Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutSafety Commission mins 1992/11/12 . MINUTES OF A REGULAR MEETING OF THE CHULA VISTA SAFETY COMMISSION Thursday, November 12, 1992 7:09 p.m. Conference Rooms 2 & 3 Public Services Building CALL TO ORDER 1. Roll Call: Present: Chair Thomas, Commissioners Braden (left at 8:50 p.m.) Chidester, Koester, and Pitts Excused Absence: Vice Chair Padilla, Commissioner Matacia Also Present: Hal Rosenberg, Traffic Engineer; Frank Rivera, Associate Traffic Engineer; Sgt. Tom Schaefer, Police Sergeant; Shirley Buxton, Recording Secretary 2. Pledoe of Alleoiance/Silent Praver 3. ODenino Statement Read by Chair Thomas 4. ADDroval of Minutes August 13, 1992 and October 8, 1992 . August 13, 1992 - No action taken MSC (Koester/Braden) to approve the Safety Commission Minutes of October 8, 1992 as presented. Approved 5-0-2 with Vice Chair Padilla and Commissioner Matacia absent. 5. SDecial Orders of the Dav: Dawn Herring, Budget Manager, presented the current budget situation to the Commission. She also indicated that the Commission would be asked to return 2 % of their budget this year. MEETING AGENDA 6. REPORT on Country Club Estates Median Design Proposals Frank Rivera presented staff's report. Dr. W. B. Knox. 851 Country Club Drive, Chula Vista. CA 91911, said he was representing his neighbors and did not understand staff's proposed recommendation and that it would not help the situation. He said that the current pylons were not a deterrent. Clint Sadl#1#", 47 Palomar Drive, Chu/a Vista, CA 91911, said that the delineators had reduced accidents and that the area was quieter and safer. He indicated that the design did not matter, but urged the Commission and staff to make something permanent. He asked that when money was available, an attractive median be installed. . Mike Green, 43 Palomar, Chu/a Vista, CA 91911, said that staff's previous proposals were more attractive. He was willing to help pay for an attractive median through assessments. Staff's current proposal would not solve the problem and asked the Commission to look at previous proposals. Safety Commission Minutes November 12, 1992 Page 2 Steve Savfll, 53 SitHra Way, Chula Vista, CA 97917, said there had been four accidents which affected his property prior to the installation of the delineators. He said with staff's current proposal, cars could still go on the wrong side of the street and hit the curbs. He stated that the previous options were a safer design. He said a median in the middle of the street would help to keep motorists on the correct side of the street, which would assist in safety. Hal Rosenberg said that engineers tried to develop "forgiveness" in a roadway. A median was considered an obstacle to traffic and designs should not be too severe to cause motorists problems. He said if the presented solutions were not acceptable, staff could come back with additional alternatives at a later date. Clyde Bushong, 856 Country Club Drive, Chula Vista, CA 97977, said the temporary intersection had been in place now for three years. He said delineators had not worked on Sierra Way, but had worked on Palomar Drive because the streets were opposite. He said the delineators had not helped in slowing cars down. Even though there had been a reduction in the number of cars, speeds were increasing. He said that the surrounding areas were 30 and 35 mph and motorists did not realize that they were entering a 25 mph zone. He said there were no speed signs in the area and recommended that staff install signs. Patty Sheffiflld, 834 First AVfllJue, Chula Vista, CA 97917, originally suggested that Country Club Drive be a cul-de-sac at the First Avenue intersection. She said motorists go on the wrong side of Country Club Drive from First Avenue. A pressed concrete median was expensive and suggested a median with grass landscaping in the center. John Sheffiflld, 834 First AVfllJU8, Chula Vista, CA 97977 said the current median at First Avenue and Country Club Drive did not stop motorists from travelling on the wrong side of the street. He asked why staff could not re-adjust the curbs at First A venue and Country Club Drive and install different medians. Shirley Buxton, Recording Secretary, read two letters into the record from Glen Goerke, 877 Country Club Drive, and Jane Yagada. Chair Thomas said he didn't want to see more proposals and felt the current program was effective. He said he wanted to see staff work with the residents to find a solution that would be pleasing to as many people as possible. MSC (Thomas/Braden I that staff put together a neighborhood workshop and make a design that would make a majority of the residents happy. Approved 5-0-2 with Vice Chair Padilla and Commissioner Matacia absent. 7. REPORT on Parking Concerns for the 400 block of Nickman Street Thomas Silva, 7730 Fifth AVfllJue, Chula Vista, CA 97977, representing the Sweetwater Union High School District indicated that there were approximately 2,100 students during the day. The traffic was heaviest early in the morning and again in the evening. There were 224 student parking spaces and 44 staff parking spaces. In the northwest corner of the Chula Vista Adult School lot, the District was building another parking lot which would hold approximately 45-50 cars. The lot was expected to be completed next spring. The architect was currently working on the drawings and Mr. Silva would be working on the specifications. He planned to take the item before the School Board early next calendar year. He said 22 parking spaces were already added this year. Chair Thomas said the residents complained that there was no set date for the project and asked the date of construction. Safety Commission Minutes November 12, 1992 Page 3 . Mr. Silva indicated that there was $53,000 available for the project in the 92-93 budget. The underground utilities on the property has been an obstacle in moving the project along. He expected to bid the project within three weeks. Chair Thomas asked if the District had guidelines that must be followed in terms of student/parking space ratios. Mr. Silva indicated that the District was regulated by the State Office of Architects and that there were no guidelines for parking spaces. The District used the local jurisdiction guidelines for parking space width. Chair Thomas again asked if the District could build more buildings without adding parking spaces. Mr. Silva said that nothing addressed the parking spaces issue. The District did try to add parking when they could. Commissioner Braden asked why the District continued to build classrooms. Mr. Silva said demand dictated more classrooms. Most high schools in the District were being utilized as adult schools. He said there were 48,000 adult school students. At Del Rey High School. there was no more room to build any classrooms. Commissioner Chidester asked if the school had relayed to students the problems on Nickman Street and asking for their cooperation in the situation. . Mr. Silva said he would relay that suggestion to the principal. G6Tle Rice. 417 Nickman Street. Chu/a Vista. CA 91911 said that Mr. Silva answered most of his questions regarding any new buildings. Commissioner Pitts told Mr. Rice that in the minutes from October he said there was a safety and health issue involved and asked him to elaborate, and also asked at what times was the parking a problem. Mr. Rice said that he had placed notes on cars asking students not to block his driveway and some of the notes were returned with nasty and rude comments. He said he felt threatened. He said the parking problem was worse between 7:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m. and then again after 6:00 p.m. Car/a Wright. 445 Moss Street. Chu/a Vista. CA 91911 said that the driveway to the school was not clearly marked and caused students to stop suddenly and sometimes back up in the street to enter the driveway. She suggested making a one-way entrance to the school from Fourth Avenue and exit onto Moss Street. She also suggested a "School Ahead" sign be installed. At the beginning of the semester, students block her driveway and she cannot back out. She had been told to call the police whenever her driveway was blocked, but she feared retaliation from students. Chair Thomas asked if there could be increased enforcement in the area. Sgt. Schaefer said that since Mr. Rice contacted the Police Department several months ago, enforcement had increased considerably in the area. . MSC (Chidester/Koester) to accept staff's report and recommend: 1) that residents affected by vehicles illegally parked may have their driveways red-tipped to allow for more clearance and sight distance; 2) that the Safety Commission re-evaluate the parking concerns on Nickman Street after the Del Rey High School parking lot is completed; and 3) staff work with the District on placing adequate signing Safety Commission Minutes November 12, 1992 Page 4 in front of Del Rey High School. Approved 5-0-2 with Vice Chair Padilla and Commissioner Matacia absent. 8. REPORT on Vehicular Speeds on Eastlake Parkway in the vicinity of Eastshore Terrace Frank Rivera presented staff's report. Pam SamclHlicsros, 801 Ridf/ewatsr Drive, Chu/a VistJI, CA 91913, said signs would not help the speeding problem. She would like to see stop signs at the intersection because it was an unsafe, blind intersection. Children played in the area and she was afraid that a child would be hurt. She said there had been accidents which included a retaining wall being struck, a car landed on the median, and another vehicle struck a fire hydrant. She requested a four way stop. Dr. James Gandet, 778 Eastshore TfH"f'aCfl #182, Chu/a VistJI, CA 91913, said he had seen the area grow. The corner was blind and vehicles pulled out into the middle of the street to make the turns. He said vehicles could not see oncoming traffic and wondered how street warning signs would help slow things down. Hal Rosenberg indicated that there was another driveway to the development. The homeowners could consider making Eastlake Parkway an entrance only to the subdivision and exit only on Lakeshore Drive. Commissioner Chidester asked if there would be an off-ramp from the proposed SR-125. Mr. Rosenberg indicated that there was not an off-ramp scheduled at this time. However, with the proposed development of the Kaiser hospital and other commercial centers, it conceivably was a possibility. He said currently there were 3,400 vehicles per day on Eastlake Parkway, and he expected those numbers to double within the next 5-10 years. Kathie Btmnett, 782 Eastshore TfH"f'ace #187, Chu/a VistJI, CA 91913, said she did her own traffic survey one day between 4-6 p.m. and there were 416 cars and two cars were travelling at over 60 mph, 26 cars at 50 + mph, and the average speed was 40-50 mph. She said the Chula Vista Police Department Smart Unit had no effect on slowing people down. She also reiterated that accidents had occurred at the intersection. She was not in favor of making the exit onto Lakeshore Drive because of the congestion that it would cause to the development. The bus stop on Eastlake Parkway was difficult to get to because pedestrians must cross the street. She said most people get half way across the street and must stand in the median for a few minutes before it was clear to get to the other side. She requested stop signs and a cross walk for the area. Chair Thomas asked if the area could have stop signs as a trial traffic regulation. Hal Rosenberg said it would not be feasible to make it a trial because the traffic volume was low and the intersection was with a private driveway. He said the stop signs would be unexpected and, therefore, cause additional problems. He said he would look into possibly relocating the bus stop to make it more accessible. Staff could provide pavement texture at the approach which would cause a rumbling sound to the motorist and encourage them to slow down. Commission Chidester said that he spoke to the Police Department and discovered that many of the speeding citations were being issued to residents. He asked if there was a local newsletter that could place an article about speeding. Some of the residents indicated that this was already tried, but without measurable results. Safety Commission Minutes November 12, 1992 Page 5 . MSC (Thomas/Braden) that the Safety Commission accept staff's report and staff's recommendation to install intersection warning signs with 20 MPH advisory plates and to install 30 MPH pavement markings at the 30 MPH sign for westbound traffic. Approved 4-1-2 with Commissioner Chidester voting no, and Vice Chair Padilla and Commissioner Matacia absent. 9. REPORT on Request for Diagonal Parking at the 100 block of Ouintard Street Frank Rivera presented staff's report. MSC (Chidester/Pitts) that the Safety Commission accept staff's report and recommend to the City Council to adopt a resolution allowing diagonal parking along the north curbline of Ouintard Street between First and Second Avenue. Approved 5-0-2 with Vice Chair Padilla and Commissioner Matacia absent. 10. REPORT on Retaining on Street Parking in the 400 block of L Street Frank Rivera presented staff's report. . Charles Schrad8l". 440 L Street. #/. Chu/a Vista. CA 91910. spoke in favor of staff's recommendation. He said that the homeowners in his complex had been obeying the law and entering from only one direction. He said the violators of the painted median were users of the Youth Center. He supported staff's recommendation as long as it did not affect on-street parking. Mike Osborn. 29 Vista Way. Chu/a Vista. CA 91910, represented the Chula Vista Church of Christ at 470 L Street. He said he was in favor of staff's recommendation and asked that staff make sure that the median/delineators did not extend past the entrance to their church property. He said that there were people at the church on Wednesdays and Sundays and they saw many violators of the painted median turning into the Youth Center. Micha81 Offerman. 440 L Str88t. #F. Chula Vista. CA 91910. spoke in favor of staff's recommenda- tion. He said the problems were a result of the Youth Center and hopefully the delineators would be a solution. He felt the traffic in the area with the Youth Center was poor planning and it was the City's burden to find a solution without affecting the property owners parking. MSC (Thomas/Koester) that the Safety Commission accept staff's report and recommend to the City Council to retain on-street parking in the 400 block of L Street and add yellow reflective pylons within the painted median. Approved 5-0-2 with Vice Chair Padilla and Commissioner Matacia absent. 11. ORAL COMMUNICATIONS None. STAFF REPORTS 12. 1992-93 CIP Status Reoort - Distributed for Commissioner information. . 13. Chula Vista Police Deoartment Traffic Summarv for Seotember 1992 - Distributed for Commissioner information. Safety Commission Minutes November 12, 1992 Page 6 OTHER BUSINESS 14. 1992 AAA Pedestrian Safetv Prooram Aooraisal - Distributed for Commissioner information. 15. Commissioner Comments Chair Thomas reminded the Commissioners to let a speaker finish their presentation before asking questions. He encouraged everyone to follow proper procedures and Roberts Rules of Order. Frank Rivera informed the Commission that Proposition l, which could have given the Safety Commission decision making authority, was defeated. The Commission will continue as an advisory group. 16. Commission Workshoo None. ADJOURNMENT MSC (Thomas/Koester) to adjourn at 9:04 p.m. Respectfully Submitted, SB:SAFfTY/111282.MIN 120292