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Home My WebLink About1983-02-07; Traffic Safety Commission; MinutesCITY OF CARLSBAD Meeting of: TRAFFIC SAFETY COMMISSION Date of Meeting: February 7, 1983 Time of Meeting: 3:OO p.m. Place of Meeting: City Council Chambers OFF-AGENDA ITEM: Commissioner Robert Wood was unanimously elected Vice-chairman of the Traffic Safety Commission. CALL TO ORDER: The meeting was called to order by Vice-chairman Wood at 3:05 p.m. ROLL CALL: Present: Vice-chairman Robert Wood, Commissioners William Harkins, Jeff Punches, Bill Baldwin and Larry Dossey. Also present were: Ron Beckman, Assistant City Manager, Developmental Services Alene Willard, 1948 Swallow Lane, Carlsbad Karen Cook, 1928 Swallow Lane, Carlsbad Item #l. APPROVAL OF MINUTES: Minutes of the Regular Meeting held January 3, 1983, were approved as presented. MOTION : Harkins AYES : Wood, Harkins, Punches, Dossey NOES : None ABSTAIN: Baldwin Item #2. SWALLOW LANE AND QUAIL PLACE AT EL CAMINO REAL Alene Willard wrote a letter and submitted a petition requesting a connection from Quail Place to Dove Lane to allow drivers planning to go south on El Camino Real to go through. this connection if Sandpiper Lane is dedicated as a public street. Larry Dossey drew a map on the chalk board showing the approximate location of Sandpiper Lane in relation to Quail Place and Dove Lane. Originally Sandpiper was a public street and staff had discussed the joining of the streets with the developer. Sandpiper was abandoned as a public street. Downey Savings and Loan owns this land and they intend to develop condominiums there. There is about a six-foot difference between the areas and it could be connected. The Commission had previously recommended this be considered. Staff would support Traffic Safety Commission Page 2 - February 7, 1983 Vice-chairman Wood commented thtthey can't force the owner to dedicate the street unless he wants to. Alene Willard, 1948 Swallow Lane, Carlsbad, addressed the Commission, in support of her letter and the petition submitted to the Commission. She stated she had talked with the Engineering Department regarding this being a through street and carrying heavy traffic. the right of Downey Savings and Loan to control whether the street is open or not, and was there any way to make it public. She questioned Larry Dossey answered that as long as the street is private property, nothing can be done about joining the two streets together, and to try to make the street public would involve condemnation proceedings. Ms. Willard added that this is a serious problem--especially since 120 units were recently sold and occupied and there are many people trying to exit onto El Camino Real. If the divider could be opened up, that would help. El Camino has a double yellow line and it is illegal to make a turn, and now there is a sign saying "no U-turn" at the end of the island. This forces traffic to go to the top of the hill to make a U-turn, and it is a center left turn for both directions and you can't see the traffic, making it a very dangerous situation people are afraid to go up the hill. If it isn't possible to get access, it would help to get the curbing off so people could get to the signal at Dove Street. There have been a number of tickets given because some Ms. Willard handed Mr. Dossey a list of businesses and a petition asking for access to that road, stating they just want to be able to get onto El Camino Real safely. Commissioner Punches agreed with Ms. Willard that it is an unsafe situation, but it is a private road and nothing can be done to it without the permission of the owner. Commissioner Dossey added he had tried to contact Randy Driscoll, Property Management Officer at Downey Savings, but had not been able to reach him. Karen Cook, 1928 Swallow Lane, addressed the Commission, in favor of the petition submitted. She suggested they make an island north of Swallow Lane, if they can't make public access because the owner won't permit this. Commissioner Baldwin stated that in this type of a situation, where it is known to be a hazard, he would be willing to take the time to go up the hill and not try to save time by turning there. The Commission voted to sustain their previous action of supporting such a connection of Sandpiper from Quail Place to Dove Lane. ' c.. Traffic Safety Commission Page 3 - February 7, 1983 MOTION : Baldwin AYES : Wood, Harkins, Punches, Baldwin, Dossey NOES : None ABSTAXN: None Item #3. STOP SIGNS ON EL FUERTE AT ALGA Commissioner Baldwin stated that staff's recommendation should be approved. There is a lot of construction in that area, and there would have been signs eventually, and it would be better to do it now. Commissioner Punches stated that it will be a major intersection eventually. Ron Beckman add.ed that within the next few months there will be a significant increase of traffic on Alga. Commissioner Dossey said the City Engineer did this, but it is necessary to sustain the action. The Commission voted to recommend to the City Council that permanent stop signs be installed on El Fuerte at Alga. MOTION: Harkins NOES : None ABSTAIN: None AYES : Wood , Harkins , Punches , Baldwin , Dossey Item #4. MONROE AVENUE - NORTH OF ELM Larry Dossey reported that the Assistant City Attorney asked this item be brought up again. The people had asked for this parking, because there was not enough on-street parking--but it is unsafe with the people turning right. They had removed the signs because of the people, but no one came in when they were notified. Commissioner Hawkins commented he thought it was posted and Commissioner Dossey replied they had removed them. Commissioner Baldwin stated they were supposed to create off-street parking, but they haven't done that. The Commission adopted a recommendation to City Council that this area be posted "NO Parking". MOTION: Punches AYES : Wood, Harkins, Punches, Baldwin, Dossey NOES : None ABSTAIN : None Traffic Safety Commission Page 4 - February 7, 1983 INFORMATION ITEM: Larry Dossey explained that Roy Kackley, City Engineer, had requested a traffic circulation study be done in the post office area. OFF-AGENDA ITEMS: Copies of the Ordinances passed by the City Council at their last meeting were passed out to the Members. The City Manager's Newsletter was passed out to the Members. NEW COMMISSION ORDINANCE Ron Beckman gave a report on the status of the new Traffic Safety Commission and the Traffic Safety Coordinating Committee Ordinance, which was adopted by the City Council at the last meeting. It becomes effective 30 days thereafter. The next meeting of the Traffic Safety Commission will be under the new Ordinance. The Mayor will be naming a new Member to the Commission at the next regular Council meeting and that Member will be confirmed at the following meeting. Two handbooks have been prepared for distribution to the Commission. One is the general handbook for City Commissions and Boardsand the other is specifically for the Traffic Safety Commission. The one for the Traffic Safety Commission will contain items that will be processed the next few months and information that should be helpful to the Commissioners. This booklet may be augmented or supplemented at any time. Ron Beckman will serve as Secretary to the Traffic Safety Coordinating Committee. He is the formal liaison between the Traffic Safety Commission and the Coordinating Committee. Staff members will attend the Commission meetings when they are needed. Suggestions were asked for from the Commissioners, for programs to be submitted to obtain grants. The closing date is April 1, and Ron Beckman requested the Commissioners get in touch with him with any suggestions they might have. Commissioner Punches suggested a motorcycle safety program could be implemented and Commissioner Wood stated joggers create traffic problems and perhaps there could be a program on that. Ron Beckman suggested getting to the schools and adult education classes with a complete traffic safety program. CIRCULATION COMMITTEE Commissioner Harkins reported the Circulation Committee is starting to study recommendations of staff and engineering surveys and will be having open forum meetings to discuss the different ideas of the Traffic Safety Commission Page 5 - February 7, 1983 citizens. They have people with very diverse interests on the Committee, so the plan they come up with should work well for all of Carlsbad, and that is the important thing. ADJOURNMENT : By proper motion, the meeting was adjourned at 3:45 p.m. Respwtf5u-bqtted /’ /. Harriett Babbitt Minutes Clerk