Napa City Zoning Code
CHAPTER 17
48 :TI-TRAFFIC IMPACT OVERLAY DISTRICT
§ 17.48.010 Purpose.
The specific purposes of the :TI overlay district are to:
A.
Implement the crucial corridor policies of the General Plan circulation element which apply to the following streets:
1.
Imola Avenue West (SR-121): Lernhart Street to Soscol Avenue;
2.
Trancas Street: State Route 29 to Soscol Avenue;
3.
Lincoln Avenue: Jefferson Street to Silverado Trail;
4.
Jefferson Street: Trancas Street to Imola Avenue West;
5.
Soscol Avenue: Trancas Street to Imola Avenue West;
6.
Silverado Trail: Trancas Street to Soscol Avenue.
B.
Limit the traffic intensity of uses along crucial corridor streets which are likely to become congested to an unacceptable level unless limitations such as those contained in the :TI district are applied.
C.
Establish development standards designed to minimize traffic conflicts.
(O2003-12)
§ 17.48.020 Designation.
The :TI overlay district may overlay or be combined with any zoning district consistent with the purpose and provisions of this district. Regulations established by the :TI overlay district shall be in addition to the regulations of the principal zoning district with which they are combined, and in the event of a conflict between the two, the provisions of the :TI district shall apply.
(O2003-12)
§ 17.48.030 Public Works Director's approval required.
The review and approval of the Public Works Director pursuant to Section 17.48.060 to determine compliance with the provisions of the :TI overlay district shall be required prior to:
A.
Establishment. The establishment of any use permitted in the underlying zoning district that does not require a building or similar permit; or
B.
Design Review. Design review approval (or, if design review is not required, building permit issuance) for any new construction, enlargement or expansion of an existing building or structure in excess of 10% of the existing gross floor area; or
C.
Use Permit. Use permit approval for any conditional use in the underlying zoning district that has the potential to affect the flow of traffic in any way.
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§ 17.48.040 Required materials, fee, process.
An applicant shall submit plans, specifications and other information necessary to demonstrate compliance with the provisions of the :TI overlay district. A fee set by resolution may be charged an applicant to cover the cost of evaluating traffic impacts of the proposed project. The Public Works Director shall typically provide comments regarding compliance with the standards and requirements of the :TI overlay district within 30 days of application submittal. Any decision of the Public Works Director may be appealed to the City Council pursuant to Chapter 17.70, Appeals.
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§ 17.48.050 High and low traffic generating uses.
The circulation element of the General Plan establishes high traffic and low traffic uses. Studies conducted by the Public Works Department have defined low traffic uses as those that generate 520 or fewer traffic trips per gross acre per day (or gross floor area equivalent) using a site coverage ratio considered typical for the use. Correspondingly, high traffic uses are defined as those which generate more than 520 trips per gross acre per day (or gross floor area equivalent). The calculation of trip generation for a proposed new or expanded use or a proposed increase in intensity of use shall include the total traffic generated by the proposed use as well as the existing uses on the project site. For purposes of calculating trip generation the project site shall include all uses sharing parking and vehicular ingress and egress.
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§ 17.48.060 Development regulations.
Within the :TI overlay, the Public Works Director shall review projects for compliance with the following provisions:
A.
General Plan Crucial Corridor Policies. The circulation element shall be used in conjunction with the :TI overlay district, as the crucial corridor policies provide for slightly different types of use and development standards. The Public Works Director must find the project is consistent with crucial corridor policies.
B.
High Traffic Generating Uses.
1.
In general, in accordance with the General Plan, uses along crucial corridors shall generate less than 520 traffic trips per day per gross acre (or gross floor area equivalent). Uses with higher trip generation characteristics are prohibited unless:
a.
Adjustments in the gross floor area, gross acreage, operation, etc., are made to reduce the number of trips to an acceptable level as determined by the Public Works Director, or
b.
The Public Works Director finds that the transportation benefits of the project clearly outweighs the adverse effect on the crucial corridor. Transportation benefits of the project may include, but are not limited to roadway and safety improvements, traffic system management strategies, transit service enhancements, and travel demand management strategies.
2.
Drive-through uses shall generally be prohibited; however, drive-through uses may be allowed, upon the approval of a Planning Commission use permit. In addition to standard use permit findings, the Commission shall make the following findings to approve such use permit:
a.
All traffic impacts of the drive-through use can be confined to the site, i.e., there will be few, if any, additional trips on the crucial corridor generated by the drive-through part of the project compared with the trips generated by the existing or proposed underlying (non-drive-through) use of the property; and
b.
In the event the entire project generates higher than 520 trips per day per acre, that the transportation benefits of the project clearly outweigh the adverse effect of the project on the crucial corridor.
C.
Site Design to Minimize Traffic Conflicts.
1.
Driveways shall be located and designed to minimize the impact on the crucial corridor traffic flow. The number of access points to/from the crucial corridor shall be kept to a minimum. Direct access to/from the crucial corridor shall only be permitted if no other alternative exists. Access to/from side streets is encouraged and may be required. All access points shall be approved by the Public Works Director.
2.
Joint parking and access agreements between abutting properties are encouraged and may be required. Any such agreements shall be approved by the Public Works Director.
3.
The Public Works Director may require an increase in the number of on-site parking spaces up to 20% over that required by Chapter 17.54 (Parking) for specific unusual projects where the Public Works Director finds that on-site parking is not adequate to prevent overflow onto crucial corridors. Also see Section 17.54.180 (Nonconforming parking).
4.
Appropriate on-site traffic control signs shall be provided to city standards.
D.
Waiver. Development standard(s) described in subsection C may be waived or modified by the Public Works Director if the location or design of existing development is such that the requirements are not necessary to achieve the objectives of the crucial corridor policies, or
An applicant requesting such waiver or modification shall submit sufficient information acceptable to the Public Works Director to substantiate the request.
(O2003-12; O2004 9)
§ 17.48.070 Multiple lots as single unit.
A.
Application. To comply with the regulations of the :TI overlay district an applicant may apply to the Public Works Director to have one or more abutting lots combined or treated as a single unit through cross easements or written legal agreements pursuant to subsection B which permit the area of more than one lot to support the proposed use or expansion of an existing use. The written consent of the owners of any such lots shall be required. Thereafter none of the affected lots may be evaluated under the provisions of the :TI overlay district individually or in combination with any other lot except by a separate application to the Public Works Director.
B.
Written Agreement Required. Prior to the occupancy of any building or the issuance of any building permits, a formal written agreement, combining the lots into a single unit for the purpose of complying with the regulations of the :TI overlay district, between the city and the owners of such lots shall be approved by the Public Works Director. This agreement shall be recorded and run with the land, and may be terminated only with consent of the city.
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§ 17.48.080 Pre-existing uses, structures.
Any use or structure lawfully established prior the adoption of the General Plan Envision Napa 2020 (December 1, 1998), which generates more than 520 trips per gross acre per day (or gross floor area equivalent), is a nonconforming use. Nonconforming uses may continue unaffected by these regulations provided the number of daily traffic trips does not increase.
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§ 17.48.090 Traffic study-Requirements.
In the event that the Public Works Director finds that the proposed use, building and/or expansion is a high traffic use prohibited pursuant to Section 17.48.060(B)(1), an applicant may submit a trip generation study prepared by a qualified traffic engineering consultant to establish the number of traffic trips per gross acre per day (or gross floor area equivalent) which will be generated by the proposed use(s).
To be accepted, the traffic generation study shall be performed in accordance with the Public Works Department Policy Guidelines: Traffic Impact Analysis for Private Development Review. The traffic generation study must be submitted to the Public Works Department for evaluation. If accepted by the Public Works Director, the traffic generation study submitted by the applicant shall provide the basis for determining compliance with the regulations of the :TI overlay district.
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§ 17.48.100 Appeal-Traffic study required.
Any decision of the Public Works Director made to implement the :TI overlay district may be appealed to the City Council pursuant to the provisions of this title. However, if a decision regarding the number of trips generated by a proposed use is being appealed, the applicant shall submit a trip generation study, pursuant to Section 17.48.090.
(O2003-12)