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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMins-PWC-07-21-22MINUTES CITY OF DOWNEY - PUBLIC WORKS COMMITTEE Regular Meeting July 21, 2022 MEMBERS PRESENT CITY STAFF PRESENT Damaris Pelayo, Dist. 1 Delfino R. Consunji, Director of PW/City Engineer Beth Gendreau, Dist. 2 Edwin J. Norris, Deputy Director of PW Kevin Ezeh, Dist. 3 Cpl. Alena Clark, PD Art Montoya, Dist. 3 Gigi Rodriguez, Engineering Div. Secretary, PW Dan Fox, Dist. 4 Adam Christin, Dist. 4 OTHERS PRESENT Alfred Tovar, Dist. 5 Ms. Maria Ravelo MEMBERS ABSENT Timothy J. Horn, Dist. 1 - excused Anthony Jones, Dist. 2 - absent Efferem Sanchez, Dist. 5 - absent I. CALL TO ORDER Public Works Committee Chair Gendreau called the meeting to order at 4:00 P.M. Ms. Damaris Pelayo, Mr. Art Montoya and Mr. Alfred Tovar were introduced as newly appointed Public Works Committee members representing Districts 1, 3 and 5, respectively. II. FLAG SALUTE – Committee Member Fox III. CONSENT CALENDAR Committee Chair Gendreau made a motion to approve the minutes of the May 19, 2022 meeting. The Minutes were approved and accepted as presented. IV. OLD BUSINESS 1. Follow up on Requests to Prohibit Parking within the Alley located North of 2nd Street between Paramount Boulevard and Smallwood Avenue and the Alley located West of Downey Avenue between Adoree Street and Imperial Highway Mr. Norris reported that the item is a follow up to the item heard at the May 19th committee meeting which involved requests for the full-time prohibition of parking within the alleys located adjacent to Paramount Boulevard and Smallwood Avenue between 2nd and 3rd Streets as well as the alley located west of Downey Avenue between Imperial Highway and Adoree Street. The request for the prohibition of parking within the alley between Paramount Boulevard Smallwood Avenue and 2nd and 3rd Streets was received from CalMet due to the fact that the waste hauler trucks cannot get through the alley due to parking within the alley. The other request for the prohibition of parking within the alley between Imperial Highway and Adoree Street was from a nearby resident who indicated that vehicles parked within the alley are making it difficult for residents to be able to safely enter and exit their garages. MINUTES OF THE PUBLIC WORKS COMMITTEE July 21, 2022 Page 2 Following testimony heard from the public at the meeting on both items, the following alternate substitutions were motioned to direct staff to evaluate the feasibility of the following: 1. Permitting parking within the alley located north of 2rd street between Smallwood Avenue and Paramount Boulevard except on trash collection days (Wednesdays), and 2. Prohibiting parking within the alley located west of Downey Avenue between Adoree Street and Imperial Highway at all times except on street sweeping day on Cowley Avenue (Mondays) These alternate motions were based on public testimony where the public expressed concerns about parking impacted conditions in both neighborhoods. Subsequently, the committee directed staff to report back to evaluate both alternate motions and report back with the findings. Staff has completed an evaluation of the feasibility of the two alternate motions, and concluded that an amendment of Section 3195 of the Downey Municipal Code through the adoption of an ordinance by the City Council will be necessary in order to prohibit parking within the alley on certain days and times in order to accommodate both requests. The Fire and Police Departments were asked to evaluate the alternate motions as well. The Fire Department had no objection as they are able to access the residential properties adjacent to both alleys from the street. The Police Department expressed concerns however, that while the part-time alley parking prohibitions would benefit some members of the community, others will continue to be inconvenienced. In addition, response times to police calls would remain to be hindered. As part of this evaluation, staff polled a total of 16 agencies in both LA and Orange Counties. Based on the research, the agencies polled are rather consistent with their alley parking regulations and the only exceptions to prohibiting parking within alleys at all times is for purposes of temporary (up to 20 minutes at a time) loading and unloading of passengers and materials and at no time may a vehicle encroach within the adjacent 10-foot travel lane of the alley. A letter from Ms. Maria Ravelo opposing the parking prohibition in the alley north of Second Street was also read into the record. Ms. Ravelo objected to the full-time parking prohibition within the alley, as proposed, due to the inconvenience it would cause her and other residents on 3rd Street due to the lack of parking availability in front of their residences. The employees from La Barca and an Airbnb on 3rd Street make the parking situation on 3rd Street worse. Ms. Ravelo also expressed concern regarding the Rives Mansion which may further worsen the parking situation, particularly the proposed juice bar. Chair Gendreau informed Ms. Ravelo any complaints about the Rives Mansion would need to be directed to the Planning Commission. Discussion followed. Committee Member Christin made a motion to approve the initial recommendation by staff from the May 19, 2022 public works committee meeting prohibiting parking at all times within the subject alleys. The motion was seconded by Committee Member Ezeh. The motion was approved 6-1, with Committee Member Montoya abstaining. V. NEW BUSINESS – None. MINUTES OF THE PUBLIC WORKS COMMITTEE July 21, 2022 Page 3 VI. PUBLIC WORKS COMMITTEE COMMUNICATIONS 1. CM Ezeh – thanked the staff for the great job they do for the City. 2. CM Tovar – made a comment regarding the Downey App, he was made aware that it is user friendly as far as submitting service requests such as curb repairs, tree roots, etc. A great tool provided by the City of Downey for the community. 3. CM Pelayo - inquired regarding Bellflower Boulevard north of the I-105 Fwy. The asphalt was replaced only up to where Lucky Guy’s Burgers is located, between the I-105 Fwy on-and-off ramps. Mr. Norris replied that improvements on Bellflower Boulevard south of Imperial Highway were constructed to within approx. 300 feet of Imperial Highway only because the improvements were constructed through a grant from the Los Angeles Metropolitan Transportation Authority which also improved the intersection at the Bellflower Boulevard and Imperial Highway and all four approaches and the grant funds could not be expended outside of the project limits. The improvements included construction of additional left turn lanes in the northbound and southbound directions on Bellflower Boulevard plus the rehabilitation of the pavement. The project limits did not go beyond the left turn lanes where they started at the intersection, but the City extended the improvements as far south as Dalen Street. From south of Dalen the City has a separate project which will involve the rehabilitation of Bellflower Boulevard all the way to Foster Road as well as further north on Bellflower Boulevard all the way to Lakewood Boulevard. This project is currently in the design phase. Mr. Norris added that the Maintenance Division is constantly on top of patching potholes on Bellflower Boulevard where necessary to keep the street in reasonably functional condition. He also noted that part of Bellflower Boulevard between the I-105 Fwy. on-and-off ramps is owned and maintained by the state. 4. CM Fox – thanked staff for the curb and gutter maintenance recently on his street. 5. CM Montoya - thanked the staff for the newly installed ADA accessible ramps on the sidewalk at north of Suva Street between Guatemala Street and Tweedy Lane. 6. CM Gendreau - inquired about the status of construction on Birchdale Drive and how would the construction impact Sussman Middle School? Mr. Norris replied that staff is in constant communication with the school and work within the hours after the school arrival period in the morning and wrap up before the school dismissal in the afternoon to minimize the impact. VII. STAFF COMMUNICATIONS Updates were given on the following projects: 1. CIP 21-14 - Cole Street Water System Improvements (Birchdale Avenue to Brookshire Avenue) bid rejected by CEM Const. and was awarded to the second lowest bidder, Williams Pipeline. 2. CIP 22-24 - City Maintenance Yard Parking Lot Rehabilitation Project – acceptance of work at the July 26th City Council meeting. 3. CIP 22-18 - Residential Streets Pavement Rehabilitation Area 4 – awarded contract to Onyx Paving Co. MINUTES OF THE PUBLIC WORKS COMMITTEE July 21, 2022 Page 4 4. CIP 22-17 - Area Residential Streets Pavement Rehabilitation Are 8 – project is under construction 5. CIP 14-14 - Woodruff Avenue Pavement Rehabilitation (Firestone Blvd. to Foster Road) – project is under design. 6. Approval of a partial acquisition of the property located at 9020 Imperial Highway which will facilitate the Lakewood Boulevard and Imperial Highway Intersection Improvement Project. 7. $30M bond proceeds completed $13M in street improvements; $10M under construction; $1M to design the rest of the residential streets in the city. $24M has been committed. We have three years to spend the bond proceeds and should be able to spend the $30M in a year. 8. Touch a Truck event held in May and the ribbon cutting of the Solar Energy Project were both featured in the American Public Works Association, SoCal Chapter’s Insight Magazine. IX. NEXT MEETING: August 18, 2022 The Public Works Committee meeting was adjourned at 5:12 P.M.