Article 12 — Transportation Demand Management

This article is intended to meet the requirements of State Government Code section 65089(b)(3) which requires development of a trip reduction and travel demand element to the Congestion Management Program and section 65089.3(b) which requires adoption and implementation of Trip Reduction and Travel Demand Ordinance, and Orange County Transportation Authority's Growth Management Ordinance Policy Resolution 3, Section II.C.1.b.(ii), which requires adoption of Local Transportation Demand Management Program approved by the Authority.

(Ord. No. 97-11, § 2, 5-5-97; Ord. No. 02-11, § 1a, 6-17-02)

For purposes of this article, the definitions for the following terms shall apply:

Alternative transportation modes. Any mode of travel that serves as an alternative to the single occupant vehicle, during peak hours of traffic operations (i.e. 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.). This can include all forms of ridesharing such as carpooling or vanpooling, as well as public transit, bicycling or walking.

Applicable development. Any new development project that is determined to meet or exceed the employment threshold using the criteria contained in section 13-196 , Applicability.

Employee. Any person employed by a firm, person(s), business, educational institution, nonprofit agency or corporation, government agency or other entity which employs 100 or more persons at a single worksite.

Employment generation factors. Factors for projecting the potential employment of any proposed development project.

Employer. Any person(s), firm, business, educational institution, government agency, nonprofit agency or corporation or other entity which employs 100 or more persons at a single worksite, and may either be a property owner or tenant of an applicable development project.

Facility(ies). The total of all buildings, structures and grounds that encompass a worksite, at either single or multiple locations, that comprises or is associated with an applicable development project.

New development project. Any nonresidential project being processed where some level of discretionary action by a decision-making body is required.

Transportation demand management (TDM). Development and implementation of programs, plans, reports or policies designed to encourage changes in individual travel behavior. TDM can include an emphasis on alternative travel modes to the single occupant vehicle such as carpools, vanpools and transit; reduction or elimination of the number of vehicle trips, or shifts in the time of vehicle commutes to other than the peak periods.

(Ord. No. 97-11, § 2, 5-5-97)

New commercial, industrial and mixed-use development including employment centers of 100 persons or more may adversely impact existing transportation and parking facilities, resulting in increased motor vehicle emissions, deteriorating levels of service, and possible 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:

• (a) Reduce the number of peak-period vehicle trips generated in association with additional development.

• (b) Promote and encourage the use of alternative transportation modes such as ridesharing, carpools, vanpools, public bus and rail transit, bicycles and walking, as well as those facilities that support such modes.

• (c) Achieve related reductions in vehicle trips, traffic congestion and public expenditure and achieve air quality improvements through utilization of existing local mechanisms and procedures for project review and permit processing.

• (d) Promote coordinated implementation of strategies on a countywide and citywide basis to reduce transportation demand.

(e) Achieve the most efficient use of local resources through coordinated and consistent regional and/or local TDM programs. (Ord. No. 97-11, § 2, 5-5-97)

• (a) This article shall apply to all new development projects that are estimated to employ 100 or more persons as determined by the methodology contained in subsection (b) .

• (b) For purposes of determining whether a new development project is subject to this article, the total employment figure will be determined as follows:

  • (1) Employment projections developed by the project applicant, subject to approval by the development services director.

  • (2) Employment projections developed by the city using the following employee generation factors:

• (c) The employment projection for a development of mixed or multiple uses shall be calculated based upon the proportion of development devoted to each type of use.

(Ord. No. 97-11, § 2, 5-5-97; Ord. No. 02-11, § 1b, 6-17-02)

All applicable developments shall be subject to the facility standards as specified in this section and shall provide all the improvements identified in either subsection (a) or subsection (b), as determined by the City of Costa Mesa:

• (a) Option A.

  • (1) Preferential parking for carpool vehicles:

    • a. At least 15% of the employee parking spaces shall be reserved and designated for carpool vehicles by marking such spaces "Carpool Only."

    • b. Carpool spaces shall be used only by carpool vehicles in which at least two of the persons will be employees or tenants of the proposed project, or where a reciprocal preferential carpool parking agreement with other developments has been established.

    • c. Such carpool 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 planning division.

      • (The intent of this section is not to preclude parking agreements for visitors and handicapped, but to provide preferential carpool parking within the general employee parking areas. The factors listed below shall be used to determine the number of employee parking spaces.)

    • d. The total number of employee parking spaces shall be determined by using the following factors as specified in Chapter VI, Off-Street Parking Standards.

• (2) Bicycle parking and shower facilities. Bicycle parking and locker facilities shall be provided in a secure location for use by employees or tenants who commute to the site by bicycle or walk in accordance with the following standards:

  • a. The number of bicycle facilities/racks shall be provided at the rate of at least one rack for every 20 employees.

  • b. A minimum of two showers shall be provided, one each for female and male employees.

• (3) Information on transportation alternatives.

  • a. A commuter information area shall be provided that offers employees appropriate information on available transportation alternatives to the single occupant 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. Ridesharing match lists.

    3. Available employee incentives.

    4. Ridesharing promotional material supplied by commuter oriented organizations.

• (4) Rideshare vehicle loading areas.

  • a. The need for, design, and location of passenger loading areas for passengers to embark and disembark from rideshare vehicles shall be reviewed by the transportation services manager.

  • b. Passenger loading areas shall be of a size large enough to accommodate the number of waiting vehicles equivalent to the rate of at least five spaces per every 100 of the required parking spaces for the project.

• c. 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) Vanpool vehicle accessibility.

  • a. The need for, design, and location of passenger loading areas for passengers to embark and disembark from vanpool vehicles shall be reviewed by the transportation services manager.

  • b. The design of all parking facilities shall incorporate provisions for access and parking of vanpool vehicles.

  • c. Where applicable, vanpool vehicle accessibility shall include a minimum of seven feet and two inches vertical clearance for those parking spaces and ramps to be used by such vehicles.

  • d. Vanpool parking spaces shall be located near the building's employee entrance(s) or other preferential locations as approved by the transportation services manager.

  • e. The number of accessible vanpool parking spaces shall be at the rate of at least two spaces per every 100 of the total required employee car pool parking spaces as determined in subsection 13-197(a)(1)d., Facility Standards.

• (6) Bus stop improvements.

  • a. The need for, design and location of potential improvements at area bus stops shall be reviewed by the transportation services manager.

  • 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 locations.

(b) Option B.

• (1) Reserved parking spaces. A percentage of parking spaces, located as close as is practical to the entrance(s) of the use they are intended to serve, shall be reserved for use of carpool and vanpool vehicles, as determined by the transportation services manager;

• (2) Bicycle parking. Secure, adequate and convenient storage shall be provided for bicycles;

• (3) Bus improvements. Bus bays, bus stops and bus shelters shall be provided adjacent to roads and streets traversing or bounding the development project, as determined by the transportation services manager;

• (4) Transportation information. A transportation information center shall be provided within each building of over 25,000 gross square feet;

• (5) Employee locker rooms. A shower and locker room facility for employees of each sex shall be provided in each building of 100,000 or more gross square feet. For any development project containing 100,000 or more total combined gross square feet, but which does not contain any single building of 100,000 or more gross square feet, the final review authority may elect, at its discretion, to require the provision of shower and locker room facilities; and

• (6) Sidewalks. Sidewalks or other paved pathways following direct and safe routes shall be provided from the external pedestrian circulation system to each building in the development project.

• (Ord. No. 97-11, § 2, 5-5-97; Ord. No. 02-11, § 1c, 6-17-02)

For the purpose of determining whether applicable developments are in compliance with the provisions of this article, the planning division shall monitor such compliance in a manner it deems appropriate and reasonable. Monitoring mechanisms to verify compliance with the facility standards required under section 13-197 , Facility standards, may include, but not be limited to, the following:

(a) Current procedures for site development plan review as appropriate.

(b) Field/site inspections.

(c) Other building site reports/surveys which the city may deem appropriate. (Ord. No. 97-11, § 2, 5-5-97)

For purposes of ensuring that applicable developments comply with the provisions of this article, the city shall, following written notice to subject property owner or designee (employer), initiate enforcement action(s) to enforce compliance with the facility standards under section 13-197 , Facility standards, which may include, but not be limited to, the following:

• (a) Withholding issuance of a building permit or certificate of use and occupancy.

• (b) Issuance of stop work order(s).

(c) Enforcement as provided in Chapter I, General, Article 4, Enforcement. (Ord. No. 97-11, § 2, 5-5-97)