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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMins-PWC-3-21-19MINUTES CITY OF DOWNEY - PUBLIC WORKS COMMITTEE March 21, 2019 MEMBERS PRESENT CITY STAFF PRESENT Carrie Uva, Dist. 1 Delfino Consunji, Director of PW Beth Gendreau, Dist. 2 Edwin J. Norris, Deputy Director of PW Joan Frey, Dist. 3 Carol Rowland, Keep Downey Beautiful Coordinator Margarita Rogers, Dist. 3 Baruc Bravo, Asst. Civil Engineer Dan Fox, Dist. 4 Sgt. Jaime Pelayo, Police Dept. Adam Christin, Dist. 4 OTHERS PRESENT Maria Lourdes Cotaya, Dist. 5 Don Lamkin, Dist. 5 MEMBERS ABSENT Mariana Pacheco, Dist. 1- absent Kent Halbmaier – Dist. 2 – absent I. CALL TO ORDER: Public Works Committee Chair Cotaya called the meeting to order at 4:10 P.M. II. CONSENT CALENDAR: Committee Member Frey made a motion to approve the Minutes of the February 21, 2019 meeting with a correction on Page 1, Item No. II, Line 3, should read as Mr. “Dan” Fox instead of Mr. “Don” Fox. The motion was seconded by Committee Member Christin. The Minutes were approved as corrected. III. OLD BUSINESS: None. IV. NEW BUSINESS: 1. Request to Prohibit Parking within the Alley located between Lakewood Boulevard and Vultee Avenue north of Stewart & Gray Road Mr. Norris reported that a complaint was received from Calmet, the City’s refuse company, on March 5th regarding access issues being experienced by their refuse trucks through the alley between Lakewood Boulevard and Vultee Avenue north of Stewart and Gray Road due to vehicles parked within the alley. Calmet was unable to access and remove the refuse from the properties to the rear of the properties from the alley and subsequently requested the assistance of the Police Department to cite the parked vehicles. Staff investigated the situation and concluded that it would be to the City’s advantage to post “No Parking in the Alley” signs at both entrances to the alley, (southerly entrance off of Stewart & Gray Road and northerly entrance off of Buckles Street). Downey Municipal Code Section 3195, Sections A & B, requires that an alley be MINUTES OF THE PUBLIC WORKS COMMITTEE March 21, 2019 Page 2 posted for no parking before vehicles can be cited for parking within the alley. Testimony was then heard from the residents who were in attendance. Residents who reside on Lakewood Blvd. within the apartments expressed a concern over lack of parking availability given that the on-street parking that once existed on Lakewood Blvd. was removed when the street was widened several years ago in addition to the proposed removal of parking within the alley. Residents who reside on Vultee Ave. and Buckles St. who were also present at the meeting expressed a concern over the proposal due to the fact that Lakewood Blvd. residents would be impacting their streets because they would be forced to park on adjacent streets. The issue is even worse on street sweeping days. Staff recommended the approval of this proposal. Discussion followed. Committee Member Lamkin made a motion to receive and file a request to prohibit parking within the subject alley and accept staff’s proposal. The motion was seconded by Committee Member Frey. The vote was unanimously in favor thereof. 2. Speed limits on Ardis Avenue Mr. Norris reported that the City is required to follow the requirements of the California Vehicle Code for posting speed limits on streets such as Ardis Avenue on the basis of completing an engineering and traffic survey every seven years for streets such as Ardis Avenue, which is a collector street on the federal aid highway map and must be posted in order for the speed limit to be enforced through radar techniques. The speed on such streets is vital to the circulation as well as safety of the public. Staff utilized the services of Hartzog and Crabill, the City’s On-Call Engineering Consultant, to conduct Engineering and Traffic (E&T) surveys on Ardis Avenue between Foster Road and Imperial Highway in accordance with the current California Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (CAMUTCD). Mr. Norris highlighted on the three parts of the survey: speed, accident history and physical characteristics of the roadway. Based on the E&T survey results, staff recommends the reduction of the speed limit on Ardis Avenue between Foster Rd. and Angell St. from 30 to 25 MPH. The existing 30 MPH posted speed limit on Ardis Ave. between Imperial Hwy. and Angell St. will remain. Committee Member Frey made a motion that the Public Works Committee recommend adoption by the City Council of an ordinance of the City Council of the City of Downey amending Section 3199.10 of the Downey Municipal Code relating to the speed limits for Ardis Avenue between Foster Road and Angell St. The motion was seconded by Committee Member Lamkin. The vote was unanimously in favor thereof. V. PUBLIC WORKS COMMITTEE COMMUNICATIONS 1. Replace yield sign near Rancho Los Amigos facing westbound traffic on Imperial Hwy east of Old River School Road. 2. Status of traffic signals: Gardendale St. and Paramount Blvd. - completed engineering study and will proceed with the installation of the protective permissive left-turn phasing in the northbound and southbound directions on Paramount Blvd. and Gardendale St. MINUTES OF THE PUBLIC WORKS COMMITTEE March 21, 2019 Page 3 Downey Avenue and Imperial Hwy - being studied and if technical criteria are met then will proceed with the same improvement installation. 3. Southbound left-turn signal on Columbia Way at Foster Rd. - still in the works. 4. Gallatin Rd. at Lakewood Blvd., difficulty coming out of easterly driveway of the Fitness Center parking lot due to parked cars – staff will investigate. 5. Florence Avenue and Arrington St. – repainting of “Keep Clear” marking – request has been forwarded to the Maintenance Division. VI. STAFF COMMUNICATIONS Updates were given on the following: 1. Crosswalk on Lakewood Blvd. and Gotham Street – not recommended. 2. Stop signs on Smallwood Ave. and Dinsdale St. have been installed. 3. Two-hour signs in the City-owned parking lot at La Reina Ave. and 2nd St. were installed. 4. Street name sign on Imperial Hwy. at Rives Ave. - staff is still evaluating. 5. Residential Street Repair Project, Council District 1 and 2 - will be under construction within two months. 6. Installation of vehicle charging stations at five additional locations – will be under construction within two months. 7. CIP 14-18 – Median Island Project from Imperial Hwy to Firestone Blvd. – will start in May. 8. Water Improvement Project on Paramount Blvd. - to finish soon. 9. On-Call Street Concrete Repair Project, Council Dist. 2 and 4 – on-going. 10. Repairs to the Florence Bridge over San Gabriel River – will start mid-April. VII. NEXT MEETING: April 18, 2019 The Public Works Committee meeting was adjourned at 5:45 P.M.