Fitchburg commission recommends clearer Traffic Impact Analysis rules for new developments

The Fitchburg Transportation and Transit Commission voted Aug. 13 to recommend adoption of an ordinance that specifies when new developments must submit a Traffic Impact Analysis and points to accompanying review guidelines.

City staffer Ross told the commission the change "is a new requirement in our ordinances, creating, a requirement for traffic impact analysis for new developments." He said the ordinance makes the TIA requirement explicit while the guidelines are intended to give staff a consistent review procedure and to clarify expected developer costs. "The guidelines will give staff a standard review procedure and make reviews faster and more consistent," Ross said.

Commissioners spent much of the discussion pressing staff to clarify the role of the guidelines and the extent of staff authority. One commissioner asked whether staff could approve level-of-service waivers without further commission or council review; Ross confirmed "It's a staff decision" for waivers under the proposed guidelines, while noting that developments would still go to plan commission as they do now. Commissioners urged written clarifications and several technical edits to the guideline text, including how credits for bike and pedestrian features are scored and how nearby transit stops should be aggregated for transit credits.

Chair moved the recommendation and the commission voted to recommend adoption; when the chair called for the vote commissioners said "aye" and the recommendation was unanimous. The commission's action is a referral recommending that the common council adopt the ordinance language as written with the understanding that staff will return any substantive guideline changes for further review.

What happens next: the commissionrecommendation goes to the common council (and related public-work committees as required by ordinance); staff told commissioners they will incorporate written technical comments and suggested clarifications before forwarding final materials.