Transportation Impact Analysis Guidelines Overview
State and Federal laws mandate that land use building intensities in a General Plan be aligned with the capacity of the transportation system. To ensure this correlation and compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), the City of San Dimas requires a Transportation Study (TS) to assess the impact of proposed developments on both current and future transportation infrastructure.
The City's TS Guidelines outline both CEQA-based and non-CEQA-based requirements for evaluating development proposals. Historically, TS primarily focused on Level of Service (LOS) analysis, but with the passage of SB 743, Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) has become the primary metric under CEQA. These guidelines provide the format and methodology for conducting transportation impact assessments, ensuring that transportation impacts, including LOS and VMT, are thoroughly evaluated.
Application of Guidelines
When a project is submitted for approval, City staff will review the proposal and notify the applicant if a Transportation Study is required. A TS is typically required if a development is expected to generate more than 50 peak-hour trips, though smaller projects may also need a TS at the City's discretion.
The TS must include both LOS and VMT analyses. Projects may be exempt from VMT analysis if they meet specific screening criteria, such as being located in transit-priority areas or generating low VMT. In cases where traffic impact information is insufficient, the City Traffic Engineer will decide if a TS is necessary.
Guidelines Organization
The remainder of the guidelines is structured to provide clarity on two main assessments:
- Non-CEQA Transportation Assessment: Focuses on LOS analysis for general plan consistency.
- CEQA Transportation Assessment: Focuses on VMT analysis to ensure compliance with CEQA regulations. Additionally, assessments for active transportation and public transit impacts are included.
This structure ensures that both LOS and VMT impacts are comprehensively addressed for all proposed projects within the City of San Dimas.
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