HomeMy WebLinkAboutR-11135 adopting revised thresholds of signifi (13)R 11135
RESOLUTION NO. 11135 (2020 SERIES)
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAN LUIS
OBISPO, CALIFORNIA, ADOPTING REVISED THRESHOLDS OF
SIGNIFICANCE FOR ANALYSIS OF TRANSPORTATION IMPACTS
UNDER THE CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT
PURSUANT TO SENATE BILL 743
WHEREAS, the Governor Edmund G. Brown signed Senate Bill (SB) 743 in 2013, and
directed the Office of Planning and Research (OPR) to develop updated criteria for measuring
transportation impacts using alternative metrics that promote a reduction in greenhouse gases, the
development of multimodal transportation networks, and a diversity of land uses; and
WHEREAS, in December 2018, the California Natural Resources Agency certified and
adopted updates to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) per SB 743, establishing
Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) as the preferred performance measure for analysis of transportation
impacts under CEQA; and
WHEREAS, in December 2018, the California Governor’s Office of Planning and
Research (OPR) published a Technical Advisory on Evaluating Transportation Impacts under
CEQA, which contains OPR’s technical recommendations regarding assessment of VMT,
thresholds of significance, and mitigation measures; and
WHEREAS, CEQA Guidelines Section 15064.7(b) allows lead agencies to adopt
thresholds of significance for the lead agency’s general use in its environmental review process;
and
WHEREAS, the City of San Luis Obispo Transportation Division and Community
Development Department have prepared proposed Transportation Thresholds of Significance,
pursuant to SB 743 and CEQA Guidelines Section 15064.3, for the City Council’s consideration
and adoption; and
WHEREAS, the proposed Transportation Thresholds of Significance are consistent with
updated CEQA Guidelines and the recommendations presented in OPR’s Technical Advisory on
Evaluating Transportation Impacts under CEQA; and
WHEREAS, the proposed Transportation Thresholds of Significance are consistent with
the goals presented in the City’s General Plan Circulation Element that emphasize the reduction
of greenhouse gas emissions and reliance on motor vehicle travel, development of multimodal
transportation systems, and diversity of land uses; and
WHEREAS, the City Council held a duly noticed meeting on the proposed Transportation
Thresholds of Significance for analysis of transportation impacts under CEQA on June 16, 2020.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Council of the City of San Luis Obispo
as follows:
Resolution No. 11135 (2020 Series) Page 2
R 11135
SECTION 1. The proposed Transportation Thresholds of Significance based on Vehicle
Miles Traveled (VMT), attached hereto as Attachment A and incorporated herein by this reference,
are hereby approved as the City’s thresholds of significance for evaluating transportation -related
environmental impacts pursuant to CEQA, replacing all existing City transportation thresholds of
significance for CEQA analysis based on auto level of service (LOS) or other measures of vehicle
congestion or delay.
SECTION 2. The Transportation Division, in consultation with the Director of
Community Development, is authorized to update the adopted Thresholds of Significance for land
use and transportation projects as necessary and appropriate, provided any update is consistent
with the intent of Senate Bill 743 and in compliance with procedural and substantive requirements
of CEQA and all other applicable state and local laws.
SECTION 3. The Transportation Division is directed to update the City’s Multimodal
Transportation Impact Study Guidelines within sixty days herefrom, to provide consistency with
the proposed Transportation Thresholds of Significance and pursuant to revised CEQA Guidelines
and technical guidance published by the OPR.
Resolution No. 11135 (2020 Series) Page 3
R 11135
SECTION 4. Environmental Review. The proposed adoption of new Transportation
Thresholds of Significance for CEQA is not a “project’ pursuant to the California Environmental
Quality Act (CEQA) as defined in State CEQA Guidelines Section 15378 and is, therefore, is
exempt from CEQA pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15060 (c)(3).
Upon motion of Council Member Christianson, seconded by Council Member Pease, and
on the following roll call vote:
AYES: Council Member Christianson, Pease, Stewart, Vice Mayor Gomez and
Mayor Harmon
NOES: None
ABSENT: None
The foregoing resolution was adopted this 16th day of June 2020.
Mayor Heidi Harmon
ATTEST:
Teresa Purrington
City Clerk
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
J. Christine Dietrick
City Attorney
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the official seal of the City
of San Luis Obispo, California, on ______________________.
Teresa Purrington
City Clerk
Attachment A
City of San Luis Obispo
Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) Thresholds of Significance for CEQA Analysis
Project Type Evaluation Criteria Threshold
Residential 15% below baseline regional (County) average
Residential VMT per capita. Applies to single-
family, multi-family and mobile homes
14.25 VMT per capita
Office /
Business Park /
Industrial /
Warehousing /
Manufacturing
15% below existing regional (County) average
Work VMT per employee.
12.45 VMT per employee
Retail /
Hotel /
School
Net increase in total regional (County) VMT.
Small local-serving retail may be presumed to
cause less-than-significant impacts. Larger,
regional-serving retail will require quantitative
analysis using the SLO TDM and project-
specific information, such as market studies or
analysis of anticipated customer travel behavior.
No set threshold, increase in total
VMT would trigger impact
Mixed-Use Evaluate each component of a mixed-use project
independently, applying significance threshold
for each land use type. Alternately, the City may
choose to analyze VMT for only the dominant
use. Analysis should take credit for internal
capture between uses.
Apply Residential, Office & Retail
Thresholds above
Redevelopment
Projects
Where a development replaces an existing
VMT-generation land use, if the replacement
total VMT leads to a net overall decrease in
VMT, the project is assumed to have a less-than-
significant impact. If net new VMT exceeds the
existing land use, apply the thresholds described
above.
No set threshold
Other
Development
Projects
City may apply adopted residential, office or
retail VMT thresholds to other development
projects that have predominant operating
characteristics similar to those uses. Alternately,
City may use more location-specific information
to develop specific thresholds for other land use
types. In doing so, analysis should consider the
information described in the CEQA Guidelines
Section 15064.7) on the development of
thresholds of significance.
No set threshold. Evaluated on case-
by-case basis based on OPR guidance
Project Type Evaluation Criteria Threshold
Transportation
Projects
Where a transportation project involves
improvements that may result in a measurable
and substantial increase in vehicle travel, such as
the addition of through lanes on existing or new
highways and arterial streets, the estimated
change in VMT should be quantified to evaluate
potential for induced traffic demand. No
standard significance thresholds have been
adopted for induced traffic analysis; thus, the
City shall evaluate potential impacts on a case-
by-case basis consistent with CEQA Guidelines
and applicable technical guidance while
ensuring that the analysis addresses:
Direct, indirect and cumulative effects of the
transportation project, including potential
for induced demand (CEQA Guidelines, §
15064, subds. (d), (h))
Near-term and long-term effects of the
transportation project (CEQA Guidelines,
15063, subd. (a)(1), 15126.2, subd. (a))
The transportation project’s consistency
with state greenhouse gas reduction goals
Pub. Resources Code, § 21099)34
The impact of the transportation project on
the development of multimodal
transportation networks (Pub. Resources
Code, § 21099)
The impact of the transportation project on
the development of a diversity of land uses
Pub. Resources Code, § 21099)
No set threshold. Evaluated on case-
by-case basis based on OPR guidance