HomeMy WebLinkAbout01/16/196124. Councilman Miller requested that the City look into the holes in the
sidewalk in front of the Freeman property on Higuera Street.
City Engineer Romero reported that this was in process under the 1911
Improvement Act, but that he would see that the holes were patched
immediately.
25. Councilman Miller asked if the City Council had received any reports
or plans regarding the Yoakum area improvement district.
Mr. Romero stated that he had received no reports to date.
' 26. City Clerk Fitzpatrick asked the Council permission to advertise for
lease of storage area at reservoir No. 2, which expires January 31,
1961.
The City Council authorized advertising of a publie auction to be held
January 16, 1961, on motion of Kenneth W. Jones, seconded by J. Barry
Smith.
At this time the City Council adjourned to private session to hear reports
on negotiations for acquisition of land for the parking district and also
to discuss problems in the inability of traffic control in the downtown
business district, particularly on Chorro Street between Monterey and Higuera
Streets.
On motion of Donald Q. Miller, seconded by Gerald W. Shipsey, the meeting
adjourned.
Approved this. 16th day of January, 1961.
City C
SPECIAL CALLED COUNCIL MEETING
January 16, 1961 -. -- 6:15 P. M.
BANQUET ROOM - -- MOTEL INN
The City Council met in Special Called Session with Mayor Fred M. Waters
presiding.
ROLL CALL: Present - Donald Q. Miller, Gerald W. Shipsey, J. Barry Smith,
Fred M. Waters.
Absent - Kenneth W. Jones
CITY STAFF PRESENT: Planning & Building Director Abraham, City Clerk
Fitzpatrick, Administrative Officer Miller, City
Engineer Romero, Water Superintendent Thompson.
Also Present: Fen Truebridge, Telegram- Tribune
1. City Attorney Houser reported to the City Council on the actions to date
by the County Board of Supervisors relative to the construction of
additional recreation improvements at Santa Margarita Lake.
Mayor Waters reported to the Council on the report that the Board of
Supervisors was changing its patrol supervision at Santa Margarita Lake
as requested by the City Council.
2. The City Council discussed overall water and sewer extensions to the
newly annexed industrial area.
3. Administrative Officer Miller reported to the City Council on the status
of the Mission Gardens or Mission Plaza property and also the present
discussions of property owners for cooperating in an assessment district
for parking purposes behind Chorro and Higuera Streets.
The meeting adjourned on motion of Donald 'Q. Miller, seconded by Gerald W.
Shipsey. '
Approved this 6th day of February, 1961.
CITY COUNCIL MEETING
January 16, 1961 - -- 7:30 P. M.
CITY HALL
The City Council met in Regular Session with Mayor Fred M. Waters presiding.
The Invocation was given by Rev. Vernon H. Ragsdale, Assembly of God Church.
ROLL CALL: Present - Kenneth W. Jones,-Donald Q: Miller, Gerald W. Shipsey,
J. Barry Smith, Fred M. Waters.
Absent - None
CITY STAFF PRESENT: Planning & Building Director Abraham, City Clerk
Fitzpatrick, City Attorney Houser, Administrative
Officer Miller, City Engineer Romero, Fire Chief
Schlobohm, Police Chief Schofield, Water Superintendent
Thompson.
Minutes for the Special Meeting of January 3, 1961 and the Regular Meeting of
January 3,1961 were approved.on motion of Donald Q. Miller, seconded by Gerald
W. Shipsey.
Claims against the City for the month of January, 1961 were approved on motion
of Kenneth W. Jones, seconded by Donald Q. Miller, subject to the approval of
the Administrative Officer.
1. Administrative Officer Miller
announced the appointment of
CHARLES R.
HINKLEY as Building Inspector
effective February 1, 1961 and recommended
that he be authorized to start Mr. Hinkley at the 4th step
of $608 per
month and that Mr. Hinkley be
considered for advancement to
the 5th step
in one year.
On motion of J. Barry Smith,
seconded by Kenneth W. Jones,
the Administrative
I
Officer was so authorized.
2. Report of Council Committee consisting of Councilmen Jones and Miller
regarding award of bid for purchase of parking meters for Parking Lot #5.
The Council Committee requested that Administrative Officer Miller make
the report on awarding of the bid for purchase of parking meters for parking
lot #L5.
Administrative.Officer Miller reported that based on the survey being
made both on maintenance and operation of parking meters, he recommended
that 39 Duncan - Miller 50's ahould be purchased as pe =.bid..
After discussion by the Council, it was moved by Kenneth W. Jones,
seconded by Gerald W. Shipsey, that the Administrative Officer's
recommendation be approved and that the bid for Duncan - Miller parking
meters be awarded to Traffic Appliance Corporation as the lowest
responsible bid, although not the lowest in initial cost. Motion carried.
3. The following contract payment was approved on motion of Kenneth W. Jones,
seconded by Donald Q. Miller:
I HI -[JAY CONTRACTORS - French Road Widening
Estimate # 1------------------------------- - - - - -- $ 3,846.43
4.. The following salary step increases were.approved effective February 1,
1961, on motion of J. Barry Smith, seconded by Kenneth W. Jones:
BALDWIN, CHARLES A. - Police Officer - from step 1 $390 to step 2 $412
per month.
LUIZ, MANUEL W. - Laborer /Equipment Operator - from step 1 $330 to step 2
$350 per month.
MEYER, GLORIA J. - Parking Enforcement Officer - from step 1 $312 to
step 2 $330 per month.
MOE, MELBA M. - Senior Librarian - from step 2 $390 to step 3 $412 per
month.
MORSE, TED - Police Officer - from step 2 $412 to step 3 $435 per month.
ROBERTSON, GEORGE R. - Admin. Assistant to Director of Public Works -
from step 2 $460 to step 3 $488 per month.
WRAY, PHYLLIS M. - Parking Enforcement Officer - from step 1 $312 to
' step 2 $330 per month.
5. Communication from Administrative Officer Miller recommending temporary
stenographer in the Planning and Building Department be maintained on
the staff.
Recommendation approved on motion of Donald Q. Miller, seconded by
Kenneth W. Jones.
6. Authorization for Mayor to accept deed and record same from Vernon J.
Tharp and to sign agreement for street widening on south Broad Street,
was dropped from the agenda.
7. RESOLUTION NO. 726 (1961 Series), "A Resolution Increasing the 1961 Budget"
by increasing Account No. 200.17, Refunds, was passed and adopted on
motion of Gerald W. Shipsey, seconded by Donald Q. Miller, on the
following roll call vote:
AYES: Kenneth W. Jones, Donald Q. Miller, Gerald W. Shipsey,
J. Barry Smith, Fred M. Waters.
NOES: None
ABSENT: None
8. At this time the Mayor declared a Public Auction opendd for lease of
1 storage space on City -owned property at Reservoir No. 2.
Mr. C. F. Hamlin bid $156.00 per year for 3 years.
There being no further bids, the Mayor declared the auction closed.
ORDINANCE NO. 179 (1961 Series), "An.Ordinance Leasing Storage Space
Adjacent to the City Reservoir ", was passed to print on motion of
Kenneth W. Jones, seconded by J. Barry Smith, on the following roll
call vote:
AYES: Kenneth W. Jones, Donald Q. Miller, Gerald W. Shipsey,
J. Barry Smith, Fred M. Waters.
NOES: None
ABSENT: None
9. At this time the City Council held a Public Hearing on final passage of
Ordinance No.•175.
ORDINANCE NO. 175 (1960 Series), "An Ordinance of Intention to Abandon a
Portion of Park Street ", was finally passed on motion of Kenneth id. Jones,
seconded by Donald Q. Miller, on the following roll call vote:
AYES: Kenneth W. Jones, Donald Q. Miller, Gerald W. Shipsey, J. Barry
Smith, Fred M. Waters.
-NOES: None
ABSENT: none
10. At this time the City Council held a Public Hearing on Ordinance No. 174. '
ORDINANCE NO. 174 (1960 Series), "An Ordinance of Intention to Abandon a
Portion of 'Old' Munoz Street ", was finally passed on motion of Donald Q.
Miller, seconded by Kenneth W. Jones, on the following roll call vote:
AYES: Kenneth W. Jones, Donald Q. Miller, Gerald W. Shipsey, J. Barry
Smith, Fred M. Waters.
NOES: None
ABSENT: None
11. At this time the City Council held a Public Hearing on final passage of
Ordinance No. 177, an Ordinance amending the Municipal Code to allow
nurseries in a C -1 zone.
Councilman Smith moved that the Ordinance be denied and not finally passed.
The motion lost for lack of a second.
ORDINANCE NO. 177 (1961 Series), "An Ordinance Amending and Adding Certain
Sections to Chapter 2, Article IX of the San Luis Obispo Municipal Code ",
to allow nurseries in C -1 districts, was finally passed on motion of
Donald Q. Miller, seconded by Gerald W. Shipsey, on the following roll
call vote:
AYES: Kenneth W. Jones, Donald Q. Miller, Gerald W. Shipsey. ,
NOES: J. Barry Smith, Fred M. Waters.
ABSENT: None
12. At this time the City Council held a Public Hearing on downtown traffic
congestion and on the proposal to establish one -way streets in the City
of San Luis Obispo.
Mayor Waters commented on the good attendance.
Mayor Waters: At a hearing of this kind I would like to tell you how we
will run this hearing. I will first call on Dr. Faustman, who will
give his report and studies for one -way streets. We will then listen
to the people who are for one -way streets, and.then we will hear
those opposed. Then each side will be heard again and the public
hearing will be closed. The Council will then debate the action to
be taken if any.
Dr. Faustman: Mr. Mayor, members-of the Council. By way of introduction,
my name is D. J. Faustman, and I am a consulting traffic engineer.
My office is in Sacramento, California. Educationally I have a
master's and doctor's degree in transportation engineering. I have
been actively engaged professionally for 24 years including 8 years
as traffic engineer for the City of Sacramento. I have been retained
by 52 California and Oregon cities as consulting traffic engineer, '
6 counties in California, and about 70 business and industrial firms.
In 1957 I entered a report entitled FEASIBILITY OF ONE -WAY STREETS
IN SAN LUIS OBISPO which your Council, I am sure, has seen. On
November 18, 1959 I up -dated that report to reflect changes in traffic
conditions in San Luis Obispo. These two studies essentially show
the conditions in the central business district and they both included
the fact that traffic was increasing in San Luis Obispo at a rate of
per year, and unless actions were taken in recognizing the
increase in traffic, that traffic accidents would continually increase.
Now perhaps there is a question in many people's minds as to what we
are doing about traffic conditions in the downtown district.
These are all generalized statements that I am making. So specifically,
then, these two.reports that I am talking about look at the problem
which exists traffic wise and parking wise in the downtown district
and it was my conclusion that physical problems which exist because
your existing street which also has effects on your three main streets,
Monterey, Higuera and Marsh, essentially only a single lane of
movement in each direction that if.cars park and unpaik in themselves
interrupt the traffic flow, if cars have to wait at intersections for
making.left turns except on Marsh Street where.it is striped because
it is slightly wider, those movements in themselves would cause
jamming. For cars making right turns or if you wait for pedestrians
in the crosswalks, that again causes difficulty. Double parking of
both passenger vehicles and trucks causes a congested condition.
So, to summarize that.before said, there is need for some action
to increase lane capacity, or in the broad sense, street capacity.
.There are of course, several obvious ways that this can be
accomplished. One way is to widen your streets, to go from 48 or
' SO foot street to a 64 foot street, which is the minimum width
required for moving 2 lanes in each direction. This would involve
moving the sidewalk line back to the point where it just isn't
practical, because we do have pedestrians in the downtown district;
or, we could tear the buildings down and move them back, which is
obviously impractical and physically out of the question. Or, you
might say you could eliminate the parking at the curb, which is
done in many business districts around the country. That in itself
-is a move which certainly could be used here at a minimum cost, and
I would say you have twice as many people
First of all, I am sure there is noone in the audience who would
like to aee accidents increase, and action should be taken to
reduce accidents. Secondly is the rather broad problem of
economic development of the central district to the effect that
improved traffic flow, ease.of parking, are factors which keep
the central district easy for access for auto users to come to
it. The parking consultants which the City has retained over a
period of years, Hahn, Wise & Barber, Inc. point out the statistics
with which most of you are familiar, and if not, I will quote a
few of them. First of all, at the present time about half the
businessmen in the downtown business district come from outside
the City of San Luis Obispo, and most of the people down there are
from the fringe areas which extends as far north as you wish to
as.far south as you wish to consider. This town, as we all know,
is the trading district for some 63,000 people. Over a period of
time your neighboring communities, Paso Robles for example, Santa
Maria for example, as they grow and take action in a.similar vein
to keep their people home, some of the.trade that has been outgoing
may be retained in these other communities. The present business
volume in gross sales is 48,000,000 dollars per year, and your
private economic consultants estimate that in another 20 years this
will more than double to $108,000,000.00, so when I say if you
continue to increase in traffic which must necessitate a comparable
increase in trade which is something we are talking about in terms
of economic health. Your planning consultants estimate that the
present size of the central district in terms of acres will more
than double to some 130 acres in a period. So, repeating myself,
it c-o uld appear that purely from an,economic standpoint, that
drastic action is necessary to keep San Luis Obispo a free and easy
place in which to provide access for parking. If this doesn't happen,
you are going to encourage, as far as downtown is concerned, the
centralization to outlying areas and to outlying communities. This
in turn would definitely cause a loss of patronization in the
downtown district. Your planning consultants state about 19 %p of
the taxes are now collected in San Luis Obispo County central district
and I again point out that you are only second in terms of property
tax dollars for public service and only 10% for other taxes. So,
in.essence,.you are making a profit in the downtown district which
is being used to keep up the other areas.
These are all generalized statements that I am making. So specifically,
then, these two.reports that I am talking about look at the problem
which exists traffic wise and parking wise in the downtown district
and it was my conclusion that physical problems which exist because
your existing street which also has effects on your three main streets,
Monterey, Higuera and Marsh, essentially only a single lane of
movement in each direction that if.cars park and unpaik in themselves
interrupt the traffic flow, if cars have to wait at intersections for
making.left turns except on Marsh Street where.it is striped because
it is slightly wider, those movements in themselves would cause
jamming. For cars making right turns or if you wait for pedestrians
in the crosswalks, that again causes difficulty. Double parking of
both passenger vehicles and trucks causes a congested condition.
So, to summarize that.before said, there is need for some action
to increase lane capacity, or in the broad sense, street capacity.
.There are of course, several obvious ways that this can be
accomplished. One way is to widen your streets, to go from 48 or
' SO foot street to a 64 foot street, which is the minimum width
required for moving 2 lanes in each direction. This would involve
moving the sidewalk line back to the point where it just isn't
practical, because we do have pedestrians in the downtown district;
or, we could tear the buildings down and move them back, which is
obviously impractical and physically out of the question. Or, you
might say you could eliminate the parking at the curb, which is
done in many business districts around the country. That in itself
-is a move which certainly could be used here at a minimum cost, and
I would say you have twice as many people
That ties in with an allied problem which I pointed out in my last
report to the effect that certainly the loading and unloading of
trucks is a worry which could be cured immediately by creation of
properly located and sufficient length loading zones, which in turn
result in the loss of an appreciable amount of parking. The third
method of improving the lane movement or street capacity of any
town is the use of one -way streets. This can be made to work
quickly without appreciable expense, and does increase land width,
and will, as I will point out later, increase significantly the
number of lanes available for movement. It was quite evident both
in 1957 and 1959 that should be given in the implementation
of one -way streets on the very streets which we will talk about in ,
your central business district. Ten or fifteen years ago, I would
say, one -way streets were new and on trial, and the mere mention
of one -way streets generally got a broad silence, and one of the
reasons is that it is something new and something different. As
you know, people are apparently reluctant to see the old order pass.
There are, of course, many advantages from.a traffic standpoint to
the use of one -way streets. Now they are most inexpensive, and
are implemented quickly in terms of selection, but most importantly
they reduce accidents. This is a fact that has been proven in
city after city and there are marked reductions anywhere from 10
to 50 or 6U% in accidents, and that doesn't happen by chance; it
happens if you will stop and think about it, through drastic changes
in traffic patterns. For example, if you are driving down a two -way
street and you want to make a left turn, you have to wait until the
approaching traffic is clear. on one -way streets, you go to the
proper lane for a left hand turn and make your turn out of the flow.
The second thing...........
and that's a particularly difficult problem here in town in your
present two -way system because of the spacing of your blocks. fie
can on one -way streets, and I'm sure you who have been in other towns
know this, coordinate our signals for almost perfect traffic flow.
We of course, can increase traffic time not in the sense that we
are speeding traffic up velocity wise but we are eliminating the
condition where you must stop and wait for a loading truck or........
Emergency vehicles are expedited in the sense that............
particularly in this town so they won't get studk behind a car in
a single lane. So it would appear that there are many other
advantages proven out throughout the country in the use of one -way
streets helping to facilitate traffic movement. The obvious
disadvantages are due to the fact that increased numbers of turns,
often.due to the fact that people must go around the block to get to
their destinations, meaning in cases that there are increased travel
distances to reach the destination. There is some confusion there
are possibility of .......... disputes; however, one -way streets
are very common throughout the country, and there are people who are
no doubt familiar with the problems of one -way movement. There
are cases, depending on orientation of driveways, travel habits, that
there is a period of transition, where types of businesses which
catered to drive -in traffic may experience temporary dislocations.
Again, experience all over has indicated that once traffic settles
down and people get used to driving in both lanes, the left lane as
well as the right lane and drivers are oriented, that those problems
disappear. Several years ago because of the general construction
and effect of one -way streets on business, the U. S. Chamber of
Commerce, the business organization, looked into the matter of one -way
tributaries as an established line, as we have said before, and I '
would like to read some of these comments.
"This organization is generally opposed to one -way movement in front
of places of business; however, this opposition generally disappears
once the one -way rule has been adopted and given a trial period."
These oonclusions are based on special surveys by the U. S. Chamber
of Commerce, and covers 134 communities where their streets have been
converted to one -way operation. In 90 cities, businessmen were
against the idea; but, opposition disappeared in 62 of these after
the trial period. In three cases there was no opposition until after
one -way was installed.. In 41 cases, no opposition appeared before
or after. All but 9 of the one -way plans were retained. In all,
85 cases, all quadrant systems were changed back to 2 -way operation
due to the opposition of businessmen. I_think it would be interesting
to comment on the experience of your neighboting cities, Santa
Barbara to the south and Monterey to the north. It would appear
that of this date, in discussions with the traffic engineer of the
City of Santa Barbara, that about 5 years. ago, without, shall we say,
the benefit of engineering, there were a number of one -way streets
installed. When they were in, it was soon rsdized that they had
been improperly planned and designed, and several were taken out, and
' others the directions were changed. In several years, the signals
were retimed properly so that we now have 2 pairs of one -way streets
on both sides of State Street. There have been no complaints from
businessmen. The complaints there have been in recent months have
been from residential areas on extreme ends of the streets where the
traffic load has increased to the point where there was a point of
complaint. One of the interesting problems that they're having from
a parking point in Santa Barbara, is that there have been a number
of requests from filling station operators to construct gas stations
on one -way streets, and there has been some question as to whether
there would be good parking.
Monterey had two pairs of streets originally the main streets, and a
couple of short streets at right - angles thereto which were put in
and taken out after a period of 6 months. There were those that
thought business had been affected, and from a technical standpoint,
the streets were not serving a useful purpose. At the present time
in Monterey, the City Administration is considering the installation
of a number of additional pairs of one -way streets in an attempt to
ease a problem which is essentially caused by movement from Pacific
Gove through a ................ area ............... project.
U
Dr. Faustman then showed slides and explained from a sketch, the one -way
street program proposed in the couplet of Marsh and Higuera Streets.
We recommended in 1957 Palm and Monterey be included, but with the
'
tendency since that time ...... we eliminated that recommendation.
What you see before you is our projection for immediate implementation
in order to eliminate the lane blocking which is now .appearing in your
downtown street system. Traffic would proceed in an easterly direction
on Marsh Street. We would be able with the width of these streets
-to get 3 lanes moving in each direction. At the present time we have
only one through lane moving in'each direction on each street, so
at best we have 2 lanes east and 2 lanes west at the present time on
Higuera and Marsh Streets and with the one -way plan we would have
3 lanes west and 3 lanes east. So from a capacity standpoint, we
immediately have at least a 1/3 increase in traffic capacity. We
have even a greater increase in capacity again because of the fact
that we have eliminated ......................we made it possible to
time our system. Also important from the standpoint of superior
movement on our streets, we eliminated the single file problem that
you-have in the sense that even with double parking on both sides
of one -way streets you still have one lane of traffic free to move,
so this is the ...... of traffic here, to extend east as far as
Johnson Avenue at which point the system would be terminated.
I think, Mr. Mayor, I have talked about as far as I should at this
time.
Judge Paul.Jackson: Mr. Mayor and members of the City Council, ladies
and gentlemen. I don't propose to take up too much of your time
'
here. This report that Dr. Faustman has given has adequately
explained in a general way the situation traffic wise that displeases
the people of San Luis Obispo. By way of meticulous footnotes of
what was said in respect to the plan, the Council to take the
equivalent of what constitutes judicial notes of its proceedings
and will remember the fact that July last past, by Resolution the
Traffic Advisory Board created, consisting of the Chief of Police,
City Attorney, City Engineer, City Administrative Officer, a man
from the Highway Patrol, and......... served as chairman. I deemed
it a privelege to be able to supplement what Dr. Faustman has said
......in favor of the adoption of one -way streets in this area. I
want to point out first that we iiave far too many accidents in the
City of San Luis Obispo for 1960. We had as many as 542, 37 of which
U
happened on Marsh Street, 44 of which happened on Higuera Street,
and 69 on Monterey Street, which makes a total of about 27% of the
accidents which have unfortunately happeded in.the City. I want
to point-out further that.from the Department of Motor Vehicles with
respect to the number of vehicles in this area not restricted to the
City of San Luis Obispo, but in that area over which the local
office of the Department of Motor Vehicles has jurisdiction, there
were 28,000 vehicles. By deduction I think it is safe to assume
that 8,000 of those are operated by residents in the corporate limits
of the City of San Luis Obispo alone. Now when we stop to consider
the nature of the streets here in the light of what has happened
accident -wise and what's happening population -wise, there is only
one possible solution to the traffic problem, the necessity of
'
creating one -way streets. All of us as American citizens have the
constitutional duty fo promote the general welfare. One of the
arguments that may be made against this thing is that it looks like
regimentation. I'll grant that, but I would suggest that regimentation
here is a means and not an end. lie are regimented through the mere
fact that we have to secure licenses and the mere fact that we have
to have registration on our vehicles. This in a sense may be
regimentation, but it is a wise variety of regimentation so that
if you want to prove the ownership.of your car and your right to
operate it, because if is a matter of promoting the general welfare.
Now the same situation analagously does with one -way streets. Further,
I think it's safe to say that the experiment is not without merit in
the City of San Luis Obispo even though streets involved involves only
one block. I am happy to say that within the last year I can only
recall about 3 violations on Court Street, and it is a fairly well -
travelled street. I think the Police Department can testify to that,
but we are having an increase in traffic problems. Thanks to the
due diligence of your Police Department, which is doing an excellent
job, we are kept..._....to solve some.of.these problems, and we need some
help, and we need it badly. The one -way street proposition seems
to me to be the logical solution to which we can come, so that .I
think it may be safely operated and safely managed within the
congested areas of the City. I_think it could be shown, it certainly
is shown in other Cities that accidents can be reduced. Now when
you stop and consider a town this size with 8,000 vehicles, 542
accidents, which are approximately 42 too many, because about 98
or 99% of those could have bean avoided by allowing.l% of the strictly
unavoidable accidents which rarely and occasionally do happen, but
98 or 99% of those could have been avoided. They can't be if we
are unwilling to do something about the congested areas we have to
face. I appreciate further, the number of you who are going to
object mainly because you are in business. We learned the same
situation in 1954 with the freeway. Now I'm happy to say the merchants
are doing more business than in 1954 even without the freeway, so I
think that as-an objection, it may have some merit for the immediate
results, but its overall picture I am sure will be of value because
the people will be willing .to. go on these streets because they know
they can safely travel, and as long as they can safely travel and can
find some parking facilities they don't have now, that.the merchant
will be the immediate and the direct beneficiary. Your Traffic
Advisory Board, Mr. Mayor and geltlemen, has.considered this matter
over a period of months. lie have had some knowledge of course, of
Dr. Faustman's special repott, we have had some knowledge of the
figures of the Police Department, and I might suggest that if any
of you are interested, that there are some excellent sets.of maps
down there pinpointing where most of the accidents are. For any of
you interested enough, go down and take a look at them ..... your
Police Department is diligent in this matter and is doing all it
can with what it has to attack and prevent the accidents so that
you and I can go safely along.the streets. But it is a serious
problem where our population is increasing. We have reason to
believe that in 1970 our population will be 1/3 again what it is now.
That will be 30,000 people. This is going to present a traffic
problem, and can only be solved by adequate proper regulation of the
traffic conditions through the one -way street system as far as the
Traffic Advisory Board is concerned is an experimental matter.
We are recommending ... may.we.express the hope rather, that the City
Council, after due consideration of the matter, will give it a
fair trial. lie are hoping for a one year trial, not that.we expect
to get it, but we are offering a one -year trial as an adequate time
in which to study the problem in other.directions, since one -way
streets, strictly speaking, are not going to end on Marsh and
Higuera Streets. Other streets are going to have to be considered,
but the only way we have to evaluate the results is to try it on
the experimental basis suggested by Dr. Faustman's report and by
the Traffic Advisory Board. We do hope, gentlemen, that when you
come to consider this.matter, that you will give it the due
consideration which it deserves.
Mayor Waters asked if there was.anyone else who wished to speak in favor of
the one -way street program.
Fred C. Hess: Mr. Mayor and members of the City Council. I would like
:._rto say that in the main I am in favor of some sort of one -way street
proposal, but it seems to me that Marsh Street is the most logical
_street in the City going in that direction, to be a 2 -way street,
inasmuch as it goes on and off the freeway in a straight line, and I
would favor Monterey for a one -way even.though it has a jog in it. I
think.it would still work, from Johnson to Nipomo and then Higuera
going the other direction... That's the way it seems to me.
Judge Jackson: I forgot to point out that Marsh Street is 69.7 feet in
width but in view of the width of Marsh, an easterly direction is
proper because the width of Marsh Street presents a problem at least
during the vernal and autumnal equinox where the sun hits directly
on the.road, and it does-present a problem for anyone going west on
Marsh Street. This is not so true on Higuera Street because the
street is a little narrower, and the buildings are a little higuer, but
.we do have that problem. We also.have the situation.here with people
coming from the southern parts of the county would have an easier
access into the City.on Marsh Street than they might have on Higuera
Street. Now as far as Monterey Street is concerned, it presents a
problem immediately, but I think after this experiment is tried, that
..if it is proved successful, that Monterey Street may have to be the
next one in order,.and I understand, unofficially, that the lease
expires on this property across the street from the Mission at which
time the City plans to widen that particular bottlenect in there,
and if that's true, Monterey.Street may have to be considered later;
but, I cannot see that at least for the immediate time.
Mr. Chris McLain: I made a report on this project of one -way streets 2
years ago as a project: I sent out. questionnaires to businessmen in
town, and got about 60 of them back, and about 50 did not favor one -
way streets. This was 2 years ago, and the argument against them
.was the.farmers in town. They said that the main trade was from
these farmers ............ And as an argument to that, I would say that
if.the farmers are smart enough to get a.driver's license, they are
_sure smart enough to-read signs.
Mayor Waters asked if there was anyone else who wished to be heard in favor
of adoption.of one -way streets.
Mr. Ray Weaver, truck driver for the State: I say lets do this one -way
street business and get it over with..
Mayor Waters announced that at this time the Council would hear anyone
contrary to the one -way street proposal.
Mr.. Jack Fisher,: .I am a.property owner on those streets, and also
' interested in businesses on those streets and I'd like to ask one
question first.. These accidents that happen, that my friend the
Judge is talking about, what time of day did they happen, and what
percentage in nighttime?
Police Chief Schofield: I could not right.now give the time the
Accidents took place. I could get the information for you by
pulling the 150 accident reports. They are generally conflict
accidents when the traffic is heaviest, during the daytime and
evening hours.
Mr. Fisher: Also, regarding Santa Barbara as a rule to go by in this town,
Santa Barbara is very fortunate, where we are not. Now State Street
is not a one -way street and most of the business in Santa Barbara,
the large part of it, is on State Street; therefore, it doesn't
interfere so much. Now I travel quite a bit around different places,
and I'll tell you one -way streets for a person that is not familiar
with the town is very confusing and even here it would be confusing.
Now I don't like to make -- come out and say I'm against one -way
streets. I like to try to help. If one -way streets are a solution,
it's all right, but of course, I'm from Missouri, I can be shown.
I'm not from Missouri, but I mean .... a .... Now some time ago, the
property owners in these districts guaranteed bonds to open up the
parking lots in this district. To date they have not been opened.
Some of them may have, but I mean that as a rule they have.not been
opened, and I think that people where they are confined to places
to park, they will not be on the streets so much; furthermore, I'd
like to see, before we go into one -way streets, I'd like to see
something else tried. I'd like to see no left -hand turns which
would be a great help. There's only a few blocks that are congested,.
and is it going to hurt anyone to travel slow in those few blocks?
Double parking is against.the rule ... am I correct Chief?
Chief Schofield explained that double parking is allowed here.
Mr. Fisher: I was going to suggest for commercial vehicles that you
probably reserve, in the center of the block maybe 2 spaces so
commercial vehicles can load and unload. Now most of the merchandise
that is loaded and unloaded in the center of town are small parcels.
They have trucks, they can load and unload, they don't have to park
right in front of the store. That reminds me, believe it or not,
I was the instigator of the first parking ordinance that we had in
San Luis Obispo. We had at that time Mr. Sinsheimer for Mayor. Well,
I happened to know how to handle Louis Sinsheimer, and I didn't tell
him if we should have, I asked him if we should have it. Right
away, he was right for it, so I say I was the instigator in the
parking ordinance that we had. Now, I've taken, the last few days,
been around town, taken the streets in. Today, particularly, of 1
course this is a little unusual, you could have shot a cannon down
the streets and it wouldn't hurt anybody. You take with our
trading area, I think eventually we are going to have to come to
one -way streets -- eventually -- but I don't think now. No, I'm
not for them now. I want to try something else for a year, and
then go to one -way streets. No left turns at certain times of the day.
Our really bad time is in the holidays, and the rest of the time
it is not too bad. Another thing, if the people are taught to
.use the freeway to come into town, which I do myself, and alot of
people just don't give it a thought, maybe•a little• newspaper on
it to get people to take the freeway and then come off to come into
town, it's better traveling and it's quicker. Then, and I would
like to wait until these parking lots are completed and use a no
left -hand turns at peak hours and also to give the parking space
for trucks in different times of the day, and the few blocks that
we have to travel in San Luis here, if you have to creep along once
in a while, it isn't going to hurt anything. We have of course, a
few here in a hurry that cause the accidents, but that happens
anyplace, and of course this is not in keeping with this here right
now, but I want to bring this matter up. If your Traffic Committee
would investigate some of our outside of the center of town, they
might find we have a worse traffic hazard than we have right here in
the center of town. If you wish me to give........ I'll give it.to you.
Mayor Waters asked if anyone else wished to be heard. '
Mr. Francis McNamara: I am objecting at this time to .one -way streets on
lower Marsh down here, and I am objecting because of the fact that
I have an interest in 273 feet on Marsh Street, this block right
here, and we feel that we are not in the central business district;
therefore, that we have no problem in this area here. Also, we
have provided off - street parking at our buildings down here, and also
it is a throughfare for your bypass of 101. We were referring to
Santa Barbara here a few minutes Pgo, and Santa Barbara, their bypass
Mayoi-.Waters thanked Mr.. McNamara..,
Mr. Maury Vercruse, Maury's Market: I do not believe that this
community needs one-way-streets at this time.
Mr.-Stanley Beath, Purity.Store,.objected .to.one -way streets at.this time.
Mr. Richard Harris, attorney on behalf of 40 clients, whose names he
filed with the City Cleric: I would like to ask a question. Have
.there been any other . traffic surveys or any.other counts.taken other
.than those.which were.shown in Dr.. Faustman's reports of 1957 and
•1959?
City Engineer Romero: We have taken several.surveys for traffic and
..traffic surveys for signals in the past few years, and very recently
' Mr. Wise took a complete traffic study and count of.all the streets
in the downtown area.
Mayor Waters asked if the report was available, and.Mr.. Romero said it
was.in his office.
Mr. Harris: I'd like to call the Council's attention to the fact that in
1957 there was considerable agitation.with respect to the possibility
of estabIishing- one- w aycstteets,.:and:at.:that.time, Dr. Faustman, who
was doing a study in.connection with off - street parking, was
requested to make a study with respect to one -way streets, and he
is all a 2 -way street.. Also Marsh Street is the widest street that
we do have, and if-you have a car parked, and another car double
parked alongside of'.it, there would still be plenty of room to pass
on the other side, and.it seems if there is a problem on Marsh
Street it is up around the Post Office, many times during the day,
and something that perhaps the Traffic Committee ought to study,
but I think it =is the pedestrians that cause the delay in the
traffic as they dribble across the street, one following a few
seconds after, and that ties-up the traffic. We have not the
central business district, I mean the area down "in here, is more or
less your fringe commercial area, more to.be developed where you
have to go both ways. Not only that, but many of the customers for
...the Mid -Town Motel here, come from the north, alot of people like
to drive through town and see what's on the other end, and they
.will stay at the other..end of-town. There are a couple of motels
down there-also, but.this is one -way going this way, you are going
to shove them right on out the.freeway down to.our favorite cities,
and many people who stay. here like to stay 2 or-3 days, or a week,
they spend.money in restaurants and other businesses.in town, so
therefore we do get alot of business:both ways here in this area.
_I do wish to.mention also,. I.don't know whether it's.done or not,
or-any studies given to it, but here again we get back to pedestrians.
In Santa Barbara they have alot of these walk and wait lights. I
believe that we will notice, and I'm as guilty as any of us, that
.when the signal changes and we all go across the street that the
poor guy who wants to.make a right -hand turn.sets..there and ties
up the traffic," but on these walk and wait signals, it gives 4 or
5 cars a chance to get.around the corner...I.don't know if that has
been considered or not, but I,just.widh to mention that. And also,
here again, lets get back to Santa Barbara, Chapala, if someone's
.coming in, it's the next street off.State.:Street, it.starts with a
one -way street way up on Figueroa which is way up on the beginning
of the heavy central business district, and not.way_down..in this
area. In other words it's just merely for the townfolks. I mean
they cannot participate too much unless.you start back at the
freeway where.the other towns are not like we are that they have a
freeway coming into the town. But to sum everything up, we would
like alot more steps to be given to Marsh "Street ... :..one -way street...
We don't feel, that Marsh Street,".being the widest street as it is,
also being bypass for 101 highway that it should not be considered
at this time. Another thing, I mean, we feel slightly descriminated
against at this time, this will make it more so, that up here at
the intersection of Monterey and Santa Rosa there's a sign pointing
motels up the other way:
Mayoi-.Waters thanked Mr.. McNamara..,
Mr. Maury Vercruse, Maury's Market: I do not believe that this
community needs one-way-streets at this time.
Mr.-Stanley Beath, Purity.Store,.objected .to.one -way streets at.this time.
Mr. Richard Harris, attorney on behalf of 40 clients, whose names he
filed with the City Cleric: I would like to ask a question. Have
.there been any other . traffic surveys or any.other counts.taken other
.than those.which were.shown in Dr.. Faustman's reports of 1957 and
•1959?
City Engineer Romero: We have taken several.surveys for traffic and
..traffic surveys for signals in the past few years, and very recently
' Mr. Wise took a complete traffic study and count of.all the streets
in the downtown area.
Mayor Waters asked if the report was available, and.Mr.. Romero said it
was.in his office.
Mr. Harris: I'd like to call the Council's attention to the fact that in
1957 there was considerable agitation.with respect to the possibility
of estabIishing- one- w aycstteets,.:and:at.:that.time, Dr. Faustman, who
was doing a study in.connection with off - street parking, was
requested to make a study with respect to one -way streets, and he
submitted a study which is labeled FEASIBILITY OF ONE WAY STREETS.
Now in that particular study, as conclusions, he had the following
2 statements. These are found on Page 9 of his study: "Peak hour
traffic volumes on many streets in the central business district
will exceed their traffic-carrying capacity within 2 to 3 years.
2. Positive steps will be required at that time to provide increased
traffic capacity if the congestion and accidents.are to be minimized."
Now I take it for granted what Dr. Faustman was saying in that report
was that some 2 or 3 years from 1957 there would be such an increase
in the matter of traffic on the streets of the central business
district that their traffic carrying capacity would be exceeded.
At that time, as you will recall, the Council had the hearing and
1
after alot of discussion on this matter, concluded that there was
no necessity for one -way streets. In the.latter.part of 1960 or
1959, there was appointed by the City Council a citizens' committee
on downtown traffic congestion and it is my. understanding that
along with that.appointment, Dr. Faustman also prepared and presented
his 1959 study, which was rather significantly labeled, no-longer
Feasibility of One Way Streets, but was labeled TRAFFIC IMPROVEMENT,
CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT. Now in this particular 1959'report, he
commented on the 1957 conclusions and on Page 4, he said this: "The
1957 report conclusions and recommendations were examined in light
of the current traffic patterns and the recomputed capacities. The
conclusions are still valid, except that the time at which volume
exceeds capacity should be shifted forward to about 1965." In other
words, what-Dr. Faustman has said in his 1959.report, is that the
congestion situation is not as aggravated as it was when he looked at
it then. Now if there is any doubt about that, I think you can find
other patterns in his 1959 report on Page 3. He said this: "It will
be noted that existing peak hour volumes do not exceed the computed
formula capacities." Again on Page 2 where he was talking about the
central business district traffic.pattern, he said this: "An analysis
was made on the change in traffic volume between 1956 and.1959 at
selected downtown points, and on the State highways entering the City.
All State highways have increased some 15 to 20 %." The next sentence
is the.important one. . "The central district pattern, however, is not
clear in. its.....:...': Now this is rather. interesting too, because he
sites peak hour counts at various points. There are.3 points on
Marsh Street to which he refers, the count in 1956 as compared with
1959, or rather the count in 1959.compared with that in 1956, in the
area between Chorro and Morro Street, which incidently is the.area,
at least a portion of it, which Mr. Romero indicated.was bottlenecked,
is shown as 8.1`/, less in 1959 than it was -in 1956. This is in Dr.
Faustman's report. The traffic count on Marsh between Carmel-.arid
Archer, contrary to what Mr. McNamara apparently contends_, had increased
13.1 %. The traffic on Marsh between Osos and Santa Rosa decreased 16 %.
Now it.'s pretty obvious to anyone that looks at.this., that the report
on which Dr. Faustman based his conclusions, would indicate that
traffic on Marsh Street appears to have dropped rather than to have
increased for those particular periods which he selects. I want to
say before I'm picked up on this, that I've also seen a report.......
that Dr. Faustman has, and the 11 hour counts in those areas do.show
a percentage of increases. But the point I'm trying to make is that
as Dr. Faustman points out in this report, there is no clear train.
You do not now have any reports upon which you can base any valid
determination on what should or should not be done. In connection
with Dr. Faustman's report in contrary to the recommendations which
were made by the Traffic Advisory Board, and I mean what I am now about
to say with no reflection upon these gentlemen, that all of these
gentlemen arm paid employees of some governmental group in the City
or the County. I am sure they are looking at this problem in a
completely different light than that which the citizens loot: at it.
But the.citizen's committee on April 30, 1960, in a letter and
recommendation to this Council, took a vote on this particular matter,
and that at the time by a vote of 7 to 3, that committee recommended
that no one -way streets be indulged in presently. It does not now
appear to me from the.record that has been presented, Dr. Faustman's
report, in 1957 with that as: compared in 1959, and:from such information
as we now have, that there is any legitimate basis upon which this
Council can now conclude.that there is even as.much need for one -way
streets as may have been thought existed back in 1957. Tdhen I talked
about the matter of.truck parking,;and Mr. Faustman mentioned the
possibility of increasing the number.of truck parking areas, .unless
the situation has changed greatly, within the last week, I am quite
sure..that it has not, I am certain that any of you that go down the
street, notice the area, particularly in front of Sauer's and see
the trucks which continually are double parked even to the extent
of being parked out in the middle.of the main traffic lane, with a
completely clear area between themselves and the curb in which no
car is parked. The fact of the matter is, that truck parking
regulations and.the movement of trucks can be.better enforced. What
the cause of it is, I do not know, but this.is a continuing problem.
I have myself gone down.the street, gotten out of my car, walked
up to a.truck driver, and asked him to move his truck over to the
curb.and there was no reason why he could not park there. There
was more than adequate room for him to have been there. Someone.:
will say, well, maybe somebody pulled away in the interim. I have
seen them go down the street and park deliberately when there was
nobody at the curb. I.think that the situation is one,which.at the
present time there is no logical basis for whidh.it can be concluded
that one -way ,streets are.the. moral solution. I think there are
other things which ,can be. tried. Whether we will come to this in
1965 or at some period sonner, I can't say. Dr: Faustman's report
now indicates that the real,crit.i.cal period will not .likely occur
before 1965 unless he had changed his mind,.and this I would assume
he would do on the basis of some statistics we have. not been
provided with since his report in 1959.
Mayor- Waters asked if .anyone else wished to be heard.
Mr. Al Bardin: I served one year on the citizens' traffic committee
for the downtown area.. I•am not a tradesman in the City of San
Luis Obispo or for the County. Outside of that, _I am in business
here. I spent 2 days in San Jose studying their one -way streets....
narrow business up there.- I spent one day in the City of Monterey
going over their one -way street plan, and what effect one -way streets
have on business up there and why they eliminated 5 of them, and
1 what they have now. I spent 2 days in Santa Barbara, one immediately
after their instigation of one -way streets, one while I was on this
committee, and my vote for this came to a head in our own community
and was an absolute NO2 and my feelings are still that way. I
don't see how we can afford, to sacrsfice._our businesses in the down -
town.area to make racetracks out of our streets that we have now.
,I am not in favor of one -way streets.
Mr. William Hall: I was here a couple of weeks ago, and I came with the
opinion that in view of.one -way street on Marsh Street, the traffic
on the High School will be- turned into Higuera Street and we have
542 accidents last year, when that traffic is funnelled into Higuera
Street.is gonna be higuer. The only alternative is that they would
have to get out of the City would be down Pismo Street and I took
-the opportunity today to go:ov.er and measure the width of Pismo
Street, and Johnson Avenue. The width of that street, that funnels
into Johnson Avenue at Pismo,Street.is. 19,', wide, and Higuera it is
31' wide, not wide enough to carry the _traffic, and I'd like to
concurr with Mr. McNamara that we don't have a problem on Marsh Street,
And if it was one -way, I would venture to say, I would say specifically,
that it would be the only alternate 101 highway in the State of
California that is one -way, and I don't speak from an economic
standpoint, solely from my position on Marsh Street-as I'm far enough
that I wouldn't have to,.meet traffic that would. come. down Higuera
Street, but when I made a sizeable investment in my place down there,
' several years ago, I.made.a statement to the effect that•San Luis
Obispo would recapture business that they had lost to Paso Robles
and to Santa Maria when they were.bypassed. Now we.are just at the
point where we. are beginning to enjoy -some of that business, and
-if we are going to foul the detail here:.by having these one -way
streets, when these people come off these.freeways after driving,
2, 3, and 4 hundred miles each day, and enter our streets at the
peak of their fatigue, we're gonna create some perfect traffic hazards
and increase the traffic accidents; and further, I think it would
discourage these people from stopping here. They get on these one -
way streets, they don't know how to go to get out of the City, and
then the next time they get to the area, they say, aw, lets go on
to Paso Robles. That would be on the economic standpoint that I'm
interested in, what it's gonna take out of the community, because
unless-you close the street, I'll get my share down there.
Mr. Roland Maddalena: Mr. Mayor ...... I'm not from Missouri, I'm from
San Luis Obispo, and I think possibly each of the natives that
have been born and raised here or spent many years here, of course
have witnessed quite a congested condition here in San Luis Obispo.
Ho,,,iever, I think possibly "we should look at it a little more
technically. I really don't believe San Luis Obispo's street
traffic warrants one -way streets. I think there have been some
things possibly that have not been mentioned. I ....... involves
the parking program we are working on." As I understand there is
property which we can expect to be condemned soon, I am sure -it
will" take care of much of the congestion. Also I think we can
look around practically each of our.......... corners within the
last ... :..years ....... impressively in regard to construction.....
sidewalks out in the middle of the street. This I believe has
caused more congestion than any ........... I think also that as soon
as construction is .......... Likewise . .............which has taken
quite a relief off of Higuera Street, as has the branch of the Bank
of America at College Square ............... Also, rather possibly,
some of the damages of one -way streets in other cities particularly
Sacramento. I happened to be up there a few weeks ago, and of
1
course coming into town, the first thing I did was drive down a
one -way street backwards. The unfortunate thing was, I ran right
smack into a-traffic officer. I know that to try to initiate a
one -way street system into San Luis Obispo will cause quite a bit
of trouble. I think also, that it has been pointed out through
the report we have received, this gradual receeding anticipated
high point of our traffic, I think we should wait -until 1965.
Mr. Harry Lacterman: I have about a 7 or•8 point question. I don't
know whether you want it all at once or one at a time.
Mayor Waters allowed him to proceed.
Mr. Lacterman: I would like to know why no parking on Higuera and Broad
and Osos during the peak traffic period has not been tried whereby
we have possibly4; Dr. says only 3, but since there is lanes
parked, and•2 lanes moving, I think you would have 2 lanes going
each direction during the peak periods. Now with traffic officers
at the peak corners to help. This to my knowledge has never been
tried; and I want to know why, this I think hasn't been tried,
because according to a ........ why one -way feeder streets have not
been used when we consider making the main street a one -way street.
I have noticed, I think the City of Monterey, the main street of
Broadway is a two -way street. Apparently- it.proved:.out more
profitable also, on the one -way 9-reets, there is no parking so they
traffic moves, and really moves. Even there, with all the traffic
lights ... one-way streets.... there is no parking: That includes....
street and includes....... Even there in addition to all the traffic
lights and everything else you will find officers who will be
pushing the traffic along, watching for anybody that gets in trouble.
The other question was on why propose a very drastic change for 7
days a week when we only have peak traffic Thursdays and then
probably from noon to 9:00 P.M., and on Saturday from possibly
noon to 6:00 P.M. Why should the other 5 days be one -way traffic
as ......:.........on those days. I would like to know why parking
has been allowed on Chorro Street which is a feeder street.....
business street and parking is allowed on both sides of that
1
street at all times and that is a major bottleneck and has been for
many years. Now I would like to know how this change could be
accomplished. Would it be accomplished by a citizens committee
without a vote, or would the business men and the citizens, or
Whether that in...........
Mr. Jack Fabbri: Three of the gentlemen from the -City Hall that were
discussing whether to change the flow in.the parking lot primarily
discussing advocating one -way streets on Marsh and Higuera.......
object to... ;..At that time if I remember correctly and I hope that
these gentlemen will correct me quite promptly if I misuse my
remarks, I requested-these 3 gentlemen to take into consideration
that there were going to be, or that there were already 5 very,
,very heavy traffic.movements there and a 6th was coming up. It
was requested at that.time that there be ...... in that particular
area. It was further:suggested that after that had been compared,
'that the principals of these 6 particular establishments get around
'the =table with them and discuss the pros and cons. Because of the
'
busy times this report has not yet been made available. I think
that it should be seen by those managers or owners in that presently
there are 78 parking areas available, with 90 to come on the City
parking lot which is 170. When one takes into account the 6th area
that is projected to be constructed, that area will bring to over
200. I am not taking into account another parking area that I
.And
.know`must take care of at least 65 or 70, so within a period of
3 months there will be available 70,80, 150, about 160 or 170
parking facilities, not counting the parking lot of Sears Roebuck
andi "not counting the parking lot from......... why that has not been
taken into consideration I don't know, apparently that ...... has not
been made. A few of us had the pleasure of reviewing the report
that we made in 1957 and were exhausted. The report is good......
I:think that the City Council concurred at that time that that report
be brought up to date in 1959. At that time the discussion......
it was recognized that with the exception of 2 spots that the flow
of one -way traffic possibly had better be studied further and post-
poned until approximately 1963. Since then we have had these other
explosions of parking problems, private and city parking lots that
.have been going in. Since then we have had the further movement
of.the very, very heavy traffic:this year during the hours.of 10 to 3
of the Cal Poly personnel; ........ look at Higuera Street and I think
particularly of Higuera Street in the period of the last 2 weeks and
they had to fight a downward.change of flow and parking traffic.
I would like to suggest-this, Mr. Mayor and City Council, that study
that was requested at that particular time that was discussed with
these gentlemen of the.Traffic Committee constitute a be prepared
that it is for them that it be discussed not only with the particular
persons involved in that area but with the citizens who are interested
in what traffic flow means on these particular streets and after that
has been done, and after the parking lot has.been established, with.....
parking spaces, that it.has been found necessary to go over to one-
way streets then that shall be the ultimate conclusion and objective.
Mr. Frank Adler: I have spent many years in this town and we have had
this problem for, Oh, 30 years since I've been here it's been brought
up at various times. .Years ago they finally decided, the Council
...decided, that they would.leave a space in the downtown in the middle
of the block painted yellow for the trucks, since that time they have
done away with all-that and put in parking meters. It seems to me
that it would be a good idea to shut off about 4 parking spaces in
the middle of the block until about 11:00 in the morning.and have
these fellows that drive trucks unload their merchandise at that
hour, and at the peak hours they could stay off those downtown
streets. With ...... they can do it. Another thing, since Marsh Street
:has been outlined the way it has in the last years and made this
Change, that street has been more bottlenecked than it has ever been.
Higuera Street, you don't have that trouble on.Higuera Street. Marsh,
it.seems like somebody is always.cutting in front of the other and
it is always a jam up there. .If they'd left.it with just the double
"line down the center of the..street; it would have been much better
than the way it is now. I travel that street many, many days and every
day of the week; and you will notice that every day,-regardless of the
hour, they have the Game problem on that street. Now I think that
the traffic signals on that street have helped it alot, but I think
"there's a little problem with people pulling over into the center
and back and forth on that.street.that causes alot of that traffic.
Like I say on the truck problem, I think that can be eliminated, and
I think you will eliminate alot of your congestion.downtown:
Mr. Les Kamm: I don't know whether I have anything to say or.not.
Everybody is trying to tell the traffic engineer what he should do
• •and-he probably knows more about it than any of us, but I feel
that if you take this traffic that comes in from the.upper end of
town and is coming into tbwn.:and on out the south, that most of
that traffic will follow Marsh Street ......... Now if you turn
traffic onto Johnson Avenue and run it down Higuera Street, it's
my opinion, as I -say, I'm not the traffic engineer, but it's my
opinion that you-are-going to get a whole lot more congestion here
in Higuera Street than we had before. And with these little narrow
streets that we have in Garden, and Chorro, and Morro, if we are
going this way on Higuera and we went over-Higuera to get around
on the other side of the street, we would be using those streets
more than they are being used now, because you ...... go around the
block business to get back to where you want to. Now I.......
that's best for San Luis .Obispo. I've lived here a long time, and
we have property on-Marsh Street, we have property on Monterey
Street, but anything that is best for the town, I am for, but I
travel these downtown streets just as much as anybody. .I've had
an office downtown fight on Chorro Street then over on Broad Street
for 35 years. I'm in the real estate business, and I'm in and out
all the time. Tonight when I left my office on Broad Street and
went - straight out Marsh Street southerly, past the High School,
I don't know how far it is up to my house, it must be over a mile,
.•• it took me exactly 4 minutes to get home, and I left 2 minutes
after 5:00. I don't think that's any traffic congestion enough to
.• take and one -way those streets and to.the.detriment that it might
hurt the people that are in business. As I say, I am not a traffic
engineer, but I can express my own opinion.
Mr. Dink Hall: 'Mr. Mayor and City Councilmen, I realize on narrow streets..
Marsh and Higuera of course Marsh, several.times a day, and on Marsh
Street and I take off after parts, of. course I am in a hurry, but
getting back to traffic, I know -there is a problem, but is the one-
way 'streets the solution? For example,...... for parking and so forth.
As it is now with parking on those.2 streets, with parking on both
sides of the streets, how could you park........ your cars. I can't
see that. Another thing I think should be considered,.I believe it
was mentioned here before; and is ...... one-way streets might became
faster, quite a bit faster. Take Higuera Street, take Marsh Street,
will they stand fast traffic? Another thing, I believe...... as I
understand it, you would have 3 lanes, have parking meters on both
sides of the street. So if you decide you want to park someplace,
and somebody pulls out over there, you are over in the right hand
lane, here they go....I think the Chief of Police will bear me out
on that. And I personally can't see that it is the solution. Another
thing I believe that was mentioned before; what about your side-.
streets, your feeder streets. Will they stand the traffic that's
put on them? Will it make them more dangerous by having to make
more turns? The streets are narrow..... they are in a hurry.....
so from a safety standpoint, is that the solution, and as we mentioned
before, I'm not a traffic engineer, and I can't argue with him, but
I just can't agree with him on this point of one -way streets here in
town.
Mayor Waters asked if anyone else withed to be heard.
Joe Hughes: I own a liquor store over on Marsh Street and I'm taking this
maybe as a selfish point, and I don't know how one -way streets are
going to affect me, the only thing I can go by is-information that
.I've accumulated from salesmen from San Francisco to Los Angeles
who go through these different towns. They have told me the fact '
that one -way streets especially ...... traffic east on Marsh Street
and I am on the other side of the street. They say either fight,
or pick up your suitcase and get moving. There's three reasons
I can't move, because I can't afford it, second-thing I have a 3
year lease down here, third thing is that the alcoholic beverage
control board won't let me ..... I can't move. I am convinced that
it's going to hurt my business at least 50 %, and I'm not in a
position to have that. Now I• realize you fellows have a problem,
but I don't think it's as bad as you really think it is, because
I've been on Marsh Street for 10 years. First I went through the
freeway....... Paul Jackson, the freeway did hurt Paul, and don't let
anybody say-not. The only reason business has picked up is due to
the increase in population in San Luis.......and I don't want to
get too rough, but I think if we would enforce the parking law
here.in.town, in the City of San Luis itself, now I see the Chief
of Police, and I.'m not criticising the Chief of Police. He says
he's going to.crack down...Well, I thought they always•cracked
down........ I'll admit that.in handing out parking tickets, they
have been 100% efficient on the job. I'm not mad Mr. Chairman,
I'm just scared. I have.3 little girls and am trying-to provide
1 a home and I just ask you to do anything in your power to.exhaust
every means of doing this, before you one -way Marsh Street, or give
..me.a piece of property so I can get out and go someplace.
Mr. Santos Leguina: I have been very many places, but I moved here
:25 years.ago, and I've seen the town grow up and.I believe I can
walk across this town.and. it won't take me very long. Also, as
..many towns as.I've been, San Francisco, Bakersfield, Fresno, Santa
Barbara, and Los.Angeles, they never have made their main street
a one -way street. It•looks like we're starting something here in
San.Luis Obispo which is first. Now.Joe made the remark that he
-.had a little business.. I have one too. I don'.t know.whether it
..is going to help my business or not. I am going to keep on the
.-corner.of.Higuera and Nipomo, but -I don't think that we have given
this enough.careful study to be able to do what we are doing.. Now
I'm very fortunate to be a small businessman and nobody came and
talked to me or.asked.me any questions.
Mr. Francis McNamara : -:I'd just.like to say one.more word. I think
this.whole thing should be delayed_at.this time, because I don't
think.it's fair•to.Dr..Faustman at the time that he made his
report, November.18th, when we had alot of Christmas shoppers coming
.a
into town,nd we had•alot of construction right in the congested
area, which is up on Higuera Street between.Osos and Morro, and I
Mayor Waters asked if anybody else wished to be heard.
Mr. Randall Ward: I was on the committee that studied congestion and
....one -way streets -that he has referred to. There is one point that
.I'd like -to bring:out that W.-Harris didn't. On our final letter,
our last.billet -doux, was the - recommendation s that were unanimous
with the 10 people that were appointed by.the City Council; the
_ recommendations were that.all measures possible be exercised to
1
assure earliest completion of.the parking lots. This would be before
we were thinking about one -way streets.anymore, and that signals
were justified. :There had been some signals placed, and there are
still more justified I'm sure. -That a study be•made of existing
traffic ordinances -and have.them brought-up to date. I know that
the,Chief and his force.has:a little.problem, with out - dated,
obsolete, traffic ordinances, and they plan to realign Monterey
Street which would help traffic tremenduously. But-the other point
I would like to make very strongly.is•.my feeling.is.very strong
.:.that maybe San Luis:-Obispo should.•profit- by..the mistakes of others,
....for this-town won't be here long•enough to make them all by themselves,
and.with reference to.that, I refer to one -way street experiments
in,other areas that-are being done away with by cities, Riverside,
-Long Beach, -San Bernardino, those are 3 cities I go to frequently,
particularly.LongwBeach. ..... I went down last weekend, and they
had taken a couple more of.one- way.streets off and made them 2 -way.
I talked to a sergeant on the-desk at the Police Department in Long
Beach, who.said he had been there 22 years. He said that in the
overall picture they -have caused quite a bit more confusion, and he
said that I do not believe that they do not stop accidents just by
starting one- way.streets, you've still got squirrels who are going
to.go the wrong way or come off the side-streets ......
Mr: Richard.Harris:..I.trust that.you gentlemen are all aware of the fact
that I have a client that is rather anxious to work with you on
that particular problem, particularly in providing.parking spaces
on the backs of the buildings on Chorro Street. This is another
matter which I-am.sure you would want to consider.
Mr. Francis McNamara : -:I'd just.like to say one.more word. I think
this.whole thing should be delayed_at.this time, because I don't
think.it's fair•to.Dr..Faustman at the time that he made his
report, November.18th, when we had alot of Christmas shoppers coming
.a
into town,nd we had•alot of construction right in the congested
area, which is up on Higuera Street between.Osos and Morro, and I
think this whole thing should be delayed until we get these parking
lots in, then make a study of it if we need a study-at-that time.
'Also, like Mr. Fabbri said, he says in the last 2 weeks everything
subsides. I think another cause of that is because this new Bank
of America opening up on Foothill Boulevard alot of your housewives
will be banking out there where they do have parking, where they've
been coming into town, also is going to take alot of that Poly
traffic that comes up in that area from out of town. So I think
this whole plan should be delayed at this time.'
Mayor Waters: At. this time we will call upon Dr. Faustman who has
made an accounting of most of the objections, and ask him to '
answer to the best of his knowledge, after which time anyone that
wishes to ask Dr. Faustman a specific question may do-so, after
they have been recognized by the Chair.
Dr. Faustman: Mr. Mayor, members of the Council, ladies and gentlemen:
I have 3 pages of notes here, I'll do my best. I'd like to start
out by asking...... Mr. Harris,.by'suggesting that he did not turn
the page. He dwelt at some length on the'changes of traffic which
is reported on Page 2 of•my report indicating a wide variation of
individual counts taken.... traffic pattern .... for statistical
difference. ...It would appear that on an overall•basis,'traffic
movement in the central area -has increased about 6% in.the past 3
years, -or 2% per year., -This is a trend predicted in the 1957 report.
.....Comparing these traffic volumes and computing capacity on
streets,it should be recognized that the traffic volume is not
uniform throughout the hour. For instance, in "the evening peak
hours, 6% volume occurrs in the first 20 minutes. In the total
hour volume-may be well below the capacity of the street. In the
first 20 minutes the traffic flow exceeds capacity. This is a
phenomonon of peak hour volume most peculiar to cities the size'-
of San Luis Obispo or- larger. •It can be assumed this effect.....
peak hour volume-of 700 or over; the traffic volumes exceeds the
capacity for about the first- _ - -=of each hour. The second thing
is what direction of the congestion period is tolerated before
corrective measures should be taken. Solving this problem, there
are other ramifications to be deliberated. The primary consideration
'is the inconvenience to motorist's due to the confining length of
the central business district streets. In other words, "what I
am trying to say is, that volume trends"in themselves and the
limiting capacity, are only part of the picture: I might also
point out in that regard.... in recommending one -way streets here,
without taking into consideration the deficit -which admitedly is
not critical to-the Nth degree, but also the advantages of- reducing
accidents..... 1957 report ..... the conclusions are-still valid except
that the time at which the capacity is estimated to be exceeded has
been shifted forward to 1965. Then I added to this report "corrective
action is indicated now to prevent the lane blockage which'occurs in
the downtown single lane streets." Unfortunately for me, that I
referred only to Santa Barbara and Monterey. Where else could you
find in California, cities where the main business streets were
one -way. Page of the report and point out to you we :have-one-way
streets on the main business streets in Chico, Modesto, Monterey,
Oakland, Redding, Richmond, Sacramento, San Fernando, San Jose, and
Stockton, and there are other cities where there'are businesses on
the one -way streets, but they are not necessarily the main streets;
Fresno, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Santa Ana, -Santa Barbara, Stockton...
now in order-to effect a universal policy for U. S. 101 and highway
99, to institute and ...... it's been done many years ago, to make
one -way streets on the main business streets..::main transcontinental... 1
pass, specifically .... Astoria, Coos Bay, Eugene Grants Pass, Klamath
Falls, etc. so that Ithink...quite clear that one- way'bueitiess
streets are not necessarily native to California or the west coast.
In recommending the system extending all the way to the end of Marsh
Street it was our feeling that terminal connections, free of traffic
into and out of the one -way street system are rather important, and
you should have streets..... which meant that we did have an opportunity
of bringing traffic smoothly on and -off-the freeway, Marsh being in
the position to take the eastbound traffic.... further consideration be
given to the installation of walk -wait signals which would have to
supplement the...... scrambler system, which they have in Sacramento,
VY where everything .stops -for pedestrians to all walk, I feel that the
..pedestrian volume here even though they,are at a point where they
_..can't delay regulatory.movement,.that you would justify the install -
%ation.of a full scrambler.system. It would involve too long delays
in the.traffic flow,.due to the longer cycles necessary to make
:•these.extra movements. Certainly the fear of changing business
..:,conditions are understandable. I.....Chamber of Commerce report
there is no•real.evidence, substantiated.evidence that ..... on the
-salesmen comments.on the impact.of.one -way. streets....In my home
town of.Sacramento I think there.As.an excellent example, after
one-way-streets were_installed.on one pair of streets, 12th and 16th
1.
_carrying two types of traffic, that the retail merchants association,
-:a rather large.and powerful-body of businessmen, actually appeared
before the Council and requested that J, K, L. and M. our main
business.streets, be made one -way streets. It was only after ..... the
City Council on recommendation.did install ..... followup indicated
that businessmen had generally been benefited by theWone way
streets as people were able to come down easily and quickly,.park
their cars and transact their.business. Being.able to park your
car is certainly an important point in 2 ways. First of all, the
more parking you have; the more people are going to come downtown,
.and the more business.you are going to have and the more traffic
you are going to have, so.....of parking lots would not be any
!i:solution at all to the traffic problem;in fact, it would tend to
increase traffic-. A point about parking, again, I -think is a
rather profound observation, in the.sense that.nobody is a customer
until they have parked their car and walked in the door, and it
would seem to me that what's happening all over the United States
,in the automotive age.is that we're bringing.cars in the business
district, parking,-becoming pedestrians, and then going about our
business. whether they come in north, south,.east or west is not
:important, as parking, getting.on their feet and going about their
business.. Some suggestion raised is the.need for more signals. I
-am sure that the City Engineer is watching 2 or 3 intersections
which currently were somewhat below the volume which will increase
and in-the broad sense additional signals are.....on the other hand
more.signals will show up on Higuera and Marsh. No doubt the
ability to coordinate them and synchronize,them for.uninterrupted
flow is.harder under: 2 -way operation than under one -way operation.
As I pointed out before, these vehicle signals can be signalized
to get the maximum benefit in being able to move the parked traffic
and......move the traffic out in the street. One man was going to
ask a series of 7 or 8 questions, but I think he answered his own
question when he said: "Why not ? ". Both of my reports point out
.that the very worst thing to do, that has been done from a congestion
standpoint, that isrproviding additional street velocity, which
•... would accomplish what we are driving at, would be to give you more
room for the ;:movement of more vehicles in.more lanes, it does not
necessarily give you any safe increase as a matter in terms of the
basic changes in movement of traffic on one -way streets. Parking
.appropriations have not specifically brought about.accident
reductions that would have been realized in the use of one -way
streets. I made the remark....that .... which has been on the
Council and the Administration,for the preservation of curb parking
and the large sums of money, and they are large, the City is spending
with the help of the property owners in order to have more off - street
parking. But I would not at this time recommend that you make
wholesale parking appropriations for traffic reasons; however, that
certainly could be done. There were questions asked about the use
of feeder streets. I think they are used in two different meanings.
1 One I interpret to mean parallel streets to Higuera and Marsh which
would in-essence serve as 2 pairs... parallel in feeding.... that is
State Street in Santa Barbara. If you create a parallel one -way
street to these main arteries, I think.....but you would be ..... a
eolution .... problem on Higuera and Marsh and.Monterey Street. If
by feeder streets we mean streets at right angles or cross streets,
do they have the - capacity to handle the increased turn movements,
it would appear with the parking or the loading zone prohibitions on,
is it Chorro Street where we. .... we-do have insufficient capacity on
the additional cross.streets to handle the increase in turns, as
the.result of.one -way streets. Why not parking prohibitions on
one -way streets? The answer to that is obviously that should you
install curb parking prohibitions during peak hours or one -way
streets in the future,.you need more capacity for both; and that's
exactly what's happening in Sacramento. We have - one -way streets
on J and R and now are taking off parking on this street .... orig-
inally provided for or completely useable for vehicles. Why
7 day restrictions? When the problem is of relatively. short-duration?
To which I would again-add-that-one-way-streets not only attack
the-traffic problem ... I -don't want to delay the meeting unnecessarily
to reason-with statistics.... because they appeared in the.January
issue of Street Engineering; but I'd like to enter Mr. Romero's
copy into your record to indicate many years of careful study
there-are significant reductions in accidents, I submit that-this
is the sort of thing we all like to see, contrary =to the obser-
vations of the Police Sergeant in -Long Beach... As to what legal
action. is necessary, the City Council has full authority to
institute one-way-streets. Mr. Fabbri asked abouta series of
congestive situations that are appearing in his block." Mr. Romero
I am sure will appear -in the near future to report on this. I
don't want......solutions which I have been talking about and which
he has been thinking about, are the same. By that I -mean, in the
many conflicting movements which occur when left turns are made
into these parking lots, is not the same type of problem which
occurs at the intersections,• and -the institution of one -way streets
would completely solve the problem that is now occuring in the
vicinity of the banks... Another type of solution 4iich would do
the same thing, in the way of prohibiting left turns, would be
to put a marking down the center of the existing-2-way streets.
The point was made several -times that we should eliminate this
truck problem..... loading zone. My recommendation No. 3, "Double
parking be eliminated by the creation of curb loading zones in
adequate size and numbers ". The question was raised-on why we
extend ..... in both directions.... actually, on both Higuera and
Marsh, it is the section between Broad or Garden and -Osos where
we find the volume peaking as you go towards the west end of the
street or the east end of the street, where they thin out like
streaks -of water which would point towards the fact that there are
other streets which come in ... traffic to the main arteries and go on
downtown........ Mr., Mayor,•you asked about funerals down on
Higuera. I can observe as I understandiit now, funerals are
going down Marsh Street? ....... that I am sure you are all pleased
when you see the new buildings along Marsh Street we have a new
bank going up, we have Rileys over there, some other developments,
we have your finer economic consultants predicting that cars•in
the San Luis Obispo business district will double in 20 years and...
I can see no difference in going down either Higuera or Marsh.
The impact on motels is certainly a good understandable question.
Those on the lower end of. Marsh Street have adequate - access and....
in 'Sacramento, 15th, 16th, and 12th street, there were no motels,
andnow there are 9 new ones in the last 3 or 4 years, so apparently
people are picking out motels by reputation, by advertising on the
highway.... motel will certainly not ask which lane of traffic.
The point was raised about need for revising your traffic ordinances,
also for more signals and-more-parking. I can't tell.... particular
ordinance, I don't really know, that certainly is not complicated
and it certainly -could be accomplished by your attorney.
Mayor Waters thanked Dr. Faustman, and asked if there -was anyone who
wished to ask any questions.
Mr. William Hall: They never answered my question about the alternate
101. Yes, my question was, is them another city in the State of
California that has an alternate 101 for a one =way street. I
don't think there is, and if this -plan were to go through, does
the City Council have -full authorization over Highway 101, and what
does the Division of Highways have to say about this.
City Engineer. Romero: Let me answer the first part. He is correct,
there are no other cities on U. S. 101 that I know of in California
with one -way streets for the highway. U. S. 101 through town is
considered a business route, and not considered under State Highway
jurisdiction. Marsh Street, that is Broad Street coming from the
Edna area to Marsh, down Marsh to the freeway, is Highway 1, and
that is'under State:jurisdiction;:-.however, several-years ago we
referred to the State, and:they said there-:would be no problem to
work out an alternate route•for.Highway 1.
Mr.
Hall: How Many years,.and.who was in charge down at the Division of
Highways, see we have had a change of administration.
•. -Mr.
Romero:•. I•talked to Mr.:.Case.
Mr.
McNamara: -.I talked to:Mr. this evening; and he said that
•as,.far•as the City was concerned, they.could take:that over; however,
as -far as the truck:traffic was concerned,-.they only got their
'
highway..... one street, .and not.both street, so if your truck traffic
tears up both streets, you'd only get your highway tax for one of
them. .That's the way he put:it:
Al
Bardin: Yes,there was one other point that I wanted.to bring out.
.The purpose of the-parking-meters was to eliminate the traffic. If
people would search for a parking space, and when they couldn't
find-it, they'd continue:.to.circ-le the whole block, and it created
iquite a traffic problem there: Well, the Dr. stated that this one -
way.street-would force.peopie.to drive farther and to usually circle
..several blocks-,-and I believe it would increase the traffic rather
than diminish it. If you'll notice down on lower Higuera Street and
also on Marsh Street here, they can't circle those blocks. They'll
.have to go 2 long blocks and possibly-3 blocks between Nipomo and
:Carmel.. You'll have to go 4 blocks to get around-1 block.. No, you
have:to go 6 blocks. And .then the Dr. brought out .the point that
pressure had been brought to bear on the -City Council: I don't
know of any pressure being brought to bear.
Mayor-Waters
asked if there.was anyone else..
Harry Lacterman:: The citizens traffic committee that we worked on for
a year, you met.with us down at the Motel..Inn and took us for lunch.
I believe the question -was asked you at that time, approximately
what percentage of traffic increase could.be expected to go over one-
'
way streets over 2 -way. You told us at that time it had been your
experience that 20% increase. That also came out in tegimpny
in a public hearing with Mr. Wise previous to this.•..said one -way
streets on Higuera and Marsh would probably increase traffic flow
at least 1/3. What has caused you to---revise-your estimates in the
last.12 months:
Dr. Faustman: I don't think that is an inconsistent statement Mr. Mayor.
,:.If you have a ...... of a-dimension where you have .... that's.enough
for:one lane of.traffic in each direction and for one lane of parking.
If you merely change the direction from a 2. -way to a one - way.street...
What we're able to achieve in this particular situation, as I tried
'to point out, is that:we're actually considering a new lane of
movement, so-.instead of having a single file or one lane in each
direction, you now have 3.1anes in each.direction. -So that would
account for my statement that there would be a greater increased
capacity than otherwise.
Mr. Lacterman: I wasn.'t quite clear on the answer to the matter of
.suggestions as well as questions as to the alternative plan of no
parking on Higuera for the busiest 2.or.3 blocks, and a.traffic
,officer at the peak corners to direct traffic.... would the traffic
experts give us an explanation if.that would alleviate the situation
for.the next 2, 3, 5,-years, and what.do you.recommend as a
temporary measure?
Dr. Faustman: There is no.question:in my mind from the standpoint of
moving traffic-, that the prohibition of parking during peak hours
would be a very excellent thing to do. It would provide the
increased capacity, and-give ...... police . at least z hour to see
:that noone was parked.at the curb, and prohibition was involved,
which unfortunately sounds like......... I'm not sure you are ready
for loosing the.parking spaces that this space..constitutes. And the
other point that I made in the sense that one -way streets vs parking
prohibition, is the thing #1 that you wouldn't have the benefits of
accident reduction with parking prohibitions, nor #2 would you get
the ability to synchronize the traffic signals in the two -way
operation with parking prohibition...
Mayor Waters: Does that answer your question Harry?
Mr. Harris: Mr. Mayor, I don't want to spend alot of time ..... words with
Dr. Faustman, but I would like to ask one or 2 questions. My asumption
in-reading both of his reports is that his recommendation with respect
to one -way streets was primarily a matter of traffic increases, and
further that.one -way streets would tend to minimize accidents.
He makes quite a point out of the fact that I did not pay attention to '
an asumption which he made. My understanding of the.meaning of
asumption is that.it's an opinion of a person taken from certain
facts that may not be borne out statistically, but this is what he
assumes the situation is. What I would like to know from Dr. Faustman
is, when he prepared the 1959 report how many traffic counts did he
see,-or how many days for.the chart which was prepared and placed on
Page 2, and secondly, since he raises the question of accident reports,
did he look at any accident reports for the various years involved,
and can-he now tell us the difference in percentage, and if he can
now tell us the difference in percentage; why did he not think these
were important enough to put in the report when he prepared it in
19592-
Dr. Faustman: Taking the last question first, I did not have accident
reports, because I dCd not feel that served any purpose-at this time,
other than to observe as.I have in both reports, as a matter of fact,
that experience universally elsewhere indicates that regardless of
the number of accidents that were occuring now, there would be a
reduction of accidents on a one -way street operation. So, as I
say, I didn't examine.any detail at.all for existing patterns-.- I
had information taken by the City Engineer's offoce, traffic counts
taken August.,5, 1959, August 10, 1959, etc. We felt this was a good
average period of the year, and it did not reflect the opening of
school. The total number of counts taken, taken throughout the
business.district....
Mr. Harris: Do I understand that on each date there was a count taken
for each one of the points?
Dr. Faustman: There were various locations on various days. They weren't
all at the same location. In other words, I gave .a string of dates
that weren't all at the same spot.
Mr. Harris: On.Page 2, the first point that you have is.on Higuera Street
between Chorro and Morro. How many counts were taken in that particular
area, on which you based your conclusions?
Dr. Faustman: I believe the answer is one or 2. Another important point
is the counts taken in 1956 were taken about the'same time of year,
so we were in essence, trying to compare similar times of the year.
Mayor Waters asked if there was anyone else who had a question.
Randall Ward: I'm not going to ask a question..... I'd like to answer it.
On this accident thing, the statement was made to me .... once when I
was on:the committee..... Officers on the long Beach Police Department
have alot.of.work to do, that'they honestly could not prove, and they
say they didn't, have any reduction in accidents from the putting in
of one -way streets. Not.that was not just on that street. If you
are going to talk about one street, yes you might reduce accidents,
or scrapes, or bangs, but if you have one, it's gonna be good.
But the overall pattern of the city, it just did not reduce their
accidents, and I.was told that by two different people, and I still
think that perhaps that.some of their men know just as much or more
about-their accidents. Now,.my.question is, does the Dr. have any
concrete figures from any of these cities not just on the particular
streets made one -way but.in.the overall business district we'll say,
as-the percentage of accidents they have before and after.
Dr. Faustman: These traffic counts were taken on Wednesdays, Mondays,
Fridays, Saturdays, Tuesdays. They.obviously. cannot include
.Thursdays.or.Saturdays.. They were.higher:. Again we.are: looking for
average:.conditions: on the count for 7:00 A.M::one day until 7:00
A.M. the .next day ;. .
Dr:.: Faustman:- Yes-,.,I-thought of that, Mr. Mayor, and..•....!..on that.
I'm sorry:- The answer to that.,specific. question. The Oregon
_._ study, and.that's only.one,of many studies that have.been
published, of which I only have a few with me here tonight,
are based on what we call before and after studies.....these
were accidents occurring as 2 -way streets:......accidents after
they had::been changed to one -way streets..... what you-do then is
to get a:true comparison as to the effect of one -way streets.
In most of these cases, although they have not been published,
the City -wide or Mid- Pacific wide accident pattern before and
after.-:: :.might not be significant. There are many points
published in- these.technical journals on before and after
1
accidents too-detailed to take up at 10 or 11.
William.Hall: Mr. Mayor, I-object•.to this.reference to, these other
cities like Sacramento, and.all these places, Stockton, and all
these valley .towns,.where.they.'re -laid out first.street, second
street.. ABC street.and:all. that. We have A city here that's
unique in its location. We're between mountains, we're intersected
by creeks, and we don't have ..... every one of our main streets are
dead end, we run.into a creek or mountain.or something,- and we .
shouldn't even use these others as examples, because in the first
place, when you get on a one -way street in Sacramento, you go for
4 or 5 miles. Here you barely get into second.gear. We're
talking about getting on these streets and•taavelling 8 blocks....
But.we're not gonna get on these:one -way streets for any longer than
8.blocks, possibly 10 blocks,.and talking about Sacramento or Stockton,
you can get on a one -.way .street, or even-in Santa:Barbara, you get
on San Rocharout.there, and you.can possibly go 3.miles. Here you
are talking about 8 or.10.blocks.
Dr.-Faustman: The reason I quoted Monterey was because I felt that with
the ocean at -one end and ...... at the other end. But I think I agree
that every town is- different,.that's why.we just can't blithely....
a . .
Mayor Waters asked-if anyone else wanted to be heard..
Mr. Stanley Beath: He keeps referring to Monterey and Monterey area
_one -way streets.. I'll grant you if any street has ever had.one -way
congested .traffic,. that town's got.it. .
Mayor:Waters: They are thinking-of adding some more;- I understand.
Is there. anyone else who wishes to be heard.
Mr. .Fabbri questioned time allowed for use of parking spaces and
availability of parking•spaces-.in off - street -lots.
Dr. Faustman: ..... I was making a broad observation, sir, that more
parking in the general sense would bring more cars downtown, and
more cars downtown.would mean just exactly what:we are talking about.
Your- planning consultant, in his Genetal Plan for the central business
district, makes :the observation the program.that.you're describing,
which I gave the impression that the Council had pressure on them, I
didn'.t mean to: I meant that pressures for doing something were
.constantly on the City Councilv This program..... was only 300 or
.400 spaces or even less,.and the parking consultant said, give me
4--to.8.thousand spaces in•this.town. So my observation was a
general one:,
Mayor_Waters.asked if .there were.any other questions.:.
'
Richard Harris: I'd like to ask Dr.; Faustman on those checks put in
Chorro and Morro, how long on each'day was the.check made, and on
what day of the week.
Dr. Faustman: These traffic counts were taken on Wednesdays, Mondays,
Fridays, Saturdays, Tuesdays. They.obviously. cannot include
.Thursdays.or.Saturdays.. They were.higher:. Again we.are: looking for
average:.conditions: on the count for 7:00 A.M::one day until 7:00
A.M. the .next day ;. .
Richard- Harris: I'm sorry, that makes me ask one more.' If that is the
situation, -Mr: Faustmah, would you please explain to me why the
reports are labeled -11 hour "counts, and your .... am I incorrect in
that?
City Engineer Romero: The original studies made in 1956 were made on
11 hour counts;.-therefore the 24 hour counts were, in this later
report, converted to an -11 hour - period, even though we took 24
hour counts, and ..... both reports on the same date.-
.
Dr. Faustman: My report always deals with hourly counts - during the peak
hours.- Now we may count -12 or 24, out of-this I quote 5 to 6 P.M.
Saturday, that's the critical peak I am concerned with. —
Richard Harris: The only reason I asked Dr.. Faustman is that I.am
holding in my hand what I presumed to be a preparation made by
the City which'indicates that counts on Higuera between Chorro and
Morro in 1956 and 1959 were 1 -1 hour. counts. That is correct? Not
24 hour counts? =
Mr. Romero: The later -count was a.24 hour count...... basis-for comparison..
used the same 11 hours....
Mr. Richard Coleman, City Delivery: We do quite a bit of driving, and
as most of you know; we put in quite a few miles around town, and
I'm curious to ask just -one thing. If we were to have one -way
streets,'and they didn't work too good, would this be used to prove
that we should have Chorro and Morro and Osos and Broad made one -
way streets, or is this to stand on -.its own merits ? - In other words,
I have a feeling that this is the foot in the•door and on all these
counts that we talked about I noticed that the one -ways run parallel
to the main .drag, like in Santa Barbara,.and-several' other towns.
Now these are proposed in 1957 drawings, take the downtown and makes
a real maze out of it.. .I mean we're used to having these routings
and it really gets to be a maze, and we're used to it, and what is
the tourists and the people that come in from out of town, because
I think Judge Jackson.... will count this, and put the rest of
them. That is what I'm against.. It's not so much that these
streets....are going to be outdated in 1975, but once the report
says now ...... I feel they're not being discussed, because....
propositions, but if we do something that is not too bad, so that
we can do the rest of it later, after the people get used- to "it:
Now this ...... I don't know how much income tax .... passed in -1903
or something,.... if we knew than what we do now, and I think......
The main thing is that this just leads to another movement in the
future which you can't.back,away from as well as you can stay out
of it in the first place.. I'm not against it if it has to be, but
how much does it have to be?
Mayor Waters:- What we want to do for our City is -the best that we can
do for our City. %I don't.think there -is anybody that wants to see
any businessman hurt. We are all .concerned about -the downtown
traffic congestion as.we all know it to be. It's really a problem.
The best way to do it is the method that the Council wants to
consider. To widen the streets is one way, to prohibit parking is
another, but when we stop to think about the numbers of out of
town people you merchants, these are the people - you -are trying to.
attract. If we just had our own people to take care of .... hollering
about getting more and more business. Certainly no one wants to
see Joe Hughes liquor store bypassed because -a man is on the -other
side of the street..... We do, I think, all have the sane feeling,
that we want to do something about the congested downtown traffic
problem. If there is anyone else who wishes to be heard, we'll
be glad to hear you. Yes?
Richard Coleman: May I say just one .thing? We drive about 75,000 miles
on these streets in.a years time. Now- that'.s.a fair amount.
We've.got: some competition, so they.probably:do.some.good.too, so
I ... while I say,.I don't.have a degree, I can tell you-this•;,the
degree of congestion that you have in San Luis Obispo compared to
Fresno, compared to Bakersfield, compared to anyplace on the coast,
is negligible. Now peak hours we move at almost the same pace.
We�are• slowed up somewhat, but not enough to even notice, and believe
-me -, we'd notice,because this comes in domes, and vie have to get there
.to the dimes, and so this is not'.a business that we can sit on
thelstreet' corner and wait. We've .got to move, and if we don't
move, we don't make money. 'My best.time for making money is between
4:30 and 5:00 P.M. in the evening, and we make it. So if we don't
hustle our money's worth, we're .gonna start screaming along with
anybody else. But we do not have a problem,'we are visited by
people from out of town to see how the operation runs who operate
the same type of businesses, and they say, shoot, anybody who makes
a success up in San Luis Obispo..... Now, I was in Los Angeles, and
they drive 5 or =.10 times what we do,'but they work.... they park
their cars, walk 3z blocks, up 9 floors ...... And there we have a
pretty good traffic pattern.
Harry Lacterman: I'd like to ask one more thing. Now how is this
decision'to be -made and .the answer I received was that the Council
was to make the decision. Now I'd like to know whether a poll
will be made of the citizens and•the businesses who are affected.
Mayor Waters: - Harry, I would like to answer -your question: The
decision is now up to the Council. This is a formal hearing which
we have to have held. As the result of this hearing, the Council
may:do one.of 2 things. they may or they may not pass an ordinance
to the effect that gives San Luis - Obispo one =way streets, but the
authority is with the- Council.. Now does that answer your question?
Harry :Lacterman: I understand it, but I =don't like it.
Mayor.: Waters:- I"would 'like• to thank you for your courtesy in the
hearing. You have given each individual the opportunity to be
.:heard, you've tried to be fair about this thing on both sides, and
we appreciate it very much.. If there,is -no further discussion or
- anything else to be =said, -I will.-now.turn it over.to• the council
for discussion.
' If. there is no:objection from any member-of the Council,: I will
close the hearing.
I now declare the hearing closed, and—turn that over to the Council.
After discussion by the members of the-City Council,=the.following
Resolution was passed.-and-adopted:,-
RESOLUTION NO'. 729 (1961 Series), "A Resolution Establishing Portions
of Higuera Street and Marsh Street as One -way Streets ", was passed and
adopted on motion of Donald Q. Miller, seconded by J. Barry Smith, on
the following roll call vote: - =-
AYES: Donald Q. Miller, J. Barry Smith, Fred M. Waters.
NOES:, Gerald W. Shipsey, Kenneth -W.- Jones.
ABSENT: None. : -..
14.. At this.time the City:Council considered the adoption of an Ordinance
prohibiting the-discharge of- dangerous and deadly weapons in the City
of.San Luis Obispo: ,
City Attorney Houser explained the provisions of the proposed ordinance
to.the City Council. '
Judge Jackson, Judge of the Justice Court, appeared before the Council
stating that he thought this was a good Ordinance, and needed by the
City;.but that he did not hear what the enforcement or penalties would
be, and a good Ordinance without penalty provisions would be of no use
to the community.
City Attorney Houser explained to the-Judge that the penalty provisions
are a part of the Code, making any violations a misdemeanor, with
penalties not to exceed $500.fine,.or more than 6.months in the-County
Jail.
ORDINANCE. NO. 178..(1961 Series),: "An Ordinance Prohibiting-the-Discharge
of Dangerous and Deadly Weapons in the City of San Luis Obispo ", was
passed to print -on motion of J. Barry Smith, seconded by..Kenneth W. Jones,
subject to working out.the penal privisions -with the Justice Court's
Judge Jackson, on the following-roll call-.vote:
AYES: Kenneth..W. Jones, Donald Q. Miller, Gerald W. Shipsey; J.
_ Barry Smith, Fred M. Waters.
NOES: None
ABSENT: .None
15. City Engineer. Romero asked that the final acceptance of Tract No. 183,
as requested by E1mer.W..Smith, be held over as some work still had to I
be done on the subdivision. -
16. Report.of..Council Committee on negotiations with the school board regarding
trade of City- owned•property at Laguna Lake for school -owned Mitchell
Park. 1 -
a. Communication from San.Luis Obispo City School Board submitting
reasons for desiring trade for City -owned property.
b. Resolution No. 727,::'A Resolution of Intention to Exchange
Laguna-Lake property.for Mitchell Park ":
c. Terms and conditions of. property exchange.
d. - Communication from.City School Board to Administrative Officer
Miller, recommending that the City Council adopt Resolution No.
727 to consummate the trade of property., •
The City Clerk read the communications from the San Luis.Obispo City-:School
Board recommending the exchange of property between the City and the School
Board and also read-the terms -and conditions of Resolution No. 727.:
RESOLUTION NO..727 (1961 Series), '.'•Resolution of"Intention to Exchange
Laguna Lake Property for Mitchell Park "., was passed and adopted on motion
of J. Barry Smith, seconded,by Gerald W. Shippey;, on the following roll
call vote:
AYES: Kenneth W. Jones, Gerald W. Shipsey, J..Barry Smith, Fred '
M. Waters.
NOES: Donald Q. Miller.
ABSENT:- None - 1. ...
On the motion,. Councilman Miller stated that the .City •Planning Commission,
after study, had objected to the proposal to exchange property and that it
was not in the best interest of the City and public to tie this property up
at this time. Councilman Miller read the following statement relative to
this property exchange: ..
"The trade of the Laguna acreage for Mitchell Park is,in my opinion,.not
in the best interest of the public, the taxpayer.
First, the proposed Laguna junior high school will.not be centrally located
to the present and futurd growth of the residential area. This will create
two major problems. One is many students attending the proposed school
must cross French Road.. This will be a major street within a few - years..
Another problem, a costly item; is.some.of the students will have..to -be
transported to school. Providing bus service is a costly item in-.any school
budget.
My second reason for opposing the trade, is that Laguna Park will someday
be a regional recreational area for the City. Therefore, all the acreage
the City owns in this area should be:•retained-. '
There is a third reason and:that is within a few months there will be
new members on the school.board, the Council, too: In my opinion the
Council should wait before making a decision. I understand the school
board does not plan to build a junior high school in this area for at
least 5 years...Why all the.rush.. Therefore I move -to table this proposal.
17. Council consideration of.disposition- of.Mission Gardens lease.,which is
due to expire March 19, 1961, was referred to a Council Committee.consisting
of Councilmen Smith and Miller to study and make recommendations to the
City Council.
18. Report of expenditures at the Mission Gardens by public and private
agencies as requested by the City Council was referred to a Council
Committee..consisting of Councilmen Smith and Miller-to study and
make.recommendations to the -City Council.
19. .Communication from the Regional.Water Pollution Control Board setting
forth requirements for enlargement of the existing sewage treatment and
disnosal facilities.for the Citv of San Luis Obispo..
1C
City Engineer Romero and City Attorney Houser reported that the final
requirements a's submitted by the Water Pollution Control Board were as
deciddd.at the Santa Maria hearings. The matter was ordered received
and filed:
20. The City Clerk presented a resolution of the County Board of Supervisors
adopting Title 17 of the.California Administrative:Code as a regulatory
measure for development.of facilities at Santa Margarita Lake.
City Attorney Houser reported that a series of meetings had been-held
regarding the lack:of.control• and the lack of standards and procedures
for recreational use and development of-the Santa Margarita Lake; such
that -the Mayor and City Staff had attended all of the meetings and the
following attended.one•or more-.of said meetings:. Supervisors Kimball
and Gates, Senator Sturgeon,. and County Administrative Officer Dixon
Conrad. The County had made application for State funds for additional
roads., boat launching ramps, and-sanitary-facilities, and that Senator
Sturgeon had removed the County'.s request•from the State agenda at the
suggestion of the City:of San,Luis Obispo until the procedural problems
and patrol problems could be resolved. That at the suggestion of the
Mayor, the_Board of Supervisors put the patrol of the Lake under the
County Department of Beaches and Parks and have adopted Title 17 of
the California Administrative Code as a regulatory measure for development
of recreational:facilities. Title 17 provides for approval of recreational
facilities by.the. City.of San Luis Obispo.before.installation of such
facilities and provides•for.the procedure and health considerations
regarding,possible pollution.to the-Lake.
It was the recommendation of the City staff and Mayor Waters that the
City's objection,to the County applying for additional.State funds for
recreational development at Santa Margarita Lake be withdrawn on the
basis of the steps taken by the County Board of Supervisors which
assures :the City's rights to review and approve development plans.
By;common, consent of the..Council, the recommendation was approved.
21. Discussion by the City Council,of the fact that the State of Californsa
has not yet.executed and returned financing agreement and operation
agreement for Whale Rock Dam, executed by the City on.December 12, 1960.
Administrative-Officer-Miller was authorized to contact the State
Department of Water Resources relative to the agreements for financing
and operation. .•
22. Report of Council Committee consisting of,Councilmen Jones and Miller on
sewer rental service fees, etc.
Councilman Miller . stated that they would proceed as rapidly as possible
on,.tlis matter-.and bring recommendations to the City Council.
23. RESOLUTION NO. 731 (1961 Series), "A Resolution Authorizeing Exceptions
to Tentative Map of Tract. No. 212 ", Johnson Highlands #3, was passed and
adopted on motion of Gerald W. Shipsey, seconded. by Donald Q. Miller, on
the following roll call vote:
AYES: Kenneth W. Jones, Donald Q. Miller, Gerald W. Shipsey, J. Barry
- Smith, Fred.. M. Waters...
NOES: None .
ABSENT: None
24. Communication from Pacific.Gas.& Electric Company requesting permission
for an easement for power line through City -owned property in Lopez
Canyon. _. r
City Engineer Romero briefed-the conditions of the easement- being-
requested by PG&E, and the matter was referred to City- Attorney.Houser
to prepare conditions for the easement. Among the points discussed, it
was agreed that necessary future relocations should be at .PG&E. expense.
25. Report of the Council Committee consisting of Councilmen Shipsey-and
Jore s investigating the organization of the City Fire Department, was
ordered held over.
26. Communication from Administrative Officer Miller regarding Section 1405
of the City Charter, having to do with the annual salary survey of City
employees' salaries and requesting permission to make said survey.
Request of Administrative Officer Miller was approved on motion of
Kenneth W..Jones, seconded by Donald Q. Miller.
27. TRAFFIC COMMITTEE REPORT • ' - •
61- 1- 1T "The Council will - recall that the Traffic Committee has mentioned
a study in progress on the possibility of replacing the driveway ramp
just east.of Marsh on the south side of Johnson Avenue into the Safeway
parking lot with standard curb, gutter and sidewalk. -The Committee has
made a proposal to the Safeway Corporation for doing this work, And•the
company is agreeable and recognizes the improvement in• traffic conditions,
which should result. Since the City - approved the original installation,
we feel that the expenditure of City funds in the estimated amount of
$400.00 to do this work would be justified and so recommend.•'•'
Recommendation approved on motion of Kenneth W. Jones,,seconded by Donald Q.
Miller.
61 -1 -2C "On the matter of the crosswalk suggested by-Councilman Miller at
Santa Barbara Avenue and Osos Street; the committee feels.that this would
be desirable and recommends- installation of a crosswalk on the west =side
of Osos extending from the Osos triangle across Santa Barbara and also
across Leff Street."
Recommendation approved on motion of Gerald W. Shipsey, seconded by
Donald Q: Miller.
61 -1 -3T "For some time, the Police Department and the Traffic Committee
have been studying the traffic hazard which exists at the entrance to
the A & W Root Beer. Stand on Santa Rosa Street. The major problem %concerns
cars attempting to turn into the root beer stand and being hit from the
rear. We feel that one step which would help to relieve the congested
condition at this.-location would-be the elimination-of.-parking on the east
side of Santa Rosa Street extending from the oorner of Olive to the first
driveway ramp north of the root beer stand. This could be done by marking
in red four short stretches of-curbing. Only two car parking spaces
would be eliminated, and we feel that this would make a safer traffic
condition. It may be that we will have to come back later on and also
provide for channelized turning pockets into the root beer stand, but we
feel that -this should be tried first. Clearance would have to be obtained
from the Division of Highways for either change."
RESOLUTION NO. 730 (1961 Series), "A.Resolution Establishing a No- Parking
Zone on Santa-Rosa Street Adjacent to the A & W Root Beer Stand ", was
passed and adopted on motion of Kenneth W. Jones, seconded by Donald Q.
Miller, on the following roll call vote:
AYES:- Kenneth W. Jones, Donald Q. Miller, Gerald W. Shipsey, J: Barry
Smith, Fred M. Waters.
NOES: None
ABSENT: None
28. Communication from Division of Highways District V announcing a Public
Hearing to be held in the City Council Chambers of the City of San Luis
Obispo on February 9, 1961 to discuss the conversion of existing express
ways on U. S. 101 between Pismo Beach and San Luis Obispo, and between
Atascadero and-Paso' Robles, to full freeway.
Administrative Officer Miller stated that the Division of Highways are
holding a public display of current plans for these areas on February 2,
1961 and Mr. Romero was requested to attend and report to the.City Council
at their next regular meeting.
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