A. The provisions of this section are intended to meet the requirements of Cal. Gov't Code § 65089(b)(3) which requires development of a trip-reduction and travel-demand element to the Congestion Management Plan, and Cal. Gov't Code § 65089.3(b) which requires adoption and implementation of Trip-Reduction and Travel-Demand Ordinance. New commercial, retail, office, manufacturing, industrial, mixed-use development including employment centers of fifty (50) persons or more may adversely impact existing transportation and parking facilities, resulting in increased motor vehicles emissions, deteriorating levels of service, and possibly significant additional capital expenditures to augment and improve the existing transportation system. In order to more efficiently utilize the existing and planned transportation system and to reduce vehicle emissions, it is the policy of the city to:
1. Promote and encourage the use of alternative transportation modes such as ridesharing, carpools, vanpools, public bus, rail transit, bicycles, and walking, as well as those facilities that support such modes.
2. Promote coordinated implementation of strategies on a countywide basis to reduce transportation demand.
3. Recommend and encourage membership in the North Orange County Transportation Management Association.
B. Applicability. For purposes of determining whether a new development project is subject to this section, the total employment figure will be determined as follows:
1. Employment projections developed by the project applicant, subject to approval by the city; or
2. Employment projections developed by the city, using the following employee generation factors by type of use.
Land Use Category | Gross Sq. Ft./Employee |
Land Use Category | Gross Sq. Ft./Employee |
Commercial | |
Regional | 500 |
Community | 500 |
Neighborhood | 500 |
Office/Professional | 250 |
Industrial | 525 |
Hotel | 0.8-1.2/room |
* The employment projection for a development of mixed- or multiple-uses shall be calculated on a case-by-case basis based upon the proportion of development devoted to each type of use.
C. Facility standards.
1. All applicable developments shall be reviewed to determine whether application of each of the facility standards specified in this section is appropriate. This determination, and any revisions to requirements within each standard, shall be made by the Development Services Director, or his or her designee, based upon review of the design characteristics and other features of the project as proposed in the site development plan. Improvements needed to meet those standards shall be incorporated into the site development plan.
2. Preferential parking for carpool/vanpool vehicles.
a. Using the specified percentages and dates below, employee parking spaces shall be reserved and designated for carpool or vanpool vehicles by marking such spaces “carpool only” or “vanpool only.”
Eight percent (8%) until 1992
Ten percent (10%) until 1994
Twelve percent (12%) after 1994
b. The total number of employee parking spaces shall be determined using the following factors by type of use as specified in § 20.08.040.D. of this chapter.
Type of Use | Percent of Total Parking Devoted to Employee |
Type of Use | Percent of Total Parking Devoted to Employee |
Commercial | |
- Regional | 30% |
- Community | 30% |
- Neighborhood | 30% |
Office/Professional | 85% |
Industrial | 90% |
Hotel | 30% |
c. Carpool spaces shall be used only by carpool vehicles in which at least two (2) of the persons are employees or tenants of the proposed project.
d. Vanpool spaces shall be used by vanpool vehicles serving the employees or tenants of the proposed project. The vanpool parking space shall be a minimum of nine and one-half (9½) feet wide and nineteen (19) feet long.
e. Where applicable, vanpool accessibility shall include a minimum of eight-foot vertical clearance for those parking spaces and ramps to be used by such vehicles.
f. Such carpool/vanpool spaces shall be located near the building's employee entrance(s) or at other preferential locations within the employee parking areas as approved by the Development Services Director, or his or her designee.
3. Bicycle parking, shower, and locker facilities.
a. Bicycle parking shall be provided in a secure location for use by employees or tenants who commute to the site by bicycle. The number of bicycle storage spaces shall be a minimum of five (5) bicycle storage spaces. Additional bicycle storage spaces shall be provided as needed.
b. Locker facilities shall be provided for tenants or employees who ride bicycles at the rate of at least two (2) lockers for every two hundred fifty (250) employees.
c. A minimum of two (2) shower facilities shall be provided, one (1) each for men and women, after two hundred fifty (250) employees. These facilities shall be available to all building employees.
d. These locker, shower, and bicycle storage facilities should be provided in a central location for use by the employees/tenants of the building(s).
4. Rideshare vehicle loading areas. The need for design and location of passenger loading areas to embark and disembark passengers from rideshare vehicles shall be reviewed by the Development Services Director, or his or her designee. Generally, the passenger loading areas shall be located as close as possible to the building's employee entrance(s), and should be designed in a manner that does not impede vehicular circulation in the parking area.
5. Bus stop improvements.
a. Bus stop improvements including bus pullouts, bus pads, and right-of-way for bus shelters shall be required for all applicable developments that are located along established bus routes.
b. Bus stop improvements shall be determined in conformance with standard traffic engineering principles including, but not limited to, the following:
(1) The frequency and relative impact of blocked traffic due to stopped buses.
(2) The level of transit ridership at the location.
6. Information on transportation alternatives.
a. A commuter information area shall be provided that offers employees appropriate information on available transportation alternatives to the single-occupancy vehicle. This area shall be centrally located and accessible to all employees or tenants.
b. Information in the area shall include, but not be limited to, the following:
(1) Current maps, routes, and schedules for public transit.
(2) Available employee incentives.
(3) Ridesharing promotional material.
D. Ordinance implementation and monitoring. Plan review.
1. During the plan review process for all site plans, compliance with facility standards as defined in this section shall be reviewed.
2. All facility standards required by this section shall be completed prior to issuance of building permits.
3. Periodic checks of the applicable developments shall be made after completion of the projects to ensure continued compliance with this section.
(Ord. 905, passed 5-21-91)