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2008-3-13 CITY OF BEVERLY PUBLIC MEETING MINUTES BOARD OR COMMISSION: SUBCOMMITTEE: DATE: LOCATION: MEMBERS PRESENT: Parking and Traffic Commission March 13, 2008 Conference Room A, Third Floor, City Hall Richard Hutchinson, Joe Shairs, Sue Mueller, Wayne Francis, Tina Cassidy, Rich Benevento MEMBERS ABSENT: OTHERS PRESENT: RECORDER: Tina Cassidy Cassidy calls the meeting to order at 11 :00 a.m. and explains that there are two items of business on today's agenda. The first is to review a site plan for a new industrial building on Sam Fonzo Drive. She explains that the City sold a portion of the property to the owner as part of a City-initiated RFP process about a year ago. The total parcel is about two acres in size and the owner is planning to build contractors' shops in a building on the property. Peter Ogren, the owner's engineer is present and explains the plans to the members. Cassidy states that she reviewed the plan and found that all parking spaces and traffic aisles meet the City's minimum standards and there appear to be adequate facilities for refuse disposal. Benevento asks Ogren if trucks exiting the property will have to swing into the opposing lane of traffic on Sam Fonzo Drive when leaving the property. Ogren answers that he's studied the turning movements and that some tractor trailers (those with a wheelbase width of 50" or more) may in fact have to cross the yellow line as they turn. He adds that traffic volumes on Sam Fonzo Drive are low enough that the occasional truck making such a turn will not present a safety hazard and that the vast majority of vehicles using this facility will be much smaller than a tractor trailer. Benevento asks what the radius of the driveway at Sam Fonzo Drive is and Ogren answers about 30'. Cassidy notes the City actually limits the size of driveway openings. Cassidy asks if members have any questions. Benevento asks about the status of Trask Way. Ogren says the old way still exists legally and while the owners have no plans to use it for access, others likely have rights to use it and they were planning to do nothing to close it off. Benevento asks if curbing should be placed across it at the point where it touches the driveway, so that the driveway will be clearly marked. Members discuss the suggestion and concur that installing some sort of sloped curbing would provide adequate demarcation of the driveway while still allowing access to those that may have rights to use it. Shairs expresses concern about the possibility that customers of the businesses in the new building will park on Sam Fonzo Drive to access the building. He points out that the building is much closer to the road than any other in the industrial park and the doorways to each of the units will front on Sam Fonzo Drive. Members suggest that landscaping or Parking and Traffic Commission meeting minutes Page 1 014 March 13, 2008 shrubs be installed in the grass strip in front of the building in order to discourage motorists from parking on the road. Ogren states that his client would likely be willing to do that. Cassidy asks if there are any other comments. There are none. Cassidy proposes to write a letter to the Planning Board recommending approval of the site plan subject to the following conditions: (a) that sloped curbing be installed across "Trask Way" at the point where it intersects the proposed driveway; and (b) that a continuous row of hedges or shrubs be installed in the grass area between Sam Fonzo Drive and the front of the building. Members agree that this represents the opinion of the Board. Next, Cassidy says there is a pending order of business from the last meeting. Councilor John Burke had requested the commission review a complaint he received about unsafe conditions at the Cummings Center/Stop and Shop intersection on Elliott Street. A constituent had reported several near misses when crossing the street at this location as a result of right-turning drivers not yielding to pedestrians in the crosswalk. Cassidy says she contacted Councilor Burke since the last meeting and had a clearer understanding of where the problem occurred. The issue arises with the westbound and eastboard right turn lanes, and the fact that drivers may be unable to see pedestrians approaching in front of them because their line of vision is obscured by two lanes of traffic next to them. She suggests that installing some sort of warning sign in two locations (one on each side of the intersection) be installed to remind drivers of the need to watch for pedestrians, or to stop before taking a right turn. The sign should meet the standards of the MUTCD (Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices). Shairs states that he reviewed traffic accident data for the location. There were 21 accidents in and around this area, although it is impossible to know exactly where the accidents occurred (some motorists pull off the street and into the Cummings Center or McDonald's parking lots before calling in the accident). Despite that, it is clear that none of the 21 accidents involved a pedestrian. He then states that he reviewed the MUTCD and suggests that sign "Rl-6" (copy attached) be installed, although the Public Services Department was not supportive of this sign at this location since to date the City only installs "green bordered" signs in school zones. Members review alternatives and ultimately agree to recommend the installation of "Rl-6" signs on both sides of the Cummings Center/Stop & Shop intersection, and that Sgt. Shairs be involved in the installation process to ensure that the sign, when installed, meets the standards of the MUTCD with respect to its placement and visibility. Parking and Traffic Commission meeting minutes Page 2014 March 13, 2008 Cassidy asks if there are any other issues for the Commission to discuss. Shairs informs members that he and Police Chief Mark Ray and Cassidy recently met with Ward 2 Councilor Wes Slate. At the meeting they reviewed a list of traffic-related improvements that were suggested by a resident of the Goat Hill neighborhood and developed at a group site visit last fall with the former ward councilor. Suggested improvements included new stop signs, prohibiting parking at certain locations, and the possibility of making the section of School Street between Cabot and Rantoul a two way street. Members discuss the costs and possible drawbacks of the School Street change. Cassidy explains that the City has $30,000 to spend on traffic-related issues on Goat Hill associated with the development of the former Ventron site on Congress Street. She says she asked the City Electrician for a sense of what it would cost to modify the traffic signals at the Cabot/School and Rantoul/School intersections if the road were to be made a two-way street. He gave a rough estimate of about $30,000. She says the idea mayor may not reflect the wishes of the entire neighborhood, and there is a possibility the money could be better spent on other improvements (analysis of traffic volume and flow issues, etc.) instead. Shairs says he and Ray will be attending a Ward 2 meeting in the near future and they expect the traffic related issues to be discussed at that meeting. He will update the Commission at a future meeting. Next, Shairs asks the Commission to consider recommending the installation of a stop sign at the Rantoul and West Dane intersection facing eastbound traffic entering Rantoul Street. There is no sign there presently and should be. Members recommend the stop sign be installed as suggested by Shairs. Next, Shairs shows members a plan of a section of Cabot Street several blocks in each direction from City Hall. There have been a number of pedestrian-related accidents on Cabot Street in the recent past. In response the Police Department reviewed the existing situation and is considering recommending that a number of parking spaces along Cabot Street be eliminated to improve safety and the visibility of both motorists and pedestrians alike. Shairs states that in many instances parking is already prohibited in the targeted locations but they are being used as parking spaces because it is not clear parking is not allowed. Cassidy states that the business community may well oppose the changes, especially the owners of the businesses that would be directly affected, and urges that Main Streets and the Chamber be consulted prior to making any changes. Members generally concur with the goal and need to improve pedestrian safety. Benevento states that he will bring a copy of the MUTCD with him to the next meeting for reference. Benevento asks how often the commission meets. Cassidy answers that the commission typically meets "on demand", when there is an application before the Planning Board that requires its review. Benevento asks if the members would like to become more pro-active and meet on a monthly basis to discuss parking issues. Hutchinson expresses interest in doing that. Benevento then asks if meetings could be held earlier in the day to accommodate his schedule. Parking and Traffic Commission meeting minutes Page 3014 March 13, 2008 Members discuss the issue and determine that meeting on the second Wednesday of every month at 9:30 a.m. would work with their schedules. There being no other business, the meeting is adjourned at 11:35 a.m. Parking and Traffic Commission meeting minutes Page 4014 March 13, 2008