Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutTSMinutes_2011_11_17BROOKINGS TRAFFIC SAFETY COMMITTEE City Hall Community Room Thursday, November 17, 2011 12:10 p.m. The Brookings Traffic Safety Committee held its monthly meeting on Thursday, November 17, 2011, at 12:10pm in the City Hall Community Room. Members Present: Brian Lueders, Daryl Englund, Skip Webster, Mike Fossum, Carol Rettkowski, Louis Skubic, Jackie Lanning, Keith Bruinsma, Pete Kirchhevel, and Tony Sonnenburg. Members Absent: Tim Heaton Others Present: Mike McClemans, Stephanie Ellwein, Troy Anderson, Jeff Weldon Call to Order: Englund called the meeting to order. Webster / Lanning moved to approve the minutes from the October meeting. All present voted aye. Addition to Agenda: None Old Business: Revisit: Request to remove parking on 17th Street South between 7th Avenue South and 9th Avenue South and from 17th Street South to Leprechaun Circle. Englund opened the discussion and indicated that the committee could discuss each street separately. Bruinsma mentioned that it depends what the motion is because he was concerned that the problem would be pushed to other streets. Englund stated that the motion at last month’s meeting was to remove parking on both 17th Street South and 9th Avenue South from 7 am to 9 pm. Bruinsma asked if we need to reaffirm last month’s motion or go through the discussion again. Englund indicated that there is a proposal to install an 8 stall parking lot on the east side of the condominium property but it is under consideration for a variance today. Mike McClemans showed pictures to the committee and described the variance which included front yard parking and an additional driveway and that the variance board could pass what it wants. He didn’t know how the vote would go and he would know more later today. Troy Anderson, 718 17th Street S., showed pictures and stated that at 7:30 am the morning of the meeting people were still parking close to driveways and mailboxes. He felt that even with a 6-8 parking stalls that there are still multiple cars using the street for parking instead of garages today and he didn’t know that they will really use the proposed parking lot. Stephanie Ellwein stated there is a potential impact of the new condos with 10 new cars. Englund stated that the committee could recommend to the variance board to approve the parking request. He asked if there are further comments on how to proceed with this issue and if the committee should do it the same way as last time. Webster had a question if there were any changes at all, that there would be no parking on one side of 9th Avenue S. and he asked how that would affect snow removal. Kirchhevel indicated that during snow removal there should be nobody parking on the streets and it shouldn’t be an issue. There is only one driveway coming around the corner on 9th Avenue S. There are two residents on the west side of 9th Avenue, but only one driveway onto 9th Avenue S. McClemans said there is only one driveway on the west side. Kirchhevel thought that technically around the curve there should be n o parking 20 up to the curve. Anderson said that if you ban traffic on 17th Street S. it pushes all the traffic onto 9th Avenue S. Bruinsma made a motion that is the same that was approved at last meeting to remove parking on 17th Street S. from 17th Ave. S to 9th Avenue S. and for 9th Avenue S. from 17th Street S. to Leprechaun, which was seconded by Kirchhevel. Englund asked for further discussion. He tended to agree that there are no residences on the east side of 9 th Avenue S. and with one driveway on the west side and thought that may be a reason to take parking off one side but he would like to hear from the public about allowing parking on the east side of 9th Avenue S. Ellwein felt she could not speak for people on that end of the street because their environment is much different that the west end. Anderson said if he lived at that corner he would want a sign that says no parking 30 feet from the corner. His concern would be that backing out of the driveway with cars on both sides of the driveway every day. The committee discussed if 20 feet from the radius was near the driveway but it was hard to tell from the aerial photos. There are no driveways on the east side of 9th Avenue S. Lanning said the variance is for parking stalls near the radius. Lanning said she would rather vote on each street separately because she would be more apt to allow parking on 9th Avenue S. since there are no homes on the east side of the street. Englund asked if the group would want to modify the motion. Bruinsma amended the motion to remove parking on both sides of 17th Street South between 7th Avenue S. to 9th Avenue S. from 7 am to 9 pm, Monday through Sunday, and Skip seconded it. Englund asked for discussion and further input from the public. McClemans (condo owner) said he disagreed with Troy a little bit in his ability to back out because there is no parking behind him on 17 th Street S. He state there is nowhere in town where parking was taken off of both sides other than around the university. On Sawgrass and Bluegill, and other locations the committee has not taken parking off both sides of the street. He stated he didn’t care what the committee does on the end of 17th Street S. where Ellwein lives, and said there are two driveways on 17th Street S. and mailboxes. He said from a safety perspective he understood because his daughter lived in one of the units but he really struggled with taking parking off a street that is 450 feet long with two driveways and mailboxes. He felt it set a bad precedent taking parking off both sides. Bruinsma said 17th Street S. is not like Bluegill due to what is actually there as far as the buildings. McClemans said he has more parking and Bruinsma said he saw it differently due to the concentration and he was not so concerned about the backing out issue. Ellwein asked for clarification on the twin homes and if they can only have 3 people due to the unrelated rule where the condos can have 5. McClemans said they are individual units but Ellwein said they can have 5 people instead of 3 so it is a different situation. McClemans stated that the condos don’t have near the setback and if nothing else he would have the committee consider looking at the issue in 6 months to see where the problem really is. He does the snow removal part of the units and thinks the committee is setting a very bad precedent and thinks before the committee does it he wondered why 9th Avenue S. was ever passed. He said these are City streets and available for people to park on. He has 6 parking stalls for each unit, the same number if they were apartments. There is no difference in the number of parking places. He said he has asked what to do. He said he can put x number of people in the units and a family could come along with two cars and rent it. The committee is assuming who will rent the new units and McClemans said he can’t discriminate to who rents them. He stated in the 450 feet there are two driveways, one mailbox, and the only other place there is that type of parking is near schools. He said he didn’t see the issue because zoning already doesn’t allow parking 5 feet from driveways and near mailboxes and he w ould do everything he can to make sure they do that. They have access to parking during snow emergencies and he said if anyone had any questions, he would be happy to answer them. Anderson said as a follow up he looked up the definition of a street and a road. He said with the parking lot and that McClemans stated he would do what he can, cars are still parked close to the driveways and mailboxes and that the condominiums were set up for the number of people. People have family friends over but they only park a short timeframe. Anderson said this is a unique situation and it was McClemans’s decision to rent to college students and it is basically like a dormitory. Webster said he has heard about both sides and if there is a change given to the committee, in the past they have made recommendations and in time they are relooked at. He said it is time to call the question on Bruinsma’s motion. Lueders asked if the motion fails does it go back to the original motion. Lanning asked if that would include 9th Avenue S. and if the vote was to amend the motion. Lanning said maybe there should be a new motion to make it clear what is being voted on. Englund said to start over and make a new motion and Jeff Weldon said to withdraw the amendment and withdraw the first motion. Englund asked for a vote to withdraw the motions and start fresh, which was unanimously agreed upon by the committee. Bruinsma made a new motion to remove parking from both sides of 17th Street South between 7th Avenue S. and 9th Avenue S. from 7 am to 9 pm, Monday through Sunday, seconded by Webster. Englund/Kirchhevel/Lanning voted against. All others in favor. Motion passed. Bruinsma/Fossum made a motion to remove parking on 9th Avenue South from 17th Street South to Leprechaun Circle on the west side of the street from 7am to 9pm Monday through Sunday. Kirchhevel/Sonnenburg voted against. All others in favor. Motion passed. Request for 4-way stop signs at 17th Avenue South and 20th Street South. Lanning provided traffic accident records and Englund indicated that the volume of traffic on 20th Street South is low at the current time. Lanning/Fossum made the motion to continue to monitor this and discuss at future meetings. All present voted aye. Motion passed. Request for 2-way stop signs at 5th Street and 11th Avenue. Lanning stated that a citizen asked the Traffic Safety Committee to study this intersection due to recent accidents that have occurred. Lanning described the accident report, where there were 3 accidents in 2011, 1 accident in 2010, 2 accidents in 2009, 0 accidents in 2008, and 3 accidents in 2007. Sonnenburg described the most recent accident in September where a north-bound vehicle collided with an east-bound vehicle causing a roll-over accident. He stated that vehicles are using 11th Avenue as a north/south through street to avoid traffic on Medary Avenue and 12 th Avenue. Lanning mentioned that if 11th Avenue was being used as a through route, such as a collector, that stop signs to stop the 5th Street east/west traffic would allow 11th Avenue to function such as Medary Avenue and 12th Avenue. Visibility is good at this intersection but speed has been an issue, especially with vehicles are using 11th Avenue as an alternate route for Medary. The committee felt this intersection justified the need for stop signs on 5 th Street since it intersects 11th Avenue which is being used as a through street. Lanning did not have the citation from the MUTCD manual but she would provide it to the City Council. Webster/Rettkowski made a motion to install stops signs on 5th Street which would stop all East/West traffic. All present voted aye. Motion passed. Additional information from City Engineer: The MUTCD indicates in Section 2B.04, Right of Way at Intersections, guidance: “Engineering judgment should be used to establish intersection control. The following factors should be considered: A. Vehicular, bicycle, and pedestrian traffic volumes on all approaches B. Number and angle of approaches C. Approach speeds D. Sight distance available on each approach; and E. Reported crash experience” The MUTCD also indicates that “Yield or Stop signs should be used at an intersection of one or more of the following conditions exist”: A. An intersection of a less important road with a main road where application of the normal right-of-way rule would not be expected to provide reasonable compliance with the law; B. A street entering a designated through highway or street; and/or C. An unsignalized intersection in a signalized area In this case, 5th Street would be the less important road and 11th Avenue would be viewed at the main road and would be the appropriate location for the stop signs. Request for 2-way stop signs at 3rd Street South and 7th Avenue South. Lanning stated that a citizen asked the Traffic Safety Committee to study this intersection due to recent accidents that have occurred. Currently there a re yield signs for the 7th Avenue South traffic, requiring vehicles to yield to the 3rd Street South traffic. Lanning described the accident report, where there were 3 accidents in 2010, 1 accident in 2009, 0 accidents in 2008, and 3 accidents in 2007. Lanning mentioned that visibility is poor for the north and south bound vehicles as there are trees and shrubs on the east and west sides of this intersection. The committee discussed that vehicles are not yielding such as the signs require and there have been some close calls at this intersection. Lanning did not have the citation from the MUTCD manual but she would provide it to the City Council. Skubic/Webster made a motion to replace the current yield signs with stop signs, which would be located on the north and south sides of 7th Avenue South at its intersection with 3rd Street South. All present voted aye. Motion passed. Additional information from City Engineer: The MUTCD indicates in Section 2B.04, Right of Way at Intersections, guidance: “Engineering judgment should be used to establish intersection control. The following factors should be considered: A. Vehicular, bicycle, and pedestrian traffic volumes on all approaches B. Number and angle of approaches C. Approach speeds D. Sight distance available on each approach; and E. Reported crash experience” The MUTCD also indicates that “the use of Yield or Stop signs should be considered at the intersection of two minor streets or local roads where the intersection has more than three approaches and where one or more of the following conditions exist: D. The combined vehicular, bicycle, and pedestrina volume entering the intersection from all approaches averages more than 2,000 units per day; E. The ability to see conflicting traffic on an approach is not sufficien t to allow a road user to stop or yield in compliance with the normal right-of-way rule if such stopping or yielding is necessary/ and/or in compliance with the normal right -of-way if such stopping or yielding is necessary; and/or F. Crash records indicate that five or more crashes that involve the failure to yield the right-of-way at the intersection under the normal right-of-way rule have been reported within a 3-year period, or that three or more such crashes have been reported ithin a 2-year period. In this case, 7th Avenue South has poor visibility and would be the appropriate location for the stop signs. Discussion of bicycles on sidewalks on Main Avenue between 3rd Street and 6th Street. Lanning asked that this item be brought back to the committee this winter to allow time to discuss further. New Business: None Member Reports: Lanning informed the committee of 3 vacancies coming up on this committee. Carol is concerned about the Service Road by KFC; in the dark the markings are not visible and it is impossible to see where this Service Road is. Lanning explained that DOT is having a public hearing regarding the design for the reconstruction of 6th St tonight and different options for improvements will be available for public comment. Brian mentioned that the sidewalk stub directly south of Hillcrest on 3rd Street has not been removed yet. Lanning indicated that this will happen on next year’s sidewalk project. The next meeting will be December 8th, 2011. Meeting adjourned. Submitted by: Lana Schwartz