19.34.080 Transportation demand management.
A. When a Transportation Demand Management (TDM) Plan Is Required.
1. A TDM plan must be prepared for the following development projects:
a. A TDM plan is required for new construction of a principal building in excess of fifty thousand square feet of gross floor area.
b. A TDM plan is required for substantial renovation of a principal building with a gross floor area of at least fifty thousand square feet and involving a change of use.
c. A TDM plan is required for any development with an exception or reduction of parking allowed pursuant to EMC 19.34.050 or 19.34.060.
d. A TDM plan is not required for single-, duplex- or triplex-dwelling units.
2. A TDM plan must be reviewed and approved, approved with modifications, or disapproved by the city engineer or designee. A preliminary TDM plan shall be submitted before a building permit is approved. TDM plans may be written in two steps:
a. Preliminary TDM Plan. When a TDM plan is required, a preliminary plan must be submitted along with the development application. The TDM plan should include the requirements outlined in subsections B, C and D of this section. If a preliminary TDM plan is submitted and approved by the city engineer or designee, then a final TDM plan is not required until a certificate of occupancy is requested.
b. Final TDM Plan. A final TDM plan meeting the requirements outlined in subsections (B), (C) and (D) of this section is required before a certificate of occupancy may be granted. The TDM plan must be approved by the city engineer or designee.
3. A building permit or land use approval shall not be granted until a final TDM plan meeting the requirements outlined in sections (B), (C) and (D) of this section is approved by the city engineer or designee, and a covenant approved by the planning director requiring compliance with the approved TDM plan is recorded by the applicant. The covenant shall include enforcement mechanism(s), which may include, but are not limited to, enforcement pursuant to Chapter 1.20 EMC, injunctive relief, monetary penalties, and loss of units available for rental.
B. What Is Required in a TDM Plan.
1. A TDM plan must be consistent with a TDM guide established by the city engineer.
2. A TDM plan must be prepared by a qualified professional with demonstrated experience in transportation planning, traffic engineering, or comparable field, unless otherwise allowed by the city engineer.
3. A TDM plan must determine:
a. The anticipated travel demand for the project.
b. How the anticipated travel demand for the project will be met on site or off site, including:
(1) Number of on-street vehicle parking spaces, off-street vehicle parking spaces, or shared vehicle parking arrangements.
(2) Number of short-term and long-term bicycle parking spaces.
(3) Accommodations for pedestrians, cyclists, motorists, transit riders, and the mobility-impaired.
c. The strategies that will be employed to reduce single-occupancy vehicle trips, reduce vehicle miles traveled by site users, and promote transportation alternatives such as walking, cycling, ridesharing, and transit.
d. The modal share objectives that will be sought from the implementation of TDM strategies.
4. A TDM plan must include ways to ensure ongoing compliance and enforcement of approved TDM strategies.
5. Fees as required to review and approve the TDM plan, and annual fees to monitor the implementation of the TDM plan, as required by the city.
C. TDM Strategies. TDM strategies may include, but are not limited to, the following:
1. Walking, cycling, ridesharing, and transit promotion and education.
2. Parking cash-out programs or unbundled parking/market rate pricing.
3. Shared parking arrangements.
4. Enhanced bicycle parking and services (above the minimum required).
5. Support for car share and bike share services and facilities.
6. Carpooling or vanpooling programs or benefits.
7. Free or subsidized transit passes, transit-to-work shuttles, or enhanced transit facilities (such as bus shelters).
8. Guaranteed ride home (GRH) programs.
9. Provision for alternative work schedules (i.e., flextime, compressed work week, staggered shifts, telecommuting).
10. Promotion of “live near your work” programs.
11. Roadway improvements adjacent to the site that will help encourage transportation alternatives.
12. Designation of an on-site employee and/or resident transportation coordinator.
13. Membership in a transportation management association (TMA).
D. TDM Performance Standards. In making its decision, the city engineer must make written findings of fact on the following matters:
1. The project includes performance objectives to minimize single-occupancy vehicle trips and maximize the utilization of transportation alternatives to the extent practicable, taking into account the opportunities and constraints of the site and the nature of the development.
2. The project must meet the anticipated transportation demand without placing an unreasonable burden on public infrastructure, such as transit and on-street parking facilities, and the surrounding neighborhood.
3. The TDM plan includes ways to ensure ongoing compliance to reduce transportation impacts. (Ord. 3774-20 § 8 (Exh. 6), 2020; Ord. 3672-19 § 9, 2019; Ord. 3616-18 § 2 (Exh. 1), 2018.)