E. IMPACT SIGNIFICANCE CRITERIA
1. Level of Service (LOS) Significance
The impact of a proposed project on Level of Service (LOS) shall be determined based on the methodologies outlined in this document and classified as either "significant" or "less-than-significant."
Per General Plan Circulation Policy TC-Xd, LOS standards for County-maintained roads and state highways in unincorporated areas are as follows:
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Community Regions: Minimum LOS E
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Rural Centers and Rural Regions: Minimum LOS D (unless otherwise specified in Table TC-2)
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Volume-to-capacity ratios must not exceed values specified in Table TC-2.
A project impact is considered significant if it causes the peak hour LOS or volume-to-capacity ratio on a road or highway that previously met County standards to exceed the established thresholds. Additionally, if a roadway segment or highway already fails to meet the required LOS and the project worsens conditions, the impact is significant. "Worsening" is defined as: A. A 2% increase in traffic during the a.m. or p.m. peak hour, or daily. B. The addition of 100 or more daily trips. C. The addition of 10 or more trips during the a.m. or p.m. peak hour.
For projects with identified impacts, an additional analysis must determine the necessary mitigation measures and their required implementation timeline. Compliance with General Plan Policy TC-Xf is required:
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Single-family residential subdivisions (5+ parcels): The County must either condition the project to construct all required road improvements to maintain LOS standards based on projected traffic growth over 10 years or include the necessary improvements in the County’s 10-year Capital Improvement Program (CIP).
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Other discretionary projects: The County must either require project-related road improvements or ensure the improvements are incorporated into the 20-year CIP.
For projects affecting Caltrans facilities, Caltrans LOS standards and significance thresholds must be applied alongside County requirements.
2. Queuing Analysis Significance
The LOS analysis must assess queuing impacts at intersections, including the effects of upstream/downstream queuing and queue overflow interfering with operations (e.g., left-turn pocket overflows). If the project contributes to a queue overflow affecting intersection functionality, the impact may be considered significant.
3. Senate Bill (SB) 743 and SB 375 Compliance
If applicable, Transportation Impact Studies (TIS) prepared for California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) documents must address SB 743 and SB 375 requirements. These laws amend California Government Code Sections 65080, 65400, 65583, 65584.01, 65584.02, 65584.04, 65587, and 65588.
The TIS must analyze whether SB 743 or SB 375 applies within the study area. If applicable, the study must include the appropriate impact assessment and mitigation measures. Coordination with the Community Development Agency’s Long-Range Planning (LRP) staff is required to establish significance thresholds and identify mitigation strategies.
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