www.greenbelt.org

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www.greenbelt.org
Analyzing Climate Impacts of Development Stephani
e Reyes Policy Director
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Process California Environmental Quality Act
(CEQA) Environmental Impact Reports (EIRs)
Measuring Environmental Impacts the Present
CEQA EIRs
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Measurement Institute of Transportation
Engineers (ITE) trip generation models and
dataMetric Automobile Level Of Service (LOS)
Measuring Environmental Impacts the Present
ITE LOS
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Shortcomings of ITE LOS
Measuring Environmental Impacts the Present

• Problem LOS doesnt measure what we really care
  about

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Shortcomings of ITE LOS
Measuring Environmental Impacts the Present
Problem LOS doesnt measure what we really care
about Problem ITE trip numbers and models are
inaccurate - dont take into account local
conditions and differences in development
proposals
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Shortcomings of ITE LOS
Measuring Environmental Impacts the Present

• Problem LOS doesnt measure what we really care
  about
• Problem ITE trip numbers and models are
  inaccurate - dont take into account local
  conditions and differences in development
  proposals
• Problem No baseline analysis

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Solutions GHGs VMT
Measuring Environmental Impacts the Future
Problem LOS doesnt measure what we really care
about Solution measure what we do care about
Greenhouse Gas Emissions (GHGs) and Vehicle
Miles Traveled (VMT) Draft revised CEQA
guidelines encourage this - http//www.opr.ca.go
v/index.php?aceqa/index.html
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Solutions URBEMIS MTC
Measuring Environmental Impacts the Future
Problem ITE trip numbers and models are
inaccurate - dont take into account local
conditions and differences in development
proposals Solution Use URBEMIS modeling
software (www.urbemis.com) and local trip
generation data, available from the Metropolitan
Transportation Commission (MTC)
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Solutions baseline
Measuring Environmental Impacts the Future

• Problem No baseline analysis
• Solution choose baseline scenario(s) and analyze
  impacts. Options for baseline scenarios
• Bay Area average
• City average
• Another appropriate location
• Actual in-commuter travel patterns
• Another specific development proposal

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Measuring Environmental Impacts Examples

• Example Actual in-commuter travel pattern
  baseline
• Workers commuting into San Rafael average a
  14.6 mile commute.  If those workers had the
  opportunity to live in San Rafael and walk or
  bike to work, it could save over 3600 pounds of
  CO2 per year per person.

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Measuring Environmental Impacts Examples

• Example Specific development proposal baseline

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Measuring Environmental Impacts Recommendations

• Recommendations for advocates
• Urge your city to study real environmental
  impacts (GHGs and VMT), not Level Of Service
  (LOS), using new CEQA guidelines
• Urge your city to get rid of their traffic model
  and use URBEMIS with local trip generation
  numbers
• Demand that analyses also conduct a baseline
  analysis for where the proposed homes/shops/jobs
  would otherwise go

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Small Group Discussions

• Current planning processes
• How to use climate tools in advocacy for
  mixed-income communities
• Next steps