The following measures may be incorporated into a project’s Transportation Demand Management (TDM) program to meet its Tier requirements (see Section
20.400.003 (“Requirements by Tier”)). This section represents the menu of options, but not all items are required.
A. Participation in Commute.org or Transportation Management Association.
1. Sites that participate in Commute.org programs shall partner with Commute.org or join a Transportation Management Association (TMA) or other qualified shared transportation consortium with comparable TDM services, whose role is to coordinate transportation-related programs and services in specific geographic areas.
2. Office- and employment-based projects must satisfy the following components to satisfactorily implement this measure:
a. Obtain certification of participation with Commute.org, or equivalent program.
b. Provide commute assistance and ride-matching program.
c. Participate in or provide a dedicated shuttle program/consortium or equivalent transit service unless located within 0.5 miles of a Caltrain or BART station.
d. Provide Guaranteed Ride Home.
e. Supply orientation, education, and promotional programs and/or materials for tenants.
B. Transit Pass Subsidies and Pre-Tax Transit Benefits.
1. Employers shall offer public transit passes or subsidies equivalent to at least 50 percent of the cost of a monthly two-zone Caltrain pass, which shall be implemented through either a direct voucher program provided by the property manager, or through lease terms obligating employers at the site to provide said subsidies.
2. Passes/subsidies provided must be valid for public transportation options, including, but not limited to, BART, Caltrain, SamTrans, ferry, and vanpool subscription (or costs).
3. Subsidies shall be administered through a pre-tax transit benefit program allowing employees to fully fund their transit use with pre-tax dollars if they opt into the program.
4. Employers shall adhere to goals and policies by the Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD), which requires employers with 50 or more employees within the air district region to provide commuter benefits and annual employer registration.
5. Funding contributions towards or participation in Commute.org shuttle program shall not count for this measure.
C. Carpool/Vanpool Programs and Parking. Employers or property managers shall provide carpooling and/or vanpooling options to facilitate shared work trips. Carpooling generally uses participants’ own automobiles, and vanpooling generally uses leased vans, often supplied by employers, non-profit organizations, car rental businesses, or government agencies. Carpool and vanpool programs shall include subsidies or other monetary incentives from employers (e.g., gas card after carpooling for a given amount of time, or parking subsidies for carpools), as well as ride-matching services to help facilitate these shared trips.
D. Bicycle Storage, Showers, and Lockers.
1. Employers and offices shall offer showers, changing rooms, and lockers to accommodate employees arriving by bicycle or other active transportation forms and employees who exercise during breaks.
2. Safe and convenient bicycle parking must be provided in accordance with Section
20.330.007 ("Bicycle Parking") which provides for two categories of bicycle parking:
a. Long-term (Class I) bicycle parking shall offer protection from weather and convenient access to and from the street, without the need to use stairs and with doorways and corridors that are sufficiently wide to navigate with a bicycle.
b. Short-term (Class II) bicycle parking shall be near pedestrian entries and may be in the public right-of-way (i.e., on sidewalks). Short-term bicycle parking may be used for visitors, couriers, or customers, typically for less than two hours.
E. Designated TDM Coordinator. Employers shall provide a TDM coordinator or contact person to provide oversight and management of the program’s implementation. The individual must either be an employee or contracted through a third-party provider. In addition, for sites leasing space to multiple employers or businesses, the TDM Coordinator designated by the property owner shall be responsible for providing lists of mandatory and optional measures to all individual businesses. Tenants should be obligated (via lease language) to provide a main point of contact for the Designated TDM Coordinator.
F. Bicycle and Pedestrian-Oriented Site Access. On-site circulation shall be designed to enable safe bicycle and pedestrian-oriented access for all users of all ages and abilities, increasing the overall capacity of the transportation network and improving pedestrian and cyclist safety and comfort. Examples include:
1. Non-motorized pathways internal to the project.
2. Orienting the project’s main entrance toward an active transportation or transit facility.
3. Minimizing site access barriers along paths of bicycle and pedestrian travel such as driveways, surface parking lots, loading docks, unmarked crosswalks, and meandering sidewalks.
G. Encourage Telecommuting and Flexible Work Schedules. Encourage employees to work remotely at least one day per week to reduce overall vehicle trips. When employees commute to work, encourage flexible work schedules that encourage travel outside of peak hours.
H. Paid Parking or Parking Cash-Out.
1. Motorists shall pay directly for using parking facilities (paid parking), or employers shall offer cash equivalents to the cost of leasing a parking space to employees who do not receive a parking permit (parking cash-out).
2. For paid parking, parking rates shall be at the market rate (minimum of five dollars per day) and not subsidized by property owners or employers.
3. If an employer provides free parking as a benefit to employees, they may instead offer “cash-out” in the form of the equivalent value of the parking space directly to an employee. If the employer leases parking, the cash-out amount shall be equivalent to the cost per space for the employer to lease parking for employees. If the employer owns and manages its own parking facilities, the cash-out value shall be determined based on market-rate parking at nearby locations.
I. Unbundled Parking.
1. Residents shall pay for a parking space separately from their rent or mortgage, and parking spaces shall not be deeded for condominium units.
2. Parking rates shall be established based on the prevailing market rate and shall not be subsidized by property owners or employers; however, rates for affordable units shall be prorated in proportion to their rent discounts. For condominiums with non-deeded spaces, the HOA shall collect parking fees separate from the standard HOA fee. Similarly, tenants in a multi-employer office or retail development pay for each parking space leased from the property that they provide as either an employee benefit or courtesy parking for guests.
3. One hundred percent of spaces shall be unbundled to qualify for this measure.
J. Shared Parking Approach. Mixed-use developments, particularly multi-tenant retail developments, shall establish a shared parking approach based on the most recent guidance from the Urban Land Institute’s Shared Parking Model to prevent an oversupply of parking. This measure may also be used in combination with Unbundled Parking for multi-building office and research and development uses with approval from the Chief Planner.
K. Enhanced Shuttle Commitment. In addition to regular participation in a Commute.org shuttle consortium or transportation management association, the applicant shall contribute additional funding or a supplemental shuttle service (open to the public) that consists of at least twice the standard contribution total (as determined by Commute.org or a TMA). Increased shuttle funding helps run service more frequently for a longer service span.
L. Active Transportation Gap Closure.
1. Pedestrian, bicycle, and micromobility connections shall be established from a project site to existing trails, bikeways, or adjacent streets beyond what is required in Chapter
20.310 (“Site and Buildings Design Standards”).
2. Contribution to off-site gap closures in the bicycle or pedestrian network that improve access to the Project is also eligible. This improves overall access not only for on-site employees or residents but also for other users in the area.
3. The point value of contributions will be calculated in conjunction with City Staff based on the usage and mode shift potential of the gap closure to the City’s overall bicycle and pedestrian network.
M. Fully Subsidized Transit Passes. The transit pass subsidy shall be expanded to cover 100 percent of typical transit costs for employees (up to the maximum IRS benefit for pre-tax commuter benefits).
N. Transit Capital Improvements.
1. Space shall be contributed on or adjacent to the project site for transit improvements or off-site transit improvements shall be funded.
2. Scoring for this measure will be tiered based on how many improvements are implemented from the following list:
a. Bus/Shuttle Stop (if warranted, including sidewalk connection and ADA accessibility).
b. Bus/Shuttle Shelter (including a covered waiting area seating and lighting).
d. Off-site improvements (such as bus-only lanes, transit signal priority, or queue jumps).
O. On-Site Pedestrian-Oriented Amenities.
1. Active, pedestrian-oriented commercial uses shall be provided on the ground floor designed to create more walkable and inviting areas.
2. Selected commercial uses shall promote a high level of customer use, promote pedestrian interest, and make the street visually appealing and engaging to pedestrians.
3. Developments shall have entrances to both the main location and commercial uses oriented along primary street frontages, and shall not be separated from sidewalks, bikeways, or walkways by parking lots.
P. Cash Reward Incentives. Employers shall incentivize employee commuting via walking, biking, and transit with cash rewards, such as a stipend for every non-auto trip made to promote and encourage the use of these modes.
Q. On-Site Car-Share. Employers shall provide an on-site car-share program or vehicle fleet at employer sites.
R. Bicycle-share or Micromobility Program Participation. Employers shall provide an on-site bike share or micromobility fleet (i.e., bicycles, e-bikes, and scooters) to be rented at one location and returned to another.
S. Active Transportation Subsidies. Employers must either:
1. Provide an allowance for commuting via bicycling and walking at a comparable rate to transit subsidies; or
2. Provide bike share and micromobility services for first/last mile access to transit.
T. Bicycle Repair Station.
1. Employers shall offer a bicycle repair station including a toolkit and air pump within a designated secure area of a building to encourage bicycling and support employees and residents. Tools and supplies shall include those necessary for fixing a flat tire, adjusting a chain, and performing other basic bicycle maintenance.
2. Maintenance services may also be offered to each resident or employee at least once annually, covering basic services such as a tune-up and inspection at a local bicycle shop.
U. Affordable Housing. Employment projects must provide affordable housing on-site or residential projects that exceed inclusionary housing requirements to qualify as a mixed-use project.
(Ord. 1646 § 2, 2022; Ord. 1656, 6/12/2024)