756 California Street
Development
Traffic and Parking Study
Final Submittal
F
ebruary 2022
Prepared for
Prepared by
10 South Almaden Boulevard, Suite 1250
San Jose, CA 95113
Attachment 4
756 California Street Development
Traffic and Parking Study (Final Submittal)
2 Table of Contents
Executive Summary................................ ................................ ................................ .................... 3 1: Introduction ................................ ................................ ................................ .......................... 4
1.1 Project Description ................................ ................................ ................................ ............ 4 2: Existing Transportation Conditions................................ ................................ ............................ 7
2.1 Existing Roadway Network: ................................ ................................ ................................ 7
2.2 Existing Pedestrian and Bicycle Facilities: ................................ ................................ .............. 7
2.3 Existing Transit Facilities:................................ ................................ ................................ .... 8 3: Project Trip Generation, Distribution and Assignment................................ ................................ .11 4: Vehicle Miles Traveled Assessment ................................ ................................ .......................... 14
4.1 VMT Analysis Methodology ................................ ................................ ............................... 14
4.2 Project VMT Analysis ................................ ................................ ................................ ........ 15 5: Site Access and Circulation ................................ ................................ ................................ ..... 18
5.1 Driveway Site Access ................................ ................................ ................................ ........ 18
5.2 Passenger Vehicle Access and Circulation ................................ ................................ ............ 18
5.3 Heavy Vehicle Truck Access and Circulation ................................ ................................ ......... 18
5.4 Vehicle Sight Distance Analysis................................ ................................ ........................... 24
5.5 Project Impacts to Bicycle, Pedestrian, and Transit Access................................ ...................... 25 6: Parking Analysis ................................ ................................ ................................ .................... 27
6.1 Vehicle and Bicycle Parking Supply and Requirements ................................ ........................... 27
6.2 Vehicle Parking Demand................................ ................................ ................................ .... 28
6.3 Downtown Parking Action Plan ................................ ................................ .......................... 30
6.4 Vehicle Parking Lot Occupancy Survey................................ ................................ ................. 30
6.5 Vehicle On-Street Parking Occupancy Survey ................................ ................................ ....... 31
6.6 Parking Strategies and Recommendations ................................ ................................ ........... 32
6.7 TDM Monitoring, Evaluation, and Enforcement ................................ ................................ .... 34 6: Appendices ................................ ................................ ................................ .......................... 36
756 California Street Development
Traffic and Parking Study (Final Submittal)
3 Executive Summary
This traffic study evaluates transportation operations and site circulation conditions for the proposed 756 California Street project in the City of Mountain View. The project site is in the City’s historic downtown retail district located on California Street between Castro Street and Hope Street. The project proposes to demolish the existing 3,075 square-foot dental office building and construct a three-story mixed-use building consisting of approximately 7,092 square-feet of total floor space.
Project Trip Generation
Trip generation for the proposed project land uses was calculated using trip generation rates from the Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE) Trip Generation Manual, 10th Edition. Per the 2014 VTA Transportation Impact Analysis Guidelines, trip generation reduction credits were applied to the project including transit mode share and removal of existing uses.
Development of the proposed project with applicable trip reductions is anticipated to generate a net total of 72 daily, 8 AM peak hour, and 10 PM peak hour vehicle trips. The proposed 756 California Street project is not anticipated to exceed the VTA vehicle trip threshold. Therefore, the project will not require a full VTA traffic impact study and level-of-service analysis of study intersections.
Vehicle Miles Traveled Assessment
The project consists of office and retail mixed-use components. The Santa Clara Countywide VMT Evaluation Tool was used to estimate VMT impacts for the project.
The City of Mountain View’s baseline average VMT is 18.54; therefore, application of the 15% VMT per employee threshold for office land uses would require developments to achieve a 15.76 or lower VMT per worker. For the surrounding land use area, the existing VMT around the project site is 15.83. The proposed project is anticipated to generate a VMT per employee of 15.82. The evaluation tool estimates that the project would generate per employee VMT above the recommended OPR VMT threshold and would trigger a VMT impact.
Disregarding any applicable screening criteria, the project VMT would exceed the office thresholds of significance. As a result, the project would need to mitigate its VMT transportation impact by implementing a variety of alternative transportation options and transportation demand management (TDM) measures. These potential TDM measures are described in Section 6 of this report.
Site Access and Circulation
Site access and circulation for the project is based on the latest site plan prepared by Studio 02. The project is located west of the existing Blossom Lane driveway that provides exit only access to Parking Lot 6 owned and operated by the City. Vehicle maneuverability and access for the Blossom Lane driveway adjacent to the project was analyzed using AutoTURN software. Passenger cars, heavy trucks, and emergency vehicles could adequately maneuver and access the Blossom Lane driveway without conflict next to the project site.
Parking Analysis
The proposed project is located in the City’s historic downtown retail district (Area H) and subject to the vehicle parking standards and policies established in the Downtown Precise Plan (June 2019). The project site plan does not provide on-site vehicle parking spaces; however, the project site plan 756 California Street Development
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4 proposes up to two (2) short-term bicycle spaces along Blossom Lane and up to four (4) long-term bicycle spaces in a ground floor storage room. Based on the project description, the site plan satisfies the City’s bicycle parking standard but does not meet the minimum vehicle parking requirements.
A parking occupancy survey was conducted for City owned Parking Lot 6 and Parking Lot 7 as well as on- street parking spaces near the project site to determine the existing parking condition. The combined existing parking occupancy for the City parking lots and on-street spaces during the peak period exceed the 85% parking occupancy threshold
The project is anticipated to create a significant parking impact that would exceed the existing parking supply and parking condition, since the adjacent City owned lots and on-street spaces are already operating at peak capacity.
The project is located in the Downtown Parking District, Area H, which allows up to 100% of required parking to be paid through an in-lieu fee. Based on the Downtown parking requirements, the project requires 14 parking spaces. The project lot size is only 0.07-acres and due to its small size and configuration, is unable to accommodate any on-site parking. The project is proposing to pay the Parking-In-Lieu fee for all required parking. The project also proposes a Transportation Demand Management (TDM) Program to reduce parking demand on site.
The City will monitor the project’s TDM plan with a trip cap to ensure that the project remains compliant with their parking management strategy. The City can assess a financial penalty if annual monitoring counts show the project trip cap is not being met.
1: Introduction
1.1 Project Description
This traffic study evaluates transportation operations and site circulation conditions for the proposed 756 California Street project in the City of Mountain View. The project site is in the City’s historic downtown retail district located on California Street between Castro Street and Hope Street. The project proposes to demolish the existing 3,075 square-foot dental office building and construct a three-story mixed-use building consisting of approximately 7,092 square-feet of total floor space. When completed, the ground level will be retail commercial use, the second level will be professional office use, and the third floor will be dental office use. On-site parking spaces are not provided, and the applicant intends to implement a Transportation Demand Management (TDM) plan and/or pay a fee in lieu of parking in conformance with City parking standards and policies pending coordination with City staff. An overview map locating the project site is shown in Figure 1, and the project site plan is presented in Figure 2.
Kimley-Horn was retained to provide a traffic and parking study for the proposed project based on the scope of work approved by the City of Mountain View. This report evaluates several project and transportation criteria including project trip generation, trip distribution, site access and circulation, sight distance, vehicle queuing, parking, bicycle, pedestrian, and transit facilities.
756 California Street Development
Traffic and Parking Study (Final Submittal)
5 Figure 1: Project Site Map
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6 Figure 2: Project Site Plan
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7 2: Existing Transportation Conditions
2.1 Existing Roadway Network:
The following local and regional roadways provide access to the project site:
Castro Street (Main Street) is a north-south running street that provides primary access through the center of Downtown Mountain View, the historic center, and retail district of the City. This roadway runs from the Central Expressway / Moffett Boulevard intersection north of the Caltrain Station to Miramonte Avenue south of the downtown district. Along Castro Street north of El Camino Real, on- street parking, transit stops, and wide sidewalk facilities are provided for multi-modal use and access.
South of El Camino Real, Castro Street features a protected Class IV bike facility.
California Street is a two to four lane roadway that runs in the east-west direction from Bush Street to San Antonio Road. This facility is classified as a residential collector that provides primary access to residential neighborhoods between Downtown Mountain View and the San Antonio Road Shopping Center. California Street provides direct access to the proposed project as well as bicycle and pedestrian access with designated Class II bike lanes, Class III shared bike routes, and sidewalks.
Shoreline Boulevard is a multi-lane north-south roadway that provides major access to residential and business developments from El Camino Real to the south to the upper city limits north of the Shoreline Amphitheatre. The Mountain View General Plan classifies Shoreline Boulevard as a residential collector and arterial road with major cross-street access to El Camino Real, Central Expressway, and US Highway 101. Class II bike lanes, bus stops, and pedestrian sidewalk facilities are provided along Shoreline Boulevard.
El Camino Real (State Route 82) is a state highway that runs from Interstate I-880 in San Jose to I-280 in San Francisco that runs parallel to the nearby Caltrain line and is classified as a historic mission trail. In Mountain View, El Camino Real provides primary east-west access as a multi-lane arterial boulevard to many commercial and residential developments with transit stops and sidewalks provided along the corridor. The Mountain View General Plan, El Camino Real Precise Plan, and Grand Boulevard initiative identify El Camino Real as a linear activity center/corridor and envision the corridor as a vibrant place to live, work, and play while balancing the need for vehicular transportation with biking, transit, and walking alternatives.
Central Expressway (County Route G6) is a four-lane east -west route and part of the Santa Clara County Expressway System from Palo Alto to San Jose. It runs parallel with the nearby Caltrain line, provides local access through the City of Mountain View, and provides regional access to SR-85 and SR-237. This expressway intersects with Castro Street in the Mountain View downtown district and provides bicycle access along the roadway shoulder.
2.2 Existing Pedestrian and Bicycle Facilities:
Near the proposed project, several bikeway and pedestrian facilities exist as discussed in the 2015 Mountain View Bicycle Transportation Plan, 2015 Downtown Precise Plan, and field reviews.
Class I facilities are paved bicycle paths physically separated from the vehicular travel lane and referred to as multi-use or shared-use paths. There are over 15 miles of Class I bike paths in the City which 756 California Street Development
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8 include the Stevens Creek Trail, Permanente Creek Trail, Hetch Hetchy Trail, and San Francisco Bay Trail.
However, these Class I paths are not located near the proposed project site in Downtown Mountain View.
Class II facilities are generally bicycle lanes on roadways for one-way bicycle travel. These facilities are sometimes augmented with painted buffers that add a few feet of separation between the bike lane and traffic lane or with green thermoplastic paint for improved visibility. Near the project site, Class II bike lanes are provided along California Street west of Castro Street, Shoreline Boulevard, and Evelyn Avenue east of the Mountain View Transit Center.
Class III facilities are classified bike routes denoted by signs and pavement markings that are shared with vehicles along the roadway. A bicycle boulevard is a type of Class III bikeway with additional treatments such as traffic calming and wayfinding signs that prioritize bicycle use and bicycle direction of travel.
Near the project site, Class III bike routes are provided along California Street east of Castro Street, View Street, and Evelyn Avenue near the Mountain View Transit Center.
Class IV facilities are classified as separated bikeways or cycle tracks which are on-street facilities reserved for bicycle use with a physical separation between the vehicle travel lane and bikeway. The physical separation can include concrete curbs, landscaping, parking lanes, bollards, or other vertical elements to provide additional comfort and safety for bicyclists. Existing Class IV facilities in the City include Castro Street south of El Camino Real, the Permanente Creek Trail between Charleston Road and Middlefield Road, and the Fitness Trail along Charleston Road. The Mountain View Bicycle Transportation Plan Update identifies new potential Class IV facilities on Moffett Boulevard north of Central Expressway as well as other streets in North Mountain View.
Pedestrian facilities with a complete network of sidewalks, crosswalks, and ADA curb ramps are provided in the immediate vicinity of the project site on Castro Street and California Street in Downtown Mountain View which promotes an active and attractive pedestrian environment for all users. The distinct downtown character emphasized in the Downtown Precise Plan creates strong pedestrian connections to adjacent areas including residential neighborhoods, downtown businesses, and the Mountain View Transit Center.
2.3 Existing Transit Facilities:
There are several transit operators serving the City of Mountain View. The Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) operates transit services that runs through Downtown Mountain View with several bus and light rail routes. Caltrain offers commuter rail service with daily routes along the San Francisco Peninsula and South Bay at the Downtown Mountain View Station. Several local transit programs are also provided with community partnerships with the City such as the Mountain View Transportation Management Association (MTMA) and the Mountain View Community Shuttle. Per the updated December 28, 2019 VTA service schedule, the project is served by the following transit services.
Bus Services
• VTA Local Route 21 is a regional service that operates between Santa Clara, Sunnyvale, Mountain View, and Palo Alto. This route services major destinations such as the Stanford Shopping Center, the Palo Alto Transit Center, the Mountain View San Antonio Shopping Center, the Mountain View Transit Center, the Sunnyvale Caltrain Station, and the Santa Clara Transit 756 California Street Development
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9 Center. This route runs along California Street and Castro Street with a bus stop approximately 100-feet from the project site. Route 21 operates weekdays and weekends from 6:00 AM to 10:00 PM with 30-minute peak headways between each bus.
• VTA Frequent Route 22 is a regional service that operates between San Jose, Santa Clara, Sunnyvale, Mountain View, and Palo Alto. This route runs along El Camino Real and services major destinations between the Palo Alto Transit Center and the Eastridge Transit Center. This route has a bus stop at the El Camino Real / Castro Street intersection approximately 1/2 mile from the project site. Route 22 operates weekdays and weekends 24-hours a day with 15 to 30- minute peak headways between each bus.
• VTA Local Route 40 operates between the Foothill College in Los Altos, the San Antonio Shopping Center, the Shoreline Amphitheatre, and the Mountain View Transit Center in Downtown. This route runs along Villa Street and Castro Street with a bus stop approximately 500-feet from the project site. Route 40 operates on weekdays and Saturdays from 9:00 AM to 3:30 PM with 60-minute peak headways between each bus.
• VTA Local Route 51 is a regional service that operates between Saratoga, Cupertino, Los Altos, and Mountain View. This route services major developments such as Moffett Field / Ames Center, Mountain View Transit Center, Vallco Shopping Center, Santa Clara Transit Center, and San Jose State University. This route runs along Castro Street with a bus stop approximately 100- feet from the project site. Route 81 operates on weekdays and weekends from 6:00 AM to 10:00 PM with 30-minute peak headways between each bus.
• VTA Local Route 52 operates between the Mountain View Transit Center in Downtown to Foothill College in Los Altos Hills and travels across El Camino Real, Foothill Expressway, and I- 280. This route runs north-south along Castro Street with a bus stop approximately 100-feet from the project site. Route 52 operates on weekdays and weekends from 7:00 AM to 10:00 PM with 30-minute peak headways between each bus.
• VTA Rapid Route 522 is a regional service that provides limited stop service at frequent intervals every 15-minutes or better during peak times between San Jose and Palo Alto. The route runs along El Camino Real similar to Frequent Route 22. This route has a bus stop at the El Camino Real / Castro Street intersection approximately 1/2 mile from the project site and operates weekdays and weekends from 5:00 AM to 12:00 AM.
Shuttle Services
• MVgo Shuttle is a service provided by MTMA, a nonprofit organization run by local Mountain View businesses and landowners to reduce traffic on Mountain View streets. It is a fare-free service open to the public that runs on weekdays and operates from the Mountain View Transit Center to many business developments including Google, Intuit, Microsoft, Samsung, and Symantec. The closest shuttle stop near the proposed project is at the Mountain View Transit Center along Evelyn Avenue which is approximately 1,500-feet walking distance from the project site. The shuttle consists of four routes through the City; East Bayshore, West Bayshore, East Whisman, and West Whisman. Each MVgo route operates between 6:30 – 11:00 AM and 3:00 – 9:00 PM with 15 to 60-minute peak headways between each shuttle.
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10 • Mountain View Community Shuttle is a partnership between the City and Google that provides free local transit service between many residential neighborhoods, business districts, and recreational facilities. It operates on weekdays and weekends from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM with 30 to 60-minute peak headways between each shuttle and runs on Castro Street and Hope Street in Downtown. The closest shuttle stop near the proposed project is at the Mountain View Transit Center along Evelyn Avenue (1,500-feet walking distance from project site) and at the intersection of Castro Street / Mercy Street (500-feet walking distance from the project site).
The community shuttle consists of two routes through the City; Red Route and Gray Route.
Rail Services
• VTA Orange Line (Mountain View – Alum Rock) is a light rail train that operates between the Downtown Mountain View and Alum Rock rail stations. The VTA light rail provides regional access between San Jose, Milpitas, Santa Clara, Sunnyvale, Campbell, and Mountain View with connecting rail lines along several stations within Santa Clara County. The Orange Line runs weekdays and weekends from 5:00 AM to 1:00 AM with peak headways between 15 and 30 minutes. The light rail station is located at the Mountain View Transit Center which is approximately 1,500-feet walking distance from the project site.
• Caltrain is a commuter rail service in the Bay Area with access between San Francisco, San Jose, and Gilroy. Northbound and southbound rail lines stop at the Downtown Mountain View Caltrain station located at 600 Evelyn Avenue next to the Mountain View Transit Center which is approximately 1,500-feet from the project site. The station provides multi-modal accessibility with over 340 off-street parking spaces, 23 bike racks, 116 lockers, and bus stop facilities for transit connections. Trains operate daily with 30-minute average peak headways and updated typical service timetables on their website.
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11 3: Project Trip Generation, Distribution and Assignment
To determine typical single occupancy vehicle trips generated by the project, a trip generation analysis was calculated using trip generation rates from the Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE) Trip Generation Manual, 10th Edition. This ITE publication is a standard reference used by jurisdictions throughout the country for estimating trip generation potential.
A trip is defined as a single or one-directional vehicle movement in either the origin or destination at the project site. In other words, a trip can be either “to” or “from” the site. In addition, a single customer visit to a site is counted as two trips (i.e. one to and one from the site). Daily, AM, and PM peak hour trips for the project were calculated with average trip rates. Due to the project description and unknown future tenants for the retail and office uses, the following ITE land uses were conservatively applied to the proposed 756 California Street development:
• 2,139 square-feet retail use (tenant to be determined) - ITE 712 Small Office Building • 2,574 square-feet office use (tenant to be determined) - ITE 712 Small Office Building • 2,396 square feet dental office use (Dental Fabulous tenant) - ITE 720 Medical Office Building
Per the 2014 VTA Transportation Impact Analysis Guidelines, trip generation reduction credits can be applied to the project. The project site is located in Downtown Mountain View and is within walking distance (1/3 mile) to several existing shuttle services, bus stops, and transit centers. Therefore, a 6% trip reduction rate was applied for the project being located within 2,000-foot walking distance to the Mountain View Transit Center and Caltrain Station.
The project will involve demolishing the existing 3,075 square-foot dental office at 756 California Street and would be eligible for an existing use trip credit. The existing Dental Fabulous tenant will remain at the project site with no expansion of services. For conservative analysis, the existing use trip credit for the project is the same number of trips generated by the proposed 2,396 square-foot dental office even though the existing 3.075 square-foot dental office is larger. Field observations confirm that the daily trips generated by the existing dental office is consistent with ITE rates of similar land use size.
Development of the proposed project with applicable trip reductions is anticipated to generate a net total of 72 daily, 8 AM peak hour, and 10 PM peak hour vehicle trips. Of the 8 new AM peak hour trips, approximately 6 trips are inbound to the project and 2 trips are outbound from the project. For the 10 new PM peak hour trips, approximately 2 trips are inbound while 8 trips are outbound. Table 1 provides a summary of the proposed trip generation and trip reductions.
Per VTA guidelines, a traffic impact analysis (TIA) for congestion management (CMP) program purposes shall be performed for any project in Santa Clara County expected to generate 100 or more net new weekday (AM or PM peak hour) or weekend peak hour trips, including both inbound and outbound trips. In addition, any intersection at which the project will add ten (10) or more trips per lane shall be studied. Based on the trip generation, the proposed 756 California Street development is not anticipated to exceed the VTA vehicle trip threshold. Therefore, the project will not require a full traffic impact study and level-of-service analysis of study intersections.
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12 Table 1 – Project Trip Generation
Due to the nature of the proposed development, most retail and office vehicle project trips are anticipated to access the local streets or the major roadways with access to the regional freeway ramps.
Trip distribution and assignment for the 756 California project was assumed based on the project location, regional expressway location, community characteristics , and professional engineering judgement. Project trips to and from the site are anticipated to access the following regional facilities and destinations:
• Downtown Mountain View • California Street West • California Street East • Moffett Blvd North • Castro Street South • Central Expressway West • Central Expressway East
The project trip assignment and distribution for the project is presented in Figure 3. The trip assignment shown represents the shortest paths to and from the project site under ideal traffic conditions.
Trip Generation Rates (ITE)
Sm all Office Building [712] Per KSF 16.19 1.92 83% / 17% 2.45 16% / 84% Me dical Office Building [720] Per KSF 34.80 2.78 78% / 22% 3.46 28% / 72% 756 California Proposed Development
Dental Fabulous Office Tenant (Floor 3) 2.40 KSF 83 7 5 / 2 8 2 / 6 Pote ntial Office Te nant (Floor 2) 2.57 KSF 42 5 4 / 1 6 1 / 5 Pote ntial Re tail Te nant (Floor 1) 2.14 KSF 35 4 3 / 1 5 1 / 4 160 16 12 / 4 19 4 / 15
Trip Reductions
Existing Dental Fabulous Office -2.40 KSF (83) (7) (5) / (2) (8) (2) / (6) VTA Transit Reduction (MV Transit Center) - Existing -6% 5 0 0 / 0 0 0 / 0 VTA Transit Reduction (MV Transit Center) - Project -6% (10) (1) (1) / 0 (1) 0 / (1) (88) (8) (6) / (2) (9) (2) / (7)
72 8 6 / 2 10 2 / 8
ITE Small Office and Medical Office Building Land Uses assumed based on proposed site plan from Studio 02 (12/05/2018). For conservative analysis, Small Office assumed for unknown retail tenant.
Daily, AM, and PM trips based on ITE Trip Generation Manual 10th Edition OUT
Gross Project Vehicle Trips
Vehicle Trip Reductions
Notes:
Net Total Project Vehicle Trips
The project will involve demolishing the existing 3,075 square-foot dental office at 756 California Street and would be eligible for an existing use trip credit. The existing Dental Fabulous tenant will remain at the project site with no expansion of services. For conservative analysis, the existing use trip credit for the project is the same number of trips generated by the proposed 2,396 square-foot dental office even though the existing 3.075 square-foot dental office is larger. Field observations confirm that the daily trips generated by the existing dental office is consistent with ITE rate s of sim ilar land use size .
PM PEAK TRIPS
TOTAL IN / OUT TOTALLAND USE / DESCRIPTION PROJECT
SIZE
TOTAL
DAILY
TRIPS
AM PEAK TRIPS
IN
A 6% Transit Facility reduction from VTA Transportation Impact Analysis Guidelines 2014 was applied to the employment uses since the project is located within 2,000-foot walking distance from the Mountain View Transit Center & Caltrain Station.
/
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13 Figure 3: Project Trip Distribution
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14 4: Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) Assessment
The California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) was enacted in 1970 to ensure environmental protection through review of discretionary actions approved by all public agencies. For Santa Clara County, a transportation analysis requires an evaluation of a project’s potential impacts related to VMT and other significance criteria per CEQA and Senate Bill 743.
VMT is defined as the total miles of travel by a personal motorized vehicle a project is expected to generate in a day. VMT is calculated using the Origin-Destination VMT method which measures the full distance of personal motorized vehicle-trips with one end within the project. A project’s VMT is compared to the appropriate thresholds of significance based on the project location and type of development. For a residential project, the project’s VMT is divided by the number of residents expected to occupy the project to determine the VMT per capita. For an office or industrial project, the project’s VMT is divided by the number of employees to determine the VMT per employee. The project’s VMT is then compared to the VMT thresholds of significance established based on the average area VMT. A project located in a downtown area is expected to have a lower project VMT than the average area VMT, while a project located in a suburban area is expected to have a higher project VMT than the average area VMT.
4.1 VMT Analysis Methodology
In December 2018, the California Governor’s Office of Planning and Research (OPR) published a Technical Advisory on Evaluating Transportation Impacts in CEQA which details typical guidelines for analyzing VMT. The Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) has developed the Santa Clara Countywide VMT Evaluation Tool to streamline the analysis for residential, office, and industrial projects with local traffic to determine whether a project would result in CEQA transportation impacts related to VMT. The County’s Travel Demand Model can also be used to determine project VMT for non-residential or non- office projects, very large projects, or projects that can potentially shift travel patterns.
The project’s VMT was compared to the City’s existing level VMT and VMT thresholds of significance as established in the OPR Technical Advisory. Per OPR guidelines, achieving a 15 percent (15%) lower per capita (residential) or per employee (office) VMT than existing development is both generally achievable and is supported by evidence that connects this level of reduction to the State’s emissions goals. Project VMT exceeding a level of 15 percent below existing regional VMT per employee may indicate a significant transportation impact, and the project would need to mitigate this impact by implementing various VMT reduction strategies described below.
1. Project characteristics (e.g. density, diversity of uses, design, and affordability of housing) that encourage walking, biking and transit uses.
2. Multimodal network improvements that increase accessibility for transit users, bicyclists, and pedestrians,
3. Parking measures that discourage personal motorized vehicle-trips, and
4. Transportation demand management (TDM) measures that provide incentives and services to encourage alternatives to personal motorized vehicle-trips.
Land use characteristics, multimodal network improvements, and parking are physical design strategies that can be incorporated into the project design. TDM includes programmatic measures that aim to 756 California Street Development
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15 reduce VMT by decreasing personal motorized vehicle mode share and by encouraging more walking, biking, and riding transit. TDM measures should be enforced through annual trip monitoring to assess the project’s status in meeting the VMT reduction goals.
4.2 Project VMT Analysis
For this project, the traffic analysis was assessed using the Santa Clara Countywide VMT Evaluation Tool to determine the potential VMT impact from the project’s description, location, land use attributes. For projects that would trigger a VMT impact, VMT reduction strategies such as introducing TDM or additional multimodal infrastructure can be used to mitigate the VMT impact which is estimated from research literature and case studies.
The proposed project (APN #15823082) was evaluated in the Countywide VMT tool assuming 2,139 square-feet of retail use and 4,970 square feet of office use.
The City of Mountain View’s baseline average VMT is 18.54; therefore, application of the 15% VMT per employee threshold for office land uses would require developments to achieve a 15.76 or lower VMT per worker. For the surrounding land use area, the existing VMT around the project site is 15.83. The proposed project is anticipated to generate a VMT per employee of 15.82. The evaluation tool estimates that the project would generate per employee VMT above the recommended OPR VMT threshold and would trigger a VMT impact.
Disregarding any applicable screening criteria, the project VMT would exceed the office thresholds of significance. As a result, the project would need to mitigate its VMT transportation impact by implementing a variety of alternative transportation options and transportation demand management (TDM) measures. These potential TDM measures are described in Section 6 of this report.
A summary of the project VMT outputs/results using the Santa Clara Countywide Evaluation Tool is presented in Figure 4 and in the Appendices.
4.3 Screening Criteria
It should be noted that the City of Mountain View currently does not establish a screening criterion for projects that are expected to result in less-than-significant VMT impacts. The OPR technical advisory suggests that lead agencies may screen out VMT impacts using project size, maps, transit availability, and provision of affordable housing (described below).
Screening Threshold for Small Projects
Many local agencies have developed screening thresholds to indicate when detailed analysis is needed.
Absent substantial evidence indicating that a project would generate a potentially significant level of VMT, or inconsistency with a Sustainable Communities Strategy (SCS) or general plan, projects that generate or attract fewer than 110 trips per day generally may be assumed to cause a less-than significant transportation impact.
Based on the trip generation results in Section 3, this criterion could potentially be applied to the project pending City direction which would result in a less-than-significant VMT impact.
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16 Map-Based Screening for Residential and Office Projects Residential and office projects that locate in areas with low VMT, and that incorporate similar features (i.e., density, mix of uses, transit accessibility), will tend to exhibit similarly low VMT. Maps created with VMT data, for example from a travel survey or a travel demand model, can illustrate areas that are currently below threshold VMT. Because new development in such locations would likely result in a similar level of VMT, such maps can be used to screen out residential and office projects from needing to prepare a detailed VMT analysis.
Presumption of Less Than Significant Impact Near Transit Stations Proposed CEQA Guideline Section 15064.3, subdivision (b)(1), states that lead agencies generally should presume that certain projects (including residential, retail, and office projects, as well as projects that are a mix of these uses) proposed within ½ mile of an existing major transit stop or an existing stop along a high quality transit corridor will have a less-than-significant impact on VMT. This presumption would not apply, however, if project-specific or location-specific information indicates that the project will still generate significant levels of VMT. For example, the presumption might not be appropriate if the project:
• Has a Floor Area Ratio (FAR) of less than 0.75
• Includes more parking for use by residents, customers, or employees of the project than required by the jurisdiction (if the jurisdiction requires the project to supply parking) • Is inconsistent with the applicable Sustainable Communities Strategy (as determined by the lead agency, with input from the Metropolitan Planning Organization) • Replaces affordable residential units with a smaller number of moderate- or high-income residential units.
Since the project is located within ½ mile of the Mountain View Transit Center, this criterion could potentially be applied to the project pending City direction which would result in a less-than-significant VMT impact.
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17 Figure 4: Santa Clara Countywide VMT Evaluation Tool Report
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18 5: Site Access and Circulation
5.1 Driveway Site Access
Site access and circulation for the project is based on the latest site plan prepared by Studio 02 shown in the Appendix. The 756 California project does not provide its own private driveway or on-site parking for vehicle access. It is assumed that most patrons and employees will access the project by parking their vehicle at the nearby parking lots in downtown Mountain View. A small percentage of project trips will access the site via walking, biking, ride-share or taking public transit. The applicant intends to implement a Transportation Demand Management (TDM) plan and/or pay a fee in lieu of parking in conformance with City parking standards and policies pending coordination with City staff.
The project is located west of the existing Blossom Lane driveway that provides exit only access to Parking Lot 6 owned and operated by the City. This driveway is approximately 20-feet wide and provides up to three (3) parallel parking spaces with two-hour parking limits along the east side of the project.
Full outbound access for the Blossom Lane driveway is allowed on California Street. Vehicles exiting Blossom Lane would be allowed to make left and right turns out of the public parking lot when there are sufficient vehicle gaps in between the adjacent intersections at Castro Street and Hope Street. Vehicle queues and delays at this parking lot driveway are not expected to be significant issues. Some minor vehicle queues are expected due to a combination of inherent unpredictability of vehicle departures at driveways and the random occurrence of gaps in traffic; however, these conditions are typical of driveways in downtown commercial districts. To improve vehicle sight distance of approaching pedestrians and bicycles on California Street, the project’s ground floor façade is pulled back with a chamfered corner along the Blossom Lane driveway.
5.2 Passenger Vehicle Access and Circulation
The existing City Parking Lot 6 located north of the project provides up to 98 total parking spaces. This lot allows eight-hour parking for monthly permit holders as well as two-hour parking limits for public users from 8AM to 5PM Monday through Friday. Access to the surface parking lot layout is provided along Hope Street with a two-way driveway and Blossom Lane with a one-way driveway. Vehicle maneuverability and access for the Blossom Lane driveway adjacent to the project were analyzed using AutoTURN software which measures design vehicle swept paths and turning through simulation and clearance checks. A passenger car design from the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) was assessed.
Analysis using the AASHTO template revealed that passenger vehicles could adequately access the Blossom Lane driveway, maneuver through the lot, and park in the stalls without conflict next to the project site.
5.3 Heavy Vehicle Truck Access and Circulation
Per City Municipal Code Section 19.60, Castro Street north of Evelyn Avenue is designated as a truck route for heavy vehicles with direct access to the project. In addition, per Section 36.32.60, unless modified/adjusted by the zoning administrator in compliance with Section 36.48, off street freight and equipment loading spaces shall be provided for all nonresidential uses. Commercial, industrial, institutional, and service uses with a gross floor area of 10,000 to 30,000 square-feet are required to provide one (1) loading space, while uses 30,001 square-feet and more are required to provide one (1) 756 California Street Development
Traffic and Parking Study (Final Submittal)
19 loading space per each additional 20,000 square-feet. Since the retail component of the proposed project does not meet these criteria, it was assumed that the project does not require off-street loading spaces.
For the purposes of this analysis, it is assumed that delivery and loading activity for the project would occur on California Street or in areas where on-street parking or temporary loading is allowed. Next to the project site, short-term on-street parking is allowed on California Street except between Hope Street and Blossom Lane on the northside which is enforced with red curb striping and no parking signs. A temporary loading zone is also provided within Parking Lot 6 and Parking Lot 7 near the project.
The SU-40 truck based on AASHTO was assumed as the maximum size delivery truck that would be allowed due to truck route and maneuverability constraints in the Mountain View Downtown area. Fire apparatus and garbage trucks were also checked for site access, and these vehicle dimensions were based on NCHRP 659 – Guide for the Geometric Design of Driveways.
SU-40 delivery trucks would be able to maneuver on California Street adjacent to the project site.
Delivery truck would also be able to access the designated loading zones within Parking Lot 6 and Parking Lot 7 to load/unload next to the project site.
Garbage and recycling bins for the project would be located on the ground level and moved outside for pickup along California Street or Blossom Lane. Waste collection vehicles would be able to conduct trash and recycling collection activity on California Street and Blossom Lane with the bins returned to the project site immediately after pickup.
In the event of an emergency, it is assumed that fire apparatus vehicles will stage adjacent to the project site on California Street and Blossom Lane. The project site proposes a new fire hydrant on California Street as well as fire backflow assemblies at the building frontage for emergency personnel. The existing driveway on Blossom Lane is 20-feet wide, at least 10-feet high, and satisfies the 20-foot horizontal and 10-foot- vertical minimum access clearances from the 2016 CA Fire Code.
Figures 4 – 7 show site access and vehicle turn templates at the project frontage and along Blossom Lane for the design vehicles described above.
756 California Street Development
Traffic and Parking Study (Final Submittal)
20 Figure 4: Passenger Vehicle Access
756 California Street Development
Traffic and Parking Study (Final Submittal)
21 Figure 5: Delivery Vehicle Access
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22 Figure 6: Garbage Truck Access
756 California Street Development
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23 Figure 7: Fire Truck Access
756 California Street Development
Traffic and Parking Study (Final Submittal)
24 5.4 Vehicle Sigh t Distance Analysis
A preliminary stopping sight distance and intersection sight distance analysis was conducted to determine the feasibility of the proposed project driveway location. The AASHTO methodology was used in this analysis. The sight distance needed under various assumptions of physical conditions and driver behavior is directly related to vehicle speeds and to the resultant distances traversed during perception- reaction time and braking.
Stopping sight distance is defined as the sum of reaction distance and braking distance. The reaction distance is based on the reaction time of the driver while the braking distance is dependent upon the vehicle speed and the coefficient of friction between the tires and roadway as the vehicle decelerates to a complete stop. This sight distance analysis indicates the minimum visibility that is required for an approaching vehicle on California Street to stop safely if a vehicle from the project driveway enters or exits the approaching road. The driver should also have an unobstructed view of the intersection, including any traffic-control devices, and sufficient lengths along the intersecting road to permit the driver to anticipate and avoid potential collisions.
For vehicles entering California Street from the existing Blossom Lane driveway, the AASHTO method evaluates sight distance from a vehicle exiting the driveway to a vehicle approaching from either direction. The intersection sight distance is defined along intersection approach legs and across their included corners known as departure sight triangles. These specified areas should be clear of obstructions that might block a driver’s view of potentially conflicting vehicles. Intersection sight distance is measured from a point 3.5-feet above the existing grade (driver’s eye) along the potential driveway to a 3.5-foot object height in the center of the approaching lane on California Street. A vehicle setback in a stopped position from the back of sidewalk was assumed for determining intersection sight distance.
Minimum sight distance criteria for the potential driveway along California Street was determined from the AASHTO Geometric Design of Highways and Streets 6th Edition (Green Book). For the purposes of this analysis, a design speed of 30 mph (25 mph posted speed limit) was assumed along California Street. AASHTO standard time gap variables for passenger cars stopped on the proposed project driveways were used. Based on the existing traffic control, minimum sight distance was calculated for the following scenarios:
• Stopping Sight Distance on California Street
• Intersection Sight Distance Case B – Stop control at the proposed project driveway o Case B1 – Left turn from the minor road
o Case B2 – Right turn from the minor road
From Table 9-6 and Table 9-8 of the Green Book, the minimum stopping sight distance is 200 feet. The intersection sight distance is 335 feet for Case B1 and 290 feet for Case B2 assuming approach grades of 3 percent or less at 30 mph.
A site visit was taken to measure the available sight distance and departure sight triangles at the proposed driveway locations. From a 15-foot setback from the edge of travel way, the measured available sight distance is over 400 feet in the eastbound and westbound directions on California Street.
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Traffic and Parking Study (Final Submittal)
25 The proposed project driveway location satisfies the 200 feet minimum stopping sight distance required for all approaches on California Street. Vehicles on the road will have sufficient sight distance to react and stop safely if a vehicle from the project driveway enters or exits the road. It is assumed that vehicles turning left or right at the California Street/Castro Street and California Street/Hope Street intersections would be travelling less than 30 mph and would have sufficient visibility and stopping sight distance to stop and avoid any conflicting vehicles. Vehicles entering California Street from the Blossom Lane driveway next to the project will also have sufficient intersection sight distance in either direction to make a right or left turn onto the road per AASHTO Case B1 and B2 scenarios.
Overall, the existing driveway and its location next to the project is feasible and provides sufficient sight distance for traffic conditions. An exhibit comparing the design and measured available stopping and intersection sight distances is shown in Figure 8.
5.5 Project Impacts to Bicycle , Pedestrian, and Transit Access The existing sidewalk along the project frontages on California Street would be reconstructed to provide direct bicycle and pedestrian access at the ground floor. The walkway in front of the project would be
18.25-feet wide with a 7-foot wide path of travel outside the building footprint. The main building entrance would be located along California Street, and one flight of emergency exit stairs is located on the east side of the building with access to Blossom Lane. The existing network of sidewalks and crosswalks in the study area have adequate connectivity and would provide staff and patrons with walkable routes to nearby bus stops, retail, and other points of interest in the immediate Mountain View downtown area. Many of the residential and commercial streets near the project feature lighting, landscaping, and wide sidewalks, which improve pedestrian perceptions of comfort and safety and provide a positive pedestrian experience.
Bicycle Access
The project is not anticipated to impact the existing bicycle facilities within the study area. Cyclists will be able to use the existing Class II bike lanes on California Street to access the project.
Pedestrian Access
The project would improve the sidewalk facilities along the project frontage and enhance the pedestrian experience along this section of California Street.
Transit Access
The project is not anticipated to impact the existing transit facilities within the study area. Visitors and employees accessing the project will be able to use the existing VTA transit stops located along California Street, Castro Street, and at the Mountain View Transit Center.
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Traffic and Parking Study (Final Submittal)
26 Figure 8: California Street Sight Distance Analysis
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27 6: Parking Analysis
6.1 Vehicle and Bicycle Parking Supply and Requirements The proposed project is located in the City’s historic downtown retail district (Area H) and subject to the vehicle parking standards and policies established in the Downtown Precise Plan (June 2019). Chapter 36 Article 10 of the City Municipal Code also states bicycle parking requirements for community developments. Per Section 36.62.50 and 36.32.85 of the City Municipal Code and Table II-1 to Table II-2 of the Downtown Precise Plan, the proposed 756 California project land uses are required to provide the following minimum on-site parking:
• Retail (assumed use due to unknown future ground floor tenant) o One (1) vehicle parking space per 300 square-feet of gross floor area o Ground floor uses in Area H are exempt from parking requirements o Bicycle parking equal to five (5) percent of required vehicle spaces
• Administrative and Corporate Office (assumed use due to unknown future second floor tenant) o One (1) vehicle parking space per 333 square-feet of gross floor area o For upper floors, up to 100% of required parking can be supplied with in-lieu fees o Bicycle parking equal to five (5) percent of required vehicle spaces
• Medical and Dental (Dental Fabulous third floor tenant) o One (1) vehicle parking space per 166 square-feet of gross floor area o For upper floors, up to 100% of required parking can be supplied with in-lieu fees o Bicycle parking equal to five (5) percent of required vehicle spaces
The existing dental office site is eligible for a parking credit of up to eight (8) parking spaces. Based on the parking ratios and parking credits, the project is required to provide a minimum total of 14 on-site vehicle parking spaces and 1 on-site bicycle parking space for the proposed office, retail, and dental uses.
The project site plan does not provide on-site vehicle parking spaces; however, the project site plan proposes up to two (2) short-term bicycle spaces along Blossom Lane and up to four (4) long-term bicycle spaces in a ground floor storage room.
Based on the project description, the site plan satisfies the City’s bicycle parking standard but does not meet the minimum vehicle parking requirements. The project applicant intends to implement a Transportation Demand Management (TDM) plan and/or pay a fee in lieu of parking in conformance with City parking standards and policies pending coordination with City staff.
Table 2 summarizes the vehicle and bicycle parking requirements for the 756 California project.
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28 Table 2 – Project Parking Supply and Requirements
6.2 Vehicle Parking Demand
Table 3 provides a summary of on-site vehicle parking demand for the existing site and the proposed project utilizing the following parking demand rates:
• Small Office Building land use from ITE Parking Generation Manual 5th Edition (ITE Code 712) o Weekday average peak demand of 2.56 vehicles per 1,000 square-feet of floor space o Applied to future retail and office tenant spaces (4,713 square-feet)
• Medical-Dental Office land use from ITE Parking Generation Manual 5th Edition (ITE Code 720) o Weekday average peak demand of 3.23 vehicles per 1,000 square-feet of floor space o Applied to existing and future Dental Fabulous tenant (2,396 square-feet)
GUIDELINE
SOURCE
PARKING
TYPE LAND USE PARKING STANDARD PER
GUIDELINE
PROJECT
SIZE
(SQFT)
VEHICLE
PARKING
(# SPACES)
BICYCLE
PARKING
(# SPACES)
Retai l 1 vehi cl e space per 300 SQFT
Area H Ground Floor uses exempt 2,139 0 -
A dm inistrative /
Corporate Office 1 vehi cl e space per 333 SQFT 2,574 8 - Medi cal / Dental 1 vehi cl e space per 166 SQFT 2,396 14 - Retai l - - 0
A dm inistrative /
Corporate Office - - 0
Medi cal / Dental - - 1
7,109 22 1
8 14 1
- 0 6
- NO YES
-
TDM Plan
and/or In-
Lieu Parking
Fees
N/A
Proposed parking supply based on project description from applicant Parking requirements based on Mountain View Municipal Code and Downtown Precise Plan Proposed Parking Supply
Mountain
Vi ew
Downtown
Preci se
Plan
Mountain
Vi ew
Municipal
Code
Ve hicle
Bicycle Bicycle parking equal to 5% of
requi red vehi cl e spaces
Subtotal Parking Requirement
NOTES:
SQFT = Square Feet; GFA = Gross Fl oor Area
Sufficient On-Site Parking?
Parking Mitigation
Total Parking Requirement
Existing Parking Credit (Current Dental Office)
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29 Table 3 – Estimated ITE Parking Demand for Existing and Project Conditions
LAND USE / DESCRIPTION AVG 33% 85%
Parking Demand Rates (ITE)
Sm all Office Building [712] Per KSF 2.56 2.12 4.17
Me dical Office Building [720] Per KSF 3.23 2.73 4.59
Project Conditions
Dental Fabulous Office Tenant (Floor 3) 2.40 KSF 8 7 11 Pote ntial Office Te nant (Floor 2) 2.57 KSF 7 5 11
Pote ntial Re tail Te nant (Floor 1) 2.14 KSF 5 5 9
20 17 31
Existing Conditions
Existing Dental Fabulous Office -2.40 KSF (8) (7) (11)
(8) (7) (11)
12 10 20
The e xisting de ntal office will re m ain with no e xpansion of se rvice s. Existing parking condition for project is the same demand generated by the proposed dental use.
PROJECT
SIZE
ITE Small Office and Medical Office Building Land Uses assumed based on proposed site plan from Studio 02 (12/05/2018). For conservative analysis, Small Office assumed for unknown retail tenant.
Gross Project Parking Demand
Net Total Parking Demand
Notes:
Parking demand based on ITE Parking Generation Manual 5th Edition Gross Project Parking Demand
8am 9am 10am 11am N oon 1pm 2pm 3pm 4pm 5pm 6pm 7pm 8pm Sm all Office Building [712] 27% 69% 88% 100% 81% 81% 84% 86% 92% 85% 4% 0% 0% M
e dical Office Building [720] 43% 88% 99% 100% 83% 74% 94% 93% 86% 54% 0% 0% 0% Potential Office and Retail Tenant (F1,F2) 3 8 11 12 10 10 10 10 11 10 0 0 0 Dental Fabulous Office Tenant (F3) 3 7 8 8 7 6 8 7 7 4 0 0 0 Gross Total Parking Demand 7 15 18 20 16 16 18 18 18 15 0 0 0 Notes:
Parking demand based on ITE Parking Generation Manual 5th Edition Project Conditions
Parking Demand Percentages (ITE)
LAND USE DESCRIPTION AVERAGE DEMAND PER TIME OF DAY
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Traffic and Parking Study (Final Submittal)
30 conducted for City owned Parking Lot 6 and Parking Lot 7. It is assumed that the increased parking demand from the project would only utilize Parking Lot 6 and 7 for the purposes of this study.
To verify the availability of parking spaces at Parking Lot 6 and Parking Lot 7 during the project’s peak operating times, an actual parking count was conducted. For most public parking, it is typical for commercial areas with mixed tenants to have shared parking utilization with each tenant land use having different parking peaks throughout the day. As a result, an occupancy count was performed to confirm if the combined demand for parking is less than what typical parking rates and requirements would indicate.
6.3 Downtown Parking Action Plan
The City of Mountain View conducted a parking study to increase public parking capacity within the existing public parking system, reduce public parking demand, and provide a roadmap on how to implement paid parking in the downtown district. In January 2019, the Downtown Parking Action Plan (PAP) was prepared by Dixon Resources Unlimited to implement an effective and efficient parking program for the City. To help with the overall management of the downtown public parking facilities, the PAP collected parking occupancy counts on April 25-28, 2018 (Wednesday through Saturday) from 10AM to 8PM.
From the data collected, weekdays had the highest average parking demand for Parking Lot 6 and Parking Lot 7, with the peak parking demand occurring during the 12PM lunch and 6PM dinner hours.
For the weekend, parking demand was low throughout the day until the evening dinner hours. The parking occupancy data for the downtown parking facilities are attached in the Appendix.
6.4 Vehicle Parking Lot Occupancy Survey
Parking occupancy counts were conducted at Parking Lot 6 and Parking Lot 7 to document the existing parking occupancy and demand. Parking occupancy was observed at 11AM and 4PM on Wednesday August 28, 2019. Both the 11AM and 4PM survey times on a typical weekday represent the peak parking demand period for the project land uses based on ITE parking study data. In addition, the survey times represents the typical morning and afternoon peak hour for commercial and retail land uses in the downtown area.
The existing Parking Lot 6 provides of a total of 99 vehicle parking spaces while Parking Lot 7 provides a total of 97 vehicle parking spaces. When combining Parking Lot 6 and Parking Lot 7, a total of 182 parking spaces (93% of the 196 spaces available) were observed to be occupied at 11AM and 166 parking spaces (85% of the 196 spaces available) were observed to be occupied at 4PM.
Table 4 summarizes the existing Lot 6 and Lot 7 parking occupancy count and the forecasted parking occupancy with buildout of the proposed project. With project implementation, the shared Parking Lot 6 and 7 are anticipated to have a total of 194 occupied parking spaces (99% of the total spaces) during 11AM and 178 occupied parking spaces (91% of the total spaces) during 4PM which indicates a shortfall of available parking.
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Traffic and Parking Study (Final Submittal)
31 Table 4 – Parking Occupancy Count (Existing and Project Conditions)
When considering shared parking principles, Parking Lot 6 and Parking Lot 7 are anticipated to have insufficient parking spaces under peak weekday condition with project implementation. It should be noted that the 85% occupancy threshold is a typical parking industry standard that reflects when drivers will typically spend excess time and have trouble finding open spaces in parking lots with capacity above 85%. The combined existing parking occupancy for Lot 6 and 7 during the peak period already exceeds the 85% occupancy threshold, and the project is anticipated to create a significant parking impact that would exceed the existing parking supply and parking condition.
6.5 Vehicle On-Street Parking Occupancy Survey
On-street parking occupancy counts were also collected on California Street and Hope Street adjacent to the project site, Parking Lot 6, and Parking Lot 7. The on-street parking count was observed at 11AM and 4PM during the peak parking demand period for the project land uses based on ITE parking study data.
The results of the on-street parking count and the forecasted parking occupancy with buildout of the proposed project are summarized in Table 5. During the AM peak, on-street parking next to the project was fully occupied apart from Hope Street between California Street and Dana Street. During the PM peak, some on-street parking is available next to the project on California Street and Hope Street.
Assuming all project trips utilize nearby on-street parking spaces, the total on-street parking condition would have insufficient parking capacity to accommodate the additional project trips. For the peak periods, the total parking occupancy would exceed or reach the 85% parking occupancy threshold.
It should be noted that the on-street parking count represents a single day of data and does not reflect typical weekday parking conditions. Based on the results, adjacent on-street parking would generally not be available for employees and patrons accessing the project during the AM and PM peak parking demand if Parking Lot 6 and 7 are fully occupied.
TIME OF
DAY
NET
PROJECT
PARKING
DEMAND
(# SPACES)
TOTAL
OCCUPIED
PARKING
WITH
PROJECT
PARKING
OCCUPANCY
WITH
PROJECT (%)
ADEQUATE
PARKING?
(<85%)
- LOT 6 LOT 7 TOTAL LOT 6 LOT 7 TOTAL LOT 6 LOT 7 TOTAL - - - - 11:00 AM 95 87 182 96% 90% 93% 12 194 99% NO
4:00 PM 92 74 166 93% 76% 85% 12 178 91% NO
99 97 196
PARKING SUPPLY
(# SPACES)
OCCUPIED PARKING
(# SPACES)
EXISTING PARKING
OCCUPANCY (%)
Parking count observed on Wednesday August 28, 2019
NOTES:
85% parking occupany assumed as the maximum parking capacity threshold for adequate parking operations. 756 California Street Development
Traffic and Parking Study (Final Submittal)
32 Table 5 – On-Street Parking Occupancy Count (Existing and Project Conditions)
6.6 Parking Strategies and Recommendations
T
he project is anticipated to create a significant parking impact that would exceed the existing parking supply and parking condition, since the adjacent City owned lots and on-street spaces are already operating at peak capacity.
The project is located in the Downtown Parking District, Area H, which allows up to 100% of required parking to be paid through an in-lieu fee. Based on the Downtown parking requirements, the project requires 14 parking spaces. The project lot size is only 0.07-acres and due to its small size and configuration, is unable to accommodate any on-site parking. The project is proposing to pay the Parking-In-Lieu fee for all required parking. The project also proposes a Transportation Demand Management (TDM) Program to reduce parking demand on site.
An overview of applicable parking strategies that could be implemented for the project is described below. The potential parking strategies listed are not all inclusive for the project and would need to be coordinated between the project applicant and the City for approval.
Bicycle Parking, Showers, and Changing Facilities
The provision of bicycle parking and storage are important ways to enhance convenience and security for cyclists since inadequate facilities and fear of theft are major deterrents to bicycle transportation. In general, bicycle racks improve convenience for short-duration stops and bicycle storage facilities
ON-STREET
PARKING
S
UPPY (#
SPACES)
OCCUPIED
PARKING
(
#SPACES)
EXISTING
PARKING
O
CCUPANCY
(%)
ON-STREET
PARKING
S
UPPY (#
SPACES)
OCCUPIED
PARKING
(
#SPACES)
EXISTING
PARKING
O
CCUPANCY
(%)
ON-STREET
PARKING
S
UPPY (#
SPACES)
OCCUPIED
PARKING
(
#SPACES)
EXISTING
PARKING
O
CCUPANCY
(%)
11:00 AM 9 1 00% 17 47% 32 100%
4:00 PM 8 8 9% 19 53% 22 69%
ON-STREET
PARKING
S
UPPLY
OCCUPIED
PARKING
(
#SPACES)
EXISTING
PARKING
O
CCUPANCY
(%)
NET
PROJECT
P
ARKING
DEMAND
(# SPACES)
TOTAL
PARKING
W
ITH
PROJECT
PARKING
OCCUPANCY
W
ITH
PROJECT (%)
ADEQUATE
PARKING?
(
<85%)
11:00 AM 58 7 5% 12 70 91% NO
4:00 PM 49 6 4% 12 61 79% YES
85% parking occupany assumed as the maximum parking capacity threshold for adequate parking operations. 77 TIME OF
DAY
TOTAL
TIME OF
DAY
NOTES:
Parking count observed on Wednesday August 28, 2019
CALIFORNIA STREET
(CASTRO TO HOPE)
HOPE STREET
(CALIFORNIA TO DANA)
HOPE STREET
(CALIFORNIA TO MERCY)
9 36 32
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Traffic and Parking Study (Final Submittal)
33 improve security for longer-duration stops. Class I parking facilities are intended for long-term parking for employees and include bicycle lockers, restricted rooms, and enclosed cages. These on-site amenities can support biking and promote it as an alternative commuting method.
Bicycle Sharing
A bike share program provides flexibility for members to rent/borrow a bicycle and use it to travel to and from their destination. As of 2017, the City is no longer participating in the Bay Area Bike Share program but is currently pursuing options to join a new smart-bike sharing system. Alternatively, the project could also supply its own complimentary shared bicycles for tenants that can be stored in a on- site bike storage room.
Telecommuting/Flexible Work Schedule Program
Telecommuting allows employees to work remotely and reduces trips to the work site while flexible work schedules allow employees to modify their work hours to be able to use transit or other travel modes. Depending on project development, these policies can be incorporated into the retail and office component of the project site to encourage alternative transportation. Lease arrangements to tenants would adopt a telecommute/flexible work schedule with parameters to who is eligible to participate.
Guaranteed Ride Home Program
A guaranteed ride home (GRH) program provides an occasional subsidized ride to commuters who use alternative modes and eliminates a common constraint to the use of alternative transportation. This TDM measure would provide a guaranteed ride home for people who do not drive to work alone to ensure they are not stranded if they need to go home in the middle of the day due to an emergency or stay late and need a ride at a time when transit service is not available. The applicant can augment the GRH program through partnering with a Transportation Network Company (TNC such as Uber, Lyft, or Sidecar) to provide reliable transportation options for non-drivers.
Rideshare Matching Services
A rideshare program helps facilitate carpool and vanpools by matching drivers and passengers based on location and schedules which provides convenience and promotes commuters to use alternative modes.
The applicant would promote existing rideshare services such as 511.org and vRide to its office and retail tenants to facilitate carpooling for the project. The applicant could also create a location map graphic to share the information about potential carpool matches.
Shuttle Services
The proposed project is located in Downtown Mountain View and is within walking distance (less than ¼ mile) to several VTA bus stops and transit centers. The walking and biking accessibility to these transit and shuttle routes will encourage commuters to take alternative transportation as a mean to get to and from their desired destinations.
Marketing and Information
A strong marketing campaign will increase awareness to retail and office tenants and will improve participation in alternative transportation programs. An on-site employee transportation coordinator could be established to manage the TDM program and serve as a liaison. The transportation coordinator can distribute the following for marketing its TDM plan:
• Information “Welcome” packets for new tenants
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Traffic and Parking Study (Final Submittal)
34 • Building / Project website with information and links to relevant TDM agencies, forms, and services
• Regularly published electronic newsletter and e-blasts • Information boards located in the lobby of the project posting updates to relevant TDM programs and incentives
• Describe the project’s TDM plan in the covenants, conditions, and restriction (CC&R) for tenants
6.7 TDM Monitoring, Evaluation, and Enforcement
The City will monitor the project’s TDM plan to ensure that the project remains compliant with their parking management strategy. After the development is constructed and the floor space is occupied, the property owner and/or transportation coordinator will need to maintain their contact information with the City. It is assumed that the property owner and/or on-site Transportation Coordinator will assume responsibility for implementing the ongoing TDM measures for the project site.
All new development or building additions greater than 1,000-square feet shall establish a peak period vehicle trip cap. The trip cap is the metric by which TDM compliance will be measured which is calculated based on a single occupancy vehicle (SOV) mode share and a carpool mode share as determined by the City.
To aid in the monitoring process, it is recommended to conduct an annual employee survey that will provide insight into the success of the various TDM measures. The survey would be used to determine the mode share between single-occupancy-vehicle trips and alternative transportation trips and employee feedback on how to modify less effective measures and expand upon successful ones.
The project’s TDM plan will need to be re-evaluated annually for the life of the project and have reports submitted to the City of Mountain View per the latest TDM guidelines. The report should include the following elements:
• Annual vehicle trip counts conducted by a third party • Status of all existing TDM programs including data on participation rates if available • Description of the data collection methodology
• Results of the employee TDM survey
• Evaluation of the site’s performance compared to the City’s requirements • Description of next steps (if needed) including future TDM modifications and implementation timeline.
If the vehicle trip count result in more trips than the trip cap, the property owner will need to adjust the TDM program to satisfy the required trip reduction measures. It is recommended that the TDM program review is conducted in conjunction with the employee survey results to identify refinements to existing strategies and new strategies to implement. Since some TDM measures take longer to implement and become widely used, the City may consider whether the property owner has made a good-faith effort to meet the TDM goals and may allow the property owner a certain “grace period” time. At the City’s discretion, the project may be given a grace period to adjust the TDM program before project trips counts are reassesse d.
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Traffic and Parking Study (Final Submittal)
35 If subsequent annual monitoring counts show the trip cap is still not being met, the City will assess a financial penalty based on the employer/property owner’s TDM and penalty programs developed by the City. These non-compliance penalties would be applied every year thereafter that the site is not in compliance with the established trip cap.
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36 6: Appendices
Appendix A – 756 California Street Site Plan
Appendix B – Santa Clara Countywide VMT Evaluation Tool Report Appendix C – Parking Rates from ITE Parking Generation Manual 5th Edition Appendix D – Downtown Parking Action Plan (January 2019) by Dixon Resources Unlimited
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Traffic and Parking Study (Final Submittal)
37 Appendix A – 756 California Street Site Plan
756 California Street Development
Traffic and Parking Study (Final Submittal)
38 Appendix B – Santa Clara Countwide VMT Evaluation Tool Report Santa Clara Countywide VMT Evaluation Tool Report
Project Details
Timestamp of Analysis: August 24, 2020, 05:14:14 PM
Project Name: 756 California
Project Description: Mixed Use Development
Project Location
Jurisdiction:
Mountain View
Inside Transit Priority Area (TPA)?
Yes (Pass)
APN TAZ
15823082 413
Analysis Details
Santa Clara Countywide VMT Evaluation Tool Version: 1
Data Version: VTA Countywide Model December 2019
Analysis Methodology: TAZ
Baseline Year: 2015
Project Land Use
Residential:
Single Family DU:
Multifamily DU:
Total DUs: 0
Non-Residential:
OKce %SF: 5
Local Serving Retail %SF: 2
Industrial %SF:
Residential Affordability (percent of all units):
Extremely Low Income: 0 k
Very Low Income: 0 k
Low Income: 0 k
ParWing:
Motor Vehicle ParWing:
Bicycle ParWing:
Santa Clara Countywide VMT Evaluation Tool Report
OKce Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) Screening Results
Land Use Type 1: OKce
VMT Hithout Project: .ome-based HorW VMT per HorWer
VMT Baseline Description 1: City Average
VMT Baseline Value 1: 18/54
VMT Threshold Description 1: -15k
Land Use 1 has been Pre-Screened by the Local Jurisdiction: N&A Hithout Project Hith Project G Tier 1-3 VMT
Reductions
Hith Project G All VMT Reductions
Project Fenerated Vehicle Miles
Traveled (VMT) Rate
15/83 15/82 14/44
Low VMT Screening Analysis No (Fail) No (Fail) Yes (Pass)
Santa Clara Countywide VMT Evaluation Tool Report
Tier 1 Project Characteristics
PC01 Increase Residential Density
Existing Residential Density: 16/05
Hith Project Residential Density: 16/05
PC02 Increase Residential Diversity
Existing Residential Diversity Index: 0/89
Hith Project Residential Diversity Index: 0/88
PC03 Affordable .ousing
PC04 Increase Employment Density
Existing Employment Density: 105/42
Hith Project Employment Density: 106/84
Santa Clara Countywide VMT Evaluation Tool Report
Tier 2 Multimodal Infrastructure
Santa Clara Countywide VMT Evaluation Tool Report
Tier 3 ParWing
Santa Clara Countywide VMT Evaluation Tool Report
Tier 4 TDM Programs
TP04 CTR MarWeting and Education
CTR MarWeting&Education Percent
Expected Participants:
15 k
TP08 Telecommuting and Alternative HorW Schedules
Telecommuting and Alternative HorW
Schedule Type:
4&40 schedule
TP13 Ride-Sharing Programs
Expected Percent of Ride-Sharing
Participants:
15 k
756 California Street Development
Traffic and Parking Study (Final Submittal)
39 Appendix C – Parking Rates from ITE Parking Generation Manual 5th Edition
756 California Street Development
Traffic and Parking Study (Final Submittal)
40 Appendix D – Downtown Parking Action Plan (January 2019) by Dixon Resources Unlimited