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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes Transportation Advisory Committee - 03/25/2013 Transportation Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes Monday, March 25, 2013 I. Call Meeting to Order - Mr. Edd Price, Vice-Chairman, called the meeting to order at 2:34 p.m. II. Approval of Minutes - Minutes of February 25, 2013 were approved. III. Presentations and Discussions - a. Introduction of Newly Appointed TAC Members: Mr. Price welcomed and introduced the three new members to the committee. He reported Mr. Scott Harris is replacing Mr. Joseph Dudek; Mr. Brian Hall is replacing Mr. Curtis Rock and Mr. John Garcia is replacing Mr. Chase Carlisle. b. Monthly Traffic Fatality Report: Capt. Gutierrez reported one (1) new fatality, which brings the total to five (5) fatalities for year 2013. He informed the committee this fatality occurred in the 1700 block of Waldron Rd. on February 9 at 8:58 p.m. and it was pedestrian related. c. Monthly Bicycle and Pedestrian Subcommittee Report: Ms. Arnold mentioned the subcommittee met about a week ago and they adjusted the agenda. She said they met recently after the most recent bicycle hit and run accident that happened on Ocean Dr. Ms. Arnold reported Cmdr. Houston with the Police Department visited and made a presentation about a revised and updated approach the Police Department is taking towards hit and run incidents of bicyclists and pedestrians. Ms. Arnold stated it was a very informative presentation and the subcommittee was encouraged about the active and aggressive approach the Police Department is taking to investigate and look at these issues. She distributed a flyer about the upcoming educational bicycle ride taking place on April 27. Everyone in the committee is welcome to participate. Current invitees are Planning, City Council and anybody within city leadership or staff that has some sort of an effect on bicycle and pedestrian transportation and safety for the City of Corpus Christi. In addition, they agreed as a group on various locations throughout the city where the safe passing signs might be posted. They have met with Mr. Cardenas since those suggestions were offered. There were some locations on Ocean Dr., Santa Fe St., Oso Creek and some other areas where the group suggested the signs could be installed. Ms. Arnold said Mr. Cardenas had informed the group he could do about 15 signs and they are hoping within a year or so to get some more. d. Police Department Traffic Enforcement Complaints: Capt. Gutierrez reported seven traffic complaints for the month of February. He said the Patrol Division handled the majority of the complaints because the Traffic Division was busy at the Island for Spring Break. They sent out parking control officers to the 3700 block of Lott Ave. to look at the illegal parking in the school zone. Right now, they have one parking enforcement officer investigating all illegal parking throughout the city. He mentioned the traffic officers investigated other school zone complaints. They have been getting many violators at the 2600 block of Waldron Rd. on a regular basis. He said it is almost to a point where there needs to be an Page 1 of 4 officer every single day at this particular area. Obviously, they cannot dedicate an officer to a particular area but they try to get to the complaints as they come in. e. Top 20 Traffic Accident Locations for the Month: Capt. Gutierrez reported the top locations for the month of February. Again, he is happy to report US-181 is not on the top of the list. They went back to US-181 and did some enforcement. Unfortunately, SPID moved back to the top. The 4700 block of SPID and Everhart Rd. had four accidents and two of them were failure to control speed. Capt. Gutierrez stated the top three locations were passed on to the patrol officers working that particular area to do some enforcement whenever possible. f. Urban Transportation Plan Amendments: None g. Unified Development Code (UDC) with Possible Action Taken • Appeal for Variance at 1213 Ocean Dr.: Mr. Edward Villarreal with Development Services presented an appeal for a driveway for Ms. Brenda Parrish and her father, Mr. William Hinton. He mentioned as of April 1, 2011, the new Unified Development Code (UDC) for circular driveways is 70-foot clearance from property line to property line. Mr. Hinton lives at 1213 Ocean Dr. and he has a 50-foot property line and does not meet the UDC. They are requesting the appeal because the property is right over a hill and he cannot see the traffic coming from Ocean Dr. when backing out from his driveway. He said the traffic on Ocean Dr. goes 40 mph and sometimes higher than that. They are requesting the circular driveway on the 50-foot property line clearance so Mr. Hinton can see the traffic on Ocean Dr. as he comes out of his driveway. Mr. Villarreal stated this is a safety issue. Mr. Jacobi asked if circular driveways are an unusual occurrence on Ocean Dr. Mr. Villarreal responded they are not. Ms. Arnold inquired why the UDC established a 70-foot minimum lot size for a circular driveway. Mr. Villarreal said as of right now he does not have an answer for that; he said it is going through another review but they do not have the final update for the UDC. h. Discussion with Possible Action Taken on "Speed Zone" on McArdle Rd. between Rodd Field Rd. and Ennis Joslin Rd.: Item tabled until next month. L Discussion with Possible Action Taken on Converting 3rd. St. from Del Mar Blvd. to Elizabeth St. to a Two-Way Street: Ms. Escamilla said this item should be corrected. It is on 3rd St. from Del Mar Blvd. to Ayers St. and not from Del Mar Blvd. to Elizabeth St. She said staff does recommend converting this section of 3rd St. into a two-way traffic but there is a need to get residents input and approval before is approved by this committee and then City Council. Mr. Villarreal asked who had made this request. Ms. Escamilla said she does not know this information. Mr. Weckenmann asked if this is a residential street. Ms. Escamilla answered yes, and there are parking lanes on the sides. Mr. Price said to table this item until Mr. Cardenas can provide additional information. j. Discussion with Possible Taken on Converting Born St. from Water St. to Shoreline Blvd. to a Two-Way Street: Ms. Escamilla said this item should be corrected. It is on Born St. from Water St. to Chaparral St. and not from Water St. to Shoreline Blvd. She mentioned this is a small portion and it is the only portion that is a one-way street. She believes there is only one warehouse building at this location. Ms. Escamilla commented between Water St. and Shoreline Blvd. is two- Page 2 of 4 way traffic. Born St. at some point was possibly converted to a one-way street or kept as a one-way street. She stated staff is recommending converting it to a two- way roadway. Ms. Cudd inquired if it goes past Chaparral St. Ms. Escamilla responded no because that is where the Upper Broadway St. is. Mr. Price stated before he votes for it or against it, he would like to learn a little bit more from Mr. Cardenas about Born St. Mr. Jacobi asked if an office park is on the left and right side of Born St. Mr. Harris stated there is no office complex in this area, there is just a warehouse that sits at Born St., Chaparral St. and Upper Broadway St. There are no businesses on Water St. and Born St. k. Discussion on No Cell Phone Use While Driving: Mr. Jacobi discussed an article and pointed out some things from the article. He mentioned one of the questions Ms. Arnold is probably faced with is some of the bicycle accidents that were as a result of distracted drivers. New Jersey has extremely tough no cell phone use laws. They are trying to toughen their laws by increasing their fines for the first, second and third offense. By the third offense, you basically lose your driver's license for using the cell phone, three months suspension of the driver's license, $800 fine and three points against the license. He said the article also talked about other states changing the offense from a secondary to a primary offense. This is at the request of law enforcement. Another interesting point is the toughness of the New Jersey law. If a death occurs as a result of the cell phone use, the person is charged with vehicular homicide. Mr. Jacobi mentioned he does not have any reports on what is happening with the bills that were presented before the State Legislature by State Senator Judith Zaffirini and State Representative Tom Craddick. These two bills are very similar. Mr. Jacobi informed the committee he has discussed the "No cell phone use while driving" with his council member representative. He believes we need to be prepared to act on our own in the event the State Legislator passes the bill, as they did the last time and the Governor vetoes the bill again. I. Discussion of Lane Designation Signs on Frontage Roads at TxDOT Intersections: Ms. Cudd mentioned she brought up this item at the last meeting. Her question is particularly on SPID at Weber Rd. and Everhart Rd.; she has not examined Staples St. and Airline Rd. It seems at one time before the construction was done, the lane designation signage was on top of the traffic signals; they do not have these anymore at these two intersections. The only place they have them are on the street and if you happen to get there after the streets are covered up with vehicles you do not know which of those lanes to get in. If you are from Corpus Christi, you know there are two lanes designated to make the left turn. This is a safety hazard when we do not have the lanes designated for turns. Ms. Escamilla said she would talk with TxDOT to find out the reason why signage was not put up at the mast arms at these locations. m. Update on Whataburger Way: Item tabled until next meeting. IV. Staff Recommendations requiring Committee Review for Recommendations/ Actions a. Appointments to the Bicycle and Pedestrian Sub-committee: None b. Request to Grant Appeal Variance at 1213 Ocean Dr. with Possible Action Taken: Ms. Arnold motioned to grant a variance for the Unified Development Code Page 3 of 4 and allow a circular driveway to be established at 1213 Ocean Dr. on a 50-foot lot. Mr. Jacobi seconded. Motion passed. c. Request to Recommend "Speed Zone" on McArdle Rd. between Rodd Field Rd. and Ennis Joslin Rd. with Possible Action Taken: Item tabled until next meeting. d. Request to Convert 3rd St. from Del Mar Blvd. to Elizabeth St. to a Two-Way Street with Possible Action Taken: Mr. Price requested additional information needed. Item tabled until the next meeting. e. Request to Convert Born St. from Water St. to Shoreline Blvd. to a Two-Way Street with Possible Action Taken: Mr. Weckenmann motioned to recommend making the change to convert Born St. from Water St. to Chaparral St. to a two- way. Mr. Jacobi seconded. Motion passed. V. Identify items to be placed on a future agenda • Update on Road Markings on Chaparral St. @ IH-37 • Update on Staples St. Construction Project VI. Public Comment - • Ms. Brenda Parrish talked about the appeal for variance at 1213 Ocean Dr. • Mr. Ron Martin talked about converting Born St. to a two-way traffic from Water St. to Chaparral St. Mr. Martin stated he is the general partner of Kinney Hotels Partners and he put in the request for the change. They bought this property at the corner of Born St. and Water St. with the intent of building a hotel there. This is the only section of Born St. that is a one-way. They are anticipating using the back portion, as well as the side portion for parking and deliveries. They are requesting converting this section of Born St. to a two-way to make it easier for both customers and deliveries. He said the warehouse to the south is currently occupied. Mr. Martin mentioned they are trying to develop this area in terms of the retail traffic flow. He stated this street does not seem to have a reason to be one-way and they feel it would be beneficial for the business to be a two-way street. VII. Adjournment - Meeting adjourned at 3:27 p.m. Page 4 of 4