshold will result in less than significant transportation impacts Determination This threshold is consistent with how other resource areas are currently evaluated under CEQA. City staff has determined that this most closely aligns with the local goals, vision, and values of the City of Grand Terrace. Planning Commission Agenda Item G.6 -Presentation Update to Vehicles Miles Traveled (VMT) Traffic Impact Analysis Guidelines City Council Meeting August 24, 2021 2030 Vision Goal Statement Goal #4 Calculating VMT Methodologies •Project-generated VMT •Productions/Attractions •Origin/Destination •Project effect on VMT •Boundary Method VMT Threshold Options Including LOS Although VMT must be used to evaluate CEQA impacts, the City can still choose to study LOS as part of a traffic study. •Most jurisdictions are choosing to retain LOS in their guidelines. •“Impacts” and “mitigations” are CEQA terms: LOS “deficiencies” and “improvements” can no longer be part of the CEQA process. •Any identified improvements to address LOS deficiencies can be conditioned on new development by the City. What’s Feasible? Project Specific o Physical Design o TDM Programs o Impact Fees o VMT Exchanges o VMT Banks VMT Mitigation Strategies Near-Term Longer-Term VMT Exchange Program DEVELOPER LEAD AGENCY/ DEVELOPER EXCHANGE OPERATOR (SCAG OR OTHER) Creates list of VMT Reduction Projects Implements VMT Reduction Projects as Mitigation MeasureVerifies ‘Additionality’ and Monitors VMT Performance Developer selects VMT reduction from an approved list and then funds a specific project or program VMT Bank Program BANK OPERATOR (SCAG OR OTHER) IMPLEMENTATION AGENCY/ENTITY Bank Operator… Develops Bank payment/credit process Develops VMT reduction projects Verifies VMT reduction amount Tests for Additionality Monitors VMT performance and adjusts overtime DEVELOPE R Developer purchases VMT reduction credits from Bank Operator and implementation is left to others Transportation Demand Management: VMT Mitigation Strategies To reduce VMT, new development will need to explore ways for fewer people to travel alone in their cars. Transportation Demand Management (TDM) strategies can be used to reduce VMT. Building Operations Site Design Location Efficiency Regional Policies Regional Infrastructure Transportation Related VMT Reduction Measures •Encourage Telecommuting and Alternative Work Schedules•Increase Diversity of Land Uses•Provide Pedestrian Network Improvements•Provide Traffic Calming Measures and•Low-Stress Bicycle Network Improvements•Implement Car-Sharing and Ride-Sharing Programs•Increase Transit Accessibility•Commute Trip Reduction Programs•Parking Management Transportation Demand Management: VMT Mitigation Strategies Traffic Study Procedure •Projects now study VMT •Screening criteria to determine if VMT analysis is needed •Transit Priority Areas (1/2 mile from high-quality transit –none currently in Grand Terrace) •Low VMT Zones (efficient travel areas) •Small projects •Local-serving projects •Many projects will not require VMT analysis •City has discretion as long as it is supported by substantial evidence Threshold of Significance •Projects that require VMT analysis will use the threshold of significance recommended by City Staff: •County of San Bernardino Better than Existing VMT •“Existing” is based on the year the EIR Notice of Preparation is released, will be different project by project •Appropriate for projects in Grand Terrace –threshold combined with screening criteria will facilitate land use growth Traffic Study Procedure SB 743 Recap Improving Communities QUESTION/COMMENTS Traffic Study Procedure •Projects which are not screened will require a full VMT analysis: •Calculate Project VMT •Compare back to threshold of significance •If the Project has Significant Impacts •Modify the project to reduce VMT •Introduce TDM measures •Significant and Unavoidable Impact with Overriding Considerations SB 743 Recap •CEQA analysis must now use VMT (trips x trip length) •https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UE4TJItVdJ8 •Grand Terrace participated in SBCTA implementation study