This article shall be known as the traffic impact analysis requirements. The traffic impact analysis requirements acknowledge and respond to the relationship between land uses and the vehicular traffic generated by those uses on public roadways. The purpose of these requirements is to adopt methods to assess the traffic related impacts at the time significant land use decisions regarding property within the city limits and ETJ of the city are made.
(1998 Code, sec. 9.1301)
(a) 
A traffic impact analysis (TIA) is a study that provides information on the projected traffic likely to be generated by a proposed development and to assess its impact on the roadways in the immediate proximity of a proposed development. The TIA should identify any potential traffic operational problems or concerns and recommend appropriate action to address such problems or concerns.
(b) 
A traffic impact analysis shall be made in accordance with the provisions of this section and the Transportation Criteria Manual. The geographic area to be considered in the TIA shall be established by the director of planning. The TIA should consider and account for the potential traffic generated by other undeveloped sites within the established boundaries.
(c) 
A neighborhood traffic analysis is a simplified traffic impact analysis that assesses the impact of a proposed project on residential streets. A neighborhood traffic analysis is limited to an evaluation of existing and projected operating levels of residential streets and an identification of mitigation measures needed to minimize traffic impacts.
(1998 Code, sec. 9.1302)
(a) 
TIA requirements apply to each individual lot or tract of land under the following circumstances:
(1) 
When an application is made to zone or rezone;
(2) 
When an application is made to subdivide or resubdivide;
(3) 
When seeking site plan approval to develop;
(4) 
When required by the director of planning; or
(5) 
When required by the Planning and Zoning Commission.
If an application is made to zone or rezone only a portion of a tract of land that zoning will later be requested on the entirety, a TIA may, at the discretion of the director of planning or the Planning and Zoning Commission, be required for the entire tract if an application is made to subdivide or resubdivide only a portion of a tract of land that will later be subdivided in its entirety, a TIA shall be required for the entire tract.
(b) 
A review fee shall accompany the submission of the TIA as prescribed in Appendix A, article 2.000, section 2.400 of this code of ordinances.
(Ordinance CO-01-09-13-8.A. adopted 9/13/01)
(a) 
Local or collector street.
Means any roadway not designated as an arterial street. For the purposes of this section, a residential local or collector street is one along which fifty percent (50%) or more of the frontage within one thousand, five hundred (1,500) feet of the proposed project’s property lines (or to the nearest arterial, whichever distance is less) is zoned for single-family or more restrictive uses.
(b) 
The director of planning shall have the authority to require a TIA if the expected number of trips generated by the project exceeds two thousand (2,000) vehicle trips per day.
(c) 
The director of planning shall have the authority to require a neighborhood traffic analysis if the project has access only to a residential local or collector street and the expected number of trips generated by the project exceeds three hundred (300) vehicle trips per day over the existing uses.
(d) 
The Planning and Zoning Commission by a majority vote shall have the authority to require a TIA when needed to address public concerns expressed in a public meeting.
(1998 Code, sec. 9.1304)
(a) 
If a TIA is required for a project pursuant to sections 16.04.003 and 16.04.004, the performance of the TIA shall be the responsibility of the applicant. The TIA must be performed under the supervision of a qualified registered professional engineer or other qualified individual. The TIA report must be prepared documenting the study, the data used, the findings, and the recommendations of the study consistent with the requirements specified in the Transportation Criteria Manual. The TIA shall be signed by the registered professional engineer or other qualified individual responsible for the supervision of the study and preparation of the TIA. If the director of planning determines that the TIA is inadequate or not in accordance with this section, the applicant may be required to supplement the TIA to address any deficiencies.
(b) 
If a neighborhood traffic analysis is required for the project, the performance of the study shall be the responsibility of the Planning Department. If current counts are not available, however, the applicant may be required to conduct traffic counts on the affected streets in accordance with procedures established by the Public Works Department.
(1998 Code, sec. 9.1306)
(a) 
An application subject to these traffic impact analysis requirements may be disapproved when the results of a traffic impact analysis demonstrate that the proposed project may overburden the city’s street system, or the applicant may modify an application to minimize the traffic-related impacts identified as part of the required traffic impact analysis. Modifications to applications for projects on non-residential streets may include, but are not limited to:
(1) 
A reduction in the projected vehicle trips per day;
(2) 
Dedication of additional right-of-way;
(3) 
Reroutings of traffic and of proposed access and egress points serving the proposed project; or
(4) 
Participation in the funding of traffic signal and/or intersection improvements.
(b) 
On residential local or collector streets and on which the traffic volume is in excess of an undesirable operating level, as defined in subsection (d) below, a project shall be disapproved when the traffic generated by the project is shown to raise the operating levels to an undesirable operating level as defined below on any street within the study area, of the TIA or the neighborhood traffic analysis, or when the results of a TIA or a neighborhood traffic analysis demonstrate that the project will endanger the public safety. An applicant shall be allowed to modify a proposed site plan or remedy other traffic related impacts identified as part of the TIA in order to lower the projected traffic volume on streets affected by the project within the TIA study area below the undesirable operating level.
(c) 
On residential local or collector streets and on which the traffic volume is in excess of an undesirable operating level, as defined in subsection (d) the project shall be disapproved unless the Planning Commission or City Council, as appropriate, determines that the project will not result in a significant deterioration of the undesirable operating level.
(d) 
On residential local or collector streets, traffic shall be considered to be operating at an undesirable level if it exceeds the volumes indicated below:
Pavement Width
Undesirable Operating Level
Less than 30 feet
1,200 vehicles per day
30 feet to less than 40 feet
1,800 vehicles per day
40 feet or wider
4,000 vehicles per day
(1998 Code, sec. 9.1307)
The director of planning may waive the submittal of a TIA. If a TIA is required, the director of planning shall not waive the requirements of subsections (b) or (c) of section 16.04.007. In those instances where the threshold conditions provided in section 16.04.004 are exceeded and the TIA requirements are waived, the director of planning shall record the rationale for the waiver as a part of the decision or recommendation on the application.
(1998 Code, sec. 9.1308)