2001-0196
INTRODUCED BY: GANSIER "RAM" RAMACHANDRAN,
COUNCILMAN AT-LARGE DIV. A
ORDINANCE NO. 01-8-12
Title
An ordinance to amend Appendix C of the Code, St. Charles Parish Subdivision Regulations of 1981, Ordinance No. 81-8-2 to allow the Planning Commission to require Traffic Impact Analysis for certain developments within St. Charles Parish before construction approval phase is granted.
Body
WHEREAS, the St. Charles Parish Subdivision Regulations govern the standards by which property is developed; and,
WHEREAS, a development which generates excessive traffic results in additional cost in both road maintenance and delays; and,
WHEREAS, in the best interests of the general public health, safety, and welfare of St. Charles Parish that such excess traffic be identified and mitigated
WHEREAS, it is deemed necessary by the St. Charles Parish Council to assure that the traffic generated by development does not overburden the existing transportation system.
THE ST. CHARLES PARISH COUNCIL HEREBY ORDAINS
NOW, THEREFORE BE IT ORDAINED, THAT WE, THE MEMBERS OF THE ST. CHARLES PARISH COUNCIL, do hereby amend Appendix C of the Code, St. Charles Parish Subdivision Regulations of 1981, Ordinance No. 81-8-2 to require a Traffic Impact Analysis for certain developments within St. Charles Parish.
SECTION I. That the St. Charles Parish Code of Ordinances, Appendix C, Section II.B.3. Preliminary Plat/Additional Submission Requirements, is hereby amended by adding:
b. Traffic Impact Analysis. If development thresholds of Section III.A.6.a. are met or exceeded, or if otherwise deemed necessary by the St. Charles Parish Planning Commission, the Director of the Department of Public Works or the Director of the Department of Planning and Zoning, the applicant shall submit a Traffic Impact Analysis. Said Traffic Impact Analysis shall be prepared pursuant to the guidelines specified in Section III.A.6. The Traffic Impact Analysis shall be approved by the Director of Public Works before a construction approval phase can be granted. A vote by the Planning and Zoning Commission to require a Traffic Impact Analysis shall stay all action in furtherance of approval of said construction approval phase, until submission of an approved Traffic Impact Analysis.
SECTION II. That the St. Charles Parish Code of Ordinances, Appendix C, Section III.A. Geometric Standards, is hereby amended by adding:
7. Traffic Impact Analysis. The provisions of this section establish requirements for transportation studies that provide information on traffic projected to be generated by proposed developments. It is the further intent of this section to establish requirements for the identification of any potential traffic operational problems or concerns, as well as potential solutions to such problems or concerns.
a. Specifications for Traffic Impact Analysis. A Traffic Impact Analysis (TIA) shall be required for all subdivisions or developments when the following project threshold levels are met or exceeded. In the event that alternative threshold levels are specified (i.e. units vs. square footage), the more restrictive shall prevail.
Development Type Threshold
Single-Family Residential 50 Units
Multi-Family Residential 5 Acres or 50 Units
Office 3 Acres or 50,000 Sq. Ft.
Commercial/Institutional 2 Acres or 75,000 Sq. Ft.
Industrial 8 Acres or 100,000 Sq. Ft.
b. Procedure for Traffic Impact Analysis. If a TIA is required for a project pursuant to the provisions of this section, St. Charles Parish shall approve a registered professional engineer to prepare the TIA in accordance with these regulations and the applicant shall be responsible to bear all the costs incurred in hiring said engineer. The TIA shall be submitted at the time of submittal of the construction approval phase application. In the event that a TIA is required and no subdivision application is required, the TIA shall be submitted at the time of the filing for a building permit. In no case shall a building permit be issued for a development prior to the submission and approval of the TIA.
c. Approval of a Professional Engineer for the TIA shall be recommended by the Planning and Zoning Director, depending on the size and scope of the project, in consultation with the Public Works Director, the Developer, and the Planning and Zoning Commission.
d. The TIA shall be prepared documenting the study, the data used, the findings, and the recommendations of the study. The TIA will be reviewed by both the Parish Engineer and the Planning and Zoning Commission. If the Planning and Zoning Commission determines that the TIA is inadequate or not in accordance with this section, the applicant may be required to supplement the TIA to address any deficiencies.
e. Traffic Impact Analysis Contents and Formats. The contents of a TIA, as well as the TIA study area radius shall vary depending on the site and prevailing conditions. Content requirements shall be established by the Parish Engineer prior to submittal of the TIA. Such requirements shall address site, project and corridor level traffic and transportation issues. The TIA study shall be prepared in the following format:
(1) Description of TIA study area, specifying boundary of study area and count and analysis sites;
(2) Existing conditions;
(3) Trip generation estimates and design hour traffic volumes;
(4) Trip distribution and traffic assignments;
(5) Existing and projected traffic volumes within the TIA study area;
(6) Capacity analysis;
(7) Traffic accidents;
(8) Traffic improvements;
(9) Conclusions;
(10) Summary and findings and recommendations.
f. Trip generation rates. For the purpose of determining whether the requirements of this section are applicable to the proposed project and for the purpose of preparing required transportation impact analysis, applicants shall use the trip rates contained in the most recent edition of the Institute of Transportation Engineers' (ITE) Trip Generation manual. Other trip generation rates may be used if a traffic engineer demonstrates that the unique characteristics of a development will result in different trip generation rates and if such different rates are approved by the Parish Engineer.
g. Actions based on TIA. A proposed development which is subject to the TIA requirements of this section shall be disapproved when the results of the required TIA demonstrate that the proposed project will overburden the roadway system or cause a reduction in service of affected roadways below the adopted level of service. An applicant may modify the development proposal to minimize the identified traffic-related impacts. Modifications to applications for projects may include, but shall not be limited to:
(1) A reduction in the projected vehicle trips per day;
(2) Dedication of additional right-of-way;
(3) Rerouting of traffic and proposed access points serving the proposed project, or;
(4) Participation in funding transportation facilities, including signals and intersection improvements.
h. Waiver of Exemption from TIA Requirements. If the Planning and Zoning Commission gives Preliminary approval for construction approval phase contingent on later submission of a Traffic Impact Analysis and if this TIA is found to indicate the need to mitigate traffic impacts that will result from development of the subdivision, then the construction approval phase approval shall be returned to the Commission for reconsideration at its next scheduled meeting. Until the developer has developed a traffic plan that is acceptable to the Director of Public Works, the Construction approval phase shall not be approved. For developments not requiring subdivision application but requiring a TIA, waiver to the TIA requirement shall require a positive recommendation from the Planning and Zoning Commission and Supporting Resolution of the Parish Council.
Vote
The foregoing ordinance having been submitted to a vote, the vote thereon was as follows:
YEAS: RAMCHANDRAN, ABADIE, AUTHEMENT, BLACK, MINNICH
NAYS: HILAIRE, FABRE, MARINO
ABSENT: FAUCHEUX
And the ordinance was declared adopted this 20th day of August , 2001, to become effective five (5) days after publication in the Official Journal.
Traffic Impact Analysis
CHAIRMAN:
SECRETARY:
DLVD/PARISH PRESIDENT:
APPROVED: DISAPPROVED :
PARISH PRESIDENT:
RETD/SECRETARY:
AT: RECD BY: