HomeMy WebLinkAboutPC Res 20-06 - 2020-05-18RESOLUTION NO 20-06
A RESOLUTION OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION OF THE
CITY OF SEAL BEACH RECOMMENDING THAT THE CITY
COUNCIL ADOPT 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 has updated its Transportation Analysis
Guidelines pursuant to SB 743 and CEQA Guidelines Section 15064.3; and,
WHEREAS, on May 18, 2020, the Planning Commission considered staff's
presentation and reviewed the updated Transportation Analysis Guidelines.
THE PLANNING COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF SEAL BEACH DOES
HEREBY RESOLVE:
Section 1. CEQA. The Planning Commission 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. Recommend that the City of Seal Beach City Council adopt the
updated Transportation Analysis Guidelines pursuant to SB 743.
PASSED, APPROVED AND ADOPTED by the Seal Beach Planning
Commission at a meeting held on the May 18, 2020 by the following vote:
AYES: Commissioners 1<e-lw c wl je.crt, �icc�2f ,•�A�,c��Pb��c
NOES: Commissioners
ABSENT: Commissioners
ABSTAIN: Commissioners
4nnKlinger
Chairperson
ATTES
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nning Commission Secretary