Agenda Report
Fullerton City Council
MEETING DATE: DECEMBER 6, 2022
TO: CITY COUNCIL / SUCCESSOR AGENCY
SUBMITTED BY: MEG McWADE, PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR
PREPARED BY: DAVID ROSEMAN, CITY TRAFFIC ENGINEER
SUBJECT: CROSSING GUARD AT OLIVE AND CITRUS AVENUES ADJACENT TO NICOLAS JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL
SUMMARY
Consideration of a Transportation and Circulation Commission (TCC) recommendation to assign an Adult Crossing Guard at the intersection of Olive Avenue and Citrus Avenue adjacent to Nicolas Junior High School and authorize an approximately $14,720 increase in annual General Fund expenditures, of which Fullerton School District will pay half.
RECOMMENDATION
1. Adopt Resolution No. 2022-XXX.
RESOLUTION NO. 2022-XXX - A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FULLERTON, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNING AN ADULT CROSSING GUARD AT OLIVE AVENUE AND CITRUS AVENUE
2. Approve $14,720 budget appropriations to the expenditure budget and $7,360 to the revenue budget in General Fund within Program 2278 – Traffic Bureau.
3. Approve Crossing Guard for the Spring 2023 and reevaluate prior to the 2023 – 24 School Year.
CITY MANAGER REMARKS
While staff is recommending the crossing guard based on Transportation Commission recommendation, I have reservations due to this location not meeting warrants in particular that is for a Junior High School, rather than the State emphasis of having for Elementary students.
I recommend evaluating the effectiveness this Spring if approved and determining whether continue it for the 2022 – 2023 School Year.
PRIORITY POLICY STATEMENT
This item matches the following Priority Policy Statements:
Infrastructure and City Assets
Public Safety.
FISCAL IMPACT
The City has thirty contract Adult Crossing Guard positions managed by the Police Department and deployed on an as-needed basis based on school schedules. The City and the Fullerton School District share the contractual costs of the program. The annual cost to the City for the Adult Crossing Guard program totals $405,105.
The Fullerton School District has offered to pay fifty percent of the cost of an Adult Crossing Guard assigned to the Olive Avenue and Citrus Avenue intersection. The Police Department and school schedules would dictate specific assignment days. The Adult Crossing Guard assigned to the intersection would deploy for up to four hours a day on school days for a total $14,720 annual cost. The Fullerton School District has agreed to reimburse the City one-half, or $7,360, of those costs each year. The Fiscal Year 2022-23 budget does not include these costs and staff requests budget appropriations to the Police Department budget in Program 2278 – Traffic Bureau.
DISCUSSION
Staff received a request from the Fullerton School District to conduct a study to determine the need for an Adult Crossing Guard at the intersection of Olive Avenue and Citrus Avenue adjacent to Nicolas Junior High School. The Transportation and Circulation Commission heard the request on February 7, 2021. The Commission heard testimony from staff and the public and ultimately concurred with the City Traffic Engineer’s recommendations and denied the request for the Adult Crossing Guard. The Commission also moved to concur with a series of traffic and parking control modifications along Olive Avenue as recommended by the City Traffic Engineer to improve safety and efficiency in the school zone. The Commission directed the City Traffic Engineer return to the Commission with a reevaluation of the traffic and parking operations after 90 days. Attachment 2 contains a copy of the Commission Agenda Report.
City Council considered the matter and reaffirmed the Commission action by approving the implementation of an all-way stop at the intersection of Olive Avenue and Citrus Avenue, as well as various other traffic and parking control changes adjacent to the school on March 15, 2022.
The City Traffic Engineer provided a report to the Transportation and Circulation Commission on the effectiveness of the recently implemented traffic and parking control changes on November 7, 2022. The City Traffic Engineer concluded that the changes have enhanced traffic and parking operations within the school zone with some additional minor adjustments to the traffic and parking controls along Olive Avenue warranted based on observed motorist behavior. The City Traffic Engineer requested that the Commission reaffirm their previous denial of the assignment of an Adult Crossing Guard at the Olive Avenue and Citrus Avenue intersection noting that the intersection meets none of the State of California recommended criteria for the assignment of an Adult Crossing Guard. Attachment 3 contains a copy of the Commission Agenda Report.
The City Traffic Engineer acknowledged during the November Transportation and Circulation Commission meeting that the Olive Avenue and Citrus Avenue intersection experiences brisk pedestrian and vehicle activity in the thirty minutes before and after school but brisk activity does not necessarily constitute an unsafe environment or the need for an adult crossing guard. Although appreciative of the traffic and parking improvements recently implemented by the City, several parents spoke during the public comment period indicating the need for an Adult Crossing Guard at the intersection to assist students in safely crossing the intersection and that the Commission should reconsider its previous denial. A Fullerton School District representative spoke to the Commission about the matter and indicated the District agrees to pay half the cost should the City decide to assign an Adult Crossing Guard at the intersection,. The Commission voted to concur with City Traffic Engineer’s recommendations regarding the implementation of the minor traffic and parking control changes. The Commission also voted to recommend the assignment of an Adult Crossing Guard that does not meet State of California recommended criteria to City Council. Staff presents a resolution to assign the crossing guard for City Council consideration.
Attachments:
Attachment 1 – Draft Resolution No. 2022-XXX
Attachment 2 - TCC Agenda Report; February 7, 2021
Attachment 3 - TCC Agenda Report; November 7, 2022
cc: City Manager Eric J. Levitt
Adult Crossing Guard at Olive Avenue and Citrus Avenue
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