Chapter 17.47 — TRAFFIC IMPACT STUDIES

Sections:

• 17.47.010 Purpose and application. 17.47.020 Definitions.

• 17.47.030 Thresholds.

• 17.47.040 Process.

• 17.47.050 General requirements.

This section establishes requirements and procedures pertaining to traffic impact analysis. These requirements are intended to inform the applicant of the city’s expectations, expedite the staff’s review process, provide standard criteria for evaluating development proposals, and establish equitable mitigation and cost-sharing policies.

Traffic impact studies may be required for all development including residential, commercial and industrial, rezonings, tentative maps and site plans. The planning director and public works director will determine the need to prepare project-specific traffic impact studies. All transportation impact studies shall be performed by a consultant qualified to perform such studies. Requirements for mitigating negative traffic impacts shall apply. (Ord. 706 § 3 (Exh. A), 2019).

The Wasco Municipal Code is current through Ordinance 731, passed August 5, 2025.

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“Base volumes” shall be based on current traffic counts adjusted to the expected date of final occupancy. In all cases when ground counts are needed and not available, the developer or his agent shall be required to collect such data.

“Design year” is the point in time upon which assumptions pertaining to land use, population, employment, and transportation facilities are based.

“Horizon year” unless otherwise specified or approved by the director of transportation, shall be twenty years into the future from the year during which a traffic impact study is being prepared.

“Internal trips” means trips that are made within a multi-use or mixed-use development, by vehicle or by an alternate mode, such as walking.

“Levels of service (LOS)” is a measurement of the level of congestion experienced on roadways. The desirable LOS of the city of Wasco is level-of-service C in the peak hour. LOS shall be measured for both link and intersection operations. Level of service is typically summarized by letter grades described as follows:

1. Level “A” is a condition with low traffic volumes, high speeds and free-flow conditions.

2. Level “B” is a condition with light traffic volumes, minor speed restrictions and stable flow.

3. Level “C” is a condition with moderate traffic volumes, where speed and maneuvering are restricted to a limited degree by the amount of traffic.

4. Level “D” is a condition with heavy traffic operating at tolerable speeds, although temporary slowdowns in flow may occur.

5. Level “E” is a condition of very heavy flow and relatively low speeds. Under level “E” the traffic is unstable and short stoppage may occur.

6. Level “F” is a condition of extremely heavy flow, with frequent stoppage and very slow speeds. It is an unstable traffic condition under which traffic often comes to a complete halt.

“New trips” means total vehicle trips, minus pass-by trips, minus internal trips, if applicable.

“Pass-by trips” means vehicle trips which are made by traffic already using the adjacent roadway and entering the site as an intermediate stop on the way to another destination.

“Peak hour” means 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m., or 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. or the highest four fifteen-minute increments within such time period for the a.m. peak hour; 4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m., 5:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. or the highest four fifteen-minute increments within such a time period for the p.m. peak hour.

“Peak hour trip” means the number of directional trips occurring within the peak hour.

The Wasco Municipal Code is current through Ordinance 731, passed August 5, 2025.

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“Qualified professional” means for purposes of conducting traffic impact studies as may be required by this chapter a registered professional engineer with experience in traffic engineering. For purposes of conducting peak hour trip generation studies, a qualified professional shall mean a registered professional engineer with experience in traffic engineering, or another professional approved by the director of transportation based on education and experience to conduct such trip generation studies.

“Traffic impact study” means an analysis and assessment, conducted by a qualified professional, that assesses the effects that a discretionary development proposal’s traffic will have on the transportation network in a community or portion thereof. Traffic impact studies vary in their range of detail and complexity depending on the type, size and location of the proposed development.

“Transportation improvement program/capital improvement program” means three- to five-year schedule and funding program for all approved and committed transportation improvements.

“Trip generation” means an estimate of the number of vehicle trips that will be generated due to the new development, which is calculated based on the type and amount of land uses in the proposed development and professionally accepted trip generation rates for each such land use. Trip generation may be expressed on an average daily basis or average peak hour (a.m., p.m. or both).

“Trip generation rates” means the city’s criteria for trip generation for various categories of land use and density shall be those set forth in the latest edition of the ITE Trip Generation Manual unless the proposed use does not have a corresponding rate in the manual. Alternative trip generation rates shall be accepted by planning staff before the traffic study is done. (Ord. 706 § 3 (Exh. A), 2019).

All discretionary projects, as determined by the planning director and public works director, will be required to submit a traffic impact study (TIS) to the planning staff along with their application if their project is deemed to meet the following thresholds or conditions, except where the planning director and public works director may, upon review of the project, determine that a traffic impact study (TIS) is not necessary even though the project may meet one or some of the thresholds or criteria listed below:

• A. The peak hour trip generation rate will exceed one hundred peak hour trips per day (see Table 4-2);

B. The California Department of Transportation in consultation with the city of Wasco determines the need of a traffic impact study (TIS) for project fronting a state highway;

C. In close proximity to a school which might be significantly impacted by increased traffic from the development; or

• D. Any other project deemed by the city staff to be a safety and general welfare issue;

• E. Projects are cumulative.

The Wasco Municipal Code is current through Ordinance 731, passed August 5, 2025.

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Table 4-2. Peak Hour Trip Generation

==> picture [452 x 383] intentionally omitted <==

----- Start of picture text -----
Peak Hour Traffic Generation Number of Units (DU, FAR,
Land Use Type
10% of Daily Trips etc.) [** ]
Single-family residential 100 150
Townhouses 100 295
Apartments 100 245
Condominiums 100 295
Mobilehome park 100 305
Shopping center 100 15,500 sq. ft.
Fast food restaurant [* ] 100 5,200 sq. ft. FAR
Convenience store with gas 100 1,300 sq. ft. or 5 pumps
pumps
Bank with drive-in 100 4,400 sq. ft.
Hotel/motel 100 250 rooms
General office 100 55,000 sq. ft.
Medical/dental office 100 37,000 sq. ft.
Research and development 100 85,000 sq. ft. or 4.5 acres
Light industrial 100 115,000 sq. ft. or 8 acres
Manufacturing 100 250,000 sq. ft.
----- End of picture text -----

• Use midday peak period in calculations

• ****** DU = Dwelling unit

FAR = Floor area ratio

• (Ord. 706 § 3 (Exh. A), 2019).

A. An applicant should arrange a preliminary conference or meeting with the planning staff. Subjects to be discussed include:

1. Scope of the study;

2. Data collection;

The Wasco Municipal Code is current through Ordinance 731, passed August 5, 2025.

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3. Trip generation, distribution and assignment assumptions;

4. Current or planned transportation improvements;

5. Critical points for the traffic;

6. Other approved or proposed developments nearby which should be considered in the study;

7. Peak periods to be addressed in the study;

8. The use of the most current highway capacity software (HCS); and

9. Any special considerations agreed upon to make the study more informative or appropriate.

• B. Upon the conclusion of the meeting and prior to conducting the study the applicant shall submit a letter to the planning staff to confirm the issues covered in the meeting.

C. Once the traffic study is completed it should be submitted along with other materials to be reviewed. The traffic study will be included as part of the packet sent out for public review under CEQA, as determined by the city. (Ord. 706 § 3 (Exh. A), 2019).

A. All traffic impact studies will adhere to the most recent adopted Guidelines for Traffic Impact Studies as published by California Department of Transportation.

• B. The latest edition of the ITE Trip Generation Manual will be used for all trip generation rates.

• C. As a minimum the traffic impact study (TIS) shall include:

  1. Executive summary;

  2. Table of contents;

  3. List of figures (maps);

  4. List of tables;

  5. Introduction.

     • a. Description of the proposed project;

     • b. Location of the project;

     • c. Site plan including all access to state highways (site plan, map);

     • d. Circulation network including all access to state highways (vicinity map);

The Wasco Municipal Code is current through Ordinance 731, passed August 5, 2025.

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• e. Land use and zoning;

• f. Phasing plan including proposed dates of project (phase) completion;

• g. Project sponsor and contact person(s);

• h. Reference to other traffic impact studies;

6. Traffic Analysis.

   • a. Clearly stated assumptions;

   • b. Existing and projected traffic volumes (including turning movements), facility geometry (including storage lengths) and traffic controls (including signal phasing and multi-signal progression where appropriate), existing and planned travel lanes, lane widths, rights-of-way and pavement condition;

   • c. Project trip generation including references, distribution and assignment;

   • d. Project generated trip distribution and assignment;

   • e. LOS and warrant analyses – existing conditions, cumulative conditions, and full build-out of general plan conditions with and without the project;

7. Conclusions and Recommendations.

   • a. LOS and appropriate MOE quantities of impacted facilities with and without mitigation measures;

   • b. Mitigation phasing plan including dates of proposed mitigation measures;

   • c. Define responsibilities for implementing mitigation measures;

   • d. Cost estimates for mitigation measures and financing plan;

8. Appendices.

   • a. Description of traffic data and how data was collected;

   • b. Description of methodologies and assumptions used in the analysis;

   • c. Worksheets used in the analysis (i.e., signal warrant, LOS, traffic count information, etc.). (Ord. 706 § 3 (Exh. A), 2019).