HomeMy WebLinkAbout2020.07.21 - Minutes - Study Session CITY OF DIAMOND BAR
MINUTES OF THE CITY COUNCIL
STUDY SESSION
JULY 21, 2020
STUDY SESSION: M/Tye called the Study Session to order at 5:30 p.m.
Mayor Tye stated that consistent with COVID-19 regulations, all Council Members and
staff are participating via teleconference and there is no physical location for public
attendance. The Public was invited to join the meeting online or by phone at the numbers
printed on the agenda.
Public Comments: CC/Santana stated there were no public comments
submitted by email and that no member of the public indicated they wished to speak.
ROLL CALL: Council Members Andrew Chou, Jennifer "Fred"
Mahlke, Ruth Low, Mayor Pro Tem Nancy Lyons, Mayor
Steve Tye
Staff participating telephonically: Dan Fox, City Manager; Ryan McLean, Assistant City
Manager; David DeBerry, City Attorney; Ryan Wright, Parks and Recreation Manager;
Anthony Santos, Assistant to the City Manager; David Liu, Public Works Director; Hal
Ghafari, Public Works Manager/Assistant City Engineer; Christian Malpica, Associate
Engineer; Fabian Aoun, Assistant Engineer; Dianna Honeywell, Director of Finance,
Greg Gubman, Director of Community Development; Ken Desforges, Director of
Information Services; Marsha Roa, Public Information Manager; Cecilia Arellano, Public
Information Coordinator; J.R. Ybarra, Media Specialist; Kristina Santana, City Clerk
► VEHICLE MILES TRAVELED (VMT): CALIFORNIA'S NEW METRIC FOR
�VA�Ui4TIfVG TRAFFIC IMPACTS:
Paul Herrmann, P.E. -Traffic Engineer, Fehr& Peers, presented the staff report for
tonight's Council Agenda Consent Calendar Item 3.2, the goal of which is to
ultimately reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
M/Tye asked about Level of Service being viewed in the past as punitive. Mr.
Herrmann responded to M/Tye that what he was describing as the benefit of having
a local business (Sprouts) is the effect on VMT and if retail is put in a location that
lacks retail and the City is providing access to business services such that people
will not have to drive as far to access that business, that is good for the VMT and
improves regional VMT which would result in no impact.
C/Low asked if the calculation/formula was uniform throughout the state or
customized for each City. Mr. Herrmann responded that this uses the SCAG travel
forecasting model. It includes the entire SCAG region with land use information
related to number of houses and number of people who live in each of the zones
and cities as well as, the types of employment and number of employees and, it is
sensitive to the location of the project as well as, how far people have to travel to
and from work.
JULY 21, 2020 PAGE 2 CC STUDY SESSION
CDD/Gubman explained that by adding a Sprouts to Diamond Bar, it lowers the
VMT because it provides a location that Diamond Bar residents have closer access ,�
to, which should therefore, reduce VMT. Rather than saying whether or not it is an
environmental impact, it will reduce the VMT and the question is then whether it will
reduce VMT enough and if not enough, whether the City might have to add
� mitigation measures like ridesharing, etc. without requiring use of a single
passenger vehicle.
MPT/Lyons asked if a new business with numerous employees moved into the City
whether it would increase the VMT. Mr. Herrmann responded that where there is
an existing office building, that would be entitled and not subject to CEQA. If they
built a new office building, generally speaking, the jobs/housing ratio in Diamond
Bar is much higher on the housing side, and putting more jobs centers in Diamond
Bar would be anticipated to reduce the VMT depending on its location.
MPT/Lyons asked for an example of something in Diamond Bar that would increase
VMT and Mr. Herrmann responded anything with a regional draw such as a stadium
or major retail mall might increase the VMT.
PWD/Liu said that level of service impacts for any development project will no
longer be subject to CEQA and under its General Plan Circulation Element, the City
of Diamond Bar has the authority to require a specific traffic impact analysis i.e.
levels of service along any roadway and/or at intersections.
C/Low asked if a person would have to comply with both a VMT and LOS study and
Mr. Herrmann responded that as the current Traffic Impact Study guidelines are
being updated, there is a portion for CEQA and for General Plan compliance and
some projects, depending on the type or size, will need to do a VMT study and
others may also need to do an LOS study.
CA/DeBerry stated that two big types of projects that will be impacted are new
residential developments in outlying areas and major transportation. One of the
goals is to drive infill development and make cities denser than they currently are.
ADJOURNMENT: With no further business to come before the City Council,
M/Tye recessed the Study Session at 6:19 p.m. to the Regular Meeting.
Respectfully submitted:
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Kristina Santana, City Clerk
The egoing mi s are hereby approved this 4t" day of August, 2020.
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Steve Tye, Mayo� �