11.80.130 Traffic impact analysis.
A. Required Traffic Impact Analysis. The City will limit required traffic impact analysis as follows:
1. No off-site traffic impact analysis will be required for developments generating fewer than 20 net new weekday PM peak hour trips.
2. Traffic impacts will be evaluated only at intersections identified by the Director to a maximum distance from the proposed development as follows:
a. For developments generating 20 to 300 net new weekday PM peak hour trips, 0.5 mile from each property line;
b. For developments generating 301 to 500 net new weekday PM peak hour trips, 1 mile from each property line; and
c. For developments generating more than 500 net new weekday PM peak hour trips, 2 miles from each property line.
3. An analysis of significant traffic hazards that would be caused or materially aggravated by the proposed development may be required, even if no traffic condition analysis is required under this section.
B. A proposed development that adds at least five net new peak hour trips to an intersection approach operating at an LOS E or lower within the required traffic impact analysis area may be denied based upon any of the following:
1. For signalized intersections, when off-site intersection conditions are at a LOS F, or
2. For signalized intersections, when the LOS E and the volume to capacity ratio is greater than 0.95, or
3. For unsignalized intersections, when the volume to capacity ratio for any lane on any approach is greater than 0.95, or
4. When significant traffic hazards would be caused or materially aggravated by the proposed development, or
5. Notwithstanding “a” through “d” of this subsection, traffic impacts to intersections on corridors built to ultimate capacity will be evaluated against the LOS standards identified in an adopted Corridor Management Plan.
C. A proposed development that is subject to denial pursuant to this section may be approved subject to conditions of approval that address the impact of traffic generated by the proposed development.
D. In order to assess the off-site traffic impacts of a proposed development, the director or development approval authority may require submittal of a traffic study undertaken by an engineer licensed to practice in the state of Washington with special training and experience in traffic engineering and transportation. The Director shall develop guidelines, in accordance with recognized traffic engineering and transportation principles, regarding the necessity for and content of such studies. (Ord. M-4026 §10, 2012)