Chapter 7.7 Congestion and Traffic Demand Management Standards
7.7.10 Purpose of this Chapter
The purpose of this Chapter is to create a trip reduction and travel demand management program that promotes alternative transportation methods for nonresidential development within the City of La Habra Heights. (Ord. 2015-04 § 1)
7.7.20 Definitions
The following words or phrases shall have the following meanings when used in this Chapter:
A. "Alternative transportation" means the use of modes of transportation other than the single passenger motor vehicle, including but not limited to carpools, vanpools, buspools, public transit, walking and bicycling.
B. "Applicable development" means any development project that is determined to meet or exceed the project size threshold criteria contained in Section 7.7.50.
C. "Buspool" means a vehicle carrying sixteen (16) or more passengers commuting on a regular basis to and from work with a fixed route, according to a fixed schedule.
D. "Carpool" means a vehicle carrying two (2) to six (6) persons commuting together to and from work on a regular basis.
E. "The California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA)" means a statute that requires all jurisdictions in the State of California to evaluate the extent of environmental degradation posed by proposed development.
F. "Developer" shall mean the builder who is responsible for the planning, design and construction of an applicable development project. A developer may be responsible for implementing the provisions of this Chapter as determined by the property owner.
G. "Development" means the construction or addition of new building square footage. Additions to buildings which existed prior to the adoption of the ordinance codified in this Chapter and which exceed the thresholds defined in Section 7.7.50 shall comply with the applicable requirements but shall not be added cumulatively with existing square footage; existing square footage shall be exempt from these requirements. All calculations shall be based on gross square footage.
H. "Employee parking area" means the portion of total required parking at a development used by on-site employees. Unless specified in the City/County Zoning/Building Code, employee parking shall be calculated as follows:
|
Type of Use |
Percent of Total Required Parking Devoted to Employees |
|---|---|
|
Commercial |
30% |
|
Office/Professional |
85% |
|
Industrial/Manufacturing |
90% |
I. "Preferential parking" means parking spaces designated or assigned through use of a sign or painted space markings for carpool and vanpool vehicles carrying commute passengers on a regular basis that are provided in a location more convenient to a place of employment than parking spaces provided for single occupant vehicles.
J. "Property owner" means the legal owner of a development who serves as the lessor to a tenant. The property owner shall be responsible for complying with the provisions of this Chapter either directly or by delegating such responsibility as appropriate to a tenant and/or his agent.
K. "South Coast Air Quality Management District" (SCAQMD) is the regional authority appointed by the California State Legislature to meet federal standards and otherwise improve air quality in the South Coast Air Basin (the nondesert portions of Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, and San Bernardino Counties).
L. "Tenant" means the lessee of facility space at an applicable development project.
M. "Transportation demand management (TDM)" means the alteration of travel behavior, usually on the part of commuters, through programs of incentives, services, and policies. TDM addresses alternatives to single occupant vehicles such as carpooling and vanpooling, and changes in work schedules that move trips out of the peak period or eliminate them altogether (as is the case in telecommuting or compressed work weeks).
N. "Trip reduction" means reduction in the number of work-related trips made by single occupant vehicles.
O. "Vanpool" means a vehicle carrying seven (7) or more persons commuting together to and from work on a regular basis, usually in a vehicle with a seating arrangement designed to carry seven (7) to fifteen (15) adult passengers, and on a prepaid subscription basis.
P. "Vehicle" means any motorized form of transportation, including but not limited to automobiles, vans, buses, and motorcycles. (Ord. 2015-04 § 1)
7.7.30 Impact Analysis for Projects Requiring an EIR
Prior to approval of any development project for which an environmental impact report (EIR) will be prepared pursuant to the requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) or based on a local determination, regional and municipal fixed-route transit operators providing service to the project shall be identified and consulted with. Projects for which a notice of preparation (NOP) for a draft EIR has been circulated pursuant to the provisions of CEQA prior to the effective date of the ordinance codified in this Chapter shall be exempted from its provisions. Pursuant to the provisions of CEQA, transit operators shall be sent an NOP for all contemplated EIRs and shall, as part of the NOP process, be given opportunity to comment on the impacts of the project, to identify recommended transit service or capital improvements which may be required as a result of the project, and to recommend mitigation measures which minimize automobile trips on the CMP network. Impacts and recommended mitigation measures identified by the transit operator shall be evaluated in the Draft EIR prepared for the project. Related mitigation measures adopted shall be monitored through the mitigation monitoring requirements of CEQA.
Phased development projects, development projects subject to a development agreement, or development projects requiring subsequent approvals, need not repeat this process as long as no significant changes are made to the project. It shall remain the discretion of the lead agency to determine when a project is substantially the same and therefore covered by a previously certified EIR. (Ord. 2015-04 § 1)
7.7.40 Applicability of Requirements
Prior to approval of any development project, the applicant shall make provision for, at a minimum, all of the following applicable transportation demand management and trip reduction measures.
This Chapter shall not apply to projects for which a development application has been deemed "complete" by the City pursuant to Government Code Section 65943, or for which a notice of preparation for a DEIR has been circulated or for which an application for a building permit has been received, prior to the effective date of the ordinance codified in this Chapter. All facilities and improvements constructed or otherwise required shall be maintained in a state of good repair. (Ord. 2015-04 § 1)
7.7.50 Development Standards
A. Nonresidential development of twenty-five thousand (25,000) square feet or more shall provide the following to the satisfaction of the City:
1. A bulletin board, display case, or kiosk displaying transportation information located where the greatest number of employees are likely to see it. Information in the area shall include, but is not limited to, the following:
a. Current maps, routes and schedules for public transit routes serving the site;
b. Telephone numbers for referrals on transportation information including numbers for the regional ridesharing agency and local transit operators;
c. Ridesharing promotional material supplied by commuter-oriented organizations;
d. Bicycle route and facility information, including regional/local bicycle maps and bicycle safety information;
e. A listing of facilities available for carpoolers, vanpoolers, bicyclists, transit riders and pedestrians at the site.
B. Nonresidential development of fifty thousand (50,000) square feet or more shall comply with subsection A of this section and shall provide all of the following measures to the satisfaction of the City:
1. Not less than ten (10) percent of employee parking area shall be located as close as is practical to the employee entrance(s), and shall be reserved for use by potential carpool/vanpool vehicles, without displacing handicapped and customer parking needs. This preferential carpool/vanpool parking area shall be identified on the site plan upon application for building permit, to the satisfaction of the City. A statement that preferential carpool/vanpool spaces for employees are available and a description of the method for obtaining such spaces must be included on the required transportation information board. Spaces will be signed/striped as demand warrants; provided, that at all times at least one (1) space for projects of fifty thousand (50,000) square feet to one hundred thousand (100,000) square feet and two (2) spaces for projects over one hundred thousand (100,000) square feet will be signed/striped for carpool/vanpool vehicles.
2. Preferential parking spaces reserved for vanpools must be accessible to vanpool vehicles. When located within a parking structure, a minimum vertical interior clearance of seven (7) feet and two (2) inches shall be provided for those spaces and accessways to be used by such vehicles. Adequate turning radii and parking space dimensions shall also be included in vanpool parking areas.
3. Bicycle racks or other secure bicycle parking shall be provided to accommodate four (4) bicycles per the first fifty thousand (50,000) square feet of nonresidential development and one (1) bicycle per each additional fifty thousand (50,000) square feet of nonresidential development. Calculations which result in a fraction of 0.5 or higher shall be rounded up to the nearest whole number. A bicycle parking facility may also be a fully enclosed space or locker accessible only to the owner or operator of the bicycle, which protects the bike from inclement weather. Specific facilities and location (e.g., provision of racks, lockers, or locked room) shall be to the satisfaction of the City.
C. Nonresidential development of one hundred thousand (100,000) square feet or more shall comply with subsections A and B of this section, and shall provide all of the following measures to the satisfaction of the City:
1. A safe and convenient zone in which vanpool and carpool vehicles may deliver or board their passengers.
2. Sidewalks or other designated pathways following direct and safe routes from the external pedestrian circulation system to each building in the development.
3. If determined necessary by the City to mitigate the project impact, bus stop improvements must be provided. The City will consult with the local bus service providers in determining appropriate improvements. When locating bus stops and/or planning building entrances, entrances must be designed to provide safe and efficient access to nearby transit stations/stops.
4. Safe and convenient access from the external circulation system to bicycle parking facilities on site. (Ord. 2015-04 § 1)
7.7.60 Monitoring
Prior to the issuance of a certificate of occupancy, the City will inspect the site to ensure compliance with all provisions of this Chapter. (Ord. 2015-04 § 1)
7.7.80 Enforcement
Any person or entity that violates any provision of this Chapter of the City of La Habra Heights Municipal Code is guilty of a misdemeanor that shall be punishable pursuant to the procedures set forth in Article 8. (Ord. 2015-04 § 1)