HomeMy WebLinkAbout2020-10-14 Agenda Packet - PC-HPC CITY OF ■ . ■ * ■
Historic Preservation Commission and
Planning Commission Agenda
October 14, 2020
Rancho Cucamonga, CA 91729
7:00 p.m.
PURSUANT TO GOVERNOR GAVIN NEWSOM'S EXECUTIVE ORDER N-29-20 THIS MEETING WILL
BE HELD AS A TELECONFERENCE MEETING
In response to the Governor's Executive Orders, the San Bernardino County Department of Public
Health requirements, and to ensure the health and safety of our residents by limiting contact that could
spread the COVID-19 virus, there will be no members of the public in attendance at the Planning
Commission Meetings. Members of the Planning Commission and staff will participate in this meeting
via teleconference.
In place of in-person attendance, members of the public can observe and offer comment at this
meeting via Zoom:
VIEW MEETING VIA ZOOM APP OR ZOOM.COM AT:
zoom.us/join
using Webinar ID: 987 4479 7295
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A. Call to Order and Pledge of Allegiance
B. Public Communications
This is the time and place for the general public to address the Commission on any item listed or not
listed on the agenda. The Commission may not discuss any issue not included on the Agenda but set
the matter for a subsequent meeting.
C. Consent Calendar
C1. Consideration to adopt Regular Meeting Minutes of September 9, 2020. (Meeting cancelled
September 23, 2020, due to no items submitted).
D. Public Hearings - None
E. General Business
E1. PRESENTATION — SB743 Implementation - Engineering will present an informational
item regarding SB743, which changes the mediology for traffic impacts from LEVEL OF
SERVICE (LOS) to VEHICLE MILES TRAVELED (VMT).
F. Director Announcements
G. Commission Announcements
H. Workshop - None
I. Adjournment
TO ADDRESS THE PLANNING COMMISSION
The Planning Commission encourages free expression of all points of view. To allow all persons to speak,
given the length of the agenda, please keep your remarks brief. If others have already expressed your
position, you may simply indicate that you agree with a previous speaker. If appropriate, a spokesperson
may present the views of your entire group. To encourage all views and promote courtesy to others, the
audience should refrain from clapping, booing or shouts of approval or disagreement from the audience.
For each of the items listed under"PUBLIC HEARING ITEMS", the public will be provided an opportunity to
speak. To address the Planning Commission via Zoom App, click the "Raise Hand" button when the item
you wish to comment on is being discussed. On Zoom via phone, you can also raise your hand by pressing
*9 when the item you wish to comment on is being discussed. Comments will be limited to 5 minutes per
individual. If a large number of individuals wish to speak on an item, the Chairman may limit the time to 3
minutes in order to provide an opportunity for more people to be heard. Speakers will be alerted when their
time is up, and no further comments will be permitted.
If you wish to speak concerning an item not on the agenda, you may do so under"PUBLIC COMMENTS."
As an alternative to participating in the meeting, you may submit comments in writing to
Elizabeth.Thornhill@cityofrc.us by 12:OOpm on the date of the meeting. Written comments will be distributed
to the Commissioners and included in the record.
If you need special assistance or accommodations to participate in this meeting,please
contact the Planning Department at(909)477-2750. Notification of 48 hours prior to the
meeting will enable the City to make reasonable arrangements to ensure accessibility.
Listening devices are available for the hearing impaired.
AVAILABILITY OF STAFF REPORTS
Copies of the staff reports or other documentation to each agenda item are available at www.CitvofRC.us.
APPEALS
Any interested party who disagrees with the City Planning Commission decision may appeal the
Commission's decision to the City Council within 10 calendar days. Any appeal filed must be directed to the
City Clerk's Office and must be accompanied by a fee of$3,206 for all decisions of the Commission. (Fees
are established and governed by the City Council).
Please turn off all cell phones while the meeting is in session.
I, Elizabeth Thornhill, Executive Assistant of the City of Rancho Cucamonga, or my designee,
hereby certify that a true, accurate copy of the foregoing agenda was posted on Thursday,
October 8, 2020, seventy-two (72) hours prior to the meeting per Government Code
54954.2 at 10500 Civic Center Drive.
HPC/PC Agenda —October 14, 2020
Page 2 of 2
CITY OF ■ . ■ * ■
Historic Preservation Commission and
Planning Commission Agenda
September 9, 2020
MINUTES
Rancho Cucamonga, CA 91730
7:00 p.m.
A. Call to Order
The meeting of the Historic Presentation Commission and Planning Commission was held on September
9, 2020. The meeting was called to order by Chairman Guglielmo at 7:OOpm.
Planning Commission present: Chairman Guglielmo, Commissioner Dopp, Commissioner Morales, and
Commissioner Williams.
Absent: Vice Chair Oaxaca
Staff Present: Nick Ghirelli, Assistant City Attorney; Elizabeth Thornhill, Executive Assistant; Brian
Sandona, Sr. Civil Engineer; Dat Tran, Assistant Planner; David Eoff, Sr. Planner, Michael Smith,
Principal Planner; Tabe van der Zwaag, Associate Planner.
B. Public Communications
Chairman Guglielmo opened the public communications and hearing no comment, closed public
communications.
C. Consent Calendar
C1. Consideration to adopt Regular Meeting Minutes of August 26, 2020.
Motion by Commissioner Dopp, second by Commissioner Williams. Motion carried 4-0-1, to adopt the
Minutes as presented. Absent: Vice Chair Oaxaca.
D. Public Hearings
D1. TIME EXTENSION DRC2020-00289 - GOLDEN AVENUE DEVELOPMENT, INC. (LOCATED ON THE
WEST SIDE OF ARCHIBALD AVENUE AND 150 FEET NORTH OF MONTE VISTA STREET) -A request
to allow for a one (1) year time extension of a previously approved Tentative Tract Map (SUBTT17444),
related to a 13-unit condominium development on 2.17 acres of land in the Low Medium (LM) Residential
District (4 to 8 dwelling units per acre) - APNs: 0202-131-27, -61 and -62. On October 10, 2007, a Mitigated
Negative Declaration of environmental impacts was adopted by the Planning Commission for Tentative Tract
Map SUBTT17444. The California Environmental Quality Act provides that no further environmental review
or Negative Declaration is required for subsequent projects or minor revisions to the projects within the scope
of the previous Mitigated Negative Declaration.
Tabe van der Zwaag, Associate Planner, presented Commissioners with a Staff Report and oral
presentation (copy on file).
Chairman Guglielmo asked the Commission if there were any comments for staff on the Public Hearing
Item.
Commissioner Dopp asked, assuming the project gets built before the storm drain is completed on 19th
Street, will that cause some water issues at the end of that channel.
Tabe van der Zwaag replied it will raise the cost for the developer to carry the flow underneath the project
site. It works either way.
Chairman Guglielmo opened the public hearing.
Jun Chen, Applicant, explained the reason why the request for 1-year extension, due to FEMA
requirements.
Chairman Guglielmo closed the public hearing.
Commissioner Morales stated the 1-year time extension will be acceptable.
Commissioner Williams stated she hopes it will get completed before time runs out.
Commissioner Dopp stated since nothing substantial changed, he approves the extension.
Chairman Guglielmo concurred with Commissioner Dopp.
Motion by Commissioner Williams, second by Commissioner Morales to approve Item D1 and adopt
Resolution of Approval 20-43. Motion carried 4-0-1. Absent: Vice Chair Oaxaca.
E. General Business - None
F. Director Announcements
Mike Smith, Principal Planner, provided Commissioners a recap of upcoming HPC/PC meeting dates:
• September 23rd PC meeting will be cancelled due to no items submitted.
October meeting, we plan to go over several Planning Topic Issues. If nothing on the agenda, we will still
have topic discussions to present to you.
• November 11th and 25th PC meetings will be cancelled. Only one meeting scheduled for month of
November and it will be on Wednesday, November 181h at 6:OOpm.
• December 911 will be a regular meeting. December 23rd will be cancelled. Special Meeting scheduled
for Monday, December 21 st at 7:OOpm. Discuss the progress of the General Plan and Land Use
Component.
Announced PlanRC Virtual Workshop launches tomorrow, Thursday, September 10th - 20tn
HPC/PC Minutes— September 9, 2020
Page 2 of 3
Draft
G. Commission Announcements - None
H. Workshop - None
I. Adjournment
Motion by Commissioner Williams, second by Commissioner Dopp, to adjourn the meeting; motion
carried unanimously, 4-0-1 vote. Absent: Vice Chair Oaxaca. Meeting was adjourned at 7:19pm.
Respectfully submitted,
Elizabeth Thornhill
Executive Assistant, Planning Department
Approved:
HPC/PC Minutes— September 9, 2020
Page 3 of 3
Draft
CITY OF RANCHO CUCAMONGA
STAFF REPORT
DATE: October 14, 2020
TO: Chairman and Members of the Planning Commission
FROM: Jason C. Welday, Director of Engineering Services/City Engineer
INITIATED BY: Baldwin P. Ngai, Associate Engineer
SUBJECT: IMPLEMENTATION OF SENATE BILL 743 AND TRAFFIC IMPACT ANALYSIS
GUIDELINES
RECOMMENDATION:
Receive and file information on the City's newly adopted guidelines setting Vehicle Miles Traveled
thresholds for California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) compliance related to transportation
analysis.
PROJECT BACKGROUND:
SB 743, signed by the Governor in 2013, is changing the way transportation impacts are identified
under CEQA. Specifically, the legislature had directed the Office of Planning and Research
(OPR) to look at different metrics for identifying effects on transportation as a CEQA impact. The
Final OPR guidelines were released in December 2018 and identified vehicle miles of travel
(VMT) as the preferred metric moving forward. The Natural Resources Agency completed the
rule making process to modify the CEQA guidelines in December of 2018. The CEQA Guidelines
identify that, by July of 2020 all lead agencies must use VMT as the new transportation metric for
identifying impacts for land use projects and no longer may use Level of Service or vehicle delay
as a metric of significant impact.
ANALYSIS:
The California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) is California's most comprehensive
environmental law. Generally, it requires public agencies to evaluate the environmental effects of
a project before action is taken. CEQA also aims to prevent significant environmental effects from
occurring as a result of agency actions by requiring agencies to avoid or reduce significant
environmental impacts of their decisions when feasible.
On December 28, 2018, the Office of Administrative Law approved a comprehensive update to
the state CEQA Guidelines which also included implementation metrics for Vehicle Miles Traveled
(VMT). In response, the Engineering Services Department prepared Transportation Impact
Analysis (TIA) Guidelines to address the changes set forth in both SB743 and the State's CEQA
Guidelines which were adopted by the City Council on June 15, 2020 in advance of the July 1,
2020 deadline for implementation of VMT under the new CEQA Guidelines.
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PLANNING COMMISSION STAFF REPORT
Update on the Implementation of SB 743 and Traffic Impact Analysis Guidelines
October 14, 2020
Page 2
Vehicle Miles Traveled Thresholds
VMT is the new metric required for transportation analysis which focuses on the overall miles
traveled by vehicles within a region. As a result, automobile delay (Level of Service - LOS) is no
longer permitted to be used as criteria for determining a significant environmental impact under
CEQA. This approach has an added inherent emphasis on reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
All cities in the State of California were required implement this new VMT metric no later than July
1, 2020. This implementation may occur on a project-by-project basis but is more streamlined and
effective when adopted as a local threshold. Therefore, Fehr & Peers, an expert firm in VMT
analysis, assisted the City in the review and development of appropriate VMT thresholds for the
City to be fully compliant with this aspect of CEQA.
City staff participated in a collaborative study through a partnership with the San Bernardino
County Transportation Authority (SBCTA) which evaluated the tools, thresholds, and mitigation
options appropriate for the City and San Bernardino County region. Staff attended workshops on
October 23, 2020, February 3, 2020, March 4, 2020, and March 30, 2020 on vehicle miles
traveled.Vehicle Miles Traveled thresholds for the City have been incorporated within the adopted
City Transportation Impact Analysis Guidelines prepared by the City Engineer and which will be
updated from time to time.
As a result, automobile delay, as measured by LOS, generally no longer constitutes a significant
environmental effect under CEQA.Adopting VMT thresholds, however, does not preclude the City
from using LOS analysis to comply with Congestion Management Plan requirements or to conduct
project specific transportation analysis.
Local CEQA Guidelines
CEQA requires public agencies to adopt specific objectives, criteria, and procedures for
evaluating public and private projects that are undertaken or approved by the local agencies. The
adopted thresholds and guidelines reflect the recent changes in the State CEQA Guidelines,
relevant court opinions, and necessary documentation for the implementation of vehicles miles
traveled as the City's metric for transportation impacts. The TIA Guidelines provide step- by-step
procedures for evaluating projects prior to approval.
The VMT thresholds became effective upon adoption of a resolution by the City Council and
issuance of the TIA Guidelines by the City Engineer. Going forward, all must comply with the
City's new thresholds and TIA Guidelines.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no fiscal impact associated with this action.
COUNCIL GOAL(S) ADDRESSED:
With the adoption of a threshold of significance by the City Council, the City is able to identify
CEQA impact generated by projects in line with the requirements of SB 743. This change in metric
of transportation impact promotes sustainable growth of a safe and healthy community while
aiming to reduce travel by single occupant vehicle.
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PLANNING COMMISSION STAFF REPORT
Update on the Implementation of SB 743 and Traffic Impact Analysis Guidelines
October 14, 2020
Page 3
CORRESPONDENCE:
None
EXHIBITS:
Exhibit A - Local Traffic Impact Analysis Guideline (Adopted Resolution No.2020-056)
008
RESOLUTION NO. 2020-056
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF RANCHO
CUCAMOGNA 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, as a result, automobile delay, as measured by "level of service" ("LOS")
and other similar metrics, will generally no longer constitute a significant environmental effect
under CEQA; and
WHEREAS, except for roadway capacity projects, CEQA Guidelines section 15064.3
requires agencies to stop treating automobile delay/LOS as an environmental impact effective
on July 1, 2020, though public agencies may elect to be governed by this section immediately;
and
WHEREAS, the City of Rancho Cucamonga, following a public review process
consisting of a joint collaboration between the San Bernardino County Transportation
Authority(SBCTA) and its member agencies to develop implementation methods for SB743,
Exhibit A Resolution No. 2020-056 - Page 1 of 6
009
presentations by SBCTA to its committees, board, and members of the public related to the
regional and local threshold development process, and a public hearing before the City
Council, wishes to adopt the VMT thresholds of significance for determining the significance
of transportation impacts that are included in this resolution.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Rancho
Cucamonga as follows:
Section 1. The City of Rancho Cucamonga hereby adopts the following:
1. The San Bernardino County Travel Demand Model (SBTAM) as its preferred
methodology to measure Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT).
2. The San Bernardino County Travel Demand Model (SBTAM) as its preferred
method to analyze a project's Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) impact.
3. The VMT impacts threshold in Table 1 in Exhibit A.
Section 2. The City Council hereby adopts the"City of Rancho Cucamonga Traffic
Impact Analysis Guidelines," attached hereto as Exhibit B, for purposes of
implementing Section 1 of this Resolution,which may be updated administratively from
time-to-time by the City Engineer.
Section 3. This Resolution shall take effect immediately upon its adoption by the
City Council, and the City Clerk shall attest to and certify the vote adopting this
Resolution.
Resolution No. 2020-056 - Page 2 of 6
010
PASSED, APPROVED and ADOPTED this 17th day of June, 2020.
r'
L. De is Micha Mayo
ATTEST:
e C. eynolds, City Clerk ,
STATE OF CALIFORNIA )
COUNTY OF SAN BERNARDINO ) ss
CITY OF RANCHO CUCAMONGA )
I, Janice C. Reynolds, City Clerk of the City of Rancho Cucamonga, do hereby
certify that the foregoing Resolution was duly passed, approved, and adopted by the City
Council of the City of Rancho Cucamonga, at a Regular Meeting of said Council held on
the 17th day of June 2020.
AYES: Hutchison, Kennedy, Michael, Scott, Spagnolo
NOES: None
ABSENT: None
ABSTAINED: None
Executed this 18th day of June, 2020, at Rancho Cucamonga, California.
J ce . Reynolds, City CI
Resolution No. 2020-056 - Page 3 of 6
011
Exhibit A
Table 1
VMT Impact Thresholds
Methods Project Threshold Cumulative Threshold
Land Use Plans(such as General Plans and Specific Plans)
• San Bernardino Traffic Analysis A significant impact would A significant impact would occur
Model(SBTAM)forecast of occur if the project VMT/SP if the project caused total daily
total daily VMT/SP. (for the land use plan) VMT within the City to be higher
- To capture project effect, exceeds the Citywide average. than the no project alternative
the same cumulative year under cumulative conditions.
population and And after the General Plan is
employment growth totals next updated and adopted,
should be used.The this threshold shall be
'project' only influences replaced with the following:
land use allocation.
A significant impact would
occur if the project VMT/SP
(for the land use plan)
exceeds the Citywide average
under General Plan Buildout
Conditions.
• Consistency check with SCAG NA A significant impact would occur
RTP/SCS. if the project is determined to be
- Is the proposed project inconsistent with the RTP/SCS.
within the growth
projections in the
RTP/SCS?
Land Use Projects
• Transit Priority Area(TPA) Presumed less than significant Project presumption applies
screening. VMT impact for projects under cumulative conditions as
located in TPAs. long as project is consistent with
SCAG RTP/SCS.
• Low VMT area screening. Presumed less than significant Project presumption applies
VMT impact for projects under cumulative conditions as
located in low VMT generating long as project is consistent with
model traffic analysis zones SCAG RTP/SCS.
(TAZs).These TAZs generate
total daily VMT/SP that is 15%
less than the baseline level for
the County.
• Project type screening. Local serving retail projects Project presumption applies
(Per OPR's Technical under cumulative conditions as
Advisory less than 50,000 long as project is consistent with
square feet)are presumed to SCAG RTP/SCS.
have a less than significant
VMT impact.
Projects that generate less
than 250 daily trips do not
require VMT analysis.
• VMT analysis using SBTAM A significant impact would A significant impact would occur
forecast of total daily VMT/SP. occur if the project VMT/SP if the project is determined to be
exceeds the Citywide average. inconsistent with the RTP/SCS.
And after the General Plan is A significant impact would occur
next updated and adopted, if the project causes total daily
VMT within the City to be higher
Resolution No. 2020-056 - Page 4 of 6
012
Table 1
VMT Impact Thresholds
Methods Project Threshold Cumulative Threshold
this threshold shall be than the no project alternative
replaced with the following: under cumulative conditions.This
analysis should be performed
A significant impact would using the'project effect' or
occur if the project VMT/SP 'boundary' method.
(for the land use plan)
exceeds the Citywide average
under General Plan Buildout
Conditions.
Transportation Projects (thresholds may apply for SB 743 or GHG purposes)
• SBTAM forecast of total A significant impact would A significant impact would occur
citywide daily VMT' occur if the project increased if the project caused total daily
the baseline VMT within the VMT within the City to be higher
City. than the no build alternative
under cumulative conditions.
• Consistency check with SCAG NA A significant impact would occur
RTP/SCS if the project is determined to be
inconsistent with the RTP/SCS.
Acronyms
RTP/SCS—Regional Transportation Plan/Sustainable Communities Strategy
SCAG—Southern California Association of Governments
SP—Service Population
VMT—Vehicle Miles Traveled
It is recommended that SBTAM is used to develop VMT estimates for transportation project impact assessment.
However, the analyst must verify the model results for sensitivity to changes in VMT. Alternatively, if the model is
not deemed appropriate, Robert Cevero's research on lane-mile elasticity and its relationship to VMT can be
referenced.
Resolution No. 2020-056 - Page 5 of 6
013
Exhibit B
City of Rancho Cucamonga Traffic Impact Analysis Guidelines
Resolution No. 2020-056 - Page 6 of 6
014
RESOLUTION NO. 1 1 1 . Cucamonga TIA Guidelines
June 1
sr
City of Rancho Cucamonga TIA Guidelines
2020
Table of Contents
Background 1
BackgroundInformation..................................................................................................................................1
GuidelinesOrganization...................................................................................................................................2
Introduction 3
CEQAChanges.....................................................................................................................................................4
Level of Service Analysis 5
LOS Report Content for Level of Service Analysis.................................................................................6
Introduction..........................................................................................................................................................6
ExistingConditions.............................................................................................................................................7
FutureConditions...............................................................................................................................................9
ProjectDeficiencies..........................................................................................................................................13
Conclusions and Recommendation...........................................................................................................14
LOS Analysis Procedures and Assumptions...........................................................................................14
CEQA Assessment - VMT Analysis 18
AnalysisMethodology....................................................................................................................................18
ProjectScreening..............................................................................................................................................19
VMT Assessment for Non-Screened Development............................................................................21
CEQAVMT Impact Thresholds....................................................................................................................23
VMTMitigation Measures.............................................................................................................................24
CEQA Assessment - Active Transportation and Public Transit Analysis 25
CEQA VMT Transportation Impact Analysis Format 26
Attachments 28
Detailed VMT Forecasting Information....................................................................................................28
Low VMT Area Map
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City of Rancho Cucamonga TIA Guidelines
2020
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City of Rancho Cucamonga TIA Guidelines
2020
Background
Background Information
......... ........ ....... .. .. ._.__ .. ........
SIB 743, signed by the Governor in 2013, is changing the way transportation impacts are identified.
Specifically, the legislation has directed the Office of Planning and Research (OPR) to look at
different metrics for identifying transportation as a CEQA impact. The Final OPR guidelines were
released in December 2018 and identified vehicle miles of travel (VMT) as the preferred metric
moving forward. The Natural Resources Agency completed the rule making process to modify the
CEQA guidelines in December of 2018. The CEQA Guidelines identify that, by July of 2020 all lead
agencies must use VMT as the new transportation metric for identifying impacts for land use
project.
In anticipation of the change to VMT, the City of Rancho Cucamonga recently completed a SIB 743
Implementation Study in partnership with SBCTA in support of agencies throughout the county.
This regional approach focuses on important implementation questions about the methodology,
thresholds, and mitigation approaches for VMT impact analysis. The regional approach included
the following main components.
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City of Rancho Cucamonga TIA Guidelines
2020
• Thresholds Evaluation Memorandum — Potential thresholds agencies could consider when
establishing thresholds of significance for VMT assessment
• Sample Projects Memorandum — Types of VMT that could be considered for impact
assessment and how project assessment could be performed.
• Tools Evaluation Memorandum — Types of tools that could be used to estimate VMT and
the pros/cons associated with each tool.
• Mitigation Memorandum —Types of mitigation that can be considered for VMT.
• VMT Screening Tool —An on-line GIS tool that can be used for VMT screening. This tool is
currently under development but will be available for use by SBCTA member agencies.
As noted in CEQA Guidelines Section 15064.7(b) below, lead agencies are encouraged to formally
adopt their significance thresholds which is a key part of the SIB 743 implementation process.
(b) Each public agency is encouraged to develop and publish thresholds of significance that the agency uses
in the determination of the significance of environmental effects. Thresholds of significance to be adopted for
general use as part of the lead agency's environmental review process must be adopted by ordinance,
resolution,rule,or regulation,and developed through a public review process and be supported by substantial
evidence.Lead agencies may also use thresholds on a case-by-case basis as provided in Section 15064(b)(2).
The City has adopted vehicle LOS policies that set standards for which local agency infrastructure
will strive to maintain. These policies are contained in the General Plan and therefore apply to
discretionary approvals of new land use and transportation projects. Therefore, these guidelines
also include instructions for vehicle LOS analysis consistent with General Plan requirements. The
LOS guidelines are largely based on the SBCTA Congestion Management Plan (CMP) guidelines
that were updated in 2016 and reflect the state of the practice. Please note that, at the time this
document was created,the City had recently embarked on an update to the General Plan. As such,
these guidelines may need to be updated after the General Plan Update has concluded to ensure
consistency with any modified policies.
Guidelines Organization
......... _ __ ...................... ..................................
The remainder of this guidelines document is organized as follows. We have attempted to organize
this memorandum to provide background information, assessment for congestion management/
General Plan Consistency (e.g. LOS analysis), and CEQA assessment (e.g. VMT analysis).
1. Introduction
2. Need for Transportation Impact Analysis
3. Non-CEQA LOS Assessment and Format
4. CEQA Assessment -VMT Analysis
5. CEQA Assessment -Active Transportation and Public Transit Analysis
6. Transportation Impact Analysis Format
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City of Rancho Cucamonga TIA Guidelines
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Introduction
One of the fundamental roles of government agencies is the construction and maintenance of
public infrastructure facilities including roadways, rail and bus facilities, bicycle and pedestrian
infrastructure, water lines, sanitary sewer lines, stormwater treatment facilities, parks, and other
public facilities.
When private development occurs, it is the responsibility of government to ensure that there are
adequate public facilities to serve incremental population and employment growth. For the
transportation system, one way to address this issue is the preparation of a Traffic Impact Analysis
(TIA).
For the past several decades, the preparation of a TIA was integrated into the CEQA process, in
which the TIA was used primarily to analyze a project's impacts under CEQA. However, with the
passage of SB 743, changes to the TIA process are necessary. Specifically, a TIA may be needed as
a stand-alone document which is a requirement of project approval and will include information
for decision makers that is not required as part of the CEQA process.
The purpose of TIA Guidelines is to provide general instructions for analyzing the potential
transportation impacts (both CEQA and non-CEQA) of proposed development projects. These
guidelines present the recommended format and methodology that should generally be utilized in
the preparation of TIAs. These recommendations are general guidelines and the City has the
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City of Rancho Cucamonga TIA Guidelines
2020
discretion to modify the TIA requirements based on the unique characteristics of a particular
project.
CEQA Changes
........ ......... ........ ........
Since the last CMP TIA Guidelines update, SB 743 was finalized through the rule making process.A
key element of this law is the elimination of auto delay, level of service (LOS), and other similar
measures of vehicular capacity or traffic congestion as a basis for determining significant impacts.
This change is intended to assist in balancing the needs of congestion management with statewide
goals related to infill development, promotion of public health through active transportation, and
reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.
SB 743 contains amendments to current congestion management law that allows cities and
counties to effectively opt-out of the LOS standards that would otherwise apply in areas where
Congestion Management Plans (CMPs) are still used (including by San Bernardino County). Further,
SB 743 required the Governor's Office of Planning and Research (OPR) to update the CEQA
Guidelines and establish criteria for determining the significance of transportation impacts. In
December 2018, OPR released their final recommended guidelines based on feedback with the
public, public agencies,and various organizations and individuals.OPR recommended Vehicle Miles
Traveled (VMT) as the most appropriate measure of project transportation impacts for land use
projects and land use plans. For transportation projects, lead agencies may select their own
preferred metric but must support their decision with substantial evidence that complies with CEQA
expectations. SB 743 does not prevent a city or county from continuing to analyze delay or LOS
outside of CEQA review for other transportation planning or analysis purposes (i.e., general plans,
impact fee programs, corridor studies, congestion mitigation, or ongoing network monitoring); but
these metrics may no longer constitute the sole basis for CEQA impacts.
These TIA Guidelines have been designed to comply with the new CEQA Guidelines expectations
and build on the information prepared for SBCTA's Implementation Study.
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City of Rancho Cucamonga TIA Guidelines
2020
Level of Service Analysis
These guidelines describe the key elements required for preparing Level of Service Analysis Reports
(LOS Reports) consistent with the countywide goals toward the Congestion Management Program
(CMP) in San Bernardino County.
LOS Reports shall be prepared by applicants for land use projects when local criteria and thresholds
indicate they are necessary. However, LOS Reports must be prepared to satisfy CMP requirements,
when a proposed change in land use,development project,or at local discretion,a group of projects
are forecast to equal or exceed the CMP threshold of 250 two-way peak hour trips generated, based
on trip generation rates published for the applicable use or uses in the Institute of Transportation
Engineers' Trip Generation or other CMA-approved data source. Pass-by trips shall not be
considered in the threshold determination. However, industrial, warehousing and truck projects
shall convert trucks to PCE's before applying the threshold (although, for intersection assessment,
the report may appropriately adjust the highway capacity manual capacity factors to reflect the
increase in heavy vehicles).
However, a LOS Report which includes LOS analysis shall be required for a proposed project that
meets any of the following City-specific criteria:
• Projects that will add 50 or more trips during either the AM or PM peak hours to any
intersection.
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• Any project where variations from the standards and guidelines provided in these
guidelines are being proposed.
• When determined by the City Traffic Engineer that existing or proposed traffic conditions
in the project vicinity have unique characteristics that warrant evaluation.
LOS Report Content for Level of Service Analysis
The Level of Service (LOS) Report shall be a stand-alone document separation from other similar
documents such as an EIR prepared under CEQA. Preparation of the LOS Report is the responsibility
of the project applicant and must be prepared by a qualified professional. It is in the interest of all
parties that the applicant and City fully understand and come to agreement on the assumptions
and methodology to be used in the LOS Report prior to conducting the actual analysis. This is
particularly important when considering the use of assumptions that vary from the norm.
Prior to beginning the LOS analysis, the applicant shall submit a memorandum which documents
the trip generation and trip distribution of the proposed project to the City. The City may request
a meeting with the developer and/or preparer of the LOS Report to discuss the methodology prior
to the initiation of work on the analysis. A meeting with other interested jurisdictions, where
applicable, is also encouraged to address issues associated with large or extraordinary projects.
The following outline and commentary represent the structure for the LOS Report.
I. Introduction
Set the stage for the analysis, providing background information necessary for the unfamiliar reader
to understand the magnitude of the project, location of the project and special characteristics.
Project, General Plan, or Specific Plan Description
The description must include project size by land use type, location of project,approximate location
of proposed access points to the local and regional roadway system and movements from adjacent
streets allowed into and out of the project. This should be shown in a site diagram. Special
characteristics of the site, such as unusual daily or seasonal peaking characteristics or heavy
involvement of truck traffic, should be mentioned.
Analysis Methodology
Provide a general description (overview) of the process used to analyze the project. Analysis years
should be specified and the approach to the modeling/traffic forecasting process should be
explained. The sources of information should be identified. The study area and method for LOS
analysis for the various roadway types should be identified. At a minimum, the study area must
include roadways or streets with 50 or more peak-hour project trips (two-way).The study area does
not end with a City or County boundary.The study area is defined by the magnitude of project trips
alone. In most cases, the analysis need not extend more than five miles beyond the project site,
even if there are more than 50 project trips on a local facility. However, analysis of projects in
isolated areas with few access routes should be continued until the 50-trip threshold is met. The
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distribution of traffic must be shown for all roadways on which project trips occur(except those for
internal circulation).
The analysis of traffic operations and LOS is to be provided for the following conditions and is to
include an assessment of traffic mitigation requirements for project opening day and future
conditions.
1. Existing conditions—the conditions at the time of LOS Report preparation without the
inclusion of the project generated trips. Existing deficiencies should be identified, but
improvements to restore acceptable operations are not required. The existing
conditions analysis must include the full project impact area as defined above.
2. Project opening day conditions (sometimes referred to as Background Conditions) -
the conditions on the opening day of the project for two scenarios: 1) excluding the
project traffic and 2) including the project traffic.Assume full trip generation impact of
the site. Appropriate analysis is to be performed for project opening day conditions
when deficiencies are identified to restore acceptable operations of study facilities. If it
is deemed more appropriate because of the nature of the project,another intermediate
scenario may be included to focus on the access requirements and/or immediate area
surrounding the project, subject to a request by the City. The methodology used for
distribution of project traffic at project opening day conditions is at the discretion of
the City.
3. Future conditions - the conditions for two model horizon year scenarios: 1) excluding
the project traffic and 2) including the project traffic. Appropriate analysis is to be
performed for future conditions when deficiencies are identified to identify
requirements to restore acceptable operations. In addition, a staging analysis of
improvements may be required for large projects constructed over a long time period.
The need for a staging analysis will be determined by the City. Please note that projects
will be required to contribute only a fair share contribution toward future deficiencies
that are identified.
The analysis of the project opening day and future condition shall be based on, at a minimum, the
AM peak-hour and PM peak-hour of the adjacent street traffic but the City may require additional
analysis such as weekend or off-peak time periods depending on the scope of the development.
The peak traffic generation hour of the development, if different from peak AM and PM hours, must
also be identified and the total vehicle trips during the peak-hour of the generator must be
estimated during the scoping phase for the project.This will facilitate a decision regarding the need
to evaluate time periods other than the peak-hours of the adjacent streets.
11. Existing Conditions
Existing Roadway System
Provide a map and brief written description of the roadway network.The number and type of lanes
on freeways, major roads and other impacted streets should be identified. Signalized intersections
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and plans for signalization along with other intersection traffic control such as all-way stop control
or roundabouts should be identified.The existing number of lanes at study intersections should be
clearly identified on a graphic and in conjunction with the LOS analysis output. Also describe the
relevant portions of the future network as specified with officially approved funding sources.
Existing Volumes
Existing average weekday daily traffic (AWDT) should be identified for the major roadways in the
study area. Historic volume growth trends in the study area should be shown. Consult the City,
Caltrans and San Bernardino County Transportation Authority for additional information.
Existing morning (7:00 to 9:00 AM) and evening (4:00 to 6:00 PM) peak period intersection counts
should be collected at the study intersections on a Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday. Counts
should be collected while schools are in session and during a non-holiday week. Counts should be
less than one-year old. However, the City reserves the right to allow use of older counts when
appropriate (such as after the COVID-19 pandemic) or other time periods when vehicle counts are
considered non-standard. In general, counts should not be collected between the Thanksgiving
holiday and after the first week of a new year.
Existing LOS
A LOS analysis must be conducted on all existing segments and intersections potentially affected
by the project or plan. Urban segments (i.e., segments on streets and roadways that are generally
signalized with spacing less than 2 miles) do not require segment analysis. Segment requirements
can normally be determined by the analysis of lane requirements at intersections. LOS analysis must
be performed using the latest version of Synchro or a software package approved by the City and
compatible with software licensed by the City. The software package and version used must be
identified.The existing LOS analysis for intersections will be run using existing signal timing, which
should be identified from the controller programming provided by the City (although the analyst
should verify signal timing through field observations). Opening day with and without project
assessment will be run using existing signal timing (e.g.timing should be locked prior to evaluating
opening year conditions). Optimized timing should be identified as project improvements and
should consider pedestrian safety, signal coordination requirements, the California MUTCD (latest
edition) and the City's timing methodologies. For future year assessment, it may be appropriate in
higher growth areas of the City to optimize the"no project" signal timing and lock the timing prior
to adding traffic from the project in that horizon year. The analyst shall work with the City Traffic
Engineer on the appropriateness of optimizing signal timing for the assessment.
Saturation flow rates are considered as average field measured saturation flow rates and in no case
shall the adjusted saturation flow rates of the latest Highway Capacity Software be allowed to go
lower than the specified saturation flow rates listed in these guidelines when field data is not
available. However, there shall be no restriction on minimum saturation flow rates if actual
saturation flow rates have been collected.
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Typically, default lost time is two seconds per phase (or four seconds per critical phase) and a
clearance signal time of three seconds. The peak-hour factor should be extrapolated from the
existing count data collected at the beginning of the study. A peak-hour factor of 0.95 may be
assumed for the opening year and future year scenarios with prior approval of the City Traffic
Engineer. Variations from these values must be documented and justified. LOS analyses should be
field-verified so that the results are reasonably consistent with observation and errors in the analysis
are more likely to be identified such as existing congestion limiting vehicle throughput that would
affect the LOS assessment.A brief commentary on existing problem areas must be included in this
section, bringing existing problems to the attention of the readers.
Only project opening day and future with project scenarios require that traffic operational problems
be mitigated to provide LOS in conformity with the General Plan goals.
Related General Plan Issues
The relationship to the General Plan shall be identified. This section should provide general
background information from the Traffic Circulation Element of the General Plan, including plans
for the ultimate improvements, new transportation infrastructure planned for the future and other
information that provides a context for how the proposed project interrelates with the future
planned transportation system.
111. Future Conditions
Traffic Forecasts
One of the primary products of the LOS analysis is the comparison of future traffic conditions both
with and without the project.The primary forecasts will be for the General Plan horizon year or for
the horizon year of the most recent travel demand forecasting model (SBTAM). If a project is
phased over a development period past the horizon year, a buildout forecast with forecast
background traffic must also be provided.There are two components of the forecast that need to
be considered: background traffic and project traffic.Acceptable methodologies for these forecasts
are described below.
Project Traffic Forecasts
Two basic alternatives are available for forecasting project traffic:
• Manual method -Generate project trips using rates from the ITE Trip Generation report or from
available local survey information. Distribute and assign the trips based on the location of the
project relative to the remainder of the urban area and on the type of land use, use of travel
survey information, or utilizing the future year travel demand model select zone. The
percentage distribution should be reasonably related to the location of and the number of trips
generated by zones surrounding the project. Computer-assisted trip distribution and
assignment methods may be used as long as they reasonably represent the travel
characteristics of the area in which the project is located.
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• Use of local model - Create a zone or zones that represent the project(if not already contained
in the local model).The travel demand model may be used if new zones are created to represent
the project(it is unlikely that the travel demand model will already have zones small enough to
represent the project). The zone or zones should include the exact representation of driveway
locations with centroid connectors. It is important that the driveway representations be exact
to produce acceptable turning movement volumes. Some adjustments to the turning
movement volumes may be needed, depending on the adequacy of this representation. If
using the travel demand model to estimate project trips for LOS assessment, reasonableness
checks, including the number of trips loading at the centroid connector and production-
attraction trip balancing, must be conducted and documented.
The above methodologies may produce different results, both in the generation of trips and the
distribution of trips. However, both methods will have application, depending on the type and size
of project. It should be noted that it is the City's preference that a model select zone run shall be
used for distribution and ITE trip generation rates for project trips.
Background Traffic Forecasts
Background traffic refers to all traffic other than the traffic associated with the project itself. The
background traffic shall include intersection turning movement and segment truck volumes by
classification (converted to PCE's'). Future scenarios shall use the truck model (converted to PCEs)
or 150 percent of the existing truck volume for major roads or increase the heavy vehicle factor
accordingly in the capacity assessment.
Several alternatives for forecasting background traffic are:
• For project opening day analysis - Use growth rates proposed by the developer's consultant
and accepted by the City. For intersections outside of the City, the growth rate shall be
approved by the affected jurisdiction. In general, this growth rate can be derived from the
regional travel demand model using linear growth assumptions. Background traffic shall also
include a manual assignment of all approved projects within a five-mile radius of the project.
• For horizon year - The traffic passenger vehicle and truck classification (in PCEs) models will
provide the needed forecasts and if requested, passenger vehicle background plus project
forecasts. The travel demand model should be used to generate intersection and segment
forecasts, if a traffic refinement process is properly applied to maximize the quality and
reasonableness of the forecasts. The model land use shall be reviewed to ensure it is inclusive
of all approved and pending projects within a five-mile radius of the project. The background
For light duty trucks (such as service vehicles, buses, RV's and dual rear wheels) use a PCE of 1.5. For
medium duty trucks with 3 axles use a PCE of 2.0. For heavy duty trucks with 4 axles, use a PCE of 3.0.
Alternatively,the analyst may adjust the heavy vehicle factor to account for truck intensive uses in the study
area.
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traffic will be derived by subtracting the project traffic from the forecast where the project is
already represented in the model. Where the project is not represented in the model, the
background traffic can be directly derived from the model (with appropriate refinement to
maintain quality and reasonableness of the forecasts).
A Note on Methodology for General Plans and Specific Plans:
In the case of analysis of General Plan updates/amendments or specific plans, the same approach
is applied as above. However, the "project" to be analyzed shall consist of the proposed land use.
For deficiency determination,use the difference between the previously approved General Plan and
the proposed revision to the General Plan. Unless otherwise agreed by the City, the analysis must
assume the maximum intensity of land uses allowed (i.e., worst case) on the parcels to which the
revision applies. All new specific plans must be analyzed based on worst case assumptions.
Although General Plans may not identify specific access locations,the analysis must assume access
locations that are reasonable, based on the location and size of the plan.
A. Traffic Added by Project, General Plan Update/Amendment, or Specific Plan
The methods for generating and distributing project trips must be consistent with the appropriate
methodology listed above. The total number of trips generated by the project must be specified
by land use. The source of the trip generation rates must be documented. Project trips (inbound
and outbound) must be identified on a graphic map for both the AM and PM peak hour or hours
being studied.
Any assumed reductions in trip generation rates, such as internal trips and transit/TDM reductions
must be documented. Pass-by trips may be allowed only for retail uses and fast-food restaurants.
The pass-by and internal trip percentages and methodology must be consistent with state of the
practice methodologies,which include the EPA's mixed-use development(MXD)trip internalization
methodology and/or the methodology contained in the latest ITE Trip Generation handbook. The
internal trip percentage must be justified by having a mixed-use development of sufficient size. In
special cases, larger reductions may be allowed; but these must be documented, justified, and
approved by the City Traffic Engineer. Reductions for transit or TDM must be accompanied by an
explanation of how the strategies will actually be implemented and may require a monitoring
program.
Industrial and warehouse truck uses must also show the estimated number and distribution of
truck trips (in PCE's) for the same hours (or the capacity assessment should reflect the revised
percentage of heavy vehicles through the study intersections).The methodology utilized to obtain
trip generation rates and truck percentages applied in traffic impact analyses for industrial and
warehouse (including 'high-cube') land uses must be clearly defined. Trip rates shall be obtained
from the latest edition of ITE's Trip Generation manual or from current and relevant studies and
shall be approved by the local jurisdiction.
B. Transit and TDM Considerations
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Transit and travel demand management strategies are a consideration in many development
projects. Requirements for such considerations are contained in the TDM ordinance. Examples of
items to include are location of transit stops in relationship to the proposed project, designation
of ridesharing coordinator, posting of information on transit routes and ridesharing information,
promotion of telecommuting and alternative work schedules, provision of transit passes, etc.
C. Traffic Model Forecasts
Provide a map showing link volumes by direction.All streets and roads with 50 or more peak-hour
(or other required analysis time period) project trips (two-way) must be shown.The factor to derive
a peak-hour from the three-hour AM peak period is 0.38. The factor to derive a peak-hour from
the four-hour PM peak is 0.28.All model forecasts shall be post processed. Post processing should
be consistent with NCHRP state of the practice methodologies.
D. Future LOS
Compute levels of service for segments and intersections based on the procedures in the latest
Highway Capacity Manual.
The adopted level of service standards for the CMP system are the minimum standards allowed in
California Government Code Section 65089(b)(1)(B): LOS E for all segments and intersections
except those designated LOS F in Chapter 2 of the CMP. In addition, a provision is made for any
LOS F facility not to deteriorate greater than 10 percent below its level of service value at the time
of initial CMP adoption.As of 1992, no segments or intersections within the City were operating at
a LOS F. In addition to the CMP level of service standards, the City's General Plan has adopted an
LOS D or better standard for all segments and intersections within the City.
Copies of the volumes, intersection geometry, capacity analysis worksheets and all relevant
assumptions must be included as appendices to the LOS analysis. It should be noted that the v/c
ratio and implied LOS that can be output by travel demand models are different from the LOS
analysis prescribed in this section. The capacities used in the model are not typically the same
capacities as used in the capacity analysis.
Intersections and segments on State highway facilities should be analyzed as a coordinated system.
Left turn,through and right turn lane queuing analysis may be required to validate an intersection's
LOS. This more detailed analysis is meant to ensure the various movements do not overflow and
impede adjacent movements and is left to the discretion of the City.
E. Description of Projected LOS Problems
Identify resulting levels of service for intersections and segments, as appropriate, on a map for
applicable time periods. Describe in the text the nature of expected LOS problems. Describe any
other deficiencies that the project may also have on the roadway network, particularly access
requirements.
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F. Project Contribution to Total New Volumes (Horizon Minus Existing) on Analyzed Links
Compute the ratio of traffic generated by the proposed development to the total new traffic
(including project traffic) generated between the existing condition and horizon year for each
analyzed link or intersection.The purpose of this calculation is to identify the proportion of volume
increase that can be attributed to the proposed project.This will be a necessary component of any
deficiency plans prepared under the CMP at a later date.The calculations are to be conducted for
all applicable hours.The results may be shown on a map or in a table by percentages to the nearest
tenth of a percent.
IV. Project Deficiencies.
The identification of project deficiencies is designed to identify potential LOS problems and to
address them before they occur.This will also provide a framework for establishing transportation
related project conditions by the City. Deficiencies beyond the boundaries of the City must be
identified in the same fashion as impacts within the City. Jurisdictions with identified deficiencies
will be provided an opportunity for review of the LOS analysis.It is the responsibility of the applicant
to obtain written concurrence on proposed improvements from the affected jurisdictions.
For conformity with the CMP, the improvements on CMP roadways must bring the roadway into
conformance with the LOS standards established for the CMP. However, the City may require
conformance to higher standards, and will be determined in consultation with the City.
Other Transportation Improvements Already Programmed and Fully Funded
Only transportation improvements that are fully funded should be assumed in forecast for horizon
year analysis. This typically consists of projects identified in the regional RTP and/or the City's
Capital Improvement Program.
Improvements heeded to Maintain !OS Standard
These should include an evaluation of intersection turn lanes,signalization,signal coordination and
link lane additions, at a minimum. Prior studies on the same sections may be furnished to the
preparer of the LOS Report and such studies may be referenced if they do, in fact, provide the
necessary improvements for the proposed project. However, the calculation of percentage of
contribution of the project to the growth in traffic must still be provided for the appropriate time
periods, as described earlier. If the physical or environmental constraints make improvements
unlikely, then the contribution may be used to improve LOS elsewhere on the system or another
location that would relieve traffic issues. The point of referencing a previously conducted study is
to avoid unnecessary duplication of effort on the same sections of roadway. Copies of previously
conducted relevant studies in the area may be obtained from the City (where available).
In some cases, additional transit and TDM strategies beyond what was in the original assumptions
may be necessary to provide an adequate improvement.These must be described and the method
for implementation must be discussed.
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LOS with Improvements
The LOS with improvements must be computed and shown on a map or table along with the traffic
LOS without improvements. Delay values, volume/capacity ratios (if appropriate), or other
measures of LOS must be included in the results (could be in an appendix) along with the letter
designation.
Cost Estimates
The costs of mitigating deficiencies must be estimated for deficiencies that occur either within or
outside the boundaries of the City. The costs must be identified separately for the City and each
affected jurisdiction. Prior studies and cost estimates by SBCTA, Caltrans and other jurisdictions
may be referenced if they remain current. Used together with the following fair-share cost
contribution estimate will provide an approximation of project contribution to the needed
improvements. This estimate is prepared for discussion purposes with the City and affected
jurisdictions. It does not imply any legal responsibility or formula for contributions to
improvements. If an improvement is identified as necessary to bring a deficiency into conformance
with the LOS standard, but physical or environmental constraints make the improvement
impractical, an equivalent contribution should be considered to improve the LOS elsewhere on the
system or another location providing direct relief.
Fair share percentage = project trips
project trips + future development trips
V. Conclusions and Recommendations
Summary of Proposed Improvements and Costs
Provide a summary of the deficiencies, proposed improvements and the costs of those
improvements.
Other Recommendations
List any other recommendations that should be brought to the attention of the City or other
affected jurisdictions. This may include anticipated problems beyond the horizon year or on
portions of the network not analyzed.
Summary List of Typical Figures and Tables to Be Included in a LOS Report:
• Project location and 5-mile limit study area (map)
• Project size by land use (table)
• Trips generated by land use for AM and PM weekday peak-hours of adjacent street traffic
and for daily traffic inbound and outbound (table) and other applicable time periods
• List of other planned transportation improvements affecting the project
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• Existing intersection and link volumes and levels of service (map)
• Distribution and assignment of project trips (map)
• Forecast traffic without project and with project for applicable time periods (map or table)
• LOS without project and with project (map or table)
• Improvements required to maintain LOS for project opening day and horizon year scenario
impacts (map and/or table)
• Ratio of project traffic to new traffic (new traffic means the difference between existing
and forecast) on analyzed links or intersections (map or table)
• Improvement costs broken down by City and other affected jurisdictions.
Summary of Analysis Assumptions for the TIA:
LOS Analysis Procedures and Assumptions
Intersections
• Current HCM operational analysis.
• Optimized signal timing/phasing for future signal analysis, unless assumed to be in a
coordinated system, in which case estimated actual cycle length is used. In general, the
maximum cycle length for a single signalized intersection or system should be 130 seconds
or reflective of existing signal timing (preferred) in the area.
• 10 second minimum phase time, including change interval, or reflective of existing signal
timing (preferred).
• Average arrivals, unless a coordinated signal system dictates otherwise.
• Proposed lane width.
• Exclusive right turn lane is assumed to exist if pavement is wide enough to permit a
separate right turn, even if it is not striped. (Minimum 20' from curb line to lane stripe).
• 2 second lost time/phase (4 seconds per critical phase).
• A full saturation flow rate can be assumed for an extra lane provided on the upstream of
the intersection only if this lane also extends at least 600 feet downstream of the
intersection (or to the next downstream intersection).
• PHF = 0.95 for future analysis.
• The lane utilization factor may also be set at 1.00 when the v/c ratio for the lane group
approaches 1.0, as lanes tend to be more equally utilized in such situations.
• For light duty trucks (such as service vehicles, buses, RV's and dual rear wheels) use a PCE
of 1.5. For medium duty trucks with 3 axles use a PCE of 2.0. For heavy duty trucks with 4
axles, use a PCE of 3.0.Analyst may adjust the heavy vehicle factor in the capacity analysis
to account for the presence of heavy vehicles, subject to City's review and approval.
• Industrial, warehousing and other Projects with high truck percentages should convert to
PCE's before applying thresholds or should appropriately adjust the heavy vehicle factor.
• When field saturation flow rates and any special intersection characteristics are not
available, the following field adjusted saturation flow rates are recommended for analysis.
Existing and Opening Day Scenarios
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• Exclusive thru: 1,800 vehicles per hour green per lane (vphgpl)
• Exclusive left: 1,700 vphgpl
• Exclusive right: 1,800 vphgpl
• Exclusive double left: 1,600 vphgpl
• Exclusive triple left: 1,500 vphgpl or less
Future Scenarios
• Exclusive thru: 1,900 vphgpl
• Exclusive left: 1,800 vphgpl
• Exclusive right: 1,900 vphgpl
• Exclusive double right: 1,800 vphgpl
• Exclusive double left: 1,700 vphgpl
• Exclusive triple left: 1,600 vphgpl or less
• Note: Existing field saturation flow rates should be used if they are available and
any special traffic or geometric characteristics should also be taken into account if
known to affect traffic flow.
Freeways
• Capacity of 2,200 vehicles/hour/lane (1,600/hr/lane/HOV)
• Use Caltrans truck percentages (includes trucks, buses and RV's)
• Peak-hour factor of 0.98 for congested areas and 0.95 for less congested areas
• Directional distribution of 55% and 45%, if using non-directional volumes from
Caltrans volume book
• Design speed of 70 mph
Stop Controlled Intersections
• Current HCM for 2-way and 4-way stops
Project-Related Assumptions
• Use the latest ITE Trip Generation Handbook or MXD model for mixed use internal trip
percentages. Higher percentages must be fully justified.
• Pass by trips - Retail uses and fast food restaurants only
■ Use ITE procedures to estimate percentage
• For analysis at entry points into site, driveway volume is not reduced (i.e., trip generation
rate is still the same). Rather, trips are redistributed based on the assumed prevalent
directions of pass-by trips (see recommended ITE procedure).
• Reductions for transit or TDM are a maximum of 10% unless higher can be
justified.
• intersections will be considered deficient(LOS 7") if the critical v/c ratio equals or
exceeds 1.0, even if the LOS defined by the delay value is above the defined LOS
standard.
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• All the computer-generated traffic forecasts need to be refined for use in LOS
reports to provide the best estimate of future volumes possible. Traffic forecasts
should be post processed by using "B" turns software available through SCAG or
another approved methodology. However, the post processing of turning
movements is restricted to local models only.
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CEQA Assessment - VMT
Analysis
A key element of SB 743, signed in 2013, is the elimination of automobile delay and LOS as the sole
basis of determining CEQA impacts.The most recent CEQA guidelines, released in December 2018,
recommend VMT as the most appropriate measure of project transportation impacts. However, SB
743 does not prevent a city or county from continuing to analyze delay or LOS as part of other
plans (i.e., the General Plan), studies, or ongoing network monitoring.
The following recommendations assist in determining VMT impact thresholds and mitigation
requirements for various land use projects' Traffic Impact Analysis (TIA).
Analysis Methodology
.........
For purposes of SB 743 compliance, a VMT analysis should be conducted for land use projects as
deemed necessary by the City Traffic Engineer and would apply to projects that have the potential
to increase the average VMT per service population (e.g., population plus employment) compared
to the City boundary. Normalizing VMT per service population essentially provides a transportation
efficiency metric that the analysis is based on. Using this efficiency metric allows the user to
compare the project to the remainder of the City for purposes of identifying transportation impacts.
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Project Screening
There are three types of screening that lead agencies can apply to effectively screen projects from
project-level assessment. These screening steps are summarized below:
Step 1:Transit Priority Area (TPA) Screening
Projects located within a TPA2 may be presumed to have a less than significant impact absent
substantial evidence to the contrary. This presumption may NOT be appropriate if the project:
1. Has a Floor Area Ratio (FAR) of less than 0.75;
2. Includes more parking for use by residents, customers, or employees of the project than
required by the City (if the City requires the project to supply parking);
3. Is inconsistent with the applicable Sustainable Communities Strategy (as determined by
the lead agency, with input from the Metropolitan Planning Organization); or
4. Replaces affordable residential units with a smaller number of moderate- or high-income
residential units.
Step 2: Low VMT Area Screening
Residential and office projects located within a low VMT-generating area may be presumed to have
a less than significant impact absent substantial evidence to the contrary. In addition, other
employment-related and mixed-use land use projects may qualify for the use of screening if the
project can reasonably be expected to generate VMT per resident, per worker, or per service
population that is similar to the existing land uses in the low VMT area. A low VMT area is defined
as an individual traffic analysis zone (TAZ) where total daily Origin/Destination (O/D) VMT per
service population is lower than the City average total daily O/D VMT per service population.3
2 A TPA is defined as a half mile area around an existing major transit stop or an existing stop along a high-
quality transit corridor per the definitions below.
Pub. Resources Code, §21064.3 - 'Major transit stop' means a site containing an existing rail transit station,
a ferry terminal served by either a bus or rail transit service, or the intersection of two or more major bus
routes with a frequency of service interval of 15 minutes or less during the morning and afternoon peak
commute periods.
Pub. Resources Code, § 21155 - For purposes of this section, a 'high-quality transit corridor' means a
corridor with fixed route bus service with service intervals no longer than 15 minutes during peak commute
hours.
3 TAZs are geographic polygons similar to Census block groups used to represent areas of homogenous
travel behavior. Service population is population plus employment. Used with VMT, it provides a
normalized standard unit for comparison purposes while accounting for the population and/or
employment in a given area.
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To identify if the project is in a low VMT-generating area, the analyst may review the SBCTA
screening tool and apply the appropriate threshold (identified later in this chapter) within the tool.
Additionally, as noted above, the analyst must identify if the project is consistent with the existing
land use within that traffic analysis zone (TAZ) and use professional judgement to determine that
there is nothing unique about the project that would otherwise be mis-represented utilizing the
data from the travel demand model.
The SBCTA screening tool can be accessed at the following location:
https://devapps.fehrandpeers.com/sbctavmt/
(this link is subject to updates and source of information should be verified with City staff)
The City of Rancho Cucamonga TPAs and low VMT areas can also be found in the figures attached
to the end of this document.The analyst should confirm these figures are up to date and represent
the latest available information.
Alternative data sources can be reviewed to further refine low-VMT areas, such as Streetlight's
commercially available VMT data (e.g. big data). This data source could also be reviewed to
determine if it is in a low VMT area instead of the SBCTA screening tool data.
For low VMT screening to be satisfied, the analyst mush verify that the project land uses would not
alter the existing built environment in such a way as to increase the rate or length of vehicle trips
(e.g., the proposed project is consistent with existing land use in the area, the project would be
expected to contribute VMT consistent with existing land use in the area, and the project would not
significantly alter travel patterns in the area).
Step 3: Project Type Screening
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,the following uses may, at the discretion of the City, be presumed
to have a less than significant impact as their uses are often local serving in nature:
• Local parks
• Day care centers
• Local-serving retail uses less than 50,000 square feet, including:
o Gas stations
o Banks
o Restaurants
o Shopping Centers
• Student housing projects on or adjacent to college campuses
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• Local-serving assembly uses (places of worship, community organizations)
• Community institutions (public libraries,fire stations, local government)
• Local serving community colleges that are consistent with the assumptions noted in the
RTP/SCS
• Affordable or supportive housing4
• Assisted living facilities
• Senior housing (as defined by HUD)
• Projects generating less than 250 daily vehicle trips5
o This generally corresponds to the following "typical" development potentials:
■ 25 single family housing units
■ 36 multi-family, condominiums, or townhouse housing units
■ 23,000 sq. ft. of office
■ 34,000 sq. ft. of light industrial6
■ 143,000 sq. ft. of warehousing'
■ 180,000 sq.ft. of high cube transload and short-term storage warehouse'
Any project that uses the designation of "local-serving" will be required to demonstrate that it's
users (employees, customers,visitors)would be existing within the community.As such, the project
would not generate new "demand" for the project land uses, but the land use meets existing
demand that would shorten the distance that residents, employees, customers, or visitors would
otherwise travel.
VMT Assessment for Non-Screened Development
Projects not screened through the steps above or exempt under CEQA will be required to complete
a VMT analysis and forecasting through the SBTAM model to determine if they have a significant
VMT impact. This analysis is to include 'project generated VMT' and 'project effect on VMT'
estimates for the project TAZ (or TAZs) under the following scenarios:
• Baseline conditions - This data is already available in the web screening map.
• Baseline plus project for the project - The project land use would be added to the project
TAZ or a separate TAZ would be created to contain the project land uses. A full base year
4 The project must provide 100% of residential units as affordable or supportive housing
5 This threshold ties to historical data and patterns of development in the City for small development
projects, including consideration of a project's size(and/relative to) its potential impact on VMT within the
City boundary.
6 Threshold may be higher depending on the tenant and the use of the site. This number was estimated
using rates from ITE's Trip Generation Manual.
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model run would be performed and VMT changes would be isolated for the project TAZ
and across the full model network.The model output must include reasonableness checks
of the production and attraction balancing to ensure the project effect is accurately
captured. If this scenario results in a less-than-significant impact, then additional
cumulative scenario analysis may not be required (more information about this outcome
can be found in the Thresholds Evaluation discussion later in this chapter).
• Cumulative no project - This data is available from SBCTA.
• Cumulative plus project - The project land use would either be added to the project TAZ
or a separate TAZ would be created to contain the project land uses. The addition of
project land uses should be accompanied by a reallocation of a similar amount of land
use from other TAZs; especially if the proposed project is significant in size such that it
would change other future developments. Land use projects will generally not change
the cumulative no project control totals for population and employment growth. Instead,
they will influence the land use supply through changes in general plan land use
designations and zoning. If project land uses are simply added to the cumulative no
project scenario, then the analysis should reflect this limitation in the methodology and
acknowledge that the analysis may overestimate the project's effect on VMT.
The model output should include total VMT, which includes all vehicle trips and trip purposes, and
VMT per service population (population plus employment). Total VMT (by speed bin) is needed as
an input for air quality, greenhouse gas (GHG), and energy impact analysis while total VMT per
service population is recommended for transportation impact analysis'.
Both "plus project" scenarios noted above will summarize two types of VMT: (1) project generated
VMT per service population and comparing it back to the appropriate benchmark noted in the
thresholds of significance, and (2) the project effect on VMT, comparing how the project changes
VMT on the network' looking at Citywide VMT per service population or a sub-regional VMT per
service population and comparing it to the no project condition.
The analyst should clearly document the VMT methods used for the project generated VMT and
the project effect on VMT.
'The VMT produced for the air quality, greenhouse gas (GHG), and energy impact analysis should use the
same methodology(origin/destination)as the transportation impact analysis. However,the VMT presented
in the transportation chapter will be presented as total VMT per service population,while the VMT presented
in the other chapter will be as total VMT by speed bin.
'Network-based VMT is also referred to as boundary method VMT. For most projects, boundary method for
the City should be adequate. For projects located near the City limit, an alternative boundary should be
considered that captures the true effect the project has on local traffic. This could be determined using
average trip length to/from the site or other approach to completely capture changes in VMT.
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Project-generated VMT shall be extracted from the travel demand forecasting model using the
origin-destination trip matrix and shall multiply that matrix by the final assignment skims. The
project-effect on VMT shall be estimated using a sub-regional boundary (such as a City limit or
County line) and extracting the total link-level VMT for both the no project and with project
condition.
In some cases, it may be appropriate to extract the project-generated VMT using the production-
attraction (P/A) trip matrix instead of the origin-destination trip matrix (e.g. pulling VMT from the
model at a step when trips can be tracked by trip purpose).This may be appropriate when a project
is entirely composed of retail or office uses and there is a need to isolate the home-based-work
(HBW) VMT for the purposes of isolating commute VMT. For most projects in the City, and
especially for"mixed use" (i.e.composed of both residential and retail/office uses) projects, project-
generated VMT should be extracted using the origin-destination method to provide consistency of
reported VMT with the VMT used in the air quality, GHG, and energy sections of the environmental
document. The City should evaluate the appropriate methodology based on the project land use
types and context.
A detailed description of this process is attached to these guidelines.
CEQA VMT Impact Thresholds
.. .... . .._.. .. ......... . ........ _ ....... .........
The City of Rancho Cucamonga has selected a threshold based on the baseline VMT performance
in the City.
An example of how VMT thresholds would be applied to determine potential VMT impacts is
provided below.
A project would result in a significant project generated VMT impact under either of the
following conditions:
1. The baseline project generated VMT per service population exceeds the City of
Rancho Cucamonga baseline VMT per service population, or
2. The cumulative project generated VMT per service population exceeds the City of
Rancho Cucamonga baseline VMT per service population.
(As of June 2020, the baseline VMT per service population for the City of Rancho
Cucamonga is 32.0 calculated using the O/D method,and 26.5 calculated using the
P/A method)
The project's impact on VMT would also be considered significant if it resulted in the
following condition:
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1. The cumulative link-level boundary VMT per service population within City of
Rancho Cucamonga' increases under the plus project condition compared to the
no project condition.
Please note that the cumulative no project shall reflect the adopted RTP/SCS; as such, if a project is
consistent with the regional RTP/SCS (i.e. the adopted General Plan), then the cumulative impacts
shall be considered less than significant subject to consideration of other substantial evidence.
Please note that as of May 2020, the City of Rancho Cucamonga began updating its General Plan.
The City plans to reevaluate their VMT impact threshold to better reflect City goals and policies
related to VMT. The analyst should confirm with City staff that the most recent threshold of
significance is being applied.
VMT Mitigation Measures
......... ....................... ...
To mitigate VMT impacts, the following choices are available to the applicant:
1. Modify the project's built environment characteristics to reduce VMT generated by the
project.
2. Implement transportation demand management (TDM) measures to reduce VMT
generated by the project.
3. Participate in a VMT fee program and/or VMT mitigation exchange/banking program (if
they exist) to reduce VMT from the project or other land uses to achieve acceptable levels
As part of the SBCTA Implementation Study, key TDM measures that are appropriate to the region
were identified.
Measures appropriate for most of the SBCTA region are summarized in Attachment B of the TDM
Strategies Evaluation Memorandum and available from SBCTA. It should be noted that the
availability, applicability, and effectiveness of VMT mitigation measures is evolving and this
memorandum may be out of date. Evaluation of VMT reductions should be evaluated using state-
of-the-practice methodologies recognizing that many of the TDM strategies are dependent on
building tenant performance over time. As such, actual VMT reduction cannot be reliably predicted
and monitoring may be necessary to gauge performance related to mitigation expectations.
9 Please note,that for most projects establishing a boundary of the City limits should be sufficient. However,
for larger projects or projects located near the City limit, a larger boundary should be applied to ensure
that the true project effect is not truncated. Typically, doubling the average trip length to/from the site
could establish an appropriate boundary if the City limit is not appropriate.
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CEQA Assessment - Active
Transportation and Public
Transit Analysis
Potential impacts to public transit, pedestrian facilities and travel, and bicycle facilities and travel
can be evaluated using the following criteria.
• A significant impact occurs if the project conflicts with adopted policies, plans, or programs
regarding public transit, bicycle, or pedestrian facilities, or otherwise decreases the
performance or safety of such facilities.
Therefore, the TIA shall include analysis of a project to examine if it is inconsistent with adopted
policies, plans, or programs regarding active transportation or public transit facilities, or otherwise
decreases the performance or safety of such facilities and make a determination as to whether it
has the potential to conflict with existing or proposed facilities supporting these travel modes.
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CE QA VMT Transp
Impact Analysis Format
The recommended TIA format for VMT analysis is as follows:
1. Executive Summary
a. Table summarizing significant impacts and mitigation measures
2. Introduction
a. Purpose of the TIA and study objective
b. Project location and vicinity map (Exhibit)
c. Project size and description
d. Existing and proposed land use and zoning
e. Site plan and proposed project (Exhibit)
f. Proposed project opening year and analysis scenarios
3. Methodology and CEQA Significant Impact Thresholds
4. Existing Conditions
a. Existing roadway network (Exhibit)
b. Existing bicycle facilities (Exhibit)
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c. Existing transit facilities (Exhibit)
d. Existing pedestrian facilities
S. Safety and Operation Improvement Analysis
6. Active Transportation and Public Transit Analysis
7. Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) Analysis
a. Project VMT per person/employee for all analysis scenarios
b. Project effect on VMT for all analysis scenarios
c. Identification of VMT impacts
d. Proposed VMT Mitigation Measures
8. Appendix
a. Approved scope of work
b. VMT and TDM calculations
c. VMT and TDM mitigation calculations
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Attachments
Detailed VMT Forecasting Information
Most trip-based models generate daily person trip-ends for each TAZ across various trip purposes
(home-based-work, home-based-other, and non-home-based, for example) based on population,
household, and employment variables. This may create challenges for complying with the VMT
guidance because trip generation is not directly tied to specific land use categories. The following
methodology addresses this particular challenge among others.
Production and attraction trip-ends are separately calculated for each zone, and generally:
production trip-ends are generated by residential land uses and attraction trip-ends are generated
by non-residential land uses. OPR's guidance addresses residential, office, and retail land uses.
Focusing on residential and office land uses, the first step to forecasting VMT requires translating
the land use into model terms, the closest approximations are:
• Residential: home-based production trips
• Office: home-based work attraction trips
Note that this excludes all non-home-based trips including work-based other and other-based
other trips.
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The challenges with computing VMT for these two types of trips in a trip-based model are 1)
production and attraction trip-ends are not distinguishable after the P/A to O/D conversion process
and 2) trip purposes are not maintained after the mode choice step. For these reasons, it not
possible to use the VMT results from the standard vehicle assignment (even using a select zone re-
assignment). A separate post-process must be developed to re-estimate VMT for each zone that
includes trip-end types and trip purposes.
To calculate VMT:
• Re-skim final loaded congested networks for each mode and time period
• Run a custom P/A to O/D process that replicates actual model steps, but:
o Keeps departure and return trips separate
o Keeps trip purpose and mode separate
o Converts person trips to vehicle trips based on auto occupancy rates and isolates
automobile trips
o Factors vehicle trips into assignment time periods
• Multiply appropriate distance skim matrices by custom O/D matrices to estimate VMT
• Sum matrices by time period, mode, and trip purpose to calculate daily automobile VMT
• Calculate automobile VMT for individual TAZs using marginal totals:
o Residential (home-based) - row of departure matrix plus column of return matrix
o Office (home-based work) - column of departure matrix plus row of return matrix
Appropriate iiess Checks
Regardless of which method is used, the number of vehicle trips from the custom P/A to O/D
process and the total VMT should match as closely as possible with the results from the traditional
model process. The estimated results should be checked against the results from a full model run
to understand the degree of accuracy. Note that depending on how each model is setup, these
custom processes may or may not include IX/XI10 trips,truck trips, or special generator trips(airport,
seaport, stadium, etc.).
When calculating VMT for comparison at the study area, citywide, or regional geography,the same
methodology that was used to estimate project specific VMT should be used. The VMT for these
comparisons can be easily calculated by aggregating the row or column totals for all zones that are
within the desired geography.
10 IX/XI trips refer to trips that start inside the model boundary and end outside of it(IX),and trips that start
outside the model boundary and end inside it(XI).
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