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Staff outlines when a traffic impact study is required and the criteria used
Summary
Staff explained TIS requirements drawn from the city's road standards (chapter 6), including the 50‑vehicle peak‑hour threshold, required pre‑application meetings, and that TISs assess impacts on roadway network operations rather than economics.
City staff said the TIS criteria come from the road redesign and construction standards manual, specifically chapter 6 (adopted by ordinance in 2022), and explained the purpose of a TIS: to assess development impacts on the street network rather than estimate economic benefits. "The criteria for traffic impact studies comes from our road redesign and construction standards manual, specifically chapter 6," staff said.
Staff also stated a numeric screening threshold used by the city: a TIS is required for proposed developments expected to produce more than 50 vehicles during any peak hour. The presentation described how the scope of a TIS varies by application stage (zoning, subdivision, site improvement plan) and how earlier stages rely on higher‑level assumptions while later stages provide more specific square‑footage and access data for analysis. Staff emphasized the need for pre‑application meetings so applicants understand study area, times of day, and analytic expectations.
No council vote was taken; staff requested that members bring questions back to city planning staff and noted the manual is available on the city's website.
