SR - - REMOVAL RED CURB 453 SOUTH ORANGE STREETF ° AGENDA ITEM
°�R?M
February 11, 2014
TO: Honorable Mayor and
Members of the City Council
THRU: John W. Sibley
City Manager
FROM: Joe DeFrancesco
Public Works Dl ector
Reviewed/Verified B
City Manager
Finance Director r..
To Be Presented By:
Joe DeFran
co
Cons Calendar
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1. SUBJECT
An appeal of the City Traffic Commission action denying the request for the removal of the red
curb marking from the north side of the driveway serving 453 S. Orange Street.
2. SUMMARY
On November 13, 2013 the City Traffic Commission heard a request for the removal of the 14 ft.
of red curb on the north side of the driveway serving 453 S. Orange Street. After hearing
information presented from the proponent who lives across the street and from the resident at 453
S. Orange St. who wished to keep the red curb, the Traffic Commission elected to deny the
request to remove the red curb. An appeal has been filed asking the City Council to overturn the
City Traffic Commission decision of November 13, 2013 denying the request for the removal of
the red curb marking from the north side of the driveway serving 453 S. Orange Street.
3. RECOMMENDED ACTION
Staff recommends the City Council take one of the following actions:
1 Uphold the appeal and direct staff to remove the red curb,
or
2 Deny the appeal and leave the existing red curb in place.
4. FISCAL IMPACT
None
5. STRATEGIC PLAN GOALS(S)
ITEM
2/11/2014
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0 Printed on Recycled Paper
1.5 Provide and maintain infrastructure necessary to ensure the safety of the public.
6. GENERAL PLAN IMPLEMENTATION 7�7:1
Growth Management Goal 1.0 Reduce traffic congestion within the City.
Policy 1.10: Apply traffic- calming measures, where appropriate, to residential neighborhoods
affected by cut - through traffic in accordance with the City's Residential Neighborhood Traffic
Management Program.
7. DISCUSSION and BACKGROUND
On November 13, 2013 the City Traffic Commission heard a request for the removal of the 14 ft.
of red curb on the north side of the driveway serving 453 S. Orange Street. After hearing
information presented from the proponent who lives across the street and from the resident at 453
S. Orange St. who wished to keep the red curb, the Traffic Commission elected to deny the
request to remove the red curb.
The existing red curb in front of 453 S. Orange Street does not appear to be to be creating an
undue hardship on the area residents. There is still abundant parking on both sides of Orange
Street in the study area. This does not include the off street parking available in driveways and
garages in the area. The resident at 453 S. Orange Street still wishes to keep the red curb.
Field observations identify approximately 33 spaces for vehicles to park on both sides of Orange
Street between Culver and La Veta Avenues. Staff visited the area several times both prior to the
November Traffic Commission Meeting and after the Traffic Commission meeting in preparation
for the City Council meeting, including evening hours when most residents would likely be
home. On street parking demand was never more than 60 percent.
The Public Works Department has received the attached appeal of the Traffic Commission's
action citing several reasons why the Traffic Commission decision should be overturned. The
grounds listed in the appeal for overturning the Traffic Commission decision are addressed
below:
• The subject curb was originally approved for ]Oft. of red markings and was arbitrarily
extended by 4 ft.
The subject red curb is 14 ft. in length. The original decision by the City Traffic Commission did
authorize only 10 feet of red curb, staff does not know why the curb was extended, however, our
field investigation reveals that the additional 4 ft. has had a negligible effect on parking in the
area. However four feet of red curb could be removed from the end of the existing 14 ft. to
comply with the original work order.
• The original request was not subject to any public notification /discussion; only home
owner /applicant was notified.
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This is correct per the notification practice that was in place in 2000. For the recent request for
removal of red curb, the notification area for both the Traffic Commission meeting and the City
Council meeting encompassed a 300 ft. radius, per current notification policy.
• Visual impediment is hedge on parkway (which was planted and maintained by owner) well
in excess of allowed 12 inch height; if trimmed or eliminated then the red curb is not
necessary as sight line to the north would be clear.
The City's Standard Plan No. 126 requires that plant material adjacent to an intersection not
exceed 12 inches in height. However this standard plan is more applicable to an intersection
where sight distance clearance is required not for a driveway on a residential street with an
established parkway. Public Works enforces a 42 inch height limit in the parkway. The home
owner's hedge at 453 S. Orange measures approximately 36 inches in height.
• Line of sight to avoid pedestrians is not affected by the hedge, the tree or the power pole (can
see 300 ft up the sidewalk in both north and south directions when exiting the driveway)
therefore the red curb is not necessary to protect pedestrians.
This is correct; however, the existing red curb is to provide sight distance for on- coming
vehicular traffic on Orange Street.
• No visual impediment to the south as there is an adjacent driveway (no one can park in front
of adjacent driveway) which gives a clear 300 ft. line -of -sight to La Veta Avenue for egress.
This is also correct; there is generally a good line -of -sight to the south due to the drive approach
for the residence at 459 S. Orange Street. The issue for the resident at 453 S. Orange Street was
the sight distance to the north, which is where the subject red curb is located.
Conversion of additional properties on the street to rentals, and the installation of fire
hydrant mid -block have added to overall parking congestion.
Field observations identify approximately 33 spaces for vehicles to park on both sides of Orange
Street between Culver and La Veta Avenues. Staff has visited the area several times both prior to
the November Traffic Commission Meeting and after the Traffic Commission meeting in
preparation for the City Council meeting, including evening hours when most residents would
likely be home. On street parking demand was never more than 60 percent.
7. ATTACHMENTS
• Appeal Application
• CTC Report from Nov. 13, 2013
• CTC Report from August 9, 2000
• Area Map
• Map of Notification Area
• Minutes of Nov. 13, 2013 CTC Meeting
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2 Appeal Red Curb Marking at 453 S. Orange St.[N: /PublicWorks /Admin /Admin /Traffic Council Items /2014
Reports /February]
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