HomeMy WebLinkAboutCC Res 7042 2020-06-08RESOLUTION 7042
A RESOLUTION OF THE SEAL BEACH CITY COUNCIL
ADOPTING THE UPDATED TRANSPORTATION ANALYSIS
GUIDELINES PURSUANT TO SENATE BILL 743
WHEREAS, Governor Edmond. G. Brown signed Senate Bill (SB) 743 in 2013,
directing the Office of Planning and Research (OPR) to develop updated criteria
for measuring transportation impacts using alternative metrics that promote a
reduction in greenhouse gases, the development of multimodal transportation,
and a diversity of land uses, and,
WHEREAS, OPR released the proposed updates to the California Environmental
Quality Act (CEQA) in November 2017; and,
WHEREAS, the Natural Resources Agency released the Final Statement of
Reasons for Regulatory Action Amendments to the State CEQA Guidelines in
November 2018; and,
WHEREAS, the Office of Administrative Law approved the CEQA Guidelines on
December 28, 2019; including new CEQA Guidelines Section 15064.3 that
identifies vehicle miles traveled ("VMT") — meaning the amount and distance of
automobile travel attributable to a project — as the most appropriate metric to
evaluate a project's transportation impacts; and
WHEREAS, as a result, automobile delay, as measured by "level of service" and
other similar metrics, generally no longer constitutes a significant environmental
effect under CEQA; and
WHEREAS, the CEQA Guidelines Section 15064.7(b) allows lead agencies to
adopt thresholds of significance for the lead agency's general use in its
environmental review process by ordinance, resolution, rule, or regulations,
developed through a public review process, and be supported by substantial
evidence; and,
WHEREAS, the City of Seal Beach have updated the Transportation Analysis
Guidelines pursuant to SB 743 and CEQA Guidelines Section 15064.3; and,
WHEREAS, on May 18, 2020, the Seal Beach Planning Commission adopted
Resolution No. 20-06 recommending that the City Council adopt the updated
Transportation Analysis Guidelines.
THE SEAL BEACH CITY COUNCIL DOES HEREBY RESOLVE:
Section 1. CEQA. The City Council hereby finds that the adoption of the
Updated Transportation Analysis Guidelines, which is an action consistent with
Senate Bill ("SB") 743, will not result in a direct or reasonably foreseeable
indirect physical change in the environment. Accordingly, the Updated
Transportation Analysis Guidelines are not a "project" within the meaning of
CEQA pursuant to Section § 15378(a) of the CEQA Guidelines. In addition, the
Updated Transportation Analysis Guidelines are not a "project" within pursuant to
Section 15378(b)(5) of the CEQA Guidelines and constitute an action involving
procedures for the protection of the environment, which is exempt from CEQA
pursuant to 14 CCR Section 15308. Finally, if the Updated Transportation
Analysis Guidelines are determined to be subject to CEQA, they are exempt
therefrom because it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that
these amendments will have a significant effect on the environment. pursuant to
Section 15061(b)(3) of the CEQA Guidelines because the proposed action falls
under the general rule that CEQA applies only to actions that have the potential
for causing a significant effect on the environment, and it can be seen with
certainty that a public review will not have a significant effect on the environment.
Section 2. The City Council hereby adopts the updated Transportation
Analysis Guidelines, dated June 2020.
PASSED, APPROVED AND ADOPTED by the Seal Beach City Council at a
regular meeting held on the 8t" day of June 2020 by the following vote:
AYES: Council Members: Kalmick, Massa-Lavitt, Moore, Sustarsic, Varipapa
NOES: Council Members: None
ABSENT: Council Members: None
ABSTAIN: Council Members: None
AT ,EST:
L
ona D. Har r, C rClerk
Schelly Sustarsic, Mayor
STATE OF CALIFORNIA }
COUNTY OF ORANGE } SS
CITY OF SEAL BEACH }
I, Gloria D. Harper, City Clerk of the City of Seal Beach, do hereby certify that the
foregoing resolution is the original copy of Resolution 7042 on file in the office of
the City Clerk, passed, approved, and adopted by the City Council at a regular
meeting held on the 8th day of June 2020.
loria D. Harpe , City C