Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout2020-056 - ResolutionRESOLUTION 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, Resolution No. 2020-056 - Page 1 of 6 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 PASSED, APPROVED and ADOPTED this 17th day of June, 2020. L. - is MiJha Mayo -FA ATTEST: STATE OF CALIFORNIA 1 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 Exhibit A Table 1 VMT Impact Thresholds Methods I Project Threshold Land Use Plans (such as General Plans and Specific Plans) San Bernardino Traffic Analysis Model (SBTAM) forecast of total daily VMT/SP. - To capture project effect, the same cumulative year population and employment growth totals should be used. The 'project' only influences land use allocation. • Consistency check with SCAG RTP/SCS. - Is the proposed project within the growth projections in the RTP/SCS? Land Use Projects • Transit Priority Area (TPA) screening. • Low VMT area screening • Project type screening • VMT analysis using SBTAM forecast of total daily VMT/SP A significant impact would occur if the project VMT/SP (for the land use plan) exceeds the Citywide average And after the General Plan is next updated and adopted, this threshold shall be replaced with the following: A significant impact would occur if the project VMT/SP (for the land use plan) exceeds the Citywide average under General Plan Buildout Conditions. NA Presumed less than significant VMT impact for projects located in TPAs. Presumed less than significant VMT impact for projects located in low VMT generating model traffic analysis zones (TAZs). These TAZs generate total daily VMT/SP that is 15% less than the baseline level for the County. Local serving retail projects (Per OPR's Technical Advisory less than 50,000 square feet) are presumed to have a less than significant VMT impact. Projects that generate less than 250 daily trips do not require VMT analysis. A significant impact would occur if the project VMT/SP exceeds the Citywide average. And after the General Plan is next updated and adopted, Cumulative Threshold A significant impact would occur if the project caused total daily VMT within the City to be higher than the no project alternative under cumulative conditions. A significant impact would occur if the project is determined to be inconsistent with the RTP/SCS. Project presumption applies under cumulative conditions as long as project is consistent with SCAG RTP/SCS. Project presumption applies under cumulative conditions as long as project is consistent with SCAG RTP/SCS. Project presumption applies under cumulative conditions as long as project is consistent with SCAG RTP/SCS. A significant impact would occur if the project is determined to be inconsistent with the RTP/SCS. A significant impact would occur if the project causes total daily VMT within the City to be higher Resolution No. 2020-056 - Page 4 of 6 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 Exhibit B City of Rancho Cucamonga Traffic Impact Analysis Guidelines Resolution No. 2020-056 - Page 6 of 6 RESOLUTION NO. 2020-056 - EXHIBIT B City of Rancho Cucamonga TIA Guidelines June 2020 City of Rancho Cucamonga Tr Impact Analysis i FEHR�PEERS June 2020 Table of Contents Background City of Rancho Cucamonga TIA Guidelines 2020 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 City of Rancho Cucamonga TIA Guidelines 2020 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 SB 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. 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 SB 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). Il i 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 City of Rancho Cucamonga TIA Guidelines 2020 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 SIB 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 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. 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. City of Rancho Cucamonga TIA Guidelines 2020 • 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. 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 City of Rancho Cucamonga TIA Guidelines 2020 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. II. 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 City of Rancho Cucamonga TIA Guidelines 2020 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. City of Rancho Cucamonga TIA Guidelines 2020 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. III. 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. City of Rancho Cucamonga TIA Guidelines 2020 • 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 a rea. City of Rancho Cucamonga TIA Guidelines 2020 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 City of Rancho Cucamonga TIA Guidelines 2020 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. City of Rancho Cucamonga TIA Guidelines 2020 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 Needed to Maintain LOS 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. City of Rancho Cucamonga TIA Guidelines 2020 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 S-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 City of Rancho Cucamonga TIA Guidelines 2020 • 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 City of Rancho Cucamonga TIA Guidelines 2020 • 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 fullyjustified. • 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 "F") 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. City of Rancho Cucamonga TIA Guidelines 2020 • 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. City of Rancho Cucamonga TIA Guidelines 2020 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. City of Rancho Cucamonga TIA Guidelines 2020 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 z 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. s 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. City of Rancho Cucamonga TIA Guidelines 2020 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 City of Rancho Cucamonga TIA Guidelines 2020 • 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 tripss 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 industrial' ■ 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. VNIT Assv,,sswerf for Non -Screened Developmeri 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 s 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. ' 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. City of Rancho Cucamonga TIA Guidelines 2020 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. 8 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. City of Rancho Cucamonga TIA Guidelines 2020 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. VNIT Impacts 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: City of Rancho Cucamonga TIA Guidelines 2020 1. The cumulative link -level boundary VMT per service population within City of Rancho Cucamonga9 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. City of Rancho Cucamonga TIA Guidelines 2020 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. City of Rancho Cucamonga TIA Guidelines 2020 CE QA VMT Transportation 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) City of Rancho Cucamonga TIA Guidelines 2020 c. Existing transit facilities (Exhibit) d. Existing pedestrian facilities 5. 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 City of Rancho Cucamonga TIA Guidelines 2020 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. City of Rancho Cucamonga TIA Guidelines 2020 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 Ap prop Hateness 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).