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HomeMy WebLinkAbouttecm_111814 MINUTES of the Traffic Engineering Committee November 18, 2014 Page 1 TRAFFIC ENGINEERING COMMITTEE MINUTES November 18, 2014 Minutes MEMBERS PRESENT OTHERS PRESENT Ben Kageyama, Staff April Simmons, Oak Manor School Roger Vincent, Public Representative Trent Taylor, UPD Jerry Whitaker, Staff John Lampi, Public Representative Tim Eriksen, Director of Public Works Marty Nelson, MTA MEMBERS ABSENT STAFF PRESENT Kim Jordan, Staff Jarod Thiele Rick Seanor, Staff Lory Limbird Dan Baxter, Chairman Nancy Sawyer, UPD Community Services Officer 1. CALL TO ORDER The Traffic Engineering Committee meeting was called to order by Vice Chairman Lampi at 3:30 pm in Conference Room No. 5, Ukiah Civic Center Annex, 411 W. Clay St., Ukiah, California. 2. APPROVAL OF MINUTES – August 12, 2014 Correction noted on Line 38 of Committee Member Reports to change street name from Betty to Lorraine. Motion/Second: Taylor/Vincent to approve August 12, 2014 minutes as corrected. Motion carried by an all AYE voice vote of the members present. 3. AUDIENCE COMMENTS ON NON-AGENDA ITEMS none 4. OLD BUSINESS none 5. NEW BUSINESS a. Discussion and Possible Action regarding request for no parking zone at 732 S. State Street (Ellie’s Mutt Hutt). The request is for a no parking zone on the curb section between Freitas Avenue and the driveway which provides access to Ellie’s Mutt Hut. Staff reviewed the location and confirmed that for vehicles entering South State Street from Freitas Avenue, sight distance can be severely restricted when a vehicle is parked on the street in front of the restaurant. The curb return on the corner of Freitas Avenue is currently painted red, as well as 17 feet of adjoining straight curb on South State Street, leaving 23 feet of curb for parking of one vehicle. Ellie’s Mutt Hut is currently proposing to construct an outdoor dining patio adjacent to the building facing South State Street. The vehicle sight distance at Freitas Avenue will not be significantly impacted by the proposed patio, but when a vehicle is parked in front of the restaurant, sight distance would be drastically MINUTES of the Traffic Engineering Committee November 18, 2014 Page 2 reduced causing a vehicle to pull out far over the crosswalk before entering South State Street. Therefore, the owner is requesting the parking space by eliminated. Motion/Second: Eriksen/Vincent to approve the recommended action of sending the request to the City Council for a No Parking Zone at 732 South State Street. Motion carried by an all AYE voice vote of the members present. b. Discussion and Possible Action Regarding Proposed No Parking Zone on West Church Street between Spring Street and Thompson Street. A letter was received from Elaine Shore and Kathy Holt requesting a review of curbside parking on West Church Street in the vicinity of Trinity School. This letter states that residents in the 800 block of West Church Street have difficulty backing out of driveways when vehicles are parked along both sides of West Church Street. West Church Street, in the three blocks adjacent to the Trinity School property (Spring Street to Thompson Street) is 25 feet wide. By restricting parking on one side of West Church Street, vehicles will have 17 feet of street width between Spring Street and Thompson Street. Since West Church Street does not have a centerline stripe, traffic can use the full street width, if necessary, to drive around a parked car. For consistency in traffic flow, staff recommended removal of the No Parking Zone on the north side of West Church Street and designation of a No Parking Zone on the south side of West Church Street from Spring Street to Thompson Street. Member Whitaker noted that a No Parking zone is not needed on the south side of West Church Street between Thompson and Barnes Streets. Motion/Second: Taylor/Whitaker to recommend to the City Council the removal of the existing No Parking Zone on the north side of West Church Street between Hope Street and Barnes Street and to also recommend to the City Council the designation of a No Parking Zone on the south side of West Church street between Spring Street and Barnes Street. Motion carried by an all AYE voice vote of the members present. c. Discussion and Possible Action Regarding Oak Manor School Crosswalk. Adjacent to Oak Manor School, there is one marked school crosswalk on Oak Manor Drive. The Oak Manor School entrance and exit driveways are also marked as crosswalks; however, these crosswalk markings are non-standard applications. The one school crossing guard has the challenge of controlling school children crossing Oak Manor Drive and both the entrance and exit driveways. A crosswalk relocation on Oak Manor Drive has been requested. Public Comment: Nancy Sawyer, April Simmons. April Simmons noted that the exit driveway is the biggest problem with buses turning both left and right. The existing crosswalk on Oak Manor Drive is quite a distance from the exit driveway. The school provides only one crossing guard so if the crosswalk could be moved closer to the exit driveway, that guard would be MINUTES of the Traffic Engineering Committee November 18, 2014 Page 3 available to help children cross both the street and the exit driveway. Member Kageyama contributed that a painted divider or median for the exit driveway would increase the visibility of children crossing the driveway. Member Whitaker stated that painting a divider or median for the exit driveway on school property is the school’s responsibility. Member Taylor stated the school could erect a stop sign to be located at the exit driveway but it would not be enforceable by the Ukiah Police Department. All vehicles are required to stop and yield the right-of-way when entering the street from the driveway. Member Eriksen noted that proposed site #1 located south of the exit driveway is the best site except it leads into a driveway on the east side of Oak Manor Drive and parking would need to be eliminated in that area. Member Vincent added there is an existing ADA handicap ramp in this location on the west side of the street under the tree but a ADA handicap ramp would be needed on the east side of the street. Motion/Second: Eriksen/Whitaker to have Public Works investigate this site further and report back at the next Traffic Engineering Meeting. Motion carried by an all AYE voice vote of the members present. d. Verbal Report on the composition of the Traffic Engineering Committee. Director of Public Works, Tim Eriksen, reported on the composition of the Traffic Engineering Committee because a concern was raised at a City Council meeting that there is not enough public input on this committee. City Code §7030 states “The office of City Traffic Engineer shall consist of a committee… consisting of the City Manager, the Chief of Police, the City Engineer, the Planning Director, the Superintendent of Public Works or their duly appointed representatives, together with a representative of the local transit authority, and two (2) City residents of driving age, each of whom may from time to time be determined and appointed by the Council. The chairman shall be chosen by vote of the committee.” The City Manager is represented by Ben Kageyama, the Chief of Police is represented by Captain Trent Taylor, the City Engineer is represented by Rick Seanor, the Planning Director is represented by Kim Jordan and the Superintendent of Public Works is Jerry Whitaker. The MTA representative is Dan Baxter who was voted in as chairman. The two public members appointed by City Council are John Lampi and Roger Vincent. 6. COMMITTEE MEMBER REPORTS 7. MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS MINUTES of the Traffic Engineering Committee November 18, 2014 Page 4 Member Kageyama reported that the Rail Trail Project has started and is mostly paved from Gobbi Street to Clara Street. Fencing will be going in soon and the lighting will be installed in January. The Rail Trail opening will be held in February. Additional funds are needed to extend the trail south another ¾ mile. There are no gates or bollards at the entrances to allow immediate access for emergency vehicles and the street sweeper. Member Kageyama reported it has been approved to extend Clay Street east across the railroad tracks by the California Public Utilities Commission. Clay Street will connect with Leslie Street. This will happen with or without the courthouse relocation to this area. 8. ADJOURNMENT There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 4:40 p.m. Lory Limbird, Recording Secretary