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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAppendix I-Transportation Attachments Appendix I Transportation Attachments MEMORANDUM To: George Velarde, Assistant Planner, City of Fontana Ruben Hovanesian, Engineering Manager, City of Fontana From: Dennis Pascua, Transportation Services Manager Subject: Vehicle Miles Traveled Analysis for Jefferson Fontana Apartments Project MCN22-000145 Date: October 10, 2023 cc: Kristen Stoner, Dudek Jay Adamowitz, JPI Companies Attachment(s): Figures 1 and 2 SBCTA VMT Data 1 Introduction 1.1 Purpose of Analysis The purpose of this vehicle miles traveled (VMT) analysis is to identify potential VMT impacts associated with the proposed Jefferson Fontana Apartments project (proposed project or project) in the City of Fontana (City). Figure 1 (attached) shows the project’s location from regional and local perspectives. This VMT analysis has been prepared consistent with the City of Fontana’s Traffic Impact Analysis Guidelines for Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) and Level of Service Assessment (October 2020), and California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) requirements per Senate Bill 743 (SB 743). On September 27, 2013, Senate Bill 743 was signed into law, which creates a process to change the way that transportation impacts are analyzed under CEQA. SB 743 required the Governor’s Office of Planning and Research (OPR) to amend the CEQA Guidelines to provide an alternative to level of service (LOS) for evaluating transportation impacts. Under the new transportation guidelines, LOS, or vehicle delay, will no longer be considered an environmental impact under CEQA. OPR recommended VMT as the most appropriate measure of project transportation impacts for land use projects and land use plans. The updates to the CEQA Guidelines required under SB 743 were approved on December 28, 2018. The Updated CEQA Guidelines state that “…generally, vehicle miles traveled (VMT) is the most appropriate measure of transportation impacts…” and define VMT as “…the amount and distance of automobile travel attributable to a project….” It should be noted that “automobile” refers to on-road passenger vehicles, specifically cars and light trucks. Heavy-duty truck VMT could be included for modeling convenience and ease of calculation (for example, MEMORANDUM SUBJECT: JEFFERSON FONTANA APARTMENTS VEHICLE MILES TRAVELED ANALYSIS 14386.05 2 OCTOBER 2023 where models or data provide combined auto and heavy truck VMT). Other relevant considerations may include the effects of the project on transit and non-motorized travel. The City released VMT specific TIA guidelines on October 21, 2020, detailing the City’s methodology for SB 743 compliance. Per the City’s guidelines, “…a VMT analysis should be conducted for land use projects as deemed necessary by the Traffic Division and would apply to projects that have the potential to increase the average VMT per service population (e.g., population plus employment) compared to the County’s boundary.” Additionally, “…these guidelines are based on the SBCTA SB743 Implementation Study, which provides options for both methodologies and VMT screening. The methodologies and significance thresholds presented [in the City’s guidelines] are based on SBCTA recommendations from the Implementation Study.” 1.2 Project Description The project site plan is shown in Figure 2 (attached). The project involves the construction of a 437-unit multifamily development, 4,000 square feet of retail space, 14,150 square feet of leasing and amenity space, and associated improvements. The project would consist of eight, 4-story residential buildings that contain one-, two-, and three- bedroom units. The project would provide 126 one-bedroom units, 271 two-bedroom units, and 40 three-bedroom units. The project is divided down the center, providing an eastern and western portion of the site. Each portion of the site would have a main entry access point with sliding vehicle entrance gates. Up to 4,000 square feet of retail space is proposed in the northeastern corner of the site. Additionally, the project would include associated leasing buildings, fitness centers, pool areas, fire pits, lounge areas, a dog park, and other miscellaneous amenities divided between the eastern and western portions of the site. The project site would be accessible via four driveways. Access to the eastern portion of the site would be through a northern driveway located along Juniper Avenue, with two sliding vehicle gates providing access to residential parking stalls. The southernmost driveway on Juniper Avenue would be for resident exit access only, as well as (full) emergency vehicle access. The primary access to the western portion of the site would be a driveway off the western project boundary, shared with an existing retail parking lot located off Valley Boulevard. The western access would also include two sliding vehicle gates providing access to residential parking stalls. A third access point to the project site would be provided at the south of the site along Washington Drive. A total of 663 on-site surface parking stalls would be provided, with 648 dedicated residential stalls and 15 dedicated retail stalls. Residential parking would consist of 404 open standard stalls, 122 open tandem stalls, and 122 garage stalls. 2 Project Traffic Generation Trip generation estimates for the proposed project are based on daily, and AM and PM peak hour trip generation rates obtained from the Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE) Trip Generation, 11th Edition (2021). Table 1 presents the project’s trip generation estimates. MEMORANDUM SUBJECT: JEFFERSON FONTANA APARTMENTS VEHICLE MILES TRAVELED ANALYSIS 14386.05 3 OCTOBER 2023 Table 1. Project Trip Generation Land Use ITE Code Size/Units Daily AM Peak Hour PM Peak Hour In Out Total In Out Total Trip Rates1 Multifamily Housing (Mid- Rise) 221 per DU 4.54 0.09 0.28 0.37 0.24 0.15 0.39 Strip Retail Plaza (<40k) 822 per TSF 54.45 1.42 0.94 2.36 3.29 3.30 6.59 Trip Generation Multifamily Housing 221 437 DUs 1,984 37 125 162 104 66 170 Strip Retail Plaza 822 4.000 TSF 218 6 3 9 13 13 26 Total 2,202 43 128 171 117 79 196 Internal Trip Capture2 0 -1 -3 -4 -5 -3 -8 Strip Retail pass-by trips3 -32 -1 -1 -2 -2 -2 -4 Trip Generation (w/ internal trip capture) 2,202 42 125 167 112 76 188 NET Trip Generation 2,170 41 124 165 110 74 184 Notes: DU = Dwelling Unit; TSF = Thousand Square Feet 1 Trip rates from the Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE), Trip Generation, 11th Edition, 2021. 2 Consistent with the ITE Trip Generation Handbook, project trip generation was adjusted to account for internal capture (2% in the AM and 4% in the PM peak hour) between the residential and retail components using NCHRP methodology. 3 Pass-by trip rates derived from the average of pass-by trip percentages provided for Shopping Center (820), from the Institute of Transportation Engineers, Trip Generation, 11th Edition, 2021, Pass-by and Non-Pass-By Weekday, PM Peak Period (29%) Trips (Weekday, PM Peak Hour). AM and Daily pass-by reduction assumed to be half of the PM period. As shown in Table 1, the proposed project would generate a total of approximately 2,202 daily trips, 171 AM peak hour trips (43 inbound and 128 outbound), and 196 PM peak hour trips (117 inbound and 79 outbound). With the application of internal trip capture between the proposed residential and retail uses, and pass-by trips for existing traffic that would pass-by the retail use, the project’s net trip generation would be approximately 2,170 daily trips, 165 AM peak hour trips (41 inbound and 124 outbound) and 184 PM peak hour trips (110 inbound and 74 outbound). 3 Vehicle Miles Traveled Analysis 3.1 VMT Project Screening The following screening criteria have been used in the project’s VMT assessment, consistent with the City’s TIA Guidelines for VMT and LOS Analysis. Per the City’s guidelines, the VMT screening was conducted using the San Bernardino County Transportation Authority (SBCTA) (online) VMT Screening Tool. The results of the VMT screening analysis from the online tool are attached to this memorandum. MEMORANDUM SUBJECT: JEFFERSON FONTANA APARTMENTS VEHICLE MILES TRAVELED ANALYSIS 14386.05 4 OCTOBER 2023 Step 1: Transit Priority Area (TPA) Screening: Projects located within a TPA1 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:  Has a Floor Area Ratio (FAR) of less than 0.75  Includes more parking for use by residents, customers, or employees of the project than required by the jurisdiction (if the jurisdiction requires the project to supply parking)  Is inconsistent with the applicable Sustainable Communities Strategy (as determined by the lead agency, with input from the Metropolitan Planning Organization)  Replaces affordable residential units with a smaller number of moderate- or high-income residential units As shown in attached SBCTA Screening Tool worksheets, the proposed project is located within a TPA. However, the bus routes nearest to the project are OmniTrans Route 61 with 20 minute headways; Route 19 with 60 minute headways; and, Route 82 with 60+ minute headways. Also, only Route 61 is ½ mile or less from the project site. Therefore, although the screening tool indicates the project site is within a TPA, the bus routes have been verified to not have 15 minutes, or less, headways. As such, the project cannot be screened out using the proximity to transit availability criteria. 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. The SBCTA VMT screening tool was used to determine whether the proposed project would be located in a low VMT- generating area. Per the City’s guidelines, a low VMT-generating area is determined as 15% below the baseline County of San Bernardino VMT per resident, per worker, or per service population. The SBCTA VMT Screening Tool raw data is provided as an attachment. As shown in Table 2, the VMT per resident for the project TAZ is 7.4, and the County of San Bernardino VMT per resident is 16.0. Therefore, the TAZ would be 53.6% below the County’s threshold, which would meet the required 15% below baseline screening criteria established in the City’s guidelines. As such, the proposed project can be screened out using this criterion. However, under VMT per Service Population (SP), the project TAZ is 84.1, and the County VMT per SP is 33.4. Therefore, the TAZ would be 151.5% above the baseline criteria and would not screen out using this criterion. 1 The City of Fontana TIA Guidelines for VMT and LOS Analysis defines a TPA as a half mile area around an existing major transit stop or an existing stop along a high-quality transit corridor, per the definitions below: Pub. Resources Code, § 21064.3 (“‘Major transit stop’ means a site containing an existing rail transit station, a ferry terminal served by either a bus or rail transit service, or the intersection of two or more major bus routes with a frequency of service interval of 15 minutes or less during the morning and afternoon peak commute periods.”) Pub. Resources Code, § 21155 (“For purposes of this section, a high-quality transit corridor means a corridor with fixed route bus service with service intervals no longer than 15 minutes during peak commute hours.”). MEMORANDUM SUBJECT: JEFFERSON FONTANA APARTMENTS VEHICLE MILES TRAVELED ANALYSIS 14386.05 5 OCTOBER 2023 Table 2. Summary of Project TAZ VMT Base Year (2023) VMT PA VMT per Resident1 Project TAZ (53727301) 7.4 Jurisdiction 16.0 % Difference (Project TAZ – Jurisdiction) -53.6% Threshold 13.6 OD VMT per Service Population1 Project TAZ (53727301) 84.1 Jurisdiction 33.4 % Difference (Project TAZ – Jurisdiction) 151.5% Threshold 28.4 Source: SBCTA VMT Screening Tool output (attached) 1 The TAZ of the project currently does not contain any existing residential uses so the reported VMT per Resident and VMT per SP may not be representative of the TAZ. However, it should be noted that the TAZ of the project currently does not contain any existing residential uses so the reported VMT per Resident and VMT per SP may not be representative of the TAZ. Therefore, the parcels and their corresponding TAZs of adjacent existing multifamily residential uses similar to the proposed project were also analyzed for VMT per resident and VMT per SP to provide an accurate assessment of residential VMT in the project’s TAZ. These existing parcels and their land uses are:  Paseo Verde Apartments: 10050 Juniper Avenue, located adjacent to, and north of the proposed project, across Valley Boulevard.  Peachtree Apartments: 16775 San Bernardino Avenue, located northeast of the proposed project, near the southeast corner of Juniper Avenue/San Bernardino Avenue.  Juniper Village: 16700 Marygold Avenue, located northeast of the proposed project, at the northeast corner of Juniper Avenue/Marygold Avenue.  Park Village Apartments: 10033 Juniper Avenue, located northeast of the proposed project, across from the Paseo Verde Apartments. Tables 3, 4, and 5 summarize the VMT per Resident and VMT per SP for those adjacent parcels and TAZs with existing similar multifamily residential units. MEMORANDUM SUBJECT: JEFFERSON FONTANA APARTMENTS VEHICLE MILES TRAVELED ANALYSIS 14386.05 6 OCTOBER 2023 Table 3. VMT of Paseo Verde Apartments Parcel north of Project Base Year (2023) VMT PA VMT per Resident Project TAZ (53727201) 13.0 Jurisdiction 16.0 % Difference (Project TAZ – Jurisdiction) -18.8% Threshold 13.6 OD VMT per Service Population Project TAZ (53727201) 27.8 Jurisdiction 33.4 % Difference (Project TAZ – Jurisdiction) -16.9% Threshold 28.4 Source: SBCTA VMT Screening Tool output (attached) Table 4. VMT of Peachtree Apartments and Juniper Village Parcels northeast of Project Base Year (2023) VMT PA VMT per Resident Project TAZ (53727101) 10.2 Jurisdiction 16.0 % Difference (Project TAZ – Jurisdiction) -35.9% Threshold 13.6 OD VMT per Service Population Project TAZ (53727101) 28.5 Jurisdiction 33.4 % Difference (Project TAZ – Jurisdiction) -14.9% Threshold 28.4 Source: SBCTA VMT Screening Tool output (attached) MEMORANDUM SUBJECT: JEFFERSON FONTANA APARTMENTS VEHICLE MILES TRAVELED ANALYSIS 14386.05 7 OCTOBER 2023 Table 5. VMT of Park Village Apartments Parcel northeast of Project Base Year (2023) VMT PA VMT per Resident Project TAZ (53727101) 10.2 Jurisdiction 16.0 % Difference (Project TAZ – Jurisdiction) -35.9% Threshold 13.6 OD VMT per Service Population Project TAZ (53727101) 28.5 Jurisdiction 33.4 % Difference (Project TAZ – Jurisdiction) -14.9% Threshold 28.4 Source: SBCTA VMT Screening Tool output (attached) Based on review of the VMT of the adjacent parcels and TAZs with existing multifamily residential units similar to those of the proposed project, those residential land uses within those TAZs generate low VMT per Resident and low VMT per SP. This is due to the proximity of the existing complementary residential, retail, and employment uses, and the proximity of existing transit stops along Sierra Avenue. The complementary uses surrounding the project site include the existing apartment complexes listed above, the adjacent Inland Empire Center shopping mall, other retail/commercial/restaurant uses adjacent to Sierra Avenue/Valley Boulevard, and the Kaiser Permanente Medical Center (employment). Therefore, the proposed multifamily units (project) would also generate similar levels of low VMT, and the project can be screened out using the Low VMT Area Screening criteria, and impacts to VMT would be less than significant. 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. The City’s guidelines identify several local serving land uses; however, the proposed project is primarily a residential project with a relatively small retail component (4,000 square feet). Therefore, while the project’s retail component would screen-out, the primary residential component of the project cannot be screened out from further VMT analysis using this criterion. 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. Appendix B, City of Fontana SB 743 Small Project Testing, provides additional discussion and analysis regarding the application of the 500 ADT screening criteria and how it has been established within the context of CEQA. Projects which generate less than 500 ADT include the following:  Single family residential – 52 Dwelling Units or fewer  Multi-family residential – 68 Dwelling Units or fewer MEMORANDUM SUBJECT: JEFFERSON FONTANA APARTMENTS VEHICLE MILES TRAVELED ANALYSIS 14386.05 8 OCTOBER 2023  General Office – 51,000 square feet or less  Light Industrial – 100,000 square feet or less  Warehousing – 287,000 square feet or less  High-Cube Fulfillment Center Warehouse – 357,000 square feet or less The proposed project is the construction and development of 437 multifamily DUs and 4,000 square feet of retail/commercial uses, estimated to generate 2,170 ADT as shown in Table 1. Therefore, the proposed project would exceed the 500 ADT screening threshold and cannot be screened out from further VMT analysis using this criterion. 4 Conclusion As the proposed project meets one of the four screening criteria (Low VMT Area Screening) established in the City’s TIA Guidelines for VMT and LOS Analysis, a project-level detailed VMT analysis would not be required, and therefore, project impacts to VMT would be less than significant. © 2022 Microsoft Corporation © 2022 Maxar ©CNES (2022) Distribution Airbus DS 31 4 5 2 D1 D2 D3 D4 A u g 0 3 , 2 0 2 3 - 4 : 4 9 p m m p o p o v i c P : \ 3 0 0 . E n v i r o n m e n t a l \ 1 4 3 8 6 . 0 5 J P I F o n t a n a A p a r t m e n t s \ 0 2 D u d e k W o r k P r o d u c t s \ 0 1 D o c u m e n t s \ 0 3 T e c h n i c a l R e p o r t s \ T r a n s p o r t a t i o n \ G r a p h i c s \ J P I J e f f e r s o n F o n t a n a . d w g L a y o u t : F i g 1 _ P r o j L o c a t i o n JPI Jefferson FontanaNOT TO SCALEn FIGURE 1SOURCE: Bing Maps Project Location and Study Area Legend Project Site X Study Intersection O c t 1 1 , 2 0 2 3 - 1 1 : 5 6 a m m p o p o v i c P : \ 3 0 0 . E n v i r o n m e n t a l \ 1 4 3 8 6 . 0 5 J P I F o n t a n a A p a r t m e n t s \ 0 2 D u d e k W o r k P r o d u c t s \ 0 1 D o c u m e n t s \ 0 3 T e c h n i c a l R e p o r t s \ T r a n s p o r t a t i o n \ G r a p h i c s \ J P I J e f f e r s o n F o n t a n a . d w g L a y o u t : F i g 2 _ S i t e P l a n JPI Jefferson FontanaNOT TO SCALEn FIGURE 2SOURCE: MJS Landscape Architecture 2023 Project Site Plan SBCTA VMT Tool: Project Site PA VMT per Resident OD VMT per Service Populaon SBCTA VMT Tool: Paseo Verde Apartments Parcel PA VMT per Resident OD VMT per Service Populaon SBCTA VMT Tool: Peachtree Apartments and Juniper Village Parcels PA VMT per Resident OD VMT per Service Populaon SBCTA VMT Tool: Park Village Apartments Parcel PA VMT per Resident OD VMT per Service Populaon