1 STAFF REPORT
DATE: October 4, 2022
TO: Justin Hess, City Manager
FROM: Ken Berkman, Public Works Director
Via: Daniel Rynn, Chief Assistant Public Works Director/City Engineer By: Edward Yu, Traffic Engineering Manager
SUBJECT: Introduction of an Ordinance Amending Section 6 -1-1501 of the Burbank Municipal Code, Relating to Prima Facie Speed Limits on Certain Segments of San Fernando Boulevard between the North City Limits and Lincoln Street
RECOMMENDATION
Introduce AN ORDINANCE OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF BURBANK AMENDING SECTION 6-1-1501 OF THE BURBANK MUNICIPAL CODE RELATING TO
PRIMA FACIE SPEED LIMITS ON CERTAIN SEGMENTS OF SAN FERNANDO
BOULEVARD BETWEEN THE NORTH CITY LIMITS AND LINCOLN STREET (ATTACHMENT 1).
BACKGROUND
The Burbank Municipal Code (BMC) Title 6, Chapter 1, Article 15, Special Speed Zones, establishes posted speed limits on major streets in Burbank. The speed limits are determined by the Public Works Department and the Burbank Police Department in accordance with the legal requirements of the California Vehi cle Code (CVC), Sections 22348 through 22413, and speed zoning guidelines contained in the Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD-California supplement). The speed limits are based on street conditions and prevailing tr affic speeds using standar d survey pr ocedures conducted by staff during the 2021 Engineering and Traffic Survey (Survey).
On July 27, 2021 , the City Council introduced an ordinance amending BMC Section 6-1-1501 relating to Prima Facie Speed Limits on City Streets . At that meeting, staff
2 recommended speed limits be increased or modified based upon the 2021 Citywide Engineering and Traffic Survey (Attachment 2).
However, t he City Council ultimately amended the ordinance and removed certain segments of San Fernando Boulevard out of concern related to increasing the speed limits, but adopted the remainder of the prima facie speed limits at its August 10, 2021 meeting (Attachment 3). As a result, those segments were excluded from this ordinance and not codified in the BMC.
After the August 10, 2021 meeting, Assembly Bill No. 43 (AB 43) was enacted, which amended CVC section 22358.8 (Attachment 4). The amendment is significant because it provides legal authority for the City to establish prima facie speed limits based upon immediately previous surveys and avoids adopting an increase in speed limits.
DISCUSSION
CVC section 22358.8 allows the City to : (1) “restore the immediately prior speed limit if that speed limit was established with an engineering and traffic survey”; if (2) “a registered engineer has evaluated the section of highway and determined that no additional general purpose lanes have been added to the roadway since completion of the traffic survey that established the prior speed limit”; and (3) such reduction is “no more than five miles per hour from the current speed limit nor below the immediately prior speed limit” (Attachment 4).
Here, all the requirements of CVC sec tion 22358.8 are met. First, t he previous Survey (Attachment 5) conducted from 2009-2016 established the speed zones per the following (Attachment 6):
1. San Fernando Boulevard (North , east of railroad ) – North City Limit (at Claybeck Avenue) and Winona Avenue - 30 MPH
(established 2016)
2. San Fernando Boulevard (west of railroad) – North City Limit (at Cohasset Street) and Hollywood Way - 40 MPH (established 2011)
3. San Fernando Boulevard (west of railroad) – Hollywood Way and Lincoln Street – 35 MPH (established 2009)
Second, the City’s Traffic Engineering Manager has evaluated the se s egments and determined that no additional general purpose lanes have been added to the roadway since completion of the Survey.
Third, the proposed reduction back to the prior speed limits is no more than five miles per hour from the speed limits presented on July 27, 2021 and August 10, 2021 and are consistent with the immediately prior speed limit.
3 Thus, if the City Council finds that the previous speed limits presented on July 27, 2021 and August 10, 2021 for these roadway segments are still more than is reas onable or safe, the City Council may, and is recommended by staff to , introduce and at a later meeting adopt the attached ordinance (Attachment 1).
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
Staff has reviewed this ordinance and recommends that t he City Council find that such activities are exempt from review under the California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”) pursuant to CEQA Guidelines (Title 14 of the California Code of Regulations ), Sections: 15061(b)(3) of because there is no possibility that the establishments of speed limits, as required by the CVC, will have any significant effect on the environment; 15378, because the establishments of speed limits is not an activity that would result in a direct or reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment; 15321, because law enforcement activities are exempt from CEQA and such speed limits are established so the City can conduct law enforcement activities; and 15301, because any signs to be installed will involve replacement of existing sign s at such locations and are exempt as replacement of existing city structures.
FISCAL IMPACTS
There are no fiscal impacts with this report.
CONCLUSION
Amending BMC Section 6 -1-1501 under this ordinance will reestablish the previously adopted speed limits at these Segments and will allow its enforcement.
Staff respectfully recommends that City Council introduce the proposed Ordinance and consider its adoption at a later meeting.
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment 1 – Draft Ordinance
Attachment 2 – Staff Report, July 27, 2021
Attachment 3 – Ordinance No. 21-3,961, August 10, 2021
Attachment 4 - CVC section 22358.8
Attachment 5 – Excerpts of the Citywide Engineering and Traffic Survey (2009, 2011, 2016)
Attachment 6 – Map of Segments