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CITY OF GLENDALE, CALIFORNIA
REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL
AGENDA ITEM
Report: Appeal of Transportation and Parking Commission Decision Regarding Installation of All-way Stop Controls at the Adams Street and Scofield Drive Intersection
1. Motion setting the matter for a public hearing; or, in the alternative,
2. Motion ordering the Transportation and Parking Commission to rehear the matter; or, in the alternative,
3. Motion dismissing the appeal forthwith.
COUNCIL ACTION
Item Type: Action Item
Approved for October 22, 2024 calendar
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
On July 22, 2024, the Engineering Division of the Public Works Department presented a report to the Transportation and Parking Commission (TPC), recommending installation of all-way stop controls at the South Adams Street and Scofield Drive intersection, as requested by residents near the 1200 block of Adams Street, having satisfied all requisite criteria for installation set forth in the 2023 Neighborhood Traffic Calming Program. The action was moved, and the motion seconded. Two commissioners voted “yes”; two commissioners voted “no”; and one commissioner abstained. Having failed to garner three affirmative votes, the motion did not pass. On August 6, 2024, the director of Public Works filed a written notice of appeal. The purpose of this item is for the City Council to decide whether to set a public hearing on the appeal, order the TPC to rehear this matter, or dismiss the appeal.
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that the City Council pass a motion finding that the facts stated in the notice of appeal constitute a matter of sufficient substantiality to warrant a hearing in the public interest, and set a time for the hearing.
ANALYSIS
As prescribed in the City’s adopted 2023 Neighborhood Traffic Calming Program, staff conducted a screening evaluation to determine if the Adams Street and Scofield Drive intersection qualifies for traffic calming measures. Adams Street is a community collector street, within a residential district, and qualifies for traffic calming measures; thus, an {{section.number}}b2
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engineering study was first conducted to evaluate the use of speed humps or speed lumps.
This segment of Adams Street did not satisfy the traffic calming implementation criteria for speed humps because the block lengths are less than 500 feet in length and the street is identified as a Primary Emergency Response Route. Staff consulted with the Glendale Fire Department (GFD) regarding potential installation of speed lumps (in the alternative to speed humps), designed to accommodate emergency vehicles; however, GFD recommended against the installation of speed lumps due to impacts on emergency vehicle response and the limited availability of alternate routes. A summary of the speed hump criteria and findings are shown in Table 1.
TABLE 1: Speed Hump Criteria
Criteria Guideline Prevailing
Condition Satisfied (Yes)
Travel Lane
One travel lane per
direction or One-way,
Two lanes
One/lane/dir Yes
Residential District Street must be located
in Residence District Residential Yes
Street Classification
Local Street,
Neighborhood
Collector, Community
Collector
Community
Collector Yes
Posted Speed Limit 25 MPH 25 MPH Yes
Block Length
Minimum 500 ft
between intersection
blocks
Below 500 ft No
85th Percentile 30 MPH or greater 34 MPH Yes
Daily Volume 1,000-10,000 ADT 6,242 Yes
Truck or Transit
Route Cannot be installed Not a Truck
Route Yes
Primary Emergency
Response Route Cannot be installed
Primary
Emergency
Response Route
No
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In the alternative to speed humps or speed lumps, the 2023 Neighborhood Traffic Calming Program includes consideration of all-way stop controls as a potential traffic calming measure. Staff conducted an engineering study using the criteria outlined in the Program to evaluate the intersection for all-way stop controls and found that this street segment satisfies the criteria.
Furthermore, the neighborhood has shown support for the implementation of all-way stop controls, as determined by the petition process. A petition circulated by a community member received support from 76.7 percent (33 of 43) of the residences on the affected segment of Adams Street. The installation of all-way stop controls are expected to result in the loss of three parking spaces to accommodate standard red curb zones in advance of the stop signs, as illustrated in Exhibit A.
Table 2 provides a summary of the all-way stop criteria that was met.
TABLE 2: All-Way Stop Criteria
Criteria Guideline Prevailing
Condition Satisfied (Yes)
Stop Sign Pattern
Distance between
controls meet or
exceed Distance
Threshold (1500ft)
Exceeds
Distance
Threshold (1910
ft)
Yes
Collision History
3 collisions in a single
12-month period within
most recent 2 years
3 collisions
recorded in 12-
month period
Yes
Excessive Speeds
85th percentile speed
meets or exceeds
Speed Threshold (30
MPH)
34 MPH Yes
Support via Petition 75% 76.7% Yes
Having satisfied all implementation criteria, the Department recommended that the Transportation and Parking Commission pass a motion approving the all-way stop controls at its public meeting on July 22, 2024. The action was moved, and the motion seconded; however, the motion narrowly failed to pass with two commissioners voting “yes,” two commissioners voting “no,” and one commissioner abstaining.
On August 6, 2024, the director of Public Works filed a written notice of appeal (Exhibit B) of the Transportation and Parking Commission’s decision. On September 30, 2024, the Department transmitted a written report from the director submitting the appeal to the {{section.number}}b4
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City Manager to review and bring before the City Council. Staff recommends that the Council set this matter for a hearing on the merits because, as the notice of appeal explains more fully, the proposed all-way stop controls satisfy implementation criteria, and because the “no” votes and abstention were unwarranted.
STAKEHOLDERS/OUTREACH
To advance the proposed traffic calming measures, Department policy requires that a community-led petition be circulated among dwelling units on the affected street within 500 feet of the proposed stop controls; if mid-block, the 500-foot threshold is extended to the next cross street. On South Adams Street, 44 dwelling units are affected by the proposed all-way stop. Under the Traffic Calming Program, an adult residing at 75% or more of the affected dwelling units must sign the petition. The petition received support from 76.7% of the affected dwelling units.
Additionally, the president of the Adams Hill Neighborhood Association (AHNA), which has a membership of 126, testified before the Transportation and Parking Commission that AHNA circulated emails among its membership and posted on its Facebook page regarding the proposed all-way stop. Another AHNA member testified, telephonically, that she canvassed the east side of South Adams Street, Yale Drive, Green Street, Princeton Drive, Oberlin Drive, East Palmer Avenue, Tyler Street, and Scofield Drive, and delivered to AHNA a petition bearing the signatures of people who support traffic calming measures on South Adams Street.
FISCAL IMPACT
The all-way stop controls at Adams Street and Scofield Drive will cost approximately $5,000. The Public Works Engineering budget can absorb this cost; therefore, the Department would not request a new appropriation. The funding is outlined below:
Existing Appropriation
Amount Account String Funding Source
$5,000 43110-1010-PWD-7515-P0000 General Fund
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW (CEQA/NEPA)
The proposed all-way stop controls are improvements that are categorically exempt pursuant to CEQA guidelines, Title 15, Chapter 3, California Code of Regulations, Section 15301 (Class 1-Minor Alterations of Existing Public Facilities).
CAMPAIGN DISCLOSURE
This item is exempt from campaign disclosure requirements.
ALTERNATIVES TO STAFF RECOMMENDATION
Alternative 1: Pass a motion ordering the Transportation and Parking Commission to rehear this matter.
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Alternative 2: Pass a motion dismissing the appeal forthwith, in which case the decision of the Transportation and Parking Commission shall become final.
ADMINISTRATIVE ACTION
Submitted by:
Daniel Hernandez, Interim Director of Public Works
Prepared by:
Carlos Cortez, Civil Engineering Assistant
Approved by:
Roubik Golanian, P.E., City Manager
EXHIBITS/ATTACHMENTS
Exhibit A – All Way Stop Design Plans for Adams Street and Scofield Drive Exhibit B – Notice of Appeal of Transportation and Parking Commission Decision Exhibit C – Written Report