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MINUTES
March 16, 2022
6:30 P.M.
Various teleconference
locations
OF THE MARCH 16, 2022 SPECIAL MEETING
OF THE CITY COUNCIL WITH THE TRAFFIC
SAFETY COMMITTEE OF THE CITY OF
PALOS VERDES ESTATES, CALIFORNIA
A Teleconference meeting of the Palos Verdes Estates City Council was held via Zoom videoconference only in order to reduce the risk of spreading COVID-19 and pursuant to AB 361 and the County of Los Angeles Public Health Officer's recommended measures to promote social distancing. Members of the public were provided with the following information to provide public input:
BY COMPUTER:
MEETING ID:
https://us02web.zoom. us/j/89280099270
892 8009 9270
BY TELEPHONE: 1 669 900 9128, Enter Code 892 8009 9270# CALL TO ORDER 6:30 p.m.
ROLL CALL
• Present: Council Members Murdock, Kemps, McGowan (6:37 p.m.), Mayor Pro Tern Roos, Mayor Lozzi
Traffic Safety Committee Chair Unno, Vice-Chair Rosenkranz (6:34 p.m.) and Committee Members Fitzpatrick, Windman and Lee
• Also Present: City Manager Prestwich, City Attorney Cotti, Chief of Police Best, City Engineer Jonasson, Interim Public Works Director Chankin and City Clerk Chaney
Marlena Perez, Carla Dietrich and Eric Spangler of Michael Baker International
NEW BUSINESS
(1) Discussion of Palos Verdes Drive West Corridor Phase 1 Options and Consider Selecting a Preferred Alternative
City Engineer Jonasson and representatives from Michael Baker International presented.
Mayor Lozzi invited questions from the Traffic Safety Committee members first.
Committee member Fitzpatrick asked about the data presented, as well as concerns regarding the triangle intersection. Carla Dietrich of MBI responded to concerns regarding the collected data. Eric Spangler responded to the question about Phase two, the triangle intersection, noting that the outcome of phase one does not determine the outcome of phase two.
Committee Member Windman expressed concerns regarding the Los Angeles County Roundabout Policy and the grade of the elevation. Marlena Perez of MBI and Eric Spangler addressed concerns regarding the elevation. Committee member Windman also asked about lighting and signage, noting line of sight concerns, and expressed his concern with a lack of a comparable roundabout, and his safety concerns, specifically with bicycles and pedestrians.
Traffic Safety Committee Chair Unno asked questions about pedestrian activated beacons, and parking mitigation. She also echoed committee member Windman's bicycle safety concerns. Eric Spangler of MBI provided some clarification to Chair Unno's questions and concerns. Committee Member Lee asked about the gap length analysis and expressed concerns about residents exiting their driveways.
Committee Member Rosenkranz provided her comments, noting that she believes both intersections should be considered at the same time, and cannot be reviewed separately. She also expressed her concern with her and the public not understanding the driving force behind the project. She also asked about to total cost and timing of the project funding. Eric Spangler provided information on the cost estimate of the construction and ongoing maintenance costs.
Mayor Pro Tern Roos asked about the amount of signage necessary for the traffic circle option. Marlena Perez noted that the minimum sign required are the yield signs at the entry. There was additional discussion about signage and lighting for the crosswalks. Mayor Pro Tern Roos also asked about next steps pending a potential decision made by Council. Eric Spangler noted that once the City selects a preferred alternative, MBI would prepare 35% plans. The consultants then would meet with the City to make decisions item by item. Mayor Pro T em Roos asked for the Chief of Police, Tony Best, for his assessment and opinions on the presented options. Chief Best provided some insight into his research and presented his concerns for safety between each of the presented alternatives, as well as the response times and traffic flow concerns.
Councilmember Kemps asked about the speed limit for the roundabout design and the project cost and funding. He asked about the size of the bus pull-outs in the design and whether or not they were the most efficient use of space. Eric Spangler clarified that they would collect more data and evaluate this. It was noted that there is no requirement for the transit improvements, such as the bus carve-outs.
Councilmember Kemps also asked about the CEQA I EIR requirements, which Eric Spangler stated that the City is currently in the environmental process by selecting a preferred alternative. Once the city selects the preferred alternative, that alternative is studied for air quality, noise, traffic operations, environmental, biology, tree impacts, and historical impacts.
Councilmember Murdock asked about ongoing costs and funding. Tim Jonasson and Eric Spangler provided detail regarding the funding timeline and contingency planning process. Councilmember Murdock also asked about potential avoidance or mitigation of removal of mature trees. Marlena Perez provided details on the impacts to existing trees in each of the presented alternatives. Councilmember Murdock asked about the multiuse paths in the presented designs, and other design alternatives that may be presented.
Councilmember McGowan asked about the funding mechanism for the project and if the City would pay for the construction and then request reimbursement from Metro. Eric Spangler stated he believed it is a monthly reimbursement process but would clarify with Metro at their next meeting.
The following individuals addressed the City Council: Joan Davidson, Darcel Hamson, Don Richards, Steve Friedrich, Andy Mactavish, Christine McNamara, Janine Nendick, Jack Mott, Emma Rault, Jim Roth, Monique Sugimoto, Ann Hugh, Valerie Gorsuch, Elaine Anderson, Lailee Powers Spiker.
Tim Jonasson presented the remaining next steps for the City Council and described the process of submitting the grant application to Metro. He also presented the draft timeline.
Mayor Pro Tern Roos asked about the length of the actual construction project, and the impacts to traffic. Mayor Lozzi asked for Committee Member Windman's response to some earlier presented questions. Mayor Lozzi had questions about the roundabout and the future alternatives for the triangle intersection. Mayor Pro Tern Roos asked Committee Member Windman for some more clarification of his comments.
Mayor Pro Tern Roos and Committee Member Fitzpatrick provided their comments.
Councilmember Murdock stated that she had questions but she believed those would be answered later in the process. Tim Jonasson clarified that once the Council makes a selection, and directs MBI to do the 35% design, as the rest of the project is being designed, the other matters would be discussed such as parking and landscaping.
Councilmember Kemps provided his comments and asked additional questions for clarifications about design alternatives that would save trees and reduce impact to the area, for example removing the bus pull outs. He provided additional comments, and noted that the environmental impact and parking needs to be researched and resolved. He stated that he does not want to rush the project, and has concerns about costs and cost overruns. Councilmember McGowan stated that he believes it would be unacceptable to 'do nothing', and he would like to see the 35% design concept, so that the concerns raised could be reviewed, such as the bus pull outs, trees, pedestrian crosswalk locations, and lighting. Committee Member Lee reiterated his concerns about the gap length on the Palos Verdes Drive West corridor, and believes that the unique aspects of the Community need to be preserved. Committee Chair Unno asked about some of the elements of the project and why they were being implemented. Mayor Lozzi stated she believed the traffic light gave the City the most long-term flexibility.
ACTION: Moved by Councilmember McGowan, Seconded by Councilmember Murdock to direct Michael Baker International to prepare the environmental studies, and initial 35% design for Alternative 3, the roundabout, and that they consider the comments and concerns expressed this evening so that the Council may revisit those concerns when the design is presented.
AYE: Murdock, McGowan, Kemps, Roos, Lozzi
NOES: None
ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 10: 18 p.m.
Respectfully submitted:
APPROVED: