Temple City adopts new CEQA vehicle‑miles‑traveled thresholds to guide local project review

Temple City’s City Council voted unanimously April 2 to adopt revised thresholds of significance under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) governing vehicle‑miles‑traveled (VMT) analysis for development projects.

City staff and consultants told the council the change aligns local review with state guidance (SB 743 implementation) and updated regional modeling from the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG). Scott, the city’s community development director, told the council the updated thresholds aim to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve air quality by focusing VMT review on projects with regional draw rather than on local‑serving developments.

“VMT helps us look at the length and number of trips, not just congestion,” Scott said, explaining how the city will compare project VMT to area baselines. Traffic consultant Sarah Brandenburg said the recommendation uses different baselines by metric — VMT per employee compared to the southwest SCAG subarea, VMT per capita compared to the city, and VMT per service population compared to the full SCAG region — and that the council would adopt the highest applicable baseline to avoid repeated administrative updates. “A Walmart or Costco‑scale project has a regional draw that can push VMT substantially higher,” Brandenburg said; she added that mixed‑use and residential components typically reduce VMT impacts.

Staff noted the state prescribes a 15% threshold (projects that generate VMT 15% below the chosen baseline are treated favorably); mitigation is required where projects ‘‘jump’’ the threshold. Council members asked for example thresholds and mitigation approaches; staff and the consultant cited potential mitigations such as bike‑lane and active‑transportation investments, transit passes for residents, and on‑site mixed‑use programming to shorten trip lengths.

The council adopted Resolution No. 24‑5727 by roll call vote with all members voting yes. The resolution directs staff to update the city’s traffic study guidelines to reflect the new thresholds and to continue using the highest of the applicable baselines if SCAG updates its model.

Next steps: staff will revise the traffic study guidelines and apply the new thresholds in environmental review for projects that are not categorically exempt. The council and staff said they expect limited effect on locally serving retail, small parks and affordable housing projects, which are generally screened out under the screening rules described at the hearing.