Hood River City Zoning Code

17.20 Transportation

Circulation and Access Management

Legislative History: Ord. 1816 (2001); Ord. 2001 (2011); Ord. 2002 (2011)

17.20.010 Applicability.

This chapter implements the City’s adopted Transportation System Plan and the requirements of the Transportation Planning Rule (OAR 660-12). The standards of this chapter are applicable to all proposed improvements to the public transportation system and to all development on the public transportation system.

17.20.020 Definitions.

This section incorporated into Section 17.01.060 – Definitions.

17.20.030 Access management standards.

This section shall apply to all development on arterials and collectors within the City and UGA and to all properties that abut these roadways as part of site plan review process (Chapter 17.16). Within the Interchange Area Management Plan Overlay Zone’s “Access Management Blocks,” this section also applies to local streets and roads and abutting properties.

A. Site Plan Review Procedures. All site plans are required to be submitted for review pursuant to the provisions of this title and shall show:

1. Location of existing and proposed access point(s) on both sides of the road where applicable;

2. Distances to neighboring constructed access points, median openings (where applicable), traffic signals (where applicable), intersections, and other transportation features on both sides of the property;

3. Number and direction of lanes to be constructed on the driveway plus striping plans;

4. All planned transportation features (such as sidewalks, bikeways, auxiliary lanes, signals, etc.);

5. Parking and internal circulation plans including walkways and bikeways; and

6. A detailed description of any requested variance and the reason the variance is requested.

B. Criteria. All site plans shall comply with the following access criteria:

1. All proposed roads shall follow the natural topography and preserve natural features of the site as much as possible. Alignments shall be planned to minimize grading.

2. Access shall be properly placed in relation to sight distance, driveway spacing, and other related considerations, including opportunities for joint and cross access.

3. The road system shall provide adequate access to buildings for residents, visitors, deliveries, emergency vehicles, and garbage collection.

4. An internal pedestrian system of sidewalks or paths shall provide connections to parking areas; entrances to the development; and open space, recreational, and other community facilities associated with the development. Streets shall have sidewalks on both sides. Pedestrian linkages shall also be provided to the peripheral street system.

5. The access shall be consistent with the access management standards adopted in the Transportation System Plan.

6. Any application that involves access to the State Highway System shall be reviewed by the Oregon Department of Transportation for conformance with state access management standards.

1. Access Spacing: Driveway accesses shall be separated from other driveways and street intersections in accordance with the standards and procedures of Chapter 13.28.

2. Joint and Cross Access:

a. Adjacent commercial or office properties classified as major traffic generators (e.g. shopping plazas, office parks), shall provide a cross access drive and pedestrian access to allow circulation between sites.

b. A system of joint use driveways and cross access easements shall be established wherever feasible and shall incorporate the following:

1. A continuous service drive or cross access corridor extending the entire length of each block served to provide for driveway separation consistent with the access management classification system and standards.

2. A design speed of ten (10) mph and a maximum width of twenty (20) feet to accommodate two-way travel aisles designated to accommodate automobiles, service vehicles, and loading vehicles;

3. Stub-outs and other design features to make it visually obvious that the abutting properties may be tied in to provide cross-access via a service drive; and

4. A unified access and circulation system plan for coordinated or shared parking areas is encouraged.

c. Shared parking areas shall be permitted a reduction in required parking spaces if peak demands do not occur at the same time periods.

d. Pursuant to this section, property owners shall

1. Record an easement allowing cross access to and from other properties served by the joint use driveways and cross access or service drive;

2. Record an agreement that remaining access rights along the roadway will be dedicated to the City and pre-existing driveways will be closed and eliminated after construction of the joint-use driveway;

3. Record a joint maintenance agreement defining maintenance responsibilities of property owners.

e. The City may reduce required separation distance of access points where they prove impractical, provided all of the following requirements are met:

1. Joint access driveways and cross access easements are provided in accordance with this section.

2. The site plan incorporates a unified access and circulation system in accordance with this section.

3. The property owner enters into a written agreement with the city, which shall be recorded with respect to the subject property, agreeing that pre-existing connections on the site will be closed and eliminated after construction of each side of the joint use driveway; and

4. The City Engineer may modify or waive the requirements of this section where the characteristics or layout of abutting properties would make a development of a unified or shared access and circulation system impractical.

3. Driveway Design: Driveways shall be designed pursuant to the requirements of Chapter 13.28.

4. Requirements for Phased Development Plans:

a. In the interest of promoting unified access and circulation systems, development sites under the same ownership or consolidated for the purposes of development and comprised of more than one (1) building site shall be reviewed as single properties in relation to the access standards of this ordinance. The number of access points permitted shall be the minimum number necessary to provide reasonable access to these properties, not the maximum available for that frontage. All necessary easements, agreements, and stipulations shall be met. This shall also apply to phased development plans. The owner and all lessees within the affected area are responsible for compliance with the requirements of this ordinance and both may be cited for any violation.

b. All access must be internalized using the shared circulation system of the principal development or retail center. Driveways shall be designed to avoid queuing across surrounding parking and driving aisles.

5. Nonconforming Access Features: Legal access connections in place as of November 2001 that do not conform with the standards herein are considered nonconforming features and shall be brought into compliance with applicable standards pursuant to the requirements of 13.28.

6. Reverse Frontage: Lots that front on more than one (1) street shall be required to locate motor vehicle accesses on the street with the lower functional classification.

D. Access within Interchange Area Management Plan (IAMP) Overlay Zone. In addition to the standards and requirements of the Transportation Circulation and Access Management section of this ordinance (Section 16.12 and Section 17.20), parcels wholly or partially within an adopted IAMP Overlay Zone are subject to the Access Management Plan in the applicable IAMP (Exit 62 or Exit 63/64). The following applies to land use and development applications for parcels within an adopted IAMP Overlay Zone that are subject to Chapter 17.16 Site Plan Review or Title 16 Subdivisions and, that are shown as part of an “Access Management Block” subject to the recommendations of the Access Management Plan (see Figure 9, Access Management Blocks, in the Exit 62 IAMP and Figures 10 and 11, Access Management Blocks, in the Exit 63 and 64 IAMP).

a. Access to streets and roads within the IAMP Overlay Zone shall be subject to joint review by the City and the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) and, where applicable, by Hood River County. Coordination of this review will occur pursuant to Section 17.03.120(D). and consistent with requirements of Title 16.12, when applicable.

b. Approval of an access permit is an Administrative Action and is based on the standards contained in this Section, the provisions of Sections 17.20.030(B) and (C), and the Access Management Plan in the applicable IAMP. Where the recommendations of the Access Management Plan conflict with other access management and spacing requirements in Section 17.20.030 of the Zoning Ordinance, the applicable IAMP Access Management Plan shall govern.

a. Prior to approving access for tax lots that are identified in the Access Management Plan of the applicable IAMP, the City shall require that:

1. The applicant demonstrate how cross access can be accomplished for sites contiguous to the subject property or properties, consistent with the circulation and planned local street network shown in the IAMP;

2. If access across an adjacent parcel or parcels is necessary for the development of the subject site, a signed cross access agreement is submitted with the application; and,

3. For applications reviewed as part of a subdivision approval process, necessary cross access easements are shown and recorded on the final plat. Access widths shall be consistent with City Public Works standards unless based on a Transportation Impact Study, developed pursuant to Section 17.20.060.C.2 and approved by the City Engineer or his/her designee.

3. Frontage Improvements to Public Streets. Development application approval will require public street frontage improvements pursuant to the Access Management Plan in the applicable IAMP and City requirements for constructing public improvements, including those in Subdivision Ordinance Section 16.12.060, Public Facilities Standards.

17.20.040 Bicycle parking.

All uses that are subject to Site Design Review shall provide bicycle parking, in conformance with the standards in Table 17.20-40-A, and subsections A-H, below.

A. Minimum Required Bicycle Parking Spaces. Uses shall provide long – and short-term bicycle parking spaces, as designated in Table 17.20.40-A. Where two options are provided (e.g., 2 spaces, or 1 per 8 bedrooms), the option resulting in more bicycle parking shall be used.

Use Categories	Specific Uses	Long-term Spaces (Covered or Enclosed)	Short-term Spaces (Near Building Entry)
Residential Categories
Household Living	Multifamily	1 per 4 units	2, or 1 per 20 units
Group Living		2, or 1 per 20 bedrooms	None
	Dormitory	1 per 8 bedrooms
Commercial Categories
Retail Sales and Services		2, or 1 per 12,000 sq. ft. of floor area	2, or 1 per 5,000 sq. ft. of floor area
	Lodging	2, or 1 per rentable rooms	2, or 1 per 20 rentable rooms
Office		2, or 1 per 10,000 sq. ft. of floor area	2, or 1 per 40,000 sq. ft. of floor area
Commercial Outdoor Recreation		8, or 1 per 20 motor vehicle spaces	None
Major Event Entertainment		8, or 1 per 40 seats or per CU Review	None
Industrial Categories
Manufacturing and Production		2, or 1 per 15,000 sq. ft. of floor area	None
Warehouse and Freight Movement		2, or 1 per 40,000 sq. ft. of floor area
Institutional Categories
Basic Utilities	Transit center	8	None
Community Service		2, or 1 per 10,000 sq. ft. of floor area	2, or 1 per 10,000 sq. ft. of floor area
	Park and ride	8, or 5 per acre	None
Parks (active recreation areas only)		None	8, or per CU Review
Schools	Grades 2-5	1 per classroom, or per CU Review	1 per classroom, or per CU Review
	Grades 6-12	2 per classroom, or per CU Review	4 per school, or per CU Review
Colleges	Excluding dormitories (see Group Living, above)	2, or 1 per 20,000 sq. ft. of net building area, or per CU Review	2, or 1 per 10,000 sq. ft. of net building area, or per CU Review
Medical Centers		2, or 1 per 70,000 sq. ft. of net building area, or per CU Review	2, or 1 per 40,000 sq. ft. of net building area
Religious Institutions and Places of Worship		2, or 1 per 4,000 sq. ft. of net building area	2, or 1 per 2,000 sq. ft. of net building area
Daycare		2, or 1 per 10,000 sq. ft. of net building area	None
Other Categories
Other uses	Determined through Land Use Review, Site Design Review, or Conditional Use (CU) Review, as applicable

B. Exemptions. Section 17.20.040 does not apply to single-family and two-family housing (attached, detached, or manufactured housing) or home occupations.

C. Location and Design. Bicycle parking should be no farther from the main building entrance than the distance to the closest vehicle space, or 50 feet, whichever is less. Long-term (i.e., sheltered) bicycle parking should be incorporated whenever possible into building design. Short-term bicycle parking, when allowed within a public right-of-way, should be coordinated with the design of street furniture, as applicable. Racks shall allow frames and wheels to be locked. Shared facilities will be allowed.

D. Visibility and Security. Bicycle parking for customers and visitors of a use shall be visible from street sidewalks or building entrances, so that it provides sufficient security from theft and damage.

E. Options for Storage. Long-term bicycle parking requirements for multiple family uses and employee parking can be met by providing a bicycle storage room, bicycle lockers, racks, or other secure storage space inside or outside of the building, including beneath roof overhangs and awnings.

F. Lighting. For security, bicycle parking shall be at least as well lit as vehicle parking.

G. Reserved Areas. Areas set aside for bicycle parking shall be clearly marked and reserved for bicycle parking only.

H. Hazards. Bicycle parking shall not impede or create a hazard to pedestrians. Parking areas shall be located so as to not conflict with vision clearance areas (see Diagram “A” – 17.04.090).

17.20.050 Standards for transportation improvements.

A. Permitted Uses. Except where otherwise specifically regulated by this ordinance, the following improvements are permitted outright:

1. Normal operation, maintenance, repair, and preservation activities of existing transportation facilities.

2. Installation of culverts, pathways, medians, fencing, guardrails, lighting, and similar types of improvements within the existing right-of-way.

3. Projects specifically identified in the Transportation System Plan as not requiring further land use regulation.

4. Landscaping as part of a transportation facility.

5. Emergency measures necessary for the safety and protection of property

6. Acquisition of right-of-way for public roads, highways, and other transportation improvements designated in the Transportation System Plan except for those that are located in exclusive farm use or forest zones.

7. Construction of a street or road as part of an approved subdivision or land partition approved consistent with the applicable land division ordinance.

1. Construction, reconstruction, or widening of highways, roads, bridges or other transportation projects that are

a. Not improvements designated in the Transportation System Plan; or

b. Not designed and constructed as part of a subdivision or planned development subject to site plan and/or conditional use review.

2. An application for site plan review is subject to review under Site Plan Review (Chapter 17.16); however, the decision criteria do not apply. In order to be approved, the site plan permit shall comply with the Transportation System Plan and applicable standards of this title, and shall address the criteria below. For State projects that require an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) or EA (Environmental Assessment), the draft EIS or EA shall be reviewed and used as the basis for findings to comply with the following criteria:

a. The project is designed to be compatible with existing land use and social patterns, including noise generation, safety, and zoning.

b. The project is designed to minimize avoidable environmental impacts to identified wetlands, wildlife habitat, air and water quality, cultural resources, and scenic qualities.

c. The project preserves or improves the safety and function of the facility through access management, traffic calming, or other design features.

d. Project includes provision for bicycle and pedestrian circulation as consistent with the Comprehensive Plan and other requirements of this ordinance.

3. Street and interchange improvements (defined as parking removal, access modifications in IAMP blocks, new lanes, new streets, signalization modifications). The site plan review shall include findings and solutions addressing safety, mobility, and the effect of traffic beyond the immediate vicinity, pedestrian system, bike system, parking and economic enterprise will be protected and/or enhanced by the proposed. The following facility(ies) shall be considered in the study area for all traffic analysis unless modified by the City Engineer: All access points and intersections signalized and un-signalized adjacent to the proposed site, if the proposed site fronts an arterial collector street the analysis shall address all intersection and driveways along the site frontage and within the access facing distances extending out from the boundary from the site frontage roads through and adjacent to the site. All intersections that receive site generated trips that comprise at least 10% or more of the total intersection volume. All intersections needed for signal progression analysis. In addition to these requirements the City Engineer may determine any additional intersections or roadway links that may be adversely affected as the result of the proposed development.”

17.20.060 Traffic impact analysis.

A. Purpose. The purpose of this section of the code is to implement Section 660-012-0045(2)(e) of the State Transportation Planning Rule that requires the city to adopt a process to apply conditions to development proposals in order to protect and minimize adverse impacts to transportation facilities. This section establishes the standards for when a proposal must be reviewed for potential traffic impacts; when a Traffic Impact Analysis (TIA) must be submitted with an application in order to determine whether conditions are needed to minimize impacts to and protect transportation facilities; what must be in a TIA; and who is qualified to prepare the analysis.

B. Typical Average Daily Trips and Peak Hour Trips. The latest edition of the Trip Generation manual, published by the Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE) shall be used as standards by which to gauge average daily and peak hour (weekday and/or weekend) vehicle trips, unless a specific trip generation study that is approved by the City Engineer indicates an alternative trip generation rate is appropriate. A trip generation study may be used to determine trip generation for a specific land use which is not well represented in the ITE Trip Generation Manual and for which a similar facility is available to count.

C. Applicability and Consultation. A Traffic Impact Analysis shall be required to be submitted to the city with a land use application when (1) a change in zoning or plan amendment is proposed or (2) a proposed development shall cause one or more of the following effects, which can be determined by field counts, site observation, traffic impact analysis, field measurements, crash history, Institute of Transportation Engineers Trip Generation; and information and studies provided by the local reviewing jurisdiction and/or ODOT:

a. The proposed action is estimated to generate 250 Average Daily Trips (ADT) or more, or 25 or more weekday AM or PM peak hour trips (or as required by the City Engineer);

b. An increase in use of adjacent streets by vehicles exceeding the 20,000 pound gross vehicle weights by 10 vehicles or more per day

c. The location of the access driveway does not meet minimum intersection sight distance requirements, or is located where vehicles entering or leaving the property are restricted, or such vehicles queue or hesitate, creating a safety hazard; or

d. The location of the access driveway does not meet the access spacing standard of the roadway on which the driveway is located; or

e. A change in internal traffic patterns that may cause safety problems, such as back up onto public streets or traffic crashes in the approach area.

The applicant shall consult with the City Engineer or his/her designee at the time of a pre-application conference (see Section 17.09.120 Pre-Application Conferences) about whether a TIA is required and, if required, the details of what must be included in the TIA.

D. Traffic Assessment Letter. If a TIA is not required as determined by Section 17.20.060.C, the applicant shall submit a Transportation Assessment Letter (TAL) to the City indicating that TIA requirements do not apply to the proposed action. This letter shall present the trip generation estimates and distribution assumptions for the proposed action and verify that driveways and roadways accessing the site meet the sight distance, spacing, and roadway design standards of the agency with jurisdiction of those roadways. Other information or analysis may be required as determined by the City Engineer. The TAL shall be prepared by an Oregon Registered Professional Engineer who is qualified to perform traffic engineering analysis.

The requirement for a TAL may be waived if the City Engineer determines that the proposed action will not have a significant impact on existing traffic conditions.

1. Preparation. A Traffic Impact Analysis shall be prepared by an Oregon Registered Professional Engineer who is qualified to perform traffic engineering analysis and will be paid for by the applicant.

2. Transportation Planning Rule Compliance. See Chapter 17.08.050 Transportation Planning Rule Compliance.

3. Pre-application Conference. The applicant will meet with the City Engineer prior to submitting an application that requires a Traffic Impact Analysis. The City has the discretion to determine the required elements of the TIA and the level of analysis expected.

F. Study Area. The following facilities shall be included in the study area for all Traffic Impact Analyses (unless modified by the City Engineer):

1. All site-access points and intersections (signalized and unsignalized) adjacent to the proposed site. If the proposed site fronts an arterial or collector street, the analysis shall address all intersections and driveways along the site frontage and within the access spacing distances extending out from the boundary of the site frontage.

2. Roads through and adjacent to the site.

3. All intersections that receive site-generated trips that comprise at least 10% or more of the total intersection volume.

4. All intersections needed for signal progression analysis.

5. In addition to these requirements, the City Engineer may determine any additional intersections or roadway links that may be adversely affected as a result of the proposed development.

6. Those identified in the IAMP Overlay Zone (see Subsection I).

G. When a Traffic Impact Analysis (TIA) is required, the TIA shall address the following minimum requirements:

1. The TIA was prepared by an Oregon Registered Professional Engineer; and

2. If the proposed development shall cause one or more of the effects in Section 17.20.060(C), above, or other traffic hazard or negative impact to a transportation facility, the TIA shall include mitigation measures that are attributable and are proportional to those impacts, meet the City’s adopted Level-of-Service standards, and are satisfactory to the City Engineer and ODOT, when applicable; and

3. The proposed site design and traffic and circulation design and facilities, for all transportation modes, including any mitigation measures, are designed to:

a. Minimize the negative impacts on all applicable transportation facilities; and

b. Accommodate and encourage non-motor vehicular modes of transportation to the extent practicable; and

c. Make the most efficient use of land and public facilities as practicable; and

d. Provide the most direct, safe and convenient routes practicable between on-site destinations, and between on-site and off-site destinations; and

e. Otherwise comply with applicable requirements of the Hood River Municipal Code.

4. If the proposed development will increase through traffic volumes on a residential local street by 20 or more vehicles during the weekday p.m. peak hour or 200 or more vehicles per day, the impacts on neighborhood livability shall be assessed and mitigation for negative impacts shall be identified. A negative impact to neighborhood livability will occur where:

a. Residential local street volumes increase above 1,200 average daily trips; or

b. The existing 85th percentile speed on residential local streets exceed 28 miles per hour.

H. Conditions of Approval. The city may deny, approve, or approve a development proposal with appropriate conditions needed to meet transportation operations and safety standards and provide the necessary right-of-way and improvements to develop the future planned transportation system. Factors that should be evaluated as part of land division and site development reviews, and which may result in conditions of approval, include:

1. Crossover or reciprocal easement agreements for all adjoining parcels to facilitate future access between parcels.

2. Access for new developments that have proposed access points that do not meet the designated access spacing policy and/or have the ability to align with opposing access driveways.

3. Right-of-way dedications for planned roadway improvements.

4. Street improvements along site frontages that do not have improvements to current standards in place at the time of development.

5. Construction or proportionate contribution toward roadway improvements necessary to address site generated traffic impacts, i.e. construction or modification of turns lanes or traffic signals.

I. Traffic Analysis within an IAMP Overlay Zone. All development applications located within an IAMP Overlay Zone that are subject to the provisions of Chapter 17.16 (Site Plan Review) or Chapter 16.08 (Land Divisions) may be required to prepare a Traffic Impact Analysis. City of Hood River Transportation System Plan policies call for the City, in coordination with Hood River County and ODOT, to monitor and evaluate vehicle trip generation impacts at Hood River interchanges and on street systems in interchange areas from development. This requirement will not preclude Oregon Department of Transportation, City of Hood River, or Hood River County from requiring analysis of IAMP study intersections under other conditions. Development approved under this article shall be subject to the following additional requirements.

1. The Traffic Impact Analysis must include an account of weekday p.m. peak hour site generated trips through IAMP study intersections. Intersections impacted by 25 or more weekday p.m. peak hour site generated trips, or weekend peak hour site generated trips, shall be analyzed for level of service and volume to capacity ratio during day of opening conditions.

2. The City shall provide written notification to ODOT and Hood River County when an application concerning property in the IAMP Overlay Zone and subject to Site Plan Review or Title 16 is received. This notice shall include an invitation to ODOT and the County to participate in the City’s pre-application conference with the applicant, pursuant to Section 17.09.120.

3. The City shall not deem the land use application complete unless it includes a Traffic Impact Analysis prepared in accordance with the applicable requirements of Section 17.20.060.

4. Pursuant to Section 17.09.030(F), ODOT shall have 14 calendar days from the date a completion notice is mailed to provide written comments to the City. If ODOT does not provide written comments during this 14-day period, the City staff report may be issued without consideration of ODOT comments.

5. Monitoring Responsibilities. The details of monitoring responsibilities will be outlined in the adopted IAMP.