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HomeMy WebLinkAbout12/10/2007 SC Minutes Director Glen R. Andler Mount Prospect ~ Deputy Director Sean P. Dorsey Mount Prospect Public Works Department 1700 W. Central Road, Mount Prospect, Illinois 60056-2229 MINUTES OF THE MOUNT PROSPECT SAFETY COMMISSION DRAFT CALL TO ORDER The regular meeting of the Mount Prospect Safety Commission was called to order at 7:00 p.m. on Monday, December 10,2007. ROLLCALL Present upon roll call: Chuck Bencic John Keane Angel Campos Robert Fisher Carol Tortorello Mike Eterno Buz Livingston Paul Bures Matt Lawrie Absent: Fred Pampel Others in Attendance: Don Sahagian APPROVAL OF MINUTES Chairman Vice Chairman Commissioner Commissioner Commissioner Police Department Representative Fire Department Representative Public Works Representative Traffic Engineer - Staff Liaison Commissioner 400 W. Milburn Avenue Commissioner Keane, seconded by Commissioner Tortorello, moved to approve the minutes of the regular meeting of the Safety Commission held on July 9,2007. The minutes were approved by a vote of 5-0 with Commissioners Campos and Fisher as well as Battalion Chief Livingston abstaining. CITIZENS TO BE HEARD There was no one in attendance that spoke on an issue not on the agenda. Phone 847/870-5640 Fax 847/253-9377 www.mountprospect.org i OLD BUSINESS There was no old business to discuss. NEW BUSINESS A) MILBURN AVENUE PARKING STUDY 1) Background Information For the past few years, Staff has had phone conversations and received letters from concerned residents regarding the ongoing parking problem along Milburn Avenue between I-Oka Avenue and Hi-Lusi Avenue. St. Raymond church employees and school staff park on the block throughout the day rather than in the lot. Attempts over the years to encourage them to park in the lot have been unsuccessful. Since the problem continues and seems to be growing, Staff has now reached the point of considering parking restrictions. 2) Existing Conditions Current Traffic Regulations 1. Parking is prohibited on Sundays 6:30am-1:30pm along the north side of Milburn Avenue between Hi-Lusi Avenue and I-Oka Avenue. 2. There are no parking regulations along the south side of Milburn Avenue between Hi-Lusi Avenue and I-Oka Avenue. 3. Parking is prohibited at all times along the north side of Milburn Avenue between I-Oka Avenue and Main Street (Route 83). 4. Parking is prohibited Monday-Friday 7:00am-8:30am and limited to 2 hours 8:30am- 6:00pm along the south side of Milburn Avenue between I-Oka Avenue and Elmhurst Avenue. 5. Parking is limited to 2 hours Monday-Friday 7:00am-6:00pm along the south side of Milburn Avenue between Elmhurst Avenue and Main Street (Route 83). 6. Many other streets in the neighborhood also have parking restrictions. Current Lavout 1. Most of the streets in the neighborhood including Milburn Avenue are 26' wide (back-of- curb to back-of-curb). 2. Lincoln Street, an east-west collector street, is 31' wide (back-of-curb to back-of-curb). 3. Elmhurst Avenue, a nO!th~south collector street, is 52' wide (back-of-curb to back-of-curb) and includes a landscaped median. 4. St. Raymond has both a church and a school. The school offers classes for kindergarten through eighth grade. School entrances are along Elmhurst Avenue. The entrance to the church offices is on Milburn Avenue near I-Oka Avenue. 5. The parking lot that services both the school and church is immediately south of the building on the opposite side of Lincoln Street. Current Traffic Conditions 1. Between 7:00am and 8:00am on a typical school day, school staff and church employees arrive. While many park in the lot, some find on-street parking where there are no parking restrictions. The preferred location, and source of the current problem, is along Milburn Avenue between Hi-Lusi Avenue and I-Oka Avenue. 2. At 8:00am, school begins. Students are dropped-off primarily on the south side of Milburn Avenue and west side of Elmhurst Avenue directly in front ofthe school. 3. During the school day, short-term parking around the school and church is seen on those streets that are limited to 2 hour parking. 4. On those streets that do not have parking restrictions, some vehicles were observed to be parked for eight hours or more. On Milburn Avenue between Hi-Lusi Avenue and I-Oka Avenue, the street typically experiences a maximum of 8 to 12 parked vehicles on a school day. On I-Oka Avenue north of Milburn Avenue, 2 to 4 parked vehicles are evident on a typical school day. 3) Staff Study Issues 1. With vehicles parked on both sides of Milburn Avenue throughout the day, two-way traffic cannot be maintained. It is not only difficult for one vehicle to pass between but even greater for buses, garbage trucks and emergency vehicles. 2. Village services such as street sweeping, snow plowing and leaf pick-up are affected. A special schedule is in place to pick-up leaves before 7:00am during leaf season because of the parking problem on Milburn Avenue. 3. Residents have a difficult time backing out and turning into their driveways. 4. On-street parking is limited for residents' guests. 5. There is ample parking in the lot that is not being used. The Village has attempted multiple times to persuade school staff and church employees to park in the lot. However, with the church offices close to the intersection of Milburn Avenue and I-Oka Avenue, it is more convenient to park on the street rather than in the lot. 4) Recommendations 1. Comments we received from residents desired a street that was free of school staff and church employee vehicles, yet was available for the adjacent home owners. This balance can be difficult, especially near schools, as public streets provide equal access to all road users. And any sort of parking restriction, therefore, must affect all road users. To address the ongoing parking problem along Milburn Avenue between Hi-Lusi Avenue and I-Oka Avenue, Staff's recommendation is to prohibit parking at all times on the north side of the street and limit parking to 2 hours on week days on the south side of the street. This proposal is consistent with the current parking restrictions along Milburn Avenue east of the subject block. Further, it assures two-way traffic can be provided at all times. Even during evening school and church functions, weekend church services, summer activities, and any other school or church meeting, parking would be limited to one side of the street. Allowing short term parking on one side will also most likely discourage school staff and church employees from parking on the block, thus freeing up some space for residents. Plus, during the evening and on weekends, parking on the south side would not be limited allowing residents greater access to on-street parking. Recommendation: Prohibit parking on the north side of Milburn Avenue between lli-Lusi Avenue and I-Oka Avenue at all times, and limit parking to 2 hours on the south side Monday-Friday 7:00am-6:00pm. 2. There is currently a parking restriction along the north side of Milburn Avenue between Hi- Lusi Avenue and I-Oka Avenue that prohibits parking on Sundays from 6:30am-1:30pm. Should parking be prohibited altogether on this side of the street, the current ordinance would no longer be necessary. Recommendation: Repeal the ordinance that prohibits parking on the north side of Milburn Avenue between Hi-Lusi Avenue and I-Oka Avenue Sundays 6:30am-1:30pm. 3. I-Oka Avenue between Milburn Avenue and Evergreen Avenue does not have any parking restrictions during the week. In 1999, the Safety Commission reviewed a request from a resident to prohibit parking along the west side of the street. At the time, most residents along the block opposed the request as on-street parking during the school day was limited to a few vehicles. Even today, only a couple of vehicles are seen parked on I-Oka Avenue north of Milburn Avenue during the school day. However, should parking restrictions be enacted along Milburn Avenue, school staff and church employees may choose to still park on neighborhood streets rather than in the lot. The closest available location for long-term parking would be the 200 block ofl-Oka Avenue. Recommendation: Should any parking changes be approved as part of this study, monitor the effect on the neighborhood and react to any additional parking problems. 5) Discussion Chairman Bencic introduced the issue and opened the discussion to the public. Don Sahagian, 400 W. Milburn Avenue, acknowledged this was a difficult situation. He agreed that something needs to be done but is concerned that parking restrictions will negatively affect him. He suggested prohibiting parking Monday-Friday 8:00am-5:00pm on both sides of Milburn Avenue. He also suggested having resident only parking on the street. Chairman Bencic asked Traffic Engineer Lawrie to present Staffs study and recommendations. Traffic Engineer Lawrie then provided a presentation on the issue. Chairma.."i Bencic brought the issue back to the Commission. Battalion Chief Livingston said that he measured the distance between parked cars today. He said there is only 10' of clearance and it may be difficult for an emergency vehicle to pass between. The Fire Department, therefore, may have to look for an alternate route. Streets Superintendent Bures said that Public Works operations such as street sweeping and leaf pick-up are also affected. Mr. Sahagian asked about the suggestion of prohibiting parking on both sides of the street during the day. Traffic Engineer Lawrie said that it would not address other St. Raymond functions such as Sunday morning church services and any evening function. Mr. Sahagian's suggestion would still allow for times where cars would potentially be parked on both sides of the street for a long period of time. Staffs recommendation would provide for two-way traffic at all times while still providing some short term parking that could be used by residents. Commissioner Tortorello expressed concern that without enforcement any parking restrictions will not be effective. She lives near St. Raymond and sees violations to the current parking restrictions on a regular basis. Sergeant Eterno said the Police Department did patrol the area last week and did write two tickets. Commissioner Fi~her conunented that safet'j should be the top priority and the current situation would affect an emergency vehicle from getting through the block. Chairman Bencic commented that the parked cars may move to the 200 block of I-Oka Avenue and the Village may be chasing the problem around the neighborhood. He wondered if parking restrictions should be extended further west on Milburn Avenue as well as on I-Oka Avenue in anticipation of the cars simply moving to other streets. Traffic Engineer Lawrie suggested the recommendation only be for where the problem exists today and then evaluate. The Village Manager has the authority to install additional signs immediately should another street become problematic. This situation is similar to the parking problem around Prospect High School. There, parking restriction signs were installed on a street by street basis as a problem was observed. Traffic Engineer Lawrie, however, said that he would continue to try to work with St. Raymond to have their employees park in the lot rather than having to consider parking restrictions on other streets. After some further general discussion about the need for additional enforcement, Commissioner Keane, seconded by Mr. Bures, moved to approve the recommendations of the Village Traffic Engineer. Commissioner Tortorello asked that enforcement by the Police Department be included so as to ensure compliance of the new parking restrictions. The motion was approved by a vote of 8-0. Mr. Sahagian was made aware that the recommendation from the Safety Commission would be forwarded to the Village Board of Trustees for final consideration at their December 18th meeting. COMMISSION ISSUES Commissioner Keane asked that the Safety Commission be given name badges or shirts that would identify them at the Traffic Open Houses and other neighborhood meetings. Traffic Engineer Lawrie said he would look into the matter and get back with the group. Traffic Engineer Lawrie let the Safety Commission know that the next Traffic Open House would take place in February or March. ADJOURNMENT With no further business to discuss, the Safety Commission voted 8-0 to adjourn at 7:45 p.m. upon the motion of Commissioner Keane. Commissioner Tortorello seconded the motion. Respectfully submitted, ~L- MatthewP. La~ Traffic Engineer h:\engineering\traffic\safetL commission\recs&mins\dec07min.doc