Planning Commission Report
1 Planning Commission Meeting: June 5, 2013
Originally Scheduled for May 1, 2013
Agenda Item: 8-A
To: Planning Commission
From: Jory Phillips, Deputy Director – Special Projects Subject: Zoning Ordinance Update: Transportation Demand Management Introduction
The City of Santa Monica’s Transportation Demand Management program is an important component in implementing the Land Use and Circulation Element’s policies to proactively manage congestion and to achieve no net new PM-peak hour trips by 2030. The City currently administers a wide-reaching Transportation Demand Management (TDM) program to reduce vehicle trips and address air quality. However, LUCE mandates an even broader reach with more impact.
TDM measures range from providing information about options such as carpooling, carsharing, and vanpooling; to requiring facilities to accommodate alternatives such as bicycles and transit; to providing incentives such as transit passes and parking ―cashout‖; to meeting specific targets such as Average Vehicle Ridership (AVR) or trip counts. These tools to minimize single occupancy vehicle trips can be implemented by employers or by developers/ building owners individually and can also be implemented as part of a larger area administered or augmented by a Transportation Management Organization (TMO) or Association (TMA).
This report includes background information on TDM, including an overview of the City’s existing TDM programs that implement state and local agency requirements and existing TDM thresholds. It also summarizes LUCE TDM goals and policies, briefly discusses the recommendations found in the attached consultant report, and re-poses the questions also found in the consultant report, Attachment A.
The TDM recommendations summarized below and described in the attached report include:
Revising and defining requirements for buildings (developers) and businesses (tenants or employers);
Incorporating requirements for residential and mixed-use development; 2 Revising thresholds for employers, revising square footage thresholds for nonresidential development, and establishing residential unit TDM thresholds; Setting higher Average Vehicle Ridership (AVR) targets based on size and location of projects.
Background
LUCE Goals, Objectives, Policies
LUCE Goal T19 seeks to limit total peak period vehicle trips with a Santa Monica origin or destination to 2009 levels. A number of LUCE policies and actions support this aggressive goal (see attachment B, the portion of the LUCE circulation chapter pertaining to TDM); several of the goals most pertinent to this effort are:
Policy T19.2: Impose appropriate Transportation Demand Management (TDM) requirements for new development;
Policy T19.9: Strengthen the Transportation Management Ordinance to further reduce trips generated by existing employees;
Policy T20.6: Foster the success of Transportation Management Organizations (TMOs) in the City’s commercial districts, and leverage transportation funds through the TMOs; and
PolicyT21.1: Regularly update the TDM requirements for new development.
Recognizing different levels of demand and automobile use, the LUCE includes Demand Management Districts (DMDs) among the tools to establish goals for vehicle use (see page 4.0-59 in Attachment B). The DMDs call for monitoring and enforcing vehicle use at different levels, based on location. For instance, downtown would have the highest goal for producing the lowest vehicle trips, as would locations in the immediate vicinity of future light rail stations and high capacity transit stops. Areas along the boulevards, which are better served by transit, would have a higher standard applied than the rest of the city, where base requirements would apply.
The City’s Current Programs:
Chapter 9.16 of the Municipal Code, Transportation Management, includes employer trip reduction regulations. These provisions were adopted in 1991 to address the City and regional goals of minimizing peak hour automobile commute trips—consequently reducing traffic and emissions—and ensuring City compliance with the South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD) Rule 2202. Currently the Transportation Management chapter accomplishes this by targeting the commute patterns during morning and afternoon peak hours. Approximately 758 employers, employing over 40,000 employees throughout the City, are covered by the chapter. 3 The Transportation Management regulations differ for small and large employers.
Employers with 10 to 49 employees (small employers) participate by making employees aware of different commute options and providing information specific to the worksite to encourage employees to change their commute if they are driving alone. These employers submit an annual plan that outlines the type of ridesharing information provided to employees and how that information was distributed to employees (bulletin board, company newsletter, e-mail, flyers, information on company internal webpage, etc.). There are currently 598 regulated employers in this category, employing 13,483 employees.
Large employers with 50 or more employees are required to implement an emission reduction plan. There are currently 160 regulated large employers employing 26,635 employees in the City. Large employers must meet established emission reduction goals and conduct annual surveys of employees to determine if they have achieved the established emission reduction goal. The emission reduction goal established by the SCAQMD for Santa Monica is a 1.5 Average Vehicle Ridership per employer. By California State Law, the City must provide employers with at least two options to reach their emission reduction goal.
Option 1: Mobile Source Emission Reduction Credits (MSERC). An employer may purchase MSERCs to meet their emission reduction goal. If an employer’s annual survey of employee commute trips shows that they do not meet the AVR target of 1.5, the employer may purchase MSERCs from a licensed broker to bridge the gap between the actual AVR and the Target AVR. Currently, 31 of the 160 regulated large employers participate in the MSERC program.
Option 2: Employee Trip Reduction Plan. An employer may implement a trip reduction plan designed to reduce the number of drive alone trips among their employees by offering marketing programs and incentives to encourage employees to carpool, vanpool, walk, bike, take transit, telecommute, etc. rather than driving alone. The majority of Santa Monica’s large employers, 129 of the 160 regulated large employers, choose to implement Employee Trip Reduction Plans.
Administration Fee
Under the current provisions, all employers with ten or more employees are also subject to a per-employee annual transportation fee of $16.35 per employee for small employers and $12.23 per employee for large employers. The fee currently covers the costs of administration and enforcement of the employer trip reduction ordinance. This fee is proposed for updating as a part of the FY13-15 budget adoption process. 4 Employer Average Vehicle Ridership
Employer Average Vehicle Ridership (AVR) is calculated by dividing the number of persons traveling to a worksite by the number of private vehicles traveling to that worksite. In Santa Monica employers are asked to calculate AVR for the morning peak period (6:00 a.m.-10:00 a.m.) and afternoon peak period (3:00 p.m.-7:00 p.m.) during a typical five-day work week. To achieve the AVR employer target of 1.5, 33 out of 100 employees would need to ridershare.
100 employees = 1.5 AVR
66 vehicles
Currently sixty percent of the City’s large employers have met their goal, achieving an AVR Target of 1.5 or better for both the morning and afternoon peak hours.
Monitoring and Enforcement
Small employers are required to submit plans to the City annually along with their transportation fees. These plans are subject to City review and audit. There are currently no survey requirements or AVR targets for small employers. Large employers must submit more detailed plans that include annual commute survey data, a description of the incentives or marketing strategies they provide, verification of MSERC purchase (if an employer chooses that option), and payment of the annual transportation fees. Plans are reviewed by City staff for accuracy and effectiveness.
Small and large employers who do not submit their plans are subject to violation fines.
Per state law, large employers implementing an Employee Trip Reduction Plan are not penalized for failure to meet their AVR Target. However, large employers are incentivized to meet and maintain their AVR Target through the provision of significant Employer Transportation Fee discounts (up to a 60% reduction in the fees per employee).
Developer Trip Reduction
Chapter 9.16 of the Municipal Code also implements the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s (Metro) Congestion Management Program (CMP) requirements. The CMP is intended to link land use decisions with transportation impacts. Metro requires the City to submit an annual CMP Local Development Report after City Council holds a public hearing and certifies that the City complies with Metro’s CMP program requirements. The City must also conduct biennial traffic counts for selected arterial intersections on Metro’s CMP Network and analyze the impacts of new development on the CMP system as part of the environmental review process.
Conformance with the CMP is required in order for the City to maintain its eligibility for state and federal funding for transportation projects and a portion of its allocated State gas tax funds authorized under Section 2105 of the State Streets and Highways Code. 5 A subset of the CMP focuses on TDM and requires the incorporation of ―TDM friendly‖ development standards into the project design, such as pedestrian orientation and carpool/vanpool parking, and giving future tenants the ability to more effectively implement TDM programs. The applicable development standards are triggered when a new project exceeds established gross square footage thresholds. The requirements are currently implemented through the City’s development standards and Development Agreement negotiations.
Draft Recommendations
To strengthen the TDM ordinance, the following changes are recommended:
Revising thresholds for employers, revising square footage thresholds for nonresidential development, and establishing residential unit TDM thresholds; Revising and defining requirements for buildings (developers) and businesses (tenants or employers);
Incorporating requirements for residential and mixed-use development; Setting higher Average Vehicle Ridership (AVR) targets based on size and location of projects.
The recommended changes would result in provisions that exceed those that the City is required to implement to meet the CMP and SCAQMD requirements discussed in the previous sections.
Proposed Thresholds
Staff proposes to establish the following TDM thresholds, above which base measures would apply:
All public and private employers, including the City of Santa Monica, that have a permanent place of business in the City and ten or more employees; Multi-family residential projects with 10 or more units; Mixed-use projects with 10 more residential units or 7,500 square feet or more of non-residential development;
Non-residential projects with 7,500 square feet of gross floor area or more; and Any property or business owner proposing a change in the use of non-residential property that would result in or accommodate an increase in the number of average daily trips by 10 percent or more or would increase the floor area of an existing building with at least 7,500 square feet of floor area by 10 percent or more.
6 Proposed Developer TDM Requirements
Measures proposed as standards in the Ordinance are based on gross floor area and are listed in the chart in Appendix A to the consultant report (Attachment A). Appendix A also shows how Transportation Demand Management Districts (DMDs) identified in the LUCE would be implemented: applicable projects in higher- or highest-goal areas would provide the measures with boxes checked in that column. Base requirements would vary depending on the size of the project.
In addition to stipulating AVR goals that vary by DMD location, the updated Ordinance would require new development to comply with specific standards for providing bicycle parking, preferential parking for car and van pools, subsidized transit, guaranteed ride home and other trip reduction measures depending on project size. The current Ordinance requires applicable new non-residential development to submit ―emission reduction plans‖ designed to achieve AVR goals. Measures can primarily be selected by individual developers and employers.
Proposed Employer TDM Requirements
Employers will continue to prepare and implement plans (called trip reduction plans rather than emission reduction plans) to comply with SCAQM requirements and will participate in standards set for buildings as part of a project approval. The requirements for employers will continue to be tied to the number of employees.
Proposed Residential TDM Requirements
LUCE Goal T21 states that the City should use all available tools to make the most effective possible use of the transportation system. The policies to achieve this goal include updating TDM requirements for new development, triggering TDM requirements for new development consistent with LUCE performance standards, and incentivizing new multi-family and nonresidential development to include design elements that will enable price control for parking. (LUCE p. 4.0-64).
The LUCE does not specifically propose to require TDM for residential uses, but some measures can be applied to new residential development to help reduce vehicle trips.
The proposed TDM requirements for residential projects vary depending on project size and DMD location. Developers of residential projects subject to the TDM requirements would have to incorporate TDM measures in a tentative map or development plan application and be required to notify future buyers and tenants of the features provided as a condition of approval. In addition to designing projects to provide easy pedestrian and bicycle access, developers would have to accommodate features such as secure bicycle parking, reserved spaces for car sharing, kiosks or bulletin boards offering 7 information about trip reduction programs, and, depending on project size, may also have to install bus turnouts, shelters or bus stops.
Questions for the Planning Commission
1. Instead of a threshold based on the projected number of trips per hour, the proposed ordinance would apply TDM requirements to non-residential projects that include 7,500 square feet or more of floor area. Is 7,500 square feet an appropriate threshold for non-residential projects?
2. The proposed regulations would extend developer TDM requirements to apply to residential and mixed-use development. Is a 10-unit threshold appropriate?
3. The proposed TDM requirements would apply to changes to the use of nonresidential property that would result in or accommodate an increase in the number of average daily trips by 10 percent or more and additions that would increase the floor area of an existing building with at least 7,500 square feet of floor area by 10 percent or more. Are these thresholds appropriate triggers? Should the City also enact requirements to ensure that TDM programs continue to apply when there is a change of occupancy or use that does not require discretionary zoning approval? Attachments
A. Dyett & Bhatia TDM Report
B. LUCE TDM goals and policies
8 ATTACHMENT A
Dyett & Bhatia TDM Report
Zoning Ordinance Update
Santa Monica Zoning Ordinance Update
Transportation Demand Management:
Issues and Recommendations
Prepared for
The City of Santa Monica
By
Revised April 2013
Santa Monica Zoning Ordinance Update
2 Transportation Demand Management
April 24, 2013
3 Contents
Introduction and Overview...................................................................................... 4 Discussion and Key Policy Questions..................................................................... 5 Regional Requirements................................................................................................................................ 5 LUCE Framework........................................................................................................................................ 6 Santa Monica’s Existing TDM Regulations............................................................................................. 7 PROPOSED TDM Regulations................................................................................................................ 8 Key Policy Questions................................................................................................................................... 9 Proposed Transportation Demand Management Regulations..............................11 Appendix A: Proposed Trip Reduction Measures by DMD and Project Size.......19 Santa Monica Zoning Ordinance Update
4 Introduction and Overview
This paper discusses approaches to revising the provisions in Chapter 9.16, Transportation Demand Management (TDM), to implement the LUCE’s policies and proposals for managing traffic congestion and associated impacts on the environment and the quality of life in Santa Monica by sharply reducing single occupancy vehicle trips. Changes from the version the Planning Commission received in January include additional detail regarding the proposed wording of the Transportation Demand Management regulations and revisions to Appendix A to clarify applicability of proposed TDM measures. The existing requirements, which the City adopted in 1991 and substantially revised in 1996, are intended to comply with requirements of the South Coast Air Quality Management District and Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s Congestion Management Program. The proposed revisions are a major component of the City’s strategy for achieving the LUCE’s goal of No Net New Evening Peak Period Vehicle Trips by 2030.
The purposes of revising TDM regulations include:
1. Implementing LUCE Goals and Policies
2. Clearly separating requirements for employers and developments
3. Developing more specific thresholds for new development requirements
4. Requiring additional TDM improvements above and beyond Metro CMP requirements for various thresholds
5. Including residential developments.
6. Clarifying provisions for monitoring, reporting, and enforcement for developments.
7. Removing references to Emission Reduction plans.
Transportation Demand Management
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5 Discussion and Key Policy Questions
The transportation sector is the largest source of emissions in California, contributing up to 36 percent of all statewide Greenhouse Gases (GHG) emissions. Because the distribution of land uses has a major effect on Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT), land use decisions also affect the proportion of GHG emissions generated by the transportation sector. VMT can, therefore, be translated into tailpipe emissions per mile traveled.
Transportation emissions constitute about 40 percent of all GHG emissions in Santa Monica and, of that, about three quarters come from passenger vehicles. Even though Santa Monica’s per capita emission rates are already about half that of more auto-dependent places in Southern California (LUCE p. 4.0-4), the LUCE creates a framework to achieve further reductions in GHG emissions through a variety of measures including programs and regulations that can reduce trips by managing transportation demand.
Transportation Demand Management (TDM) is the term given to a variety of measures that encourage people to change their mode or time of travel, with requirements or incentives to utilize alternatives to the single occupant vehicle to manage congestion and reduce GHG. TDM strategies are one of the most effective ways to accommodate change in an environmentally sensitive manner. Although it is impossible to eliminate congestion entirely in Santa Monica, especially near popular destinations, the City can promote additional changes that would improve the city’s livability. The effectiveness in reducing auto trips and traffic congestion ultimately depends on the alternatives available and choices made by individuals. If people decide to drive (instead of biking, walking, or using public transit) to a site with limited parking, they will end up increasing local congestion in their search for scarce available spaces. Unlimited free or subsidized parking will also increase congestion by encouraging people to drive if it is the easiest option compared to other choices. It is crucial to have a holistic transportation strategy to reduce automobile trips particularly during peak travel times.
REGIONAL REQUIREMENTS
Two regional agencies currently require cities in Los Angeles County to impose trip reduction measures for different purposes. The South Coast Air Quality Management District focuses on GHG emission reduction and the requirements apply to employers with 250 or more employees. The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s Congestion Management Program (CMP) focuses on trip reduction requirements to address congestion. The CMP standards apply to non-residential development projects over 25,000 square feet. Santa Monica’s current Transportation Management Ordinance (SMMC Chapter 9.16) is intended to comply with both sets of requirements, which are described in more detail below.
South Coast Air Quality Management District
South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD) has adopted an air quality management plan to maintain the California Clean Air Act air quality standards. It has established regulations to reduce pollution generated by commuter travel. Rule 2202 applies to employers with 250 or more employees, and defines an Employee Commute Reduction Program (ECRP) to meet average vehicle ridership (AVR) goal of 1.3-1.75 (depending on geographic location) persons per vehicle in the AM peak period of 6:00-10:00 am. SCAQMD Santa Monica Zoning Ordinance Update
6 calculates AVR as the total number of employee trips divided by the total number of employees for a oneweek survey period. Additionally, the SCAQMD requires employers subject to Rule 2202 to provide a survey to ascertain the level of success in achieving the goals of reducing vehicle trips in order to achieve corresponding reductions in emissions. An employer subject to this Rule registers annually to implement their emission reduction program for each worksite. Santa Monica’s Transportation Ordinance, with thresholds under 250 employees and also requiring an annual survey to demonstrate compliance with its worksite reduction target, meets and exceeds the District’s requirements and identifies compliance the Rule 2202 as one of the purposes of the Ordinance.
Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s (Metro) Congestion Management Program (CMP) coordinates land use and transportation policy for L.A. County. To comply with the Metro CMP, Santa Monica must report certain information on new development projects, follow the program’s guidelines for analyzing traffic impacts of new development, and implement programs and regulation to discourage peak-hour auto travel. The City must also self-certify conformance. Cities must also submit biennial traffic counts designated by Metro to be part of the CMP network. Local jurisdictions are required to conform to the CMP requirements in order to continue receiving a portion of state gas tax money and also to remain eligible for state and federal funding for transportation projects. While the primary objective of the CMP’s TDM program is to reduce regional congestion, it is also designed to complement SCAQMD’s Rule 2202, which calls on large employers to use TDM, as well as other strategies to reduce mobile source emissions.
LUCE FRAMEWORK
In addition to being responsible for meeting the requirements of regional air quality and congestion management agencies, the City must also implement its own land use and circulation policies set forth in the LUCE. The LUCE recommends a very aggressive program for TDM and sets high TDM targets, with the goal of limiting total peak period vehicle trips with a Santa Monica origin or destination to 2009 levels by the year 2030. Achieving the LUCE objectives would require the City to assume significant responsibilities for managing its transportation system through the establishment of new programs, as well as continuing implementation of current ones. These provisions would exceed those that the City is required to implement in order to meet the CMP and SCAQMD regulations discussed in the previous sections.
In addition to strengthening existing TDM requirements, the LUCE proposes new Transportation Impact Fees (TIF) to fund facility improvements and designates TDM Districts that would make it easier to craft strategies tailored to the specific needs and circumstances in different areas of the city. Together with implementation of improvements to transit, pedestrian and bicycle facilities and land use policies that focus development along high frequency transit corridors, these measures are intended to help the City achieve the LUCE’s goal of No Net New Evening Peak Period Vehicle Trips. Among the City’s most powerful regulatory techniques for implementing the LUCE’s trip reduction policies are the transportation management requirements codified in Chapter 9.16 of the Municipal Code, and the careful regulation, pricing and provision of parking.
Transportation Demand Management
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7 The LUCE establishes maximum allowable building heights and densities as the baseline for each of the plan's five land use categories--neighborhoods, boulevards, mixed-use centers, employment and commerce, and community and public uses. Applicants desiring to develop projects that exceed the base height and density limits are subject to a discretionary review and must provide community benefits in compliance with a new set of regulations that will be included in the new ordinance. Applicants proposing projects that exceed the Tier 1 base height and density for the applicable district will be subject to approval of a Development Review Permit or Development Agreement and have to provide benefits.
Based on the direction of the most recent Staff proposal for implementing the LUCE’s community benefits policies, applicants proposing projects at Tier 2 would be required to pay additional TIF fees, which the City would use to fund a variety of transportation facilities pursuant to the TIF ordinance. Applicants seeking approval of projects that exceed the floor area and/or height the proposed Ordinance allows at Tier 2 would require a Development Agreement. Appendix A identifies a variety of trip reduction measures, some of which are anticipated to be base requirements, and others that may typically only be provided through the Development Agreement negotiation process. These measures include mechanisms and programs such as bicycle facilities, dedicated shuttles, car-sharing, transit passes, parking “cash-out,” and shared parking.
The LUCE also calls for new Demand Management Districts (DMDs), which would be established in transitoriented mixed-use areas such as the Downtown, Bergamot Transit Village, and Memorial Park Activity Center Overlay. (See LUCE pp. 4.0-58 to 4.0-62) The Districts are broken down into Highest Goal, Higher Goal, District-Wide Goal, and Major Transit Stop Zones. TDM strategies are then described for three sample land use types: Office, Commercial, Employment; Residential; and Schools. Strategies tailored to meet the specific characteristics of different areas could include Transportation Management Organizations or Associations (TMOs and TMAs), parking pricing, universal transit passes, tailored transit, carpool and vanpool programs, personalized travel assistance, and parking management. In order to limit total peak vehicle trips, there should be a combination of appropriate TDM requirements for new development, and incentives that encourage existing employers or multi-unit residences (for example by Home Owners Associations and property managers) to reduce vehicle trips.
SANTA MONICA’S EXISTING TDM REGULATIONS
The current TDM ordinance, which the City adopted in 1991 to implement State-mandated requirements for implementing the Los Angeles County Congestion Management Plan and last revised in 1996, includes requirements applicable to employers and to non-residential developers. Chapter 9.16 was intended to meet SCAQMD and CMP requirements but, as stated in the Findings (Section 9.16.010) it was also designed to implement policies of the City’s General Plan.
The requirements for employers distinguish among those with ten to 49 employees (Level 1), 50 to 249 employees (Level 2), and 250 or more employees (Level 3). Level 3 employers are also subject to the requirements of SCAQMD Rule 2202 for adoption of an Employee Commute Reduction Program (ECRP) to meet average vehicle ridership (AVR) goals. Level 1 employers must file a Worksite Transportation Plan that provides employees with information about alternative commute options. All employers of 50 or more employees must submit an Emission Reduction Plan. The ordinance includes several optional approaches for meeting the detailed requirements and all employers pay an annual fee for administration and enforcement.
Santa Monica Zoning Ordinance Update
8 In addition to requirements applicable to employers, the ordinance includes a separate set of regulations for developers of nonresidential projects expected to generate ten or more peak period trips who must submit emission reduction plans for City approval before receiving a building permit. Additional requirements apply to projects of 25,000 square feet or more and those with 100,000 square feet or more.
PROPOSED TDM REGULATIONS
Proposed Thresholds
To achieve the LUCE objectives for reducing per capita trips and to ensure that by 2030, new development under the LUCE does not generate a net increase in PM peak period vehicle trips, Staff is recommending the following thresholds, above which TDM measures would apply:
All public and private employers, including the City of Santa Monica, that have a permanent place of business in the City and ten or more employees;
Multi-family residential projects with 10 or more units; Mixed-use projects with 10 more residential units or 7,500 square feet or more of non-residential development;
Non-residential projects with 7,500 square feet of gross floor area or more; and Any property or business owner proposing a change in the use of non-residential property that would result in or accommodate an increase in the number of average daily trips by 10 percent or more or would increase the floor area of an existing building with at least 7,500 square feet of floor area by 10 percent or more.
Proposed Developer TDM Requirements
In contrast to the existing Ordinance, which only applies to nonresidential projects, the proposed Ordinance would extend the requirements to residential projects and mixed-use development. Appendix A sets forth a list of measures that the proposed Ordinance would establish as standards applicable to Tier 1 and Tier 2 projects based on gross floor area and the potential for reducing vehicle trips. This approach is intended to implement the LUCE’s identification of Transportation Demand Management Districts (DMDs) that reflect factors such as proximity to transit and current vehicle trip rates (LUCE pp. 4.0-58-59). In addition to stipulating AVR goals that vary by DMD location, the proposed Ordinance would require new development to comply with specific standards for providing bicycle parking, preferential parking for car and van pools, subsidized transit, guaranteed rides home, and other trip reduction measures depending on project size. The current Ordinance identifies three thresholds for new non-residential development--those that will generate ten or more PM peak period trips, projects that include 25,000 square feet or more, and those with 100,000 square feet or more—all of which must submit “emission reduction plans” designed to achieve AVR goals.
The selection of measures is, however, for the most part left up to individual developers and the employers who occupy their projects in the future. The proposed Ordinance would also replace the ten PM peak trip threshold with a floor area measure (7,500 square feet of more) to simplify implementation.
Transportation Demand Management
April 24, 2013
9 Proposed Employer TDM Requirements
The proposed Ordinance would continue to require employers to prepare and implement plans (called trip reduction plans rather than emission reduction plans). Employers will also have to comply with the specific standards described above that the proposed Ordinance establishes for projects based on floor area and DMD location. Instead of the floor area threshold applicable to new construction, the requirements for employers would continue to be tied to the number of employees.
The City should also consider moving some of the detailed provisions regarding the content and procedure requirements out of the ordinance and into a set of administrative rules. These would be referenced in the ordinance and can be modified more quickly and easily over time than if codified.
Proposed Residential TDM Requirements
LUCE Goal T21 states that the City should use all available tools to make the most effective possible use of the transportation system. The policies to achieve this goal include updating TDM requirements for new development, triggering TDM requirements for new development consistent with LUCE performance standards, and incentivizing new multi-family and nonresidential development to include design elements that will enable price control for parking. (LUCE p. 4.0-64). The LUCE does not specifically propose to expand the applicability of the TDM requirements, but some cities are beginning to apply trip reduction requirements to residential and mixed-use development. While these are often incorporated in an incentive program, as design standards or under a development agreement, others are imposing requirements for submitting and implementing TDM plans as part of the zoning approval process especially for new development located close to transit. Like the provisions for non-residential development, the proposed TDM requirements for residential projects would vary depending on project size and DMD location. Developers of residential projects subject to the TDM requirements would have to incorporate TDM measures in a tentative map or development permit application and be required to notify future buyers and tenants of the features provided as a condition of approval. In addition to designing projects to provide easy pedestrian and bicycle access, developers would have to accommodate features such as secure bicycle parking, reserved spaces for car sharing, kiosks or bulletin boards offering information about trip reduction programs, and, depending on project size, may also have to install bus turnouts, shelters or bus stops.
KEY POLICY QUESTIONS
1. Instead of a threshold based on the projected number of trips per hour, the proposed ordinance would apply TDM requirements to non-residential projects that include 7,500 square feet or more of floor area. Is 7,500 square feet an appropriate threshold for non-residential projects? Pasadena, Glendale, and several northern California cities have different thresholds. For example:
Pasadena: Tier 1 -equivalent requirements apply to projects from 25,000 to 75,000 square feet. Projects larger than 75,000 square feet are required to prepare a TDM Program Plan Glendale: Tier 1 –equivalent requirements apply at 25,000 square feet or 25+ employees, Tier 2-equivalent at 50,000 square feet, Tier 3 equivalent at 100,000 square feet San Carlos: 10,000 square feet+ or greater
Santa Monica Zoning Ordinance Update
10 South San Francisco (SSF): all nonresidential development expected to generate 100+ average daily trips
2. The proposed regulations would extend developer TDM requirements to apply to residential and mixed-use development. Is a 10-unit threshold appropriate?
Pasadena’s ordinance, for example, applies to residential development with more than 100 units and mixed-use development with more than 50 units if the nonresidential floor area exceeds 50,000 square feet. Sunnyvale, in Santa Clara County, requires all multi-family development within a third of a mile of a light rail station, Caltrain Station, or high activity commute to work bus stop to propose and implement TDM measures. Contra Costa County requires trip reduction plans for residential and mixed-use projects that require a public hearing and include at least 13 dwelling units. It is reasonable to assume that more cities will begin requiring trip reduction or TDM plans for residential and mixed-use development as they implement the Sustainable Communities Strategies being adopted by the Southern California Association of Governments and other regional agencies under Senate Bill 375.
3. The proposed TDM requirements would apply to changes to the use of non-residential property that would result in or accommodate an increase in the number of average daily trips by 10 percent or more and additions that would increase the floor area of an existing building with at least 7,500 square feet of floor area by 10 percent or more. Are these thresholds appropriate triggers? Should the City also enact requirements to ensure that TDM programs continue to apply when there is a change of occupancy or use that does not require discretionary zoning approval? Staff has proposed to extend the program to include additions to existing nonresidential buildings and changes of use. Examples from other jurisdictions include:
South San Francisco requires approval of a new TDM plan if there is a change in an approved project that would result in the addition of 10 percent of the building area or a 10 percent increase in the number of average daily trips.
San Carlos: Additions to nonresidential buildings that are 10,000 square feet or more in size that expand existing gross floor area by 10 percent or more and changes of use or operational characteristics in a building that is 10,000 square feet or more in size that results in an average daily trip increase of more than 10 percent above current use.
Transportation Demand Management
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11 Proposed Transportation Demand Management Regulations Purpose
The intent of this introductory section is to consolidate and update provisions in Sections 9.16.010 and 9.16.020 of the existing Ordinance to make specific reference to LUCE goals and policies.
The purpose of this Chapter is to implement the goals and policies of the City’s General Plan to manage change through programs to create and maintain a more sustainable Santa Monica that will thrive without compromising the community’s unique character or the ability of future generations to meet their own needs and enjoy and benefit from living and working in a special place. More specifically, these provisions are intended to proactively manage congestion, reduce automobile dependence and enhance transportation choices by requiring trip reduction plans for all types of trips—work ,shopping, leisure, school, and appointments—that will:
A. Ensure City compliance with the applicable requirements of the South Coast Air Quality Management District Rule 2202 and implement air quality control measures required of local governments by the District’s 1991 Air Quality Management Plan and subsequent updates and the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s Congestion Management Program (CMP);
B. Accommodate land use changes allowed under the General Plan’s Land Use and Circulation Element (“LUCE”) while reducing peak-hour automobile trips from new and existing destinations to achieve the LUCE’s goal of no net increase in PM peak hour vehicle trips by 2030; C. Reduce traffic impacts within the community and region through a reduction in the number of per capita vehicle miles traveled.
D. Reduce vehicular air pollutant emissions, energy usage and ambient noise levels through a reduction in per capita vehicle miles traveled and management of traffic congestion.
E. Minimize the percentage of employees traveling in single-occupant vehicles to and from work, especially during peak-hour periods.
F. Promote and increase work-related transit use, ridesharing, walking and bicycling to minimize parking needs, manage congestion, and protect the quality of life in Santa Monica’s neighborhoods and districts;
G. Improve the mobility and general efficiency of circulation and transportation systems by increasing reliance on public transit, ridesharing, cycling and focusing development in areas close to transit and employment;
H. Improve the quality and level of access for residents, employees, customers, and visitors by improving transportation choices and managing congestion; I. Decrease the City’s need for additional parking facility construction.
Santa Monica Zoning Ordinance Update
12 J. Coordinating transportation systems management, transportation demand management and transportation facility development strategies with other cities and counties in the region and through regional agencies.
Definitions
The intent of this section is to carry forward and, as necessary, revise the definitions of key terms such as Peak Period, Worksite, Transportation Management Organization (called Transportation Management Association in the existing Ordinance), and Average Vehicle Ridership (AVR) that are unique to this Chapter. Terms will be defined according to the AQMD and County CMP requirements. The rules for calculating AVR will be established in the respective sections applicable to developers and employers.
Applicability
The intent of the Applicability section is to maintain the current thresholds for employer TDM, extend the scope of the developer TDM program to residential and mixed-use projects, and lower the developer TDM program floor area and trip generation thresholds for non-residential projects. The provisions describing the contents of TDM Plans will establish content requirements that vary based on the number of employees and/or size of the development project.
A. Any public or private employer, including the City of Santa Monica, that has a permanent place of business in the City and ten or more employees;
B. Any multi-family residential project with 20 or more units that has not yet received final approval; C. Any mixed-use development project with 20 more residential units or 7,500 sq. ft. or more of nonresidential development that has not yet received final approval; D. Any non-residential development project with 7,500 square feet of gross floor area or more that has not yet received final approval; and
E. Any application that has not yet received final approval, which would change the use of nonresidential property and would result in or accommodate an increase in the number of average daily trips by 10 percent or more or would result in an increase of 10 percent or more in the floor area of an existing building of 7,500 square feet of floor area or more.
Transportation Demand Management Administration Fees
This section’s purpose is to establish the fees the City imposes on employers of ten or more employees to defray the cost of administering and enforcing the Chapter’s requirements and the cost of TDM outreach programs in the City. The section will also incorporate provisions regarding the deposit and use of the fees that this Chapter establishes incorporating and revising the provisions in Section 9.16.060 of the current Ordinance as appropriate. A separate chapter authorizes the imposition of transportation impact fees based on a nexus study as required by the State’s Mitigation Fee Act (California Gov. Code Section 66000 et seq.) as adopted by Council in March 2013.
Transportation Demand Management
April 24, 2013
13 Employer Trip Reduction Plan Requirements
The intent of this section is to consolidate and revise Sections 9.16.070 through 9.16.090 to establish the requirements for the worksite transportation plans (WTPs) and employee trip reduction plans (ETRPs), if the City decides to retain that nomenclature. Revisions will include incorporation of revised and additional mandatory and optional provisions based on the LUCE and best practices employed by other jurisdictions to achieve their trip reduction goals. Appendix A lists measures that would be applicable to employers based on their proximity to transit. As an alternative to retaining the detailed requirements for plan contents and implementation (e.g. old vehicle scrapping, remote sensing, emission reduction factors, etc.) that are part of the existing Ordinance, the proposed Ordinance is proposed to reduce the detail in the proposed Ordinance and specify that detailed requirements will be included in regulations that shall be established by the Planning and Community Development Director.
This would make it easier for City staff to update the requirements to comply with changes in federal and State law and accommodate changes in technology. The proposed Ordinance would continue to distinguish smaller employers with 10 to 49 employees from employers with 50 or more employees who are subject to additional regulations including provisions of the State Health and Safety Code.
Employers of ten or more employees would be required to designate an on-site employee responsible for implementation of the requirements of this section and prepare and implement a worksite plan that includes, at a minimum:
A management commitment letter signed by the highest ranking official at the site. Installation of a kiosk or bulletin board with information about trip reduction programs; List of public transit services within one-fourth mile of the worksite. List of bicycle paths, lanes, routes, and amenities within one-half mile of the worksite. List of other transportation services, such as carshare vehicles and bikeshare stations within one-fourth mile of the worksite.
Information about a variety of programs and other means available to employees as an alternative to trips by passenger car including, but not limited to, carpooling/vanpooling, transit passes, guaranteed ride home, etc.
In addition to implementing the State-mandated parking cash-out program that provides a cash allowance to an employee equivalent to the subsidy that the employer would otherwise pay to provide the employee with a parking space, larger employers would be required to institute measures such as those listed in Appendix A that are based on the business location.
A. Average vehicle ridership (AVR) for employer programs shall be calculated by dividing the number of employees who report to or leave the worksite by the number of vehicles being driven for the work commute by said employees during the peak periods.
1. Employees walking, bicycling, riding public transit, or other shuttle services for at least 75% of their commute shall be counted as employees arriving or leaving the worksite without a vehicle.
2. Employees telecommuting on their day off under a recognized compressed workweek schedule shall also be counted as employees arriving at or leaving the worksite without vehicles.
Santa Monica Zoning Ordinance Update
14 3. Motorcycles shall be counted as vehicles.
4. Zero-emission vehicles will be counted as a vehicle in the calculation of AVR.
5. Employers must survey during the PM peak period window in order to monitor implementation of the LUCE policy goal of No Net New PM peak period trips.
B. Employers of ten to forty-nine employees may submit annually an Employee Trip Reduction Plan or join a Transportation Management Organization (TMO) if they wish to be eligible for reductions in their Employer Annual Transportation Fees. As with large employers (50 or more employees), small employers would be eligible for a performance discount if they achieved and maintained the AVR target for their district.
C. Failure to significantly achieve or show progress towards achieving an employer AVR target shall be considered a violation of the ordinance and would be subject to additional fees.
D. Fees shall be established by resolution of the City Council and shall be adjusted annually to reflect changes in the Consumer Price Index (CPI).
Developer Transportation Demand Management Program Plan Requirements Sections 9.16.110 and 9.16.120 of the current Ordinance apply to developers of nonresidential projects that will generate ten or more peak-period trips upon completion. The proposed revisions would expand the requirements to cover residential and mixeduse projects and floor area additions if the Ordinance is revised to cover these projects. If the Ordinance is revised to apply TDM requirements to changes of use that will generate additional trips, those provisions could also be included in this section. Revisions will include incorporation of revised and additional mandatory and optional provisions based on the LUCE and best practices employed by other jurisdictions to achieve their trip reduction goals.
A. Applicants of projects subject to the requirements of this Chapter shall submit a Transportation Demand Management (TDM) Program Plan that conforms to the requirements of this Chapter and any applicable regulations established by the Director of Planning and Community Development.
TDM Program Plans shall be reviewed and approved by the Director prior to the issuance of a building permit and thereafter shall be reviewed and approved annually. TDM Program Plans shall include, but are not limited to, the following:
1. Project description;
2. Site conditions that affect vehicle trips;
3. TDM Program Plan measures; (Attachment A)
4. Evaluation criteria for reviewing TDM Program Plans; and
5. Duties, responsibilities and qualifications of a TDM Coordinator; and,
6. Statement of commitment to implement, monitor, and report annually on TDM program operation and annual budget including:
Transportation Demand Management
April 24, 2013
15 a. Commitment to conduct annual surveys in conformance with Metro's guidelines to determine vehicle trip behavior, including collection of data on employee means of travel, arrival time, and interest in information on ridesharing opportunities. b. Commitment to monitor the TDM Program activities; and c. Commitment to report on the TDM Program annually in a manner required by the City (e.g., TDM Status Report).
B. Average vehicle ridership requirements.
1. Nonresidential development projects and the nonresidential portion of mixed-use development projects shall strive to achieve a minimum average vehicle ridership (AVR) between 6 p.m. and 9 p.m.
2. All projects shall strive to meet the AVR target established by the Demand Management District starting one year from the effective date of this ordinance.
3. All projects that are located within a "Transit Oriented Development" area as defined in the Ordinance shall be designed to achieve a 1.75 AVR starting three years from the effective date of this ordinance.
C. Property owners subject to trip reduction requirements shall record with the County Recorder’s Office an agreement that makes the TDM Program Plan a condition of property ownership. The agreement shall include provisions to:
1. Guarantee adherence to the TDM objectives and perpetual operation of the TDM Program Plan program for all legal parcels within the site regardless of property ownership;
2. Inform all subsequent property owners of requirements of the TDM Program Plan.
3. Inform the City of Santa Monica Planning and Community Development Department of any change in property ownership.
4. Identify consequences of non-compliant performance.
D. Property owners are responsible for ensuring that lease documents and any other agreements for occupancy of non-residential spaces in the development include provisions to inform and commit non-residential occupants to applicable measures of the approved TDM Program Plan including:
1. Allowing employees/residents to participate in campaigns that promote use of carpools, vanpools, transit, walking, bicycling, car-share, bike-share and other trip reduction efforts
2. Posting transportation information in employee/resident common areas
3. Participating in the annual employee travel survey (for non-residential projects only)
4. Informing employees/residents of the availability of car/vanpool parking spaces.
Santa Monica Zoning Ordinance Update
16 Required Findings
Chapter 9.16 of the existing Ordinance specifies requirements for TDM plans but does not list determinations that the Director must make in order to find that a TDM program plan complies with the applicable requirements of the Chapter. This new section would establish findings that the Director must make in order to approve a TDM Program Plan. The need for making findings will become more important if a wider range of employers and development projects are subject to the requirements of the TDM ordinance.
Monitoring and Enforcement
The section specifies the procedures for audits, violations, and penalties. Staff has proposed requirements for an annual status report documenting the TDM measures undertaken by a property owner and their results to implement LUCE proposals for thorough monitoring and reporting requirements. This would allow the City to determine if the property owner has implemented and maintained the TDM Program plan, and whether the property has made progress toward achieving the applicable AVR target. A three- to five-year review report, with historical comparisons, would serve a similar function while also evaluating the overall effectiveness and allow the City keep track of which projects and measures work best. Pasadena has adopted similar requirements for property owners and their TDM coordinators to write a statement of commitment to conduct surveys in conformance with the AQMD. New provisions for TDM status reports could be included in this section or in the one that details requirements for submission of trip reduction TDM Program plans. The proposed Ordinance would also establish or reference any applicable administrative penalties.
A. Developers and employers subject to the requirements of this chapter shall submit a TDM Program Plan Status Report for review by the Director beginning with the first annual reporting date assigned by the City and every year thereafter. The City shall provide the property owner with written notification indicating whether the TDM Program Plan Status Report is approved or is deemed unacceptable within six months of its receipt. Alternatively, the City may notify the owner in writing of an extension of this deadline of no more than 30 days.
B. Staff shall review Annual TDM Program Plan Status Reports to determine if property owners and employers have implemented and or maintained TDM measures specified in the TDM Program Plan and have achieved the average vehicle ridership reduction (AVR) performance objective as measured by responses from the annual commuter survey.
1. City staff may request auditable documentation to determine compliance.
2. If required TDM measures have not been provided or maintained, City staff will provide written notice to the responsible party.
3. If the performance objective has not been achieved, City staff will determine if substantial progress has been made toward meeting the performance objective Performance Objective and whether the owner has made a “good faith effort” to implement the TDM program.
4. If the AVR requirement has not been met and a property owner has not made progress toward the requirement, the City shall work collaboratively with the owner to identify Transportation Demand Management
April 24, 2013
17 modifications to the TDM Program Plan and shall direct the owner to revise its program within 60 days to incorporate the modifications.
a. In response to the recommended modifications, the owner shall submit a revised TDM Program Plan, including the requested modifications, proposals for implementing measures that have not been instituted or maintained, and/or equivalent measures within 60 days of receiving written notice to revise its program. b. The City shall review the revisions and notify the owner of acceptance or rejection of the revised program.
c. If a revised program is not accepted. the City will send written notice to that effect to the owner within 60 days
C. The Annual TDM Program Plan Status Report shall include relevant data/reports to document compliance with the requirements of this Chapter.
D. In addition to reviewing the Annual TDM Program Plan Status Report, the City shall monitor compliance in a manner it deems appropriate and reasonable. Monitoring mechanisms may include, but not be limited to, the following:
1. Printed documentation of site features (e.g., location of carpool parking spaces) on site and/or parking plans;
2. Photographs of TDM Program Plan facilities (e.g., carpool parking spaces);
3. Field-site inspections by City staff;
4. Other building site reports/surveys that the City of Santa Monica may deem appropriate;
5. Documentation of marketing efforts, incentive programs and participation in said programs.
E. The City shall issue a written notice of non-compliance to owners of properties that are out of compliance with the Ordinance (trip reduction requirements). The notice shall indicate the cause for non-compliance and identify actions necessary to attain compliance. Property owners shall be given ## days to provide documentation of compliance. A notice of non-compliance may be issued to an owner who fails to meet requirements including, but not limited to:
1. Submission of TDM Program Plan
2. Implementation of measures contained in approved TDM Program Plan(s)Programs
3. Submission of Annual TDM Program Plan Status Report(s)Reports
4. Not making a 'good faith effort' to attain the performance objective F. Failure to attain compliance may result in one or more of the following actions:
1. Requiring the addition of elements to the property owner's TDM Program Plan;
2. Instituting proceedings to revoke any approval of a TDM Program Plan;
3. Withholding issuance of building permits, certificates of use and occupancy, and or other City issued permits or licenses;
Santa Monica Zoning Ordinance Update
18 4. Issuance of a stop work order;
5. Any other remedy available at law or in equity.
6. Monetary penalty.
Appeals
This section will carry forward the provisions in Section 9.16.140 of the existing Ordinance, which establish procedures enabling the City’s Emission Reduction Plan Appeals Board to hear appeals of decisions by the Transportation Demand Program Manager. Decisions by the ERP Appeals Board are final, except for judicial review, and may not be appealed to the City Council. The appeals provisions will be revised and augmented as necessary to clarify requirements for both employers and development projects because the existing Emission Reduction Plan Appeals Board only applies to Employers.
Transportation Management Organizations
Transportation Managements Organizations (Transportation Management Associations in the existing Ordinance) are groups formed to address access and mobility issues on behalf of residents, employers, employees, developers, building owners, and visitors with the primary function of pooling resources to implement solutions to access and mobility concerns and the efficient use of transportation and parking resources. TMOs provide small employers and individuals with access to Trip Reduction services comparable to those offered by larger companies, which could be particularly important if the thresholds are lowered so requirements apply to a wider range of property owners and projects. Section 9.16.100 of the existing Ordinance would be revised and expanded to reflect the range of projects to which the updated requirements of the Chapter will apply. The proposed Ordinance would use the term “Transportation Management Organization” to be consistent with the LUCE and avoid confusion. Similar to administrative requirements for TDM plans, the City may wish to adopt TMO rules by reference.
Transportation Demand Management
April 24, 2013
19 Appendix A: Proposed Trip Reduction Measures by DMD
and Project Size
Required baseline () and other recommended No Net New Trips (NNNT) measures by Demand Management District (DMD) and project size are intended to achieve the established project Average Vehicle Ridership (AVR). This list is not exhaustive and applicants would be encouraged to work with the City to select from the recommended measures and identify additional measures as appropriate to their location and tenant mix. Measures that will be identified as basic requirements would be specified in the Ordinance or in administrative rules the Planning and Community Development Director issues that specify contents of required TDM Program Plans. These standards would be applicable to all Tier 1 and 2 projects based on the project size and the DMD in which it is located. The requirements applicable to Tier 3 projects will be negotiated on a project-by-project basis as part of the process for approving a Development Agreement. The City has the discretion to require implementation of any of the requirements specified in the Municipal Code or any of the additional measures identified as Tier 3 Community Benefits for Tier 3 projects subject to a Development Agreement. The higher AVRs listed in the table header would be applicable to the Downtown and Bergamot districts based on the applicable Specific Plans. Also, all elements required of larger developments in the highest goal Demand Management District are recommended for consideration by smaller developments and those in the lower Demand Management Districts:
Recommended Strategies Applicable to
Citywide
DMD: 1.5 AVR
Tier 1 and 2;
7,500 to 25,000
sq ft;
Higher Goal
DMD: 1.6-
1.75 AVR;
Tier 1 and 2
over 25,000
sq ft
Major
Transit
Stop/
Highest
Goal DMD:
1.75-2.0
AVR;
Tier 3
Location
Locate New Development Near Transit
List the existing and planned transit facilities and
their levels of service within a ½ mile and ¼ mile
radius of the project boundaries.
Residential,
Non-Residential
TDM – Physical Facilities
Connections/Access Points
Provide pedestrian, bicycle, and transit connections
and/or new roads/pathways that provide access
points between site and adjacent uses for large
developments.
Residential,
Non-Residential
Santa Monica Zoning Ordinance Update
20 Recommended Strategies Applicable to
Citywide
DMD: 1.5 AVR
Tier 1 and 2;
7,500 to 25,000
sq ft;
Higher Goal
DMD: 1.6-
1.75 AVR;
Tier 1 and 2
over 25,000
sq ft
Major
Transit
Stop/
Highest
Goal DMD:
1.75-2.0
AVR;
Tier 3
Short-Term Bicycle Parking
Racks, etc. for customer/visitor use that meet or
exceed the standards in the Bike Action Plan.
Residential,
Non-Residential,
Employer
Long-Term Bicycle Parking
Secure, enclosed, per zoning code with location and
design to be approved by City.
Residential,
Non-Residential,
Employer
Additional Bicycle Parking
Provision of long and/or short-term bike parking
beyond code requirements.
Residential,
Non-Residential,
Employer
On-Site Bike-Sharing Pod(s)
On-site bike sharing vehicles available for public
use.
Residential,
Non-Residential,
Employer
Preferential Parking for Carpools/Vanpools
Reserve preferred parking spaces for carpool or
vanpool vehicles.
Non-Residential,
Employer
Passenger Drop-off/Loading Area
Van accessible passenger drop-off/loading area or
per code, whichever is greater.
Residential,
Non-Residential
Showers
Showers for employees who actively commute. For
development in Downtown, see IZO for
requirements.
Non-Residential,
Employer
Employee Changing Room Lockers Non-Residential,
Employer
Parking Design Features
Facilities designed to accommodate shared parking
and parking charges (24/7 access, gates, etc.)
Residential,
Non-Residential
TDM Signage
Program providing directions to and clearly
identifying TDM features such as bus stops, bike
parking, carpool parking, etc.
Residential,
Non-Residential,
Employer
On-site Trip Reduction Services
On-site provision of services that reduce the demand
for additional vehicle travel such as childcare
facilities, cafes, convenience stores, health/fitness
clubs, bike repair, concierge services, etc.
Residential,
Non-Residential,
Employer
Transportation Demand Management
April 24, 2013
21 Recommended Strategies Applicable to
Citywide
DMD: 1.5 AVR
Tier 1 and 2;
7,500 to 25,000
sq ft;
Higher Goal
DMD: 1.6-
1.75 AVR;
Tier 1 and 2
over 25,000
sq ft
Major
Transit
Stop/
Highest
Goal DMD:
1.75-2.0
AVR;
Tier 3
TDM - Employee Trip Reduction
On-Site Certified TDM Coordinator/ Contact
Owner may engage a third-party to provide this
function. The name and contact information will be
provided to the City and updated as needed. The
coordinator will be available for and participate in
meetings, workshops and rideshare events
conducted by the City or other organization
approved by the City. The TDM Coordinator must be
certified through the City’s certification process.
Non-Residential,
Employer
Commuter Information Board/Kiosk
Provision of a commuter information board/kiosk in a
permanent and central location(s) including regularly
updated information on transit services,
carpool/vanpool services, biking and walking routes
and facilities; ridesharing promotional materials; and
TDM measures and support facilities on-site and
within a 1-mile radius.
Non-Residential,
Employer
Marketing & Promotional Support for Non-SOV
Travel
Includes new employee commute packages;
personal trip planning assistance; distribution of
rideshare information to all tenants/employees on at
least an annual basis; a regular commute newsletter,
contests, prizes and recognition; daily commute
tracking tools which reward non-SOV travel;
rideshare fairs, events and participation in regional
activities such as Rideshare week and Bike to work
Week/Day/Month. For developers, marketing plan
and promotional materials need to be provided prior
to C of O.
Residential,
Non-Residential,
Employer
New Employee Orientation
Include transportation information and personal trip
planning through new employee orientation.
Employer
Local Living & Non-SOV Incentives
Provision of financial incentives (i.e. monthly
subsidy, closing costs) for employees that live within
Non-Residential,
Employer
Santa Monica Zoning Ordinance Update
22 Recommended Strategies Applicable to
Citywide
DMD: 1.5 AVR
Tier 1 and 2;
7,500 to 25,000
sq ft;
Higher Goal
DMD: 1.6-
1.75 AVR;
Tier 1 and 2
over 25,000
sq ft
Major
Transit
Stop/
Highest
Goal DMD:
1.75-2.0
AVR;
Tier 3
a 1 mile radius of their worksite
Bike Commuting Training
Provision of bike training classes (education and
hands-on training) to encourage employee bike
commuting to be offered on-site or through a 3rd
party provider.
Employer
Transit Passes
Provide transit passes at full or partial subsidy
(minimum subsidy value of 50% of ongoing Metro EZ
Pass, interagency monthly pass or comparable
transit pass) to employees. Passes shall be provided
on-site and the requirement may be passed through
to tenants in leases.
Residential,
Non-Residential,
Employer
(100%)
BBB Universal/Any Line Any Time Passes
Agree to provide transit passes to all employees
through participation in BBB Any Line Any Time or
similar “Eco-Pass” program.
Non-Residential,
Employer
Ridematching
Proactively assist employees in identifying
ridesharing opportunities, both within the
development and with adjacent developments.
Assistance may be provided through a third party
such as Metro, a TMO, GoLoco.org, Zimride,
NuRide, RideAmigos.com, or other similar providers.
Residential,
Non-Residential,
Employer
Subsidized Vanpooling
Metro program provides vanpooling subsidies
Employer
Guaranteed Ride Home
Provision of Guaranteed Ride Home/Guaranteed
Return trip services to those who use non-SOV
travel. Service may be provided third party such as
Metro or TMO.
Employer
On-Site Car Sharing/Fleet Vehicle(s)
On-site car share/fleet vehicle available for use
during the workday for employees or tenants.
Residential,
Non-Residential,
Employer
Flexible Work Hours
Compressed workweeks, flexible work hours, and/or
staggered work hours to reduce peak vehicle trips.
Employer
Transportation Demand Management
April 24, 2013
23 Recommended Strategies Applicable to
Citywide
DMD: 1.5 AVR
Tier 1 and 2;
7,500 to 25,000
sq ft;
Higher Goal
DMD: 1.6-
1.75 AVR;
Tier 1 and 2
over 25,000
sq ft
Major
Transit
Stop/
Highest
Goal DMD:
1.75-2.0
AVR;
Tier 3
Telework Policies
Policies to permit and encourage employees to work
from home or off-site.
Employer
Pre-tax Payroll Deduction for Non-SOV Commute
Costs
Provide pre-tax payroll deduction for non-SOV
commute costs such as purchase of transit and
vanpool benefits, Commuter Choice Benefit, etc.
Employer
Bikes@Work
Bicycles available on-site for employee business and
personal use.
Employer
Car-Sharing Programs
Provide car-sharing full or partial subsidy for
employees.
Non-Residential,
Employer
Bike-Sharing Programs
Provide bike-sharing full or partial subsidy for
employees.
Non-Residential,
Employer
Bike Center
Provide bike center full or partial subsidy for
employees.
Non-Residential,
Employer
TDM - Customer and Visitor Trip Reduction
Customer Incentive Program
Provide discounts and incentives for non-SOV
customers
Non-Residential,
Employer
(for on-site
retail)
Rideshare Direction Preference
When providing customers and visitors with
directions, list rideshare information and directions
(i.e. transit stops, bike parking) first followed by auto directions and information.
Non-Residential,
Employer
Special Event / Destination Rideshare Services
Provision of TDM services for special events or
common destinations (i.e. airport) that reduces the
demand for car rentals, SOV travel, and auto parking
including shared ride and shuttle services.
Non-Residential
Visitor Rideshare Memberships
Provide rideshare services (i.e. transit, car-share,
bike-share, bike center) at full or partial subsidy for Non-Residential
Santa Monica Zoning Ordinance Update
24 Recommended Strategies Applicable to
Citywide
DMD: 1.5 AVR
Tier 1 and 2;
7,500 to 25,000
sq ft;
Higher Goal
DMD: 1.6-
1.75 AVR;
Tier 1 and 2
over 25,000
sq ft
Major
Transit
Stop/
Highest
Goal DMD:
1.75-2.0
AVR;
Tier 3
visitors (such as hotel guests.)
BikesAway
Bicycles available on-site for checkout and use by
visitors.
Non-Residential
TDM – Residential Trip Reduction (if on-site
residential)
Travel Information Board/Kiosk
Provision of a travel board/kiosk in a permanent and
central location(s) including regularly updated
information on transit services, carpool/vanpool
services, car and bike sharing services (both public
and private), biking and walking routes and facilities; ridesharing promotional materials; and TDM
measures and support facilities on-site and within a
1-mile radius.
Residential
Transit Passes
Provide transit passes at full or partial subsidy
(minimum subsidy value of 50% of ongoing Metro EZ
Pass, interagency monthly pass or comparable
transit pass) to residents. Passes shall be provided
on-site.
Residential
Local Living and Non-SOV Incentives
Provision of financial incentives (i.e. monthly rental
subsidy, closing costs) for residents that work within
a 1-mile radius of their residence.
Residential
Car-Sharing Programs
Provide car-sharing full or partial subsidy for
residents.
Residential
Bike-Sharing Programs
Provide bike-sharing full or partial subsidy for
residents.
Residential
Bikes@Home
Bicycles available on-site for checkout and use by
residents.
Residential
Bike Center
Provide bike center full or partial subsidy for
residents.
Residential
Transportation Demand Management
April 24, 2013
25 Recommended Strategies Applicable to
Citywide
DMD: 1.5 AVR
Tier 1 and 2;
7,500 to 25,000
sq ft;
Higher Goal
DMD: 1.6-
1.75 AVR;
Tier 1 and 2
over 25,000
sq ft
Major
Transit
Stop/
Highest
Goal DMD:
1.75-2.0
AVR;
Tier 3
TDM - Parking Programs
Unbundled & Market Rate Parking
Leases shall identify parking costs as an unbundled,
separate line-item at market rates no less than the
current monthly cost of a Metro EZ Pass or
equivalent.
Residential,
Non-Residential,
Employer
Parking Lease Adjustments
Tenants may adjust the amount of parking
purchased on monthly basis.
Residential,
Non-Residential,
Employer
Transportation Benefits & Parking Cash Out
Transportation benefits for employees who choose
not to drive (e.g., Commuter Choice Program), or
parking cash-out at market value (calculated based
on daily rates).
Non-Residential,
Employer
Courtesy/Occasional Use Parking
Provision of courtesy/occasional use parking for
employees who primarily use Non-SOV travel but
must drive to work on occasion.
Employer
Bike Valet
If valet parking is offered, parking attendant accepts
bicycles to valet park at no charge.
Residential,
Non-Residential,
Employer
Car Share Parking Space(s)
Car share parking space(s) provided at no cost for
car-sharing vehicles.
Residential,
Non-Residential,
Employer
Management
Coordinate Strategies by Area
Transportation Management Organization (TMO)
formation and/or participation required of all tenants.
Residential,
Non-Residential,
Employer
Shared Parking Agreements
Agree to participate in shared parking districts or
agreements when established in area.
Residential,
Non-Residential,
Employer
Complete Neighborhoods
Locate All Needs of Daily Life Within Walking
Distance
Residential,
Non-Residential,
Santa Monica Zoning Ordinance Update
26 Recommended Strategies Applicable to
Citywide
DMD: 1.5 AVR
Tier 1 and 2;
7,500 to 25,000
sq ft;
Higher Goal
DMD: 1.6-
1.75 AVR;
Tier 1 and 2
over 25,000
sq ft
Major
Transit
Stop/
Highest
Goal DMD:
1.75-2.0
AVR;
Tier 3
List the existing and planned daily needs within one
mile of the project boundaries such as child care
facilities, convenience stores, concierge services,
etc.
Employer
Community Benefits
Land/Facility Donation
Donation of land or facility space to the City for
facilitating improved mobility and access including
bicycle and pedestrian connections, bike sharing
“pods”, bicycle centers, etc.
Residential,
Non-Residential
“Adopt a School”
Provide funding and ongoing support for nearby
school Safe Routes programs including capital
improvements to pedestrian and bike access, online
matching service for carpool to school, walking and
biking “trains,” and promotion of WalkIt/BikeIt day
and similar events (produce flyers, etc.).
Residential,
Non-Residential,
Employer
Commuter Store
Public commuter store with rideshare information
and on-site transit pass sales.
Residential,
Non-Residential
Shared Parking
Provide shared parking for neighborhood residents,
events, adjacent uses, etc.
Residential,
Non-Residential
SM Resident Universal Pass Purchase
Purchase of BBB Universal Passes for Santa Monica
Residents.
Residential,
Non-Residential,
Employer
Fees
Commit Funds to Mitigate Trips and Improve
Choices for Existing Santa Monicans
Commitment of funding for programming and capital
improvement projects citywide such as improved
bicycle and pedestrian connections, Expo light rail
station enhancements, pubic car sharing, pubic bike
sharing, public bike centers, TMO formation or
operations, bus stop improvements and
maintenance, the provision of new or expanded
Residential,
Non-Residential,
Employer
Transportation Demand Management
April 24, 2013
27 Recommended Strategies Applicable to
Citywide
DMD: 1.5 AVR
Tier 1 and 2;
7,500 to 25,000
sq ft;
Higher Goal
DMD: 1.6-
1.75 AVR;
Tier 1 and 2
over 25,000
sq ft
Major
Transit
Stop/
Highest
Goal DMD:
1.75-2.0
AVR;
Tier 3
transit/shuttle services, universal transit pass
funding, bike training courses, etc.
Measurement
Build a Better Future by Measuring Success:
AVR surveying, calculation and achievement; impact
of project on total travel time, quality of
transportation services, climate protection, housing
affordability, public health, and local sales tax
returns:
Residential,
Non-Residential,
Employer
Parking Occupancy Evaluation Residential,
Non-Residential,
Employer
9 ATTACHMENT B
LUCE TDM GOALS & POLICIES
Zoning Ordinance Update
c i r c u l a t i o n
4.0 - 58 | S A N T A M O N I C A L U C E
TRANSPORTATION DEMAND
MANAGEMENT
The Role of Transportation Demand
Management (TDM)
Achieving Santa Monica’s congestion
management goals and improving the quality
of service of each mode of transportation
requires careful management of the entire
transportation system. While the previous
sections focused upon providing facilities
and programs for each mode, this section
provides guidance on effective management
of the system as a whole. It looks at the
transportation system not as an engineer
would, but as an economist, putting proper
incentives in place to optimize use of scarce
transportation resources. This demand
management approach to transportation
emphasizes:
Making the most efficient use of
transportation capacity by emphasizing modes
that use the least space per person: walking,
bicycling and transit
Revealing the actual and hidden costs of
transportation so travelers can make informed
decisions and reduce their impacts on
congestion and the environment.
Improving alternative transportation choices
so that Santa Monicans need not use their cars
for every trip they make
Making the most cost-effective investments,
considering the triple bottom line of economy,
environment, and equity—and recognizing that
sometimes it is cheaper to pay people not to
drive than it is to build the road and parking
infrastructure necessary to accommodate their
vehicles
Relying more on pricing, as opposed to
congestion, for allocating street and parking
resources
Investing revenues in higher quality and
more affordable access options.
The Transportation Demand
Management Map
This section begins with an acknowledgment
that Santa Monica’s various districts, boulevards
and neighborhoods each have different travel
characteristics—places with higher-frequency
transit and abundant local services generate
fewer vehicle trips than single-use districts
with limited transit. Accordingly, the Demand
Management Districts map on the opposite
page divides the City into key areas, each of
which has different mode split targets and
demand management strategies.
Demand Management Districts
Highest Goal
The Downtown, Civic Center, Beach and
Oceanfront and Santa Monica College areas
already produce the lowest vehicle trip rates in
the city, but offer potential for further reducing
their vehicle trips. These areas have the highest
goal for vehicle trip reduction.
Higher Goal
The Transit Village, Mixed-Use Activity Center
areas, employment centers and elementary and
middle schools all offer significant potential
for further vehicle trip reduction, although not
quite as much as the Downtown. These have a
higher goal for demand management.
District Wide Goal
The remaining commercial districts in the
City will have goals tailored to their specific
characteristics.
Major Transit Stop Zones
Special attention will be paid to the areas
around major transit stops since the quality of
pedestrian and bicycle access to these stops
influence the ability of the surrounding districts
to achieve their goals.
Transportation Demand
Management Strategies
The best TDM tools vary by land use
and location, and the best TDM program
requirements allow ample program flexibility
in achieving clear, quantifiable goals. The
following provides a short list of some of the
most effective TDM tools for three sample land
use types.
c h a p t e r 4 . 0
S A N T A M O N I C A L U C E | 4.0 - 59
Santa Monica
High School
Santa
Monica
College
Santa Monica
Big Blue
Bus Yards
San Vicente
Median Park
San Vicente
Median Park
San Vicente
Median Park
San Vicente
Median Park
Palisades Park
Palisades Park
Ocean Park
PocketPark
Lincoln
Middle
Franklin
Elementary
Crescent
Bay Park
Barnard Way
Linear Park
Barnard Way
Linear Park
Public
Safety
Facility
City Hall
Woodlawn
Cemetery
Will Rogers
Elementary
Virginia
Ave Park
Stewart
Park
St. John's
Hospital
South
Beach
Park
School
District
Offices
Schader Park
Santa Monica
Hospital
SMC
Madison
Campus
SMASH
Roosevelt
Elementary
Pier
Lot#8
Lot
#7
Lot
#12
Park
Drive
Park
Park
Ozone
Park
Olympic
High School
Ocean
View
Park
Ocean
Park
Library
Montana
Library
Memorial
Park
McKinley
Elementary
Marine
Park
Main
Library
Los
Amigos
Park
Ken
Edwards
Cent er
Joslyn
Park
John Muir
Elementary
JohnAdams
Middle
Hotchkiss
Park
Grant
Elementary
Fairview
Library
Edison
Elementary
Douglas Park
PacificSt
Park (Dog
Park)
County
Court
House
Clover Park
Civic
Center
City
Yards
Reed Park
California
Heritage
Museum
Beach
Park #1
Beach Maintenance
Ashl and
Park
Animal
Shelter
Airport
Euclid
Park/Hacienda
DelMar
Beach
Park #4
Chess Park
Airport
Park
Brentwood
(City of Los Angeles)
Venice
(City of Los Angeles)
SMC
Arts
Campus
Santa Monica
Swim Center
Annenberg
Community
Beach House
Goose
Egg
Park
P P
P
P P
P P P
P
P
P
P
P
P
P
P P
P
P P
P
P P
P P P P P P
P P
LINCOLN BLVD LINCOLN BLVD WILSHIRE BLVD SANTA MONICA BLVD WILSHIRE BLVD SANTA MONICA BLVD
PICO BLVD
PICO BLVD
OCEAN PARK BLVD
OCEAN PARK BLVD
14TH ST
26TH ST
11TH ST
14TH ST
17TH ST
26TH ST
23RD ST
PRINCETON ST
HARVARD ST
STANFORD ST
CENTINELA AVE
20TH ST
11TH ST
3RD ST
5TH ST
14TH ST EVA NA IG H IC M 20TH ST
CLOVERFIELD BLVD
11TH ST
OCEAN AVE
OCEAN AVE
MONTANA AVE
OLYMPIC BLVDBROADWAY
ARIZONA AVE
CALIFORNIA AVE
WASHINGTON AVE
IDAHO AVE
ALTA AVE
MARGUERITA AVE
CARLYLE AVE
GEORGINA AVE
SAN VICENTE BLVD
COLORADO AVE
MONTANA AVE
OLYMPIC BLVD
BERKELEY ST
MAIN ST
4TH ST
6TH ST
7TH ST
PEARL ST
EXPOSITION BLVD
NEILSON WAY
16TH ST
17TH ST
OCEAN PARK BLVD
OCEAN PARK BLVD
PEARL ST
17TH ST
23RD ST
28TH ST
STEWART ST
SANTA MONICA BLVD
14TH ST
17TH ST
26TH ST
20TH ST
11TH ST
5TH ST
14TH ST EVA NA IG H IC M
11TH ST
OCEAN AVE
BROADWAY
ARIZONA AVE
STEWART ST
31ST ST
7TH ST
4TH ST
LINCOLN BLVD LINCOLN BLVD WILSHIRE BLVD SANTA MONICA BLVD WILSHIRE BLVD SANTA MONICA BLVD
PICO BLVD
PICO BLVD
OCEAN PARK BLVD
OCEAN PARK BLVD
14TH ST
26TH ST
11TH ST
14TH ST
17TH ST
26TH ST
23RD ST
PRINCETON ST
HARVARD ST
YALE ST
STANFORD ST
CENTINELA AVE
20TH ST
11TH ST
3RD ST
5TH ST
14TH ST EVA NA IG H IC M 20TH ST
CLOVERFIELD BLVD
11TH ST
OCEAN AVE
OCEAN AVE
MONTANA AVE
OLYMPIC BLVDBROADWAY
ARIZONA AVE
CALIFORNIA AVEWASHINGTON AVEIDAHO AVEALTA AVEMARGUERITA AVE
CARLYLE AVEGEORGINA AVE
SAN VICENTE BLVDCOLORADO AVE
MONTANA AVE
OLYMPIC BLVD
BERKELEY ST
FRANKLIN ST
MAIN ST
4TH ST
6TH ST
7TH ST
PEARL ST
EXPOSITION BLVD
NEILSON WAY
16TH ST
17TH ST
OCEAN PARK BLVD
OCEAN PARK BLVD
PEARL ST
17TH ST
23RD ST
28TH ST
STEWART ST
SANTA MONICA BLVD
14TH ST
17TH ST
26TH ST
20TH ST
11TH ST
5TH ST
14TH ST EVA NA IG H IC M
11TH ST
OCEAN AVE
BROADWAY
ARIZONA AVE
STEWART ST
31ST ST
7TH ST
4TH ST
Employment centers and institutions/schools
Other commercial
Areas requiring highest level of investment in pedestrian accommodation, and where building design should be most oriented to transit.
Highest goal
Higher goal
Updated 10-15-2009
MILES
Demand Management Districts
City of Santa Monica
Land Use and Circulation Element
N
0 0.25 0.5
District wide mode split goal
Major transit stop zones
Largest concentration of employees, students and transit ridership Light Rail Station
Disclaimer:
This map of the City of Santa Monica has been provided
for illustration purposes only. Every reasonable effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the maps provided,
however, some information may not be accurate. The City of Santa Monica ("City") provides this map on an "AS IS" basis. The City assumes no liability for damages arising from errors or omissions. THE MAPS ARE PROVIDED WITHOUT
WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, either expressed or implied,
including but not limited to, the implied warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose. Do not make any business decisions based on this map before
validating your decision with the appropriate City office. c i r c u l a t i o n
4.0 - 60 | S A N T A M O N I C A L U C E
Employers can be part of a TMO that helps fund transportation improvements that benefit a large number of Santa Monicans.
Office, Commercial and Other
Employment Uses
Location
Clustering employment near regional transit,
in walkable neighborhoods and near localserving retail can cut peak period vehicle trip generation rates by half.
Transportation Management Organizations
The LUCE emphasizes the formation of
Transportation Management Organizations
(TMOs) or other entities that can help manage
parking and encourage walking, bicycling,
transit and carpooling at a district-wide
level. The City may leverage some of its
transportation funding—including fees—
through these organizations for improvements
that benefit the larger area. This could result
in increased bus service, new pedestrian
improvements, or bicycle facilities.
Parking Pricing
The true cost of parking should be made visible
to employees either through direct, daily
parking charges or parking cash-out programs.
In parking cash-out programs, employees
who drive may park for free, but employees
who choose not to drive are given the cash
value of the parking they do not use. In this
way, transportation as a whole is treated as an
employee benefit, and all employees receive
the same benefit, regardless of how they get
to work. Parking cash-out programs should be
structured to reward employees who leave their
car at home at least one day a week. Together,
parking pricing and location have a greater
impact on employee travel behavior than all
other TDM programs combined—reducing
trips by up to 16 percent—in part because
they increase the effectiveness of all the other
programs. In retail districts, setting the price
of parking so that customers can always find
a space can reduce traffic by as much as 30
percent by eliminating circling around blocks
searching for a parking space. As detailed in
the Parking section, it is essential that paid
employee parking does not result in spillover
parking into residential neighborhoods; tools
for eliminating spillover are addressed in the
next section.
Transit Passes
When an employer purchases free transit
passes for all employees—or when an
employee ID card is also valid as a regional
transit pass—the transit ridership impact is
greater than merely providing free or discount
passes to regular transit users. Pass programs
available to all employees encourage those
who have never taken transit to try it, and this
way, they may become regular riders. To be
most effective, transit passes should cover
both Big Blue Bus as well as Metro. Such
transit pass programs could reduce employee
commute trips by 8.5 percent or more.
Tailored Transit
Many large employers provide dedicated
shuttles to regional transit hubs and places
where high concentrations of their employees
c h a p t e r 4 . 0
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Transit passes can help encourage employees and students to utilize services like the Big Blue Bus.
Appropriately priced and located public parking areas
contribute to the effectiveness of other TDM efforts. This photo is of a real-time message board in San Francisco.
live. Many of these shuttles offer a high-quality
work environment, including wireless internet
access. In Santa Monica, the TMOs could
organize specialized employee shuttles.
Carpool and Vanpool Programs
Given the region’s sprawling land use pattern,
carpooling and vanpooling will remain a
popular choice for long distance commuters
and along corridors that transit does not serve
well. The TMOs can help organize carpools and
vanpools, and provide subsidies.
Personalized Travel Assistance
Given the confusing array of options many
employees drive to work merely because the
alternatives are too difficult to understand.
By providing direct, tailored assistance to
employees, all TDM programs can be more
effective.
Residential
Location and Density
As with commercial development, location
has the largest influence on residential
vehicle trip generation, with homes near
transit, in walkable neighborhoods and near
local services generating far fewer trips than
homes in isolated locations—as much as 50
percent fewer during peak periods. Density
also matters, with vehicle trip generation
rates declining sharply as density increases,
particularly in walkable neighborhoods.
Local Services
Putting all the needs of daily life within Santa
Monica’s neighborhood commercial districts
is key to reducing traffic caused by residents.
Only 20 percent of trips from a typical home
are for work—the other 80 percent are for
errands, shopping, school, recreation and other
purposes. Maintaining a rich array of services
within walking distance has a large impact on
travel behavior.
Parking Management
Separating the cost of parking from the cost of
housing allows residents to decide how much
parking they will need and helps to create
affordable housing options. Separating these
costs also influences travel behavior, largely
because it encourages families with fewer cars
to move to Santa Monica by offering housing
discounted by the cost of parking. Better
management of residential on-street parking so
that residents can always find a space on their
block may also reduce traffic significantly by
eliminating the need to circle around the block
for a space.
Transit Passes
Universal transit passes could be provided to
residential developments or neighborhoods
through resident associations or assessments.
Examples of places this has been implemented
include Santa Clara, California and Boulder,
Colorado.
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4.0 - 62 | S A N T A M O N I C A L U C E
Schools
Safe Routes to School Programs
By combining physical improvements to
increase the safety of walking and bicycling,
along with classroom training, Santa Monica
can cut vehicle trips by as much as half at its
elementary, middle and high schools.
Transit Passes
Particularly at Santa Monica High School and
Santa Monica College, turning student ID cards
into universal transit passes could significantly
reduce vehicle trips, (even more so than at
employment centers).
Parking Management
The City could work with the SMMUSD
to incorporate parking as a tool for traffic
management. Additionally, money spent
subsidizing parking is money that could
otherwise go for educational purposes.
People who use parking could pay for the
land, construction, maintenance and other
operational costs of providing parking.
Other Programs
Transit information, tailored school shuttles,
and covered, secure bicycle parking are among
the other programs Santa Monica may provide
to reduce vehicle trips at its schools.
School programs and physical improvements can cut auto trips by as much as half. c h a p t e r 4 . 0
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Safe Routes to School. In the morning peak period there are pockets of severe congestion around local schools. Safe Routes to Schools programs are designed to prevent congestions by increasing walking and bicycling for students of all ages.
GOALS AND POLICIES
GOAL T19: Create an integrated
transportation and land use program that
seeks to limit total peak period vehicle trips
with a Santa Monica origin or destination to
2009 levels.
POLICIES:
T19.1 Develop land use policies that focus
development potential in locations best served
by transit.
T19.2 Impose appropriate Transportation
Demand Management (TDM) requirements for
new development.
T19.3 Create incentives for existing
employers, institutions and residential
neighborhoods to reduce their vehicle trips.
T19.4 Encourage a mix of land uses that
meet residents’ daily needs within walking
distance.
T19.5 Encourage local-serving retail uses
within walking distance of housing, particularly
in new mixed-use neighborhoods, such as
Bergamot Transit Village and Memorial Park
Activity Center.
T19.6 Develop community benefits incentives
so that new development will contribute
toward improving surrounding neighborhoods.
T19.7 Perform a nexus study and implement a
transportation impact fee to mitigate negative
transportation impacts of new development.
T19.8 Establish a system of transportation
performance measures, regularly track
performance of the system according to these
measures, report results to the public and
suggest remediation as necessary.
T19.9 Strengthen the Transportation
Management Ordinance to further reduce trips
generated by existing employees.
GOAL T20: Manage the transportation
system to prioritize flexibility, cost
effectiveness and accountability.
POLICIES:
T20.1 Develop and implement clear
transportation performance measures that
will be publicly reported on a regular basis to
help City staff, elected and appointed officials,
residents, and other stakeholders understand
the components of the transportation system
that are working well and where improvements
are needed.
T20.2 When balancing the needs of different
modes of transportation, consider person
capacity and person delay over vehicle capacity
and vehicle delay.
denotes sustainable policy
4.0 - 64 | S A N T A M O N I C A L U C E
g o a l s a n d p o l i c i e s : c i r c u l a t i o n Evaluating performance measures—such as intersection
capacity—will help determine how well the transportation system is operating.
Carpools and vanpools are powerful tools to reduce congestion.
T20.3 When considering transportation
investments, emphasize lifecycle costing,
considering the operating costs and annualized
capital costs and comparing these to the
benefits to new and existing users.
T20.4 When considering transportation
investments, consider latent demand,
particularly for roadway capacity increases, and
evaluate future expandability and flexibility.
T20.5 Recognize quality and maintenance as
important priorities.
T20.6 Foster the success of Transportation
Management Organizations (TMOs) in the
City’s commercial districts, and leverage
transportation funds through the TMOs.
GOAL T21: Use all available tools to
make the most effective possible use of the
transportation system.
POLICIES:
T21.1 Regularly update the TDM requirements
for new development.
T21.2 Consider eliminating direct and
hidden subsidies of motor vehicle parking and
driving, making the true costs of parking and
driving visible to motorists.
T21.3 TDM program requirements shall be
triggered for new development consistent with
the LUCE performance standards.
T21.4 Seek to fund TDM programs through
transportation related fees such as Transportation
Management Ordinance fees and parking fees.
T21.5 Strive to implement measures to minimize
the time motorists spend searching for parking
through way-finding and pricing parking to create
availability.
T21.6 Consider parking pricing and
commuter parking limits as tools for managing
congestion.
T21.7 New multi-family and nonresidential
developments should be incentivized to construct
facility design elements that will enable price
control for parking.
T21.8 Seek methods to use parking revenue
to support travel by transit, bicycle, walking and
other modes.
T21.9 Consider modifications of existing
facilities to support changes in demand, for
example, replacing auto parking with bicycle
parking as bicycle use grows.
T21.10 Continue to strengthen the marketing
and promotion of non-auto transportation to
residents, employees and visitors.
T21.11 Continue to invest in information
technology to help improve access to all
transportation choices.
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Dedicated car-share parking spaces in convenient locations can help incentivize decreased private automobile ownership in Santa Monica.
The LUCE promotes alternatives to driving to work.
ACTIONS
Establish and regularly update mode split
targets for each Demand Management District
and the City as a whole, and develop strategies
to achieve those targets.
Facilitate the formation of Transportation
Management Organizations (TMOs), Business
Improvement Districts, or other organizations
to help manage vehicle trips at a local level.
Explore and develop feasible approaches to
unbundling the cost of parking from the cost of
housing for new multi-family projects.
Regularly update the City’s TDM program
and evaluate the following for possible
implementation:
Bike-transit centers with bicycle parking,
bike rentals, bike repair shops, lockers,
showers and transit information and
amenities (such as maps, schedules, and
sales of fare media like monthly passes)
Bikesharing Program, with public bicycle
rentals located throughout the City
Carsharing Program
TMOs to provide TDM programs and
coordinate parking management activities
for distinct sub-areas of the City
The provision by employers, institutions or
residents’ associations of Universal Transit
Passes for Big Blue Bus and Metro
Safe Access to Transit Program to provide
safer bicycle and pedestrian access to
transit stops
Vanpool and carpool ride-matching
services for TMOs and employers, including
customized, real-time, online tools
Mobility Centers located in each TMO
that create a one-stop shopping center for
residents, employees, and visitors to get
information on travel options
Methods of monitoring TDM programs to
ensure that each TMO or employer meets
specified trip reduction targets
While evaluating the car-sharing program,
consider approaches to increase car-sharing,
such as:
New development providing “right-of-firstrefusal” to parking spaces for car-sharing organizations and the City, and
Providing public on- and off-street spaces
to qualified car-share operators for little or
no charge.