1. Mt. Vernon Street Permit Parking a. Commissioners reviewed school enrollment and capacity projections. The information was created by MCPS and provided to the Commission by Regina Yudd, a RMHS parent and PTSA Pedestrian Safety Committee member.
b. Commissioners reviewed parking restriction information near other high schools, namely Wootton HS and Rockville HS. Commissioner Resnick inquired about the rationale for different parking restriction times at these schools compared to existing parking restrictions near RMHS (9AM-12PM on School Days near Wootton, 8AM-8PM and 8AM-5PM near Rockville HS, and 8-10AM plus 2-4PM near RMHS). Staff and student representatives relayed that it was due to the fact that RMHS students drive off-site for lunch and then return in the afternoon. Commissioner Filemyr stated that parking restrictions near Rockville HS were likely not due to students but rather to Broome Park and Meadow Hall ES visitors.
c. Sarah Rothman, Student Government Association Treasurer, reported that Marlo Furniture Store denied a request from RMHS to allow parking in their lot. Sandy Spring Bank has not yet provided a response to the same request.
d. Commissioner Klein stated that the parking problem at RMHS should be addressed by MCPS Superintendent and Board of Education, and that the Commission should approve permit parking on Mt. Vernon St. to force MCPS to deal with the problem. He presented a written draft memo with these statements.
e. Commissioner Klein made a motion to implement permit parking on Mt. Vernon St. during school hours on school days. There was not a second to the motion.
f. Commissioner Crane stated concern that implementing permit parking at this time would unfairly punish students.
g. Commissioner Levine inquired why the Commission should review this issue now, when parking may be adequate after construction is completed. He stated that he is not in favor of implementing permit parking at this time.
h. Commissioner Crane stated that the residents of Mt. Vernon St. are facing a crisis right now and should be given some relief. She suggested that Police should step up enforcement to ensure that students are not blocking driveways or parking/driving unsafely or in the neighborhood.
i. Commissioner Thomas advocated that City staff work to find additional parking areas for students.
j. Commissioner Filemyr noted that the residents of Mt. Vernon St. have followed the correct procedure to file a request to implement permit parking. She made a motion to approve implementation of permit parking with no delay. The motion was seconded.
k. Commissioner Resnick advocated to either grant the permit parking now (i.e., no delay until June 2007) or deny the request altogether. He noted that when construction is complete the problem might dissipate. He also noted that residents could submit another petition after construction if the problem continues.
l. Ms. Kelly noted that the Mayor and Council have 30 business days to review the Commission’s decision and determine whether or not to rescind the Commission’s decision. Mr. Elshafei noted that creating a traffic order and permit parking signs would take a minimum of 30 days. This means that signs would likely not be installed for at least two months.
m. Chair Oberg asked and received clarification of the motion that Police and Public Works do public outreach to the community to discuss a change in the proposed hours of implementation (i.e., from 8-10AM and 2-4PM which exists near RMHS currently to 9AM-12PM to be consistent with permit parking hours near Wootton HS) if the motion passed. Four Commissioners voted in favor, four voted against. The motion failed because there was not a majority vote; permit parking will not be implemented on Mt. Vernon Street in response to the petition submitted October 17, 2006.
n. Commissioner Resnick requested that the City make efforts to contact Marlo and Sandy Spring Bank to request student parking at their sites, and for the City Police Dept. to step up enforcement on Mt. Vernon St. to ensure that students are parking properly.
2. Argyle Street Traffic Diversion: Alternatives a. Mr. Jeremy Rusnock, Waddington Park HOA, presented to the Commission his concern about the new traffic diversions at Argyle and S. Washington streets. As follow-up to his presentation at the November 2006 Commission meeting, he noted that in March 2006 City staff had recommended that Argyle Street become a one-way street. Mr. Rusnock stated that he supports this concept as well as changing the Argyle Street classification to a Primary Residential Class I . He requested that the Commission share their thoughts on these comments.
b. Commission Rosselle expressed concern about all the traffic calming and diversion implemented on Argyle St. in recent years. She inquired about the light at Argyle St. and Maryland Ave. Commissioners Klein and Levine clarified that it was implemented in response to speed concerns on Maryland Ave.
c. Chair Oberg reiterated that the Commission is advisory and should review alternatives.
d. Commissioner Thomas advocated removing the left turn restrictions on Argyle and that it be made a one-way street from Monroe St. to Maryland Ave.
e. Mr. Elshafei provided a brief overview of alternatives reviewed by staff over the past year. He noted that the left turn restriction from Argyle St. onto Maryland Ave. was implemented as a measure to reduce traffic heading one direction during one hour. This would satisfy the Traffic Control Guideline warrant of less than 150 vehicles per hour in one direction on a Secondary Residential street. He also noted that the Director of Public Works had approached the Commission in Spring 2006 to present the concept of removing this warrant from the Guidelines, and that the Commission did not approve changing the warrant.
f. Commissioners stated that when the Director of Public Works presented the idea of removing the 150 vehicles per hour in one direction warrant, they felt it was in direct response to the Arygle St. issue. They said that they were not comfortable addressing the issue while Argyle was still undecided but would be willing to review the issue again. They requested that discussion to review the Guidelines should be included on a future agenda.
g. Mr. Elshafei said that traffic counts would be done on Argyle St. and adjacent streets in Spring 2007.
h. Commissioner Filemyr made a motion to table the discussion about Argyle St. until after traffic counts are completed in Spring 2007. The motion was seconded.
i. Commissioner Crane stated that the Traffic Control Guidelines are applicable Citywide and had concern about changing the Guidelines based on the effects of implementing traffic diversion on one street.
j. Commissioner Resnick stated that he supported Commissioner Filemyr’s motion.
k. Chair Oberg stated that the Director of Public Works has an open invitation to discuss concerns about the Traffic Control Guidelines with the Commission, and in particular to review the warrant of 150 vehicles per hour in one direction.
l. A motion to review the Traffic Control Guidelines after counts are conducted in Spring 2007 was approved by a vote of 7-1.
3. Review CIP Items a. A draft of FY2008 CIP was reviewed. Staff noted that upgrades to Baltimore Rd. and implementation of sidewalk on Beall Ave. were two new major projects. Staff also noted that the Asphalt Maintenance CIP is under-funded in future years (esp. FY09-10).
b. Mr. Elshafei noted that this is a first draft of the CIP and that comments will be solicited beginning Spring 2007. Commissioner Resnick stated that future under-funded projects should be brought to the attention of Mayor and Council via a memo during the comment period.
4. Staff Report and Updates (Weekly) a. Commissioner Klein inquired if staff had investigated whether signal timing was a factor in the pedestrian accident near Halpine and MD355 in Nov. 2006. Staff has not investigated.
b. Chair Oberg inquired if there will be pedestrian access from the new Ingleside development in King Farm to the adjacent park.
c. Commissioner Thomas inquired what was meant by “service road access points” with regard to the development at 800 Hungerford Drive; he is not clear about what service road is being referenced.
5. Review and Approve November 2006 Meeting Minutes a. November 2006 meeting minutes were approved with no changes.
6. Additional Items for Discussion a. Chair Oberg asked if anybody attended the Metro Town Hall meeting Dec. 5th. Ms. Kelly attended and Commissioner Thomas attended. Commissioner Thomas spoke during the meeting and stated that City residents advocate pedestrian over- and under-passes from Metro stations to cross MD355.
b. There was discussion about draft memos prepared by Commissioners Klein and Thomas. It was agreed that Commissioner Crane will draft a memo combining concerns in the two memos—namely pedestrian crossing times across MD355 and funding for a Pedestrian Safety Awareness campaign. It was agreed that the Neighborhood Resources Coordinators should be involved in planning the Pedestrian Safety Awareness campaign.
c. Commissioner Thomas issued a complaint that there was not notice from the City about the traffic signals at Maryland Ave. and E. Middle Lane coming online. He noted that the City typically provides electronic billboard notification on-site as well as in City publications prior to changes in traffic signals. He requested that the City be sure to provide advance notice for such changes in the future.
Adjournment: The meeting was adjourned at 10:15 P.M
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