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4.7 – Transportation Draft Environmental Impact Report February 2021 14800 W. Schulte Road Logistics Center 4.7-7 Vehicle Miles Traveled The CEQA Guidelines state that “generally, vehicle miles traveled (VMT) is the most appropriate measure of transportation impacts” and define VMT as “the amount and distance of automobile travel attributable to a project.” “Automobile” refers to on-road passenger vehicles, specifically cars and light trucks. Heavy-duty truck VMT could be included for modeling convenience and ease of calculation (for example, where models or data provide combined auto and heavy truck VMT). Other relevant considerations may include the effects of a project on transit and non-motorized travel. OPR provides the following screening guidance to determine if a project should be expected to cause a less-than- significant impact (OPR 2018): • Screening Threshold for Small Projects: Projects that generate or attract fewer than 110 trips per day and are consistent with a Sustainable Communities Strategy (SCS) or general plan. • Map-Based Screening for Residential and Office Projects: Projects located in areas with low VMT that incorporate similar features (i.e., density, mix of uses, transit accessibility). • Presumption of Less Than Significant Impact Near Transit Stations: Certain projects (including residential, retail, and office projects, as well as projects that are a mix of these uses) proposed within ½ mile of an existing major transit stop1 or an existing stop along a high quality transit corridor2 will have a less-than- significant impact on VMT. This presumption would not apply, if the project: o Has a Floor Area Ratio (FAR) of less than 0.75 o Includes more parking for use by residents, customers, or employees of the project than required by the jurisdiction (if the jurisdiction requires the project to supply parking) o Is inconsistent with the applicable Sustainable Communities Strategy (as determined by the lead agency, with input from the Metropolitan Planning Organization) o Replaces affordable residential units with a smaller number of moderate- or high-income residential units • Presumption of Less Than Significant Impact for Affordable Residential Development: A project consisting of a high percentage of affordable housing may be basis for the lead agency to find a less-than-significant impact on VMT. • Presumption of Less Than Significant Impact for Local Serving Retail: Locally serving retail projects, less than 50,000 square feet. If a project does not meet the above screening criteria, c onsistent with the OPR guidelines (OPR 2018) and CEQA Guidelines Section 15064.3(b), the following specific VMT metrics are recommended to complete a VMT impact assessment: • Residential Projects: VMT per resident for all home-based trips. • Employment Projects: VMT per employee for only the home-based-work trip purpose and would apply to office, industrial, and institutional projects. 1 PRC Section 21064.3: “‘Major transit stop’ means a site containing an existing rail transit station, a ferry terminal served by either a bus or rail transit service, or the intersection of two or more major bus routes with a frequency of service interval of 15 minutes or less during the morning and afternoon peak commute periods.” 2 PRC Section 21155: “For purposes of this section, a high-quality transit corridor means a corridor with fixed route bus service with service intervals no longer than 15 minutes during peak commute hours.”