HomeMy WebLinkAboutResolution 18484 Adopt Policy Implementing Calif. Environmental Quality Act Senate Bill 743CITY OF MOUNTAIN VIEW
RESOLUTION NO. 18484
SERIES 2020
A RESOLUTION TO ADOPT A POLICY IMPLEMENTING THE
CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT TO COMPLY WITH
CALIFORNIA SENATE BILL 743 REGARDING THE USE OF
VEHICLE MILES TRAVELED IN TRANSPORTATION ANALYSIS
WHEREAS, under Senate Bill 743 (SB 743), transportation metrics based on
automobile delay, typically measured in terms of level of service (LOS), may no longer
be used to establish significance of transportation impacts under the California
Environmental Quality Act (CEQA); and
WHEREAS, the Governor's Office of Planning and Research (OPR) has
recommended using Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) to analyze transportation impacts;
and
WHEREAS, the City has analyzed and drafted appropriate VMT thresholds of
significance, considering local conditions and guidance from OPR; and
WHEREAS, the City has worked with the Santa Clara Valley Transportation
Authority (VTA) as the County's Congestion Management Agency to establish baseline
(existing) VMT reference averages for Mountain View, Santa Clara County, and the
Nine -County Bay Area Region; and
WHEREAS, the Environmental Planning Commission (EPC) held a public hearing
on Wednesday, May 20, 2020, on the proposed City policy implementing CEQA
pursuant to SB 743 and recommended City Council approval; and
WHEREAS, the City Council held a public hearing on Tuesday, June 30, 2020, on
said City policy implementing CEQA pursuant to SB 743 and considered all evidence
presented at said hearing and the recommendation for approval from the EPC;
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NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of
Mountain View that a policy implementing the CEQA to comply with California Senate
Bill 743 (SB 743) regarding the use of VMT in transportation analysis, attached hereto
and incorporated herein as Exhibit A, is hereby adopted.
The foregoing Resolution was regularly introduced and adopted at a Special
Meeting of the City Council of the City of Mountain View, duly held on the 30th day of
June 2020, by the following vote:
AYES: Councilmembers Clark, Hicks, Matichak, McAlister, Ramirez, Vice
Mayor Kamei, and Mayor Abe-Koga
NOES: None
ABSENT: None
ATTEST:
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A NATUSCH
CITY CLERK
SA-RHL/ 6/ RESO/ 870-06-30-20r
APPROVED:
I do hereby certify that the foregoing Resolution was
passed and adopted by the City Council of the City of
Mountain View at a Special Meeting held on the 30th
day of Jutne 2020, by the foregoing vole.
CW Clerk
City of Mountain View
Exhibit: A. Policy Implementing the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA)
to Comply with California Senate Bill 743 (SB 743) Regarding the Use of
VMT in Transportation Analysis
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Exhibit A
POLICY IMPLEMENTING THE CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
ACT (CEQA) TO COMPLY WITH CALIFORNIA SENATE BILL 743 (SB 743)
REGARDING THE USE OF VEHICLE MILES TRAVELED (VMT) IN
TRANSPORTATION ANALYSIS
CEQA Project Screening Criteria
Projects shall be presumed to have a less -than -significant transportation impact if they
meet any of the following screening criteria:
• Small Project Screening: Single-family residential developments of 12 units or
fewer, multi -family residential development of 20 units or fewer, and office
developments of 10,000 square feet or less.
• Map -Based Screening: Residential and employment land use projects located in
areas of low VMT, defined as exhibiting VMT that is 15 percent or greater below
the existing Nine -County Bay Area regional reference average VMT. Reference
average VMT per capita or per employee baseline values are obtained from VTA
and may be amended periodically to reflect the best available data and most
relevant base year.
• Transit Screening: All land -use projects located within one-half mile of a major
transit stop, or a stop along a high-quality transit corridor, pursuant to State
definitions for such facilities, unless any of the following factors are exhibited by
the project:
— Floor Area Ratio (FAR) of less than 0.75;
— Inconsistent with the applicable Sustainable Communities Strategy (SCS);
— Provides more parking than required by the jurisdiction; or
— Replaces affordable housing with a fewer number of moderate- or high-
income residential units.
• Affordable Housing Screening: Projects with 100 percent affordable housing.
CEQA Thresholds of Significance
For projects not screened out with a presumption of less -than -significant impact on
VMT based upon the above criteria, the following thresholds of significance shall apply
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to the corresponding project types to determine the transportation impact level of
significance:
• Residential Land Use Projects: A proposed project exceeding a level of 15 percent
below existing Nine -County Bay Area regional reference average VMT per capita
shall be presumed to cause a significant transportation impact.
• Office Land Use Projects: A proposed project exceeding a level of 15 percent
below existing Nine -County Bay Area regional reference average VMT per
employee shall be presumed to cause a significant transportation impact.
• Retail Land Use Projects: A net increase in total VMT (difference in total VMT in
the area affected with and without the project) shall be presumed to cause a
significant transportation impact. Depending on the local context, projects
determined by the City to be local -serving retail are exempt from being required to
conduct a detailed CEQA VMT analysis. Retail projects larger than 50,000 square
feet may be considered regional -serving and would be subject to the retail land -
use threshold of significance.
• Mixed -Use and all other Project Types: Each land use within a mixed-use project,
and all other project types, shall be evaluated independently by applying the most
appropriate threshold of significance from above to each land use type included in
the project, given project -specific information.
Applicability of Policy (Pipeline Provisions
The policy contained herein is effective immediately following approval by the City
Council ("Effective Date") and shall apply to all projects except projects with a
transportation review under CEQA that will be approved prior to July 1, 2020 which
may rely on transportation impact analysis that is consistent with the previous City
policy, which used automobile delay -based metrics and thresholds of significance.
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