Agenda - 08-21-1990 - Laserfiche WebLink

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27 MEMORANDUM TO: ORANGE COUNTY PLANNING BOARD q� FROM: MARVIN COLLINS, PLANNING DIRECTOR DATE: JULY 10, 1990 SUBJECT: PROPOSED ZONING /SUBDIVISION ORDINANCE AMENDMENTS - TRAFFIC IMPACT STUDY COPIES: JOHN LINK, COUNTY MANAGER GEOFFREY GLEDHILL, COUNTY ATTORNEY PAUL THAMES, COUNTY ENGINEER TED ABERNATHY, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR GENE BELL, PLANNER III TRANSPORTATION ADVISORY SUBCOMMITTEE At the May 16, 1990 public hearing, Mr. Pat Davis spoke on behalf of the Economic Development Commission regarding the above mentioned subject. The concerns identified by Mr. Davis as well as my response to each are presented below. 1. The impacts of land development activities on transportation systems should be addressed comprehensively rather than on a small scale basis. The Land Use Plan provides a basis for determining impacts of projected land uses on such systems, and the thoroughfare plan should provide a timetable for accomplishing and financing needed improvements. The EDC believes that if a rezoning is proposed consistent with the Land Use Plan designation, then a Traffic Impact Study (TIS) should not be required. While the initial statements are generally correct, the conclusion reached is not. The Land Use Plan contains very general land use designations. As an example, land at a rural crossroads may be designated as a Rural Neighborhood Activity Node. Such a classification or the zoning districts associated with it (Local and Neighborhood Commercial) are insufficient to project traffic impacts. Even if an area is designated for commercial purposes, the types of land uses as well as the traffic generated may vary considerably. For example, a convenience store generates 887 trips /1,000 sq.ft., while an office building generates 16 trips /1,000 sq.ft. Even if an "average" trip generation rate is used for all commercial uses, there is no way to predict where specific uses will locate. Trips are thus averaged over the entire thoroughfare system or major portions thereof. Only through a traffic impact study can specific impacts and needed improvements associated with development of a specific site be determined. As an example, the thoroughfare plan may have accurately determined that a street be widened to handle projected traffic flow, but it could not predict the need for additional off -site turn lanes or signalization improvements associated with a proposed shopping center development. Neither could it predict the need for additional on -site turn lanes /access points. There is one argument which could be made in favor of eliminating rezoning requests