ATTACHMENT #1
DPW:590-70\mh\etm\Council\2022\02142023\Crossing Guard Program Review Standards and Policies Att 1.docx
RESOLUTION NO.
RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF
THE CITY OF THOUSAND OAKS
ESTABLISHING CROSSING GUARD
PROGRAM STANDARDS
WHEREAS, since 1965, City Council has been considering requests for crossing guard placement at intersections adjacent to local area schools; and WHEREAS, the crossing guard program is an integral part of supporting the safe crossing of school aged students at area schools; and WHEREAS, the City Council desires to formalize the standards and policies for the crossing guard program; and
WHEREAS, on August 30, 2022, a comprehensive report on the history of the program and standards development was presented to City Council.
After discussion, City Council directed the Traffic and Transportation Advisory Commission (TTAC) to review the current operating standards and policies and if needed, recommend potential revisions to the entire program for City Council to consider; and
WHEREAS, at the October 19, 2022, TTAC meeting, staff presented a history of the program and information from agencies across the County on their crossing guard programs and practices. Staff received feedback from the TTAC members on potential changes to the crossing guard policies and standards; and
WHEREAS, on November 16, 2022, TTAC reviewed the draft elements of the revised Crossing Guard Program Standards and Policies and after discussion, requested additional alternative criteria be incorporated; and
WHEREAS, on December 7, 2022, TTAC voted 4-0 that the following 2023 Crossing Guard Program Standards and Policies be approved by City Council; and
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Thousand Oaks City Council that the following Crossing Guard Program Standards and Policies are hereby adopted:
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CROSSING GUARD PROGRAM STANDARDS
These standards and policies and four alternative criteria shall apply to all crossing guard locations.
Review Authority:
The City Public Works Director or designee shall be the responsible party that annually reviews existing crossing guard locations, requests for crossing guard additions, and staff recommended closures to determine consistency with City standards. The following standards shall apply:
1) Requests to add crossing guard locations will be in writing, evaluated by staff for consistency with City standards, and reviewed by the Public Works Director to approve or deny based on City’s minimum standards and four alternatives.
2) Staff will report annually to the Public Works Director, all currently approved locations and will identify all locations that do not meet the City’s minimum standards and four alternatives based on pedestrian and vehicle conflict counts conducted in the current school year. The Public Works Director shall evaluate staff’s report for consistency with Crossing Guard Standards and Policies and prepare a list of approved locations for the upcoming school year. The Conejo Valley Unified School District will be provided the list as soon as practical.
3) Annually, the TTAC will receive a comprehensive report from the Public Works Director on the entire crossing guard program for the upcoming school year, including any changes such as locations approved or denied for crossing guard placement and all locations recommended for closure.
This presentation will be made within 60 days from the date of the Public Works Director’s decision.
4) Decisions by the Public Works Director to close an existing location or deny a new location may be appealed to the City Council via written appeal within 14 calendar days of the date of the TTAC meeting, along with the appeal fee as listed in the City’s user fee manual. If the City Council overturns a determination of the Public Works Director, the appeal fee will be refunded.
5) If an existing location fails to meet the City’s minimum standards including any applied alternative, closure will be deferred for one additional school year, unless it was already posted/notified and recommended for closure the prior year. Removal of crossing guards at locations that fail to meet the City’s minimum standards including any applied alternative for a second consecutive year is mandatory.
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Qualifying Standards
1) City of Thousand Oaks Pedestrian & Vehicle Conflict Count Minimum Standards:
City Minimum Standards
Minimum Peak Hour
Volumes AM and PMIntersection Type Vehicle
Conflicts Pedestrians
Uncontrolled Intersections 300 20
STOP Controlled Intersections 300 20
Signalized Intersections 500 40
2) Locations must meet all four standards (AM and PM Vehicle Conflicts and AM and PM Pedestrian Counts) in order to be eligible for a crossing guard unless an alternative criterion is applicable.
3) Any pedestrian counts under ten for either the AM or PM count disqualifies a location from eligibility or application of alternative criterion and shall not be approved.
Alternative Criteria
Four alternative criteria to accommodate special circumstances are listed below.
These alternatives are not cumulative. Only one alternative criterion may be applied per location.
1)75 Percent CA MUTCD Alternative: If a location, regardless of intersection type, fails to meet only one of the four City minimum standards (pedestrian and vehicle conflict counts for AM & PM), the location will be eligible for a crossing guard so long as all three of the remaining criteria meet the CA MUTCD minimum standards as listed below and any non-qualifying pedestrian count is not below ten.
CA MUTCD Minimum Standards
Minimum Peak Hour
Volumes AM and PMIntersection Type Vehicle
Conflicts Pedestrians
Uncontrolled Intersections 350 40
STOP Controlled Intersections 500 40
Signalized Intersections 500 40
2)Traffic Volume Alternative: If AM and PM vehicle conflict counts at an uncontrolled intersection both exceed 1,000 vehicles but the location DPW:590-70\mh\etm\Council\2023\02142023\Crossing Guard Program Review Standards and Policies Att 1.docx
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does not achieve the City’s minimum pedestrian standard, the location is eligible so long as the pedestrian counts are not less than ten. 3)Speed Limit Alternative: If the highest speed limit for an uncontrolled intersection exceeds 35 mph, the City’s minimum standard for vehicle conflicts may be lowered by ten percent. The location is eligible if both AM and PM vehicle conflict counts are not more than ten percent below the minimum City standard.
4)Roadway Width Alternative: If the width of the longest crossing leg of an uncontrolled intersection exceeds 40 feet, the City’s minimum standard for vehicle conflicts may be lowered by ten percent. The location is eligible for a crossing guard if both AM and PM vehicle conflict counts are not more than ten percent below the minimum City standard.
Staff will conduct annual counts of all existing and proposed locations.
Pedestrian and vehicle counts will be conducted per the California Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (CA MUTCD) guidelines to ensure accurate pedestrian and vehicle counts representative of a typical school day.
PASSED AND ADOPTED this 14th day of February 2023, by the following vote:
Ayes:
Noes:
Absent:
_________________________
Kevin McNamee, Mayor
City of Thousand Oaks, California
ATTEST/CERTIFY:
_________________________________
Laura B. Maguire, City Clerk
Date Attested: ____________________
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
Office of the City Attorney
_________________________________
Noel Doran, Assistant City Attorney
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APPROVED AS TO ADMINISTRATION:
_________________________________
Andrew P. Powers, City Manager
The presence of electronic signature certifies that the foregoing is a true and correct copy as approved by the City of Thousand Oaks City Council on the date cited above.