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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1993-05-03; Traffic Safety Commission; MinutesMINUTES MEETING OF: TRAFFIC SAFETY COMMISSION DATE OF MEETING: May 3,1993 TIME OF MEETING: 3:OO p.m. PLACE OF MEETING: City Council Chambers CALL TO ORDER: Chairman Blake called the Meeting to order at 3:OO p.m. ROLL CALL: Present: Commissioners Blake, Fuller, Green and Stachoviak. Absent: Commissioner Courtney. Staff Members Present: Bob Johnson, Traffic Engineer Sgt. Don Metcalf, Police Department David Bradstreet, Parks and Recreation Director Ken Price, Recreation Superintendent Robin Bettin, Stagecoach Recreation Supervisor - II APPROVAL OF MINUTES: On motion by Commissioner Fuller, the Minutes of the Regular Meeting held April 5, 1993, were approved as presented. AYES: Blake, Fuller and Green ABSTAIN: Stachoviak ORAL COMMUNICATIONS: None. PREVIOUS BUSINESS: Bob Johnson reported that staff had investigated re-striping Alga Road at the Cazadero Drive intersection, but could not recommend it as this would not improve the sight distance significantly. Also, the rumble strips are not recommended due to the danger to motorcycles and bicycles. Mr. Johnson stated that the Ordinance setting a minimum distance to move parked vehicles was adopted by Council. The City Attorney was directed to submit information to this Commission on an item prohibiting certain types of vehicles, such as boat trailers, from parking on public streets. Staff will be working with the City Attorney on this report, as requested by the City Council. ” May 3, 1993 TRAFFIC SAFETY COMMISSION Page 2 PREVIOUS BUSINESS: (Continued) Mr. Johnson reported that the Avenida Encinas 35 m.p.h. prima facie speed limit ordinance was adopted by the Council. NEW BUSINESS: A. Staqecoach Park - Citizen Request to Establish On-street Parking on Camino De Los Coches Bob Johnson gave the staff report, using transparencies to show the Location Map and the four Alternatives as contained in the packet. He stated that this item was discussed by the Traffic Safety Commission at the January 7,1991, meeting. At that time, the Commission recommended that on-street parking on Camino De Los Coches not be implemented. Mr. Johnson indicated the two parking lots shown on the transparency, and stated that 240 parking spaces are provided in Stagecoach Park. However, when events occur at the Park where there is a large crowd, the parking overflows out onto the street. Also, there are times when ball games are in progress on the fields and there are events in the gymnasium, and this also results in a parking problem in the Park. Mr. Johnson stated that when there is parking on the street, this causes an enforcement problem as far as the Police Department to wriie tickets because there is no parking allowed on the street. This also becomes a public relations problem, as the people ticketed then complain to the City officials and state they are being discriminated against because they are given tickets for illegal parking on the street. Mr. Johnson referred to the memorandum contained in the packet where the events are listed for Stagecoach Park. Ms. Bettin stated that there are ten to twenty dates throughout the year where multiple events are going on in the Park and community center, with the parking lots filled for a period of time. However, Mr. Johnson stated that there are other times when the parking becomes a problem, and there is no way to determine when that will happen, due to the multiple events that are occurring at the same time in the Park. Special Events permits are obtained from the Police Department, and Sgt. Metcalf is in charge of those permits. When those permits are issued, the users are given a set of rules to follow with regard to covering the NO PARKING signs on the street and putting up BIKE LANE CLOSED signs. Not all event organizers are aware of the Special Events permits, or do not anticipate the crowd in advance. Also, there are times when the sign covering and posting are not properly done by the organizers of events. Mr. Johnson reviewed the four Alternatives suggested, and stated that the Traffic Safety Coordinating Committee recommended the following actions to implement on-street parking on Camino De Los Coches: 1. Remove one traffic lane is each direction on Camino De Los Coches from the entrance to the westerly parking lot of Stagecoach Park and continue easterly to approximately Via Calendo. Lane geometrics on Camino De Los Coches at the intersections of RSF and LCA would not change. 2. Within the on-street parking segment referenced in Number 1, provide two eight-foot wide parking lanes, two five-foot wide bicycle lanes, two fourteen-foot wide traffic lanes (one each direction) and one ten-foot wide painted median. May 3, 1993 TRAFFIC SAFETY COMMISSION Page 3 NEW BUSINESS: (Continued) 3. The removal of existing striping be accomplished by a chip seal of the roadway. The City Council may need to approve the cost appropriation. It is estimated that curb to curb chip seal from the westerly parking lot that serves Stagecoach Park to Via Calendo will cost approximately $1 5,000, plus re-striping costs. 4. The chip seal be implemented by change order to the contract to be administered by the Utilities and Maintenance Department beginning at the end of summer, 1993. This chip seal contract has been authorized to bid; however, Camino De Los Coches is not on the list of streets to receive a chip seal. 5. If four traffic lanes are required on the entire segment of Camino De Los Coches in the future, on-street parking shall be removed and bicycle lanes shall remain. Operational or safety problems on the roadway or the need to meet the performance standard for circulation in the Growth Management Plan are several reasons why re-implementation of four traffic lanes would be necessary. Mr. Johnson stated this was the same conclusion reached by the Traffic Safety Coordinating Committee two years ago; that on-street parking should be permitted. Mr. Johnson stated that the traffic projections for that area indicate that there will be no need for four lanes of traffic any time in the near future, and the Coordinating Committee wanted that to be clear. Commissioner Green inquired about the proposed shopping center to be located at' the intersection of Camino De Los Coches and Rancho Santa Fe Road, and Mr. Johnson replied that it would be a neighborhood commercial area and would not generate enough traffic to change the projected traffic numbers to require four lanes. He explained that the ingress and egress for that shopping area would be from Camino De Los Coches, and the entrance would be in the four- lane portion of the roadway. Mr. Johnson explained that there would be no parking allowed in front of the two entrances to the Park. Commissioner Green expressed concern about the illegal parking in the handicapped spaces and red curb areas and the fact that people consider that a problem. He said those people should not park in those areas, and if they do and get a ticket, they certainly should not complain. Sgt. Metcalf stated that the problem occurs because the Police Department does not have enough manpower to monitor those areas all the time. Therefore, when citations are issued, the people complain to the Mayor, City Manager, etc. The Police Department is made out to be the 'bad guys' because they don't issue tickets all the time to every offender. The Police try to explain that when offenders don't get cited, they 'got lucky', but quite often those people say they are being 'picked on'. Also, many of the groups are non-profii groups, and there are no funds to pay for a Special Events permit. (Sgt. Metcalf stated many times he receives a personal check from one of the people requesting a Special Events permit.) Sgt. Metcalf stated that the main problem is that there are just too many people and not enough Police. Commissioner Green suggested a $1 00 or $200 deposit from people obtaining a Special Events permit to ensure they cover the signs properly. Sgt. Metcalf stated that most of the groups would not have that kind of money to spend. May 3, 1993 TRAFFIC SAFETY COMMISSION Page 4 NEW BUSINESS: (Continued) Commissioner Green inquired about painting crosswalks, and Mr. Johnson replied that the Committee discussed that; but the crossing of the street would be random. The Committee did not believe that a crosswalk would facilitate all the people going to a certain location to cross the street. Therefore, they did not recommend crosswalks. The volumes of traffic on the street are very low, and people will cross at the spot where they have parked. Mr. Johnson stated that when the high school is built across the street from Stagecoach Park, there will be a traffic signal installed. Staff is trying to get the high school to line up their driveway with the entrance to Stagecoach, to allow a signal to be installed, and when the signal is installed, crosswalks will be installed. Commissioner Stachoviak inquired about a.deposit or fee for Special Events permits, and Sgt. Metcalf replied there are two different permits; one for Special Events and one for events requiring traffic control. There is a $25 processing fee--and no other fees. There would be a Park permit, exclusive of traffic control plans. Robin Bettin explained that the ten to twenty dates referred to in her memorandum are when there are games being played on the outside fields and events in the gymnasium, with short periods of time when there is heavy congestion in the Park. She stated that staff is working with the different groups to get complete schedules of any special events they have planned during their season of play in the Park. It does not occur to those groups that they should have a traffic control plan in place. Commissioner Stachoviak inquired about the cost of the chip seal and re-striping, complete, and Mr. Johnson stated that it would cost approximately $20,000. Commissioner Stachoviak commented about the signs not being put up properly by the users of Spycial Events permits, and Sgt. Metcalf stated the Police Department does not furnish the materials necessary to cover the existing signs. When this has not been properly done, the Police Department meets with the group later and explains what was wrong. He added that usually this only happens the first time a group is responsible for covering the signs. Commissioner Fuller inquired again about the chip seal for this street, and was concerned that this would have to be done to re-stripe the street. Mr. Johnson stated that this street was chip sealed approximately in 1988, and would not normally be scheduled for any work for five to ten years. Commissioner Fuller stated that when the high school is built, the students would probably be parking on the street, and Mr. Johnson concurred. Mr. Fuller asked whether there is a Permit Inspector, and Mr. Johnson answered that there are no inspectors, only public works inspectors. The cost of permits was discussed again, with Mr. Johnson stating that the Special Events Committee has discussed that, but the cost cannot be increased. The City Council wants to keep permit costs as low as possible, to provide a service to the citizens. Also, staff time would be required to monitor the permit users, and there is not the manpower available. Money collected on permits goes into the General Fund and any expenses by different departments has to come out of their budgets and is not re-imbursed. May 3, 1993 TRAFFIC SAFW COMMISSION Page 5 NEW BUSINESS: (Continued) Commissioner Fuller asked Ms. Bettin how much parking is needed, and she replied that on weekends, if the plan recommended by the Coordinating Committee is implemented, that would be sufficient. Commissioner Fuller said that there would be less traffic safety with the recommendation of the Coordinating Committee; there would also be conflicts with bicycles and parked cars; there would be children running across the street to get to the Park, and for those reasons he had doubts about supporting the recommendation. Chairman Blake stated that when permits for special events are obtained, there should be material given to them concerning what they are obligated to do with regard to putting up signs and covering signs. Ms. Bettin stated that Sgt. Metcalf and she are working on developing a list of special events within the different leagues and organizations and an annual schedule. Most of those people do not notify Parks and Recreation or the Police Department when they have a special event, not realizing that they might be creating a traffic problem at that time. Mr. Johnson stated that those groups are not tuned in to the traffic aspects, and do not anticipate the size of the crowds. The people putting those schedules together need to be educated to think about all aspects of an event and any special problems they may create. David Bradstreet, Parks and Recreation Director, in reply to Commission query, stated that if the Traffic Safety Commission denied this request, the matter would probably return to the Parks and Recreation Commission, where the item originated at the request of two Commissioners. Mr. Johnson added that if this Commission denies the request, staff would need to decide whether to take this forward as a staff report to the City Council for a final decision, or let the matter go and wait to see if the proponents would pay the $120 to appeal the matter. He said that staff could bring the matter forward, and Mr. Bradstreet may want to take it back to the Parks and Recreation Commission. Commissioner Stachoviak stated he could not vote for re-striping the roadway at this time, and felt the parking should be left as it is now. Commissioner Green concurred with Commissioner Stachoviak and said the recommended alternative could be considered in the future, when the high school is built. Commissioner Fuller stated he could not support the request because of the reduction of traffic safety. Chairman Blake stated he had felt there was a need for the four lanes of traffic. However, Mr. Johnson had said this would not be a problem for many years, if ever, and so he could support the recommendation of the Traffic Safety Coordinating Committee. May 3, 1993 TRAFFIC SAFETY COMMISSION Page 6 NEW BUSINESS: (Continued) ACTION: Chairman Blake made a motion to adopt the recommendation of the Traffic Safety Coordinating Committee to provide on-street parking on Camino De Los Coches. Commissioner Fuller seconded the motion to allow a vote. AYES : Blake NOES: Fuller, Green and Stachoviak Motion was defeated. Commissioner Green stated he was disappointed that this Commission had to make a decision because the people that take out permits don’t administer their responsibilities correctly. Mr. Johnson stated that staff wanted it to be very clear that it is not just the people pulling Special Events permits that cause the problem-there are a number of smaller groups that show up at the same time and the overflow parking occurs. Also, this Commission is advisory to the Council, and your recommendation was necessary to get the matter to the City Council, if it is appealed. Mr. Bradstreet stated he would inform the two Parks and Recreation Commissioners of the Traffic Safety Commission decision and if they want it to return to the Parks and Recreation Commission, they could write a letter, or appeal it to the City Council. Mr. Johnson added that the Parks and Recreation Commission may recommend that staff take the matter to the City Council. REPORT FROM TRAFFIC SAFETY COMMISSIONERS: Commissioner Stachoviak stated that on Carlsbad Boulevard by the Army and Navy Academy the landscaping in the median grows very quickly and creates a sight problem at Cypress. Mr. Johnson answered that the median was trimmed a year ago, and a work order has been issued for it to be trimmed now. REPORT FROM TRAFFIC ENGINEER: No report. ADJOURNMENT: By proper motion, the Regular Meeting of May 3, 1993, was adjourned at 4:08 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Harriett Babbitt Minutes Clerk