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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1995-03-06; Traffic Safety Commission; MinutesMINUTES MEmNG OF: TRAFFIC SAFETY COMMISSION DATE OF MEmNG: March 6,1995 TIME OF MEmNG: 3:OO p.m. PLACE OF MEETING: Ci Council Chambers CALL TO ORDER: Chairman Courtney called the Meeting to order at 3:OO p.m. Present: Commissioners Courtney, Anear, Blake and Green. Absent: Commissioner Stachoviak. Staff Members Present: Bob Johnson, Traffic Engineer Sgt. Jim Byler Walter Brown, Principal Civil Engineer Jim Murray, Associate Engineer APPROVAL OF MINUTES: On motion by Commissioner Anear, the Minutes of the Regular Meeting held February 6, 1995, were approved as presented. AYES: Courtney, Anear, Blake and Green ORAL COMMUNICATIONS: There were no requests to address the Commission on a non-agenda item. PRMOUS BUSINESS: Bob Johnson stated there was one action item before the Commission. Chairman Courtney presented a Resolution of Commendation to outgoing Chairman Green and congratulated Commissioner Green on a successful year as Chairman of the Traffic Safety Commission. NEW BUSINESS: A. Pedestrian Action Plan - Request for Status Report Bob Johnson gave the staff report, stating this was a request from Thelma Hayes to update the Pedestrian Action Plan. He stated that there has been recent action taken on two of the Key Elements, and there are two Engineers present today to report on those items. March 6, 1995 TRAFFIC SAFETY COMMISSION Page 2 NEW BUSINESS: (Continued) Mr. Johnson stated that there was an update to the Circulation Element last year, and Key Element No. 2 involves the sidewalk construction. He added that Key Elements Nos. 3, 4 and 5 have been reported on to the Commission in the past and there is no new information at this time. Jim Murray, Associate Engineer, reported on Key Element No. 1 , stating the Circulation Element of the General Plan was amended in August of 1994, with a re-write of the Circulation Element and a complete re-formatting, with separate goals, objectives and policies and an implementation action plan. Mr. Murray stated the pedestrian issues are addressed in the new General Plan Circulation Element. He stated he had reviewed the Minutes of the Planning Commission and City Council and there were no direct pedestrian issues brought up at the public hearings. In all of the workshops and forums prior to the amending of the General Plan, there were only nine comments made with regard to pedestrian issues, with most of the requests being addressed in the sidewalk program. Chairman Courtney commented that when the initial industrial parks were built, there were no sidewalks included. However, now that many people jog during their break times or at noon, sidewalks are being included in the new parks. Walter Brown, Principal Civil Engineer, stated the City has been completing sidewalk segments in the Northwest Quadrant, with emphasis on the areas that are routes children take to and from the schools. He stated a Sidewalk Inventory was compiled and approved in 1991. Commissioner Green inquired about a segment of missing sidewalk on Tamarack and Mr. Brown explained that the property owner there did not want to have the sidewalk installed until July 1, 1996, at which time she would give the City the right-of-way. The City is going to wait until then rather than try to force the installation sooner. Commissioner Anear stated that in 1962, residents of the Barrio paid for the installation of sidewalks in their area and he asked who is paying for the sidewalks being installed now. He asked whether the residents are being required to pay for curb, gutters and sidewalks where they were bonded to pay for those improvements. Mr. Brown responded that when an individual has developed their property and has gone beyond a certain dollar figure, they must sign a future improvement agreement. Where there is no future improvement agreement, the individual property owner does not have to contribute to the cost of improvements in front of that property. Mr. Brown stated that if there is an existing house in the City with no sidewalks, and the City installs sidewalks, then the City has to pay the cost of that installation; people cannot be forced to pay for sidewalks. Chairman Courtney opened the meeting for public testimony at 3:30 p.m., and issued the invitation to speak. Thelma Hayes, 580 Laguna Drive, thanked the Commission for evaluating the progress in the Carlsbad Pedestrian Action Pian, stating this is the seventh anniversary of the Plan. She said she is grateful for the sidewalks that have been installed in the downtown area, but is still very concerned about the lack of sidewalks adjoining the post office, north on Madison Street. Mrs. Hayes stated that pedestrians must walk in the street, along the outside of the parked cars. She added that north on Roosevelt Street, there are no street lights. March 6, 1995 TRAFFIC SAFETY COMMISSION Page 3 NEW BUSINESS: (Continued) Mrs. Hayes stated that man’s first mode of transportation depended on legs and feet, and it is hoped that the action part of the Pedestrian Plan will encourage a return to a greater use of these appendages by providing all the things necessary to make it easier, safer and more pleasant to walk. Mrs. Hayes asked the Commission to take a more proactive stance rather than a reactive stance. She stated she would like the Commission to consider inviting citizens to present ideas on where sidewalks and walkways would aid those who walk and would enhance the pleasure of walking. She suggested a campaign similar to the one a few years ago where the City asked citizens to return a postcard telling where there were potholes that needed repair. The citizens could let the City know where there are missing sidewalks. This would not only get people interested in walking, but in the conditions under which they do walk. Mrs. Hayes stated that one of Carlsbad’s greatest assets is the ocean, and yet there is limited access to the ocean, as there are only four railroad crossings in the City. People are forced to drive to the beach instead of walking, and Mrs. Hayes stated the money used to provide more parking spaces in the Village area would soon pay for a railroad crossing. Mrs. Hayes stated that she had been asked by the Buena Vista Foundation to bring to the attention of the Commission the pedestrian linkage that a boardwalk would create from south Hill Street to the Coaster station, as well as between the Nature Center and Maxton Brown Park. Mrs. Hayes stated that the City should work with NCTD to get people to walk to the bus stop or the Coaster and provide sidewalks for the children to walk to school. She suggested having a unique design for bus stop benches, with perhaps a competition for the design. A map of the areas near schools so the children would know where the safe routes exist for walking would be one way to keep so many parents from driving their children to school; also this could include bus linkage points. Chairman Courtney thanked Mrs. Hayes for her efforts and many years of work for the pedestrians in Carlsbad. Bea Carlson, 3390 Adams, stated she feels deeply about the pedestrian problems, since she does not drive a car. She raised the question of paving at least one side of Chestnut from Roosevelt to Tyler Court, because there are apartments in that area and people have to walk in the middle of Chestnut Street if they want to go to Roosevelt Street. The path that is there is used by the dogs that are walked in that area, so in order to avoid the dog dirt, the street is the only place to walk. Ms. Carlson stated she would like the parking ordinance enforced on Roosevelt Street, as the people who live there park on the sidewalk, forcing pedestrians to walk in the street. Also, there are shrubs that hang over the sidewalk and make walking there difficult. Ms. Carlson stated that Roger Wood, the Manager of Tyler Court, could not be here today and requested her to underscore the need for that sidewalk. Ms. Carlson stated that when older people and young mothers with children walk to the bus stop, they need a bench to sit on to wait for the bus. She said that some thought should be given to benches at the bus stops. She also requested a street sign for Adams Street at Basswood. March 6, 1995 TRAFFIC SAFETY COMMISSION Page 4 NEW BUSINESS: (Continued) There was a discussion about bus stop benches, with Mr. Johnson explaining that the City does not allow advertising on the benches and the City is not in the bench business. The Parks and Recreation Department did repair a bench and will be installing it at the Pi0 Pic0 and Chestnut Avenue intersection, that Ms. Carlson reported to the City. The City does not have an inventory of bus benches and it is not a City policy to install bus benches. Chairman Courtney stated that providing bus stop benches is very expensive and also very expensive to maintain, due to vandalism. The transit company can't afford to do it and the cities have no way to do it. The advertising companies do install them, but in Carlsbad, as Mr. Johnson stated, the City has a policy that does not allow advertising on the benches; therefore, the advertising companies will not provide them free of charge. Commissioner Anear suggested that some of the service organizations could donate benches for the bus stops. Lois Friedlander, 2245 Nob Hill Drive, stated she walks through the parking lot to Madison Street, where she parks, and it is a real hazard to pedestrians because there are no sidewalks and cars frequently make U-turns there. She stated that since the City has a policy not to build or buy bus stop benches and does not allow advertising on benches, perhaps this Commission should make a recommendation to the Council to allow advertising on benches, with the service organizations donating the benches. This would be less expensive than providing more and more parking spaces. Ms. Friedlander stated that she had made this comment at one of the workshops and would repeat it now, and that is that at the shopping mall on El Camino Real, walking on the outside of the mall is very difficult. Also, to walk from the center where Marshall's is located to the center where Bullock's is located is hazardous, as there are sidewalks of sorts on the outside of the parking lot. There are no specific paths to encourage pedestrians that are safe and pleasant with trees and flowers to make the walk pleasant. Ms. Friedlander stated that the designs for commercial centers should be made pedestrian friendly. Since no one else wished to speak on this matter, Chairman Courtney closed the public testimony at 4:06 p.m. There was no action by the Commission, as this was an information item. REPORT FROM TRAFFIC SAFETY COMMISSIONERS: Commissioner Green stated that people park in the 'No Parking' zone on Glasgow in front of Calavera Park, creating a hazard with children running between the illegally parked cars. He inquired whether the enforcement could be accelerated in that area. Sgt. Byler stated he will take action on this problem. Sgt. Byler introduced Officer Andy Collier, who is in training in the Police Department as an Accident Investigator. Commissioner Blake stated that the skateboarders really use the parking lots on Roosevelt and Carlsbad Village Drive, making it unpleasant for pedestrians. " March 6, 1995 TRAFFIC SAFETY COMMISSION Page 5 Sgt. Byler stated that there is a real problem with the skateboarders versus the pedestrians, and particularly in the parking lots. The Police Department receives frequent calls and the skateboarders just move from place to place. REPORT FROM TRAFFIC ENGINEER: Mr. Johnson had no report at this time. ADJOURNMENT: BY Proper motion, the Regular Meeting of March 6, 1995, was adjourned at 4:i 7 p.m. Respectfully submitted, /li&w Harriett B bitt Minutes Clerk