HomeMy WebLinkAboutCC Reso No 2020-072 Vehicle Miles Traveled ThresholdsRESOLUTION NO. 2020-72
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF LAKE ELSINORE,
CALIFORNIA, ADOPTING “VEHICLE MILES TRAVELED” THRESHOLDS OF
SIGNIFICANCE FOR PURPOSES OF ANALYZING TRANSPORTATION
IMPACTS UNDER THE CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY AC T
Whereas, the California Environmental Quality Act Guidelines (“CEQA Guidelines”) encourage
public agencies to develop and publish generally applicable “thresholds of significance” to be
used in determining the significance of a project’s environmental effects; and
Whereas, Section 15064.7(a) of the CEQA Guidelines defines a threshold of significance as “an
identifiable quantitative, qualitative or performance level of a particular environmental effect,
noncompliance with which means the effect will normally be determined to be significant by the
agency and compliance with which means the effect normally will be determined to be less than
significant”; and
Whereas, Section 15064.7(b) of the CEQA Guidelines requires that when thresholds of
significance are adopted for general use as part of a Lead Agency’s environmental review
process, they must be adopted by ordinance, resolution, rule, or regulation, developed through a
public review process, and be supported by substantial evidence; and
Whereas, pursuant to Section 15064.7(c) of the CEQA Guidelines, when adopting thresholds of
significance, a public agency may consider thresholds of significance adopted or recommended
by other public agencies provided that the decision of the agency is supported by substantial
evidence; and
Whereas, Senate Bill 743, enacted in 2013 and codified in Public Resources Code Section
21099, required changes to the CEQA Guidelines regarding the criteria for determining the
significance of transportation impacts of projects; and
Whereas, in 2018, the Governor’s Office of Planning and Research (“OPR”) proposed, and the
California Natural Resources Agency certified and adopted, new CEQA Guidelines Section
15064.3 that identifies vehicle miles traveled (“VMT”) – meaning the amount and distance of
automobile travel attributable to a project – as the most appropriate metric to evaluate a project’s
transportation impacts; and
Whereas, as a result, automobile delay, as measured by “Level of Service” and other similar
metrics, generally no longer constitutes a significant environmental effect under CEQA; and
Whereas, CEQA Guidelines Section 15064.3 goes into effect on July 1, 2020, unless otherwise
extended by the California legislature or action of the Governor; and
Whereas, on June 2, 2020, at a the Planning Commission considered evidence presented by
the Community Development Department and other interested parties with respect to this item,
unanimously supported staff recommendations to the City Council; and
Whereas, on June 23, 2020 at a duly noticed public meeting, the City Council has considered the
Planning Commission’s support of staff recommendations, as well as evidence presented by the
Community Development Department and other interested parties with respect to this item.
DocuSign Envelope ID: F7CDA8BD-004B-41B8-950B-D8F988C67958
CC Res. No. 2020-72
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NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF LAKE ELSINORE DOES HEREBY
RESOLVE, DETERMINE AND ORDER AS FOLLOWS: Section 1: The City Council hereby finds and determines that the adoption of the Vehicle Miles
Traveled Thresholds for California Environmental Quality Act (Cal. Publ. Res. Code §§21000 et
seq. “CEQA”) compliance related to transportation analysis, which is an action consistent with
Senate Bill (“SB”) 743, are exempt from CEQA and the State CEQA Guidelines (14. Cal. Code
Regs §§15000 et seq.), specifically pursuant to pursuant to Sections 15060(c)(2), 15060(c)(3),
and 15061(b)(3) of the State CEQA Guidelines because it will not result in a direct or reasonably
foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment, because there is no possibility that it
may have a significant effect on the environment, and because it is not a “project” as that term is
defined in Section 15378 of the State CEQA Guidelines.
Section 2: The City Council hereby finds and determines that the VMT methodology and
thresholds of significance for purposes of analyzing transportation impacts under CEQA have
been developed through a public review process and are supported by substantial evidence, as
required by CEQA Guidelines Section 15064.7.
Section 3: The City of Lake Elsinore hereby adopts the following which shall be effective
commencing the later of July 1, 2020 or such later effective date as authorized by the California
legislature or action by the Governor:
1. Utilizing the Riverside County Travel Demand Model (RIVTAM/RIVCOM) as its
methodology to measure VMT.
2. Utilizing the Riverside County Travel Demand Model (RIVTAM/RIVCOM) as its method to
analyze a project’s VMT impact.
3. Utilizing a threshold consistent with the City’s current average VMT per service population
(population plus employment).
Section 4: This Resolution shall take effect immediately upon its adoption.
Passed and Adopted at a regular meeting of the City Council of the City of Lake Elsinore,
California, this 23rd day of June 2020.
Brian Tisdale
Mayor
Attest:
Candice Alvarez, MMC
City Clerk
DocuSign Envelope ID: F7CDA8BD-004B-41B8-950B-D8F988C67958
CC Res. No. 2020-72
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STATE OF CALIFORNIA )
COUNTY OF RIVERSIDE ) ss.
CITY OF LAKE ELSINORE )
I, Candice Alvarez, MMC City Clerk of the City of Lake Elsinore, California, do hereby certify that
Resolution No. 2020-72 was adopted by the City Council of the City of Lake Elsinore, California,
at the Regular meeting of June 23, 2020 and that the same was adopted by the following vote:
AYES: Council Members Manos, Johnson, and Sheridan; Mayor Pro-Tem Magee; and
Mayor Tisdale
NOES: None
ABSENT: None
ABSTAIN: None
Candice Alvarez, MMC
City Clerk
DocuSign Envelope ID: F7CDA8BD-004B-41B8-950B-D8F988C67958