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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1997-08-04; Traffic Safety Commission; MinutesMINUTES 4 MEETING OF : TRAFFIC SAFETY COMMISSION DATE OF MEETING: August 4,1997 (Regular Meeting) TIME OF MEETING: 3:OO p.m. PLACE OF MEETING: City Council Chambers ~~~ CALL TO ORDER: Chairperson Blake called the Meeting to order at 3:OO p.m. ROLL CALL: Present: Commissioners Blake, Allen, Green, and Gillfillan Absent: Courtney Staff Members Present: Bob Johnson, Traffic Engineer Sgt. Jim Byler, Carlsbad Police Department On motion by Commissioner Green, the Commission approved the minutes of the Regular Meeting of June 2,1997. There was no meeting in July. ORAL COMMUNICATIONS: None PREVIOUS BUSINESS: None NEW BUSINESS: 6A. . Carlsbad Swim ComDlex Parkin9 Lot - Request to establish a ninety-minute parking time limit. TraEc Engineer, Bob Johnson presented some background information and the staffreport as follows: This is a request by the Park and Recreation Department staff, to change the existing 2 hour parking time limit to a 90 minute parking time limit at the swim complex, in an effort to improve and perhaps eliminate the long time problem of high school students parking their cars at the swim complex. The actions of the students effectively eliminate many of parking spaces that should be available for those citizens wishing to use the complex during school hours. This item was initiated by the Aquatics Supervisor, Carl Pope, and the request for the ninety-minute parking limit is in response to the increase of student parking at the swim complex that has been occurring since some of the high school classes are now 2 hours in duration. The students are arriving early in the morning and taking many of the existing parking spaces. An overhead projection depicting a reconfigured parking lot with several additional spaces, now under construction, was shown. Initially, staff and the Commission recommended (ultimately the City Council adopted) an ordinance to take care of the long term parking by students by creating a 2 hour parkmg time limit, in that lot. The time limit, by ordmance, ran for 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and was supposed to take care of any special events held at the high school. Although the ordinance was not entirely successful, Mr. Pope’s authority to write parking citations has enabled him to exercise some control over the situation but it is not enough. The school and the students have been notified but overall, it has been less than a successful efforts in keeping the students out of the parking lot. August 4, 1997 TRAFFIC SAFETY COMMISSION Page 2 The City and Mr. Pope have received numerous complaints fiom the swim complex patrons regarding the lack of adequate parking and are adamant about wanting to park in the parking lot. With the advent of the 2 hour classes, the problem seems to have gotten worse and @has decided that a 90-minute parking limit (24 hours a day, 7 days a week) probably would be the easiest to implement and enforce. This %-minute parking limit has been considered by the Traffic Safety Cmdmating Committee, along with various other options, and they agreed that the proposed new parking limit would create the means to try to curb the long term parking (in excess of 2 hours) by high school students and to fiee- up the parking for the swim complex patrons. There will be signs posted advising the public of the new time limit. Mr. Pope indicated that this new time limit it is not expected to be a burden to the swim complex users and not will go into effect until after the City Council adopts the ordinance, ifthey wish to do so. Also, the new ordinance will apply to the reconfiguration of the parking lot and it’s 34 regular and 2 handxapped spaces. Commissioner Allen asked Mr. Pope how he will determine whether an “overtime Parker” is a high school student or a swim complex patron and regardless of who it is, will they be given a citation. Commissioner Allen asked if Mr. Pope has followed-up the citations, he has witten in the past, to collect the fees assessed for over- parking. Mr. Pope responded that there is an envelope placed on the windshield with the citation and the driver is instructed to mail in the assessment. Also, it is his understanding that the City contracts with a collection agent to see to it that the monies are collected. Commissioner Allen then asked if these violators were being cited and then not required to pay the fees. Mr. Pope deferred the question to Sgt. Byler who explained that if the citation is not paid by mail, the he triples. They are sent 2 notices in the mail and if the fmes are not paid by the due date, that citation is reported to the Department of Motor Vehcles, Sacramento. Subsequently, a “hold” is placed on that vehicle’s registration renewal until the owner “takes care of‘ the citation. Notices are also sent to the vehicle’s owner advising that after the vehicle has received 5 parking citations, that vehicle is subject to being towed and impounded until the past due fees are paid, as per the California Vehicle Code. Commissioner Green asked Sgt. Byler if the 24 hours, 7 days per week enforcement of the parkmg hours, affects the patrols on that beat when they see cars parked near that-building leading them to believe that there may be illegal activities in progress or at the very least, cars belongmg to residents of the apartment across the street. Sgt. Byler stated that there is no impact on the police patrols or the rest of his department because Mr. Pope handles all the necessary enforcement. As for the apartment residents, if they use any parkmg lot it is generally the hgh school’s student parking lot which is in and of itself a violation, albeit a Merent one, and is dealt with accordingly. Commissioner Gillfillan asked if changing the time limit to 90 minutes really will solve the problem and not turn out to be an exercise in futility if both high school andlor swim class times are changed at some time in the future. Mr. Pope responded that he does feel that this will solve the problem and sees no changes in the hours at any time in the foreseeable future. Commissioner Gillfrllan then asked if Mr. Pope could state the average number of swim complex patrons that are displaced by the students parking in the complex’s lot. Mr. Pope replied that it is difficult to give an average because there are days when there is not too much of a problem and then there are days when the entire lot is filled with student’s vehicles, before the swim complex opens in the morning. Commissioner Gillfillan suggested that perhaps the swim complex should not open until 8 a.m. and that a way should be found to secure the parking lot so as not to allow any vehicles in there before 8 a.m. Mr. Pope pointed out that if it were not for the very popular lap swimming and “masters” programs, beginning at 6 a.m., that might be an alternative. August 4, 1997 TRAFFIC SAFETY COMMISSION Page 3 Commissioner Green inquired as to how much time there will be between the time the change is made and the time enforcement begins and Mr. Pope replied that it would be approximately 30 days. Commissioner Allen asked if the high school parking lot accommodates all of the student parking and if not, approximately how many students are parking off-site. Mr. Pope responded by saying that the student lot is always full and he does not know how many student spaces there are. He stated that he has photographs of Monroe Street, Janis Way, and others, and for as far as the eye can see, there are cars parked in every available space. He approximated that there are at least 50 cars parked, off-site, at the north end of the school grounds and Wv stated that he has no idea how many student vehicles are parked in other areas around the school. Commissioner Allen asked if the City is going to build more parking facilities for the students and Mr. Johnson responded by saying that it is the responsibility of the high school to provide more parking and would not be a City project. In addition, since the school has had to add new modular classnxrms, they have had to use land that, until just a few weeks ago, provided 30 additional parking spaces. Additionally, Mr. Johnson stated that there are definitely not enough spaces for all of the students so they are forced to park on the streets. Commissioner Gilltillan stated that he is concerned that this may be a "band-aid" approach to the problem and the City needs to look at any other opportunities to relieve the parking situation as it is now, and, to provide additional parking for the school. ACTION. On motion by Commissioner Green, and duly seconded, the Traffic Safety Commission approved the request to establish a ninety-minute parking time limit, as presented. AYES: Blake, Allen, Green, and Gillfillan 6B. Batiauitos Drive. Poinsettia Lane to Kestrel Drive - Request to establish a prima facie speed limit. Traffic Engineer Bob Johnson began the stagreport and described the project as follows: This project is to establish a prima facie speed limit on that portion of Batiquitos Drive, from Poinsettia Lane southerly to Kestrel Drive, now that the fomerly missing segment of Batiquitos Drive has been completed and Batiquitos Drive is open to traffic &om Poinsettia around to Aviara Parkway. There have been several inquiries as whether or not there is going to be a speed limit set for this segment where, currently, none exists. Currently the speed limit on Batiquitos, east of Kestrel Drive, is 40 mph and is posted as such , while the proposed speed zone, west of Kestrel, has no posted speed limit. This portion of Batiquitos Drive has been designed for a 40 mph speed. It functions as a collector road taking residential trafk h the neighborhood to Batiquitos, then to the Poinsettia, and ultimately to I- 5. There is one lane in each direction with a raised median and the critical speed has been found to be 42 mph. There have been no collisions on the existing portion of Batiquitos, in the past 2.years, nor have there been any collisions on the new portion since it has been open. The volumes vary on Batiquitos from 1300 ADT to 4200 ADT and currently the intersection of Poinsettia Lane and Batiquitos has a 4-way stop but a signal is under construction and will be in operation within 2 months. The road is 64' wide and 0.84 miles in length with varying grades from 2.65% to 10%. There are bike lanes and sidewalks on both sides and no drivewaysintersect onto this segment. Considering all the factors in the Engineering and Traffic Survey, the Traffic Safety Coordinating Committee has made a recommendation for establishing 40 mph as the prima facie speed limit on this segment of Batiquitqs, from Poinsettia to Kestrel and that would extend the existing 40 mph that currently exists fiom Golden Star to Kestrel. Commissioner Green, regarding the curb median from Gabiano to Poinsettia, stated that there is currently a striped median, and asked if that will eventually become curbed. Mr. Johnson replied that it is possible at some'time in the future but there are no plans for a curb in the CIP at this time. Addtionally, there is no developer that is responsible to construct that curbing so it would have to be a City project. Commissioner Gillfillan requested that, in the future where the general contigumtion of the roadway is known from the beginning, that that information be included in the report so that the prima facie speed can be detennined for the planned roadway instead of having to approve varying speed limits in a "piece-meal" fashion. Also. he pointed out that there is possibly a potential safety issue in that there is some kind of a drainage facility on the south side of Batiquitos, at about Daisy Avenue, that appears that it may cause problems during the rains, since it does not appear to have any way of directing the run-off except to spill over onto the sidewalk and into the street. August 4,1997 TRAFFIC SAFETY COMMISSION Page 4 Commissioner Allen stated that he has driven over the portion of roadway being considered and feels that 40 mph is an appropriate speed for that section. ACTION On motion by Commissioner Gillfillan, and duly seconded, the Traffic Safety Commission recommended that a prima facie speed limit of 40 miles per hour be established upon Batiquitos Drive &om Poinsettia Lane to Kestrel Drive, as presented. AYES: Blake, Allen, Green, and Gillfillan REPORT FROM TRAFFIC SAFETY COMMISSIONERS: Chairperson Blake reported that he had received a letter fhn a Peter Sainato, 7620 Calle Madero, Carlsbad, 92009, (760) 943- 9662, in which Mr. Sainato expressed his concern about the intersection of La Costa Avenue and Calle Madero, in that he and hs neighbors feel that because of the lack of many drivers to adhexe to the speed limit, getting out onto La Costa Avenue is not only diEcult but dangerous. Mr. Blake went on to state that Mr. Sainato had called him a few days ago to tell him that he and his fiiends have been circulating a petition in their neighborhood, for some type of traffic control, and that it is their intention to present Council Member Anne Kulchin with the petition. REPORT FROM TRAFFIC ENGINEER Traffic Engineer, Bob Johnson, reported that his department is working on the bi-annual traffic signal evaluation policy and updates and that it should be coming before this Commission in late 1997 or early 1998. Also, because the next regularly scheduled meeting of this Commission falls on Labor Day, the meeting will be postponed to the second Monday of the month, September 8. ADJOURNMENT: By proper motion, the Regular Meeting of August 4,1997, was adjourned at 3:38 p.m. /I A'.- . 0 Respectfully submitted, Minutes Clerk \