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06-13-2012 - Minutes TC0 CITY OF ORANGE CITY TRAFFIC COMMISSION Minutes of a Regular Meeting: June 13, 2012 I. OPENING A. Flag Pledge B. Roll Call Present — Commissioners: J. Beil, E. Glasgow, W. King, M. Lebeau, C. Vaughan Absent — Commissioners: None Present — Staff: A. Farahani, W. Winthers, D. Allenbach, Sgt. J. Bird, P. Then 1. Election of a Vice - Chairman whose term shall be from June 2012 thru December 2012. NOMINEE: MOTION: SECOND: AYES: C. Vaughan to be Vice - Chairman for designated term. M. Lebeau W. King Unanimous C. Approval of Minutes • May 9, 2012 ACTION: Approved as published. MOTION: M. Lebeau SECOND: C. Vaughan AYES: Beil, King, Lebeau, Vaughan ABSTAIN: Glasgow II. ORAL PRESENTATIONS None this month. City of rang Public Works Department Tape #CTC -32.03 of this City Traffic Commission meeting is available for your review. Please contact the Recording Secretary at (714) 744 - 5536 in this regard, ,avance notice is appreciated. B June 2012 [N:/Traffic /CTC /2012 Minutes] 1 0 Printed On Recycled Paper Minutes of a Regular Meeting - City Traffic Commission — June 13, 2012 Pg. 2 1 III. CONSENT CALENDAR None this month. IV. CONSIDERATION ITEMS 1. Request for the installation of a loading zone on the east side of Esplanade St. in front of Eldorado Emerson Private School, located at 4100 E. Walnut Ave. Venessa Marquez Eldorado Emerson Private School 4100 E. Walnut Ave. Orange CA 92869 Oral presentation is based on the written staff report; please refer to your copy. There was no discussion of this request. Chairman Beil — I've taken a look at their parking and I think there are opportunities for the school to work with students to have them park away from the front office area of the school. ACTION: Denied the request. MOTION: M. Lebeau SECOND: J. Beil AYES: Unanimous `g City of Tape #CTC -32.03 of this City Traffic Commission meeting is available for your review. rang Please contact the Recording Secretary at (714) 744 -5536 in this regard, advance notice is appreciated. Public Works Department June 2012 [N:/rraffic /CTC /2012 Minutes] Printed On Recycled Paper Minutes of a Regular Meeting - City Traffic Commission — June 13, 2012 PQ. 3 1 2. Request to remove the handicapped parking space in front of 282 S. Cypress St. Roxanne Ohlsen 282 S. Cypress St. Orange CA 92866 Oral presentation is based on the written staff report, please refer to your copy. There were no speakers regarding this request. Commissioner Lebeau — Did anybody take any independent steps to verify that the original requestor for the handicapped space has moved? Dave Allenbach, Transportation Analyst — The proponent lives in the same building as the original proponent, and told us that he had moved away. That address is in our notification area and we have not heard from the original proponent so we are going to assume that he has moved away. We have been out here several times and have not seen anyone utilize this space. It is therefore our conclusion that it is no longer needed for the neighborhood. Chairman Beil — I go by there quite often in the evening ever since this was approved. I would always monitor that to see who was using that space we approved, and in the last year or so it has not been the proponent's car. ACTION: Approved removal of the handicapped parking space and sign at 282 S. Cypress St. MOTION: M. Lebeau SECOND: J. Beil AYES: Unanimous City of Tape #CTC -32.03 of this City Traffic Commission meeting is available for your review. rang Please contact the Recording Secretary at (714) 744 -5536 in this regard, advance notice is appreciated. Public Works Department B June 2012 [N:/Traffic /CTC /2012 Minutes] CO Printed On Recycled Paper V-1 Minutes of a Regular Meeting - City Traffic Commission — June 13, 2012 Pg. 4 3. Request for the implementation of "NO STOPPING ANYTIME" restrictions on both sides of Taft Ave. between Cambridge St. and Tustin St. for the installation of Class II bike lanes. Traffic Engineering Division Public Works Department CITY OF ORANGE Oral presentation is based on the written staff report; please refer to your copy. Commissioner Vaughan — Do we have any reported vehicle vs. bicycle or pedestrian accidents along that stretch of roadway? Dave Allenbach, Transportation Analyst — We have very minimal accident activity in this area, I'm not familiar with any auto vs. bicycle accidents. Throughout the city we have, on average, about 50 -60 auto vs. bicycle accidents a year; it's very minimal citywide. Chairman Beil opened the public hearing for the following discussion. Wally Bredendick, 1507 E. Candlewood Ave — Thank you for what you're doing, for restoring the bicycle lanes that were there 20 years ago. Hopefully this will get the bicycles off the sidewalk and onto the street; there are a lot of them flying down Taft on the sidewalk. There is a lot of traffic on Taft after 5 p.m.; everyone is in a hurry coming from the SR -57 Fwy. into Villa Park, it's posted at 40 mph and they're doing 50. It's really difficult turning left onto Taft Ave. I would like it if, as part of this resolution, you could paint the curb red from Nordic westbound to the Cameo Center; this will give you a little more visibility when you're looking to the left. Tuesday nights there is Bingo across the street, and Tuesday night the ladies are playing bridge at my house and it is difficult coming and going from Nordic and making a left turn. John Church, 1535 E. Taft Ave — I manage the apartment complex at 1535 E. Taft Ave. I have been the resident manager there for the past 15 years and I see what goes on at Taft Ave. as my living room is less than 15 ft. from the street. Our residents are afforded one garage and one covered parking space, this is a grandfathered structure and parking has always been at a premium. In the event of a vacancy where would the City of Orange propose that potential clients park in order to view the units? Our tenants have always been advised that when they have visitors they need to park on the street, where will they park now? The proposed bike lane is needed for whom? On any given weekday I have counted between 6 -12 bicycles on the street. On weekdays and holidays parking spaces in front of our units are few and far between, we do not have resident's guests occupying this spot but we also have Kirkwood employees parking there. On a long weekend or holiday you can't buy a space. I strongly oppose this measure. City of Tape #CTC -32.03 of this City Traffic Commission meeting is available for your review. rang Please contact the Recording Secretary at (714) 744 -5536 in this regard, advance notice is appreciated. Public Works Department B June 2012 [N:/rrafffc /CTC /2012 Minutes] a Printed On Recycled Paper H Minutes of a Regular Meeting - City Traffic Commission — June 13, 2012 Pa. 5 Gene Somers, 1537 E. Candlewood Ave — I thought there wouldn't be too much objection to this but I see there is. Our viewpoint is that the proposed solution is very satisfactory to what we originally brought up, about day workers being there and being picked up all the time. It's very annoying that those who are not picked up for work are making the sidewalk their home. The sit and block the sidewalk from any use, anyone on a bicycle can't get by. My dog can't understand what's going on because he can't see them so that is very annoying to try to keep my dog quiet during the day. I don't know what else to say other than I was very pleased to see this as a solution to the problem. Joanne Gore, 1549 E. Candlewood Ave — I think this will greatly alleviate our personal problems I live at Taft/Tustin next to the Firestone store and we have that problem. I hear a lot of profanity being directed towards girls riding by on their bicycles. I think this would keep the bikes on the street instead of the sidewalks and this would help our problem, it's greatly needed. Enrico Cari, Owner of Apartments at 1535 E. Taft Ave — My property is one of 3 having frontage on Taft Ave. I last addressed the Council approx. 15 years ago when the Kirkwood of Orange project was being considered, at that time we had two concerns we brought to the City's attention. 1) It was proposed to be a 3 -story building and my neighbors and I objected to the height; and 2) The proposed parking for the facility. The City agreed and had the building lowered to a 2 -story structure but they did not agree to the parking. The contention was that the residents would be elderly and not have their own vehicles, and that the staff would be utilizing public transportation. Neither became valid. They don't have enough parking, they have been fortunate to obtain additional parking through the church next door. That church has changed hands 3 times in the last 28 years, if it changes again and Kirkwood loses that parking then they will have the same problem that I have. The problem that I have is that our building is landlocked. The building is 42 years old, it is a well kept property, it is fully permitted, I pay all the licenses, I pay all the fees to the Fire Dept., everything that is necessary. Like the rest of So. California we don't have adequate parking, we've barely got enough for the people that live there. The postman, delivery people, repair people, guests need to park on the street. When I left to come here this evening, there were 4 cars in front of the complex, that's typical. I would ask that the City consider me a customer, and I ask that you consider if you take away my parking you are going to put me out of business, it is something we need. I'm not opposed to the bike lane I'm not opposed the reasons these other people are asking for the bike lane, they are asking for it not because they front Taft Ave., and not because they ride bicycles. They are asking for it because of the day laborer problem that we all face out there. I am asking the City to address that problem in a different fashion rather than solve that problem with a bike lane. This other gentlemen mentioned that 20 some years ago there were bike lanes out there, maybe I've forgotten that there were bike lanes, or maybe the bike lanes that were there allowed us to park also. We have always parked there. Taft Ave. is approximately 80 ft. wide, if in `g City of Tape #CTC -32.03 of this City Traffic Commission meeting is available for your review. rang Please contact the Recording Secretary at (714) 744 -5536 in this regard, advance notice is appreciated. Public Woks Department B June 2012 [N:/Traffic /CTC /2012 Minutes] Printed On Recycled Paper L Minutes of a Regular Meeting - City Traffic Commission — June 13, 2012 Pg. 6 fact the City of Orange needs a bike lane there is adequate space to have the bike lane and allow parking only on the north side where I'm at. You wouldn't have to have parking on the south side which would affect these residents; this would allow you to to make everybody happy. You could put in the bike lane and we could continue with our parking. Failing that alternative I would ask that you look to what you have done on Cambridge St. where you have bike lanes but you only prohibit parking between 7 -9 a.m. and 2 -4 p.m., plus you do not prohibit parking on Saturday, Sunday or holidays. I would ask that you give us the same consideration with maybe a minor change, don't prohibit parking until at least 8 a.m., let people get out of bed and go to work. Right now we have NO PARKING on Monday from 11 a.m. — 3 p.m. for street sweeping, which works fine; we have no problem with that. I heard staff's recommendation about the hours of 7 -4 but he didn't say anything about days of the week or holidays. I submitted a letter, I believe I've spelt out the points, we have a nice place, we just have to have parking, please understand that. Chairman Beil closed the public hearing and returned the item to the Commission for further discussion and a motion. Chairman Beil — In my regular day job, one of the things I deal with is the implementation of Master Plans of Bikeways and I think bike lanes, be it Class I, II, III are all important. There is quite a movement going on in Orange County to try to establish what is on the Master Plan and to try to make connections on the Master Plan between areas. It's real critical. Bike use for commuting is growing. When I was a kid going to school in Orange the schools had a huge bike lot, that's why the bike lanes such as the one on Cambridge St. and those timeframes were established, you didn't want the cars there so the kids could ride their bikes to school. Not many kids ride bikes to school now that is a sad fact of today. However, I am very supportive of creating bike lanes. I took a look at what was proposed and the requested changes so I reviewed the Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) on bike lane striping, and it has the option for striped Class 11 bike lanes outside of a parking area. I'd like to hear staff's thoughts on an alternative for just the north side of Taft Ave. if a bike lane could be established keeping it out to allow curbside parking up just beyond the apartment complex, and then wrapping that back into a regular curbside Class II bike Jane. What are your thoughts on that? Amir Farahani, City Traffic Engineer — I should mention that Taft Ave. as part of the latest General Plan update has been classified as 6 lanes. So anytime traffic reaches this threshold we are going to widen it to 6lanes, 3 lanes in each direction, which should be kept in mind. I read Mr. Cari s proposal and for that particular solution we don't have that in the City, we haven't implemented it yet and we don't feel it is safe to mix an outside bike lane next to parking, but I guess you are referring to maybe a skip of the first portion of the segment and continue after his property. City of Tape #CTC -32.03 of this City Traffic Commission meeting is available for your review. rang Please contact the Recording Secretary at (714) 744 -5536 in this regard, advance notice is appreciated. Public Works Department June 2012 [N:/Traffic /CTC /2012 Minutes] a Printed On Recycled Paper Minutes of a Regular Meeting - City Traffic Commission — June 13, 2012 Pe. 7 Chairman Beil — I'm referring to the north side of Taft, west of Tustin St. at some point allowing a short stretch of on- street parking because of the unique circumstances of the parking condition for this complex. I'm lucky I have a 2 -car garage and we keep 2 cars in the garage, many people don't use their garage for parking. If the complex was established with a single -car garage and one outside parking space per unit, that has to be tough for those people. I printed out the MUTCD standards for that type of striping and all the requirements, it is an established standard. I have worked extensively with the Orange County Bicycle Coalition on actually the 4th District, Supervisor Nelson's district, we've coordinated a bike lane project and I've met with the Coalition and other bike groups, they are fully supportive as you would expect of any Class II bike striping including outside of parked vehicles. Having curbside parking and a striped bike lane outside with shared markings, I know we have never implemented them but I'm curious about why when there is such an extreme parking impact for a special case why we wouldn't consider an exception for a short little distance. As far as Taft's classification as a 6 -lane roadway with 3 lanes in each direction for vehicular traffic, that can be dealt with at that time when we go in and stripe. That is the time you really have to deal with the issue, it would probably take out the parking there just to squeeze in the bike lane at the time it does get striped with 6lanes. There are a lot of roadways in the County that are classified as 6 lanes but are currently striped for 4 lanes, there are no immediate plans to do it, and they are carried on a circulation plan. Is there any timing when we are going to 6 lanes been established? Amir Farahani, City Traffic Engineer — No timeframe has been established it is based on monitoring of traffic volumes and when it gets to the threshold level of service we established as being unacceptable, then we have to take steps. Chairman Beil — My thoughts are really to allow some sort of exception in the area right by this complex, just in front or whatever we can do to provide a few curbside parking spaces out there. Granted that it can't be reserved just for the apartments, it was mentioned that the adjacent senior living facility has over parking issues particularly at visiting time or from employees. Commissioner Lebeau — I share your concerns, if at all possible I would like to see a bike lane outside of the parking zone from the eastern boundary of 1525 E. Taft Ave. through to Tustin St. on the northerly side. MOTION: M. Lebeau Wayne Winthers, City Attorney — My concern with the route the Commission is considering is imposing something upon the Traffic Engineering Dept. that from a Traffic Engineering standpoint they are not comfortable with. If the parking is the City Of Tape #CTC -32.03 of this City Traffic Commission meeting is available for your review. rang Please contact the Recording Secretary at (714) 744 -5536 in this regard, advance notice is appreciated. Public Works Department B June 2012 1N:/Traffic /CTC /2012 Minutes] CO Printed On Recycled Paper u Minutes of a Regular Meeting - City Traffic Commission — June 13, 2012 Pg. 8 concern of the Commission, I think staff believes it's better to deny the bike lanes and then they can determine some other action later for the north side allowing weekend parking or something like that, as opposed to doing a different type of striping for a few hundred feet that the Traffic Engineer is not comfortable with recommending. Chairman Beil - I'd like to ask why they are uncomfortable, because this is an approved standard, the MUTCD is adopted in California and nationwide, and it is utilized in many cities. Amir Farahani, City Traffic Engineer - Part of the reason is we haven't experienced it and haven't had it in the City and we always try to keep parked cars separate from bike lanes. Chairman Beil - Would you be comfortable with us suggesting the recommendation as a 1 year demonstration in that location? Commissioner Glasgow - What if they didn't start their bike lane until after that address, so from Tustin St. to the Kirkwood building was not restricted with a bike lane and it was left open, then from Kirkwood down would be striped as a bike lane? Chairman Beil - That is a good suggestion, I will let staff answer. I looked at the standards in the MUTCD and for a Class II lane you don't want to have a disjointed lane between logical termini at a corner. Amir Farahani, City Traffic Engineer - I believe Mr. Cari was proposing we start the No Parking at 8 a.m.; it would be easier for us to work on the hours instead of the type of lane and striping in place. We might look into making the restrictions from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. this might be a better solution for all, we wont be getting into the safety issues that we are so concerned about. Vice Chairman Vaughan - I heard some interesting points from the public on the aspect of the day laborers that I wasn't even thinking about when I was considering this, I think there are some challenges there. In other areas maybe the Police Dept. monitoring the loitering on the sidewalks but I think this inadvertently solves what sounds like a long- term problem and a valid problem they have there. Chairman Beil - That issue is not within our purview and provenance; we're dealing with the implementation of the Bicycle Master Plan with consideration of an arterial classification and implementing that Class II bike lane. City of Tape #CTC -32.03 of this City Traffic Commission meeting is available for your review. rang Please contact the Recording Secretary at (714) 744 -5536 in this regard, advance notice is appreciated. Public Works Department B June 2012 [N:/Traffic /CTC /2012 Minutes] a Printed On Recycled Paper Minutes of a Regular Meeting - City Traffic Commission — June 13, 2012 Pg. 9 Vice Chairman Vaughan — Is there a possibility along the same lines of adjusting the times when parking is allowable between two signs as we have out here in front of the church? Would that be a consideration? Amir Farahani, City Traffic Engineer — I think I can refer that to Sgt. Bird on how they are going to enforce that. I think we would be more comfortable if we work on the timing than allowing it in certain segments for the entire area. Chairman Beil — On the timing issue then what you are saying is the recommendation was from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. and you would support from 8 am to 3:30 pm. What is the staff's thought on this 8 a.m. — 3:30 p.m., what is it on Cambridge? Amir Farahani, City Traffic Engineer — It's from 7 -9 a.m. and 2 -4 p.m., and then speed is a big issue. Cambridge it is posted at 25 mph and Taft is posted at 40 -45 mph depending on the 85 percentile. Chairman Beil — I know the whole length of Cambridge St. has various restrictions as far as widths. Commissioner King — Can we recognize Mr. Cari if he keeps it short? Chairman Beil — Yes you may. Enrico Cari, 1525 E. Taft Ave — What you're suggesting would make your life a lot easier, however I pay my taxes and I would like for you to do some more work. I would like to suggest that we follow Mr. Biel's suggestion, let's do it for a year and if it doesn't work then move on to plan B which would be to look at the hours. Commissioner Glasgow — I know for the last few years this segment of Taft Ave. has been used for wide load access through the City when they can't drive on the freeways. They have had some pretty large pieces of equipment parked on Taft Ave., how is that going to affect this Class II bike lane with a No Parking restriction and them trying to bring an extra wide load through the City to transport something instead of using the freeway? Sgt. Jeff Bird, OPD Traffic Bureau — We have had some very large pieces of equipment come through, especially for Edison, those are all permitted. They have the permits and that is a location where they are going to stop for the night and start up the next morning, they are going to be allowed to do so. City of Tape #CTC -32.03 of this City Traffic Commission meeting is available for your review. rang Please contact the Recording Secretary at (714) 744 -5536 in this regard, advance notice is appreciated. Public Works Department June 2012 [N:/Traffic /CTC /2012 Minutes] 0 Printed On Recycled Paper H Minutes of a Regular Meeting - City Traffic Commission — June 13, 2012 Pg. 10 Amir Farahani, City Traffic Engineer — We are very familiar with those large loads which come once every 2 -3 months for the next year or so but the load comes from San Pedro and comes through our city and normally they get to Orange about 12:00 midnight or 1:00 a.m., and they rest overnight and the next day they continue their move. Commissioner Kin sr — I oppose the bike lanes. I think some of these proposals may work and some may not work, but it complicates the whole street. I would vote to keep the street the way it is. Vice Chairman Vaughan — Sgt. Bird mentioned permits for large vehicles, was it ever considered or maybe it's just not within the parameters of what we could do, to have a permitted parking zone so they could offer permits to tenants or guests coming in? They could come in to the manager's office and get a permit for temporary parking for allowed vehicles only. Is that a remote possibility? Enrico Cari — The office is not manned 24 hours a day, and there are only 10 units in the complex. People come and go at all hours of the day and night. Vice Chairman Vaughan — People would have permits in their units just like other residents. Chairman Beil — We have many permit parking areas in the city with 7 permits per household, but I don't know if that type of permitting would be allowable or apply to violating a timed parking zone. That would be the complexity of it. Commissioner Lebeau — Would it be okay to recognize someone from the audience for a short comment? Chairman Beil — I've closed the public hearing. I think we need to deliberate based on what we know, we don't want to debate our audience. Commissioner Lebeau — I think we might want to table this and have staff go back and review an extra parking lane with a bike lane next to it, and maybe come back with another recommendation. Chairman Beil — Then my recommendation to the staff would be to investigate the motion Commissioner Glasgow made to put in curbside parking for the distance between those two properties and since we've never done it in the City of Orange we try it as a demonstration, given the condition of the parking situation at this location. City of Tape #CTC -32.03 of this City Traffic Commission meeting is available for your review. rang Please contact the Recording Secretary at (714) 744 -5536 in this regard, advance notice is appreciated. Public Works Department B June 2012 [N:/rraffic /CTC /2012 Minutes] a Printed On Recycled Paper APkk Minutes of a Regular Meeting - City Traffic Commission — June 13, 2012 Pg. 11 Commissioner Lebeau - At this point I would withdraw my original motion, and second the request that we table it with the instructions to staff to investigate the bike lane outside the curbside parking to see if it can be drawn up, and look at an alternate recommendation prior to us taking a final vote. Wayne Winthers, City Attomey - I just want to clarify with Commissioner King if he had made a motion earlier to deny or if you were stating a position? Commissioner Kin e - No it is not a motion it is my opinion when and if it comes to a vote. ACTION: To continue this to the August meeting to consider, approving the recommended NO STOPPING signs and striping as proposed by staff on both sides of Taft Ave. from Cambridge St. to Tustin St., with the consideration of a bike lane striping plan retaining the curbside parking and locating the bike lane outside the curbside parking area (per MUTCD Standards 9C -5) on the north side of Taft Ave. from the driveway of 1535 E. Taft Ave. to the driveway of 1525 E. Taft Ave. List staff concerns and risk assessment. Include data on whom and when parking is being utilized at this location. MOTION: Glasgow SECOND: Beil AYES: Unanimous End of Consideration Items V. ADMINISTRATIVE REPORTS None this month. City of Tape #CTC -32.03 of this City Traffic Commission meeting is available for your review. rang Please contact the Recording Secretary at (714) 744 -5536 in this regard, advance notice is appreciated. Public Works Department B June 2012 [N:/Traffic /CTC /2012 Minutes] a Printed On Recycled Paper M Minutes of a Regular Meeting - City Traffic Commission — June 13, 2012 Pg. 12 VI.ADJOURNMENT After discussion of today's Agenda 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 - August 8, 2012 Respectfully submitted, CITY OF ORANGE Phyllis Then, Recording Secretary Traffic Engineering Division then @citvoforan¢e.or CITY OF ORANGE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT 300 E. CHAPMAN AVENUE ORANGE CA 92866 - PH: (714) 744 -5536 FAX: (714) 744 -5573 ` Cityof Tape #CTC -32.03 of this City Traffic Commission meeting is available for your review. rang Please contact the Recording Secretary at (714) 744 -5536 in this regard, advance notice is appreciated. Public Works Department n June 2012 [N:/Traffic /CTC /2012 Minutes] a Printed On Recycled Paper