HomeMy WebLinkAboutRes 2025-084RESOLUTION NO. 2025-084
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PALM
DESERT, CALIFORNIA, APPROVING UPDATED TRANSPORTATION
STUDY GUIDELINES, INCLUDING THRESHOLDS OF SIGNIFICANCE,
FOR LAND USE AND TRANSPORTATION PROJECTS IN THE CITY OF
PALM DESERT AND FINDING THE PROJECT NOT SUBJECT TO THE
CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT
CASE NOS. GPA25-0002
WHEREAS, the City Council of Palm Desert on July 11, 2024 , initiated a contract
to prepare a comprehensive amendment to Chapter 4 – Mobility (Circulation) Element of
the Palm Desert General Plan and updated Transportation Study Guidelines; and
WHEREAS, the State Guidelines for Implementation of the California
Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA) encourages public agencies to develop and publish
generally applicable “thresholds of significance” to be used in determining the significance
of a project’s environmental effects; and
WHEREAS, State CEQA Guidelines Section 15064.7(a) defines a threshold of
significance as an “identifiable quantitative, qualitative or performance level of a particular
environmental effect, noncompliance with which means the effect will normally be
determined to be significant by the agency and compliance with which means the effect
normally will be determined to be less than significant’; and
WHEREAS, State CEQA Guidelines Section 15064.7(b) requires that thresholds
of significance must be adopted by ordinance, resolution, rule, or regulations, developed
through a public review process, and be supported by substantial evidence; and
WHEREA, Senate Bill 743 requires changes to the State CEQA Guidelines
regarding the criteria for determining the significance of transportation impacts of projects;
and
WHEREAS, the City Council of Palm Desert adopted the County of Riverside
Transportation Study Guidelines for measuring transportation projects under CEQA on
August 25, 2022 via CC Resolution 2022-74; and
WHEREAS, the City has prepared Transportation Study Guidelines that provide
specifications related to methodologies, tools, and other key assumptions that should be
considered for both Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) assessment and Level of Service
(LOS) assessment for purposes of evaluating projects in the City of Palm Deser t. The
Transportation Study Guidelines establishes thresholds of significance supported by
substantial evidence to determine CEQA transportation impacts and non-CEQA LOS
deficiencies; and
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Resolution No. 2025-084 Page 2
WHEREAS, the proposed Transportation Study Guidelines are internally
consistent with the General Plan; and
WHEREAS, the proposed Transportation Study Guidelines are supported by
substantial evidence; and
WHEREAS, the proposed Transportation Study Guidelines are consistent with the
prepared Mobility Element update and Addendum to the General Plan EIRs; and
WHEREAS, approval of the proposed Transportation Study Guidelines would
establish City of Palm Desert thresholds of significance and supersede and replace use
of the County of Riverside Transportation Study Guidelines and thresholds of
significance; and
WHEREAS, the Planning Commission of the City of Palm Desert, California, did
on the 18th day of November 2025, hold a duly noticed public hearing for approval of the
above-noted Project request and adopted Planning Commission Resolution 290 8
recommending the City Council approve of the Project; and
WHEREAS, the City Council of the City of Palm Desert, California, did on the 11 th
day of December 2025, hold a duly noticed public hearing for approval of the above-noted
Project request; and
WHEREAS, at the said public hearing, upon hearing and considering all testimony
and arguments, if any, of all interested persons desiring to be heard, the City Council did
find the following facts and reasons, which are outlined in the staff report, exist to justify
approval of said request:
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Palm
Desert, California, as follows:
SECTION 1. Recitals. The City Council hereby finds that the foregoing recitals are
true and correct and are incorporated herein.
SECTION 2. CEQA Determination. The City Council finds that adoption of the
Transportation Study Guidelines is not a project as defined in State CEQA Guidelines
Section 15378. Adoption of the Transportation Study Guidelines is an administrative
activity to provide guidance for development to determine the sign ificance of
transportation impacts of projects under CEQA. The Project does not approve any
specific development or lead to any particular physical change to the guidelines.
SECTION 3. Project Recommendations. The City Council hereby approves the
Transportation Study Guidelines, as presented in Exhibit “A” attached hereto, which shall
supersede and replace any existing transportation thresholds and use of the County of
Riverside Guidelines; and
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Resolution No. 2025-084 Page 3
ADOPTED ON DECEMBER 11, 2025.
_______________________________
EVAN TRUBEE
MAYOR
ATTEST:
___________________________
ANTHONY J. MEJIA
CITY CLERK
I, Anthony J. Mejia, City Clerk of the City of Palm Desert, hereby certify that
Resolution No. 2025-084 is a full, true, and correct copy, and was duly adopted at a
regular meeting of the City Council of the City of Palm Desert on December 11, 2025, by
the following vote:
AYES: HARNIK, NESTANDE, PRADETTO, QUINTANILLA, AND TRUBEE
NOES: NONE
ABSENT: NONE
ABSTAIN: NONE
RECUSED: NONE
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the official seal of the
City of Palm Desert, California, on ___________________.
_________________________
ANTHONY J. MEJIA
CITY CLERK
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12/22/2025