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HomeMy WebLinkAbouttecm_031390TRAFFIC ENGINEERING COMMITTEE MINUTES MARCH 13. 1990 The meeting was called to order at 2:07 p.m, by Chairman Vara in Conference Room 3, Ukiah Civic Center, 300 Seminary Avenue, Ukiah, California. Members present were: Beard, Fernandez, Harris, Keplinger, Tindle and Chairman Vara. Absent: Goforth and Turner. APPROVAL OF MINUTES - January 9, 1990 and February 13 1990 Roy Tindle asked for clarification of paragraph 5 on page ?_ of the January 9, 1990 minutes. ON A MOTION by Harris, seconded by Chairman Vara, it was carried by the following vote to approve the minutes of the Traffic Engineering Committee meeting of January 9, 1990, pending clarification by staff of paragraph 5, page 2: AYES: Beard, Harris, Keplinger and Chairman Vara. NOES: None. ASSENT: Goforth and Turner. ABSTAIN: Fernandez and Tindle. ON A MOTION by Harris, seconded by Beard, it was carried by the following vote to approve the minutes of the Traffic Engineering Committee meeting of February 13, 1990, as submitted: AYES: Beard, Fernandez, Harris and Tindle. NOES: None. ABSENT: Goforth and Turner. ABSTAIN: Keplinger and Chairman Vara. DISCUSSION/ACTION ITEMS 3a. Request to improve sight distance for cars eastbound on Clay at State Street - Norman deVall. Mike Harris stated he had contacted Mill Creek Nursery and had their crews trim the hedge. He explained there is still about one foot of hedge going east/west along Clay Street access and extends about one foot into the sidewalk on State Street. He asked if there was a possibility that could be trimmed back. Bill Fernandez noted that in order to see clearly before entering State Street a driver would need to pull into the crosswalk. Rill Beard stated that consideration of removing one or more parking spaces in the area had been discussed. Bill Linsteadt explained that currently parking in this area is at a premium and requested parking spaces not be removed. He suggested the possibility of removing the red curb from the block north of the building on State Street to allow for additional parking and/or to contact the owner of the adjacent vacant lot to inquire if he would be willing to allow parking on his property. Also discussed was a pending ordinance that will allow enforcement of parking on private property at the property owners request. The Committee was reminded by Fred Keplinger that one of the goals of the Traffic Engineering Committee is to increase parking downtown, not eliminate it. Bill Linsteadt stated he felt the owner of the building would be willing to have the hedge vegetation trimmed. ON A MOTION by Beard, seconded by Fernandez, it was carried by the following vote to contact the property owner and request he voluntarily lower the hedge 6" from what it presently is and remove vegetation from the sidewalk on State Street to improve site distance at the corner of Clay and State Streets: AYES: Beard, Fernandez, Harris, Keplinger, Tindle and Chairman Vara. NOES: None. ABSENT: Goforth and Turner. ABSTAIN: None. 3b. Crosswalks and Access to Todd Grove Park. Bill Beard reviewed an aerial map of the traffic area around Todd Grove Park. He also reviewed a vehicle volume summary. He explained that Walnut Avenue carries 377 of the traffic, Park Boulevard by the park carries 429, and Park Boulevard leaving the park area carries 21%. Janine Lieberman, parent of a child attending the Ukiah Co-Operative Nursery School, stated she feels that additional measures are needed for safety and that a sign reading "pedestrian crossing" is not a strong enough cue to drivers to alert them that small children may be in the area. She explained that traffic heading east from the park (from Walnut Avenue to Park Boulevard) cannot see that a school is nearby and has no warning for caution. She noted that there is a stop sign in the opposite direction to approach the Walnut circle, but no signage whatsoever as drivers approach Park Boulevard which she feels is a much more narrow street with cars parked on both sides and the school on the south side. Ms. Lieberman stated that there are no crosswalks at all on the west side of the park leading to the park. She advised the Committee that a new develop- ment of 14 - 16 houses is under construction at the south end of the Golf Course which will increase traffic in the area. She expressed concern for the safety of people using this area. Considerable discussion ensued regarding the park not being designed for people to walk on the outside of the park, converting a loading zone and handicap parking space which is presently between Anton Stadium and the swimming pool, making handicap parking closer to the wall, striping out from MINUTES OF THE TRAFFIC ENGINEERING COMMITTEE MARCH 13, 1990 PAGE 2 the wall to channel traffic and pedestrians to the park, ingress/egress avenues to the park, red curbing, broad hash marking for slowing traffic, and the fact that the public considers crosswalks, stop signs and traffic signals as safety zones. Bill Beard stated that a crosswalk at Park Boulevard and Walnut Avenue would need to be extremely long. He expressed concern regarding whether this would be safe. Discussion followed regarding possible City liability for damages if an accident occurs due to people not understanding the reason for broad hash marking on streets. Ms. Liberman stated that the City should be liable if a study has been done and no action has been taken by the Citv to correct the situation. Roy Tindle expressed a need for traffic speed control in this area. He asked Fred Keplinger if a Police Officer could patrol this area more frequently. Fred Keplinger asked if the streets in the area were dedicated streets. He explained that speed bumps could be installed in an area if the streets are not public dedicated streets. He noted that it is not illegal for pedestrians to cross a street in the middle of a block except between controled intersections. It was determined this item needs additional study and to reconvene this meeting on April 10, 1990, at the Golf Course Club House to do an on-site evaluation of this matter and examine alternatives. ON A MOTION by Keplinger, seconded by Tindle, it was carried by the following vote to check with the City Attorney regarding street dedication in the area to determine where the City may be able to install meaningful speed controls, and to identify the Park entrance with signage: AYES: Beard, Fernandez, Harris, Keplinger, Tindle and Chairman Vara. NOES: None. ABSENT: Goforth and Turner. ABSTAIN: None. 3c. Reconsideration of removal of red curb on south side of Smith adjacent to Palace Hotel to create one narking space - Goforth. Bill Beard stated that Ted Goforth requested this item be placed back on the agenda since the red curb on the south side of Smith Street adjacent to the Palace Hotel has not been removed due to the sale of the Palace Hotel. He explained that the new owner indicated they plan to renew the hotel and may need the red curb in place since this is the only trash collection bin for this building. Fred Keplinger stated he feels the red curb should be removed and this space be used for parking. He said if down the road there is a need again to have this area zoned it could be put back in. MINUTES OF THE TRAFFIC ENGINEERING COMMITTEE MARCH 13, 1990 PAGE 3 Susan Billie, small business owner on Standley Street across from Palace Hotel, stated last October she contacted the Committee to get the red curb removed. She stated that there is a real need for additional parking spaces in this area and requested the Committee approve the removal of the red curb. Discussion ensued regarding possible relocation of the dumpster, timing of refuge pickup, and signage regarding no parking between certain hours. ON A MOTION by Keplinger, seconded by Tindle, it was carried by the following vote to remove the red curb on the south side of Smith Street adjacent to the Palace Hotel to create one parking space: AYES: Fernandez, Keplinger, Tindle and Chairman Vara. NOES: Beard and Harris. ABSENT: Goforth and Turner. ABSTAIN: None. 3d. Crosswalk pedestrian accidents at State and Perkins Streets. Bill Beard reviewed two accidents at State and Perkins Street where a pedestrian was hit in a crosswalk. One on December 14, 1988, and one on February 22, 1990. Discussion ensued regarding off-setting traffic lights in relation to pedestrian crossing lights, blocking off pedestrian crossing at this inter- section, and having left turn traffic yield to pedestrian traffic. ON A MOTION by Vara, seconded by Harris, it was carried by the following vote to request the Public Works Department review and report back to the Committee with suggestions regarding the following four options; 1) stopping all traffic to let pedestrians go, 2) blocking off all pedestrian crossings at this intersection, 3) the possible need to stop south bound traffic on State Street to permit pedestrian crossing, and 4) having left turn traffic yield to pedestrian traffic: AYES: Beard, Fernandez, Harris, Keplinger, Tindle and Chairman Vara. NOES: None. ABSENT: Goforth and Turner. ABSTAIN: None. 3e. Request to change loading zone, north side of Standley at State Street to Bill Beard stated he had received a verbal request from Norman deVall to change the loading zone on the north side of Standley Street at State Street to handicapped parking. Bill Fernandez reminded the Committee that previous review of parallel handicap parking spaces was determined to be unsafe because of unloading handicap persons in the street. ON A MOTION by Fernandez, seconded by Keplinger, it was carried by the following vote to deny Mr. deVall's request to change the loading zone on the north side of Standley at State Street to a handicapped parking space because MINUTES OF THE TRAFFIC ENGINEERING COMMITTEE MARCH 13, 1990 PAGE 4 it has been determined to be unsafe to unload handicapped persons in the street: AYES: Beard, Fernandez, Harris, Keplinger, Tindle and Chairman Vara. NOES: None. ABSENT: Goforth and Turner. ABSTAIN: None. 3f. Request for handicapped parking space on Warren Drive, west side south of Perkins Street - Joyce Milton, Century 21 Realty. Bill Beard advised that Joyce Milton from Century ?1 had contacted him regarding the installation of a handicapped parking space on Warren Drive near Perkins Street. Joyce Milton explained she works at Century 21 and has an oversized van with a side loading handicap ramp which makes it impossible to park in the Century 21 parking lot. She noted that presently she is parking in the back of Med-a-Rents which is a graveled lot. She explained it is difficult to maneuver her wheelchair from this area. Ms. Milton requested the installation of a handicapped parking space on the west side of Warren Drive. Mike Harris stated that he feels it would be more appropriate to have a handicapped parking space in the parking lot of Century 21 rather than in the street. Discussion followed. Fred Keplinger and Mike Harris volunteered to review the on-site parking at this location and report back to the Committee at the April 10, 1990 meeting. ADJOURNMENT ON A MOTION by Beard, seconded by Harris, it was carried by unanimous voice vote to dismiss this meeting at 4:10 p.m., and reconvene at the Golf Course Club House at 2:00 p.m., April 10, 1990, to study the traffic circulation and pedestrian access around and to Todd Grove Park. C J/ ATTEST: George ~ra, Chairman /y~ 7 Faye ~I~Afee, "Recd ding Secretary MINUTES OF THE TRAFFIC ENGINEERING COMMITTEE MARCH 13, 1990 PAGE 5