CITY OF SAN MATEO
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CITY OF SAN MATEO
Agenda Report
City Hall
330 W. 20th Avenue
San Mateo CA 94403
www.cityofsanmateo.org
Agenda Number: 1 Section Name: {{section.name}} Account Number: 10-4666 File ID: {{item.tracking_number}} TO: City Council
FROM: Alex Khojikian, City Manager
PREPARED BY: Public Works Department
MEETING DATE: November 06, 2023
SUBJECT:
Citywide Transportation Demand Management Ordinance – Update RECOMMENDATION:
Receive an informational update on the Citywide Transportation Demand Management Ordinance effort and provide feedback to staff.
BACKGROUND:
The purpose of this agenda report is to familiarize City Council with the current practice of Transportation Demand Management (TDM) in San Mateo, and the effort to develop a Citywide TDM Ordinance. City staff is seeking City Council feedback on specific policy direction regarding compliance and monitoring for the development of the future ordinance.
The questions for Council consideration this evening are:
•Monitoring Frequency: How often should projects be monitored for compliance with trip reduction requirements? •Non-Compliant Projects: What potential consequences for non-compliant projects, including being placed in a provisional state, financial penalties, and/or revocation of certificates of occupancy should be considered? TDM is focused on helping people utilize the transportation infrastructure in place for transit, ridesharing, walking, biking, etc. Programs typically consist of information, encouragement, built infrastructure, and incentives to help make users aware of and use all transportation options available to optimize all modes. Currently, the City requires the development of TDM plans for development projects in the Rail Corridor Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) area to reach a trip reduction goal of 25%. Additionally, policy from the City/County Association of Governments of San Mateo County (C/CAG) requires that projects with 100 net new daily trips must prepare a TDM plan and meet certain trip reduction requirements by implementing these programs. However, outside of the Rail Corridor TOD area, the City lacks required trip reduction goals or TDM implementation. Based on past practice, staff has strongly encouraged projects outside of the Rail Corridor TOD area to incorporate TDM plans despite the lack of a minimum trip reduction requirement.
Aligned with City Council priorities to reduce traffic congestion, Public Works and Community Development staff sought grant funding through the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC)’s Priority Development Area (PDA) technical assistance grant program to pursue development of a Citywide TDM Ordinance. Staff was notified in May 2021 that the application was successful, and MTC awarded the City $150,000 in technical assistance for the effort. Staff began working with MTC in June 2021 to develop the scope of work for the project work.
The Citywide TDM Ordinance envisions a comprehensive approach to transportation demand management by recommending trip reduction goals throughout the City, expanding on the requirements currently in place in the Rail Corridor TOD area. The project will propose updates to the San Mateo Municipal Code and develop Program Guidelines to
CITY OF SAN MATEO
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provide detail and guidance for staff and the development community to implement trip reduction goals for projects in San Mateo. The project aims to provide the City Council with options for a systematic approach to trip reduction for development projects to support the multimodal transportation network by providing education, incentives, and encouragement to utilize other transportation modes. This project will establish trip reduction goals to support reduction in vehicle miles traveled (VMT) and parking requirements, both in areas where minimum parking requirements are prohibited under Assembly Bill 2097 applies, and other portions of the City. The development of a Citywide approach to TDM will align with the General Plan 2040 Update, Climate Action Plan, Complete Streets Plan, and regional policy, including the MTC Transit-Oriented Communities (TOC) policy, to help maintain the City’s eligibility for future grant funding.
City staff, in collaboration with a consultant team led by Fehr and Peers, will be evaluating methodologies and potential thresholds that meet the needs of the City and its community while complying with the requirements of SB 743. The staff presentation at this meeting will include the following. •Project Overview: Introduction to the project effort, goals, and objectives, and summary of work plan and progress to date.
•Stakeholder Engagement: Structure of stakeholder engagement and summary of feedback from initial meetings. •Commission Feedback: Staff and the consultant team have presented progress on the Citywide TDM Ordinance to the Planning and Sustainability and Infrastructure Commissions during Summer 2023. An overview of feedback from both commissions will be provided and has been incorporated into the work. •Proposed TDM Strategies: Measures proposed to be included in the Ordinance for implementation by development projects in order to meet requirements.
•Compliance and Monitoring Guidelines: Overview of draft guidelines for monitoring, including policy questions for consideration and feedback.
Following the presentation, City Council will be asked to provide feedback on specific policy direction regarding compliance and monitoring for the future ordinance as described above.
Following this informational meeting, staff and the consultant team will continue project work to develop a recommended TDM policy framework based on the policy feedback provided by City Council. Staff will return to the Council in mid-2024 to present the draft Ordinance and guidelines.
BUDGET IMPACT:
There is no budget impact associated with this informational update. The Citywide TDM Ordinance is fully funded through a technical assistance grant from the Metropolitan Transportation Commission.
ENVIRONMENTAL DETERMINATION:
This Citywide TDM Ordinance update is not a project subject to CEQA, because it is an organizational or administrative activity that will not result in direct or indirect physical changes in the environment. (CEQA Guidelines Section 15378(b)(5).) A CEQA analysis will be completed for the Ordinance when it is finalized and presented for adoption.
NOTICE PROVIDED
All meeting noticing requirements were met.
ATTACHMENTS
Att 1 – Stakeholder Focus Groups Summary
STAFF CONTACT
Sue-Ellen Atkinson, Principal Transportation Planner
[email protected]
(650) 522-7288