HomeMy WebLinkAboutReso 77-2020 (20-314)Cityof South San Francisco
P.O. Box 711 (City Hall,
• 400 Grand Avenue)
South San Francisco, CA
• City Council
Resolution: RES 77-2020
File Number: 20-314 Enactment Number: RES 77-2020
RESOLUTION UPDATING THE CITY OF SOUTH SAN
FRANCISCO'S TRANSPORTATION IMPACT ANALYSIS
THRESHOLDS, AS REQUIRED BY THE CALIFORNIA
ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT (CEQA), TO COMPLY WITH
STATE -MANDATED CHANGE FROM LEVEL OF SERVICE (LOS)
TO VEHICLE MILES TRAVELED (VMT), PURSUANT TO SENATE
BILL 743 (2013) AND NEW 2019 CEQA GUIDELINES.
WHEREAS, the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) was enacted in 1970 to ensure the
long-term protection of the environment and requires public agencies to analyze and disclose the effects
of their action on the environment; and
WHEREAS, Senate Bill 743 (SB 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, SB 743 specifically requires the Governor's Office of Planning and Research (OPR) to
amend CEQA Guidelines by developing alternative criteria for determining the significance of
transportation impacts of projects within transit priority areas, and which criteria shall promote "the
reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, the development of multimodal transportation networks, and a
diversity of land uses"; and
WHEREAS, for such alternative criteria, the measurements of transportation impacts may include
"vehicle miles traveled, vehicle miles traveled per capita, automobile trip generation rates, or automobile
trips generated"; and
WHEREAS, in 2018, OPR proposed, and the California Natural Resources Agency certified and
adopted, new CEQA Guidelines, including 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
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File Number: 20-394
Enactment Number: RES 77-2020
WHEREAS, as a result, automobile delay, as measured by "level of service" (LOS) and other similar
metrics, will no longer be considered a significant impact under CEQA and may no longer serve as a
threshold for analyzing the significance of traffic impacts resulting from a project under CEQA; and
WHEREAS, the requirements of CEQA Guidelines Section 15064.3 will apply state-wide on July 1,
2020; and
WHEREAS, OPR most recently published a Technical Advisory on Evaluating Transportation Impacts
in CEQA in December 2018 to provide technical guidance and recommendation on assessment of VMT,
thresholds of significance, and mitigation measures; and
WHEREAS, lead agencies are encouraged to develop standards and procedures necessary to evaluate
their actions and therefore protect environmental quality, including thresholds of significance; and
WHEREAS, thresholds of significance are identifiable quantitative, qualitative or performance level
measures of a particular environmental effect, non-compliance with which means the effect will
normally be determined to be significant, and compliance with which means the effect will normally be
determined to be less than significant; and
WHEREAS, Public Resources Code section 21082 requires all public agencies to adopt by ordinance,
resolution, rule, or regulation, the objectives, criteria, and procedures for the evaluation of projects and
the preparation of environmental impact reports and negative declarations in connection with that
evaluation; and
WHEREAS, similarly, in circumstances where public agencies decide to develop their own thresholds of
significance for general use as a part of the public agency's environmental review process, section
15064.7 of the CEQA Guidelines require such thresholds of significance be adopted by ordinance,
resolution, rule or regulation, and be developed through a public review process and be supported by
substantial evidence; and
WHEREAS, the City of South San Francisco, as a lead agency, implements CEQA pursuant to South
San Francisco Municipal Code Chapter 20.460 Environmental Review, which delegates administration
to the Chief Planner; and
WHEREAS, City staff prepared a proposed Vehicle Miles Traveled Thresholds of Significance, attached
hereto and incorporated herein as Exhibit A, attached hereto and incorporated herein, to incorporate the
most recent State VMT requirements; and
WHEREAS, the Technical Advisory on Evaluating Transportation Impacts in CEQA (2018) provide
substantial evidence that VMT is an appropriate standard to utilize in analyzing transportation impacts to
protect environmental quality and a better indicator of greenhouse gas, air quality, and energy impacts
than
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File Number. 20-314
Enactment Number: RES 77-2020
LOS, and that the screening criteria and impact analysis contained therein are appropriate metrics for
assessing VMT impacts and determining thresholds of significance; and
WHEREAS, the identification and adoption of proposed VMT regulations is nota "project" pursuant to
CEQA as defined in CEQA Guidelines Section 15378, and is therefore not subject to review pursuant to
CEQA Guidelines Section 15060(c)(3); and
WHEREAS, separately and independently, the proposal is also exempt pursuant to CEQA Guidelines
Section 15061(b)(3), as it will not result directly or indirectly in significant environmental impacts;
and/or Public Resources Code Section 21080(b)(1), as the proposal is ministerial, because the City is
mandated to adopt the proposal. As such, the new thresholds are categorically exempt pursuant to CEQA
Guidelines Section 15308 and none of the exceptions in Section 15300.2 apply; and
WHEREAS, the Planning Commission held a lawfully noticed public hearing May 21, 2020, at which
time interested parties had the opportunity to be heard, to review the proposed VMT thresholds in
advance of the public hearing, as well as supporting documents, and recommended that the City Council
consider the proposed VMT thresholds; and
WHEREAS, the City Council held a duly noticed public hearing on June 10, 2020, to solicit public
comment and consider the proposed Vehicle Miles Traveled Thresholds of Significance, at which time
interested parties had the opportunity to be heard and to review the proposed VMT thresholds in advance
of the public hearing.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that based on the entirety of the record before it, which
includes without limitation, the California Environmental Quality Act, Public Resources Code §21000,
et seq. ("CEQA") and the CEQA Guidelines, 14 California Code of Regulations §15000, et seq.; the
South San Francisco General Plan and General Plan EIR; the proposed VMT Thresholds of Significance;
all reports, minutes, and public testimony submitted as part of the Planning Commission's duly noticed
May 21, 2020 meeting; and all reports, minutes, and public testimony submitted as part of the City
Council's duly noticed June 10, 2020 meeting; and any other evidence (within the meaning of Public
Resources Code §21080(e) and §21082.2), the City Council of the City of South San Francisco hereby
finds as follows:
SECTION 1 FINDINGS
A. General Findings
1. The foregoing recitals are true and correct and made a part of this Resolution.
2. The proposed VMT Thresholds of Significance, attached hereto as Exhibit A, is incorporated by
reference and made a part of this Resolution, as if set forth fully herein.
3. The documents and other materials constituting the record for these proceedings are located at the
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File Number: 20-314
Enactment Number: RES 77-2020
Planning Division for the City of South San Francisco, 315 Maple Avenue, South San Francisco,
CA 94080, and in the custody of the Planning Manager, Sailesh Mehra.
B. CEOA Finding
1. The adoption of proposed VMT Thresholds of Significance is nota "project" pursuant to CEQA
as defined in CEQA Guidelines Section 15378, and is therefore not subject to review pursuant to
CEQA Guidelines Section 15060(c)(3).
2. Separately and independently, the proposal is also exempt pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section
15061(b)(3), as it will not result directly or indirectly in significant environmental impacts;
and/or Public Resources Code Section 21080(b)(1), as the proposal is ministerial, because the
City is mandated to adopt the proposal. As such, adoption of proposed new thresholds are
categorically exempt pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15308 and none of the exceptions in
Section 15300.2 apply.
C. Adoption of Thresholds of Significance Findings
1. The proposed VMT Thresholds of Significance in Exhibit A is consistent with the adopted
General Plan because they will reinforce the General Plan policies, and is consistent with the
City's overall vision to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and Climate Action Plan policies to
expand active transportation alternatives, support expansion of public and private transit
programs to reduce employee commutes, and integrate higher -density development and mixed-
use development near transit facilities. None of the new or revised VMT Thresholds of
Significance will conflict with or impede any of the goals, policies, or land use designations
established in the General Plan.
2. The proposed VMT Thresholds of Significance have been developed through a public review
process that includes an opportunity for the public to review and comment on the proposed VMT
Thresholds of Significance in advance of such document being considered by the South San
Francisco Planning Commission and the City Council, and duly noticed public hearings by the
South San Francisco Planning Commission and City Council to consider the methodology
changes and to consider public comment on those changes.
3. The proposed VMT Thresholds are supported by substantial evidence based on the entirety of
the record before the City Council including all documents, submittals, and public testimony
before it.
SECTION 2 DETERMINATION
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the City Council of the City of South San
Francisco hereby makes the findings contained in this Resolution and adopts the proposed VMT
Thresholds of Significance in Exhibit A, attached hereto and incorporated herein, and update the City of
South San Francisco's transportation impact analysis thresholds, as required by the California
Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), to comply with state -mandated change from level of service (LOS)
to vehicle miles traveled (VMT), pursuant to Senate Bill 743 (2013) and new 2019 CEQA Guidelines.
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File Number: 20-314
Enactment Number. RES 77-2020
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the resolution shall become effective on July 1, 2020.
At a meeting of the City Council on 6/10/2020, a motion was made by Councilmember Nagales, seconded by
Councilmember Nicolas, that this Resolution be approved. The motion passed.
Yes: 5 Mayor Garbarino, Vice Mayor Addiego, Councilmember Nagales, Councilmember
Nicolas, and Councilmember Matsumoto
Attest by L /gj�t 4417
/Osa Govea Acosta, City Clerk
City of South San Francisco Page 5
City of South San Francisco Significance Thresholds
for Transportation
Consistent with State CEQA guidelines section 15064.3, the City of South San
Francisco has adopted the thresholds of significance set forth in Table 1 to guide in
determining when a project will have a significant transportation impact.
Table 1
Vehicle Miles Traveled VMT Impact Thresholds
Project Type Threshold (when screening does not apply)
Land Use Plan A significant impact would occur if the plan would
result in a net increase in Total VMT and VMT per
capita1 is more than 15% above the applicable
Baseline VMT2.
Land Use Project
(non-retail)
A significant impact would occur if the VMT1 for
the project would be 15% below the applicable
Baseline VMT2.
Retail Project The project would result in a net increase in Total
VMT.
Transportation Project The project would result in a net increase in Total
VMT.
Note:
1. VMT to be reported as VMT per Service Population, VMT per resident, or VMT per employee.
2. Baseline VMT is defined as the nine-county Bay Area average for total, residential, or
employee VMT.
Certain projects may qualify for VMT screening based on the criteria presented in
Table 2. Projects screened from requiring a VMT analysis would not have an impact
under State CEQA Guidelines section 15064.3 and can be discussed qualitatively.
The following activities generally will not require a TIA that includes VMT. This
presumption is based on the substantial evidence provided in the OPR Technical
Advisory supporting SB 743 implementation or is related to projects that are local
serving which, by definition, would decrease the number of trips or the distance th ose
trips travel to access the development (and are VMT-reducing projects).
Table 2
Vehicle Miles Traveled Screening Options
Screening Category Screening Criteria
Project type screening Presumed less than significant impact for:
Local-serving K-12 schools and day care
centers
Local parks
Local-serving banks
Local-serving hotels (e.g. non-destination
hotels)
Local-serving retail projects (defined as less
than 50,000 square feet per OPR’s Technical
Advisory)
100 percent affordable residential
developments
Local serving community colleges that are
consistent with the assumptions noted in the
RTP/SCS
Projects generating less than 110 daily vehicle
trips.1 This generally corresponds to the
following “typical” development potentials:
11 single family housing units
16 multi-family, condominiums, or
townhouse housing units
10,000 sq. ft. of office
15,000 sq. ft. of light industrial2
63,000 sq. ft. of warehousing2
Low VMT area screening Presumed less than significant VMT impact for
residential and office projects located in low VMT
areas. These areas generate total daily VMT that is
15% less than the Baseline VMT. In South San
Francisco, there are many low VMT residential areas
and no low VMT office areas.
1 This threshold ties directly to the OPR technical advisory and notes that CEQA provides a categorical exemption for existing
facilities, including additions to existing structures of up to 10,000 square feet, so long as the project is in an area wher e public
infrastructure is available to allow for maximum planned development and the project is not in an environmentally sensitive a rea.
(CEQA Guidelines, § 15301, subd. (e)(2).) Typical project types for which trip generation increases relatively linearly with building
footprint (i.e., general office building, single tenant office building, office park, and business park) generate or attract an additional
110-124 trips per 10,000 square feet. Therefore, absent substantial evidence otherwise, it is reasonable to conclude that the
addition of 110 or fewer trips could be considered not to lead to a significant impact.
2 Threshold may be higher depending on the use of the site; however, if an alternate threshold is used it is to be memorialized
through a use restriction placed on the site through agreement with the project applicant. This number was estimated using rates
from ITE’s Trip Generation Manual.
High-quality transit area
screening
Presumed less than significant VMT impact for
projects located within ½-mile of high-quality transit
that do not have the following characteristics:
o Floor Area Ratio (FAR) < 0.75
o More parking than required by City
o Inconsistent with the applicable SCAG RTP/SCS
(as determined by the City)
o Replacing affordable housing units with market -
rate units
In South San Francisco, the high-quality transit
definition is currently limited to service provided by
Samtrans routes 130 and ECR.
Transportation projects Transportation projects that promote non -auto
travel, improve safety, or improve traffic operations
at current bottlenecks, such as transit, bicycle and
pedestrian facilities, intersection traffic control
(e.g., traffic signals or roundabouts), or widening
at intersections to provide new turn lanes.