HomeMy WebLinkAbout2021-10-04; Traffic and Mobility Commission; MinutesPage 1 of 6 Public Works
Transportation 1635 Faraday Avenue Carlsbad, CA 92008 760-602-2746 t
Virtual Meeting
Council Chambers
1200 Carlsbad Village Drive
Carlsbad, CA 92008
Monday, Oct. 4, 2021, 4 p.m.
CALL TO ORDER: Chair Perez called the Meeting to order at 4 p.m.
ROLL CALL: Present: Perez, Linke, Penseyres, Fowler and Coelho
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE: Chair Perez led the Pledge of Allegiance.
This meeting was conducted virtually via Zoom due to the stay-at-home order for COVID-19.
Motion by Chair Perez, seconded by Vice-Chair Linke to move Item 5 - Discussion on AB 361
Regarding City Council Direction to Continue Virtual Public Meeting and Consideration of Revising
the Traffic and Mobility Commission Start Time to 3 p.m. while Meetings are Being Held in a
Virtual Format to be the first presentation before the Approval of Minutes.
Motion carried: 5/0.
DEPARTMENTAL REPORTS: This item was heard at the beginning of the meeting. 5. DISCUSSION ON AB 361 REGARDING CITY COUNCIL DIRECTION TO CONTINUE VIRTUAL PUBLIC MEETINGS AND CONSIDERATION OF REVISING THE T&MC MEETING START TIME TO 3 P.M. WHILE MEETINGS ARE BEING HELD IN A VIRTUAL FORMAT – (Staff Contact: Sheila Cobian and Nathan Schmidt, Legislative and Constituent Services Director and Public Works)-Receive an overview of the provisions of Assembly Bill 361 and continue virtual public meetings starting at 3 p.m. until City Council direct staff to resume in-person public meetings.
Staff’s Recommendation: Receive a presentation and vote on the change of meeting
time.
Legislative and Constituent Services Director Cobian presented the report and reviewed a
PowerPoint presentation (on file in the Office of the City Clerk).
Motion by Vice-chair Linke, seconded by Commissioner Penseyres to change the Traffic and
Mobility Commission meeting time to 3 p.m. while meetings are being held in a virtual format.
Motion carried: 5/0.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES:
Minutes of the Special Meeting held Sept. 7, 2021
Motion by Commissioner Coelho, seconded by Vice-Chair Linke to approve the minutes for the
Sept. 7, 2021, meeting as presented. Motion carried: 5/0.
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Transportation 1635 Faraday Avenue Carlsbad, CA 92008 760-602-2746 t
CONSENT CALENDAR:
This item was pulled for discussion by Commissioner Penseyres.
1.PARK DRIVE STREET AND DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENTS PROJECT - Support staff’srecommendation to implement proposed street improvements on Park Drive from Marina Drive to Bayshore Drive as part of the Park Drive Street and Drainage Improvements Project, Capital Improvement Program (CIP) Project No. 6611 (Project). (Staff Contact: Hossein Ajideh and Daniel Zimny)
Commissioner Penseyres wants to discuss the addition of Class II bike lanes for about 600 feet
from Park Drive to Bayshore Drive. The existing bike lanes are too narrow and are in the car
door opening zone. At this location, the street is not wide enough to provide a bike buffer
and the parking lane puts the bicyclist into a place where they are not seen by people coming
out of driveways. He recommends that instead of adding more bike lanes, they do not add
them and add sharrows instead. The other option is to add a buffered bike lane on one side,
move the center line over, and add a sharrow on the other side.
Engineering Manager Ajideh appreciates the good comments. Staff proposed this small bike
lane extension until the road is resurfaced and they can bring forward a more comprehensive
evaluation of the entire area. The focus of this project is drainage.
City Traffic Engineer Kim said that staff can revise the plans and have the new bike lanes
removed. A more strategic approach can be employed when the street is re-surfaced.
Motion by Vice-chair Linke, seconded by Commissioner Penseyres to approve Consent
Calendar Item 1 -Park Drive Street and Drainage Improvements Project, except the addition
of Class II bike lanes for about 600 feet from Park Drive to Bayshore Drive.
Motion carried: 5/0.
DEPARTMENTAL REPORTS:
2.POLICE MONTHLY REPORT – (Staff Contact: Sergeant Scott Merritt, Police Department)
Sergeant Merritt presented the report and reviewed a PowerPoint presentation (on file in the
Office of the City Clerk)
Chair Perez inquired about the traffic circle at El Salto Falls Street at Marron Road, to
understand that segment and how it works.
City Traffic Engineer Kim said that they have been previously notified of concerns from Chair
Perez. Staff will take a look at the traffic circle to see if there is anything, they could do to
clarify how to access the traffic circle, in addition to the present signage, which is shown on
the approved design plans.
Commissioner Penseyres thanked Sergeant Merritt for the presentation and encourages the
city to continue doing positive educational outreach like the breathalyzer test. Sergeant
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Transportation 1635 Faraday Avenue Carlsbad, CA 92008 760-602-2746 t
Merritt agreed that positive campaigns are good for the community and the Police
Department.
Vice-chair Linke asked about the design of the traffic circle.
City Traffic Engineer Kim said that it is a full concrete curb and gutter traffic circle at Salto
Falls Road and Marron Road.
3. UPDATE ON TRAFFIC CONCERNS AT FARADAY AVENUE AND PALMER WAY – (Staff Contact:
Miriam Jim and John Kim, Public Works)
Staff’s Recommendation: Receive a presentation.
Senior Engineer Jim presented the report and reviewed a PowerPoint presentation (on file in
the Office of the City Clerk).
City Traffic Engineer Kim noted that this is a follow up to an item that was brought to the
Traffic and Mobility Commission in April of this year. As requested, staff collected speed data
and reviewed collision data to evaluate the effectiveness of the new signage.
Commissioner Penseyres inquired about waiting until 2024 to complete another survey
because if a roadway is faster than 35 miles per hour you usually don’t want to use sharrows
for the bicyclist.
City Traffic Engineer Kim said that the year 2024 is when the speed limit survey will expire per
California Vehicle Code requirements. Otherwise they can do the official speed survey and
speed measurements when they believe conditions have changed.
Vice-chair Linke, believes there is something in the code that if conditions are not readily
apparent to the driver you can move the speed limit five miles below the requirement. The
consultant mentioned that there were some awkward or dangerous movements and left
turns, in addition to the presence of a private driveway that might qualify for doing an official
speed survey.
City Traffic Engineer Kim said based on commissioner comments they will take a closer look
to see if there is an opportunity to consider a reduction in speed.
4. AMEND CARLSBAD MUNICIPAL CODE, TITLE 10.60 SHARED MOBILITY DEVICES AND PROVIDE
FEEDBACK ON THE FUTURE OF SHARED MOBILITY DEVICES IN THE CITY - (Staff Contact: Edd
Alberto and Robby Contreras, Public Works and City Attorney)
Staff’s Recommendation: Support staff’s recommendation and provide input.
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Transportation 1635 Faraday Avenue Carlsbad, CA 92008 760-602-2746 t
Associate Engineer Alberto presented the report and reviewed a PowerPoint presentation
(on file in the Office of the City Clerk).
Commissioner Penseyres would like to know if the bicycle renters can sign an agreement to
follow the rules of the road. In particular, it is illegal to ride on any sidewalk.
Assistant City Attorney Contreras said that AB 1286 does not speak to that as a requirement.
We could go above and beyond what the law requires and insert it into the agreement. It
could be a term in the agreement between the city and the provider.
Transportation Planning and Mobility Manager Schmidt stated that the city could develop
materials such as a flyer of pamphlet that shared mobility providers could provide to all
renters that explains the rules of the road and requirements of the California Vehicle Code.
Assistant City Attorney Contreras wanted to clarify that businesses that were here before the
passage of AB 1286 were grandfathered in. As of January 1, 2022, these basic rules, these
minimum requirements for insurance will apply.
Vice-chair Linke agrees that staff should make these changes to meet the deadline. At the
same time, we should start exploring first mile last mile problems that are not being
addressed. We are restricting these devices to be only available at a bike shop and not were
the people actually need it to solve the first mile last mile problem.
Commissioner Fowler inquired why speed limits are not listed in the document.
Assistant City Attorney Contreras said that speed limits are provided in the California Vehicle
Code. If speed limits become a problem, we can always revisit the Ordinance and the
agreement, as this is an evolving area which is why the legislature AB 1286 was painted with
a rather broad brushstroke.
Commissioner Penseyres agrees with Vice-chair Linke that he would really like to see us use
this for the first mile last mile trip. Since this topic came to the City Council, cities have greatly
improved ways to control where the people are allowed to ride, the speed, and parking via
geofencing. If the bike is not returned to the appropriate place, the meter via the credit card
charge, keeps running. We need to take a better look at being able to use these for the first
mile last mile trip which could result in an improved more effective TDM and reduction in
greenhouse gases. The type of runaway and sidewalk clutter problems that happened in San
Diego, do not exist anymore to the same extent.
Chair Perez asked about other golf cart esq services, different types of shared mobility, and
how that is addressed.
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Transportation 1635 Faraday Avenue Carlsbad, CA 92008 760-602-2746 t
Assistant City Attorney Contreras said that AB 1286 specifically states the cities make the
rules for operations, parking and maintenance. There is one business Pedego that has been
here and will be grandfathered in. A potential new business Cactus E-bikes is working with
the city to qualify for a business license and align with Carlsbad Municipal Code, Title 10.60.
All businesses, even the ones grandfathered in will need to provide the same minimum
insurance requirements and follow the rules of the road for operations, parking and
maintenance. Staff will research what the City of San Diego is doing for the golf cart esq
services offered by Pedego in La Jolla.
Vice-chair Linke added the Neighborhood Electric Vehicles or NEV’s under the California
Vehicle Code can’t be on streets with speed limits higher than 25 miles per hour. Because of
the width of the NEV, they can’t fit in the bike lane, and are usually on their own dedicated
street network. Motion by Vice-chair Linke, seconded by Commissioner Penseyres to support staff’s
recommendation to City Council to amend Carlsbad Municipal Code, Title 10.60 Shared
Mobility Devices, and provide feedback on the future of shared mobility devices in the city
and include two more recommendations: 1) Create a Fact Sheet with safety rules for the
vendors to provide to renters as they use the shared mobility devices, and 2) Explore making
shared mobility devices available on public property eliminating public transit’s first mile/last
mile problem. Motion carried: 5/0.
This item was heard at the beginning of the meeting.
5. DISCUSSION ON AB 361 REGARDING CITY COUNCIL DIRECTION TO CONTINUE VIRTUAL
PUBLIC MEETINGS AND CONSIDERATION OF REVISING THE T&MC MEETING START TIME TO
3 P.M. WHILE MEETINGS ARE BEING HELD IN A VIRTUAL FORMAT – (Staff Contact: Sheila
Cobian and Nathan Schmidt, Legislative and Constituent Services Director and Public Works)-
Receive an overview of the provisions of Assembly Bill 361 and continue virtual public
meetings starting at 3 p.m. until City Council direct staff to resume in-person public meetings.
Staff’s Recommendation: Receive a presentation and vote on the change of meeting time.
CITY TRAFFIC ENGINEER COMMENTS: 6. CITY TRAFFIC ENGINEER REPORT:(Staff Contact: John Kim, Public Works)
Staff’s Recommendation: Receive a report and provide input.
City Traffic Engineer Kim notified the commissioners that the new street network in the vicinity of the aforementioned El Salto Falls Street traffic circle has been recently accepted by the city and that previously reported concerns of illegal parking in the bike lanes can now be enforced by the Police Department.
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Transportation 1635 Faraday Avenue Carlsbad, CA 92008 760-602-2746 t
TRAFFIC AND MOBILITY COMMISSION COMMENTS:
Vice-chair Linke inquired about the timing for reviewing items on the work plan and would like
more lead time to prepare for upcoming topics.
Transportation Planning and Mobility Manager Schmidt said that the Vehicle Miles Traveled
Analysis Guidelines is on the December Agenda. The Multi-Model Level of Service point system
is with an ad-hock committee. Staff will add that to the November Agenda.
ADJOURNMENT:
Chair Perez adjourned the Traffic and Mobility Commission Meeting on Oct. 4, 2021, at 6:04
p.m.
___________________________
Eliane Paiva, Minutes Clerk