06 Attachment 1 - Resolution Adopting the VMT ThresholdsATTACHMENT 1
RESOLUTION 2020- RESOLUTION OF THE TOWN COUNCIL
OF THE TOWN OF LOS GATOS
ADOPTING VEHICLE MILES TRAVELED THRESHOLDS OF SIGNIFICANCE FOR
PURPOSES OF ANALYZING TRANSPORTATION IMPACTS UNDER THE CALIFORNIA
ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT
WHEREAS, Senate Bill (SB) 743, signed into law in 2013 by Governor Edmund G. Brown,
directed the Governor’s Office of Planning and Research (OPR) to develop updated criteria for
measuring transportation impacts under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) using
alternative metrics that promote a reduction in greenhouse gases, the development of
multimodal transportation, and a diversity of land uses, all towards achieving the State’s climate
action goals; and
WHEREAS, Section 15064.3 of the CEQA Guidelines, added as part of the 2018 update,
identifies Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) as the most appropriate measure of transportation
impacts under CEQA, and states that a project’s effect on automobile delay shall not constitute
a significant environmental impact; and
WHEREAS, the Governor’s Office of Planning and Research (OPR) has recommended using
Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) to analyze transportation impacts; and
WHEREAS, 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. Lead
agencies are required to begin using the VMT metric by July 1, 2020; and
WHEREAS, the Town has analyzed and drafted appropriate VMT thresholds of
significance, considering local conditions and guidance from OPR; and
WHEREAS, The Town Council and Planning Commission held a joint Study Session on
October 8, 2019 on the topic as an introduction to the new requirements, concepts, and other
provisions; and
WHEREAS, On February 18, 2020, the Town Council was presented with two threshold
setting options and approved the option to set thresholds consistent with the General Plan future
year Vehicle Miles Traveled projections; and
WHEREAS, in July 2020 the Town completed a document titled “SB 743 Implementation
Decisions for the Town of Los Gatos” to provide background on the changes in the CEQA
Transportation Analysis and technical information pertaining to decisions the Town Council will
need to make; and
WHEREAS, the Town Council held a public hearing on November 17, 2020 to establish
VMT thresholds for use in implementing CEQA pursuant to SB 743 and considered all evidence
presented at said hearing;
WHEREAS, the Town Council finds and determines, based upon staff and consultant
reports and research as well as testimony in the record, that the revised CEQA thresholds of
significance are consistent with State requirements as to how transportation impacts should be
evaluated for purposes of CEQA review of projects. The thresholds of significance are based upon
the VMT metric that is specifically required in CEQA Guidelines Section 15064.3. Additionally, the
Town is setting the new CEQA thresholds at a level and in a manner consistent with and based
upon review of OPR guidance.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED does hereby RESOLVE as follows:
Based upon the foregoing, the Council hereby adopts the revised CEQA Thresholds of
Significance for Transportation Impacts for land use projects and land use plans for the Town of
Los Gatos, attached hereto as Exhibit A.
PASSED AND ADOPTED at a regular meeting of the Town Council of the Town of Los
Gatos, California, held on the 17th day of November 2020 by the following vote:
COUNCIL MEMBERS:
AYES:
NAYS:
ABSENT:
ABSTAIN:
SIGNED:
MAYOR OF THE TOWN OF LOS GATOS
LOS GATOS, CALIFORNIA
DATE: __________________
ATTEST:
TOWN CLERK OF THE TOWN OF LOS GATOS
LOS GATOS, CALIFORNIA
DATE: __________________
EXHIBIT A
Town of Los Gatos
California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA)
Thresholds of Significance for Transportation Impacts
Consistent with State CEQA Guidelines Section 15064.3, the Town of Los Gatos has adopted the
following thresholds of significance to guide in determining when a land use project or a land
use plan will have a significant transportation impact.
A. Baseline Thresholds
A.1. Land Use Projects
Project Impact: A significant impact would occur if the total VMT per service population for
the project would exceed a level of 11.3% below the total VMT per service population for
the Town of Los Gatos baseline conditions.
Project Effect: A significant impact would occur if the project increases total (boundary)
County-wide VMT by 6.5% compared to baseline conditions.
A.2. Land Use Plans
Project Impact: A significant impact would occur if the total VMT per service population for
the plan area would exceed a level of 11.3% below the total VMT per service population for
the Town of Los Gatos baseline conditions.
B. Cumulative Thresholds
B.1. Land Use Projects
Project Effect: A significant impact would occur if the project increases total (boundary)
County-wide VMT by 6.5% compared to cumulative no project conditions.
B.2. Land Use Plans
Project Effect: A significant impact would occur if the project increases total (boundary)
County-wide VMT by 6.5% compared to cumulative no project conditions.
B.3. All land use and transportation projects
A significant impact would occur if the project is inconsistent with the Regional
Transportation Plan/Sustainable Community Strategy Plan (Plan Bay Area).