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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2000-005 Amending the Transportation Demand Management Strategy (relating to Growth Management Act [GMA]) ORDINANCE NO. 2000 -05 AN ORDINANCE concerning land use and development regulation under the state Growth Management Act, and amending the transportation demand management strategy as required by RCW 36.70A.070. WHEREAS, the City of Yakima is required by the Washington Growth Management Act ( "GMA "), RCW Section 36.70A.070(6)(b) to: adopt and enforce ordinances which prohibit development approval if the development causes the level of service on a locally owned transportation facility to decline below the standards adopted in the transportation element of the comprehensive plan, unless transportation improvements or strategies to accommodate the impacts of development are made concurrent with the development; and • WHEREAS, pursuant to the provisions of the Urban Area Regional Planning Agreement, the Regional Planning Commission and the Joint Board reviewed and recommended the existing provisions for Transportation Capacity Management for enactment by the City of Yakima in satisfaction of the GMA requirements; and WHEREAS, the City Council adopted Ordinance 98 -68 on November 24, 1998 for Transportation Capacity Management and finds it is in the best interests of the City that they be enacted by the City of Yakima in satisfaction of the GMA requirements; and WHEREAS, data collection and monitoring of the existing City of Yakima Arterial Street system has identified the need to re- examine some of the assumptions of the Transportation Capacity Test and clarify the administration of the application process; now therefore BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF YAKIMA, WASHINGTON: Section 1. A new title /chapter shall be added to the City of Yakima Municipal Code to read as follows: Page 1 of 5 • Chapter 12.03 TRANSPORTATION CAPACITY MANAGEMENT Sections: 12.03.010 Intent. 12.03.020 Definitions. 12.03.030 Transportation capacity test. 12.03.040 Exemptions. 12.03.050 Administrative reconsideration. 12.03.060 Appeal to the City Council. 12.03.010 Intent. The City of Yakima is required by the state Growth Management Act, chapter 36.70A RCW, to ensure that proposed development not be approved unless transportation improvements or strategies to accommodate the impacts of such development are established concurrently with any proposed development that would otherwise reduce the level of service of a transportation facility below the standards adopted in the transportation element of the City's comprehensive plan. The intent of this chapter is to establish a transportation capacity management system to ensure that transportation facilities and services needed to maintain adopted minimum comprehensive plan level of service standards are available concurrently with, or within a reasonable time after, new development, occupancy, or use. This chapter implements the goals, policies and implementation strategies of the Capital Facilities Plan Element of the Yakima Urban Area Comprehensive Plan. 12.03.020 Definitions. A. "Applicant." A person or entity that has submitted a complete application for a development or building permit. B. "Available transportation capacity." ' Currently unused transportation capacity within a transportation facility. C. "Concurrency." Concurrency means that adequate transportation facilities are available when the impacts of development occur or a financing plan is adopted which will fund required improvements within six years. D. "Development Permit." Any land use or development approval which may be granted by the City of Yakima. E. "Level of service standard." The level of service standards used in transportation capacity tests are those standards specified in the current adopted or Transportation Element of the Capital Facilities Program F. "Planned capacity." Transportation capacity for a transportation facility that is not yet available, but for which the necessary facility construction, expansion or modification project is included in the current adopted Capital Facilities Plan and scheduled to be completed within six years. G. "Transportation capacity." The volume of transportation activity (motor vehicles/ lane /unit time) that can be reasonably and safely accommodated by a transportation facility, as stated in the Transportation Plan, Final Report, dated February 1998 (or as revised, supplemented, or replaced), which is appended to the Capital Facilities Element of the comprehensive plan. For the purposes of this ordinance, "Transportation Capacity" Page2 • shall be measured as 800 vehicles per lane during peak hour, pursuant to City Council Ordinance 2000 — 4. H. "Transportation capacity test." The comparison of the transportation capacity required by proposed development and the available capacity, including planned capacity. I. "Transportation facility." The classified streets identified in the Capital Facilities Element of the comprehensive plan. 12.03.030 Transportation capacity test. A. Application: The City's review of all applications for development permits and for building permits for projects not exempted by 12.01.040 shall include a transportation capacity test conducted by the City Traffic Engineer. B. Procedures: The transportation capacity test will be performed by the City Traffic Engineer in conjunction with review of proposed development projects and building permit applications. The Department of Community and Economic Development shall notify the applicant of the test results. 1. If the unused capacity of transportation facilities affected by a project is equal to or greater than the capacity required by the project, the transportation capacity test is passed. 2. If the unused capacity of transportation facilities affected by a project is less than the capacity required by the project, the transportation capacity test is not passed. The project may not be approved unless transportation improvements or strategies to provide capacity required by the project are established concurrently with the project. 3. In the event a proposed project does not pass the transportation capacity test, the applicant may: a. Modify the application to reduce the transportation capacity required by the project; b. Demonstrate to the City's satisfaction that the project will require less transportation capacity than would normally be required by similar projects and that, therefore, unused transportation capacity is adequate; c. Propose transportation improvements or strategies to provide the capacity required by the project development. C. Test: Proposed developments that would reduce the level of service below the minimum level of service standard cannot be approved. For transportation facilities, available and planned transportation capacity will be used in conducting the transportation capacity test. The City will maintain Administrative Polices which describe the methodology for calculating the Capacity analysis. Such policies shall be available for public information at the time of application. D. Fees. A fee of $250 shall be paid for each transportation capacity test, except that this fee shall be waived for one subsequent test within six months of a test for which the fee was paid. 12.03.040 Exemptions. A. No Significant Impact: Development permits for projects which, as determined by the City Traffic Engineer, create less than ten PM Peak Hour Trips, as estimated using the Page 3 of 5 • Institute of Transportation Engineers Trip Generation Manual, 6"' Edition (or more recent) on any transportation facility are exempt from the requirements of this chapter. A list of Exemption Threshold will be maintained as part of the Administrative Policies. B. The Director of Community and Economic Development, with the recommendation of the City Traffic Engineer, shall be responsible for determining other types of development to be included under this exemption. C. Building Permit Applications Filed Before Effective Date of Ordinance: Complete building permit applications submitted before the effective date of this ordinance are exempt from the requirements of this chapter. D. Single - Family Homes: Single- family homes on lots platted before the effective date of this ordinance are exempt from the requirements of this chapter. E. Accessory Dwelling Units: All accessory dwelling units, as defined in this Code, are exempt from the requirements of this chapter. F. Accounting for Capacity: The transportation capacity for development permits exempted under subsections C, and D above shall be taken into account. Traffic counts shall be maintained and regularly updated by the City of Yakima and used for monitoring purposes. 12.03.050 Administrative reconsideration. The applicant may request administrative reconsideration of the results of the transportation capacity test within fifteen (15) days of the notification of the test results by filing with the Department of Community and Economic Development a formal request for reconsideration specifying the grounds thereof, using forms authorized by the Department of Community and Economic Development. Each such request for administrative reconsideration shall be accompanied by a fee of $100. Upon filing of such request, the Director of Community and Economic Development shall notify the City Traffic Engineer of such request. The City Traffic Engineer shall reconsider the test results and issue a determination either upholding the original determination or amending it. 12.03.060 Appeal to the City Council. The applicant may appeal the results of the transportation capacity test within fifteen (15) • days after the City Traffic Engineer issues notice of decision on a request for administrative reconsideration by filing with the Department of Community and Economic Development a formal appeal of the transportation capacity test specifying the grounds thereof, using forms authorized by the Department of Community and Economic Development. Each such appeal to the City Council shall be accompanied by a fee of $150. Upon filing of such appeal, the Department of Community and Economic Development shall notify the City Clerk of such appeal. The City Council shall review the test results and issue a determination either upholding the original detemiination or amending it. Section 2. Severability: If any section, subsection, paragraph, sentence, clause or phrase of this ordinance, or any provision of the Yakima Municipal Code established by this ordinance, is declared invalid or unconstitutional for any reason, such decision shall not affect the validity of the remaining portions of this ordinance, or other provisions of the Yakima Municipal Code established by this ordinance. Page 4 of 5 Section 3. This ordinance shall be in full force and effect 30 days after its passage, approval, and publication as provided by law and by the City. Charter. PASSED BY THE CITY COUNCIL at a regular meeting and signed and approved this 15th day of February , 2000. Mary Place, Mayor • ATTEST: City Clerk Publication Date: 2/18/00 Effective Date: 3/19/00 • • Page 5 of 5 Public Comment • Huibregtse, Louman Associates, Inc. 4110' • CIVIL ENGINEERING •LAND SURVEYING •PLANNING W illiam L Huibregtse. PE Jeffrey T. Louman. PE Theodore W. Fooie oier, PE Dennis J. Whitcher, PE Francis J. Jaeger. PE Eric T. Herzog. PLS Heidi C. Herzog. PE Michael T. Battle. PE • January 19, 2000 • City of Yakima Traffic Division 2301 Fruitvale Boulevard Yakima, WA 98902 Attn: Chris Waarvick Director of Public Works Re: Transportation Capacity Management Proposed Changes to Existing Ordinance (YMC 12.03) Dear Chris: Thank you for the opportunity to attend the Yakima City Council Study Session on January 18, 2000. There are three areas on which we would like to comment with regard to the traffic capacity issue. Lane Capacity We were pleased to see the staff report address the issue of lane capacity and, in particular, the current capacity of 600 vehicles per hour per lane (vphpl), which was established by ordinance last year. We were also encouraged that the staff report mentioned that an engineering standard would be closer to 1,000 vphpl and referenced page 7 -8 of the Transportation Research Board Highway Capacity Manual (HCM). Figure 7 -3 on page 7 -8 of the HCM indicates that up to 1,200 vphpl at 35 miles per hour would result in a Level of Service D, which is the minimum standard set for the City street system. While the staff recommendation to increase the lane capacity to 800 vphpl for capacity analysis will allow projects along this growing corridor to move forward for a short time, . we believe that a lane capacity of 1,000 vphpl for capacity analysis would be within the guidelines of the Highway Capacity Manual and the City's established LOS, and not detrimental to a "density" or Bellevue feeling issue to which the City Council is sensitive. Peak Hour Volumes As mentioned at the study session, we urge you to review your proposed Item C.4 to Section 12.30.0.30 Traffic Capacity Test. Your suggested wording reads: "4. Development Impact will be determined using the Institute of Transportation Engineers Trip Generation Manual 6 Edition (or more recent) for the PM Peak Hour of the Adjacent Street." Y. ,irne WA 9A90) •S (5091 966.7000 er FAX (5091 965 -3800 tJ City of Yakima January 19, 2000 Page 2. However, Item 0.1 of your proposed amendment states: "1. Peak Hour Volumes will be calculated at 8.7% of the most recent 24 hour Average Daily Traffic Counts available from the City of Yakima or more recent data approved by the City Traffic Division." At the study session, it was explained that the 8.7% factor is used to determine the Peak' Hour background volume and that the projected traffic volume from a particular project should use chart from the ITE Manual. The chart for PM Peak Hour Volume from the ITE Manual uses a factor of 12 to 13% of the Average Daily Traffic Volume rather than the City's documented 8.7% factor. This results in an estimated traffic volume for a proposed use of about 50% more than if the 8.7% factor was used. Based on the City's documented factor of 8.7 %, we believe the estimated PM Peak Hour traffic should be calculated from the ITE Manual using the chart for Average Vehicle Trip Ends vs 1000 Sq. Feet Gross Floor Area on a Weekday and applying the 8.7% factor to determine the PM Peak Hour volume. As soon as any new business opens, the projected or estimated Peak Hour traffic volume ceases and the traffic is real and it is background traffic, for which the City has actual documented values. Left Turn Lane The City Council wanted to include Option 3, the addition of a continuous left turn lane, in the amended ordinance. We believe that the additional capacity that this left turn lane will add should be spelled out so that the new Peak Hour Capacity is known when capacity analysis calculations are performed for new developments which are adjacent to a street segment with a left turn lane. We do not believe the current or your proposed language addresses this item. Thank you again for the opportunity to provide input to this important issue. If you have any questions, please feel free to call. Very t my yours, 0 ef--- - • William L. Huibregtse, PE WLH /jc - - Copy: Delmar and Ellen Pearson Bill Almon Shelley Wilson Joan Davenport,City of Yakima BUSINESS OF THE CITY COUNCIL • YAKIMA, WASHINGTON AGENDA STATEMENT Item No. For Meeting Of 2/15/00 ITEM TITLE: Public Hearing on the Proposed amendments to the Transportation Capacity Ordinance (YMC 12.03); Interim Amendment of Vehicle Capacity of Classified Streets of the Transportation Element of Comprehensive Plan from 600 Vehicles per lane hour to 800 vehicles per lane per hour. SUBMITTED BY: Chris Waarvick, Director of Public Work u) Larry Peterson, Assistant City Attorney CONTACT PERSON /TELEPHONE: Shelley Willson, Streets and Traffic ManJ Joan Davenport, Supervising Traffic Engineer SUMMARY EXPLANATION: Pursuant to Council direction of the 1 -19 -00 worksession related to transportation financing and capacity, the following items are provided. The Transportation Concurrency Program, required by GMA has two components: a regulatory ordinance (YMC 12.03) and the Urban Area Comprehensive Plan Transportation Element. These recommended amendments are a result of a number of factors, including faster traffic growth • on North 40 Avenue than anticipated in the Comprehensive Plan and a conservative definition of street capacity adopted within the Transportation Element of the Plan. In 1999, the City implemented a 2 -year cycle of collecting traffic counts on arterial streets. In compiling this data, it was established that North 40 Avenue exceeds the adopted capacity. Staff recommends the City Council consider modifying the capacity standard of the Comprehensive Plan and the regulatory ordinance incrementally closer to the definition, as found in the Transportation Research Board Highway Capacity Manual (1994). The proposed amendments address all classified streets (Arterials and Collectors) within the City of Yakima, not just North 40 Avenue. Resolution Ordinance X(2) Other (Specify) Contract Mail to (name and address): Phone: Funding Source /j� APPROVED FOR SUBMITTAL: _— �.__ / d 4-44 ` C Ci Manager STAFF RECOMMENDATION: Conduct public hearing and adopt legislation or direct necessary changes. BOARD /COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION: • COUNCIL ACTION: