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SAN FRANCISCO Automobile Trips Generated CEQA Measure and Mitigation Program

Tilly Chang, SFCTA Alameda County Climate Action Working Group October 14, 2009 . SAN FRANCISCO Automobile Trips Generated CEQA Measure and Mitigation Program. Purpose and Background.

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SAN FRANCISCO Automobile Trips Generated CEQA Measure and Mitigation Program

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  1. Tilly Chang, SFCTA Alameda County Climate Action Working Group October 14, 2009 SAN FRANCISCOAutomobile Trips GeneratedCEQA Measure and Mitigation Program

  2. Auto Trips Generated Impact Measure Presentation, CA APA, September 14, 2009 Purpose and Background What is the best way for San Francisco to measure transportation impacts under California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA)? Strategic Analysis Report on Automobile LOS requested by Authority Board and completed in 2004 Identified problems with current measure Suggested several possible approaches for moving away from LOS Automobile Trips Generated Study completed in 2007 Recommended discontinue use of Level of Service (LOS) as CEQA impact measure Measure impacts based on automobile trips generated (ATG) Provide more effective impact mitigation via fee program Nexus Study currently underway

  3. Auto Trips Generated Impact Measure Presentation, CA APA, September 14, 2009 The Problems with LOS Today, project CEQA impacts on transportation are defined as auto delay at intersections (LOS)‏ Three problems with this measure of impact: LOS does not capture important environmental impacts (rather reflects motorist pov) LOS contradicts the City’s Transit First/Climate Action Plan policies and priorities (again, optimizes individual motorist experience vs. system performance) LOS makes CEQA review process inefficient (for both Planning Department and project sponsors)

  4. Auto Trips Generated Impact Measure Presentation, CA APA, September 14, 2009 LOS does not capture environmental impacts LOS measures the delay experienced by drivers at an intersection LOS does not capture environmental impacts Carbon emissions Safety Transportation system efficiency Air and water quality Neighborhood livability Noise Environmental impacts ARE related to the automobile trips generated (ATG) by a project

  5. Auto Trips Generated Impact Measure Presentation, CA APA, September 14, 2009 LOS does not capture environmental impacts Environmental Impact Automobile Trips Generated (ATG)‏ Air Quality CO hotspots rare in Bay Area ROG, NOx, PM10 Greenhouse Gases From cold starts System Efficiency Traffic Intrusion Traffic volumes affect neighborhoods Noise At congested intersections only Captures noise conditions Safety Delay unrelated to safety SF DPH Vehicle-Pedestrian Injury Collision model Automobile Delays (LOS)‏

  6. Auto Trips Generated Impact Measure Presentation, CA APA, September 14, 2009 LOS does not reflect City policies LOS impacts contradict the Transit First Policy LOS standards discourage density Climate Action Plan calls for reduction in driving Auto tripmaking is 50% of SF’s greenhouse gas emission Mitigations to LOS are environmentally harmful Worsen conditions for pedestrians, transit, and bicycling Induce more driving

  7. Auto Trips Generated Impact Measure Presentation, CA APA, September 14, 2009 LOS does not reflect City Policies Providing a pedestrian crossing here would increase delays for right-turning drivers, potentially triggering significant LOS impacts... Minimizing automobile delays takes precedence over minimizing pedestrian delays.

  8. Auto Trips Generated Impact Measure Presentation, CA APA, September 14, 2009 LOS results in inefficient CEQA review LOS analysis and impacts are: Difficult for project sponsors to predict Not transparent for project sponsors or the public A burden to the “last project in” (last-in problem)‏

  9. Auto Trips Generated Impact Measure Presentation, CA APA, September 14, 2009 The “last-in” problem Project #1 LOS = B No Impacts

  10. Auto Trips Generated Impact Measure Presentation, CA APA, September 14, 2009 The “last-in” problem Project #2 LOS = D No Impacts

  11. Auto Trips Generated Impact Measure Presentation, CA APA, September 14, 2009 The “last-in” problem Project #3 LOS = F Significant Impacts!

  12. Auto Trips Generated Impact Measure Presentation, CA APA, September 14, 2009 The Problem Fortunately, CEQA statute grants local jurisdictions the authority to define impact measures and thresholds consistent with local policy… …However, this is constrained by State CEQA Guidelines and past practice “Transportation” is an impact area distinct from air, water, noise, etc. State CEQA Guidelines recommend use of LOS to measure impacts

  13. Auto Trips Generated Impact Measure Presentation, CA APA, September 14, 2009 State CEQA Guidelines Revisions Proposed Language for CEQA Guidelines Appendix G (Transportation Impacts) Explicitly recognizes local variation in environmental context More supportive of an ATG impact measure than current language Further improvement would replace “capacity” concept with “performance” XVI. TRANSPORTATION/TRAFFIC --Would the project: a) Exceed the capacity of the existing Conflict with an applicable local plan, ordinance, or policy that establishes a measure of effectiveness for the performance of the circulation system, taking into account all relevant components of the circulation system, including but not limited to intersections, streets, highways and freeways, pedestrian and bicycle paths, and mass transit?

  14. Auto Trips Generated Impact Measure Presentation, CA APA, September 14, 2009 San Francisco's New Proposed Approach ATG Measure + Transportation Impact Mitigation Fee Each net new automobile trip added by a project contributes to negative impacts for CEQA purposes (Conservative) Each added automobile trip (starting with 1 trip) contributes to impact Projects that do not generate net new automobile trips have no impact e.g. bicycle or BRT projects Automobile trips generated mitigation fee (ATMF) program Project sponsors pay per-trip impact mitigation fee Fee revenues fund actions that help reduce new automobile tripmaking (by improving transit, walking, and bicycling as choices)‏ Payment of fee mitigates ATG impacts for CEQA purposes

  15. Auto Trips Generated Impact Measure Presentation, CA APA, September 14, 2009 ATMF improves mitigation effectiveness Mitigate local and citywide impacts Nexus study to demonstrate link between countywide program of improvements and cumulative reduction in ATG ATMF revenues contribute to large projects that will have significant effects on tripmaking patterns Portion of ATMF dedicated to local area improvements More equitable and accountable (for project sponsors and the public)‏ Eliminates last-in problem; each project contributes in proportion to impact levels More simple and transparent process for identifying and mitigating impacts Clear nexus between fee collected and projects funded

  16. Auto Trips Generated Impact Measure Presentation, CA APA, September 14, 2009 Process for Applying ATG Measure Will the Project generate new auto trips? Yes No Determine Impact: Estimate automobile trips generated or induced by the project Stop. No impacts in this area. Determine needed mitigation: Calculate impact mitigation fee payment based on volume of trips generated / induced

  17. Auto Trips Generated Impact Measure Presentation, CA APA, September 14, 2009 The Benefits Environmentally protective Captures incremental impacts More closely related to actual environmental effects Consistency with City policies and vision Reduces time and cost to implement Transit First projects More effective at discouraging auto-oriented projects Improved efficiency More predictable for project sponsors More transparent for the public More accountable - mitigations linked directly to local and citywide improvements

  18. Auto Trips Generated Impact Measure Presentation, CA APA, September 14, 2009 Implementation Roadmap Authority Board approved final report in October 2008 Nexus Study Jointly led by Mayor’s Office of Economic Development, SF Planning Department, the Authority, and SFMTA Scheduled for completion in 2009/10 Planning Commission adoption of an ordinance approving the ATG measure and ATMF package Refine trip generation rates Refinements to current trip generation rates should account for “smart growth” project features as much as possible San Francisco often has unique trip generation rates (difficult to import generalized rates)

  19. Auto Trips Generated Impact Measure Presentation, CA APA, September 14, 2009 Thank you! www.sfcta.org

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