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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMins-PWC-8-17-17MINUTES CITY OF DOWNEY - PUBLIC WORKS COMMITTEE August 17, 2017 MEMBERS PRESENT CITY STAFF PRESENT Carrie Uva, Dist. 1 Mohammad Mostahkami, Director of PW Mariana Pacheco, Dist. 1 Edwin Norris, Deputy Director of PW Beth Gendreau, Dist. 2 Gigi Rodriguez, Engineering Div. Secretary Kent Halbmaier, Dist. 2 Joan Frey, Dist 3 Margarita Rogers, Dist. 3 Hellen Carcamo, Dist. 4 Enrique Huerta, Dist. 4 Maria Lourdes Cotaya, Dist. 5 Don Lamkin, Dist. 5 MEMBERS ABSENT OTHERS PRESENT Oscar Checa – Shellyfield Road Ricardo Lizares –10624 Shellyfield Janet Garcia –Clancey Avenue Ricardo Lizares – 10624 Shellyfield Road Janet Garcia – Clancey Avenue I. CALL TO ORDER: Committee Chair Frey called the meeting to order at 4:05 P.M. II. CONSENT CALENDAR: Committee Member Uva made a motion to approve the Minutes of the July 20, 2017 meeting. The motion was seconded by Committee Member Gendreau. The Minutes were approved as written. III.OLD BUSINESS: None. IV.NEW BUSINESS: 1.Residential Permit Parking District on Shellyfield Road between Cecilia Street and Muller Street Attachment C MINUTES OF THE PUBLIC WORKS COMMITTEE August 17, 2017 Page 2 Mr. Norris reported that the item is to request the committee’s approval of staff’s recommendation to the City Council the adoption of a resolution repealing the existing residential preferential parking district on both sides of Shellyfield Road between Cecilia Street and Muller Street and the north side of Cecilia Street between a point located approximately 183 feet west of the Shellyfield Road centerline and Chaney Avenue and establishing a new residential preferential parking district on both sides of Shellyfield Road between Cecilia Street and Muller Street. Also, a letter was sent to the residents inviting them to attend today’s meeting to give them an opportunity to voice their opinion. Mr. Oscar Checa (resident of Shellyfield Road) stated that the apartment complex (Stonewood Village) has no visitor parking, is overpopulated, should be held responsible and should have enough spaces for their tenants. Mr. Checa discovered that the owner of the complex charges tenants for parking. The homeowners of the affected street (Shellyfield Road) suffer due to the overflow of cars of the apartment tenants which places the burden on homeowners. Removing a part of the preferential parking district is not going to solve the problem. Mr. Ricardo Lizaria (resident of 10624 Shellyfield Road) pointed out that if the city were to remove Cecilia Street from the district, it will not make a difference in alleviating any type of parking. He asked if the city contacted the homeowners informing them of the need to renew their annual permits, as he has not received any notification yet. Mr. Lizaria called the city and was told that the city will be issuing permits soon. Mrs. Janet Garcia, a new homeowner at the corner of Clancey Avenue and Cecilia Street, mentioned that Clancey Avenue is being affected due to parking overflow from the apartment complex (Stonewood Village) and because of this, the front of her house on Clancey Avenue has always been taken, and she and her husband have to seek parking elsewhere. She is willing to purchase permit(s) to park on Cecilia St. if required to do so. Mrs. Garcia added that Clancey Avenue is now being taken over since parking on Shellyfield Road is restricted to residents on that street and that Clancey Avenue also should be restricted to residents as well, as they (apartment residents) are taking over that street now. Mrs. Garcia also added that early in the morning, she frequently notices that on the north side of Cecilia Street there are cars that park overnight which don’t even have permits. Mrs. Garcia emphasized that if the preferential parking district on Cecilia Street were to be removed, cars will park there 24/7 and that is already the situation on the opposite side of the street. Mrs. Garcia is also concerned regarding safety on Clancey Avenue when turning right on Cecilia Street towards Lakewood Blvd. and left on Cecilia Street towards Woodruff Ave. due to parked vehicles creating a visual hazard with motorists not being able to see approaching traffic on Cecilia Street, especially if bigger trucks are parked on Cecilia Street. Committee Member Cotaya asked why should the preferential parking district be removed and then reinstated? Mr. Norris responded that the city is proposing to remove a portion of the district that is no longer needed which will leave the north side of Cecilia Street unrestricted for parking. Mr. Mostahkami added that the residents on Cecilia Street have not purchased permits and the ordinance requires that if residents do not purchase the permits after a certain period of time (60 days following the establishment of the district), then there is no apparent need for preferential parking on the north side of Cecilia Street between Shellyfield Road and Chaney Avenue. MINUTES OF THE PUBLIC WORKS COMMITTEE August 17, 2017 Page 3 Committee Member Uva stated that the ordinance doesn’t specifically allow removing Cecilia Street from the district, as 50% of the people are affected by this including those residing on Cecilia Street. Mr. Norris responded that the issue is the continued need for the district. The ordinance reads, if after the 60 days if the minimum number of permits (to 50% of the residents) has not been sold through annual renewals, then the City Council may repeal the district through the adoption of a resolution. However, all the permits were purchased by the residents on one of the streets (Shellyfield Road) within the district but not the other (Cecilia Street). Also, the ordinance doesn’t speak about repealing a portion of the district - it’s all or nothing. Removal of a portion of the district, in our opinion, is no longer necessary because of lack of permits sold on the north side of Cecilia Street. Committee Member Uva added that the police do not patrol the area, cars are parked there without a permit from Gotham St. to Muller St., cars have been there 3-4 days straight and then when they leave, trash, soda cans, beer cans are left everywhere. Committee Member Pacheco commented that the ordinance needs to be revisited. Because there were no permits requested from the residents on Cecilia St., maybe they don’t need a permit. Parking will overflow onto the north side of Cecilia St. once the permit parking restriction is taken away all the way to Chaney Ave. Committee Member Huerta asked staff what the next step would be for the residents. Mr. Mostahkami responded that residents which reside within the district can obtain, except for Cecilia Street, a preferential parking permit, which allows them annually to renew and to park on the street at certain times including their visitors. Requirements of the regulations were met and established with the City Council and that’s why the district was established. However, the residents on Cecilia Street did not fulfill the requirements after six months, so we have to come back and re-assess them. We have 60 days after a preferential parking permit district is established and a letter was sent to every single resident informing them that the City Council approved the district through a resolution. Mr. Mostahkami added that the Shellyfield Road portion of the preferential parking district remains by way of this resolution. Staff recommends the adoption of this resolution, and it’s up to the committee to do so. Mr. Mostahkami will consult the City Attorney on what would be the next step(s) if the committee were not to approve the item. Discussion followed. Committee Member Rogers made a motion to not recommend adoption by the City Council, after holding a public hearing, of a resolution of the City Council of the City of Downey repealing the existing Residential Preferential Parking District on both sides of Shellyfield Road between Cecilia Street and Muller Street and the north side of Cecilia Street between a point located approximately 183 feet west of the Shellyfield Road centerline and Chaney Avenue and establishing a new Residential Preferential Parking District on both sides of Shellyfield Road between Cecilia Street and Muller Street. Committee Member Huerta made a substitute motion that the Public Works Committee recommend adoption by the City Council, after holding a public hearing, of a resolution of the City Council of the City of Downey repealing the existing Residential Preferential Parking District on both sides of Shellyfield Road between Cecilia Street and Muller Street and the north side of Cecilia Street MINUTES OF THE PUBLIC WORKS COMMITTEE August 17, 2017 Page 4 between a point located approximately 183 feet west of the Shellyfield Road centerline and Chaney Avenue and establishing a new Residential Preferential Parking District on both sides of Shellyfield Road between Cecilia Street and Muller Street. The motion was seconded by Committee Member Gendreau. Mr. Mostahkami suggested that Committee Member Rogers rescind her motion before the committee vote on the substitute motion made by Committee Member Huerta. Committee Member Rogers subsequently rescinded her motion. The committee then voted on the substitute motion. The subsequent vote was three in favor and seven opposed, with the motion failing. V. PUBLIC WORKS COMMITTEE COMMUNICATIONS None. VI. STAFF COMMUNICATIONS Updates were given on the following: 1. Brookshire Ave. Pavement Rehabilitation Project. 2. Sewer Lift Station on Blandwood Ave. 3. Traffic Signal Upgrades at nine locations, left-turn arrows on Imperial Hwy at Downey Ave. have been installed. Left-turn arrows on Paramount Blvd. at 3rd St., 5th St. and 7th St. have also been installed through this project. 4. Lakewood Blvd. Phase 3C – still awaiting the encroachment permit from Caltrans. 5. Old River School Rd. Pavement Rehabilitation Project (Imperial Hwy to Arnett St.), will also feature the road diet with bike lanes except for certain portions such as Stewart & Gray Road. 6. Old River School Rd. Water Improvement Project (Imperial Hwy to Arnett St.). VII. NEXT MEETING: September 21, 2017 The Public Works Committee meeting was adjourned at 5:40 P.M.