DATE: May 28, 2020
TO: Planning Commission
FROM: Planning Manager
SUBJECT
Title
Proposed Amendment of the Hayward 2040 General Plan to comply with changes to State law including the Establishment of new Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) CEQA thresholds for the City of Hayward.
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RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
That the Commission review the report and recommend the City Council approve Amendments to the Hayward 2040 General Plan (Attachment III) and establish new Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) thresholds for California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) analysis, consistent with SB 743 and per the findings for approval (Attachment II). The Commission previously reviewed and recommended that City Council approve Amendments to the Hayward 2040 General Plan related to the adoption of new Greenhouse Gas Emission reduction goals for the City.
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SUMMARY
SB 743 changes the focus of transportation impact analysis in CEQA from measuring impacts to drivers, to measuring the impact of driving. The proposed Amendment will replace Level of Service (LOS) with vehicle miles traveled (VMT) per capita and provide streamlined review of land use and transportation projects that will help reduce future VMT per capita growth. VMT per capita is a quantifiable measure, in miles per capita, of the average total amount of vehicular travel. One single occupancy vehicle traveling ten miles would equal 10 VMT/capita. Four single occupancy vehicles traveling ten miles would equal 40 VMT and 10 VMT/capita. Typically, development located at greater distance from shopping and employment centers or in areas with few transportation options generates more vehicle trips and of longer distances versus a similar development located in proximity to BART Stations and other areas with more transportation alternatives. VMT is an important input in the analysis of air quality and greenhouse gas emissions and has been used for that purpose within CEQA f...
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