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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2008 0416 Special City Commission Meeting SUMMARY MINUTES Special City Commission Meeting Wednesday, April 16, 2008, 2:00 p.m. City of Sunny Isles Beach, Florida A TTENTION ALL LOBBYISTS: CITY LAW REQUIRES YOUR REGISTRATION PRIOR TO ENGAGING IN LOBBYING ACTIVITIES BEFORE CITY STAFF, BOARDS, COMMITTEES OR THE CITY COMMISSION. PLEASE CONTACT THE CITY CLERK FOR FORMS AND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. AGENDA 1. CALL TO ORDER / ROLL CALL OF MEMBERS The meeting was called to order by Mayor Edelcup at 2:00 p.m., with the following officials present: Mayor Norman S. Edelcup Vice Mayor Lewis J. Thaler Commissioner Roslyn Brezin Commissioner Gerry Goodman Commissioner George "Bud" Scholl City Manager A. John Szerlag City Attorney Hans Ottinot Deputy City Clerk Priscilla Walker, CMC 2. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE Action: City Historian Richard C. Schulman led the Pledge of Allegiance to the flag. Mayor Edelcup gave opening remarks and thanked FDOT representatives, including Danny Iglesias, for being a part of this meeting. He noted in attendance were representatives of the Miami-Dade School Board, Senator Gwen Margolis, our new school, the Education/School Committee and City consultants. 3. DISCUSSION ITEMS 3A. A Discussion regarding a Request for a Traffic Light at 183rd Street Shopping Center. Action: Mayor Ede1cup stated that Sunny Isles Beach is rapidly going into a traffic crisis mode, as the new school opens in August 2008. He stated there will be change in traffic patterns and the traffic flow on 183rd Street. Mayor Edelcup also expressed a need for sidewalks on the south side of that street and noted that the owner of the shopping center property is unwilling to close the side entrance cut-through on 183rd Street. Mayor Edelcup said we are trying to reach an agreement with the property owner to have an opening onto Collins A venue with a traffic light that permits pedestrians and vehicles to cross that intersection on Collins A venue. Mayor Edelcup noted this issue has been brought to FDOT before, but he wanted an opportunity to publicly address the need for a light and traffic intersection at that location. Public Speakers: Gus Pego, FDOT; Eric Penfield, Consultant; Dennis Concerto, Miami-Dade County Public Schools; Sharon James of Senator Gwen Margolis Office; Bob Welsh; Tony Locastro; Marianna Talalavesky; Annette Weissman, Principal Summary Minutes: Special City Commission Meeting April 16, 2008 Sunny Isles Beach, Florida City Manager Szerlag introduced Gus Pego ofFDOT, and our Consultant/Traffic Engineer, Eric Penfield of Keith & Schnars. Gus Pego said that the City and FDOT share a concern - pedestrian safety. He stated that the school will change traffic patterns, but that does not necessarily warrant a traffic light as there are other strategies that can be pursued that do not invade the rights ofthe property owner. He said there are spacing standards for signals and that he is concerned about installing a signal so close to this intersection as it could create problems for pedestrians crossing 183rd Street. He wanted to advise the City of FDOT's concerns regarding the signal spacing and the negative impacts associated with having a signal spaced too close. He offered to provide more details for recommended counter measures to eliminate the operational problems. Eric Penfield, Keith & Schnars, agreed that the City needs to conduct a signal warrant study for the location. However, he also referenced a signal study that was done two years ago by the Trump Development. The data revealed that there is the potential to have enough volume on side streets to warrant a signal at the location. He said from a system-wide standpoint the signal would accommodate the traffic volume from the Trump and from the shopping center and it would address the issue oflimited site distance. He noted that when walking eastbound on that sidewalk on the south side of 183rd Street there is a blind spot for drivers coming out of the shopping center. Overall, the signal will serve multiple purposes: provide safety and effectiveness at the driveway at the shopping center and Trump, and improve safety on 183rd Street, particularly for the school kids. Dennis Concerto, Senior Project Manager from Miami-Dade County Public Schools, said they have looked at the scenario and they also have a concern with the safety of the children coming across the street from the east side of Collins A venue to the school. They have configured the bus routes to ensure they do not stop on Collins Avenue in front of the shopping center. Parents will also be using the same route except from the south, and will turn on Atlantic Boulevard going north to make a turn on 182nd to drop the students off. The parent drop-off is along 182nd Street between Atlantic and North Bay Road. With that parking lot exiting onto 183rd Street, it is a blind spot, and they do have concerns that children walking through there are at the mercy of the drivers. He added that Dr. Martin Karp, School Board Member for this District, supports having a traffic signal there and that the School Board has done a traffic study around the site, which he will provide to Mr. Penfield. Sharon James, Legislative Aide to Senator Gwen Margolis, advised that Senator Margolis wished to express her concern over this for the safety of the schoolchildren. She added that the Senator is very anxious to resolve this matter prior to the opening of the school. Bob Welsh, Education/Schools Committee Chairperson, asked FDOT to take off their engineering hats and look at what could happen to kids walking on 183rd Street with cars coming out of a blind driveway. Commissioner Goodman said that FDOT should give the City a little more latitude on Collins Avenue. Vice Mayor Thaler said that FDOT has stated that they want to move traffic, but unless something drastic is done there, the traffic is going to stop every single morning on 2 Summary Minutes: Special City Commission Meeting April 16, 2008 Sunny Isles Beach, Florida Collins A venue. Commissioner Brezin referenced FDOT's opening statement that they are concerned about pedestrian safety, and added that this is a safety hazard. Commissioner Scholl said this is a very important issue and the reason we want to address this today is very meritorious; it is a health and safety issue. Danny Iglesias, FDOT, explained that Gus Pego can't give an engineering solution when nothing has been presented to the Department on the advantages and disadvantages. He added that work done on side roads impacts FDOT as well and that is why we need to look at all the angles. He said a signal warrant study was done a couple of years ago for that location, but it did not take the new school into consideration. Therefore, the report needs to be updated and the Department cannot provide an answer until then. Mayor Edelcup said he finds it amazing that people are asking for studies to be done today three months from when the school opens with 1,600 children, and whether the study supports it or not, we are asking for that intersection to be open with a light. The City is willing to pay for it, and certainly it is in FDOT's purview to be able to grant a variance as long as the warrant conditions are met, and we will supply you with required documentation but we need to have this done by yesterday. That property owner has property rights too and we just can't arbitrarily close offhis side driveway because that is the easier solution for FDOT. There are just too many instances where we need to work closer together and cooperatively to get something done where everyone in this community, 6,000 voters and 15,000 people, wants it. Vice Mayor Thaler said the word here is expedite, whatever reports that need to be done needed to be done yesterday, noting that the Mayor under estimated the amount of voters we have as we have almost 9,000 voters. We need to get on the same playing field, and whatever has to be done we will make every effort to do so, and he trusts that FDOT will do the same. Mayor Edelcup requested FDOT and Eric Penfield to do whatever it takes to get this done and said he believes that FDOT has the power to grant variances. Mr. Pego clarified that FDOT does not grant variances for signal warrants, but can grant variances for space criteria. He said you have at 183rd Street a very good crossing signal which is your main access to the school, the parts that need to be looked at besides this solution is what other solutions are there, and there are many. Since we don't have the information what improvements are being made on 183rd Street to control and improve that roadway including the pedestrian features. He said the City Manager had talked about some sidewalk improvement projects that are going to be undertaken by the City, but they may need to be expanded to include some roadway reconstruction in order to build the road properly with proper drainage and sidewalks. Part of that improvement could be right-of-ways constrained with separators which are temporary until a roadway can be constructed properly with a proper divider to control the movements out of that driveway. When people come out of that driveway and realize that they can't go northbound on Collins, they will turn right going south on Collins and make a u-turn at the next available median opening. Tony LoCastro, Education/School Committee, voiced his concern that FDOT hasn't done an impact study for this location. He said FDOT should be asking how they can lessen the impact on traffic. 3 Summary Minutes: Special City Commission Meeting April 16, 2008 Sunny Isles Beach, Florida Commissioner Goodman said that FDOT needs to look at the five block stretch between 178th Street and 183rd Street. There is no light in between that area and people jaywalk there, which is hazardous. Mayor Edelcup said that Commissioner Goodman brought up another valid point that there are five blocks between 178th and 183rd Streets without a traffic light. At the south end of the City, you have a light at 158th, 159th, 163rd, Sunny Isles Boulevard, in front of Newport Hotel, 170th shopping center, 172nd, another light at the other Raanan Shopping Center, and so you have lights within one block of each other, and here is an area that is five blocks long and you don't have any traffic lights. Commissioner Scholl asked Mr. Penfield how long it takes to design, implement, and install the signal. Mr. Penfield replied 60 - 120 days assuming that we have a lot of cooperation, and work around the clock. Commissioner Scholl clarified that FDOT and Miami-Dade County were the permitting agencies. Danny Iglesias stated that if everything were approved today, it would still probably not be ready by August. Commissioner Scholl said the difference would be that the City might be able to close that side street knowing that the approval is forthcoming. Mr. Pego suggested that the City try controlling the access first to see ifthat works. If it does not work, then there are operational problems and your recommendation is valid. Further, he suggested the City try to control the movement coming out of that driveway, when people realize they can't go northbound there, they will go out of the other driveway. Mayor Edelcup said that is still not acceptable. Commissioner Brezin said the property owner has rights and that the City Commission cannot take away his rights and tell him how to direct traffic in his own private shopping center. She said FDOT should have done this a long time ago and that they must have some provision for this type of emergency to protect pedestrians. Mr. Pego said FDOT establishes minimum standards for all municipalities state-wide, so there is safety for anyone traveling on public facilities. He will continue to work with the City staff to expedite a resolution for this matter City Manager Szerlag asked what the City needs to do mechanically for FDOT to say yes. Mr. Pego said the installation of a traffic signal requires a set of plans, utility contact information (all part of the permitting process), to be furnished with a permit application. The permitting applicant will be the County as they maintain the signals. Once FDOT receives the application, it is more or less making sure that ADA requirements and certain other standards are met. However getting to that point involves studies that include traffic engineering and forecasting vehicular and pedestrian traffic. There are many warrants for signals, but meeting one of them does not mean that a signal should be installed, as it is not always the best traffic control device for the location. City Manager Szerlag asked Gus Pego to get some specificity for Mr. Penfield and the City will look to calibrate the study performed by Trump Development to include traffic generated by a new school. City Manager Szerlag clarified that that is all the City has to do, and Mr. Pego said the study is part of the package, however, the area must also meet the space criteria, 4 Summary Minutes: Special City Commission Meeting April 16,2008 Sunny Isles Beach, Florida otherwise there will be a variance requested for the signal. Commissioner Scholl proposed that the City goes with the thinking that there will be a traffic light and have Mr. Penfield design the light and update the study concurrently, in an effort to save time. Then the City can go to the School Board and see if we can get some dispensation at the County to get through that permitting process quickly. City Manager Szerlag asked Mr. Penfield to proceed, and in addition to the design, look at squaring the intersection between the Trump Grand Hotel and the curb cuts that we currently have at the shopping center so you will have less spacing of traffic signals to more or less face each other. Mr. Pego said it is better to have it squared off to offset each other, and that FDOT will also be looking at how close the two signals are in proximity. Chief Maas said that the Police Department has a vested interest because when things go wrong both on and off Collins A venue the Police Department is ultimately responsible for the handling of that. He asked Mr. Pego if the perceived difficulty generated as a result of the light from FDOT's viewpoint, can be shared with Mr. Penfield so that in his study he can take that into consideration as well. Commissioner Scholl said he would like to get a memo once a week on the status of this process perhaps in the FYI package, as this is very important. Senator Margolis would be interested in getting the memo as well. City Manager Szerlag said the extension that he is asking for is underpinned by Mr. Penfield advising him. Eric Penfield said that the Trump study is two years old, he will need to freshen up the data, there are some assumptions in that study that we will want to revisit as the data was done in the off-peak season and we want to collect the data as quickly as possible. Vice Mayor Thaler said to remember that we are not just talking about Sunny Isles Beach, we are also dealing with Golden Beach and Eastern Shores, you are going to bring in all that additional traffic which was never figured into the original paperwork done by Trump. Mr. Penfield said the key piece is collecting the data, including gap acceptance studies, because some of the warrants aren't strictly based on how many cars are on the road or using the driveways. City Manager Szerlag asked Mr. Penfield for an estimated timeframe, and he said a week before Memorial Day assuming he can get all data collected. 3B. A Discussion regarding Installation of Fencing on Balance of Collins Avenue Medians. Action: City Manager Szerlag said he has a request into FDOT to allow fencing to be installed along the balance of our medians, and we call that positive pedestrian guidance. Working in conjunction with ChiefMaas, Mr. Penfield is going to collect accident data from vehicular pedestrian conflicts, and we are very confident that there will be no conflicts in areas where we have fencing installed. Mayor Edelcup said it may be interesting for Mr. Pego to take an aerial shot of all the jaywalking that occurs right across the street here where there isn't any fencing, and how many people play dodge-them everyday, elderly people carrying chairs across the median, and the lady that was hit by the bus and lost her leg because she thought that since there is no fence in there that maybe she could get across. 5 Summary Minutes: Special City Commission Meeting April 16, 2008 Sunny Isles Beach, Florida City Manager Szerlag said that he has been in contact with Debra Rivera of FDOT, and he indicated to her that Mr. Penfield would be our contact person for any information she needs relative to this matter. Mayor Edelcup said that the light is ofthe utmost importance but this one is very close behind it because again, we are about to introduce a lot of children onto Collins Avenue and the possibility of jaywalking doesn't end with the adults, it is there with the children as well. Commissioner Scholl said he rides with the Police Officers and he has learned that they write many jaywalking tickets and the judges don't want to hear jaywalking tickets, so we had better come up with a different solution. Mr. Pego said the fencing you have out there right now is because FDOT approved it, and you just applied for the permit for the additional fencing and we are moving along in that process. 4. ADJOURNMENT Commissioner Scholl moved and Commissioner Brezin seconded a motion to adjourn the meeting, and Mayor Edelcup adjourned it at 3: 19 p.m. I'" . -., - ~ - .- Respectfully..su~mitted by: Approved by the City Commission on May 15,2008 :t I ,~ I ~ . . . " ":' R;' '. .,\. \ , ~'! f-J~.~A',~ '. Jan~A. Hines, CMC, City Clerk " /.... . .. ,. , , '1 . .... ~ ..... 6