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HomeMy WebLinkAbout10/11/20011 1 CITY OF DIAMOND BAR MINUTES OF THE TRAFFIC AND TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION OCTOBER 11, 2001 CALL TO ORDER: Chairman Virginkar called the meeting to order at 7:04 p.m. in the South Coast Air Quality Management/Government Center Hearing Board Room, 21865 E. Copley Drive, Diamond Bar, California 91765 PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE: The audience was led in the Pledge of Allegiance by Commissioner Leonard. ROLL CALL: Present: Chairman Virginkar and Commissioners Kung, Leonard and Morris. Vice Chairman Istik was excused. Also Present: David Liu, Director of Public Works, Kirk Phillips, Associate Engineer, Linda Smith, Development Services Assistant and Sharon Gomez, Administrative Assistant. IL APPROVAL OF MINUTES: A. Minutes of September 13, 2001. C/Leonard moved, C/Kung seconded to approve the minutes of the Regular Meeting of September 13, 2001 as presented. AYES: COMMISSIONERS: Kung, Leonard, Morris, NOES: COMMISSIONERS: None ABSTAIN: COMMISSIONERS: C/Virginkar ABSENT: COMMISSIONERS: Vice Chairllstik. 111. COMMISSION COMMENTS: None Offered IV. PUBLIC COMMENTS: None Offered V. CONSENT CALENDAR: None VI. OLD BUSINESS A. Program Modifications for Diamond Ride (Dial -A -Cab) Program. DPW/Liu presented staffs report. Staff recommends that the Traffic and Transportation Commission receive public comments and review and discuss proposed modifications to the Diamond Ride Program. OCTOBER 11, 2001 PAGE 2 T&T COMMISSION Furthermore, it is requested that the Traffic & Transportation Commission concur with Staffs recommendation to modify the Diamond Rid Program in accordance with Items A, B, C, and D. Gloria McZeal, 23450 Sunset Crossing Road, expressed concern that an increase in the fare would be a burden on fixed income seniors. She suggested that the City target the abusers rather than all the riders. Barbara Jones, 23750 Highland Valley Road, #111, said she does not think ninety-eight percent of the cardholders should suffer because two percent abuse the program. Due to limited budgets, the senior citizens would be burdened by an increase in the fare. A senior needs to know he may live with dignity and the Diamond Ride Program allows the senior to expand his lifestyle with a degree of pride. Bertha Hernandez, 20725 Moonlake Street, said that because her .husband broke his hip and she has never learned to drive an automobile, they must use the Dial -'A -Ride service to visit his doctors in Brea and La Habra. She also uses the service for grocery shopping. She thinks the abusers should be targeted and not the majority of the cardholders. Chen -Hung Lee, 23809 Sunset Crossing Road, speaking for his disabled sister, has been using the program for two years and recently was told by the cab company that she could no longer go to her work on E. Nelson Avenue in La Puente. The location is outside the 10 -mile boundary. He is against any changes to the program. Major E. Gibbs, 22531 E. Birds Eye Drive, speaking for his disabled son, David Gibbs, said that he uses the cab daily to go to Pomona to a therapeutic school and to the rehabilitation center for work experience. The program has been a God -send and he appreciates the kindness of the drivers. He is in favor of continuing the program. C/Kung said the City should limit the number of monthly trips to 30 and also increase the out -of -city fare to $3.00 per trip. He believes the 10 - mile boundary should be reduced to a 5 -mile boundary, including medical facilities, and that only shopping within the City should be allowed. C/Leonard agrees with staff that a limit should be placed on the number of monthly trips, an increase in the fare for out -of -city trips to $3.00 per trip, and increase the fare to the Ontario Airport and Fullerton Amtrack Station. She stated the medical facilities should be a priority and that the out -of -city boundaries should remain the same. C/Morris states he would encourage the cardholders to utilize Diamond Bar retail shopping. And if it was necessary to go outside the City, the cardholder could use the taxi to go to one of the many bus stop that would take them to the malls. The City offers discounted bus passes to OCTOBER 11, 2001 PAGE 3 T&T COMMISSION the residents and he thinks this form of travel would be more cost effective. He said taxi trips to the malls should be limited to two per month. He also suggested that City recreation classes could be held at the Seasons Senior Apartments since so many of the residents take advantage of the Diamond Ride Program. C/Morris also agreed with staffs recommendation to limit the monthly trips, increase the out -of -city fare, and increase the fare to the airport and Fullerton Amtrack Station. He also suggested limiting trips to the Ontario Airport to two per year and limiting trips to the mall to two times per month. - C/Morris also suggested to grant exceptions on a temporary basis to those cardholders who exceed the 30 trips per month and to review each case on an individual basis every six months. C/Morris agrees to leave the decision of revising the medical facilities list to staff. He also suggested that one visit per week to the mall would be sufficient. C/Leonard moved, C/Morris seconded, to recommend to modify the Diamond Ride Program in accordance with Items A, B, and C, with the following exceptions: limit trips to the mall to eight one-way trips per month, or 4 round trips per month, and limit trips to the Ontario Airport ' or Fullerton Amtrack Station to six one-way or three, round -trips per year, with staff to review the trip records after a three-month period. AYES: COMMISSIONERS: Kung, Leonard, Morris, Chair/Virginkar NOES: COMMISSIONERS: None ABSENT: COMMISSIONERS: VC/lstik VII. NEW BUSINESS: A. Speeding Concerns on Golden Prados Drive and Great Bend Drive. AE/Phillips presented staffs report. Glen Vickers, 852 Bridle Drive, does not believe the traffic count gives an accurate picture of the traffic problem. He cites Pulte Development for the additional cut -through traffic. He also does not believe the proposed signage will keep the drivers from speeding and the Sheriffs Department does not monitor the area. He would like "No Public Access" signs posted at Tin Drive at Diamond Bar Boulevard and Golden Prados Drive at Golden Springs Drive. He said Quail Summit Drive at Diamond Bar Boulevard has these same signs posted. He would also like posted "No Right turn at Peak Hours" on Southbound Diamond Bar Boulevard to Tin Drive. A three-way stop at Golden OCTOBER 11, 2001 PAGE 4 T&T COMMISSION Prados Drive and Bridle Drive might discourage cut -through traffic and speeders. Elisa Romero, 603 Ritter Street, stated she is unable to back out of the driveway because cars continually speed down the street. She thinks speed bumps would slow the cars down. However, she disagrees with staffs recommendation to place stop signs at each end of Ritter Street - The drivers will simply roll through the stop. Cindi Makhoul, 632 Ritter Street, is concerned with the late night speeders. There have been many near collisions with parked cars and she has had two cats killed. The traffic in the morning and evening is always very heavy and traveling at a fast rate of speed. She would like to see some type of traffic control at Golden Prados Drive and Ritter Street. Maria Cuccia, 644 Farben Drive, stated there are speeders traveling at 60 mph and they do not slow. down for the curve. She is afraid a car will end up in her yard or house. She stated numerous animals have been killed and not one car has stopped to see what they did. She believes more Sheriff patrols would help to slow down the traffic. She would like to see stop signs installed on Farben. Michael Whatley, 826 Great Bend Drive, stated speeders are a big problem in the area. He said he did not think the signs would help the situation and would take away from the aesthetics of the neighborhood and lower property values. C/Morris said it would be good to consider signage at Golden Springs Drive at Golden Prados Drive and Diamond Bar Boulevard at Tin Drive if lower threshhold for Caltrans could be met. C/Kung said the City should consider three-way stop signs. Chair/Virginkar recommends a three-way stop at each end of Ritter Street. He added that 25 mph signs would not serve the purpose to slow down the traffic. Without objection, the Traffic and Transportation Commission requested staff to install three-way stop signs at Ritter Street at Golden Prados Drive and Great Bend Drive. The Commission asked staff to take residents' input into consideration regarding installation of any other warning signs to aid in reducing of the speed of the vehicles. B. Consideration of Parking on the East Side of Lemon Avenue from the southerly SR -60 Freeway Right -of -Way Line to the Northerly Driveway of the Commercial Center. DSA/Linda Smith presented staffs report. OCTOBER 11, 2001 PAGE 5 T&T COMMISSION Mary Ricotta, Charlie's Sandwich Shoppe, 20651 Golden Springs Drive, said the store has suffered a marked decrease in sales since the "No ' Parking" signs have been placed on Lemon Avenue. She stated that delivery trucks cause congestion in the center's parking lot due to the limited amount of space allowed for customer parking and merchandise deliveries. She also said she thought the "No Parking" signs were detrimental to her business because truckers cannot park in the center's parking lot and take their business elsewhere. She pointed out to the Commission the exceptions in the area: Coco's and In & Out Burgers on Golden Springs Drive both have two-hour parking in front of their facilities and 30 -minute parking is allowed on Brea Canyon Road in front of the Shea Center. She would like to have approved limited parking on, Lemon Avenue --between the hours of 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. C/Kung said the suggested hours for parking between 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. should be allowed. C/Morris stated the parking lot was built under County jurisdiction and only allows a 24 -car capacity. Chair/Virginkar said parking time limits cause enforcement problems. A two-hour parking limit would require continual monitoring by the Sheriffs Department. If limited parking restrictions are allowed, they must be easily enforced. C/Morris said the public's safety must be kept in mind, but the needs of the center should be addressed. He agreed that a limited parking restriction that would not cause enforcement restrictions should be evaluated. Staff was requested to evaluate the possible adjustments to the current parking restrictions and return to the November 8, 2001 Traffic and Transportation Commission meeting with a staff report for. consideration. VIII. STATUS OF PREVIOUS ACTION ITEMS: DPW/Liu stated the City Council approved at the October 2, 2001 meeting the Residential Street Centerline Striping Determination Policy. He also stated that the Chaparral Middle School Traffic Circulation plan has been implemented and appropriate street markings and signs will be installed shortly. IX. ITEMS FROM COMMISSIONERS: C/Kung has noticed traffic problems at Pathfinder Road and Peaceful Hills Road. The residents exiting from Peaceful Hills Road cannot cross Pathfinder Road due to speed of vehicles. 1 1 OCTOBER 11, 2001 PAGE 6 T&T COMMISSION He suggested the installation of a traffic signal. C/Kung also noted excessive speeding on Leyland Drive between Highcrest Drive and Benfield Place. C/Morris noticed the street rehabilitation project on Golden Springs Drive between Torito Lane and Temple Avenue is in progress and has caused traffic congestion: He thought the work could have been better timed so as not to conflict with traffic from the surrounding schools. X. ITEMS FROM STAFF: A. Monthly Traffic Enforcement Update for July, August, and September 2001 was presented by Deputy Mark Sant Amant. B. Second Quarter Traffic Statistics was presented by Deputy Mark Sant Amant. A. INFORMATIONAL ITEMS: A. Portable Speed Humps on Navajo Spring Road/Decorah Road. DPW/Liu reported that the speed humps have arrived. A speed survey and traffic count has been performed prior to installation and will be done again after installation. Staff will meet with neighborhood representative and homeowners association representatives to determine the best possible locations. B. Chaparral Middle School Traffic Circulation. DPW/Liu reported that the City Council was informed on October 16, 2001, that the plan jointly formulated by the Sheriff's Department and school officials was implemented and is working. Appropriate street markings and signs have been ordered and will be installed shortly. C. Brea Canyon Road and Golden Springs Drive Traffic Signal Repairs. AE/Phillips reported that he has scheduled the cutting -in of new loop protectors for the week of October 20. Once the new loop protectors are installed, staff will be able to address the concerns regarding exiting Gerndal Street to Brea Canyon Road, D. Future Agenda Items. As agendized ' XII. SCHEDULE OF FUTURE CITY EVENTS — as agendized. OCTOBER 11, 2001 PAGE 7 T&T COMMISSION ADJOURNMENT: There being no further business to come before the Traffic and Transportation Commission, the meeting was adjourned at 9:51 p.m. Respectfully, id Liu, Secretary Attest: _ R Chairman Arun Virginkar -7M