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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2026-02-02; Traffic Safety and Mobility Commission; Minutes; Regular SessionTRAFFIC SAFETY & MOBILITY COMMISSION Council Chamber Ml• nutes 1200 Carlsbad Village Drive Carlsbad, CA 92008 Feb. 2, 2026, 4 p.m. CALL TO ORDER: 4:00 p.m. ROLL CALL: Penseyres, Newlands, Kohl, Nicholes, Schuck. Absent: Coelho, Proulx. INVOCATION: None. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE: Acting Chair Penseyres led the Pledge of Allegiance. APPROVAL OF MINUTES: Minutes of the Regular Meeting held on Jan. 5, 2026. Motion by Commissioner Nicholes, seconded by Commissioner Kohl, to approve the minutes of the Regular Meeting held on Jan. 5, 2026, as stated. Motion carried, 5/0/2 (Coelho, Proulx - Absent}. PRESENTATIONS: None. PUBLIC COMMENT: Lori Robins requested the Commission proactively address pedestrian safety created by the rapid growth in the Village and direct staff to study necessary improvements including consideration of flashing lights at locations with high pedestrian activity. Bill Fenner expressed concern with pedestrian safety and heavily tinted windows. He also expressed concern with the Jack of pedestrian access on the bridge on Palomar Airport Road over the railroad tracks and requested provisions to increase safety when crossing over the railroad tracks. Steve Linke spoke about the delayed distribution of the agenda packet and suggested that packets be delivered to commissioners on the Wednesday prior to the meeting. CONSENT CALENDAR: Motion by Commissioner Kohl, seconded by Commissioner Newlands, to approve Consent Calendar Item No. 1. Motion failed, 1/3/1/2 (Newlands, Nicholes, Schuck -No; Penseyres - Abstain; Coelho, Proulx -Absent}. 1. FISCAL YEAR 2024-25 GROWTH MANAGEMENT PLAN/GENERAL PLAN ANNUAL MONITORING REPORT CIRCULATION SECTION: ROADWAY LEVEL OF SERVICE ANALYSIS: Support staff's recommendation to the City Council to receive and file the attached Growth Management Plan/General Plan Annual Monitoring Report Circulation Section, prepared pursuant to Feb.2,2026 Traffic Safety & Mobility Commission Regular Meeting Page 2 Carlsbad Municipal Code, § 21.90.130{d) and Gov. Code § 65400. (Staff Contact: Tom Frank, Public Works Department) Steve Linke reviewed a PowerPoint presentation (on file in the Office of the City Clerk). Steve Linke spoke against the Growth Management Plan/General Plan Annual Monitoring Report. He spoke about the level of service (LOS} grading methodology and updates made to the General Plan in 2015. He recommended City Council update the General Plan to eliminate the mu/ti-modal level of service (MMLOS} system and restore focus to the vehicle LOS analysis. In response to Commissioner Nicholes' inquiry regarding the list of exempt streets, Transportation Director/City Engineer Tom Frank explained that staff evaluates the list of exempt streets yearly and determines the need to remove the street from the exempt list. In response to Commissioner Nicholes' inquiry regarding why streets continue to be exempt despite increases in traffic patterns, Transportation Director/City Engineer Frank responded that the exempted streets have been built out to their maximum widths and therefore meet the criteria for exemption. In response to Commissioner Nicholes' inquiry regarding whether staff only consider construction efforts as ways to improve capacity, Transportation Director/City Engineer Frank explained that staff's objective is to reduce vehicular delays and evaluate possible intersection improvements to improve efficiency. In response to Commissioner Newlands' inquiry regarding claims made during the public comment, Transportation Director/City Engineer Frank responded that staff actively monitor the segments for deficiencies, evaluate if any of the exemption criteria are met, and present the results to both the Commission and City Council. Acting Chair Penseyres recommended the consideration of reconvening a subcommittee on the MMLOS methodology. Acting Chair Penseyres recommended a list of exempt streets with regard to minimum essential services for bicyclists. PUBLIC HEARING: None. DEPARTMENTAL REPORTS: 2. POLICE REPORT REGARDING TRAFFIC AND MOBILITY-RELATED MATTERS IN THE FOURTH QUARTER OF 2025: Receive a quarterly report from a representative of the City of Carlsbad's Police Department that will provide an overview of traffic and mobility-related police matters and notable news during the months of October, November and December 2025. (Staff contact: Jason Arnotti, Police Department) Recommended Action: Receive the report. Feb.2,2026 Traffic Safety & Mobility Commission Regular Meeting Page 3 Lieutenant Jason Arnotti reviewed a PowerPoint presentation (on file in the Office of the City Clerk). The Commission received the presentation. Acting Chair Penseyres called for a recess at 5:29 p.m. Acting Chair Penseyres reconvened the meeting at 5:33 p.m. Steve Linke reviewed a PowerPoint presentation (on file in the Office of the City Clerk). Steve Linke spoke about collision data from 2015 to 2025 and expressed concern about bike access on Carlsbad Boulevard during construction. In response to Commissioner Schuck's inquiry regarding enforcement of AB 413, Lieutenant Arnotti confirmed that the Police Department is actively enforcing the new law and is in coordination with the Transportation Department to install red curbs in high- risk areas. In response to Commissioner Kohl's inquiry regarding enforcement abilities of senior volunteers for AB 413, Lieutenant Arnotti responded that senior volunteers are not authorized to issue violations of AB 413 but provide enforcement via warnings. In response to Acting Chair Penseyres' inquiry regarding the fatal collision on Skyline Road, Lieutenant Arnotti responded that the criminal case is currently ongoing. 3. CARLSBAD TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT PROGRAM 2026 UPDATE: Support the proposed revisions and recommend to City Council to adopt the 2026 update of the City of Carlsbad Traffic Management Program. (Staff contact: Miriam Jim and John Kim, Public Works Department) Recommended Action: Support staff's recommendation. Senior Engineer Miriam Jim and City Traffic Engineer John Kim reviewed a PowerPoint presentation (on file in the Office of the City Clerk). The Commission received the presentation. Steve Linke reviewed a PowerPoint presentation (on file in the Office of the City Clerk). Steve Linke spoke about data collection of speed surveys. He recommended an amendment to the Carlsbad Traffic Management Program that would require staff to provide speed survey raw data for all potential traffic management projects presented to the Commission, including the magnitude and number of the highest speeds. In response to Commissioner Schuck's inquiry regarding the proposed update of 67% return rate, City Traffic Engineer Kim explained that the current program requires a Feb. 2,2026 Traffic Safety & Mobility Commission Regular Meeting Page 4 minimum 50% return rate and a minimum 67% support rate of the returned surveys. The proposed update to increase the return rate to 67% was an effort to more accurately capture majority support. In response to Commissioner Schuck's inquiry regarding the definition of community input within the project area, City Traffic Engineer Kim explained that this includes both residents and non-resident owners of homes in the project area. He provided the example that home occupants including renters and the non-resident owners would have equal input in determining support for a traffic calming plan. In response to Commissioner Schuck's inquiry regarding multi-family residences, City Traffic Engineer Kim explained that, defined under the current program, residential streets are streets that have single-family homes fronting the subject street. He further explained that evaluations for traffic calming on non-residential streets would be reviewed by the Traffic Calming Review Committee (TCRC} and considered as a Capital Improvement Program project rather than through the TMP. In response to Commissioner Nicholes' inquiry regarding the success rate of Phase 1, City Traffic Engineer Kim responded that only a small percentage of requests qualify for Phase 2. He further explained that resident requests for evaluation are typically based on subjective assessment and criteria. When speed measurement results indicate slow speeds, residents are informed that Phase 1 measures could still be applied but the street would not qualify for Phase 2. In response to Commissioner Schuck's inquiry regarding the two-year waiting period, City Traffic Engineer Kim explained that traffic speeds typically do not change over time unless conditions change. The two-year waiting period frees staff from unnecessary speed measurements on the same street while freeing resources to address streets that have not been measured. In response to Commissioner Kohl's inquiry regarding the elimination of Phase 3, City Traffic Engineer Kim explained that Phase 3 was essentially consolidated into Phase 2 rather than eliminated. In response to Commissioner Kohl's inquiry regarding the rounding of survey rates, City Traffic Engineer Kim explained that survey rates would be rounded down to the nearest whole number to provide clarification. In response to Commissioner Kohl's inquiry regarding the proposed removals from the toolbox, City Traffic Engineer Kim explained that the toolbox is a representation of the current practice tools available for traffic calming and that removal from the toolbox does not prevent it from consideration. Commissioner Kohl requested staff include the raw data in future presentations. Feb.2,2026 Traffic Safety & Mobility Commission Regular Meeting Page 5 In response to Acting Chair Penseyres' inquiry regarding the TCRC, City Traffic Engineer Kim responded that the TCRC consists of representatives from the Transportation, Fire, and Police departments, and other staff as determined by the City Manager. In response to Commissioner Schuck's inquiry regarding contacting the TCRC directly with request for evaluation, Senior Engineer Jim explained that all four criteria need to be met in order for a street to proceed to Phase 2. In response to Acting Chair Penseyres' inquiry regarding the Fire Department's stance on traffic calming, Assistant Fire Chief Nick Ordille explained that traffic calming solutions require a balance between the departments to address concerns without impeding emergency response. In response to Acting Chair Penseyres' inquiry regarding the ability for firetrucks to straddle speed cushions, Assistant Fire Chief Ordille responded that firetrucks are only able to do so if the street is completely linear and without any curves. In response to Acting Chair Penseyres' inquiry regarding the proposed update to the 85th percentile greater than 32 mph, City Traffic Engineer Kim explained that consideration of neighboring cities' higher critical speed of 35 mph was reviewed and that the change to greater than 32 mph from the current greater than or equal to 32 mph was appropriate. Acting Chair Penseyres recommended staff include language to provide the percentage of drivers at or below the speed limit. Motion by Commissioner Kohl, seconded by Commissioner Nicholes, to support staff's recommendation of the proposed revisions and recommend to City Council to adopt the 2026 update of the City of Carlsbad Traffic Management. Motion carried, 3/2/2 (Penseyres, Schuck -No; Coelho, Proulx -Absent). 4. GRAND AVENUE LANE REDUCTION AND CONVERSION OF PARALLEL PARKING TO DIAGONAL PARKING: Support the proposed lane reduction and conversion of parallel parking to diagonal parking on westbound Grand Avenue between Tyler Street and Jefferson Street. (Staff contact: Miriam Jim and John Kim, Public Works Department) Recommended Action: Support staff's recommendation. Senior Engineer Miriam Jim and City Traffic Engineer John Kim reviewed a PowerPoint presentation (on file in the Office of the City Clerk). The Commission received the presentation. Gary Nessim expressed concern with adding parking spaces because doing so would delay efforts in evaluating alternative solutions. Feb.2,2026 Traffic Safety & Mobility Commission Regular Meeting Page 6 In response to Commissioner Newlands' inquiry regarding the practicality of the proposed parking space on the northbound approach to Madison Street, City Traffic Engineer Kim responded that staff would look into it. Motion by Acting Chair Penseyres, seconded by Commissioner Kohl, to support staff's recommendation of the proposed lane reduction and conversion of parallel parking to diagonal parking on westbound Grand Avenue between Tyler Street and Jefferson Street. Motion carried, 5/0/2 (Coelho, Proulx -Absent). 5. ALL-WAY STOP CONTROL AT THE INTERSECTION OF GRAND AVENUE AND MADISON STREET: Support staff's recommendation to install an all-way stop at the intersection of Grand Avenue and Madison Street. (Staff contact: Miriam Jim and Lindy Pham, Public Works Department) Recommended Action: Support staff's recommendation. Senior Engineer Miriam Jim and Associate Engineer Lindy Pham reviewed a PowerPoint presentation (on file in the Office of the City Clerk). The Commission received the presentation. Gary Nessim spoke in support of an all-way stop at the intersection of Grand Avenue and Madison Street but did not support removing the red curb. He expressed concern with the order of agenda items and recommended they be arranged to better accommodate public comments. Commissioner Schuck recommended staff look into lighting improvements at the intersection of Grand Avenue and Madison Street. In response to Commissioner Kohl's inquiry regarding current STOP signs with LED borders, Associate Engineer Pham responded that there are currently none in the city. City Traffic Engineer Kim explained that city STOP signs have Diamond Grade Prismatic Sheeting which facilitate visibility to drivers at night. Transportation Director/City Engineer Tom Frank further confirmed that there is a Capital Improvement Program (CIP) Project to address Village lighting. Motion by Commissioner Kohl, seconded by Commissioner Schuck, to support staff's recommendation to install an all-way stop at the intersection of Grand Avenue and Madison Street. Motion carried, 4/0/1/2 (Penseyres -Abstain; Coelho, Proulx -Absent). COMMISSION COMMENTARY AND REQUESTS FOR CONSIDERATION OF MATTERS: Commissioner Schuck spoke about the bypass issues on Trieste Drive and Avenida de Anita. Commissioner Newlands spoke about the delayed distribution of the agenda packet and supported distributing the packet earlier if possible. Acting Chair Penseyres reiterated support of distributing the packet earlier. Feb.2,2026 Traffic Safety & Mobility Commission Regular Meeting Page 7 ANNOUNCEMENTS: This section of the Agenda is designated for announcements to advise the community regarding events that Members of the Commission have been invited to, and may participate in. No announcements were made. STAFF COMMENTS: Transportation Director/City Engineer Tom Frank confirmed that comments and requests regarding the distribution of the agenda packet are received. He then spoke about the TCRC involvement in projects outside of the TMP and the emergencies at Calrsbad Boulevard and Solamar Drive and Carlsbad Village Drive and El Camino Real. ADJOURNMENT: 6:49 p.m.