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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes Transportation Advisory Commission - 01/25/2010 RECEIVED Transportation Advisory Committee MAR 1 2 2010 Meeting Minutes Monday, January 25, 2010 CITY SECRETARY'S OFFICE Call Meeting to Order - Bill Green, Vice Chair, called the meeting to order at 2:42 p.m. II. Approval of Minutes -Minutes of November 23, 2009 were approved. III. Presentations and Discussions - a. Monthly Traffic Fatality Report: Sgt. Pena discusses the first fatality that occurred last year on 11-27-09. Driver and passenger had an argument so passenger got out of the vehicle and became a pedestrian walking on the roadway when she was shortly after struck by a vehicle. Both the pedestrian and the driver of the vehicle that struck her were intoxicated and the driver of the vehicle was charged. The second fatality occurred on 1-15-10 at 6:33 PM at the 5300 block of Saratoga in front of Niko's restaurant. A pedestrian was walking across the street and was struck by a vehicle. The pedestrian was not crossing at a crosswalk and was wearing dark clothing. Captain Jerry Vesely informs the committee that the police department will be starting an aggressive driver campaign, which will include media coverage. They have talked to the municipal court about not giving aggressive drivers a break or allowing them to plead out, but rather go for the entire maximum for their penalty. People in Corpus Christi have an intoxication and driving problem, as evidence of 56% of the fatalities last year dealt with alcohol in one way or another. b. Monthly Bicycle and Pedestrian Subcommittee Report: Karen Beard informs the committee that the sub-committee did not meet in December and did not meet quorum in January, however they did have discussion. The sub-committee certainly does not want the bicycle lane closed on Ocean Drive. She informs the TAC that the Bicycle and Pedestrian Sub-committee is also looking into addressing a safe passage ordinance. Glenn Jones questions Karen Beard on whether she would prefer to go back to the sub-committee and re-address this issue as to whether it should be pursued. He advises that if the answers chairmen, Bill Green, has asked Charlie Cardenas to come back with prove that parking is in fact banned along Ocean Drive, residents will create an outpour. There is a possibility that the bicycle lane could go away if this happens. c. Burney and Everhart traffic light: Karen Beard motions to table this item. Eloy Soza seconds. Item is tabled. d. Ranger and Saratoga traffic light coordination: Karen Beard motions to table this item. Eloy Soza seconds. Item is tabled. SCANNED Page 1 of 8 e. MMA update: Karen Beard motions to table this item. Eloy Soza seconds. Item is tabled. f. Speed humps on Cape Romain: Charlie Cardenas discusses that this item was brought to the committee to show the locations of the speed humps on Cape Romain. This location did qualify for speed humps at no cost. Bill Straughn gave a public comment at one of the last meetings because he was upset that the speed hump was installed without his signature; however his wife signed the petition. He was requesting that the speed hump requirements be changed to require 100% of all residence homeowners' approval. This item was to inform the committee that city is addressing the issue brought forth: g. Discussion on parking along Ocean.Drive: Bill Green, chairman, elaborates that the no parking limits being discussed on Ocean Drive are the east side, from Atlantic Street to Ennis Joslin Road and on the west side, from Louisiana Avenue to Ennis Joslin Road. Charlie Cardenas starts the discussion with a brief history of the initiation of these events. Last summer, the cycling community expressed interest in the parking and safety of the existing bicycle facilities on Ocean Drive. The proposal brought forth by cyclists was to restrict parking on the entire length of Ocean Drive. A presentation was given to the Bicycle and Pedestrian Sub- committee and later to the Transportation Advisory Committee. The TAC wanted to allow the residents of Ocean Drive to state their support or opposition and concerns. Charlie Cardenas clarifies that currently there is striping along Ocean Drive that designates bicycle use. He also clarifies that the Urban Transportation plan describes a designation of bicycle facilities on Ocean Drive. Bill Green closes presentation and will open public comment and discussion by this committee will continue after the TAC has heard from the public. Karen Beard motions to open public comment. Comments from TAC members after public comment are as follows: Curtis Rock - Expresses that everyone on the TAC is in favor of trying to maintain safety on the roads, whether bicyclist, pedestrian or vehicular. He thinks that this ordinance seems to be much to do about nothing. There is not a big issue as many people have spoken. Mr. Rock drove Ocean Drive before the meeting and saw that there really were not that many vehicles parked on the road. The parking ban could cause a bigger problem. Curtis Rock expresses that he does not favor the parking ban. Daniel Carrizales - Believes there are more things that need to be looked into based on the points taken from the residents. Karen Beard - As the chairwoman of the Bicycle and Pedestrian Sub- committee, she states that this issue was brought forth as a concern of bicyclists. However, the majority of the sub-committee, if choosing between sharing the lane or closing it down all together, would choose to leave it as is. She comments that, based on an unofficial report, the Catalina Condos, Twin Page 2 of 8 Dolphins, 5601 Ocean Drive, 4028 Ocean Drive and 4110 already have parking restrictions through signage. This is an issue that needs to come to a consensus. Anthony Colosi - No comment. Glenn R. Jones - His understanding is that this bicycle lane went in as an agreement, where the bicycle lane was installed as long as parking was still allowed. Mr. Cardenas responds that he needs to look back into records to clarify this. Glenn Jones states that from his understanding, there is not an ordinance that establishes Ocean Drive as a bicycle lane. He questions whether the Bay Trail has any legal impact at all, that makes this more enforceable. Veronica Ocanas clarifies that she would have to look into this, but she states that if it is listed as a bay trail in the Parks and Recreation departments' overall plan, it would be a plan the city has in place to move towards, but not necessarily be required to be used as a bicycle lane at this time. She will look into whether the Bay Trail has any legal significance. Mr. Jones also informs the committee that the Bay Trail terminates at the barge dock, but the bicycle lane terminates at Cole Park. Does this mean Shoreline should eventually have no parking as well? Mr. Cardenas responds that he will check into it with Parks and Recreation, however, it is a Bay Trail designation, but does not mean it is a physical trail, only a designation. Mr. Jones states that sometimes in the attempt to make things safe, we can have unintended consequences and actually make things more dangerous. He believes that pedestrians and bicyclists have an obligation to maneuver around a vehicle and go through an intersection, even if they may have to slow down and actually stop to look. He expresses that if TAC were to pass an ordinance to ban parking, we are creating more of a problem. Sheila Cudd - From her understanding this issue came up because the MUTCD says not to mix cars and bicyclists in a bicycle lane. She thinks it is something that needs to be enforced and our only option is to ban parking on Ocean Drive. She understands the impact it will have on residents of Ocean Drive but parking is alreadybanned at the addresses of some of the residents who spoke today. As a committee member, she is not ready to make a decision on the issue without getting more details; however she does believe that parking needs to be banned in order to make it safe for bicyclists. Eloy Soza - No Comment. Edd Price - He recalls Karen Beard saying that there was state/government money used and if the city did,not designate it as a bicycle trail, the city would have to pay some money back. Mr. Price does not say this statement is true, but he recalls this being said before and currently does not know which way he will lean on this issue. Bill Green - Mr. Green responds to Larry Urban's question as to why the city is doing this and what are the objectives/goals. He compares this situation to a zoning case and if the city wanted to re-zone a property and more than 20% of the adjoining property owners opposed it, it would not be done. He questions Page3of8 Mr. Cardenas as to what Ocean Drive is designated as in the Urban Transportation Plan and what the properties along Ocean Drive are zone as. Mr. Cardenas responds that it is an A-2 arterial and the properties are zoned as residential, clarifying that it is not practice to have an arterial adjacent to residential property. Bill Green states that perhaps this arterial road designation is incorrect. Mr. Green requests the following from city staff: • Is the designation of Ocean Drive correct? • What are the 85th percentile speeds in the different speed zones of Ocean drive? • Do we have a bicycle path along the entire limits of the intended ordinance? • Are there various widths along the bicycle path? • Does the AASHTO manual state that the bicycle lane width be based upon the travel of speed that is being shared? • What the riding surface and grade of the bicycle path should be? • Is the Ocean Drive bicycle path designated as a bicycle lane by city ordinance? • What are the number of speeding tickets, pedestrian and bicyclist accidents, and the extent of these accidents that occurred along Ocean Drive in the past year? • Does the city have unsafe areas of the bicycle path that require some review? • What is the genesis of this bay trail? Is it part of the master plan or is there anything in legislation that is so designated? • If so, have the infrastructure requirements been identified so that we can safely accomplish this plan? Mr. Green believes that if we are going to have a mixed use facility we have to understand what can and what cannot be used and what criteria must be followed. Mr. Green does not believe that Ocean Drive is legally by ordinance designated as a bicycle lane. He suggests that if we are not allowed to put arterials within a residential community, that there may be sufficient right of way for future improvements that would allow for the use of parking and safe bicycle and pedestrian traffic. Bill Green also suggests city staff review the trash days on Ocean Drive and relay the issues with this being done on a Saturday to the appropriate parties. Karen Beard asks Mr. Cardenas to also do a comparative of the MUTCD code and what city ordinance states. Bill Green requests that restricted parking policies be reviewed and city staff put an exhibit together to visually clarify the ordinances. He encourages that the TAC revisit where and how the city allows safe travel for bicyclists. h. Secondary information or updates: None. IV. Staff Recommendations requiring Committee Review for Recommendations/ Actions - Page 4 of 8 a. Amendment to the composition of the Bicycle and Pedestrian Sub-committee: Karen Beard makes a motion to approve. Edd Price seconds. Motion passes. b. Appointments to the Bicycle and Pedestrian Sub-committee: The sub-committee recommends Huxley Smith as the Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee representative, to replace Carrie Robertson. Motion passes. c. Motion to direct staff to draft an ordinance to modify the term requirements of the Bicycle and Pedestrian Sub-committee Bylaws: Karen Beard makes a motion to approve. Edd Price seconds. Motion passes. d. Motion to propose a one way on Elmore Drive during school hours: Karen Beard motions to table this item. Daniel Carrizales seconds. Item is tabled. e. Motion to propose speed limit on US 77 frontage road in Calallen: Edd Price • motions to approve the speed limit on US 77 frontage road, with the clarification of the exhibit's frontage road in detail. Sheila Cudd seconds. Motion passes. Bill Green requests that the corrected exhibit that will be used for City Council approval, be brought back to TAC to view. f. Motion to abandon and vacate an 85.80-square foot portion (Tract A_ and a 21.50-square foot portion (Tract B) of undeveloped and unsurfaced, dedicated public right-of-way (South Oso Parkway), out of the Botanical Gardens Park Unit 4 Subdivision, as shown on the attached exhibit: Eloy Soza motions to table this item. Karen Beard seconds. Item is tabled. V. Identify items to be placed on a future agenda - • Burney and Everhart traffic light • Ranger Avenue and Saratoga Boulevard traffic signal configuration • MMA update • Whataburger Way update on action city staff will take • Clarification of speed zone on Doddridge between Staples and Ocean VI. Public Comment - • . Jim Owens, 4350 Ocean Drive - Opposes the parking ban on Ocean Drive. He informs the TAC that he lives in the Twin Dolphin Condominium and sicne parking is restrictive in the parking lot, commercial vehicles, such as moving vans, must park on the roadway. Mr. Owens is not in full opposition of the parking ban, but to ask for residents to go out of their way to pay for and obtain a permit for being on the roadway is too extensive. • Lowell Gaut, 3431 Ocean Drive - Opposes the parking ban on Ocean Drive. He wants everyone to keep in mind that Ocean Drive is a residential street. Many events and fundraisers that benefit the community take place at residences on Ocean Drive. For these events to take place parking is needed on the roadway. If the city is not going to limit parking on all other residential streets, why Ocean Drive. Page 5 of 8 • Cynthia Roepke-Breeding for Catalina Condos, 4334 Ocean Drive - Opposes the parking ban on Ocean Drive. Cynthia Roepke-Breeding sent a letter which reads as follows: "Dear Mr. Escobar: As a concerned resident who lives on Ocean Drive, I wrote a letter to the editor (December 12th) stating five reasons why I do NOT agree with banning parking on Ocean Drive. They are: 1. Singling out one particular street to ban parking is discriminatory. Ocean Drive is not only scenic; it is a residential street as well. 2. Residents on Ocean Drive pay copious amounts of property taxes. Why should our guests or workers be denied the privilege of parking in front of our residences? 3. Having to obtain a permit for "special event" parking is ridiculous, costly, time-consuming and again, discriminatory. 4. Tourism is not going to increase because we ban parking on Ocean Drive. Few tourists pack their bicycles on a plane or in the family car. 5. We already have a lane,that is designated as multiple use. Joggers use this lane all the time and have enough common sense to look for traffic if they encounter a parked vehicle. I would hope bicyclists had the same capability. Ocean Drive needs to be left alone. Please consider this opinion during the council meeting on Monday." • John Landers, Business Manager for Dr. and Mrs. Charles Campbell at 5526- 5540 Ocean Drive - Opposes the parking ban on Ocean Drive. Mrs. Campbell wanted him to point out that they hosted (7) events in 2009 that required valet parking. Of these, (5) five of the (7) seven events had a public nature, either for civic or charitable purposes. He wanted to point out that they are not opposed to joggers or bicyclists. They do not mind implementing no parking for a special event, such as Beach to Bay, and are more than willing to comply; however they are opposed to banning parking at all times. • Jeri Kolpack, 5802 Ocean Drive - Opposes the parking ban on Ocean Drive. States that there is already very little space for parking. To have friends come over and tell them they cannot park on Ocean Drive would be a hardship on many. • David Freymillen, 4510 Silver Hollow - Opposes the parking ban on Ocean Drive. Mr. Freymillen represents Harbor Parking, which is a valet service company hired for many events. Last year, his company was hired for 82 events on Ocean Drive, which is at least (1) one event a week. It is a significant part of their business and they employ a lot of college students. This parking ban would be a business situation for the company. They would like to keep things the way that they are because when they park cars for special events on Ocean Drive, they park them in what is now the multi-use lane. Page 6 of 8 • Al Jones, 3420 Ocean Drive - Opposes the parking ban on Ocean Drive. He states that he is a (100) one-hundred mile a week bicyclist and from a practical stand point banning parking on Ocean Drive would do no good in contributing to the safety of bicyclists. He wrote up a simplified proposed city ordinance that has to come to the TAC for consideration. The ordinance asks road users to give a minimum of (3) three feet to (6) six feet, if allowed, to provide for safety of a bicyclist or pedestrian. • Freddy Ramirez, 3402 Ocean Drive - Supports the parking ban on Ocean Drive. He is a cyclist who trains on the Ocean Drive bicycle lane. Mr. Ramirez states to the committee that the Bay Trail is an advertised brochure supported by the Parks and Recreation department, as well as the City of Corpus Christi. The Bay Trail starts at the American Bank Center and works its way along Ocean Drive, towards the university. Many residents that live on Ocean Drive do not realize that they live on a hike and bicycle trail and that they already have parking restricted in front of their residence. There is no enforcement of these parking regulations. He states that 75% of the residents on Ocean Drive already • have a parking restriction in front of their residence. He informs the committee that parking completely restricted along Ocean Drive, because there is a city ordinance that prohibits parking in any area designatedfor hikers and bicyclers. Mr. Ramirez asks the committee to consider the safety of all people who use the bicycle lane and ban parking on Ocean Drive. • Leon Loeb, 3845 Ocean Drive - Opposes the parking ban on Ocean Drive. Mr. Loeb states that back in the 90's when the bicycle lane issue was addressed before by the city council, it was not approved and that was the end of that discussion. He was a little surprised when the last chip-coat was put on Ocean Drive that the bicycle symbols appeared on the roadway. Mr. Loeb wants to point out that for the last (70) seventy to (80) eighty years, Ocean drive has been a residential street. Parking on Ocean Drive has lots of uses, such as family events, fireworks, city park parking, UPS, tradesmen, construction, and city contractors who maintain the medians. Had there been a hint to the residents that there was any governmental action that was going to close those areas to parking; a lot of us would have been here before now. If it turns out that there already is a legal problem with parking along Ocean Drive and it has not yet been enforced, he hopes that TAC will initiate some action to help rectify that situation and restore parking on Ocean Drive. • George Tanner, 3456 Ocean Drive - Opposes the parking ban on Ocean Drive. If residents want to have some friends over last minute and you live on Ocean Drive, they could not do it. He states that he has never been aware of the parking restrictions Mr. Ramirez discussed. He finds it would be difficult to think ahead before each time someone wants to have company over and have to pay a fee and obtain a permit beforehand. • Jim Moloney 3435 Ocean Drive.- Opposes the parking ban on Ocean Drive. With speeds on Ocean Drive at (40) forty to (45) forty-five miles an hour, it is not a place to be riding a bicycle. With these speeds, vehicles are actually driving at (45) forty-five to (50) fifty miles an hour. Whatever was done in the past to remove parking legally on Ocean Drive was not addressed with the Page7of8 residents and the residents would like to continue to park there for all the reasons discussed today. Mr. Loeb also suggests that trash can pick up for Ocean Drive be changed to be done during the week. Currently, trash is picked up on Saturday and residents put their trash bins out on the roadway when the bicycle lane it most used by joggers or bicyclists. • Ralph Cobb, 4028 Ocean Drive - Opposes the parking ban on Ocean Drive. Mr. Cobb states that this would be discriminatory action to those who own lots on Ocean Drive. • Allan Potter, 5818 Ocean Drive - Opposes the parking ban on Ocean Drive. Mr. Potter informs the committee that he runs pretty heavily in the bicycle lane and does not see a problem with the cars parked along Ocean Drive. The problem Mr. Potter sees is the traffic, not the parked cars. There is no place for residents to park cars. He states that he can put only about (4) four cars in his driveway and the closest side street parking to him is about 1110th of a mile one way and 3110th of a mile the other way. Mr. Potter drove Ocean Drive today, and only saw four cars along the entire bicycle lane. He does not see a problem here and does not see what needs to be fixed. Mr. Potter states that he is outside a lot and does not see a whole lot of bicycle or jogger traffic along Ocean Drive. • Guy Watts, 4237 Ocean Drive - Supports the parking ban on Ocean Drive. He is speaking on behalf of the runners and supports the parking ban. Parked cars limbs hanging into the parking lane, and brush set out in front of the residence force you into the lane of traffic. Runners coming west on Ocean Drive towards Airline and vehicles turning right onto Ocean Drive from Airline cannot see each other. What is needed is a stop sign to fix this potential hazard. • Frank Trimble, 5151 Ocean Drive - Opposes the parking ban on Ocean Drive. He states that without "NO PARKING" signs installed all over Ocean Drive, no parking is unenforceable and expresses that these signs will not beautify Ocean Drive. • Larry Urban, 4110 Ocean Drive,- Opposes the parking ban on Ocean Drive. He expresses that he does not live near a side street where his guest can park nearby. If the objective of this parking ban is for safety, putting bicyclists and pedestrians with (5) five ton vehicle is not accomplishing that. • Blake Farentsard, 5601 Ocean Drive - Opposed to the parking ban on Ocean Drive. He suggests implementing no parking during time zones instead of banning parking at all times. He suggests this because some areas do not have side streets nearby and having to park at the nearest side street would be inconvenient to all. • Tim Stephens, 5733 Ocean Drive - Opposes the parking ban. • Eddie L. Garcia, 5626 Ocean Drive - Opposes the parking ban. VII. Adjournment - Meeting adjourned at 5:10 p.m. Page 8 of 8.