HomeMy WebLinkAbout2005-06-28; City Council; 18186; Stop Control on Camino de Las Ondas. II 9
\B# 18,186
ATG. 6/28/05
IEPT. ENG
- TITLE: ESTABLISH A STOP CONTROL ON
CAMINO DE LAS ONDAS AT THE INTERSECTION OF
LEMON LEAF DRIVE AND AT THE INTERSECTION OF
LONICERA STREET
Ti&$$$- DEPT. HD.
CITY ATTY. &
CITY MGRa
Introduce Ordinance No. NS-759 to require a stop on Camino de las Ondas at its intersection
with Lemon Leaf Drive and to require a stop on Camino de las Ondas at its intersection with
Lonicera Street.
ITEM EXPLANATION:
Staff received a letter and petition from the Mariners Point Community Association requesting
that stop signs be placed on Camino de las Ondas at the intersections of Lemon Leaf Drive,
Camphor Place, and Lonicera Street. Each intersection has stop signs installed on the side street
to assign right-of-way.
Camino de las Ondas is a two-lane roadway that is unclassified on the Circulation Element of the
General Plan. It has a posted 40 mile per hour speed limit and follows a curvilinear alignment
immediately west of Aviara Parkway. The road is fully improved with curb and gutter, sidewalk,
street lights, and it has a curb-to-curb width of 40 feet. There have been no reported collisions at
the subject intersections since 2002.
Although the three intersections did not meet warrants for a stop sign, staff measured the
corner sight distance at the intersections and found distances less than the minimum required.
Adequate corner sight distance is required at an intersection to allow drivers of a vehicle stopped
on the minor street to view approaching vehicles on the intersecting road and decide when to enter
or cross the intersection. It is desirable that the available sight distance for the driver of a vehicle
on the side street be at least equal to the appropriate stopping sight distance for the major road. If the minimum stopping sight distance is provided, drivers generally have sufficient sight distance
to anticipate conflicts and avoid a collision.
The easterly intersection, Lemon Leaf Drive, does not meet the minimum corner sight distance
requirements for drivers on the side street when looking easterly or westerly for approaching
vehicles. At Camphor Place, the minimum corner sight distance is not met for drivers looking
easterly and at Lonicera Street, the minimum corner sight distance is not met for drivers looking
westerly for approaching vehicles.
The Traffic Safety Commission recommended, by a 3-1 vote at their May 2, 2005 meeting, that an
all-way stop be established on Camino de las Ondas at the intersections of Lemon Leaf Drive and
at Lonicera Street due to the minimum corner sight distance requirement not being met.
The Commission recommended denial of the request for an all-way stop at the intersection of
Camphor Place. Installing a stop sign on Camino de las Ondas at Lemon Leaf Drive would result in
lower operating speeds as the vehicle approaches Camphor Place. The lower speed corresponds to a stopping sight distance length longer than the minimum distance required. Thus, an all-way
stop is not necessary at Camphor Place.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW:
The installation of an official traffic control device is a project that is a Class 1 categorical exemption (minor alteration of existing structure or facility) and is, therefore, exempt from the
environmental review process under the provisions of the California Environmental Quality Act
(CEQA), Section 15301 (c).
I
Page 2 of Agenda Bill No. 18,186
FISCAL IMPACT:
The installation of four stop signs, stop ahead signs, limit lines, and stop legends will cost about
$2,000.
EXHIBITS:
1. Location Map.
2. Ordinance No. NS-759 to require a stop on Camino de las Ondas at its intersection
with Lemon Leaf Drive and to require a stop on Camino de las Ondas at its intersection with
Lonicera Street.
3. Minutes from the May 2, 2005 Traffic Safety Commission meeting.
DEPARTMENT CONTACT: Robert T. Johnson, Jr., (760) 602-2752, biohn@ci.carlsbad.ca.us
LOCATION MAP
73 rn s
LEGEND: 0 PROPOSED STOP LOCATIONS
I EXH l BIT 7 CAMlNO DE LAS ONDAS PROPOSED PROJECT NAME
ALL-WAY STOP LOCATIONS
DRAW BY. SCOTT EVANS, CARLSBAD ENGYNEERING DEPT 4/13/05 C. \RARAFFIC\MURRAY\CAMINO DE LAS ONDAS SIGHT DISTDM; 3
cm OF OCEANSIDE
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ORDINANCE NO. NS-759
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
CARLSBAD, CALIFORNIA, AMENDING TITLE 10, CHAPTER 10.28,
OF THE CARLSBAD MUNICIPAL CODE TO REQUIRE A STOP ON
CAMINO DE LAS ONDAS AT ITS INTERSECTION WITH
LEMON LEAF DRIVE AND TO REQUIRE A STOP ON CAMINO DE
LAS ONDAS AT ITS INTERSECTION WITH LONICERA STREET.
The City Council of the City of Carlsbad, California, hereby ordains as follows:
SECTION 1 : That Title 10, Chapter 10.28 of the Carlsbad Municipal Code is amended by
the addition of Section 10.28.790 to read as follows:
“10.28.790 Lemon Leaf Drive. Drivers shall stop where the following
described street intersects Lemon Leaf Drive:
Camino de las Ondas.”
SECTION 2: That Title 10, Chapter 10.28 of the Carlsbad Municipal Code is amended by
the addition of Section 10.28.800 to read as follows:
“1 0.28.800 Lonicera Street. Drivers shall stop where the following
described street intersects Lonicera Street:
Camino de las Ondas.”
EFFECTIVE DATE: This ordinance shall be effective thirty (30) days after its adoption and
the City Clerk, City of Carlsbad, shall certify to the adoption of this ordinance and cause it to be
published at least once in a newspaper of general circulation in the City of Carlsbad within fifteen
(1 5) days after its adoption.
Ill
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INTRODUCED AND FIRST READ at a regular meeting of said City Council held on the
28th dayof JUNE ,2005, and thereafter,
PASSED, APPROVED AND ADOPTED at a regular meeting of the Carlsbad City Council
held on the day of , 2005 by the following vote, to wit:
AYES:
NOES:
ABSENT:
CLAUDE A. LEWIS, Mayor
ATTEST
LORRAINE M. WOOD, City Clerk
APPROVED AS TO FORM AND LEGALITY
RONALD R. BALL, City Attorney
(SEAL)
May 2,2005 Traffic Safety Commission Meeting Page 6
ITEM 6B: Request to establish an all-way stop on Camino de las Ondas at the intersections
of Lemon Leaf Drive, Camphor Place, and Lonicera Street.
James Murray, Associate Engineer, stated that this request was initiated by the Mariners Point
Community Association to establish an all-way stop on Camino de las Ondas at three intersections -
Lemon Leaf Drive, Camphor Place, and Lonicera Street. In March 2004, these three intersections
were evaluated for all-way stops based on a request of the Mariners Point Community Association.
At that time, none of the three intersections met any of the all-way stop warrants. The Association is
requesting that the intersection be reconsidered for establishing all-way stops because of limited
comer sight distance.
Mr. Murray stated that Camino de las Ondas is unclassified on the Circulation Element of the
General Plan. The subject area, the easterly one-third mile segment, has a curvilinear alignment.
Staff did an Accident Analysis at all three intersections dating back to January 2002, and there were
no reported collisions at Lonicera Street or Camphor Place during that time period. However, in
2002 there were two reported tr&ic collisions at the Lemon Leaf Drive intersection, and the primary
collision factor was violation of right-of-way.
Mr. Murray said that staff evaluated comer sight visibility at all three intersections. Staff conducted
measurements of the existing corner sight distance available for drivers on the side streets to view an
approaching vehicle. The driver position was assumed to be 9.9 feet behind the prolongation of the
curb line with the front of the vehicle at the curb prolongation. For a roadway such as Camino de las
Ondas with a posted speed limit of 40 miles per hour, the required sight visibility is 455 feet. Staff
conducted measurements of the existing corner sight distance available for drivers at all three
intersections, and all three had limited comer sight visibility. Lemon Leaf Drive fiom both the north
and the south legs looking to the west is less than the 455 feet. At Camphor Place looking to the east
is also less than the 455 feet. On Lonicera Street when looking to the west does not meet the comer
sight visibility.
Mr. Murray stated that staffmeasured stopping sight distance at all three intersections. The Caltrans
Highway Design Manual states that when corner sight visibility is not being met, staff can try to
achieve corner sight visibility or if stopping sight visibility can be attained when corner sight
visibility is not being met, then that is acceptable. Staff measured the stopping sight distance at these
deficient legs of the three intersections. Once again, at Lemon Leaf Drive looking to the west from
both the north and the southerly legs, the required stopping sight distance was not attained. The
stopping sight distance required for a 40 mile per hour roadway is 308 feet. Stopping sight distance
is fiom the motorist's point of View on the major roadway approaching the intersection. The
motorist's eyes are assumed to be 42 inches above the pavement surface to an object 6 inches high
on the roadway. Camphor Place, also looking to the east, did not meet the required stopping sight
distance. At Lonicera Street looking to the west, it did not meet the 308 feet of stopping sight
visibility.
b
May 2,2005 Traffic Safety Commission Meeting Page 7
In situations when the minimum required stopping sight distance is not being provided, sight
visibility should be improved to provide at least the minimum required stopping sight distance.
Other actions, such as the installation of stop signs, may be considered.
Mr. Murray stated that Lemon Leaf Drive looking to the west has a crest vertical curve and a
horizontal curve located on Camino de las Ondas west of the Lemon Leaf Drive intersection limiting
sight visibility to the west from both legs of Lemon Leaf Drive. On Camphor Drive, a horizontal
curve and a crest vertical curve located on Camino de las Ondas east of the Camphor Drive
intersection limits sight visibility to the east from Camphor Place. In addition, landscaping that is
growing on the northeast corner of the intersection and along the north side of Camino de las Ondas
also limits sight visibility to the east from Camphor Place. Trimming back, lowering and maintaining
this landscaping will improve the comer sight visibility to the east at this intersection. However,
trimming of the landscaping alone will not provide the required minimum stopping sight distance.
On Lonicera Street a horizontal curve and a vertical curve located on Camino de las Ondas west of
the Lonicera Street intersection limits sight visibility to the west corner of the intersection along the
north side of Camino de las Ondas and it limits sight visibility to the west from Lonicera Street
north. This landscaping needs to be either removed, or lowered and regularly maintained, to help to
improve the corner sight visibility to the west at this intersection. Removal or trimming of the
landscaping alone will not provide the required minimum stopping sight distance.
Mr. Murray stated that the sight visibility of 308 feet is not being provided in specific directions at
all three of these intersections. Other actions can be considered to reduce the potential conflicts
caused by these sight visibility limitations. Looking more closely at Camphor Place, it is 366 feet
from the intersection of Lemon Leaf Drive. Field studies revealed that from an assumed stop on
Camino de las Ondas at Lemon Leaf Drive, a westbound vehicle on Camino de las Ondas attained a
speed of 33 miles per hour when the driver reached the intersection of Camphor Place. For a speed
of 33 miles per hour, a stopping sight distance of 233 feet is required. The existing field
measurements of stopping sight visibility for Camphor place was 267 feet, which exceeds the
stopping sight visibility needed for the 33 miles per hour.
It can be concluded that if there were an all-way stop installed at the intersection of Lemon Leaf
Drive/Camino de las Ondas, an all-way stop would not be required at Camphor Place. This is based
upon the existing 267 feet of stopping sight distance being greater than the 233 feet of stopping sight
distance for a 33 mile per hour speed (267 feet is the minimum required stopping sight distance for
36.1 miles per hour).
Mr. Murray stated that the Trafficsafety Coordinating Committee recommends that an all-way stop
be established on Camino de las Ondas at the intersection of Lemon Leaf Drive and also at the
intersection of Lonicera Street, and that the HOA or individual property owner trim landscaping at
the intersections of Camphor Drive and at Lonicera Street to help lengthen the available corner sight
distance. The City Council would be required to adopt ordinances to establish the all-way stop signs
as recommended.
May 2,2005 Traffic Safety Commission Meeting Page 8
DISCUSSION:
Chair Cress asked if the same logic that Mr. Murray spoke about not having a stop sign at Camphor
Drive because one would only travel at about 30 miles per hour, wouldn’t also apply to cars turning
from Aviara Parkway going west on Camino de las Ondas? Wouldn’t they also be going about 30 -
33 miles per hour when they got to the Lemon Leaf Drive intersection?
Mr. Murray agreed that they would be traveling at about the same speed, but this is not the direction
of the issue of the limited sight visibility. The limited sight visibility is west of the intersection due
to the vertical and horizontal curve of the roadway. So fiom this direction, you can see beyond
Aviara Parkway into the hills. It’s not an issue in that direction.
Chair Cress stated that he drove Camino de las Ondas today, and the Homeowners common area
needs to be trimmed, because a lot of the landscaping interferes with sight distance.
PUBLIC TESTIMONY:
Chair Cress opened public testimony.
Klaus Kirchhoff, 1258 Veronica Court, Carlsbad, member of the Board of Directors of Mariners
Point Community Association and cosigner of the application as submitted earlier in March 2005.
Mr. Kirchhoff thanked the Traffic Safety Commission for being as professional as they have been to
the homeowners and by researching the traffk problems so thoroughly. Based on the Commission’s
frndings and recommendations, while some homeowners might feel this is enough since they only go
in and out of Lonicera Street, other homeowners at Camphor Place cannot accept and take exception
to the finding of not getting the all-way stop signs at this particular intersection. He stated that the
Board when they decided on the language of their application and then approaching each
homeowner to state their support for the signs, they did not approach it by saying, “We’ll ask for
three signs, maybe we’ll get two, maybe we get one.” Knowing the professional level of who we’re
dealing with, we asked for bee signs because we truly felt we needed to have all-way stops at all
three intersections.
The major concern that Mr. Kirchhoff has is the danger that currently exists is that the portion of
Camino de las Ondas to the west’of Lemon Leaf Drive is not visible enough. The point is that not
ody the street curvature but also the height of branches makes it impossible to see somebody
coming over that hump. When he is exiting Lemon Leaf Drive, he approaches it softly. He can see
everyhng to the right of him fiom Aviara Parkway and he correspondingly stops. To the left, every
time he exits, he and his wife have several close calls. If you do not have stop signs at Camphor
Place, the people will come up traveling east on Camino de las Ondas and they will not know until
the last second, “Oops! There’s a stop sign on Lemon Leaf Drive” unless they’re getting large
language painted onto the street itself saying “stop sign ahead.” He feels strongly that if Camphor
May 2,2005 . Traffic Safety Commission Meeting Page 9
Place gets stop signs not only do we enhance the safety at this particular intersection, but we also get
more safety to the homeowners that exit Lemon Leaf Drive into Camino de las Ondas. Right now, if
you assume these two intersections get all-way stop signs, he still has to be very careful turning left
because it is too dangerous. Camino de las Ondas definitely needs a 4-way stop signs to assure
people exiting or entering Camino de las Ondas fiom Lemon Leaf Drive to give them the safety
requested.
William Barnes, 6720 Camphor Place, Carlsbad. Mr. Barnes stated that he has had several close calls
exiting Camphor Place onto Camino de las Ondas. Referring to Exhibit 1, he stated that you can see
to the west okay, but to the east is there an uphill curve so the drivers are accelerating coming down
the hill, often going to the schools. Therefore, the scariest times are when school is starting or getting
out. He has knowledge that there is some vegetation at that corner, some on private property, some
maybe on the Association property. If he gets his nose out there, he has to get way out there to look,
and his latest one was Friday morning and he started going, and here came this car flying down the
street. He has had several close calls. Mr. Barnes respecthlly requested that the Commission
consider a stop sign at Camphor Place for safety purposes.
Edward Crotty, 6713 Camphor Place, Carlsbad stated that he was going to read from his notes in
order to expedite things and not to leave anything out. Mr. Crotty stated that he was speaking for
himself, one of seventeen homes on Camphor Place, 14 of which signed a petition that the
Commission has, requesting review of the earlier traffk control findings. He first approached the
traffk department when he met Mr. Murray in the fall of 2003 after a long period of concern about
traffic growing and the risk on Camino de las Ondas and Camphor Place. In February 2004, there
were some speed limit signs and intersection symbol signs installed along Camino de das On&.
Aside fiom volume on that street, he has seen no change in trac due to those signs. People still
drive the way they always drove. He believes that most drivers drive by habit and intuition and so
signs other than stop signs get little attention.
Mr. Crotty stated that he has lived on Camphor Place for nearly eight years and has seen traffic on
Camino de las Ondas grow considerably. He has no objection to the present growth only to the risks
that it represents to him and his family and other residents on the street. Leaving Camphor Place to
enter Camino de las Ondas requires a combination of skill and luck. For westbound drivers
approaching the crest of the hill, they see open road toward the visible ocean and an implied
invitation to move along too quickly. More accidents or fatalities have been reported at this comer
and close calls are not reported. There have been many close calls, rarely commented on by residents
when the subject arises. He made a less risky right hand turn out of his street, but even that is a
calculated risk. He has had cars pass him sometimes with a honk within a few seconds of making a
clean turn. Skid marks on pavement is not an objective measurement of risk, but they have been
there.
May 2,2005 TrafEc Safety Commission Meeting Page 10
Mr. Crotty stated that the proposed stop sign at Lemon Leaf Drive may mitigate some of the risk
they face at their intersection, but it does not change the posted speed limit of 40 miles per hour, it
does not change the fact that most westbound traffic on Camino de las Ondas comes off Aviara
Parkway where about 50 miles per hour is the normal speed, that 85% will still allow for nearly one
vehicle in five to traveling above the target speed, and the wide open environment at the top of the
hill is tempting to westbound drivers. Reducing the out of code landscaping will help the sight line
issue considerably. When done, there will still be a combination of curved street and crest of hill to
contend with. The risk will remain unusual and likely to eventually contribute to property damage or
accident. His personal recommendation and request is to implement a two-way or all-way stop sign
at the intersection of Camphor Place and Camino de las Ondas. The situation cannot be understood
or appreciated fully with drawings and words alone, but should be seen. He asks that each of the
Commissioners to take 15 - 20 minutes to drive the area with special attention to the intersection to
Camphor Place and Camino de las Ondas.
DISCUSSION:
Vice-Chair Dorsey asked staff about the 360 feet fiom Lemon LeafDrive to Camphor Place, where
is the crest of the hill between those two?
Mr. Murray pointed to Exhibit 1 showing where the crest of the hill is located.
Commissioner Roney asked if there would be any warning or caution lights that would be put in the
area between Camphor Place and Lemon Leaf Drive like they have on Carlsbad Village Drive?
Mr. Murray stated that they would typically put a “Stop Ahead” sign and “Stop Ahead” pavement
legends, but flashing beacons would not be installed.
Chair Cress asked how far ahead of a stop sign of a boulevard stop do you normally put the “Stop
Ahead” sign? A couple of hundred feet?
Mr. Murray concurred that is wasbeVera1 hundred feet.
Commissioner Bradshaw stated that she went out and drove the area and she agreed that there were
sight distance restrictions, but she didn’t feel comfortable with putting all-way stops at any of the
three locations. Lemon Leaf Drive is too close to Aviara Parkway, and a car turning that comer is
going to hit a block wall because the distance is too close. She has looked at the vehicular volumes
and she would say that you’re stopping too many vehicles for a select few. She didn’t feel that that
May 2,2005 Traffic Safety Commission Meeting Page 11
was fair. Driving on Camino de las Ondas, she felt the sight distance restrictions could have been
avoided in the planning and plan check process. She really feels that the City should be more
particular in the planning and plan check process. Commissioner Bradshaw stated she didn’t feel that
that warrants all-way stops.
Chair Cress stated that possibly if City Council followed the Traffic Safety Commission’s
recommendation of putting an all-way stop at Lemon Leaf Drive, it would alleviate some of the
problems at Camphor Place because people would have to stop at Lemon Leaf Drive and as Mr.
Murray pointed out, they would only be going about 30 miles per hour when they went by Camphor
Drive if we decide to go that way.
MOTION:
ACTION: Motion by Vice-Chair Dorsey, and duly seconded by Commissioner
Roney, to recommend that an all-way stop be established on Camino
de las Ondas at the intersection of Lemon Leaf Drive and at the
intersection of Lonicera Street, and that the HOA or individual
property owner trim landscaping at the intersections of Camphor
Drive and at Lonicera Street to help lengthen the available corner
sight distance.
.
VOTE: 3-1-0
AYES: Cress, Dorsey, Roney
NOES: Bradshaw
ABSTAIN: None
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All-Way Stop Sign Request on Camino De Las OndasJune 28, 2005
Ordinance No. NS-759for Introduction