Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout1990-01-08; Traffic Safety Commission; MinutesMINUTES Meeting of: TRAFFIC SAFETY COMHISSION Time of Meeting: 3:OO p.m. Date of Meeting: January 8, 1990 Place of Meeting: City Council Chambers COMMISSIONERS ~~~~ ~~~ CALL To ORDER: Chairman Herring called the Meeting to order at 3:03 p.m. ROLL CAU: Present: Commissioners Herring, Fuller, O'Day and Stachoviak. Absent: Commissioner Melideo. Staff Members Present: Bob Johnson, Traffic Engineer Police Chief Vales Sgt. Carpenter, Police Department Robert German, Risk Manager APPROVAL OF MINUTES: The Minutes of the Meeting held December 4, 1989, were approved as presented. ORAL COMXUNICATIONS : There were no requests to address the Commission on a non- agenda item. OLD BUSINESS: Bob Johnson reported that Council adopted the prima facie speed limit on College Boulevard between Palomar Airport Road and El Camino Real. NEW BUSINESS: A. Traffic Safetv Commission Resolution of Commendation fc Mary Melideo. Bob Johnson asked the Commission whether they wanted to tak action on this item, inasmuch as Commissioner Melideo is il and not able to be here today. The Traffic Safety Commission approved the Resolution of Commendation for Mary Melideo. This Resolution will be presented to Commissioner Melideo a the next Traffic Safety Commission meeting. B. Vicinity of La Costa Resor? Golf Course - Request to drive golf carts on public sti-eets. Bob Johnson, Traffic Engineer, gave the staff report, referring to all the material included in the packet. Traffic SaEety is the primary issue associated with this request, and golf carts are not to be driven on streets wit a speed limit over 25 m.p.h. Herring Fuller O'Day Stachovia Herring Fuller O'Day Stachovia MINUTES January 8, 1990 TRAFFIC SAFETY COMMISSION- Page 2 NEW BUSINESS: (Continued) Mr. Johnson read from the City Attorney's opinion and commented that the accesses being used were not a point of entry to the La Costa Golf Course. He added that the desig standards did not expressly consider golf carts when the roads were designed. He said that bicycle lanes are considered in the design of the roadways. Mr. Johnson said there were two collisions involving golf carts in 1989, with Police reports on both of them, and these reports were provided in the staff report. Also, the La costa area does not constitute a real estate development per the California Vehicle Code, as anyone wishing to becom a member of La Costa, must make a special application and that is voted upon. Just buying a house in La Costa or Carlsbad does not qualify you to become a member of La Cost Country Club. Mr. Johnson further stated that many of the streets propose to have golf carts on them have speed limits of 35 and 45 m.p.h. Also, there are high volumes of vehicles in additio to the high speeds. Some of those streets have bike lanes striped and some do not, and sight distances are limited. The Coordinating Committee felt that the intent of the Code would be violated if this request were granted. They were sympathetic to the plight of the cart owners, but determine that the Vehicle Code would be violated and the safety and liability of the City prevented their making the findings requested at this time. Mr. Johnson said the private cart owners should explore storing them nearer the resort or perhaps the cart owners could rent a building convenient to the course. Also, they could trailer the carts to the resort or just rent carts at the course. Mr. Johnson said the City Attorney's opinion states that a finding must be made for 25 m.p.h. streets, and in order to do that, it must be determined that La Costa designates access points other than just at the front. Staff would have to determine and evaluate the 25 m.p.h. requirement an see whether carts could be driven safely on those streets. Mr. Johnson said that there are several access points to thl golf course rather than at the main entrance; however, them are not officially condoned by the resort, per resort officials. If La Costa indicated via a letter that these were official access points, would be signed as such and condoned, that would be a start in this matter. In reply to Commission query as to whether there had been any previous requests for this in the 20 plus years the law has been on the books, Mr. Johnson said that in 1986 and 87 the matter came up and was addressed at that time. Morris Rabin, 7717 Morada Street, who initiated the request addressed the Commission with a prepared statement, stating he moved here 15 years ago, joined the Country Club and got a golf cart permit. He stated he has used his cart to access the golf course and there have been no accidents. Hc said that three years ago he found out that carts were restricted to streets with a 25 m.p.h. or less speed limit. MINUTES January 8, 1990 TRAFFIC SAFETY COMMISSION Page 3 \ COMMISSIONERS NEW BUSINESS : ( Continued ) Mr. Rabin said that no golf carts have been involved in an accident on the route agreed to by the residents going to the La Costa course. He referred to Senate Bill 48, amending 21115 to allow local authority to set rules and regulations for the operation of golf carts on the same roads as motor vehicles and stated he had copies of the amended sect ion. Mr. Rabin said the people wishing to access the golf courst at La Costa are mature, responsible individuals who drive well-maintained golf carts and who have clear records with no accidents while driving the carts. He said he did not know of any accidents in the entire State of California involving people driving carts to and from a golf course. In the two accidents in Carlsbad, neither was being used tc go to a golf course, and as a matter of fact, one was at a place on El Camino Real in a parking lot. The other accident was when one tipped over at La Costa--this was noi a member and the golf cart was being used €or shopping--no1 to go to or from the golf course. Mr. Rabin gave the statistics for bicycle riders during thc last few years, and said the California law allows youngsters of any age to ride bikes on any roadway in the State, except on freeways. Yet those State lawmakers seem to have misgivings about mature, responsible adults who ha1 clean driving records going short distances to access golf courses. Mr. Rabin said there are 99 golf permit holders in La Cost; with 82 resident permits and 17 non-resident. Those 82 residents make three trips a week, or 246 trips total. Those residents are allowed 16 rounds of golf total during the course of a quarter. Forty permit holders live within areas where they traverse only streets with a 25 m.p.h. speed limit. Mr. Rabin said it is the 42 carts with a toti of 126 trips a week that we are concerned with. Mr. Rabin used transparencies to show the routes taken by the golf carts and the accesses used by the carts to the Li Costa golf course. He referred to the section of the California Vehicle Code which allows electric carts to be driven on the sidewalk, and suggested they could use the sidewalk for those carts using La Costa Avenue. He said that their carts are not electric, but they could be given permission by local authority to drive the carts safely on the sidewalks. Mr. Rabin said that the 42 non-resident members who do not live in the 25 m.p.h. zones, make a total of 126 potential round trips on the streets over 25 m.p.h. speed limit. He showed an overhead of the streets those carts use and the accesses to the golf course. Mr. Rabin said the cart owners were asking the Commission t approve different routes to approach the golf course legally, and to allow the seniors to use the sidewalks to avoid vehicle traffic on La Costa Avenue. He said the sigr could be made in the City shops for under $500, and as far as the liability problem, these are not kids riding bikes and getting banged up. These carts are well-maintained carts at an average cost of $4,500, and representing well i excess of $400,000 in investment by the permit holders. MINUTES January 8, 1990 TRAFFIC SAFETY COMMISSION Page 4 COMMISSIONERS NEW BUSINESS : ( Continued ) Mr. Rabin stated he hoped this Commission would make recommendations to the City Council to allow the permit holders to use their golf carts legally to reach the golf course. In answer to Commission query regarding whether or not these carts were electric or gas, Mr. Rabin said there was a combination of both, and Commissioner Fuller stated that electric carts only were allowed on the sidewalks. He said that is the law and he would not vote against the law. Commissioner Stachoviak asked whether the group had approached the management of La Costa as to your plans and asked whether La Costa might close the entrances you propose to use. Mr. Rabin said they had tried to talk with management at La Costa, but could get no information or help from them. He said La Costa did not tell them about the regulations when they purchased the cart permits. Don Friedman, 2522 A Navarro, stated he was distressed by the City Attorney's opinion, and said that you had to be voted in to the La Costa Club. He said La Costa was required to keep the designated entrances open 24 hours a day. He said if everyone had to use the El Camino Real entrance, it would be more dangerous than it is now. He felt Mr. Rabin's plan was good and asked for the Commission's help. G. S. Clute, 2466 Unicornio Street, stated that in order to get a golf cart permit, you were required to have insurance, the same as for a car. He said Larry Hart of the County Traffic Commission is working to have the law changed to allow golf carts to travel in the bicycle lanes. J. Lebovitz, 2862 Luciernaga, and Len Marmor, 2072 Mar Azul Way, did not speak, as they said all the points had been covered. Ben Pynes, 3337 Piragua Street, also agreed that everything has been said, but added that this has been going on for a long time and nothing has changed. They would just like to continue doing what they have been doing all this time, as it is more comfortable to be able to drive their carts to the course. Thomas Mass, 2851 Torry Court, referred to the two accidents with golf carts, stating there were no collisions--one was an overturn and one was not related to driving to and from the course. He said the golf courses are one of the values of the area and he moved here because of the ability to drive a cart to the golf course. He felt there were other things to be done rather than make regulations in this instance. Since no one else wished to speak on this matter, the public testimony was closed at 4:08 p.m. MINUTES January 8, 1990 TRAFFIC SAFETY COMMISSION Page 5 COMM~SS~ONERS \ NEW BUSINESS: (Continued) The Commission discussed the issues, agreeing that safety and the law were the most important factors. The comment was made that the carts were no more dangerous than bicycles, but that the sidewalks were meant for electric carts and disabled persons. Also, they cannot be on a street where the speed limit is over 25 m.p.h. Another criteria is that this must be part of a golf development, and that finding could not be made for La Costa. The Commissioners agreed that there must be a reply from La Costa as to what their future plans would be for these access points, and that answer should be in hand before thi issue went before the City Council. Also, the golfers should ascertain whether or not they comply with the travel on streets with 25 m.p.h. speed limit; within one mile of the golf course and specific routes complying with that. Bob Johnson stated that the streets are not designed for golf carts, and the curves, bike lanes, parking, number of driveways and collisions would all have to be analyzed. Commission comment also included that La Costa Resort must acknowledge whether these are official access points, and staff needs to study the routes presented and determine whether or not they are acceptable. The Traffic Safety Commission approved the recommendation o the Traffic Safety Coordinating Committee denying the request to drive golf carts on or to cross public streets having a speed limit greater than 25 miles per hour; and further ask the proponents to change their application to meet the requirements of the Code; that they show these are legal accesses to the golf course, and present something in writing from the management of La Costa Resort as to the legality of the entrances and the future status of these accesses. C. Consideration of Establishins Traffic Safety Commission Procedures. Bob Johnson reported that at the December meeting, the Commission discussed the possibility of establishing procedures for conducting meetings. He said today's action consists of deciding whether to form a subcommittee to accomplish this task or staff could modify the Planning Commission Procedures and present that information to this Commission for discussion and adoption. If procedures are to be adopted, the recommendation to Council would be to change Section 2.28.040 to read "The Commission may adopt its own rules and regulations." The Traffic Safety Commission directed staff to modify the Planning Commission Procedures and to work with the Chairma: and Vice-chairman, Commissioners Herring and Stachoviak, as a subcommittee to draft procedures for the Traffic Safety Commission. Those procedures to be presented to the full Commission for adoption. Herring Fuller 0' Day Stachovia Herring Fuller O'Day Stachovia h January 8, 1990 MINUTES TRAFFIC SAFETY COMMISSION Page 6 COMMISSIONERS REPORT FROM TRAFFIC ENGINEER: Bob Johnson reported that the work on Rancho Santa Fe Road has been completed and the road was opened to traffic December 27, 1989. Mr. Johnson further reported there was a new elementary school on Calle Barcelona that just opened, and he had worked with the Principal, together with Sgt. Carpenter of the Police Department, and all was going well with the traffic. ADJOURNMENT: By proper motion, the Meeting of January 8, 1990, was adjourned at 4:36 p.m. Harriett Babbitt Minutes Clerk