Adequate Public Facilities

Farm
A preliminary plan of subdivision must be accompanied by a traffic impact study if the proposed development generates 50 trips or more during any peak hour. Traffic studies for proposed developments of this size or larger are prepared by the applicant and reviewed by staff in order for the Planning Board to make the required findings regarding adequacy of transportation facilities in the Subdivision Ordinance. In cases where a development generates fewer than 50 trips, the transportation staff must still review the preliminary plan in order for the Planning Board to make the required findings, and may request (but not require) a limited traffic study or traffic counts to assist in making these findings. Developments generating five or fewer peak hour trips may be deemed to have a minimal, or de minimus, impact, and if so deemed, are not required to provide traffic-related information.

Guidelines

The Planning Board publishes the Guidelines for the Analysis of the Traffic Impact of Development Proposals (Guidelines). This document establishes criteria by which staff and applicants with land development proposals can assess the traffic impact of the development proposals, and incorporates methods and practices which are currently being used to review and evaluate traffic conditions.

Reviews

Traffic is also reviewed in detail during review of mixed-use and comprehensive design rezoning applications. Certain types of special exceptions require limited traffic analyses, but in accordance with the required special exception findings, such studies often focus on traffic safety. As noted earlier, detailed site plans are intended to review design issues, and as such generally do not involve the review of transportation adequacy issues.
Guidelines for the Analysis of the Traffic Impact of Development Proposals