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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1983-04-04; Traffic Safety Commission; Minutes_- MINUTES Meeting of: TRAFFIC SAFETY COMMISSION Time of Meeting: 3:OO p.m. Date of Meeting: April 4, 1983 Place of Meeting: Council Chambers COMMISSIONERS \ CALL TO ORDER: The meeting was called to order by Vice-chairman Wood at 3:23 p.m. Vice-chairman Wood welcomed the new Commissioner, Mary Melideo, to the Traffic Safety Commission. ROLLS CALL: Present: Vice-chairman Wood, Commissioners Mary Melideo and Jeff Punches. Absent: Commissioners William Harkins and Arthur Kantor. Also present werer Ron Beckman, Assistant City Manager, Developmental Services Steve Tisdale, Engineering Department Dolores Luevano , C .T .Y. Corporation Paul J. Smith Same Address as above. 1770 LaCosta Meadows Drive San Marcos, CA 92069 Item #1. APPROVAL OF MINUTES: The Minutes of the February 7, 1983, meeting were approved as presented. Item #2. INTRODUCTION AND GOALS FOR TRAFFIC SAFETY COMMISSION. Ron Beckman, Assistant City Manager, Develop- mental Services, gave the report on this item. He mentioned the two books the Commissioners have received; one being the general handbook for City Commissions and the other being specifically oriented toward Traffic Safety and the scope, function and operations of the Commission. Now that this is a Commission, there will be operatio a1 changes. The function of this Commission will be as an advisory body to the City Council and will be dealing with things like revisions to policy or ordinances recommended as a result of problems received. Mr. Beckman stated the Agenda today is interestin, and as the Commission goes through the first six months as a Commission, the format of the Agenda will be changed. When this Commission was a mixture of citizens and staff, all matters came tl the Commission, but now there is a Coordinating Committee, and the Commission will hot have to resolve any problem that can be solved at the staff level. If staff can't solve the problem, it will come to the Commission. There are two informational items listed on the Agenda to bring the Commission up-to-date on items that appeared before. Also, items that are being handled by the staff will be listed in orde to keep the Commission fully informed. that the Commission would wish to deal with furth as to policy, could be added to the Agenda, as th Commission will be an advisor to the Council. Any item Wood Melideo Punches .- e MINUTES April 4, 1983 Page 2 COMMISSIONERS \ In the future, items that can be resolved by the staff, will be presented to the Commission as informational items I This is a brand new Commission with a brand new Commissioner. However, the Commission has been reduced by one Member, inasmuch as Mr. Kantor has resigned. He wrote a letter stating that personal obligations and commitments prevent his serving on this Commission. turned over to the Mayor for a new appointee. Inasmuch as Mr. Kantor was the Chairman, a new Chairman should be elected. This could be now, or when the new Member is appointed. The Commission agreed the election of a new Chairman should wait until the fifth Member is appointed Mr. Beckman stated there is no program at this time to bring new Members up to date on the legal or technical background necessary for decisions the Commission will be making; or to keep the Members up-dated on the basic knowledge needed to act in an advisory capacity to the Council. The AAA and others will be asked to help in this regard. Commissioner Punches asked for a staff member to attend each meeting and give a brief up-date on all Traffic Safety Commission matters. Also, he would like to see all matters that were acted upon by the Coordinating Committee to be listed as informational items The letter will be Mr. Beckman said the Coordinating Committee woul act on complaints, requests, etc., and would not bring them before the Commission, unless the Commission requested that. Commission decides it wants to discuss any item that the Coordinating Committee has handled, the should let Mr. Beckman know. At any time the Gommissioner Punches stated he would like to know what action had been taken by the Coordina- ting Committee and the more details, the better. He felt the Commission would probably not discus the items, but they should have as much infor- mation as possible. 3tem #3. VARIOUS COMPLAINTS FROM C .TOY. CORPORATION. Vice-chairman Wood read the Nature of the Problem, Discussion and Recommendation contained in Steve Tisdale's memorandum dated March 31, which is included in each Member's packet. Mr. Paul Smith addressed the Commission, stating the reason he wrote the letter was there are between ten and fifteen employees who travel that road every day to work and the general feeling is it is hazardous for a number of reasons. MINUTES April 4, 1983 COMMISSIONERS Mr. Smith stated that Rancho Santa Fe Road is heavily traveled, with some very slow traffic an( some extremely fast, resulting in illegal passinf; over the double yellow lines and on the curves. He asked the Commission to consider posting "no passing" signs and speed limit signs. From theii office, they see accidents and ambulances, and the employees dread using the road. Dolores Luevano, an employee at C .T .Y. Corporatic addressed the Commission, and stated she was almost hit by another car two weeks ago, and she felt ''no passing" signs might help. She said she understood not everyone would follow the signs, but perhaps they would stop and think before they passed over the double yellow lines. Co-Chairman Wood stated that signs would not stop the people who disobey all the rules of the road. Mr. Smith said they were not sign happy, but felt something should be done to discourage the crossing over the yellow lines. Also, the road itself is very rough and not really safe for two-way traffic in many places. Some patching of potholes had been done, but it was poorly done and the spots are extremely rough, so that even at extremely slow speeds, the car is jolted almost out of control. Mr. Smith said he realized their office is in San Marcos and there is a change in jurisdiction there, but the La Costa intersection is particu- larly dangerous and where Rancho Santa Fe branch4 the entire stretch over the hill is difficult. Commissioner Punches said this is a @country road" and he was aware that people used excessive speed. Co-Chairman Wood suggested the Police Department be asked to patrol the area more and pick up the speeders. Ron Beckman stated there is an agreement with the developer for that area, and a signal will be put Fn, inasmuch as the policy of the City requires the developer to develop the roadway. Also, there has been an application for a grant to help beef up police enforcement. At the present time, the regular patrol officers try to handle all the problems. The ultimate solution is to make the people aware of the laws and issue more tickets for violations. Mr. Beckman said signs would not solve the problem, but beefed up enforcement would. He stated the Commission would forward a copy of Mr. Smith's letter and a request for enforcement to the Police Department. .. I," .. MINUTES April 4, 1983 Commissioner Punches stated he would like the City to take a look at the road and the condition of the road in the areas Carlsbad is responsible for. Mr. Beckman said Rancho Santa Fe Road will disappear and will become Melrose and will be a six-lane arterial. This will be built as the property develops. Mr. Beckman also stated he would check with Mr. Baldwin regarding the condition of the road. Mr. Smith said that anything the City could do to improve the situation would be appreciated. Co-Chairman Wood assured Mr. Smith the City would look into the matter. In answer to a question Commissioner Melideo aske Mr. Beckman explained a double yellow line as two-faur inch solid lines--four inches of yellow, four inches of black and four inches of yellow, and it means no crossing except to turn into a driveway. Item #4. PALOMAR AIRPORT ROAD - REQUEST FOR NO PARKING AT ANY TIME SIGNS. Co-Chairman Wood read the memorandum to the Traffic Safety Commission from Steve Tisdale, listing the nature of the problem, the discussion and the recommendation, and a letter from the County stating they would do their share if the City of Carlsbad did its part. Commissioner Melideo asked if the bike lane consisted only of a white line and was told that was all, along with the words "Bike Lane". It is basically an eight-inch white line a minimun of five feet from the righthand curb and for bike use. Commissioner Welideo expressed concern for the safety of the bikers with just a white line. Mr. Beckman explained that is all that is being done at this time. There are no bike paths and no curbings being put on roads to mark off a bike path. This was found to be too difficult to maintain and caused more expense. Also, that gave the hikers a false sense of security. The "no parking" is necessary on Palomar Airport Road in order to stripe the bike lane and is in accordance with the General Plan. The Commission voted to recommend to the City Council that a "NO Parking Any Time" zone be established on Palomar Airport Road from Carlsbad Boulevard to East City Limits. Nir. Beckman commented the City had to post tem- porary signs when the Motocross was held, and this would eliminate that. The bike lane will only go to El Camino Real, as the road is not wide enough past there. Wood Melideo Punches X X X April 4, 1983 MINUTES INFORMATIONAL ITEMS: Ron Beckman explained the solution to the left- turn problem at Dove Lane and El Camino Real. The double yellow line was changed into a two-way left turn lane, by breaking the inside line. This road used to be maintained by the County and they striped the double lane there. The Police requested a “No U-Turn” sign to reinforce the striping. When the people from Dove Lane requested a change, the sign was removed and the double lines were removed. The Police Department had no problem with the removal of the sign. A copy of the 1e.tter and petition from the HOT Committee was given to each Commissioner for stud and discussion at a later time. ADJOURNMENTI By proper m,otion, the meeting was adjourned at 3149 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Harriett Babbitt Minutes Clerk