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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1989-08-07; Traffic Safety Commission; Minutesrrc -, MINUTES Meeting of: TRAFFlC SAFETY COMMISSION Time of Meeting: 3:OO p.m. Date of Meeting: August 7, 1989 Place of Meeting: City Council Chambers COMMISSIONERS CALL TO ORDER: Ad Hoc Chairman Ful ler cal led the Meeting to order at 3:OO p.m. ROLL CALL: Present -- Commissioners Fuller, 0-Day and Ward. Commissioner Herring arrived at 3:05 p.m. Absent -- Chairperson Melideo. Staff Members Present: Bob Johnson, Traffic Engineer Sgt. Carpenter, Police Bob German, Risk Manager Department APPROVAL OF MINUTES: Minutes of the Meeting held July 10, 1989, were approved as presented. ORAL COMMUNICATIONS: There were no requests to address the Commission on a non-agend a i tern. OLD BUSINESS: Bob Johnson reported that staff had investigated the sight distance complaint of Harold Clarke, who addressed the Commission at the July meeting. Mr. Johnson said a work order had been issued to paint the curb red in the area Mr. Clarke described, and staff had informed Mr. Clarke of this action. Mr. Johnson said he had talked with Mr. Lickterman of NCTD, and the bus stops by the high school, which were discussed at last month's meeting with regard to the two- hour parking limit at the swimming complex, are heavily used by the students. V i ce-Cha i rman Herr i ng arr i ved and took over the cha i r i ng of the meet i ng . NEW BUSINESS: 6A. Request to establish a 2-HOUR PARKING zone on Paseo Del Norte from Cannon Road to 300 feet south of Car Country Drive and on Car Country Drive from Cannon Road to Paseo Del Norte. Bob Johnson gave the staff report as contained in the Agenda, using a transparency to show a Location Map of the streets. Mr. Johnson stated this action was initiated by the Car Country Dealers Association, due to the lack of parking space available to customers. Mr. Johnson stated that the Auto Dealers Association became concerned about the on-street parking a year ago, and this situation has become worse, with people using those streets for "park and ride" and cars for sale. Fu I ler O'Day Ward - x x x f- MINUTES August 7, 1989 TRAFFIC SAFETY COMMISSION Page 2 COMM~SS~ONERS NEW BUS 1 NESS: (Continued 1 Bob Johnson continued the staff report, stating that Paseo Del Norte is a secondary arterial and parking would not ordinarily be allowed. However, due to the uniqueness of Car Country, parking has been allowed. The Traf f i c Safety Coord 1 nat I ng Committee does recommend the TWO-HOUR PARKING on the streets named and felt this would resolve the problem for the time being. Future problems would be resolved at a later date. The Coordfnating Committee denied a request to remove bicycle lanes on Paseo Del Norte for a dlstance of 300 feet southerly of Car Country Drive to provide additional on-street parking. The Committee was concerned about the impact on employees, and if approved, it would be the responsibi I ity of the dealers to provide off-str et parking for their employees. There was one dissenting vote on this issue, and that person felt more information was necessary on how the dealers planned to accommodate their employees as far as provid ing parking. Ron Dixon, 5555 Paseo Del Norte, Car Country, stated the two-hour parking limit would be a good thing for the dealers and would free up parking space for customers. He said that people now leave their cars there for two or three days at a time, and it takes a week for the dealers to get the cars out of there. Mr. Dixon said they would provide off-street their employees. parking for Don Stewart, 5500 Paseo Del Norte, represent ng Bob Baker VW C/P, said the problem is with the w olesalers, who teave cars parked on the street until auction day. Also, there are some cars parked on the street that appear to be abandoned. With a two-hour park ing 1 im i t, some of the cars wi l 1 be cleared off of the streets. Mr. Stewart added that some employees park in front of other car agencies, rather than in front of their own, and this causes hard feelings. He said that Escondido car dealers had gone to the two-hour parking limit, and were very happy with the results. Mr. Stewart said they have applied for permission for 200 cars to be parked on an extra lot with a two-year CUP. However, the Planning Commission wanted something more permanent. He said that the agencies have large inventories and that also contributes to the problem. The extra lot would be for new vehicles only, which would free up parking on the dealer's lot for the emp I oyees . Tony DeMarco, representing Pacific Coast Automotive Group, spoke in opposition to the proposed two-hour parking limit. He said that one of the objects of Car Country is to have several agencies for people to walk through, and if those customers are worried about getting a ticket, they wi l I not take the time to %hopt1. f' MINUTES August 7, 1989 TRAFFlC SAFETY COMMISSION Page 3 COMMISSIONERS NEW BUSINESS: (Continued) Mr. DeMarco continued, stating that he estimated there were 700 or 800 employees at Car Country, and he did not feel those employees could be accommodated, even with the storage areas. Mr. DeMarco felt the wholesalers were the main problem, and acknowledged there needs to be an improvement in the parking, but not at the customers' expense. He also felt the dealers need to be more responsible with regard to their inventories. Mr. DeMarco reiterated his opposition to the two-hour parking limit, stating this was not in the best interest of the customers coming to Car Country. He also thought th is cou Id create some safety prob lems. I n answer to Commission query, Mr. DeMarco stated that only two of the four agencies he respresents are in business at this time. The Commissioners questioned the dealers about the two associations that are in existence and also the CC8R's of the groups, and whether they had the power to help in the parking problem. The dealers indicated they had not been successful in getting cooperation in solving this problem. They indicated this two-hour parking limit had been discussed at the Association meeting, and the dealers knew it would be their responsibility to provide parking for their employees. The feeling was that if this parking limit was enforced, the dealers would adjust their inventories and the wholesalers would move their cars. Commissioner Ward stated she had driven to Hoehn Motors on the west side of 1-5 and there were 78 cars that were not parked on-site. not the solution and urged the Association to look for a solution. She felt the two-hour parking was Commissioner Herring felt this was a dealership problem and they should solve it themselves; however, the two- hour parking limit should force the issue and the dealers w i 1 I have to decide where to put the cars and the employees. Commissioner Fuller supported this proposal and added that it should be returned to the Commission for a further report on whether or not the two-hour parking limit is working. The Traffic Safety Commission approved the recommendation of the Traffic Safety Coordinating Committee to establish a TWO-HOUR PARKING zone on both sides of Paseo Del Norte from Car Country Drive northerly to Cannon Road and on both sides of Car Country Drive from Cannon Road to Paseo Del Norte, Monday through Friday between the hours of 8:OO a.m. and 6:OO p.m., with holidays excepted. The request that bicycle lanes on Paseo Del Norte be removed for a distance of 300 feet southerly of Car Country Drive to provide additional on-street parking was denied. Herring Fu I ler O'Day Ward P\ 8 - X X X X k MINUTES August 7, 1989 TRAFFIC SAFETY COMMISSION Page 4 COMMISSIONERS NEW BUSINESS: (Continued) 6B. Carlsbad Boulevard - Request to establish a prima facie speed limit from Manzano Drive to a point 1,000 ~~ ~~~ feet south of Manzano Drive. Bob Johnson reported that Council Member Larson had asked about the speed I imit on the curve of Car lsbad Boulevard under Palomar Airport Road at the April 18, 1989, City Counci I Meeting. Ord inance No. 31 15 estab I ished a prima facie speed limit of 35 m.p.h. from 1,000 feet south of Manzano Drive and continuing to the northerly City limit. He said that south of that area is one of high speed, and the road is posted at 55 m.p.h., although the Ordinance stated 45 m.p.h. Mr. Johnson said that the Traffic Safety Coordinating Committee felt that 55 m.p.h. was not appropriate, but that 50 m.p.h. could be Justified on the basis of the Engineering and Traffic Survey. Mr. Johnson indicated on an aerial photograph where the new speed limit would be. The Traffic Safety Commission approved the recommendation of the Traf f ic Safety Coord i nat i ng Committee to extend the 35 m.p.h. prima facie speed limit southerly 400 feet to a distance of 1,400 feet southerly of Manzano Drive and the existing 45 m.p.h. prima facie speed limit on the souther 1 y segment of Car I sbad Bou levard be raised to 50 m.p.h. beginning 1,400 feet south of Manzano Drive and continuing to the south City limits. REPORT FROM TRAFFIC ENGINEER: Bob Johnson congratulated Commissioners Fuller and O'Day on their re-appointments to the Commission by the City Counci I. Mr. Johnson announced that due to the Labor Day Holiday, the next meeting of the Commission would be September 11, 1989. ADJOURNMENT: By proper motion, the meeting of August 7, 1989, was adjourned at 4:03 p.m. Respectful Iv submitted, Harriett Babbltt Minutes Clerk Herring Fu 1 ler O'Day Ward A \ 9 9 - X X X X