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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMins-PWC-02-21-13 MINUTES CITY OF DOWNEY - PUBLIC WORKS COMMITTEE February 21, 2013 MEMBERS PRESENT: CITY STAFF PRESENT: Patrick Owens, Dist. 1 Ed Norris, Deputy Director of PW Patricia Kotze, Dist. 2 - Chair Gigi Rodriguez, Engineering Div. Secretary Joan Frey, Dist. 3 Stephen Chu, Dist. 3 OTHERS PRESENT Agustin Duran, Dist. 4 Brian Andrews Carmen Vasquez, Dist. 4 Residents of Dolan Avenue Lars Clutterham, Dist. 5 MEMBERS ABSENT Marybeth Vergara, Dist. 1 - absent Kent Halbmaier, Dist. 2 - excused I. CALL TO ORDER: The Committee Chairperson, Patricia Kotze, called the meeting to order at 4:07 P.M. Chairperson Kotze welcomed and introduced the two new members of the committee, Committee Member Patrick Owens for District 1 and Committee Member Lars Clutterham for District 5. 1. Election of new Vice-Chair Chairperson Kotze opened the nomination for Vice-Chair. Committee Member Lars Clutterham was nominated and voted unanimously as Vice Chair. II. CONSENT CALENDAR: Committee Member Joan Frey made a motion to approve the Minutes of the January 17, 2013 meeting. The motion was seconded by Committee Member Patrick Owens. The Minutes were approved as written. III.OLD BUSINESS: None. MINUTES OF THE PUBLIC WORKS COMMITTEE February 21, 2013 Page 2 IV. NEW BUSINESS: 2. Request for an Overnight Parking Prohibition Zone along both sides of Dolan Avenue between Puritan Street and Gardendale Street Mr. Norris reported that City staff received a request from the residents of Dolan Avenue between Gardendale Street and Puritan Street through the Neighborhood Watch Captain, Mr. Sean Moore, to deter overnight parking along this portion of Dolan Avenue due to overflow parking created by an apartment building on the south side of Gardendale Street located in the City of Paramount and other motorists who do not reside in this neighborhood. The purpose of the overnight parking prohibition will be to provide relief from nuisances created by the overnight parking issues on Dolan Avenue. Staff investigated the matter and determined that the residents of the apartment building pay an additional monthly fee to park multiple vehicles on site. Therefore, they are impacted in terms of on-site parking. The request originally received from Mr. Moore was to prohibit parking at all times only on west side of Dolan Avenue between Gardendale Street and Priscilla Street. However, after discussing the matter with other residents along Dolan Avenue, it was determined that an overnight parking prohibition between the hours of 5:00 PM and 8:00 AM on both sides of Dolan Street between Gardendale Street and Puritan Street, in lieu of Priscilla Street, would be more effective. A petition for this proposal was circulated among the nine residential properties on Dolan Avenue. Seven of the nine petitions were returned in favor of the overnight parking prohibition between Puritan Street and Gardendale Street between 5:00 PM and 8:00 AM with one opposed. In addition, five residential properties along the Priscilla Street cul-de-sac east of Dolan Avenue also signed the petition in favor of the parking prohibition along Dolan Avenue. The residents understand that the overnight parking prohibition along Dolan Avenue will affect all motorists parked on this street regardless of whether or not they reside on the adjacent residential properties. Staff is of the opinion that an overnight parking prohibition between the hours of 5:00 PM and 8:00 AM daily on both sides of Dolan Avenue between Gardendale Street and Puritan Street would be the most effective measure to alleviate the overnight parking issue and hence, recommends the approval of this proposal. Discussion followed. Committee Member Chu suggested that once the signs have been posted, a representative of the neighborhood report back to the committee to provide feedback regarding the effectiveness of the overnight parking prohibition. A question was raised by one of the residents if Cheyenne St. would be affected. MINUTES OF THE PUBLIC WORKS COMMITTEE February 21, 2013 Page 3 Vice Chair Clutterham made a motion to approve the staff recommendation to establish an overnight parking prohibition between the hours of 5:00 PM and 8:00 AM daily on both sides of Dolan Avenue between Puritan Street and Gardendale Street. The motion was seconded by Committee Member Vasquez. The following vote was unanimous in favor thereof. One of the residents from Dolan Avenue mentioned that it may be beneficial to pursue a preferential parking district along the aforementioned portion of Dolan Avenue if the residents have a need in the future to park on-street. Mr. Norris explained the requirements to obtain a preferential parking permit and advised that if the residents would like to pursue a preferential parking district on the aforementioned portion of Dolan Avenue, a survey would need to be conducted within the next few weeks prior to the posting of the overnight parking prohibition signs. Otherwise, once the parking prohibition signs are posted, the issue would no longer exist and, therefore, could no longer be properly evaluated. Vice Chair Clutterham made a substitute motion that the overnight parking prohibition be approved on condition that staff conduct a survey to determine whether or not a preferential parking district is warranted on Dolan Avenue between Gardendale Street and Puritan Street. A work request to install the parking prohibition signs would be issued in the meantime. The motion was seconded by Committee Member Owens. The following vote was unanimous in favor thereof. Vice Chair Clutterham requested staff to agendize the result of the survey at the next meeting. 3. Grant Application for Bicycle Master Plan Mr. Norris reported that staff will be applying for funding through the State - administered Community and Transportation Planning Grant Program in the amount of $250,000-$300,000 to fund the development of the Bicycle Master Plan. The nd applications are due to Caltrans on April 2. The firm California Consulting has been retained to prepare the grant application on behalf of the City. 4. Public Works Committee By-laws Review Chairperson Kotze commented on Article III, Section 7 of the By-laws. She emphasized her concerns about the importance of each member’s attendance. Mr. Norris mentioned that staff will also let the members know ahead of time if it is confirmed that there will be no quorum. Discussion followed. MINUTES OF THE PUBLIC WORKS COMMITTEE February 21, 2013 Page 4 V. PUBLIC COMMUNICATIONS: Mr. Roger Pardo, L. A. County Bicycle Coalition, commented on the importance of developing a Bicycle Master Plan. VI. PUBLIC WORKS COMMITTEE COMMUNICATIONS: Vice Chair Clutterham expressed his appreciation of being a member of this committee. VII. STAFF COMMUNICATIONS: Mr. Norris gave updates on the upcoming projects. VIII. NEXT MEETING: March 21, 2013 The Public Works Committee was adjourned at 5:45 P.M.