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traffic issue and potential ordinance conflict arose, leading the <br />Commission to request that the staff review the traffic require- <br />ments of the site plan ordinance. The principal concern was <br />whether all intersections should be considered in the application <br />of minimum level of service (LOS) standards. Several other <br />traffic/LOS issues have also been identified by the staff. <br />The intersection issue arose when it was determined that the <br />proposed site plan was within a half mile of an intersection that <br />already operates at LOS E, but will not be adversely impacted by <br />the project. Although the subject intersection is the junction of <br />a secondary collector and an arterial, the question arose as to <br />whether all intersections, including local road/ thoroughfare plan <br />road intersections, should be considered in the application of LOS <br />requirements. A related question that arose was how unsignalized <br />intersections should be addressed in a traffic impact analysis and <br />a LOS determination. <br />At its April 26, 1988 meeting, the Board of County Commissioners <br />voted unanimously to authorize the staff to research, draft, and <br />advertise for public hearings to consider changes to the <br />transportation system requirements of the site plan section of the <br />Zoning Code. Based upon this authorization, staff analyzed the <br />referenced section of the zoning -code, identified code sections <br />needing refinement, and developed revised language where <br />appropriate. On May 26, 1988, the Planning and Zoning Commission <br />voted unanimously (5-0) to recommend that the Board of County <br />Commissioners adopt the proposed ordinance amendments. <br />ALTERNATIVES & ANALYSIS: <br />In its analysis of the transportation requirements section of the <br />site plan ordinance (Section 23 of the zoning code), the staff <br />identified several requirements which need modification. Besides <br />the issues of intersection consideration and intersection analy- <br />sis, these issues included LOS applicability to projects not <br />requiring submittal of a traffic impact analysis; one way traffic <br />lane minimum width; and marginal access requirements. Each of <br />these issues was analyzed, and ordinance revisions were drafted. <br />Intersection. - The two major intersection issues are: (1) <br />which intersections should be considered in the application <br />of LOS standards and (2) how LOS should be measured on <br />unsignalized intersections. Since the intent of the subject <br />.ordinance was to consider only major_ intersections in the <br />application of LOS criteria, staff revised the ordinance to <br />define major intersections and specified that only major <br />intersections would be analyzed with respect to LOS criteria. <br />Regarding unsignalized intersections, staff determined that <br />the critical movement analysis. method used to evaluate <br />signalized intersections is not appropriate to assess <br />unsignalized intersections. Staff determined that the <br />appropriate method to analyze unsignalized intersections is <br />the application of signalization warrant criteria specified <br />in the Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD). <br />These changes are reflected in the proposed ordinance amend- <br />ment. <br />Small projects - Although the existing ordinance states that <br />no project will be approved if unacceptable levels of service <br />exist or if the project would-re.sult in unacceptable service <br />levels, the ordinance does not specify the geographic area <br />considered in the application of LOS criteria for small <br />projects. Larger projects are required to prepare a traffic <br />impact analysis which defines the area in which LOS criteria <br />will be applied. For smaller projects, staff determined that <br />27 BOOK 73FD GE .L20 <br />JUN 2 19 <br />