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HomeMy WebLinkAbout02-11-2004 - Minutes TCCITY OF ORANGE CITY TRAFFIC COMMISSION Minutes of a Special Meeting: February 11, 2004 Tape #CTC-24.02 of this City Traffic Commission meeting is available for your review. Please contact the Recording Secretary at (714) 744-5536 in this regard, advance notice is appreciated.  February [N:/Traffic/CTC/2004 Minutes] Printed on Recycled Paper I. OPENING A. Flag Pledge B. Roll Call Present – Commissioners: J. Fortier, F. Sciarra, F. Petronella, J. Beil, N. Lall Present – Staff: T. Mahood, D. Allenbach, W. Winthers, C. Glass, Sgt. J. Burton, P. Then D. Approval of Minutes January 21, 2004 ACTION: Approved as published by the Recording Secretary. MOTION: F. Sciarra SECOND: F. Petronella AYES: Unanimous II. ORAL PRESENTATIONS None this meeting. III. CONSENT CALENDAR A. Request for the installation of red curb markings on the north side of Nichlas Avenue across from 642 W. Nicholas Avenue. Kevin Peithman 1157 N. Grove St. Anaheim CA 92806 Oral presentation is based on the written staff report; please refer to your copy. There was no discussion of this item. ACTION: 1. Approve the installation of 60 feet of red curb on the north side of Nicholas Ave. across from the easterly driveway serving 642 W. Nicholas Ave. 2. Approve the removal of 60 feet of red curb from the north side of Nicholas Ave. across from the westerly driveway serving 642 W. Nicholas Ave. MOTION: J. Beil SECOND: F. Sciarra AYES: Unanimous Minutes of a Special Meeting – City Traffic Commission – February 11, 2004 Pg. 2 Tape #CTC-24.02 of this City Traffic Commission meeting is available for your review. Please contact the Recording Secretary at (714) 744-5536 in this regard, advance notice is appreciated.  February [N:/Traffic/CTC/2004 Minutes] Printed on Recycled Paper B. Status of request for Shattuck Street closure. Robert Colgan 137 N. Shattuck St. Orange CA 92867 Oral presentation is based on the written staff report; please refer to your copy . There was no discussion of this item. ACTION: Receive & File report. MOTION: J. Beil SECOND: F. Sciarra AYES: Unanimous IV. CONSIDERATION ITEMS 1. Request for the installation of an “All-Way” STOP control and a marked crosswalk at the intersection of Via Escola and Somerset Street. Lisa Stitzinger 2580 N. Crossgate St. Orange CA 92867 The oral presentation is based on the written staff report; please refer to your copy. Chairman Fortier – How many homes are back in there, it looks like 15-20. Dave Allenbach, Transportation Analyst – Yes, that is correct. Basically the street is a dog-leg and Wickham becomes Somerset which ends at Via Escola. Along Wickham there are 15 homes and the only way in or out is through Somerset and Via Escola. Chaimran Fortier – Is there a sight problem at all coming out of Somerset onto Via Escola? Dave Allenbach, Transportation Analyst – No. In your staff report we also included a couple of photographs with the motorist on Somerset would see both east and west of the intersection. There is sight distance well in excess of 500 ft. Minutes of a Special Meeting – City Traffic Commission – February 11, 2004 Pg. 3 Tape #CTC-24.02 of this City Traffic Commission meeting is available for your review. Please contact the Recording Secretary at (714) 744-5536 in this regard, advance notice is appreciated.  February [N:/Traffic/CTC/2004 Minutes] Printed on Recycled Paper Chairman Fortier opened the public hearing for the following discussion. Lisa Stitzinger, 2580 N. Crossgate St. – I am in favor of the STOP. We use the park quite a bit. Fortunately we don’t have to cross Via Escola to access Belmont Park as we live on the same side of the street as the park. However, when we go there we often see people making a dash across Via Escola whether it’s a parent with a child, bicyclist, scooters, etc. Although there have not been any injuries I fear that there will be. There are only 15 homes on Wickham, but this park serves all of the Belmont area. An “All-Way” STOP would be preferred, if not a crosswalk. I understand that without a STOP sign it’s unlikely you will install a crosswalk because it will invite more pedestrians to cross there, however, I feel something needs to be done before something serious occurs. Chairman Fortier closed the public hearing and returned the issue to the Commission for further discussion and a motion. Chairman Fortier – One of things I’m looking at, I appreciate Ms. Stitzinger’s concern about safety, however, we have warrants in this City for STOP signs, signals and crosswalks and as most of us realize, if we put a STOP sign where everyone asks you would never get across the city. One of the things we have to consider is the moving of traffic safely through the City and since it looks like there aren’t any traffic problems here that is something to consider. Commissioner Beil – When STOP signs and traffic signals are installed they crease additional noise problems for that immediate neighborhood and this is actually very similar to a request that came in a few months back for an “All -Way” STOP at Springfield and Via Escola which we denied, it was pretty much along the same lines. Vice Chairman Sciarra – The volume just isn’t there, I can understand their concerns, however the sight distance is so great you can see quite a bit before you enter the street and since the volume isn’t that great you have plenty of time to make that crossing without being in danger. In that regard I don’t feel a STOP sign is necessary. ACTION: Deny the request to install an “All-Way” STOP sign and a marked crosswalk at the intersection of Via Escola and Somerset St. MOTION: F. Sciarra SECOND: J. Fortier AYES: Unanimous Minutes of a Special Meeting – City Traffic Commission – February 11, 2004 Pg. 4 Tape #CTC-24.02 of this City Traffic Commission meeting is available for your review. Please contact the Recording Secretary at (714) 744-5536 in this regard, advance notice is appreciated.  February [N:/Traffic/CTC/2004 Minutes] Printed on Recycled Paper B. Request for the installation of an “All-Way” STOP control at the intersection of Parker Street and Culver Avenue. Caryn & Paul Brown 643 W. Culver Ave. Orange CA 29867 The oral presentation is based on the written staff report; please refer to your copy. Chairman Fortier opened the public hearing for the following discussion. Paul Brown, 643 W. Culver Ave. – Our basic concern is the current traffic controls might not be working effectively. There are DIP signs but there seems to be too many people going through there at an inappropriate speed and causing the scrape marks and losing control. Most of the neighbors I spoke with are in favor, there are a couple that have concerns which I understand and I might propose an alternative to an “All-Way” STOP, and maybe that would be to rotate the traffic controls to the north and south on Parker rather than Culver. It seems to me it would be a smarter idea to have peop le stop before they go across the drainage and stay in control of their cars. That might be an option to consider because there are considerations of the parking that might be affected if the curbs are painted red. There is a letter from a neighbor who could not attend, Vernon E. Laub (copy attached). Richard Chesavage, 638 W. Culver Ave. – Opposed to request. There is a fair amount of traffic through there that hits these double dips primarily at night, and it’s every night. I understand why people wo uld want a STOP sign here but I am concerned with the amount of red curb necessary in front of my home. On both sides of my home are duplexes so parking becomes a problem particularly on the 2nd and 4th Tuesday and cars from the apartments on the south side of LaVeta and Parker migrate over to find a place to park. I understand that it’s not a constitutional right to be able to park in front of your house it gets to be a problem at times under the current situation. Chairman Fortier – You do understand that if a STOP sign is approved there will be red curb installed along with it don’t you? Richard Chesavage, 638 W. Culver Ave. – I’m unsure why when there’s no red curb at the rest of the STOP signs in the neighborhood. Commissioner Beil – Those would be the older locations. Chairman Fortier – Yes that’s correct, the newer STOP signs that are approved are installed with the red curb to provide adequate sight distance; we haven’t caught up with the older ones yet. Minutes of a Special Meeting – City Traffic Commission – February 11, 2004 Pg. 5 Tape #CTC-24.02 of this City Traffic Commission meeting is available for your review. Please contact the Recording Secretary at (714) 744-5536 in this regard, advance notice is appreciated.  February [N:/Traffic/CTC/2004 Minutes] Printed on Recycled Paper Richard Chesavage, 638 W. Culver Ave. – Based on the placement of the STOP sign I’m worried is 30 ft. is that what the warrants call for, or is that based on the study of the intersection, or is it based on a standard? Dave Allenbach, Transportation Analyst – This is a City policy. We’ve been doing this at local STOP signs for about 15 -16 years and that is why some of the STOP signs in your area do not have red curb, they were installed before we started doing this. The reason we do this is that we have found on residential streets that people park high profile vehicles on the street occasionally, not just RV’s but vans, trucks and if they are too close to the STOP sign they can obscure view of the sign. We install a minimal amount of red curb markings, about one car length, on a residential street so the area will remain clear and motorists have a better chance of seeing the STOP sign and legend. Richard Chesavage, 638 W. Culver Ave. – According to the photograph in this report it appears the sign would be installed in front of the utility pole and then the red curb would extend back removing parking essentially from this side of my home. If the signs go in I would be opposed to it; and would prefer that you find a way to enhance the vision of the advance warning signs and that the dips exist so people have a better understanding. Chairman Fortier closed the public hearing and returned the item to the Commission for further discussion and a motion. Vice Chairman Sciarra – I visited the site and I found the northbound DIP sign is hidden by tree branches. I think staff places those so many fee from the intersection. Dave Allenbach, Transportation Analyst – Yes, we want to give the motorists ample notification of a dip or some anomaly that they need to be prepared for. In this case the blocks on Parker St. are about 600 ft. long so we should place the signs somewhere close to the middle of the block, about 300 ft. from the intersection, give or take for any driveways in the way. Vice Chairman Sciarra – Because of the location of the northbound sign it is obscured and people can’t see it, plus I don’t think its large enough to be seen. The sign for the southbound direction has been vandalized and a lot of people don’t recognize it as a DIP sign. I feel the residents and the local people know its there, and if we correct this deficiency we could avoid the need to install a STOP sign. Commissioner Petronella – Can you paint that on the roadway? Dave Allenbach, Transportation Analyst – Yes, we can install a DIP pavement legend for both directions if they don’t have one now. Minutes of a Special Meeting – City Traffic Commission – February 11, 2004 Pg. 6 Tape #CTC-24.02 of this City Traffic Commission meeting is available for your review. Please contact the Recording Secretary at (714) 744-5536 in this regard, advance notice is appreciated.  February [N:/Traffic/CTC/2004 Minutes] Printed on Recycled Paper Chairman Fortier – I think we can try that to put enough signage and pavement legend so there’s ample warning, and people will slow down. I think most people when they see DIP will hit the brakes. ACTION: 1. Deny the installation of an “All-Way” STOP control at the intersection of Parker St. and Culver Ave. 2. Change out the existing signs for larger warning signs of the DIP. 3. Paint pavement legends. 4. Trim any trees that may obscure vision of the signs. Commissioner Beil – I think it’s a good compromise. Cross-gutters are a good traffic calming device, if you know they are there. I think we should give this a try. MOTION F. Sciarra SECOND N. Lall AYES Unanimous C. Request for the placement of a school crossing guard at the intersection of Tustin Street and Meats Avenue. Robert L. French, Supt. Orange Unified School District 1401 N. Handy St. Orange CA 92867-4434 The oral presentation is based on the written staff report; please refer to your copy. There was no discussion of this request. ACTION: Approve the request and forward it to the City Council for a budget appropriation. MOTION: F. Petronella SECOND: J. Fortier AYES: Unanimous  End of Consideration Calendar  Minutes of a Special Meeting – City Traffic Commission – February 11, 2004 Pg. 7 Tape #CTC-24.02 of this City Traffic Commission meeting is available for your review. Please contact the Recording Secretary at (714) 744-5536 in this regard, advance notice is appreciated.  February [N:/Traffic/CTC/2004 Minutes] Printed on Recycled Paper V. ADMINISTRATIVE REPORTS None this month. VI. ADJOURNMENT After discussion of today’s Agenda items the City Traffic Commission meeting was concluded, and as there were no further requests for action under Oral Presentations, the Chairman adjourned this session of the City Traffic Commission. The next meeting of the City Traffic Commission is scheduled: 5:30 P.M. Wednesday – March 10, 2004 Respectfully submitted, CITY OF ORANGE Phyllis Then, Recording Secretary Traffic Engineering Division pthen@cityoforange.org CITY OF ORANGE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS TRAFFIC ENGINEERING DIVISION 300 E. CHAPMAN AVE. ORANGE CA 92866 PH: (714) 744-5536 FAX: (714) 744-5573