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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 City of South San Francisco Page 1 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 City of South San Francisco Page 2 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 City of South San Francisco Page 3 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. City of South San Francisco Page 4 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.