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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2010-02-01; Traffic Safety Commission; MinutesMINUTES MEETING OF: DATE OF MEETING: TIME OF MEETING: PLACE OF MEETING: TRAFFIC SAFETY COMMISSION February 1, 2010 (Regular Meeting) 3:00 p.m. City Council Chambers CALL TO ORDER: Chair Gumming called the Meeting to order at 3:00 p.m. ROLL CALL: Present: Absent: Staff Members Present: Chair Jack Gumming Vice-Chair Guy Roney Commissioner Gordon Cress Commissioner Jairo Valderrama Commissioner Steve Gallagher None Robert Johnson, City Engineer Lt. Marc Reno, Carlsbad Police Department Doug Bilse, Traffic Signal Systems Engineer Jim Murray, Associate Engineer, Traffic Division John Kim, Associate Engineer, Traffic Division Melinda Rehfeldt, Engineering Technician II, Traffic Division Jim Gale, Engineering Technician II, Traffic Division APPROVAL OF MINUTES: December 7, 2009 ACTION: VOTE: AYES: NOES: ABSTAIN: Motion by Vice-Chair Roney, and duly seconded by Commissioner Gallagher, to approve the minutes of the regular meeting held on December 7, 2009, as presented. 4-0-1 Gumming, Gallagher, Roney, Valderrama None Cress There was no Traffic Safety Commission meeting held in January 2010. February 1, 2010 Traffic Safety Commission Meeting Page 2 ITEM 4 - ORAL COMMUNICATIONS: None. ITEM 5 - PREVIOUS BUSINESS: Robert Johnson, City Engineer, said revisions to the Carlsbad Residential Traffic Management Program recommended for approval by the Traffic Safety Commission at the December Traffic Safety Commission meeting were discussed at a City Council workshop last month. The City Council determined that Donna Drive and Sierra Morena Avenue would be pilot programs to evaluate some of the recommended revisions. Staff will report back to the City Council in about six months the results of the pilot program. ITEM 6 - NEW BUSINESS: ITEM 6A: Receive economic status update from the Finance Director. Mr. Johnson introduced Lisa Irvine, Carlsbad's Finance Director, and informed the Commission that she will present an overview of the City of Carlsbad's economic status and a 2009/2010 Budget Update, including the steps the city is taking during these challenging times to manage finances. Lisa Irvine began her Power Point presentation by stating that we are in what being is called the Great Recession. The City of Carlsbad's budget is separated into two sections: the Operating Budget and the Capital Improvement Program (CIP). The Operating Budget consists of funds that stay within the specific area(s)/department(s) such as IT, Water and Sewer. For example, revenue from water bills will stay within the Water Department and cannot be used in the Transportation Department. The City of Carlsbad's economic profile is based on such items as taxable transactions, tourism, home prices, car sales, and population growth. Ms. Irvine said the city is always looking at where the revenue will be coming from. For example, LEGOLAND had their highest attendance in 2009 and is planning to build a water theme park and hotel. In the past, sales tax revenue from new and used car sales has been in the $7 million dollar range but has dropped to $4.4 million dollars. Carlsbad has been known as a very financially conservative city. After noticing the economy was beginning to slow, the city revised the 2009 budget. The General Fund Budget revenues for FY 2009-10 are projected to be $109 million with a projected surplus of only $0.2 million. The city has about 25 vacant positions which have saved the city $1.2 million. Over the last few years, due to the economy, the city has lost $10 million in revenue with 2007 being the last good financial year. Ms. Irvine informed the Commission that the City Council places money in the Infrastructure Replacement Fund each year to fund future necessary repairs and replacement of our aging infrastructure. New projects recently completed, in Carlsbad, such as B.J.'s Restaurant and P.F. February 1, 2010 Traffic Safety Commission Meeting Page 3 Chang's Restaurant, help generate sales tax revenue for the City of Carlsbad. These types of projects are important as development slows and Carlsbad nears its build out. In preparing the 10-year financial forecast, future projects were considered. For example, if LEGOLAND builds a hotel, what is the possible transient occupancy tax revenue the city would receive? Future capital projects such as the AlgaNorte Community Park have been fully funded but are placed on hold due to the estimated operation and maintenance cost to run the facility. The 10- year forecast has two scenarios and assumes we will see an increase in retirement rates for city employees in 2012/2013 due to CALPERS investment losses. The infrastructure replacement fund for FY 2009-10 is $6.5 million. Several economic scenarios have been considered. Scenario One, the most likely to occur, indicates the General Fund revenue high of Fiscal Year 2007 will be achieved again in Fiscal Year 2014, no position growth until Fiscal Year 2013, and the revenues are impacted by the recession and slow recovery. Scenario Two of the 10-year forecast is projected with an economic recovery that will last one year longer and indicates that the General Fund revenue high of Fiscal Year 2007 will be achieved again in Fiscal Year 2015, no position growth until Fiscal Year 2014, and the revenues are impacted by the recession and slow recovery. Ms. Irvine concluded by informing the Commission that more information regarding the economic outlook is on the Carlsbad web page and the city's YouTube site. Marney Cox, Chief Economist at SANDAG, spoke recently about the national economy to the City Council and his presentation can be viewed as well. DISCUSSION: Commissioner Cress said he thinks that the state of California and the federal government could use our help and learn from the City of Carlsbad. Is the State of California planning to take money from the city? Lisa Irvine said that the state did take $4 million from the city, sold bonds and then paid back the money the same day. Commissioner Roney inquired if there is a limit on how much money the state can take from the city? Ms. Irvine responded they can borrow to 8% of property tax revenues, but only twice in a ten year span and it has to be repaid before borrowing again. Commissioner Valderrama asked if city employees will have to pay for pension cost increases by CALPERS. Ms. Irvine said costs are increasing and several other organizations are asking their employees to pay more. Commissioner Gallagher asked if the city is planning to have a two-tier pension system for employees and is the gas tax revenue stable. February 1, 2010 Traffic Safety Commission Meeting Page 4 Lisa Irvine explained, the City Manager has been working with other local agencies on the possibility of implementing a two-tier system but she is unaware of any specifics. She also said the gas tax revenue is stable because gas tax is based on the amount of gas used and not the cost, so we have not noticed a significant decline in revenue. Gas tax revenue for FY 2009-10 is expected to be $2.4 million and the amount does not fluctuate too much year to year. Chair Gumming said that Ms. Irvine honored the Commission with her presence and thanked Lisa for her presentation. He also inquired about slide 5 which showed $253.3 million in total revenue and on slide 9 it shows $109 million General Fund in revenues. What is the difference? Lisa Irvine said it is because of different funding sources. Slide 9 shows the General Fund revenues only without the special revenue and enterprise funds. Ms. Irvine also mentioned that Standard & Poor's has upgraded the city credit rating to AAA, the highest possible rating. The Commission received the report from Ms. Irvine and took no action. ITEM 6B: Review, provide recommendations, and approve the 2010 Traffic Signal Evaluation Policy and Traffic Signal Qualification List. Mr. Johnson informed the Commission that the staff report will be presented by Associate Engineer, Jim Murray. Mr. Murray began by informing the Commission that the Traffic Signal Evaluation Policy was first established on July 19, 1988 by the City Council. The Traffic Signal Evaluation Policy has been updated and presented to the City Council ten times and the 2010 Traffic Signal Evaluation Policy, including the Traffic Signal Qualification List, will be the eleventh update. Jim explained that intersections meeting one or more of the traffic signal warrants listed in the California Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (CAMUTCD) have been placed on the 2010 Traffic Signal Qualification List. Staff evaluated 28 intersections, during 2009, of which 16 intersections met one or more CAMUTCD Traffic Signal warrants. Four new intersections were added to the 2010 Traffic Signal Qualification List. The four new intersections are: • La Costa Avenue/Quinta Street • Gateway Road/Finnila Place • College Boulevard/Salk Avenue • Armada Drive/Fleet Street (south) Concluding, Mr. Murray stated that the Traffic Safety Coordinating Committee reviewed and recommended approval of the 2010 Traffic Signal Evaluation Policy and Traffic Signal Qualification List. February 1, 2010 Traffic Safety Commission Meeting Page 5 In response to inquiry, Mr. Johnson responded that the date listed as the Fiscal Year on the qualification list is the projected year in the Capital Improvement Program that the traffic signal may be installed. Dates are subject to change due to funding availability and other circumstances and are approved by the City Council. DISCUSSION: Commissioner Gallagher asked why the intersection of Carlsbad Boulevard/Cherry Avenue is on the list and is shown between the intersections of La Costa Avenue/Gibraltar Street and La Costa Avenue/Calle Madero. Mr. Johnson stated that the qualification number is based upon points and is not necessarily the order in which the traffic signal will be installed. In the case of La Costa Avenue, the City Council funded a consultant study to investigate an arterial traffic calming plan for the roadway and to develop a concept plan. It has been recommended to the CIP staff team that prepares the CIP for submission to the City Council that all of the La Costa Avenue traffic signals be bundled together for construction in one year. Chair Cumming mentioned that if he recalls correctly, La Costa Avenue is an arterial road with a large number of driveway cuts and trade-offs will need to be made. Mr. Johnson concurred that La Costa Avenue is a secondary arterial on the Circulation Element east of El Camino Real... It has a 45 mile per hour speed limit starting 1000 feet east of El Camino Real to Rancho Santa Fe Road. For a number of years residents have been raising issues regarding speeding on the portion of La Costa Avenue in the 45 mile per hour portion of the road. Vice-Chair Roney asked if factor G on the 2010 Traffic Signal Qualification List is based on engineering judgment or political judgment. Mr. Murray said factor G is the only factor where engineering judgment is used by staff to determine points. Points in the other factors are determined by comparing actual data to the scoring points allocated in the Traffic Signal Evaluation Policy. Mr. Johnson informed the Commission that Mr. Murray is the staff member who first reviews and evaluates each intersection for point totals and then discusses the totals with him. Commissioner Gallagher said he thinks, for consistency, it's good that one person is reviewing the intersections. He asked how many traffic signals are funded each year and how much each traffic signal costs. Mr. Johnson said that a traffic signal can cost $210,000 for a four leg intersection. Regarding the number of traffic signals that are funded each year, 2 or 3 in some years and as many as 5 February 1, 2010 Traffic Safety Commission Meeting Page 6 intersections in one year. The higher number occurred when there was significant development taking place. Chair Gumming mentioned that the City of Los Angeles budgets for 10 new traffic signals a year. Commissioner Gallagher asked if staff is comfortable with the changes to the CAMUTCD and if staff was asked for their comments regarding the changes. Mr. Johnson stated the CAMUTCD is a statewide document and the City Council adopted the CAMUTCD several years ago for use in Carlsbad. Staff has opportunities to comment when changes are proposed to the CAMUTCD. Commissioner Gallagher asked if the accident history points are based on correctable accidents. Mr. Johnson stated all intersection collisions are considered in determining the points. The Annual Traffic Report prepared by staff will reflect the highest number of collisions at intersections and midblock locations. The Commission receives a copy of the report each year. Hearing no more questions, Chair Gumming called for a recommendation. ACTION: Motion by Commissioner Cress, and duly seconded by Vice-Chair Roney, that the Traffic Safety Commission approve the 2010 Traffic Signal Evaluation Policy, including the 2010 Traffic Signal Qualification List, and submit to the City Council for adoption of a resolution establishing the 2010 Traffic Signal Evalution Policy that includes the 2010 Traffic Signal Qualification List. VOTE: 5-0-0 AYES: Cress, Gumming, Gallagher, Roney, Valderrama NOES: None ABSTAIN: None ITEM 6C: Review and approve TSC procedure rules and adopt TSC Resolution No. 2010-1. Mr. Johnson stated that this item is annually presented to the Commission to review, comment, and approve TSC Resolution No. 2010-1 after determining if actions at prior Commission meetings necessitate revisions. Those revisions, if any, would be made and the resolution brought back for Commission action. February 1, 2010 Traffic Safety Commission Meeting Page 7 ACTION: Motion by Commissioner Cress, and duly seconded by Vice-Chair Roney, to adopt the TSC Resolution No. 2010-1 as presented. VOTE: 5-0-0 AYES: Cress, Gumming, Gallagher, Roney, Valderrama NOES: None ABSTAIN: None ITEM 7: REPORT FROM TRAFFIC SAFETY COMMISSIONERS Chair Gumming mentioned that he and fellow Traffic Safety Commissioners received a written article from a publication provided by the City Engineer entitled "How to conduct a meeting" and it is helpful. ITEM 8: REPORT FROM TRAFFIC ENGINEER Mr. Johnson introduced Lt. Marc Reno to the Commissioners mentioning that Lt. Reno will be replacing the now retired Lt. Rawson in the Traffic Division of the Police Department. The next regularly scheduled Traffic Safety Commission meeting is scheduled to be held on March 1, 2010 at 3:00 p.m. in the City Council Chambers. ADJOURNMENT: By proper motion, Chair Gumming adjourned the Regular Meeting of February 1,2010 at 4:04 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Melinda Rehfeldt Engineering Technician II