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HomeMy WebLinkAbout02-04-2003 TRAFFIC COMMISSION MINUTES � �� �-v,e� ��� + �/�� o� Caldwell City Traffic Commission Minutes • , February 4, 2003 at 2:00 p.m. in the Mayor's Office Present: Gordon Law, Chairman, Chief Bob Sobba, Assistant Chief Mark Wendelsdorf (in place of Bruce Allcott), and Steve Hasson, Planning and Zoning. Absent: Mayor Nancolas NEW BUSINESS 1. Request by Home Federal Bank for driveway approach on Dearborn St. placed 50 feet from the lO Ave. intersection. The applicants presented their portion of the testimony in person, represented by the architect, traffic engineer, and two (2) representatives from Home Federal. Ben Weymouth represented the Engineering Department of the City. After conclusion of testimony, further discussion was conducted among the Traffic Commission members and a request was made to table the consideration of the matter to a later date when the Mayor could be present. The Commission approved the request to table the matter. 2. Request by Steve Hasson and Ben Weymouth for City Council direction to adopt Ada County Highway District Traffic Standards in the City of Caldwell until such time as the City prepares their own. • The motion was made, seconded and a roved. The assi ent pp gnm was given to Mr. Hasson to proceed with forwarding the request to City Council. 3. Request by 1VIr. Luther Likes for the placement of a STOP sign at the corner of South Florida and Hillcrest. Mr. Likes' felt placement of a STOP sign would reduce the danger of an accident at the location. Florida Ave. makes a 90 degree turn and becomes Hillcrest Lane in a configuration that is technically nof an intersection. It was moved and seconded by the Traffic Commission to deny the request for the STOP sign under the premise it was not appropriate to use STOP signs for any purpose except to control traffic conflicts at an intersection. The Traffic Commission approved the motion and the , assignment was made to Bob Sobba to send a letter to Mr. Likes. 4. Request by several residents on Spruce St. between lO Ave. and Kimball Ave. to remove catch basins and siphon crossings at the intersection of Spruce and Arlington and replace them with valley gutters. The b�sis of the request was that stagnant water would encourage the breeding of mosqLUtoes and the valley gutters would reduce speeding traffic on Spruce. It was moved, seconded and approved to deny the request in conformance with long • standing policy to control speeding by enforcement and not by deforming the driving � � surface. The issue of mosquito breeding in catch basin sumps was not considered • significant in comparison to other quiescent waters in and near the City. Chief Sobba indicated he would place the radar trailer in the area. The Commission was informed the catch basins and cross drains were functioning properly. Assi�nment was given to Gordon Law to inform the petitioners of the denial. 5. Request for the posting of 20 MPH SPEED signs and CHILDREN AT PLAY signs on Spruce St., both bl.ocks between Kimball and lO Ave. It was moved and seconded in conformance with policy, the petitioners be informed that, if they would purchase the signs, the City Street Deparhnent would install them. The assignment to inform the petitioners of this decision was given to Gordon Law. 6. Request for the relocation of the YIELD sign on Montana Ave. proceeding north at the intersection of Pine St. and the curve at the same location. Investigation by the chairman concluded the YIELD sign, red in color, was a considerable distance from the location of the curve, it was difficult to see the curve � from the location. of the YIELD sign or to perceive what the purpose of the sign was. It was moved, seconded and approved that the sign be relocated to a point closer to the curve and changed in color to conform to the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices. The assignment was given to Mark Wendelsdorf to respond to the petitioner indicating the Traffic Commission's approval of the request and to Gordon Law to • inform the Street Department of the need to make the sign change. 7. Request by Doug Brown to review the City policy on installation of speed bumps, particularly on private property Mark Wendelsdorf advised the Traffic Commission that matters would more appropriately be considered when Bruce Allcott was present. Motion moved, seconded and approval given to Mark Wendelsdorf's recommendation to table the issue until the next meeting. � 8. Request for the placement of 4-way STOP signs at the intersection of 12 Ave. and Dearborn St. The basis of the request was to install the STOP signs as a speed control mechanism, apparently for traffic on Dearborn. It was moved, seconded and approved to deny the request based on the inappropriateness of using STOP signs for the purpose of speed control consistent with the recommendation of the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices. Cllief Sobba indicated he would place the radar trailer in the area. Gordon Law was assigned to i_nform the petitioner. . : • 9. Request to review the si gnage m the area of Sacajewea School. An investigation showed that Illinois is signed for a school zone. Taft and Ohio are not signed. It was the recommendation of the Traffic Commission that Taft adjacent to the school be signed, and also Ohio, north of its intersection with Terrace, consistent with normal signing policies relative to schools. The assignment was given to Mark Wendelsdorf to inform the petitioner of the Traffic Commission's decision and to Gordon Law to inform the Street Department of the requirement to post the signs. 10. Chief Bob Sobba informed the Corrunission he had received a complaint that cars in Rick Well's used car sales lot were being parked on the sidewalk. It was the recommendation of Chief Sobba and the decision of the Commission that Chief Sobba check with the Mayor about the advisability of issuing citations to the operator of the site for parking cars illegally on the sidewalk. At the conclusion of this item the Traffic Commission Meeting was adjourned. February 13, 2003 Reconsideration of tabled request by Home Federal Bank • The Traffic Commission reconvened to further consider the request by Home Federal Bank for an approach on Dearborn 50 feet from the edge of Tenth Avenue. Attending were Mayor Garret Nancolas, Gardon Law, Chief Bob Sobba, Chief Bruce Alcott and Steve Hasson. Inasmuch as Mayor Nancolas and Chief Alcott were not present at the earlier meeting the following information was provided as a summation of issues and diseussion at the earlier meeting: HOME FEDERAL BANK AppROACH REOUEST Bank proposes a right-in right-out approach on Dearborn starting 50 feet from the edge of Tenth Avenue. This will be the primary entrance to access parking and the drive-up windows. A center barrier island is to be installed to prevent left turn movements from the approach. Development Services and Engineering staff propose compliance with the ACHD standard of at least 110 feet of separation for a right-in right-out approach and 150 feet for a full movement approach. ISSU�S Applicant objects to an ACHD limitation for four reasons: � L They cannot obtain, in their view, the best circulation and site arrangement � • for their needs. � ( 2• Staff did not inform them at the first meeting of the city's reliance on ACHD • standards. They have purchased the site and prepared plans assuming the staff would have no objection to this approach. 3• They completed a traffic study to support the viability of their propo�al and with the presumption city staff would accept the consultant's conclusions. 4• Numerous other sites have approaches similar to theirs. Development Services and Engineering staff recommends compliance with the ACHD standard for the following reasons: 1• The proposed approach is a major �raffic turn-movement center in close proximity to an intersection with a high traf�c arterial. It is a long established and a sound traffic control principle to separate the two as much as practical. 2. There is,no historical right to an approach at this location. 3• The proposed bank across the street was required recently, as an SUP, to relocate an existing approach to eliminate a similar arrangement: 4• Center islands on local and collector streets are discouraged because they create an additional complication in the maintenance of the street. 5• When a mistake has been made in the past, the staff does not feel obligated to make the same mistake forever. The commission discussed the sturullary of issues in detail with particular attention given to • traffic flow on-site, safety issues at the approach, conclusion of the traffic study and conditions of approval of the special use permit for the bank across Dearborn. It was moved by Mayor Nancolas, seconded by Steve Hasson to approve an approach opposite the approved approach for the bank across Dearborn and to deny the request for a second approach on Dearborn: . Those voting in favor: Mayor Nancolas, Bruce Allcott and Steve Hasson. Those vo�ing against: Bob Sobba. As there was not a tie, the chair did not vote. Mayor Nancolas asked Bob Sobba to explain his vote because there had n.ot been any earlier discussion from Bob to reflect his view of the matter. Bob explained his vote was based on the existence of other approaches along Tenth not meeting the criteria of AC�ID, such as Hamburger Connection and City Library, that operated satisfactorily. Further discussiori ensued regarding existing approaches and the need to tailor the ACHD standards to Caldwell's conditions. No further action was taken and the meeting was adjourned. •