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05-13-1992 - Minutes TCCITY OF ORANGE - a MINUTES OF A REGULAR MEETINGA�N, CITY TRAFFIC COMMISSION DATE OF MEETING: May 13, 1992 ROLL CALL:PRESENT - COMMISSIONERS: D. YARGER, J. FORTIER, B. LEMING, N. HOWER, F. SCIARRA PRESENT - STAFF: B. DENNIS, SGT. B. WEINSTEIN, B. HERRICK, D. ALLENBACH, C. GLASS, P. THEN I. APPROVAL OF MINUTES - April 8, 1992 RECOMMENDATION: Approve as published by Recording Secretary. MOTION: B. LEMING SECOND: J. FORTIER AYES: UNANIMOUS II. CONSENT CALENDAR 1. Request for 'red curb' markings on the northeast corner of Almond Ave. and Jameson St. Rory Moore City of Orange Water Dept. 189 S. Water St. Orange, CA 92668 RECOMMENDATION: That the CTC, by Motion, APPROVE the request. MOTION: D. YARGER SECOND: B. LEMING AYES: UNANIMOUS 2. Request for 'red curb' markings in front of 326 W. Palm Ave. Roller Derby Skate Corp. 326 W. Palm Ave. Orange, CA 92666 RECOMMENDATION: That the CTC, by Motion, APPROVE the request. MOTION: D. YARGER SECOND: B. LEMING AYES: UNANIMOUS 3. Request for 'red curb' markings on, the south side of Taft Ave. at the entrance of the Golden Circle Condominiums at 700 E.. Taft Ave. - Richard Arhlen 700 E. Taft Ave., #33 Orange, CA 92665-4400 RECONDMENDATION: That the CTC, by Motion, APPROVE the request. MOTION: D. YARGER SECOND: B. LEMING `K AYES: UNANIMOUS III. CONSIDERATION ITEMS A. Request to establish a 'neighborhood parking permit programon both sides of the 500 block of N. Orange St. between Walnut Ave. and Rose Ave. John Aleceia 510 N. Orange. St.. Orange, CA 92666 The recommendation on this item is to CONTINUE the request until the June CTC meeting, because we were waiting for the signed petition to be returned to the Traffic Engineering Division which had not been returned at this time. RECOAUdENDATION: That the CTC, by Motion, CONTINUE this request until the June CTC meeting. MOTION: F. SCIARRA� SECOND: J. FORTIER AYES: UNANIMOUS Request for the installation of a 'traffic signal' on The City Dr. at the entrance to the Nexsus City Square. Asset Management Co. 770 The City Drive, Suite 2150 Orange, CA 92668 Oral presentation was based on the written staff report, please refer to your copy. Chairman Yarger opened the public hearing for the following discussion of this request: Michele Lees 750 The City Dr. Suite 100 - We've been tenants here for just under 3 years and in that time we have noticed a dramatic increase in the traffic flow along The City Dr. and especially with the new construction of the 3 freeways in the general area with the detouring up to Garden Grove Blvd. it's been quite heavy in the mornings, lunch time and evening peak times. Aside from the time element of trying to get out of the parking lot at those time the danger has increased as well you've got people coming out from the building right across from us at the same time you're trying to turn left to get out as well as the heavy traffic flow from Garden Grove Blvd. down to the 22 Fwy. and up to the detour for the I-5 Fwy. We feel it is something that should at least be considered, we've seen a few accidents happen, nothing serious yet, but we feel strongly about this as a tenant. 2 Theresa Hotvedt, 770 The City Dr:` #2150 = I represent the owners, we are the property management for Nexsus City Square. As Michele stated the traffic is quite congested at our entrance to our project at this time the reason being the. 22 Fwy. and the I-5 Fwy. off -ramps have been closed .off and all the alternate routes area on The CityDr. going to Garden Grove Blvd. There have been several accidents out, in front of the project and it is � increasingly getting worse and I can see sometimes a 20 min. wait for our tenants to. get out,: and�'into the project and it's also a detriment in marketing our project and securing new tenants in our -leasing efforts, and that does cost a lot of money to us and with the safety factor involved and also by losing income we would -like to address this. Chairman Yarger - Are you on the east or west. side of the street? Theresa Hotvedt - We're on the west side. Commissioner Leming - Is the owner aware that they may be required to pay 50% of the costs if the City Council were to approve this request, and what the cost of a signal would be? Theresa Hotvedt - No we're not aware of that at this time. I have spoken with Mr. Dennis but we didn't speak about figures, he did mention that there would be a cost but at that time he didn't know what that would be, so I haven't presented that to the owner's at this time. Chairman Yarger closes the public hearing and returns the request to the CTC for further discussion and a motion. Dave Allenbach - Gave staff's report of the findings from the traffic engineering study performed in response to the request, please refer to your copy. Commissioner Sciarra - It appears to me that obviously the traffic congestion is due to the closure of Bristol Ln., when is that, due to be re -opened? Bernie Dennis - The Bristol overcrossing at LaVeta will probably be closed for another year, that's the first of two major closures that will utilize City Dr. as a principal major detour route. The second closure as soon as LaVeta is opened again will be the closure of Main St. at the I-5 Fwy., at least the surface street portion of Main St. and again City Dr. and Memory Lane will serve as a principal detour for that activity. Unfortunately it will also be involved in some work that will take place on the 57 Fwy. in about two years, so we're looking at about 3 years of detoured traffic on City Dr. Chairman Yarger - Would this location take precedence over the other intersections on the Signal Priority List? Bernie Dennis Basically what happens is that upon approval of any traffic signal it goes into the Capital Improvement Program (CIP) the signals are funded out of three revenue sources; first out of sales tax, secondly out of TSIP funds this is not an identified location for the use of TSIP funds so at least at this time it is ineligible, and thirdly through a variety of Measure M or Prop. 111 funds. The City Council can adjust the priority of any traffic signal on the 7-Year CIP list, of which we probably have about 50 right now. Chairman Yarger - Within the stopping distance of the driveway for the property there is approximately 250 feet from Garden Grove Blvd. to this driveway, that's an awfully short distance for two traffic signals. Commissioner Sciarra - The motorists turning left going east from Garden Grove Blvd. onto The City Dr. could back up and create quite a problem. K� Bernie Dennis - The only redeeming feature if you consider it that in regard to the proximity of this location to Garden Grove Blvd., is that at least at this time City Dr. "tees I would like to say that we don't have many of these situations but unfortunately most of the similar situations with really closely spaced signals that we do have happen to be on this street. Chairman Yarger - The corner of City Dr. and Garden .:Grove Blvd. where there is an existing traffic signal, whose, has jurisdiction over that signal? Bernie Dennis - That is a City of Orange traffic signal. We are in 'the process right now of modifying the two ramp signals at City Dr. and the 22 Fwy., at the preseidtime they are the highest accident rate intersections in the city, but things are so tight financially thatnormally Caltrans would be responsible financially for participating funding and they aren't and we are; we just can't handle the accident history any longer so our modifications at those two locations will cost approximately $15%000. Commissioner Leming - Going to the south on. City Dr. the next signal is that the off -ramp? Or which was the off -ramp, which was that? Bernie Dennis - Between the 22 Fwy. and Garden. Grove Blvd. there are no controlled intersections.. The commercial development on the east side of City Dr.. southerly of the 22 Fwy. has common controlled access with the eastbound off -ramps of the: 22 Fwy. The applicant on the west side does not enjoy controlled access anywhere along City Dr. or on. Garden Grove Blvd. Commissioner Fortier According to staff the traffic volume at this time., even with the increased traffic, does not warrant a signal, is that correct? Dave Allenbach - That is .correct. Commissioner Fortier - I don't know if the owners know or not, but that entrance is private property and they would be billed for the installation of a traffic signal, in the neighborhood of about $50,000; would they be willing to put up front that kind of money for a traffic signal at their entrance? As I look at, but as I see it the location doesn't meet any of the warrants even with the increased volume, which will probably only last another year and then it will subside to a lower level so it's hard for me to vote for a signal at this location. Bernie Dennis Typically, when we receive a request for a signal that does not meet warrants this doesn't mean necessarily that we forget them., we put them on the CIP and evaluate them on an annual basis, so the rotation of the signals is constantly adjusted and: as they meet the warrants and funding is available then we construct them. Chairman Yarger - Reopened the public hearing to receive testimony from a late arrival. Kyle Roll, 790 City Dr. - I have seen southbound traffic on the City Dr. back-up from the 22 Fwy. to the driveway we're talking about, sometimes past the driveway. So not only can you not get out making a left turn you can't even get out making a right turn. I've seen a number of minor accidents here but we're waiting for a big one. Traffic is almost constant north and south with the detours going north and southbound going through making a right or left turn getting out of the property is very difficult; and we have people turning left from the right lane because the left -turn lane is backed up a half block. We have more and more tenants which is bringing in more traffic than ever before, 4 C. I've even been in on Saturday's and had trouble getting out. Maybe it doesn't warrant a stop light but just a STOP sign, I don't know but yesterday I went to lunch at 17th St./55 Fwy. and it took me as long to get from out parking lot from 790 The City Drive South to the 22 Fwy. as it took me to get from the freeway to the restaurant, and by no means did I pass everyone on the highway. Chairman Yarger - Are you exiting from the east side o. the west side? Kyle Ro11-From the west side. Chairman Yarger - Where do you feel that a traffic signal would allow you better access? Kyle Roll - Well even when traffic isn't backed up all the way we still have cars going north and south, trucks, busses and just finding an opening in the traffic to make a right turn is difficult and now we're talking 2-3 minutes to exit the driveway and now yesterday it was 5 minutes at 1:00 p.m. which is not when most people are exiting. Chairman Yarger - My only feeling on it is, regardless of which way we vote, it still has to go before the City Council. On the priority list by the time the funding would come I'm sure all the repairs they're doing on the freeways and the closures are going to be completed and the freeway will be re -opened and maybe if at that time if they approved it you wouldn't even need it any more. Knowing the way our city budget is, not only our city but county -wide, the way the economy is the money just isn't there for this type of expenditure. We're strictly a sounding board on these issues for the City Council and regardless of what we recommend the City Council may elect to do just the opposite, you may still appeal directly to the Council. RECOMMENDATION: That the CTC, by Motion, DENY the request. MOTION: F. SCIARRA SECOND: N. HOWER AYES: UNANIMOUS Request for the installation of `STOP' controls at the intersection of Wilson Ave. and Grand St. Bill Amsbary 323 E. Wilson Ave. Orange, CA 92667 Oral presentation is based on the written staff report, please refer to your copy. There was no discussion on this item. RECOMMENDATION: That the CTC, by Motion, APPROVE the request. MOTION: D. YARGER SECOND: F. SCIARRA AYES: UNANIMOUS �1 D. Request for the installation of Tustin St. and Highland St. Cpt. Dean Richards Orange Police Department Traffic Bureau 'NO PED CROSSING' signs on both sides of Collins Ave. between Chuck Glass - As I understand there is an enabling ~ section in the California Vehicle . Code that permits a local jurisdiction, by ordinance, to prohibit pedestrian crossings. In this particular case the sections regarding jay -walking don't apply because the intersection of Highland is not signalized or controlled by a traffic officer so I think it's our feeling that we will need .. to go with an ordinance which will take about 45 days after Council approval. Commissioner, Leming - If we were to recommend approval of this then would the ordinance be written and proceed along with this recommendation and go to the City Council at the same time? Chuck Glass - We would have this item ready to go to the City Council by the end of this week so we can get it on Council's next agenda, I don't know if we can get an ordinance prepared by then but we can certainly have it within a week or so after that. RECOMWNDATION: That the CTC, by Motion, APPROVE the request. Instruct the City Attorney''s office to prepare the enabling ordinance which allows new areas to be added by Resolution. MOTION: J. FORTIER SECOND: F. SCIARRA AYES: UNANIMOUS IV. ORAL PRESENTATIONS At the conclusion of the ' meeting of items listed on today's agenda, members of the public may address the CTC regarding items of interest to the public that are within the subject jurisdiction of the CTC. No presentations were made. Respectfully submitted, A. -T 'I-C-:� Phy is Then Recording Secretary Traffic Engineering Division x �l