Senate Bill (SB) 743, signed into law in 2013, represents a major shift in how transportation impacts are assessed under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). The bill directed the California Governor’s Office of Planning and Research (OPR) to revise existing transportation impact metrics and recommend alternatives that better align with California’s environmental and sustainability goals. In response, OPR issued final guidelines in December 2018, identifying Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) as the preferred metric for evaluating transportation impacts under CEQA, replacing the traditional Level of Service (LOS) approach.
Following OPR’s recommendations, the California Natural Resources Agency completed the formal rulemaking process to update the CEQA Guidelines, also in December 2018. These updates establish VMT as the primary metric to determine the significance of transportation impacts, emphasizing environmental outcomes and greenhouse gas reduction over traffic congestion.
In anticipation of these regulatory changes, the Western Riverside Council of Governments (WRCOG) conducted a comprehensive SB 743 Implementation Pathway Study in 2019. The study was designed to assist WRCOG’s member jurisdictions with critical implementation decisions, such as setting VMT thresholds, selecting analysis methodologies, and identifying mitigation strategies. This proactive effort aimed to provide consistent, evidence-based guidance to help cities and agencies navigate the transition to VMT-based impact analysis.
The WRCOG study includes the following key components:
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Thresholds Evaluation Memorandum: Reviews potential thresholds of significance for VMT analysis that member agencies could adopt for CEQA compliance.
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Methodologies and Calculations Memorandum: Discusses various VMT types relevant to impact assessment, including how to calculate them.
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Tools Evaluation Memorandum: Assesses different tools available to estimate VMT, providing pros and cons for each to guide tool selection.
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Mitigation Memorandum: Outlines feasible VMT mitigation strategies that may reduce project impacts to a less-than-significant level.
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VMT Screening Tool: Offers an online GIS-based platform to support project screening and preliminary VMT assessment.
All WRCOG agencies are encouraged to use the study’s findings as a foundation for developing and formally adopting their own VMT methodologies and significance thresholds. According to CEQA Guidelines Section 15064.7(b), public agencies are encouraged to adopt formal thresholds of significance through an ordinance, resolution, rule, or regulation, supported by substantial evidence and a public review process. This adoption step is essential for consistent and defensible CEQA implementation.
In line with this direction, the City of Calimesa has developed Transportation Impact Analysis (TIA) Guidelines to support compliance with SB 743 and CEQA requirements. These guidelines outline procedures for both traditional LOS analysis, used for evaluating General Plan consistency and congestion management, and VMT-based CEQA analysis. They also address considerations for active transportation and public transit impacts.
The TIA Guidelines are organized into six sections:
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Introduction
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Need for a Transportation Impact Study
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LOS Assessment for General Plan Consistency
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CEQA Assessment – VMT Analysis
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CEQA Assessment – Active Transportation and Transit
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Transportation Impact Analysis Format
These guidelines reflect Calimesa’s commitment to sustainable transportation planning and provide a clear framework for evaluating transportation impacts under current state law.
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