Chapter 14.09
TRANSPORTATION CONCURRENCY
Sections:
14.09.045 Concurrency standard affirmed.
14.09.070 Certificate of concurrency.
14.09.010 Administration.
The Public Works Department shall provide the overall coordination of the concurrency test by notifying transportation facility providers of all applications subject to the requirements of this chapter. (Ord. C-661 § 65, 2007)
14.09.020 Applicability.
These rules and regulations shall apply to all developments and their impact to locally owned arterials and transit routes within the corporate limits of the City. (Ord. C-661 § 66, 2007)
14.09.030 Purpose and intent.
The purpose of this chapter is to set forth standards by establishing a transportation concurrency system to ensure that transportation facilities needed are designed to be safe for drivers; bicyclists; transit vehicles and users; and pedestrians of all ages and abilities assuring that the minimum level of service standards are in place at the time of development or within six years as required by the Growth Management Act. The intent of this chapter is to implement the goals, policies, and implementing programs of the City of Airway Heights Comprehensive Plan. (Ord. C-720 § 1, 2010; Ord. C-661 § 67, 2007)
14.09.040 Definitions.
A. “Adequate transportation facilities” means transportation facilities that meet or exceed the adopted level of service standards set forth in the City’s Comprehensive Plan and this chapter.
B. “Applicant” means any person, firm, agent, corporation, or entity who has applied for a development permit or approval.
C. “Capacity” means the maximum number of vehicle trips that can be accommodated during a specified travel period at a specified level of service. Capacity will be calculated according to the methodology used in the most current Highway Capacity Manual. Alternative methodology may be used upon the approval of the Public Works Director.
D. “Certificate of concurrency” means a written document issued by the City of Airway Heights indicating the amount of available capacity for each transportation facility that has been reserved for a specific development project on a specific parcel or lot. A certificate shall be in written form and may consist of a letter, finding of fact, acknowledgment on a building permit, or other similar method. The certificate of concurrency shall be valid until the accompanying development permit expires (or is extended).
E. “Concurrency” means transportation improvements or strategies are in place at the time of development or that a financial commitment is in place to complete the improvements or strategies within six years to maintain the level of service standards adopted in the Comprehensive Plan.
F. “Department” means the Public Works Department.
G. “Development” is defined by AHMC 14.01.030.
H. “Director” means the Public Works Director or his/her designee.
I. “Level of service (LOS)” is a measurement standard for the performance of a transportation facility. The level of service standards used in concurrency tests are those standards specified in the capital facilities element of the Comprehensive Plan.
J. “Locally owned arterial” means streets within the City of Airway Heights with a functional classification of minor or principal arterial.
K. “Planned capacity” means the capacity for a transportation facility that is not yet available, but is contained in the capital facilities plan.
L. “Transportation facility” means any improvement used for the movement of vehicles, including all locally owned arterial streets and transit routes.
M. “Transportation strategies” means strategies to reduce vehicle trips, including pedestrian and bicycle modes of travel, increased public transportation service, ride-sharing programs, demand management, and other transportation systems management strategies (e.g., parking policies, trip shifting). (Ord. C-952 § 2, 2020; Ord. C-661 § 68, 2007)
14.09.045 Concurrency standard affirmed.
The concurrency determination process is based on the below transportation capacity standards or thresholds that represent the mobility and safety expectations for Airway Heights:
A. ADT Street Capacity LOS D for the capacity of principal and minor arterials.
B. ADT Street Capacity LOS D modified, for major and minor collectors.
C. ADT Street Capacity LOS C for local access streets.
D. P.M. Peak Hour Intersection Capacity LOS D for signals and roundabouts.
E. P.M. Peak Hour Intersection/Approach Capacity LOS E, conditionally allowed, for unsignalized approach at intersections and driveways. (Ord. C-952 § 3, 2020)
14.09.050 Concurrency test.
A. Application. All development applications, unless exempted by AHMC 14.09.080, shall be subject to a concurrency test as part of the development approval process.
B. Procedures. The concurrency evaluation shall be completed during the processing of the development permit application.
1. The Department shall coordinate the concurrency test subject to the requirements of this chapter.
2. The concurrency evaluation includes a trip generation and distribution letter, transportation capacity threshold determination, and/or transportation impact analysis prepared in accordance with guidelines set by the Director. The evaluation must be prepared under supervision of a professional engineer licensed within the state of Washington.
3. The facility provider shall be responsible for monitoring and reporting available and planned capacity.
C. Evaluation.
1. Highway Capacity Manual methods selected by the Public Works Department shall be used to analyze development impacts to transportation facilities.
2. Level of service standards in the Comprehensive Plan are the minimum but not the sole basis to analyze project impacts.
3. Level of service standards shall be updated as necessary to account for traffic levels resulting from the following:
a. Newly constructed development and projects;
b. Projects where traffic capacity has been reserved through agreement;
c. Projects which have received a concurrency certificate; and
d. Nonproject, general background traffic increases. Level of service information shall also be updated as necessary as a result of any discontinued concurrency certificates, street projects or new level of service analysis.
4. Each transportation facility affected by a proposed development or project shall be reviewed and analyzed for concurrency. If the development permit is for a change of use for an existing structure, the concurrency test will measure the new use.
5. If the concurrency test results in a finding that adequate transportation facilities exist, a certificate of concurrency will be issued pursuant to AHMC 14.09.070.
6. If the concurrency test results in a finding that the affected transportation facilities fall below adopted levels of service, the application for the development permit shall not be approved unless one of the following conditions is met:
a. Traffic impact fees are paid.
b. LOS standards are satisfied by completing mitigating measures, which may include transportation improvements/strategies, to meet standards identified in an approved traffic study or other approved document.
c. Traffic impacts are reduced to achieve an acceptable LOS by modifying the development to reduce the number of vehicle peak hour trips through transportation facilities.
D. Capital Facilities Plan. In determining LOS capacity, the City may consider transportation facilities or strategies proposed within the six-year transportation improvement plan (“TIP”).
E. Additional Information. The Director may require additional information and/or traffic study(ies), at the applicant’s expense, to support any decision issued under this chapter. (Ord. C-952 § 4, 2020; Ord. C-661 § 69, 2007)
14.09.060 Phased development.
When a development is proposed in phases, or construction is expected to extend over an extended period of time, the applicant may offer a schedule of completion/occupancy that will be used by the Director to determine the schedule of transportation improvements that must be completed, or financially guaranteed, prior to completion/occupancy of each phase. The required transportation improvements shall be determined by analyzing the traffic impacts to be generated by the fully completed project. (Ord. C-952 § 5, 2020; Ord. C-661 § 70, 2007)
14.09.070 Certificate of concurrency.
A. Issuance. Subject to this chapter, a certificate of concurrency shall be issued by the Director along with the development approvals (building permit, preliminary plat/binding site plan approval, etc.). A certificate of concurrency shall be in written form and may consist of a letter, finding of fact, acknowledgment on a building permit, or other similar method.
1. A certificate of concurrency shall apply only to the specific land use or development project as proposed in the development permit application. The certificate will identify the land use project, approved development (and phasing if applicable), vested daily and p.m. peak hour trip totals, assessed impact fees and/or transportation improvements.
2. A certificate of concurrency is not transferable to other lots, tracts, or parcels, but may be transferred to other applicants/owners of the same lot, tract, or parcel for which the certificate was issued.
B. Certificate Expiration. A certificate of concurrency shall expire when the accompanying development approval expires or is revoked. A certificate of concurrency may be extended by the Director upon the same terms and conditions to support the development approval.
C. Unused Capacity. Any capacity that is not used as part of the development shall belong to the City and considered available capacity. (Ord. C-952 § 6, 2020; Ord. C-661 § 71, 2007)
14.09.080 Exemptions.
A. No Impact. Development applications which demonstrate no impacts to a transportation facility are exempt from the provisions of this chapter, including but not limited to:
1. A development which generates less than 25 vehicle trips during the p.m. peak hour, except if the transportation facilities are at or above 90 percent of their capacity.
B. Accessory Dwelling Units. All accessory dwelling units, as defined in Chapter 17.04 AHMC, shall be exempt from the provisions of this chapter. (Ord. C-952 § 7, 2020; Ord. C-661 § 72, 2007)
14.09.090 Appeals.
A. Procedure. The applicant may appeal the results of the concurrency test to the Hearing Examiner, consistent with the provisions set forth in Chapter 14.06 AHMC. (Ord. C-952 § 8, 2020; Ord. C-661 § 74, 2007. Formerly 14.09.100)
14.09.110 Severability.
Repealed by Ord. C-952. (Ord. C-661 § 74, 2007)
14.09.120 Effective date.
Repealed by Ord. C-952. (Ord. C-661 § 74, 2007)