Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutSafety Commission mins 1990/03/08 . . . MINUTES OF THE SAFETY COMMISSION MEETING CITY OF CHULA VISTA, CALIFORNIA Thursday, March 8, 1990 7:07 p.m. Council Chambers Public Services Building ROLL CALL MEMBERS PRESENT: Commissioners Arnold, Koester, Militscher, Thomas, Waller MEMBERS ABSENT: Chairman Decker (excused), Vice-Chair Braden (unexcused) STAFF PRESENT: Hal Rosenberg, City Traffic Engineer; Frank Rivera, Assistant Civil Engineer OTHERS PRESENT: Sergeant Tom Schaefer, Ray Morris. Also, see attached attendance list. Commissioner Arnold chaired the meeting. 1. APPROVAL OF MINUTES MOTION I MSUC {Militscher/Koesterj 5-0, to approve the minutes of January 11, 1990 and February 10, 1990. 2. CONTINUED MATTERS It was requested to staff that the Safety Commission be provided with the latest edition of the California Vehicle Code Book. 3. NEW BUSINESS ill Request for a two-hour parkin!! limit on the 1600 block of Maple Drive Frank Rivera, Assistant Civil Engineer, presented staffs report. Staff received a letter dated December 17, 1989, from the residents of the 1600 block of Maple Drive. The residents are requesting that a permit parking area or a two-hour parking limit be established in front of their residences. Residents do not having parking available in front of their homes as people from the condominium complex and their visitors park in the area. 1 . . . SAFETY COMMISSION March 8, 1990 Commissioner Militscher asked if this were an item for the Safety Commission. Prank Rivera responded that he believed that since residents state they do not have a place to park and that cars are being parked too close to their driveways, it therefore makes pulling out of their driveways more difficult. He then concluded staffs oral report. That if vehicles are being parked for inordinate amounts of time that residents can notify Police Department. Commissioner Thomas asked what does staff recommend. Mr. Rivera stated that the problem of parking for extended periods of time does exist; however it was not as much of a problem now. That staffs recommendation is that the Safety Commission recommend no permit or time limited parking be established on the 1600 block of Maple Drive. Hal Rosenberg, City Traffic Engineer, added that there is available parking but that it may not be very convenient. In response to a question by Commissioner Arnold regarding the parking permit system at the Chula Vista High School area, Mr. Rivera responded that they have had requests from neighboring streets for parking permit systems as people who do not have permits tend to park in their areas. Mr. Rosenberg noted that a parking permit system shifts the problem from one area to another. Mr. Rivera commented that staff does have available to residents that do have a problem with visibility out of their driveway the possibility of red painting a 10 foot minimum of each side of their driveway curbs, there is no fee involved with this. PUBLIC DISCUSSION: George Roberts, 1640 Maple Drive, #73, Autumn Hills Condo Association. Mr. Roberts stated there is adequate parking for each of the 80 units, 3 spaces each unit, and 20 visitor parking spots. He further stated that it is true that some residents park on the street. It is a problem of too many cars. It does create problem at times; but he does not know solution. Since it is a public street, certainly people living in the condo feel everybody has right to park on street. Commissioner Waller stated that he noticed commercial type vehicles and large trucks parking there. Mr. Roberts responded that, not to his knowledge, anyone in the condo complex has any type of commercial vehicle. 2 . . . SAFETY COMMISSION March 8, 1990 Commissioner Arnold asked if it were correct that the restriction placed upon the people parking in the visitors spots, if it is one of the tenants of the condo complex, would have their cars towed. Mr. Roberts responded that vehicles were towed after a certain period of time. They are considered to be a visitor for 14 days. Commissioner Arnold wished to know if he was correct in saying that owners can use visitors sports. Mr. Roberts stated that the recommendation is that they not use visitor spots. Bill Allen, 1671 Maple Drive, Chula Vista, CA 92011. Mr. Allen stated that the problem is the parking on the street; that residents of Maple Drive cannot have visitor parking. He noted that nine spaces in the condo complex are empty 90 percent of the time. The parking problem is a seasonal problem--especialiy in the summertime. That people "store" their cars in front of our homes. Kids trying to cross street have a problem with visibility. Some individuals park their vehicles on Friday evening and "store" them for the weekend. Some of the kids from the condo complex have been hit by vehicles due to lack of visibility. Commissioner Militscher suggested that, for example, the condos have visitors parking on the street and make the visitors spots in the condo complex available for residents. Otto Jessen, 1674 Maple Drive, Chula Vista, CA 92011. Condition is that people from condos complex can park in front of our houses but we cannot park in their complex. He had tried twice to have cars towed after 72 hours. When police come out, he has been told that the car has to be there 72 ~~~~72~~~~~~~~~~~~ will be another 72 hour wait before the vehicle can be towed.. MOTION MSUC {Militscher/Koesterj 5-0, approved, to contact condo complex to make spaces available to residents and to red-tip driveways. Mr. Rosenberg asked Mr. Roberts if that suggestion is reasonable and agreeable to the homeowners and perhaps bring back the information, perhaps at the next meeting. 3 . . . SAFETY COMMISSION March 8, 1990 Mr. Roberts stated that he had no objective whatsoever, asking them to do that, but that he did not know what method he could use to force them to do it. There will be times when they will be parking on the street. Commission Militscher stated that it was the spirit of this thing is that there be no vacant parking spots there (the guest parking spots), what the Commission is asking the condo residents to do--realizing that it may not be 100 percent workable--is to use the guest spots before parking on the street. Mr. Rosenberg stated that staff would follow up on this item and would report back at the next meeting. ill Reauest for an all-wav stop at Eastlake Drive/Lakeshore Drive and at Eastlake Drive/Hillside Drive Staff received request last April from a homeowner in the Eastlake area; staff advised the homeowner that the request for a stop at these two key intersections would be evaluated at such time before the Eastlake Elementary School were to be open. The elementary school is scheduled to be open sometime this month, probably next week. Staff did complete an analysis. He showed the Commission viewgraphs of the area under discussion. Mr. Rivera stated that one intersection met the Warrant and the other intersection was close to meeting the Warrant, but because the elementary school children having not been using this area--they have been bused to other schools until such time as the elementary school opens--there were no children walking (to be included in the count for staffs study); but now that the school is opening, children will be using these intersections and in order to make traffic aware of these crosswalks staff recommends the all-way stops at these intersections. Mr. Rosenberg added that staff took the liberty, because it felt that interpretation was in order and we projected what we felt would be a reasonable amount of usage and concluded that the point system, if you will, was close enough to satisfy staffs position in recommending the all-way stops at both locations. Commissioner Arnold asked what were the boundaries that would be included in the school area. Mr. Rivera stated that the school IS for the EastLake area and showed the boundaries on a viewgraph. Commissioner Arnold indicated that he was concerned about the intersection of East "H" Street and Eastlake Drive. 4 . . . SAFETY COMMISSION March 8, 1990 Mr. Rivera noted that the intersection has a stop sign and is an all-way stop intersection. That when it connects through to the freeway sometime in the future, it will be a signalized intersection. Mr. George Bjornstad, 1955 Hillside Drive, Chula Vista. Mr. Bjornstad, Principal, Eastlake Elementary School, told the Commissioners that the boundaries the school will service are east of Corral Canyon Road which comes down and connects with East "H" Street; then there is a natural canyon between the lake and hence the school takes in all of the EastLake area. Commissioner Waller stated, that as a resident of the EastLake area, he can attest that these two (proposed) Stop signs will help slow the traffic down on the two circles as at the present traffic really zooms. MOTION MSUC [Thomas/Militscher] 5-0, approved, to accept staff's position. ill Request for sie:nine: and pavement markine:s in the vicinity of Eastlake Elementarv School Mr. Rosenberg noted that this item is a companion to Item 3(b), and supplements it by requesting direction to put in the pedestrian crosswalks for the all-way stop locations. Commissioner Waller asked if this was not already in. Mr. Rivera respond, stating that the crosswalk at Rue Avallon, and there are crosswalks here at Eastlake Drive/Lakeshore Drive and here at Eastlake DrivelHillside Drive. Commissioner Arnold noted that Commissioner Waller had comments on the speed of vehicles as they come around the (Hillside Drive) circle and wished to know if there were any other crosswalk areas being considered for kids to get from one side of the street to another (from outer ring to inner ring) in order to get to the school. Mr. Rosenberg stated that staff is working with the Police Department for the suggested route to school. At present time staff feels this plan is adequate. Mr. Rivera explained where the school crossing guards would be placed. Commissioner Waller noted that the police have stepped up their surveillance of the area and that cars are slowing down coming around the circle. 5 . . . SAFETY COMMISSION March 8, 1990 MOTION MSUC [Wallerrrhomas] 5-0, approved, to accept staffs recommendation to install school crossings for Eastlake Elementary School. Commissioner Koester asked, as a matter of clarification, what was the difference between crosswalks painted yellow and those painted white. Mr. Rivera informed Commission that the yellow crosswalks designate a school crossing (and are to be within a certain distance of the school, where the school crossing guards will be located and those have to be within the vicinity of the school; the white crosswalks are regular pedestrian crosswalks, not near a school. 4. TRIAL TRAFFIC REGULATIONS None on Agenda. 5. STAFF REPORTS (a) No comments. (b) No comments. (c) City Traffic Engineer's Report (Oral Presentation) Mr. Rosenberg told the Commission that the City Council will be hearing a recommendation by staff to approve funding for a pedestrian signal on Hilltop Drive at the San Diego Gas & Electric Company easement, where we recently installed a crosswalk leading to the Lorna Verde Elementary School and where there is presently an adult crossing guard monitoring the chi]dren crossing the street. 6. COMMUNICATIONS (a) Public Remarks - None. (b) Commission Comments There was a brief discussion on the subject raised by Commissioner Waller of installing metal guardrail on Eastlake Drive. Commissioner Thomas requested staff to comment on the status of the item relating to Third Avenue and "F" Street in connection with double parking/no parking for people who stop at Pacific Bell to pay bills. Staff responded that they did speak 6 . . . SAFETY COMMISSION March 8, 1990 to the Police Department about enforcement, staff will invite a representative from Pacific Bell to come before the Safety Commission, that staff will make a video of the area to show to the Commission. Commissioner Thomas requested that this matter be an object of study and brought before the Safety Commission as an Agenda item. Commissioner Thomas requested a status report on the Shell Oil water-runoff problem at their car wash facility. Commission formed a subcommittee of two [MilitscherfThomas] to look into this problem. Commissioner Thomas invited Commission members to swearing in ceremony of the new Chula Vista Postmaster, Richard Esslinger, next Thursday at 8:00 a.m.. Commissioner Militscher asked about the problem on "H" Street and Fifth Avenue, the alley behind the row of buildings. He requested that the area be painted and kept clear. Commissioner Militscher asked about the status of road improvements in the area of Hilltop between "H" Street and "F" Street. Staff responded that this is a c.I.P. project. It was requested by Commission Militscher that the process be speeded up. Mr. Rosenberg responded that the Commission could express its concern to the City Council and that the Commission feels the situation presents a safety hazard. The Commission could also ask the City Council to consider an assessment district. 7. WRITTEN CORRESPONDENCE None. MOTION MSUC [Koester/Militscher] 5-0, approved, to adjourn the Safety Commission meeting to April 12, 1990. Safety Commission meeting was adjourned at 8:22 p.m. [NSC-MAR90.MTG] ~d~~ Berlin D. Bosworth, Recording Secretary 7