10-12-2011 - Minutes TCE
CITY OF ORANGE
x
CITY TRAFFIC COMMISSION
Minutes of a Regular Meeting: October 12, 2011
I. OPENING
A. Flag Pledge
B. Roll Call
Present - Commissioners: J. Beil, W. King, M. Lebeau, C. Vaughan
Absent -Commissioners: N. Lall
Present - Staff: A. Farahani, W. Winthers, D. Allenbach, Sgt. J. Bird, P. Then
C. Approval of Minutes
• September 14, 2011
ACTION:
Approved as published.
MOTION:
W. King
SECOND:
C. Vaughan
AYES:
J. Beil, W. King, C. Vaughan
ABSTAIN:
M. Lebeau
NOES:
None
It. ORAL PRESENTATIONS
None this month.
III. CONSENT CALENDAR
None this month.
City of
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Public Works Department
Tape #CTC -31.07 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.
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Minutes of a Regular Meeting - City Traffic Commission — October 12, 2011 Pg. 2
IV. CONSIDERATION ITEMS
1. Request for the installation of red curb markings for the residential driveway on
Dana Place serving 256 N. Highland St.
Thuy -Tien Trinh
256 N. Highland St.
Orange, CA 92867
Oral presentation is based on the written staff report, please refer to your copy.
Chairman Beil opened the public hearing for discussion of this item.
Commissioner Vaughan — You indicate the truck shown in the photograph does
not block the driveway.
Dave Allenbach, Transportation Analyst — This photo was supplied by the
proponent, it's a little difficult to see but actually the wheel base of the truck is at
the top of the curb return so legally the tailgate may overhang into the driveway
slightly, however, the drive approach is not blocked. This is a 24 ft. wide
driveway as you can see the truck is parked in almost the same position and it
may be inconvenient and slightly difficult to back in and out of this driveway,
however, access to the property is maintained.
Thuy -Tien Trinh, 256 N. Highland St. — This situation occurs multiple times
throughout the month. This truck was parked here from Monday through
Thursday, which is street sweeping day and that is why the truck was moved.
After the sweeper goes by the truck returns and often blocks one side of the
driveway making it difficult to get in and out. There have been instances when
the apartment tenants pull up and block my driveway completely and they say
they're only here for 5 minutes they have to run in and grab something. That's
not fair to me, what if I had to leave right away, I can't just wait to see if they
come back right away or not. Across from us in the corner is a fire hydrant and
all my neighbors are unhappy that the apartment tenants park there. I've been
told that the apartment complex has additional parking spaces it's just that they
charge the tenants additional money for them. Many times they park on the
street rather than pay for additional onsite parking.
Commissioner King — Is that the truck that normally parks there? Does he park
there a lot?
` City of Tape ACTC -31.07 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.
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Minutes of a Regular Meeting - City Traffic Commission — October 12, 2011 Pg. 3
Thug- -Tien Trinh, 256 N. Highland St. - He's done that twice, but there have been
other vans that have parked there in the past, or smaller vehicles that are parked
all the way along that area.
Commissioner King - Do you know that person?
Thuy -Tien Trinh, 256 N. Highland St. - No I don't know him, I've seen him once.
When he saw me pull up he actually moved his truck a little bit so I could get in
the driveway. For the most part I have not seen him move the truck from
Monday through Thursday which makes it difficult for me to approach him and
ask him to move his truck. The first time he parked here I asked him to move
and he did that, however, subsequently when he has parked here he has parked
just like this overhanging into the driveway.
Commissioner Lebeau - How much room is in front of that truck? How much
curb space? So there's nothing from prohibiting that truck from pulling forward.
Dave Allenbach, Transportation Anal - There's about 50 -60 ft. between the
back of the curb return of the corner of Dana and Highland and the driveway
itself; so there is room for about 3 vehicles to park. There are no driveways on
the north side of the street in this area, so this 128 ft. of space is available for on-
street parking as well. The driveway for the apartments is in here and then there
is room for 2 vehicles between the proponent's driveway and the apartment
driveway, and probably about 2 vehicles between the north side of the apartment
driveway and then the next residential driveway to the north on Park Ln.
Commissioner Lebeau - So there's really no reason why that person shouldn't be
more considerate and move forward.
Dave Allenbach, Transportation Analyst - During the day there is adequate
space for parking without blocking anyone's driveway. In the evening, and we
were there around 6:00 p.m., the demand gets higher so the available space gets
taken and they're just looking for a place where they think their vehicle will fit
and maybe they will overhang the driveway a little bit.
Commissioner Lebeau - It's probably reasonable to assume that's overflow from
the apartments and they are using the ped gate to go in.
Dave Allenbach, Transportation Analyst - That is what we suspect. There may
have been another vehicle parked between the truck and the vehicle that you see
in the front that may have left prior to me taking this photograph. In this case
the owner of the truck could definitely have room to move forward.
City of Tape #CTC -31.07 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
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Minutes of a Regular Meeting - City Traffic Commission — October 12, 2011 Pg. 4
Commissioner Lebeau — The proponent indicated that the gate was recently
added, did anyone look to determine whether that pedestrian gate was
permitted?
Mignon Mitchell, 201 N. Wayfield St. (Apartment Manager) - The vehicle gate
existed when we bought the building in 1994, to my knowledge. The pedestrian
gate was put in after, it was permitted, but I don't know the date.
Commissioner Lebeau — It was reported that you charge an additional fee for
onsite parking beyond their assigned parking, is that correct?
Mignon Mitchell, 201 N. Wayfield St. (Apartment Manager) — That is true, I'm
not doing it to make people park outside. We're full, all my parking spaces are
taken, this building was built in 1975 and it has 1 1 /2 parking spaces per unit.
Commissioner Vaughan — Could you install parking tees?
Chairman Beil — Are those enforceable as far as overhang?
Sgt. Bird, OPD Traffic Bureau — They are guidelines only.
Commissioner Vaughan — If somebody had an incentive that we want them to
park in a specific area it seems that could be a solution that equates to the same
thing.
Chairman Beil — If we're going to spend time and money to put paint on the
street I'd rather just put the paint on the curb, red, and make it enforceable.
Chairman Beil closed the public hearing and returned the item to the Commission for
final discussion and a motion.
Chairman Beil — I was a little torn on this one, on one hand we're very consistent
on denying red curb where it's really not needed. But if I were in that driveway
trying to back out and just because of the geometry and the block wall that runs
right out to the back of the sidewalk, you can't see, and when there is a truck
parked there and you're trying to back out into the bulb of street, and cars are
coming around corners you can't see anything when you're backing out, or even
going forward. I'm inclined to at least support red on the easterly side of the
driveway.
City of Tape #CTC -31.07 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
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Minutes of a Regular Meeting - City Traffic Commission — October 12, 2011 Pg. 5
Commissioner Lebeau — I share your concern with the geometry of the bulb of
that cul -de -sac, it does create a sight line issue for the east side of the driveway
and I think a 10 ft. red curb on the east side would be well placed.
Commissioner Vaughan — I agree, this site seems to be a little unique and it
would appear that even with at least a minimum of 2 -3 ft. of red curb there is still
going to be the same amount of parking available. It looks like you can still get
the same amount of vehicles in there. I think we could help the proponent and
make it safer for everyone at the same time without giving up space needed for
overflow parking.
ACTION: Approve the request and install 10 ft. of red curb on the
east side of the driveway.
Commissioner King I think you should go ahead and paint red curb on both
sides of the driveway.
Commissioner Lebeau I agree. I amend the motion to install red curb on both
sides of the driveway.
AMENDED MOTION: Approved the proponent's request and install 10 ft. of
red curb on the both sides of the driveway.
MOTION M. Lebeau
SECOND: W. King
Unintelligible comments from the audience.
Dave Allenbach, Transportation Analyst — In this photograph where this van is
parked, from there to the driveway is about 10 ft. Imagine that on the other side.
All together it will be about 1 car length, half on each side. It probably will not
create any issues with parking availability in the area, there will still be space for
2 vehicles between the proponent's driveway and the apartment gate, and there
will be 2 1 /2 between the driveway and Highland St. as well.
More unintelligible comments from the audience.
AYES: Unanimous
k End of Consideration Items
` City of Tape ACTC -31.07 of this City Traffic Commission meeting is available for your review.
rang Please contact the Recording Secretary at (714) 7445536 in this regard, advance notice is appreciated.
Public Works Department
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Minutes of a Regular Meeting - City Traffic Commission — October 12, 2011 Pg. 6
V. ADMINISTRATIVE REPORTS
A follow up to the CROSS TRAFFIC DOES NOT STOP issue at Sirius Ave. and
Spinnaker St. and Tiller Ave. and Spinnaker.
Dave Allenbach, Transportation Analyst — In August we heard a request for the
installation of STOP controls at Spinnaker /Sirius and Tiller /Spinnaker. Through
the course of that discussion ultimately both STOP requests were denied,
however, the Traffic Commission directed us to install CROSS TRAFFIC DOES NOT
STOP signs for the 2 -Way STOP at Sirius St. and Spinnaker St., and to also make
contact with the property owners at the northwest corners of Sirius /Spinnaker
and Tiller /Spinnaker to have their hedges trimmed to provide better sight
distance at the approaches of the intersections. Staff has done that; we were also
directed to meet back in October to discuss how the improvements are
progressing. We have posted the CROSS TRAFFIC DOES NOT STOP signs; we also
added 2 -Way plate for each STOP sign. Also the existing STOP signs had graffiti
so they were replaced. Our Environmental Compliance Officer has met the
homeowners of the northwest corners of the subject intersections, they are
attempting to comply. As you can see this is the northwest corner of Spinnaker
prior to the shrubs being trimmed, this is the way it looks today.
It looks as though the evergreen shrub is being removed. On Tiller Ave. and
Spinnaker St. this the way it looked before, there was moderate improvement
with the trimming, our Environmental Compliance Officer is going out again to
meet with the homeowner, and we're going to request the hedges be trimmed
lower than they are now. Then there is a branch from a fruit tree that is
overhanging the street that we're going to ask them to trim back. To our
knowledge this homeowner is willing to comply she's just looking for more
direction from us.
Commissioner Vaughan — Has there been any feedback from the residents with
regards to the signage, have they seen an improvement, did they comment at all?
City of Tape ACTC -31.07 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
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Minutes of a Regular Meeting - City Traffic Commission — October 12, 2011 PQ. 7
Dave Allenbach, Transportation Analyst - We haven't received any feedback.
Traffic volume in the neighborhood is going to remain the same, we did have
just the one accident at Sirius Ave. and Spinnaker St. and it was the result of a
motorist eastbound on Sirius Ave. saw a southbound vehicle on Spinnaker St.
and believed it would stop, and proceeded through the intersection. The CROSS
TRAFFIC DOES NOT STOP sign but with only one accident, it's really hard to tell if
there's any improvement or not.
ACTION: Receive & File report.
MOTION: J. Beil
SECOND: M. Lebeau
AYES: Unanimous
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 - November 9, 2011
Respectfully submitted,
CITY OF ORANGE
Phyllis Then, Recording Secretary
Traffic Engineering Division
pthen @cityoforange.org
CITY OF ORANGE
PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT
300 E. CHAPMAN AVENUE
ORANGE CA 92566
PH: (714) 7445536
FAX: (714) 7445573
City of Tape t/CTC -31.07 of this City Traffic Commission meeting is available for your review.
rang Please contact the Recording Secretary at (714) 7445536 in this regard, advance notice is appreciated.
Public Works Department
B October 2011 [N: /Traffic /CTC /2011 Minutes] a Printed On Recycled Paper