City Manager’s Conference Room
Meeting No. 03-05
March 29, 2005, 7:30 p.m.
Commissioners Present:
Richard Resnick, Chair
Elizabeth Crane
Alice Filemyr
Stanley Klein
Jon Oberg
City Staff: Katherine Kelly
1. Review and Approve Minutes
a. Minutes from the February 2005 meeting were approved with minor changes.
b. Chair Resnick requested that January 2005 minutes be prepared and presented for adoption at next month’s meeting.
2. Staff Report and Updates
a. Staff Report (Weekly)
Chair Resnick inquired about the West End traffic calming requests. Staff reported that the West End Citizen’s Association has submitted a “Top 5” list of traffic calming/pedestrian safety improvements.
Commissioner Klein inquired about existing supplemental warrants, including for Stop Sign and Paddle Signs. He also inquired if Paddle Signs have warrants in the MUTCD. Staff stated that some supplemental warrants have been approved but did not have specifics on hand. Staff will share the approved supplemental warrants at next month’s meeting.
b. Town Center Traffic Calming Process
Staff reported that the Town Center Traffic Calming charrette is tentatively scheduled for May 24 and is pursuing the option to have a mediator run the meeting. Commissioners thought this was a good idea and expressed support.
May 24 is the date for the regularly-scheduled Traffic & Transportation Commission meeting. Chair Resnick suggested that rather than rescheduling the Commission meeting, the charrette be considered the May meeting. This will be voted on at the April meeting.
Staff requested that Commissioners try to attend the charrette and outlined the follow-up process. The June Commission meeting will include an agenda item to prioritize long- and short-term traffic calming measures for implementation, based on the results of the charrette.
Commissioner Oberg asked if the charrette will address capacity and TDM issues. Staff stated that it will on the periphery, but the primary goal is to develop a list of traffic calming options for implementation before and after Town Center is redeveloped. Staff also expressed that the Town Center Capacity Study is running concurrently with the Town Center Traffic Calming Process, and TDM measures are addressed in the Town Square General Development Agreement.
3. Commissioner Term Renewals/Reappointments
a. Terms for Commissioners Crane and Esebe expired December 2004. In response to correspondence from the City Clerk’s office, the Commission voted to reinstate Commissioner Crane. Commissioner Esebe was not present. Staff will follow-up with the City Clerk’s office on next steps.
b. Commissioners requested that all Commissioners be "up" for re-appointment only in June so that it is easier to track. Staff will follow-up with the City Clerk’s office on this issue.
4. Update of Neighborhood Traffic Control Guidelines
a. In response to a request from Mayor and Council, Commissioners reviewed the existing Neighborhood Traffic Control Guidelines (adopted October 2004). Staff explained that the request stemmed in part from recent requests from citizens to review the existing warrants for eligibility for traffic calming devices.
b. Commissioners unanimously agreed that the current Guidelines are adequate, follow national standards, and they had no conceptual changes to the Guidelines.
c. Commissioners agreed that the only revision to the Guidelines be on p. 6, Table A, paragraph 3, item c
“Streets are ineligible for traffic diversion plans if…Street where a traffic diversion plan is already in effect”.
A footnote will be inserted that refers to item h on p. 11
“Revisions to Implemented Plans…An approved and installed traffic management plan may be considered for modification at the request of the affected residents, the neighborhood civic association, or as directed by the City Manager. Decisions on modifications shall be made in accordance with the implementation process outlined above. To prevent excessive use of its resources, however, removal or major modification of a diversion plan within two years of original implementation will be strongly discouraged by the City.”
The purpose of this revision is to allow streets with diversion plans already in effect to revisit the plan and possible modify the plan after two years of original implementation.
5. Development Review and Status Updates
a. Staff shared that Wotton’s Crossing had been approved and that Twinbrook Commons is scheduled for the Monday, April 4 Mayor and Council meeting.
b. Twinbrook Commons
Commissioner Oberg inquired about the status of the memo to Mayor and Council drafted after last month’s meeting, which describes the Commission’s observations on the mitigations requested for Twinbrook Commons. Staff stated that the memo had not yet been sent but would be emailed for final editing as soon as possible. (The memo was finalized 3-30-05 and emailed to the City Manager from Commissioner Oberg).
Commissioner Oberg reiterated concern that the requirement for the multimodal center at Twinbrook Commons may be duplicating the work of Metro (information dissemination, e.g.). He also inquired about WMATA’s role to enhance safety and access to the station.
Commissioners inquired if Flexcar is included in the development. Staff stated that General Development Agreement requires reserved parking spaces for these vehicles, and the program is listed in the TDM program.
Commissioner Crane inquired if the General Development Agreement addresses improved access and safety, such as lighting, from one side of the Metro station to the other side.
Commissioners Oberg and Klein inquired whether or not “Smart Garages” are addressed in the Twinbrook Commons General Development Agreement and/or TDM program. “Smart Garages” such as those at BWI and in Silver Spring have electronic signs to indicate the availability of parking in garages.
Staff stated that the Twinbrook Commons Trip Reduction Agreement and TDM Program Agreement were being developed. Staff will coordinate with CPDS to determine a timeframe and process for input from the Commission.
c. Upper Rock
Commissioners requested an update on the status of Upper Rock.
Commissioner Oberg inquired if the traffic calming measures on Redland Blvd. had been defined and expressed that it would be useful to have them defined—or a monetary contribution amount—defined.
d. Commissioners requested that the Transportation Report sent to HOA and Civic Association leaders be reformatted so that they include:
Diagrams/images (such as those included in the CPDS reports to Planning Commission) of
Brief definitions of technical language (i.e., “pass-by trips”, “background traffic”, “trip generation”, “traffic impact”, “mitigate/mitigation”, “right-of-way”, “CIP”, “v/c ratio/Level of Service”)
Assumed volume/capacity ratios/Levels of Service before and after improvements
6. Permit Parking Reviews – Draft Ordinance and Mechanics
a. Commissioners reviewed a draft revised Permit Parking ordinance and suggested one minor grammatical change. They asked for clarification on item #7:
The fact that the residents of a contemplated parking permit area have contributed to the cost of construction and/or improvement of streets and roads in such area either by a direct assessment of costs or indirectly to the extent that the costs are reflected in purchase or rental prices paid by those residents
Staff will follow-up with the legal department.
b. Commissioner Crane inquired if there were standards for adopting permit parking. These are addressed in the draft amendment, in section (b).
7. Additional Discussion of Agenda Items / Other Items
a. Chair Resnick requested that proposed CIPs be discussed at next month’s meeting.
b. Commissioner Oberg stated that lighting at MD355/Redland Blvd. is non-existent and needs to be inspected.
c. Commissioner Oberg requested that staff coordinate with County to restripe Indianola/MD355
d. Commissioner Crane pointed out that the right-turn/transit only lane on Halpine at MD355 (heading WB) is often used by cars going through, creating a dangerous situation. She requested that staff investigate repainting the arrows on the ground and putting a sign indicating that this is a right-turn/transit only lane closer to the intersection. Chair Resnick pointed out that the same problem exists for the left-turn lane.
e. Chair Resnick pointed out that the left turn lane leading to the new medical bldg. at Tower Oaks Blvd. near North Farm La. Is not adequately striped, so that the queue heading eastbound cuts off those cars turning left into the medical bldg., creating a dangerous situation. Staff will follow-up.
f. Commissioners agreed that “next priority intersections” (safety) should be discussed at next month’s meeting.
g. Commissioners inquired about the status of Nelson/I-270 intersection and ped/bike bridge. Staff agreed to send an update.
Adjournment: The meeting was adjourned at 9:45 P.M.
