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HomeMy WebLinkAboutF - Traffic Assessment April 26, 2023 Mr. Brad Perrine EcoTierra Consulting, Inc. 5776-D Lindero Canyon Road, #414 Westlake Village California 91362 LLG Reference: 2.23.4666.1 Subject: Traffic Impact and VMT Assessment for the Proposed Homelessness Prevention Resource and Care Center Project Fontana, California Dear Mr. Perrine: Linscott, Law & Greenspan, Engineers (LLG) is pleased to submit this Traffic Impact and VMT Assessment for the proposed Homelessness Prevention Resource and Care Center Project (herein referred to as “Project”), located on the southwest quadrant of Arrow Boulevard and Tokay Avenue in the City of Fontana, California. The proposed Project encompasses two (2) separate potential development areas (Project Site A and Project Site B), both of which are currently vacant. Figure 1 presents a Vicinity Map, which illustrates the general location of the two project sites and depicts the surrounding street system and Figure 2 presents an existing site aerial. This letter report will outline the traffic generation forecast potential for the proposed Project Site A (no development proposed for Project Site B) and assess whether the proposed Project will create any potential traffic impacts on the surrounding transportation system based on the City of Fontana Traffic Impact Analysis (TIA) Guidelines for Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) and Level of Service Assessment, dated October 21, 2020. In addition for CEQA purposes, the letter report will evaluate Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) screening options per the City’s guidelines for both Project Site A and Project Site B. Our method of analysis, findings, and recommendations are detailed in the following sections of this letter report. Mr. Brad Perrine April 26, 2023 Page 2 PROJECT DESCRIPTION The proposed Project will encompass two (2) separate potential development areas (Project Site A: APN’s 0232-171-05, 06, 07, & 08 and Project Site B: APN’s 0232- 171-09, 12, 13, & 14) and will include a land redesignation from Open Space to Industrial for both sites. Project Site A will consist of construction and operation of a homelessness prevention resources and care center on approximately seven (7) acres, which will include of a maximum of 150 modular dwelling units, a 6,000 square-foot (SF) administration building, and support site amenities, whereas Project Site B will only consist of the land use redesignation to Industrial without any planned development as part of this Application. Access for Project Site A will be provided via one (1) full access unsignalized driveway located along Arrow Boulevard and via one (1) right-in/right-out unsignalized driveway located along Tokay Avenue. Figure 3 presents the proposed site plan for Project Site A, prepared by the City of Fontana. PROJECT TRAFFIC GENERATION FORECAST Traffic generation is expressed in vehicle trip ends, defined as one-way vehicular movements, either entering or exiting the generating land use. Generation equations and/or rates used in the traffic forecasting procedure are found in the 11th Edition of Trip Generation, published by the Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE) [Washington D.C., 2021]. Table 1, located at the rear of this letter report following the figures, summarizes the trip generation rates used in forecasting the vehicular trips generated by the proposed Project and presents the forecast daily and peak hour project traffic volumes for a “typical” weekday. As shown in the upper portion of Table 1, given that the ITE Trip Generation Manual does not include a specific land use category for homeless prevention related facilities, the trip generation potential of the proposed Project Site A has been estimated using ITE Land Use 254: Assisted Living trip rates. It should be noted that the ITE definition for Assisted Living is very similar to the Proposed Project as it consists of “a residential setting that provides either routine general protective oversight or assistance with activities necessary for independent living to persons with mental or physical limitations… The complex commonly provides separate living quarters for each resident… Staff may be available 24 hours a day, but skilled medical care is not required.” A review of the lower portion of Table 1 indicates that the proposed Project Site A is forecast to generate approximately 390 daily trips, with 27 trips (16 inbound, 11 Mr. Brad Perrine April 26, 2023 Page 3 outbound) produced in the AM peak hour and 36 trips (14 inbound, 22 outbound) produced in the PM peak hour on a “typical” weekday. TRAFFIC IMPACT ASSESSMENT According to the City of Fontana Traffic Impact Analysis (TIA) Guidelines for Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) and Level of Service Assessment, dated October 21 2020, the following criteria should be utilized to determine if a traffic impact study is required for a project.  A TIA must be prepared when a proposed change in land use, development project, or at local discretion, a group of projects are forecast to equal or exceed the CMP threshold of 250 two‐way peak hour trips generated, based on trip generation rates published for the applicable use or uses in the Institute of Transportation Engineers Trip Generation Manual or other approved data source. Pass‐by trips shall not be considered in the threshold determination. However, industrial, warehousing and truck projects shall convert trucks to PCE’s before applying the above threshold.  If a project is forecast to generate between 100 and 249 two‐way peak hour trips, a traffic impact analysis will be required, but the extent of the analysis will be lesser.  If a project generates between 50 and 100 two‐way peak hour trips, a focused traffic analysis will be required.  If a project generates less than 50 peak hour trips, a traffic analysis shall not be required, and a trip generation memo will be considered sufficient unless the City has specific concerns related to project access and interaction with adjacent intersections. Based on the aforementioned City of Fontana criteria, the trips associated with the proposed Project Site A are below the 50 peak hour trip threshold requiring the preparation of a traffic impact analysis report. Therefore, we conclude that the proposed Project will not require the preparation of a traffic impact analysis report. VEHICLE MILES TRAVELED (VMT) ASSESSMENT On December 28, 2018, the California Natural Resources Agency adopted revised CEQA Guidelines. Among the changes to the guidelines was the removal of vehicle delay and LOS from consideration for transportation impacts under CEQA. With the Mr. Brad Perrine April 26, 2023 Page 4 adopted guidelines, transportation impacts are to be evaluated based on a project’s effect on vehicle miles traveled. Lead agencies are allowed to continue using their current impact criteria, or to opt into the revised transportation guidelines. However, the new guidelines must be used starting July 1, 2020, as required in CEQA section 15064.3. The City of Fontana recently adopted new transportation impact criteria in June 2020 to be consistent with the CEQA revisions. These new guidelines are contained within the City of Fontana Traffic Impact Analysis (TIA) Guidelines for Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) and Level of Service Assessment, dated June 2020 and provide screening criteria and methodology for VMT analysis. Per the City of Fontana Traffic Impact Analysis (TIA) Guidelines for Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) and Level of Service Assessment, there are three types of screening to screen projects from project-level VMT assessments. The three screening steps are described below. The results of each screening step applied to the proposed Project is also discussed. It should be noted that the project only needs to satisfy one of the three screening steps. Step 1: Transit Priority Area (TPA) Screening Projects located within a transit priority area (TPA) may be presumed to have a less than significant impact absent substantial evidence to the contrary. This presumption may NOT be appropriate if the project: 1. Has a Floor Area Ratio (FAR) of less than 0.75; 2. Includes more parking for use by residents, customers, or employees of the project than required by the City requirements; 3. Is inconsistent with the applicable Sustainable Communities Strategy (as determined by the lead agency, with input from the Metropolitan Planning Organization); or 4. Replaces affordable residential units with a smaller number of moderate- or high-income residential units.  Based on the SBCTA screening tool, Project Site A and Project Site B are both not located within a Transit Priority Area (TPA). As a result, Project Screening Step 1: Transit Priority Area (TPA) Screening criteria is not satisfied. Step 2: Low VMT Area Screening Residential and office projects located within a low VMT-generating area may be presumed to have a less than significant impact absent substantial evidence to the contrary. In addition, other employment-related and mixed-use land use projects may qualify for the use of screening if the project can reasonably be expected to generate VMT per resident, per worker, or per service population that is similar to the existing land uses in the low VMT area. A low VMT area is defined as an Mr. Brad Perrine April 26, 2023 Page 5 individual traffic analysis zone (TAZ) where total daily Origin/Destination VMT per service population is fifteen percent (15%) lower than the County average total daily Origin/Destination VMT per service population.  Based on the SBCTA screening tool, Project Site A and Project Site B are both located within Traffic Analysis Zone (TAZ) #53723201. Per the SBCTA screening tool, the Project TAZ VMT/service population is 25.7 VMT per service population and the County average VMT/service population is 32.7 VMT per service population. Comparison of the two VMT values indicates that the Project TAZ VMT is 21.41% lower than the County VMT average. Therefore, Project Screening Step 2: Low VMT Area Screening is satisfied. Mr. Brad Perrine April 26, 2023 Page 6 Mr. Brad Perrine April 26, 2023 Page 7 Step 3: Low Project Type Screening Local serving retail projects less than 50,000 square feet may be presumed to have a less than significant impact absent substantial evidence to the contrary. Local serving retail generally improves the convenience of shopping close to home and has the effect of reducing vehicle travel. In addition to local serving retail, the following uses can also be presumed to have a less than significant impact absent substantial evidence to the contrary as their uses are local serving in nature:  Local-serving K-12 schools  Local parks  Day care centers  Local-serving gas stations  Local-serving banks  Local-serving hotels (e.g. non-destination hotels)  Student housing projects on or adjacent to college campuses  Local-serving assembly uses (places of worship, community organizations)  Community institutions (Public libraries, fire stations, local government)  Local serving community colleges that are consistent with the assumptions noted in the RTP/SCS  Affordable or supportive housing  Assisted living facilities  Senior housing (as defined by HUD) Mr. Brad Perrine April 26, 2023 Page 8  Based on the Project description, Project Site A is considered supportive housing and assisted living facility based on the “Low Project Type Screening” criteria. As a result, Project Screening Step 3: Low Project Type Screening criteria is satisfied. Step 4: Project net daily trips less than 500 ADT Projects that generate fewer than 500 average daily trips (ADT) would not cause a substantial increase in the total citywide or regional VMT and are therefore presumed to have a less than significant impact on VMT. Local serving retail generally improves the convenience of shopping close to home and has the effect of reducing vehicle travel. In addition to local serving retail, the following uses  As stated previously, the proposed Project Site A will consist of a maximum of 150 modular dwelling units for homelessness prevention and is forecast to generate 390 daily trips. Therefore, based on the aforementioned criteria, Project Screening Step 4: Project net daily trips less than 500 ADT is satisfied. Based on the City’s guidelines, the proposed Project Site A satisfies Step 2: Low VMT Area Screening, Step 3: Low Project Type Screening, and Step 4: Project net daily trips less than 500 ADT, while Project Site B satisfies Step 2: Low VMT Area Screening. Therefore, both Project Site A and Project Site B could be screened from a full VMT analysis, and could be presumed to have a less than significant impact on VMT per the City of Fontana Traffic Impact Analysis (TIA) Guidelines for Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) and Level of Service Assessment. CONCLUSION Based on the aforementioned City of Fontana criteria, the peak hour trips associated with the proposed Project (i.e. 27 AM peak hour trips and 36 PM peak hour trips) is below the City’s “50-trip” threshold requiring the preparation of a Traffic Impact Analysis Report. Additionally, the proposed Project Site A satisfies Project Screening – “Step 2: Low VMT Area Screening”, “Step 3: Low Project Type Screening”, and “Step 4: Project net daily trips less than 500 ADT”, while Project Site B satisfies “Step 2: Low VMT Area Screening” and could be screened from a full VMT analysis. Therefore, we conclude that the proposed Project Site A will not require the preparation of a Traffic Impact Analysis report, while both Project Site A and Project Site B will not require a full VMT analysis report. Mr. Brad Perrine April 26, 2023 Page 9 We appreciate the opportunity to provide this Traffic Impact Assessment letter. Should you have any questions, please call me at (949) 825-6175. Sincerely, Linscott, Law & Greenspan, Engineers Keil D. Maberry, P.E. Principal California Registration: TR 1802 Attachments TABLE 1 PROJECT TRIP GENERATION FORECAST1  HOMELESSNESS PREVENTION RESOURCE AND CARE CENTER, FONTANA ITE Land Use Code / Project Description Daily 2-Way AM Peak Hour PM Peak Hour Enter Exit Total Enter Exit Total Trip Generation Factors:  254: Assisted Living (TE/Bed) 2.60 60% 40% 0.18 39% 61% 0.24 Proposed Project:  Homelessness Prevention Resource and Care Center (150 DU/Beds) 390 16 11 27 14 22 36 Project Trip Generation Forecast 390 16 11 27 14 22 36 Notes:  TE/Bed = Trip Ends per Bed 1 Source: Trip rates based on Trip Generation, 11th Edition, Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE), Washington, D.C. (2021).