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HomeMy WebLinkAboutSafety Commission mins 1993/02/11 MINUTES OF A REGULAR MEETING OF THE CHULA VISTA SAFETY COMMISSION . Thursday, February 11, 1993 7:04 p.m. Council Chambers Public Services Building CALL TO ORDER 1. Roll Call: Present: Chair Thomas, Commissioners Chidester, Koester, Matacia, and Pitts Excused Absence: Vice Chair Padilla, Commissioner Braden Also Present: Harold Rosenberg, Traffic Engineer; Frank Rivera, Associate Traffic Engineer; Sgt. Tom Schaefer, Police Sergeant; Shirley Buxton, Recording Secretary 2. Pledae of Alleaiance/Silent Prayer 3. Ooenina Statement Read by Chair Thomas 4. Aooroval of Minutes August 13, 1992 and December 10, 1992 August 13, 1992 - No action taken. . MSC (Koester/Chidester) to approve the Safety Commission Minutes of December 10, 1992 as presented. Approved 4-0-2-1 with Vice Chair Padilla and Commissioner Braden absent and Commissioner Matacia abstaining. MEETING AGENDA 5. REPORT Country Club Estates Median Frank Rivera presented staff's report. Chair Thomas asked if the raised asphalt median could be done in the 92/93 fiscal year. Mr. Rivera said staff would have to find a fund source for this project but was unsure if it could be done in 92/93 fiscal year. The City Council would have to approve the project and then it would be placed in the Capital Improvement Project program as soon as a fund source could be identified. Harold Rosenberg said the residents at the workshop meeting did not feel they should have to pay for the improvement and the City should assume all costs. Staff was not in a position to go to the City Council to recommend the project because of competing demands for other projects in the City. If Council were to consider this project, they would be looking at other projects throughout the City as well. Staff felt the beautification of the stamped concrete median was not necessarily related to the safety benefits derived from the island itself. Staff was prepared to look at having City forces install an asphalt median of minimal at Palomar Drive and Country Club Drive to provide the same effect of a stamped concrete island using traffic paint to delineate the berm. It was not as attractive as stamped concrete, but it would be more attractive than the delineators that were currently in place. . MS (Thomas/Koester) the Safety Commission approve a raised asphalt median to replace the current delineators at all three intersections. Safety Commission Minutes February 11, 1 993 Page 2 Chair Thomas said he could not justify the cost of beautification and did not want to go the City Council with that recommendation or an assessment district set up to pay for the beautification project. Commissioner Chidester said two residents had contacted him regarding the intersection of First A venue and Country Club Drive and suggested that the current island be moved. SUBSTITUTE MOTION: (Thomas/Koester) the Safety Commission approve a raised asphalt median at Country Club Drive and Palomar Drive and Sierra Way and Country Club Drive and eliminate the current delineators. Harold Rosenberg clarified that staff could go the Council and ask that the delineators be removed by City forces and replaced with a temporary asphalt berm until funding could be found for full raised medians. VOTE ON MOTION: Approved 5-0-2 with Vice Chair Padilla and Commissioner Braden absent. 6. REPORT Request for an On-Street Handicap Parking Stall at 430 Davidson Street Frank Rivera presented staff's report. MSC (Chidester/Matacial that the Safety Commission accept staff's report and recommend to the City Council to approve the installation of one handicap parking stall adjacent to the State Legislator's office at 430 Davidson Street. Approved 5-0-2 with Vice Chair Padilla and Commissioner Braden absent. 7. ORAL COMMUNICATIONS Eugene Leonart, 875 Oak/awn Avenue, Chu/a Vista, CA 97971, spoke to the Commission about the 600 block of Sierra Way. He said nine stop signs had been installed on Sierra Way within a quarter mile area and felt it was a waste of money. He said last year the cross gutters were removed so cars did not hit a large dip in the road and now vehicles had to stop at stop signs. There were stop signs between K and L Street which were quarter mile streets. He was disgusted that money was spent that way. Frank Rivera said he would prepare a report for the next Safety Commission meeting. STAFF REPORTS 8. 1992-93 CIP Status Reoort - Distributed for Commissioner information. 9. Chula Vista Police DeDartment Traffic Summarv for October (Revisedl. November and December 1992 - Distributed for Commissioner information. 10. Attendance Policv - Distributed for Commissioner information. Safety Commission Minutes February 11, 1 993 Page 3 . 11. Written Communications - None. OTHER BUSINESS 12. Commissioner Comments Chair Thomas announced a change in the way Commissioner Comments were handled. He said if there was anything that required action, either to direct staff to perform a function, or have the Commission vote on something, he would like to have it in writing. Staff would then place it on the agenda for the next meeting. He said information received from the City Clerk's office indicated that while the meeting was being conducted, individual commissioners could not request action from staff without a vote from the entire Commission, and the Commission could not vote on an item unless it was on the agenda. 13. Commission WorkshoD 1) Bonita Lona Canyon StoD Sians Frank Rivera presented staff's report. . Bob Strahl, 32B Crestview Drive, Bonita, CA 91902 said he felt the two stop signs at Canyon Drive and Cumbre View and Country Vistas Lane and Sandy Creek Drive were unwarranted and were placed, in his opinion, to control speed. He said it was his understanding that was not the function of a stop sign and the stop signs lessened the effectiveness of other stop signs. When the Chula Vista Police Department strictly enforced the stops signs, it created unnecessary hostility between the Police Department and motorists. He was not faulting the Department for enforcement of the law, but felt they could be used in other situations which might affect lives. He would like to hear staff's feeling and the Commission's recommendation to the City Council regarding those intersections. Frank Rivera said that staff installed the stop sign at Sandy Creek Drive and Country Vistas Lane because there was a downhill grade with a curve that affected sight distance. Staff observed that speeds were high and there were accidents in the area. The intersection of Cumbre View and Canyon Drive also had limited sight distance when exiting Cumbre View. He said the stop signs were put in as a trial traffic regulation for a two year period per Council direction which decreased accidents in the area. If a stop sign was removed, it would easily cause accidents. Staff's recommendation was to leave the stop signs in their current state. Mr. Strahl said that it was his understanding from staff that the accidents that occurred at Sandy Creek Drive and Country Vistas Lane had been caused by residents running the stop signs. Mr. Strahl said going south on Canyon Drive approaching Cumbre View, vehicles were going uphill and not generating a great amount of speed. . Harold Rosenberg said stop signs were reserved to be used when right-of-way needed to be established. When the matter first came before Council, Council after hearing public testimony, directed staff to install the stop signs. While staff was not in total agreement with the direction to install the stop signs, there was no statistical data to prove that the stop signs decreased safety benefits in the area. Staff was not in a position to go back to the City Council and ask that the signs be removed. He said the signs were serving the purpose that Council intended them to serve. Commissioner Chidester asked if the "rolling" or "California" stops were common through the area. Safety Commission Minutes February 11, 1993 Page 4 Frank Rivera reviewed the all-way stop compliance study for the Commission. Commissioner Matacia said that when Bonita Long Canyon was built, most of the stops signs that were in place now, would not be installed. He said on that except for early in the morning and late in the afternoon there were very few cars exiting Cumbre View. If the Commission were to recommend any removal of signs to Council, he would first want to have a total survey of the entire Bonita Long Canyon area. Even though some of the stop signs were useless, it would be dangerous to take them away now. Mr. Strahl said he could understand the concern that caused Council to have the stop signs installed, and that it was most likely the residents who lived on the major streets that wanted them installed. However, with Rialto built out, it was a new community and they were never surveyed regarding stop signs. Maybe it was time to review the entire area. MSC (Thomas/Koester) to recommend to the City Council retaining the stop signs in Bonita Long Canyon. Approved 5-0-2 with Vice Chair Padilla and Commissioner Braden absent. 2) ADA Overview - Presented by Shirley Buxton, Recording Secretary, for Commissioner information. ADJOURNMENT Chair Thomas adjourned the meeting at 8:08 p.m. Respectfully Submitted, j~P\jf!:h &utfe-r-J Shirley Buxto , Recording Secretary SB:SAFETYI021'93.MIN 022493,