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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMins-PWC-09-19-13 MINUTES CITY OF DOWNEY - PUBLIC WORKS COMMITTEE September 19, 2013 MEMBERS PRESENT: CITY STAFF PRESENT: Patrick Owens, Dist. 1 John Oskoui, Director of PW Kent Halbmaier, Dist. 2 Ed Norris, Deputy Director of PW Patricia Kotze, Dist. 2 - Chair Dan Mueller, Principal Civil Engineer Joan Frey, Dist. 3 Desi Gutierrez, Sr. Civil Engineer Stephen Chu, Dist. 3 Rebecca Guerrero, Exec. Secretary Carmen Vasquez, Dist. 4 OTHERS PRESENT Blanca Pacheco, Dist. 4 Jackie Neville – 12336 Richeon Avenue Lars Clutterham, Dist. 5 Rafael Ruiz - 12313 Richeon Avenue Ma. Lourdes Cotaya, Dist. 5 MEMBERS ABSENT: Marybeth Vergara, Dist. 1 - excused I. CALL TO ORDER: The Committee Chairperson, Patricia Kotze, called the meeting to order at 4:00 P.M. II. CONSENT CALENDAR: Committee Member Joan Frey made a motion to approve the Minutes of the July 18, 2013 meeting. The motion was seconded by Committee Member Carmen Vasquez. The Minutes were approved as written. III.OLD BUSINESS: 1. Request for Street Sweeping Parking Prohibition along Richeon Avenue from Rundell Street to Quill Drive. Mr. Norris reported that during the July meeting there was an item on the agenda to consider the approval of a street sweeping prohibition on Richeon Avenue between Rundell Street and Quill Drive between the hours of 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM on Mondays. The petition was received by staff for consideration and was supported by 44 properties on the block representing 68% level of support. Staff’s recommendation was to approve the street sweeping prohibition as requested. However, there were two residents that were opposed to the proposal due to the fact that it would create a hardship on the residents, since they would need to purchase permits to be exempted from the posted parking restrictions. If residents don’t wish to have their frontage cleaned by the street sweeper, they may apply for a permit or have their block exempted, but are obligated to clean the front of their property frontage themselves. Also, residents with multiple MINUTES OF THE PUBLIC WORKS COMMITTEE September 19, 2013 Page 2 vehicles would also be confronted with a hardship, as only two permits could be issued per single family household. Mr. Norris also presented the following additional information requested by the committee from the July meeting:  Approximately 2% of the street blocks within the City are currently exempted from street sweeping.  Approximately 90% of the street blocks within the City are currently posted with street sweeping parking restrictions.  There have been no complaints received by Code Enforcement about the subject block of Richeon Avenue not being kept clean by the residents.  Richeon Avenue, nor any other residential street within the City, is not specifically worded in the street sweeping contract. In fact, arterial and collector streets are the only streets specifically worded in the contract.  There is no “exemption” language worded in the Downey Municipal Code (DMC). The exemption was created as a matter of written policy by the Department of Public Works in 1987 in conformance with SB 1786 and Section 3175 of the DMC to allow permits to be issued to residents to park on-street during the posted parking restriction individually or on a block-by-block basis via petition. Mr. Oskoui suggested to re-evaluate the existing street sweeping policy to see if exemptions should be allowed from now on. Ms. Jackie Neville of 12336 Richeon Avenue and Mr. Rafael Ruiz of 12313 Richeon Avenue were at the meeting and spoke in support and opposition of the street sweeping parking prohibition, respectively. Also, an email was received by staff from Ms. Sandra de Avalos, also a resident of Richeon Avenue, expressing her concerns about establishing the street sweeping prohibition. Discussion followed. A motion was made by Committee Member Stephen Chu to approve the street sweeping parking prohibition along Richeon Avenue from Rundell Street to Quill Drive on Mondays between the hours of 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM and to remove the exemption currently in effect on this portion of the street. The motion was seconded by Chair Kotze. The following vote was unanimously in favor thereof. MINUTES OF THE PUBLIC WORKS COMMITTEE September 19, 2013 Page 3 IV. NEW BUSINESS: 1. Request for Drop-off/Pick-up Zone for Maude Price Elementary School along the south side of Suva Street west of Tweedy Lane Mr. Norris reported that staff received a request from Ms. Caryn Jasich, the Vice- Principal of Maude Price Elementary School, to consider measures to alleviate congestion during the morning arrival and afternoon dismissal periods along Suva Street and Tweedy Lane adjacent to the Maude Price Elementary School campus. Based on staff observations, evaluation and conversations with the school principal regarding this issue, it was concluded that the installation of a school drop off/pick-up zone along the south side of Suva Street adjacent to the Maude Price Elementary School campus would best address the situation. The drop-off/pick-up zone recommended by staff is 300 feet in length and would begin approx. 550 feet west of Tweedy Lane. “No Parking” signs between the hours of 7:30 to 8:30 AM and 1:30 to 3:00 PM, Monday through Friday, will be installed within the limits of the drop off/pick-up zone along Suva Street. Committee Member Frey indicated that she likes the idea of the school drop-off/pick-up zone, but would like to see a longer zone. Mr. Oskoui replied that the drop-off/pick-up zone will be evaluated and adjusted in the future, if necessary. A motion was then made by Committee Member Frey to approve the request for the establishment of a school drop-off/pick-up zone for Maude Price Elementary School along the south side of Suva Street west of Tweedy Lane, as recommended by staff. Committee Member Lars Clutterham read a statement of recommendation for the consideration of the committee regarding implementing a program encouraging students to participate in walking or biking to school. He then entered a substitute motion that the committee approve the drop-off/pick-up zone but also send a “strong” statement to Maude Price Elementary School as well as the Downey Unified School District and Superintendent Dr. John Garcia that kids should walk or ride to school and that Maude Price Elementary School be required or encouraged to participate in National Walk to School Day, as well as the newly-initiated Fire Up Your Feet program beginning this October. The complete statement of recommendation prepared by Committee Member Clutterham will be sent to all members of the Public Works Commitee. Discussion by the committee followed regarding the importance of and need for the drop-off/pick-up zone at this location. The motion originally made by Committee Member Frey was reintroduced, then seconded by Committee Member Pacheco. The following vote was eight to one in favor with Committee Member Clutterham in dissent. MINUTES OF THE PUBLIC WORKS COMMITTEE September 19, 2013 Page 4 2. Update on the Central Basin Underground Storage Proposal The committee agreed to table this item for a future meeting. V. PUBLIC WORKS COMMITTEE COMMUNICATIONS Chair Kotze requested staff to look into 7954 Imperial Hwy, formerly a taco restaurant. The property looks horrible, with trash and weeds, and needs to be cleaned. Committee Member Vasquez suggested a one day clean-up of abandoned properties around Downey involving volunteers from the community. Chair Kotze also suggested a similar program like the “adopt a street program”. Mr. Clutterham reminded the committee about the Coastal Clean-Up Day this Saturday, st September 21 and encouraged everyone to be there. VI. STAFF COMMUNICATIONS: Mr. Oskoui highlighted on how we can get the word out to the community to work together with the City cleaning up areas around Downey. Mr.Oskoui and Carol Rowland are working on setting up “clean up days” at target areas around Downey. Mr. Oskoui also suggested to the committee that in the next few months field trips will be arranged for the committee to visit off-site City facilities such as well sites, the telemetry system and the Public Works yards to educate the committee on different operations of the City. VII. NEXT MEETING: October 17, 2013 The Public Works Committee was adjourned at 5:20 P.M.