ACTION:
____________________________
Clerk/Secretary
Department: City Manager Item No: D3
Prepared by: John Conley, City Manager Meeting Date: June 10, 2025 Approved by: John Conley, City Manager Agenda Location: Discussion S
UBJECT: SPEED HUMP POLICY
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COMMENDATION: Discuss City Council Policy 600-07, Criteria and Procedures for the Installation of Speed Humps, and provide direction to staff.
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RIOR ACTION: On May 27, 2025, discussed City Council Policy 600-07, Criteria and Procedures for the Installation of Speed Humps, and directed staff to place the item on the next agenda (Vote: 5-0).
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n June 23, 2023, adopted City Council Resolution No. 2023-96, amending City Council Policy 600-07, Criteria and Procedures for the Installation of Speed Humps (Vote: 4-1, Franklin opposed).
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n December 8, 2009, adopted City Council Resolution No. 2009-197, amending specified City Council policies and deleting specified City Council policies (Vote: 5-0).
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n May 28, 1996, adopted City Council Resolution No. 96-42, establishing guidelines for the installation of speed humps as specified in Chapter 16 of the City of Vista Municipal Code (Vote: 5-0).
STATEMENT ON THE SUBJECT: Mayor Franklin requested the City Manager place a discussion item on an agenda to discuss the City’s speed hump policy, City Council Policy 600-07, Criteria and Procedures for the Installation of Speed Humps. On May 27, 2025 the City Council began discussing the policy and voted to have the item placed on the next City Council agenda for further discussion. Policy 600-07 is attached as Exhibit 1.
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ISCAL IMPACT: There is no direct fiscal impact associated with this discussion item.
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XHIBITS:
1. City Council Policy 600-07, Criteria and Procedures for the Installation of Speed Humps AGENDA
REPORT
CITY COUNCIL
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION
SUCCESSOR AGENCY
BUENA SANITATION DISTRICT
JOINT POWERS FINANCING AUTHORITY
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Vista City CouncilPolicy
600-07 (1)
600-07 CRITERIA AND PROCEDURES FOR INSTALLATION
OF SPEED HUMPS
PURPOSE
To provide uniformity in considering requests for speed humps, the following standards, selection criteria, procedures and installation guidelines are adopted for use by the City Engineer, Traffic Commission and City Council.
POLICY
1. Standards and Selection Criteria
a. Speed humps may be used on those local residential streets whose primary function is to provide access to abutting residences or on collector streets. Speed humps shall not be used on major and arterial roadways as designated in the Circulation Element of the General Plan of the City of Vista. b. Street segments shall be without severe vertical or horizontal alignment. A speed hump shall be visible for at least 200 feet.
c. The measured 85th percentile speeds shall be greater than 35 mph or 60 percent of the measured speeds shall be in excess of the posted speed limit. d. The street shall not be an important access route for emergency vehicles as determined by the City's emergency services departments. e. Speed humps shall not be installed on streets when it is anticipated that traffic will be diverted to another local residential street.
f. The street must consist of one travel lane in each direction. g. Speed humps will not normally be installed on isolated blocks along a continuous street or on a relatively short (less than 800 feet) cul-de- sac. h. The street shall not be scheduled for resurfacing during the next 16 months.
2. Procedures
a. The City's adopted policies and procedures for the installation of speed humps will be made available to all interested parties.
b. A resident of a local residential street, who believes the residents on that street will support the installation of speed humps will submit a request in writing to the City Traffic Engineer. The Traffic Engineer will consult with the City's emergency 06/10/2025
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EXHIBIT 1
Vista City CouncilPolicy
600-07 (2)
services departments in making a determination of whether the street in question is eligible for further consideration for the installation of speed humps, i.e., the street is consistent with the City's policies for the installation of speed humps.
The City Traffic Engineer will complete Speed Hump Criteria Checklist (Exhibit A) to make the determination of satisfying the City's policy. c. Upon determination that a street is not eligible for speed humps, the resident of the street will be notified in writing giving the reason why the street is not eligible.
The resident of the street will be given 15 days to appeal the decision in writing to the City Engineer. If the City Engineer concludes the Traffic Engineer's decision is valid, the resident may appeal the City Engineer's decision to the Traffic Commission. The Traffic Commission will then consider the resident's appeal and determine if the City Engineer's decision should be overruled and allow the request to continue. The Traffic Commission's decision to overrule the City Engineer will identify the reasons and special circumstances to allow further consideration of speed humps on the requested street. If the Traffic Commission rejects the appeal, the matter may still be appealed to the City Council provided that 60 percent of the residents on the street sign the petition (Exhibit B) in support of speed humps.
d. Upon determination that a street is eligible for further consideration, the resident of the street will be advised to submit a petition (Exhibit B) from abutting the property owners or residents indicating that a clear majority (51 percent or more) support the installation of speed humps on their street. Staff will prepare a map of the properties required to sign the petition to aid residents in their signature gathering effort. The petition forms provided by the City will state: "If there is subsequently a desire by residents to remove the speed humps, the humps will only be considered for removal after receipt of a petition from a substantial majority (51 percent or more) asking for removal along with a guarantee to provide sufficient funds for removal as determined by the City Engineer." The sponsor of the petition is required to contact every resident of the abutting properties of the subject street. If a resident is against the speed humps, the word "OPPOSED" will be noted on the petition signature space. If the sponsor is unable to contact a resident, "NO CONTACT" will be noted on the petition signature space with dates and times that the contact was attempted. It is required that the sponsor make at least two attempts on separate days to contact a resident.
Any petitions submitted prior to the eligibility determination by City staff will not be processed ahead of schedule and shall be subject to return if all required information on the installation of speed humps is not included thereon. e. Upon verification of the petition, the Traffic Engineer will make traffic speed and 06/10/2025
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Vista City CouncilPolicy
600-07 (3)
volume measurements, review the traffic accident history for the street in question, and determine acceptable locations for speed humps. f. Upon completion of the study, City staff will prepare an agenda item for consideration by the Traffic Commission. City staff will notify the properties on the subject street of the proposal for speed humps on. The Traffic Commission will then hold a hearing on the request and either approve or disapprove the request. If the Traffic Commission denies the request, the resident may appeal the decision to the City Council. The appeal to the City Council must be made within 30 days of the Traffic Commission's action.
g. The recommendation of the Traffic Commission to install speed humps will be forwarded to the City Council for approval.
h. In the event the number of requests for speed humps exceeds the funds available, the City Engineer will rank the requests in a recommended order of priority and submit these recommendations to the Traffic Commission for approval. The priority list recommended for approval will be based on traffic accidents, speeds, traffic volumes, and comments of the City's emergency services departments. The City Engineer will set forth the basis for the recommended priorities in a report accompanying the priority list.
Unless there is an overriding consideration such as high incidence of speed- related accidents, priorities will be normally established by multiplying the percentage of motorists exceeding 25 mph by the 24-hour traffic volume of the street in question. A street yielding the highest numerical value resulting from the above consideration will be considered to have the highest priority for speed humps. Depending on the number of petitions received and the types of streets involved, it is possible that a "cut-off speed" (perhaps an 85th percentile speed of 30 mph) will be established, below which streets will not be considered for the program.
i. The physical installation of speed humps and the associated traffic control devices shall conform to design standards established by the City Engineer. j. The City reserves the right to remove any or all of the speed humps at any time at no cost to the property owner( s).
3. Installation Guidelines
a. Speed humps shall not be placed over manholes, watergates, junction chambers, etc.
b. Where possible, speed humps should be placed at property lines instead of mid- lot.
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Vista City CouncilPolicy
600-07 (4)
c. Where possible, speed humps should be placed adjacent to street lights. d. Hump Dimensions: The dimensions for the speed hump may vary from 3 to 4 inches in height and 12 to 20 feet in width. The City Engineer, with the City's emergency services departments, will examine the height and width of humps to determine the desired dimensions for installation of speed humps in the City. Full height shall extend to two feet from gutter and taper to join existing pavement at edge of gutter.
e. Spacing:
1) 200 to 750 feet between humps.
2) 25 feet to fire hydrants and manholes.
3) 200 feet to intersections.
f. Warning Signs: "BUMPS AHEAD" signs shall be placed on either end of the street segment where speed humps are being installed.
g. Markings: "BUMP" pavement marking shall be placed in advance of each hump in both directions.
h. Notifications: Each resident on the street shall be notified in writing of the planned hump installation at least three weeks prior to construction. i. The City Engineer will develop standards for speed hump installation and markings.
HISTORY
Adopted May 28, 1996, Resolution No. 96-42
Amended December 8, 2009, Resolution No. 2009-197
Amended June 13, 2023, Resolution No. 2023-96
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Fire Department
Fire Department Review and Approval YES NO
Conditions - Minimum of 80 Out of 100 Points Required
1. The street is a local residential or a collector street and is not a major or arterial street as defined by the City of Vista's Circulation Element. ( 25 points*)
YES NO
2. The installation of speed humps will not result in the diversion of traffic to a nearby parallel street ( 25 points*)
YES NO
3. Speed study shows that the measured 85th percentile speed is 35 mph or more; or 60% of motorists exceed 25 mph. ( 15 points) YES NO
4. Street shall be no more than one lane in each direction. ( 10 points) YES NO
5. Adequate horizontal or vertical alignments and sight distance. ( 15 points)
YES NO
6. Street not scheduled for resurfacing within 16 months. ( 10 points) YES NO Total Points:
Petition
Petition contains signatures from at least 51% of adjacent residents shown in the city-provided map. Satisfied Not Satisfied Summery:
EXHIBIT A
CITY OF VISTA
SPEED HUMP CRITERIA CHECK LIST
Date:
Street: Limits:
Instructions: The following three steps must be met before proceeding to Traffic Commission and City Council approval.
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Vista City CouncilPolicy
600-07 (6)
EXHIBIT B
PETITIONREQUESTINGINSTALLATION OF SPEEDHUMPS
We, the undersignedresidentsof Street, from
Streetto Street,
Do hereby request the City of Vista, California, to install speed humps on our street. We agree that if in the future that if we desire to remove the speed hump, the humps will only be considered for removal after receipt of a petition from a substantial majority (51% or more) asking for the removal along with a guarantee to provide sufficient funds for removal as determined by the City Engineer. The City reserves the right to remove any or all of the humps at any time at no cost to the property owners.
Neighborhood Representative:
Date
Signature
Head of Household) Address
Position
a)
Daytime
Phone
a) Support - S Opposed -0 No Contact - NC
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