laaep ceqa seminar: sb 743 in practice
TRANSCRIPT
AB 32 – Global Warming Solutions Act
Reduce GHGs
SB375 – Sustainable Communities and Climate
Protection Act
Link land use & transportation planning
Reduce Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT)
Reduce GHGs
AB 1358 – Complete Streets Act
Local government must provide multimodal
transportation network
Current CEQA Guidelines
Vehicle delay/level of service (LOS) is a
measurement of transportation impact
EIR identifies impact of project on traffic flow
EIR mitigates impact with roadway improvements
Wider roads/ more turn lanes
More signalized intersections
Impacts to other transportation modes
Impacts to community character
Financial consequences
Propose Updated CEQA Guidelines
Alternative transportation impact methodology
Vehicle miles traveled
Vehicle miles traveled per capita
Automobile trip generation rates
Automobile trips generated
Other locally significant metrics or criteria
Upon new Guidelines adoption
Vehicle delay no longer an impact within TPAs or
HQTAs.
Vehicle delay may be impact outside of TPA or
HQTA
Impact analysis with SB 743
Guidelines Implementation Issues
Effective date of CEQA Guidelines (2015?)
Required application limited to TPAs
TPAs vary widely by jurisdiction
Focused on more highly urbanized areas
Limited or not mandated non-TPA areas
Discretionary for these agencies
Balancing act for agency staff/ consultants
Citizen concerns/ acceptance
Decision-maker understanding/ acceptance
Challenges
Adds potential additional EIR complexities
Optional/ inapplicable in growing urban edge
Potential need for use of dual standards in EIRs
LOS/ roadway ADT analysis may still be required
Hot Spots, Noise, TAC
Early ID of new thresholds/ methodologies
Coordination with regional planning agency
Projects in pipeline
Determine if agency has goals or thresholds
Adopted vs. case-by-case
Options for scope of study (VMT and/or LOS)
Confirm methodology
Determine applicability
Project within ½ mile of major transit stop or
high quality transit corridor
Other factors
Decision-maker and citizen awareness/concerns
Regional VMTs
Availability of Travel Demand Model
Regional planning framework
Adopted sustainable communities plan
Local VMTs
Updated jurisdiction-wide model available?
CalEEMod & Assumptions
Establish threshold
VMTs greater than regional average
General Plan standards
Different standards within a jurisdiction
New CEQA Guidelines within TPA
New Guidelines and/or LOS outside of TPA
Local and Regional Model Consistency
Technical Specialist Coordination
Project timing
EIR underway
New projects
New CEQA Guidelines/possible metrics
VMTs exceed regional average by land use
Less than significant in TPA
Less than significant if project reduces VMTs
Local discretion to determine significance
Sustainable Communities Strategy consistency
Adequacy of bike-pedestrian-transit linkages
Corridor travel times
Downtown major mixed use project
Transit priority project
In well-served TPA (bus + pending rail)
Adjacent to new LRT
Existing Agency Thresholds & Methodology Thresholds - LOS, CMP, Bike/Ped./ Transit conflicts
Travel Demand Model- AVR, transit, bike assumptions
Detailed travel demand model
Programmatic SB 743 Analysis
Model and evaluate project VMTs
Urban Downtown Specific Plan EIR
Focus on Transit Priority Projects
Encompasses Transit Rich TPA (bus/ pending rail)
Thresholds/ Methodology Existing strict LOS standards
Access to transit, bike, pedestrian facilities
No net new trips metric
Key transportation corridor changes in travel times
Programmatic discussion of SB 743
Changes in citywide wide VMTs
Coastal Resort Hotels
In mapped TPA
Difficult transit access
Bike or pedestrian facilities lacking
Headways greater than 20 minutes
Dual Methodology Approach
Address LOS standards
Programmatic discussion of SB 743
Transit and Commuting
Transit system improvement (headways)
Subsidized transit passes
Carpooling, telecommuting, flex-schedules
Parking
Reduce parking requirements, unbundled or shared parking programs
Public parking pricing, cash-out programs
Bicycling and Walking
Bike system improvements (bike parking, lockers, showers)
Pedestrian system improvements (Safe Routes to School, wayfinding, ped-only connections)
Embrace and utilize new CEQA Guidelines
Adopt tailored thresholds
Address all modes of transportation
Promote Transit Priority Projects
Balance new Guidelines with LOS Standards
Use Guideline based thresholds
Multi-modal General Plan standards (LOS+)
Retain LOS Based Approach
Outside of TPAs
Include discussion of SB 743 or dual analysis
Review of applicability within community
ID TPA and Non-TPA areas
Implications of single vs. dual approach
Real world quality of transit, bike-ped facilities
Outreach and education
Workshops- community groups/ developers
Decision-maker briefings
Adoption of revised methodologies/ thresholds
Long Term
Review regional plans, general plan, CIP, fee
programs and coordination with transit providers
