HomeMy WebLinkAboutSB 743 - Vehicle Miles Traveled - Letter of Support'i6
STAFF REPORT
CITY OF PALM DESERT
CITY MANAGER'S DEPARTMENT
MEETING DATE: June 25, 2020
PREPARED BY: Christopher Gerry, Management Analyst
REQUEST: Request of approval to submit a letter of support to suspend Vehicle
Miles Traveled as a key impact criterion under the California
Environmental Quality Act.
Recommendation
By minute motion, approve the submission of a letter of support to suspend Vehicle
Miles Traveled as a key impact criterion under the California Environmental Quality Act.
Background
In 2013, Governor Brown signed Senate Bill (SB) 743, which revised the framework for
evaluating transportation impacts under the California Environmental Quality Act
(CEQA). Conventional approaches to transportation impact analysis tend to focus on
vehicle level of service (LOS) and similar metrics related to vehicle delay. LOS is a
measure of automobile traffic congestion at intersections surrounding a project site. SB
743 required the California Natural Resources Agency to amend the CEQA guidelines
to provide an alternative LOS for evaluating transportation impacts.
In December 2018, after five years of stakeholder -driven development through over 200
stakeholder meetings, public convenings, and other outreach events, the California
Natural Resources Agency certified and adopted the CEQA guidelines update package,
including the guidelines section implementing SB 743.These new regulations represent
a significant shift in evaluating transportation impacts under CEQA.
By July 1, 2020, all CEQA lead agencies must evaluate transportation impacts using
vehicle miles traveled (VMT). VMT measures the per capita number of car trips
generated by a project and distances cars will travel to and from a project. The State
anticipates the shift in transportation impact focus will better align transportation impact
analysis and mitigation outcomes with the State's goals to reduce greenhouse gas
emissions, encourage infill development and improve public health.
The adoption of VMT criterion by cities is a very complex matter that requires the
services of expert traffic engineers, staff time and additional resources. In addition, the
VMT criterion places an undue burden on rural and suburban areas. To explain, rural
and suburban areas will generally have higher VMTs than urban areas; therefore,
development may face greater scrutiny and higher costs to mitigate the new travel.
June 25, 2020 — Staff Report
Vehicle Miles Traveled
Page 2 of 2
The coronavirus pandemic is also creating dramatic changes in transportation patterns
such as the expansion of working from home, learning from home, and even receiving
medical care from home via remote communication technologies. There has been a
substantial reduction in public transit ridership based on social distancing and health -
related priorities as well. According to the Riverside County Transportation Commission,
the likely result of the VMT criterion is the elimination of transportation projects already
approved for funding by voters and adopted by local elected officials in compliance with
all state and federal planning and environmental laws.
As a result, agencies are submitting letters of support to suspend VMT criterion until a
later date. In the interim, a more thoughtful and inclusive policy reform may take place
with stronger consideration for rural and suburban communities. As requested, attached
is a letter of support to delay the VMT criterion for a two-year period (July 1, 2022).
LEGAL REVIEW
N/A
Robert W. Hargreaves
City Attorney
DEPARTMENT REVIEW
2d
Lauri Aylaian
City Manager
City Manager, Lauri Aylaian: M
Attachment
A. Letter of Support
FINANCIAL REVIEW
N/A
Janet Moore
Director of Finance
ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER
Andy Iimseme
Andy Firestine
Assistant City Manager
June 25, 2020
The Honorable Gavin Newsom
Governor of the State of California
State Capitol Building
Sacramento, California 95814
Subject: Delay Implementation of State Guidelines regarding Vehicle Miles Traveled
Resulting from Senate Bill 743 (2013)
Dear Governor Newsom:
The City of Palm Desert continually appreciates the State of California's leadership on protecting the
environment, including air quality. The City has undertaken various planning efforts to ensure the
preservation of the environment at the local and regional levels as well.
While the City equally appreciates reforms to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), the
adoption and implementation of Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) is difficult and troublesome for most
rural and suburban communities. To explain, rural and suburban communities will generally have
higher VMTs than urban areas; therefore, development may face greater scrutiny and higher costs to
mitigate the new travel. In addition, the VMT criterion is a very complex matter that requires the
services of expert traffic engineers, staff time and additional resources.
Furthermore, the coronavirus pandemic is creating dramatic changes in transportation patterns such
as the expansion of working from home, learning from home, and even receiving medical care from
home via remote communication technologies. There has been a substantial reduction in public transit
ridership based on social distancing and health -related priorities as well. According to the Riverside
County Transportation Commission, the likely result of the VMT criterion is the elimination of
transportation projects already approved for funding by voters and adopted by local elected officials in
compliance with all state and federal planning and environmental laws.
Therefore, the City requests your consideration of delaying the implementation of the VMT criterion
for at least two years (July 1, 2022). The proposed delay allows the public and private sectors to
address more immediate needs resulting from the coronavirus pandemic. As the Governor of
California, it is within your power to delay the implementation of the VMT criterion without any required
action from the State Legislature. In the interim, a more thoughtful and inclusive policy reform may
potentially take place with stronger consideration for rural and suburban communities as well.
Thank you again for your leadership and partnership during these uncertain times. Please let me know
if you have any questions or would like to further discuss this matter.
Regards,
Gina Nestande
Mayor