SUBJECT: General Plan Amendment #23-01, initiated by the City of Merced, involving amendments to the Merced Vision 2030 General Plan Transportation Policy T-1.8 to require the use of Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) Thresholds and Guidelines when evaluating the environmental impacts of development projects under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and to adopt by reference the VMT Thresholds and Guidelines as recommended by the Merced County Association of Governments (MCAG) in November 2022. “**PUBLIC HEARING** ACTION PLANNING COMMISSION: Recommendation to City Council Environmental Review #23-02 (Statutory Exemption) General Plan Amendment #23-01 CITY COUNCIL: Approve/Disapprove/Modify Environmental Review #23-02 (Statutory Exemption) General Plan Amendment #23-01 SUMMARY The proposed General Plan Amendment would clarify that the City of Merced would be using the Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) metric to evaluate the transportation impacts of development projects under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) instead of Level of Service (LOS) consistent with recent amendments to State Law. The amendment would also adopt by reference the VMT Thresholds and Implementation Guidelines as adopted by the Merced County Association of Governments (MCAG) in November 2022. Staff is recommending approval. RECOMMENDATION Planning staff recommends that the Planning Commission recommend approval to the City Council of Environmental Review #23-02 [Statutory Exemption] and General Plan Amendment (including the adoption of the Draft Resolution at Attachment A) subject to the findings in Exhibit A and draft amendments in Exhibit B of the Draft Resolution at Attachment A.

Committee

Planning Commission

Requested by

Development Services Department

Introduced

February 14, 2023

On agenda

March 8, 2023