17.20.060 Traffic impact analysis.
A. Purpose. The purpose of this section of the code is to implement Section 660-012-0045(2)(e) of the State Transportation Planning Rule that requires the city to adopt a process to apply conditions to development proposals in order to protect and minimize adverse impacts to transportation facilities. This section establishes the standards for when a proposal must be reviewed for potential traffic impacts; when a Traffic Impact Analysis (TIA) must be submitted with an application in order to determine whether conditions are needed to minimize impacts to and protect transportation facilities; what must be in a TIA; and who is qualified to prepare the analysis.
B. Typical Average Daily Trips and Peak Hour Trips. The latest edition of the Trip Generation manual, published by the Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE) shall be used as standards by which to gauge average daily and peak hour (weekday and/or weekend) vehicle trips, unless a specific trip generation study that is approved by the City Engineer indicates an alternative trip generation rate is appropriate. A trip generation study may be used to determine trip generation for a specific land use which is not well represented in the ITE Trip Generation Manual and for which a similar facility is available to count.
C. Applicability and Consultation. A Traffic Impact Analysis shall be required to be submitted to the city with a land use application when (1) a change in zoning or plan amendment is proposed or (2) a proposed development shall cause one or more of the following effects, which can be determined by field counts, site observation, traffic impact analysis, field measurements, crash history, Institute of Transportation Engineers Trip Generation; and information and studies provided by the local reviewing jurisdiction and/or ODOT:
a. The proposed action is estimated to generate 250 Average Daily Trips (ADT) or more, or 25 or more weekday AM or PM peak hour trips (or as required by the City Engineer);
b. An increase in use of adjacent streets by vehicles exceeding the 20,000 pound gross vehicle weights by 10 vehicles or more per day
c. The location of the access driveway does not meet minimum intersection sight distance requirements, or is located where vehicles entering or leaving the property are restricted, or such vehicles queue or hesitate, creating a safety hazard; or
d. The location of the access driveway does not meet the access spacing standard of the roadway on which the driveway is located; or
e. A change in internal traffic patterns that may cause safety problems, such as back up onto public streets or traffic crashes in the approach area.
The applicant shall consult with the City Engineer or his/her designee at the time of a pre-application conference (see Section 17.09.120 Pre-Application Conferences) about whether a TIA is required and, if required, the details of what must be included in the TIA.
D. Traffic Assessment Letter. If a TIA is not required as determined by Section 17.20.060.C, the applicant shall submit a Transportation Assessment Letter (TAL) to the City indicating that TIA requirements do not apply to the proposed action. This letter shall present the trip generation estimates and distribution assumptions for the proposed action and verify that driveways and roadways accessing the site meet the sight distance, spacing, and roadway design standards of the agency with jurisdiction of those roadways. Other information or analysis may be required as determined by the City Engineer. The TAL shall be prepared by an Oregon Registered Professional Engineer who is qualified to perform traffic engineering analysis.
The requirement for a TAL may be waived if the City Engineer determines that the proposed action will not have a significant impact on existing traffic conditions.
E. Traffic Impact Analysis Requirements.
1. Preparation. A Traffic Impact Analysis shall be prepared by an Oregon Registered Professional Engineer who is qualified to perform traffic engineering analysis and will be paid for by the applicant.
2. Transportation Planning Rule Compliance. See Chapter 17.08.050 Transportation Planning Rule Compliance.
3. Pre-application Conference. The applicant will meet with the City Engineer prior to submitting an application that requires a Traffic Impact Analysis. The City has the discretion to determine the required elements of the TIA and the level of analysis expected.
F. Study Area. The following facilities shall be included in the study area for all Traffic Impact Analyses (unless modified by the City Engineer):
1. All site-access points and intersections (signalized and unsignalized) adjacent to the proposed site. If the proposed site fronts an arterial or collector street, the analysis shall address all intersections and driveways along the site frontage and within the access spacing distances extending out from the boundary of the site frontage.
2. Roads through and adjacent to the site.
3. All intersections that receive site-generated trips that comprise at least 10% or more of the total intersection volume.
4. All intersections needed for signal progression analysis.
5. In addition to these requirements, the City Engineer may determine any additional intersections or roadway links that may be adversely affected as a result of the proposed development.
6. Those identified in the IAMP Overlay Zone (see Subsection I).
G. When a Traffic Impact Analysis (TIA) is required, the TIA shall address the following minimum requirements:
1. The TIA was prepared by an Oregon Registered Professional Engineer; and
2. If the proposed development shall cause one or more of the effects in Section 17.20.060(C), above, or other traffic hazard or negative impact to a transportation facility, the TIA shall include mitigation measures that are attributable and are proportional to those impacts, meet the City’s adopted Level-of-Service standards, and are satisfactory to the City Engineer and ODOT, when applicable; and
3. The proposed site design and traffic and circulation design and facilities, for all transportation modes, including any mitigation measures, are designed to:
a. Minimize the negative impacts on all applicable transportation facilities; and
b. Accommodate and encourage non-motor vehicular modes of transportation to the extent practicable; and
c. Make the most efficient use of land and public facilities as practicable; and
d. Provide the most direct, safe and convenient routes practicable between on-site destinations, and between on-site and off-site destinations; and
e. Otherwise comply with applicable requirements of the Hood River Municipal Code.
4. If the proposed development will increase through traffic volumes on a residential local street by 20 or more vehicles during the weekday p.m. peak hour or 200 or more vehicles per day, the impacts on neighborhood livability shall be assessed and mitigation for negative impacts shall be identified. A negative impact to neighborhood livability will occur where:
a. Residential local street volumes increase above 1,200 average daily trips; or
b. The existing 85th percentile speed on residential local streets exceed 28 miles per hour.
H. Conditions of Approval. The city may deny, approve, or approve a development proposal with appropriate conditions needed to meet transportation operations and safety standards and provide the necessary right-of-way and improvements to develop the future planned transportation system. Factors that should be evaluated as part of land division and site development reviews, and which may result in conditions of approval, include:
1. Crossover or reciprocal easement agreements for all adjoining parcels to facilitate future access between parcels.
2. Access for new developments that have proposed access points that do not meet the designated access spacing policy and/or have the ability to align with opposing access driveways.
3. Right-of-way dedications for planned roadway improvements.
4. Street improvements along site frontages that do not have improvements to current standards in place at the time of development.
5. Construction or proportionate contribution toward roadway improvements necessary to address site generated traffic impacts, i.e. construction or modification of turns lanes or traffic signals.
I. Traffic Analysis within an IAMP Overlay Zone. All development applications located within an IAMP Overlay Zone that are subject to the provisions of Chapter 17.16 (Site Plan Review) or Chapter 16.08 (Land Divisions) may be required to prepare a Traffic Impact Analysis. City of Hood River Transportation System Plan policies call for the City, in coordination with Hood River County and ODOT, to monitor and evaluate vehicle trip generation impacts at Hood River interchanges and on street systems in interchange areas from development. This requirement will not preclude Oregon Department of Transportation, City of Hood River, or Hood River County from requiring analysis of IAMP study intersections under other conditions. Development approved under this article shall be subject to the following additional requirements.
1. The Traffic Impact Analysis must include an account of weekday p.m. peak hour site generated trips through IAMP study intersections. Intersections impacted by 25 or more weekday p.m. peak hour site generated trips, or weekend peak hour site generated trips, shall be analyzed for level of service and volume to capacity ratio during day of opening conditions.
2. The City shall provide written notification to ODOT and Hood River County when an application concerning property in the IAMP Overlay Zone and subject to Site Plan Review or Title 16 is received. This notice shall include an invitation to ODOT and the County to participate in the City’s pre-application conference with the applicant, pursuant to Section 17.09.120.
3. The City shall not deem the land use application complete unless it includes a Traffic Impact Analysis prepared in accordance with the applicable requirements of Section 17.20.060.
4. Pursuant to Section 17.09.030(F), ODOT shall have 14 calendar days from the date a completion notice is mailed to provide written comments to the City. If ODOT does not provide written comments during this 14-day period, the City staff report may be issued without consideration of ODOT comments.
5. Monitoring Responsibilities. The details of monitoring responsibilities will be outlined in the adopted IAMP.