A. The purpose of this Chapter is to ensure that the public health, safety and welfare will be preserved by having safe and efficient streets serving new and existing developments by requiring development to mitigate traffic impacts, which may include a proportionate share payment reasonably related to the traffic impact of the proposed development and construction of street improvements and dedication of right-of-way reasonably necessary as a result of the direct traffic impact of proposed developments.

B. Chapter 14.295 SMC is intended to ensure that City policy for the provision of safe and adequate access and the allocation of responsibility for immediate or future street improvements necessitated by new development is fairly and consistently applied to all developments.

C. This Chapter requires the analysis and mitigation of a development’s traffic impact on the City street system. In order to quantify the continuing need for street improvements on the City street system anticipated by projected growth, the Public Works Department is authorized to develop and update the Transportation Facilities Plan based on and consistent with the Comprehensive Plan’s Transportation Element. The Transportation Facilities Plan shall be used in evaluating the traffic impact of developments and determining necessary mitigation of such impacts.