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HomeMy WebLinkAbout12/10/1996City Council Meeting Page 2 Tuesday, December 10, 1996 - 7:00 p.m. COUNCIL LIAISON REPORTS There were no reports. PUBLIC HEARINGS 1. CHORRO AREA TRAFFIC CALMING PLAN (File No. 534) Council held a public hearing to consider: 1) initiating an amendment to the Circulation Element to reclassify Chorro Street and modify its speed and traffic volume standards; 2) modifying the traffic calming .facilities in the Chorro Street area; and, 3) developing Neighborhood Traffic Management Program.Guidelines. Public Works Director Mike McCluskev presented the staff report, giving a history of the issues surrounding factors leading to increased traffic on Chorro Street and ultimately the traffic calming project. He detailed successes and failures of the project and how the issue had been evaluated. He noted that the City Council could make findings to set the speed limit at 25 mph and use radar to enforce it. He stated that if Council chose to reclassify Chorro as a Neighborhood Arterial and set the speed limit at 25 mph, it would require hearings at the Planning Commission and City Council. Mayor Settle opened the public hearing. 1. Marty Tangeman, Murray Street, spoke on behalf of the Chorro neighborhood and stated that the current devises work, but his group is willing to compromise and supports option #4 in the staff report. 2. Robert Kile, Venable St., stated that the current devices work, but he is willing to compromise and could support option #2 or option #4. 3. Dan Steele, 2300 Broad Street, stated his concerns regarding traffic calming in general and too much commercial growth. 4. Mike Stofer, 60 Benton Way, stated that extreme speeders are the problem and that the humps have worked in slowing those speeders down, and that something must be done to make the neighborhoods safer. He supported option #4. 5. Gerard Parsons, 848 Venable, asked the City Council to return the streets to their original configurations. 6. Carol Pierce, 864 Mission, stated that majority rules, and that if the majority says to remove the bumps, they should be removed. She supported option B. 7. Ken Haggard stated that unless alternative transportation is utilized, the traffic on downtown streets will continue to increase. 8. Brandy Pierce, 864 Mission St., stated that she is afraid to ride her bike on Chorro because of the humps. 9. Doug Hauff, 277 Warren Way, spoke in opposition to the speed bumps and traffic circles. 10. Louis Dutra, 950 West Street, stated that the traffic on Lincoln and West Streets has increased since the traffic calming plan was implemented. He supported option B. 11. Sharon Seitz, 112 Cerro Romauldo, stated that the bumps are unsafe for bicyclists and damage vehicles and urged Council to remove the bumps and circles. City Council Meeting Page 3 Tuesday, December 10, 1996 - 7:00 p.m. ' 12. Barbara Holcomb, 1415 Nipomo St, agreed that Chorro should not be singled out, as there are many busy residential streets in the City. She is opposed the speed bumps and traffic circles. 13. Luther Bertrando. SLO, spoke in favor of option B. 14. Mike Lacy, 965 West St., stated that the Lincoln & West Street residents had previously requested that the devices be removed if there was a 10% increase in traffic on Lincoln and West Street, and that there has in fact been a 54% increase. 15. Phil Lowe, SLO, stated that the Chorro residents knew the nature of the street when they purchased their homes and many residents live on busy streets. 16. Bill Glidden. 282 Chorro, spoke in opposition to the bumps and circles and in favor of option. B. 17. Lloyd Dietrich, 55 Broad St., spoke in favor of option B. 18. Cheryl Staroba, The Village, stated that it is painful for the seniors riding the bus and that'the bumps and circles are ugly. She asked that they be removed and a cross walk installed: 19. Bill Vrooman, 130 S. Tassajara Street, stated that there have been few accidents on Chorro, so it must be a safe street; he spoke in opposition to the bumps. I 20. Florence Flores, 287 Chorro, said that the bumps are noisy and devalue the homes on the street and asked the bumps be removed. 21. Cindy Griffin, Cerro Ct., spoke in opposition to the bumps and asked Council to find a compromise. 22. Bret Lowe. 143 Cero Ct, spoke in opposition to the bumps and circles and supported option B. 23. Naoma Wright. Foothill Blvd., spoke in opposition to the speed bumps. 24. Matt Wall. 584 Patricia St., spoke in support of adopting either option B or option #5 and asked that sidewalks be installed on both sides of Chorro Street. 25. Mary Wall, 584 Patricia St., asked Council to remove all the bumps and leave the traffic circle on Benton Way. 26. Ron Elgas, Lincoln St., stated that he supports staff option B. 27. Rebecca Elgas. Lincoln St., supported option B. 28. William Howell, 277 Westmont Avenue, spoke against the speed bumps and asked that they be removed along with the traffic circles; he supported option B. 29. Beverly Ensing, 283 Chorro Street, stated that the plan was an experimental program and installed on a temporary basis, and that she is in favor of a compromise. 30. Raymond Ensing, 283 Chorro Street, asked for a compromise solution. 31. Kate Froman, 378 Chorro Street, stated that the speed is a significant problem and supports option 4 as a compromise. City Council Meeting Page 4 Tuesday, December 10, 1996 - 7:00 p.m. 32. Hal Segal, SLO, stated that the traffic calming devices are dangerous and an eyesore. 33. Patty Beck, SLO, stated that options 2 and 4 are unacceptable. She supported option B and stated the Meinicke Circle is dangerous. 34. Arlene Zanchuck, 26 Chorro Street, stated that traffic has become unbearable, but the traffic calming devices are only temporary and permanent solutions need to be found. 35. Betty Schetzer. 225 Almond, stated that the devices have made Chorro Street safer and delay drivers no more than a minute. 36. Steve Bove r, 67 Chorro Street, spoke in support of traffic calming and posted 25 mph speed limits. He stated that he likes option 4 in the staff report. 37. Jacguie Johnson, Murray St., stated that the devices are effective in reducing speed and spoke in support of option 4. 38. Roger Longden, 288 Almond St., stated that the devices have made Chorro Street safer for pedestrians. 39. Karla Gibson, SLO, spoke in support of option B and asked to have the bumps removed. 40. Meg Evans, SLO, spoke in support of the traffic calming effort and said that the devices should be left in place. 41. Emmons Blake. SLO, spoke in opposition to the bumps and asked that they be removed. 42. Ralph Gorton, Avila Beach, supported option 4. 43. Charlie Boatright, 48 Benton Way, spoke in support of retaining the devices for reducing excessive speeders. 44. Sheldon Smith, 273 Chorro Street, spoke in support of the traffic calming plan and supported Option 4. 45. Clarence Reno, SLO, spoke in support of option B. 46. Lee Drazil, 846 Mill St., asked Council to install speed limit signs and stop signs. 47. Katie Wheeler. 764 Murray, stated that she supports option 4, along with keeping the traffic circles in place. 48. Diane Hull, SLO, spoke in opposition to the devices and support of option 5. 49. Gail Jacobson, 156 Broad St., spoke in support of retaining the speed bumps. 50. Kit Long, 657 Rancho Dr., spoke in opposition to the bumps and stated that the bumps are not visible when the road is wet. 51. Eric Tomac. 755 Center St., spoke in support of the bumps, but stated that the circles should be landscaped islands. 52. Tami Dickerson, Chorro St., stated that there is a speeding problem on Chorro Street and asked residents to work together to solve the problem. F-j L ; 1 City Council Meeting Page 5 Tuesday, December 10, 1996 - 7:00 p.m. 53. Victor Barbosa, SLO, asked Council to remove,the bumps and said the City should build ' more arterial streets. ° 54. Anna Barbosa. SLO, spoke in opposition to the bumps and circles and asked Council to remove them and seek alternate routes to downtown. 55. Nancy Watts, 1805 San Luis Dr., asked that the bumps be removed and the street widened. 56. Ralph Jacobson, 156 Broad, does not support option B. He supports the traffic calming plan that is in place. 57. Eugene Jud, 750 Leff St., urged Council to wait until the devices have been place for one year before changing anything. 58. Lee Cogan, 282 Broad St., stated that the devices do help reduce speed and supported option 4. 59. Greg Macedo, 779 Murray, supported option #4. He suggested bicycle bypasses be built. 60. Roy Ogden. 397 Lincoln Street, encouraged Council., to select a compromise that will discourage speeding. He-.recommended option #4. 61. Mike Sallaberrv, 392 Foothill, spoke in support of changing the timing of traffic lights on Santa Rosa Street. . 62. Penny Rappa, 3993 Hollyhock Way, stated that policies and procedures need to be ' established to deal with neighborhood traffic issues and encouraged Council to look at long term results. 63. Mary Beth Schroeder, 2085_ Welding Lane, asked that they speed bumps and traffic circles be removed completely. 64. Richie Ray Walker, 28 La Entrada Ave., spoke in opposition to the speed bumps and traffic circles. 65. Richard Kreisa, 189 San Jose Ct., stated that this is a neighborhood safety issue and asked that the bumps only be lowered rather than removed. He supported continuing the experiment under option 4. 66. Tony Bangert 28451A. Broad Street, asked Council to make a fair decision. 67. Phil Gardiner, Patricia Drive, stated that the police department should enforce the speed limit. 68. Vince Marichi stated that the bumps inhibit public safety vehicles and spoke in opposition to them. He encouraged installation of two stop signs and removing the devices. 69. Brook Rasmussen, 57 Verde, spoke in opposition to the devices. 70. Lee Anna O'Daniel, 570 AI -Hil, spoke in favor of eliminating parking and speed bumps on Chorro and adding bike lanes stop signs. ' 71. Daphane Boatright, 48 Benton Way, supported option #4. Mayor Settle closed the public hearing. g After discussion, moved by Romero/Williams to 1) initiate amendment to the Circulation Element City Council Meeting Page 6 Tuesday, December 10, 1996 - 7:00 p.m. to reclassify Chorro Street from:a Residential Collector to a Neighborhood Arterial street (a new classification) with a maximum speed standard of 25 mph and a traffic volume standard of 10,000 ' vehicles per day; motion failed (2-3, Roalman, Smith, Settle opposed). Moved by Roalman/Smith to retain the Residential Collector designation with a maximum speed standard of 25 mph and a traffic volume standard of 7,500 vehicles per day; motion carried (3 -2, Romero, Williams opposed). Moved by Roalman /Smith to direct modification of the traffic calming facilities in the Chorro area as outlined in Option 4 with speed humps shaved to 2" the agenda report; motion fails (2-3, Romero, Williams, Settle opposed). Moved by Romero/Williams to adopt option 8, but after further discussion, Council Member Williams withdrew her second. Moved by Romero/Williams to adopt option B with elimination of humps on Murray, and elimination of speed tables and adding stop sign at Murray and Broad. After discussion, the motion was withdrawn. Moved by Romero/Williams to adopt option B including the elimination of bumps on Murray, elimination of speed tables and reducing the height of the speed bumps on Broad to 2 ", motion carried (4-1, Smith opposed). Moved by Williams /Smith to direct staff to prepare recommendations for City Council adoption of Neighborhood Traffic Management Program Guidelines; motion carried (5 -0). Moved by Roalman/Williams to review status of the traffic situation in the Chorro neighborhood in one year and make necessary modifications if objectives are not being met; motion carried (5- 0). COMMUNICATIONS Comm 1. Mayor Settle reported on the afternoon's meeting of the County Board of Supervisors, stating that the Supervisors had not been supportive of the City's efforts to restrict land use designations in areas surrounding the City. There being no further business to come before the City Council, Mayor Settle adjourned the meeting at 1:20 p.m. to Tuesday, January 7, 1997 at 7:00 p.m. in the Library Community Room, 995 Palm Street. APPROVED BY COUNCIL: 1/21/97 BG:dr onnie L. Gawf�Ry 5feirk. 1