Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout03/16/1999 Adjourned Meeting 420 • CITY OF YAKIMA, WASHINGTON MARCH 16, 1999 ADJOURNED MEETING The City Council met in session on this date at 7:30 a.m., in the 2 Floor Training Room, at the Police Station /Legal Center, 200 South 3 Street, Yakima, Washington. Mayor John Puccinelli, presiding, Council Members Clarence Barnett, Henry Beauchamp, Lynn Buchanan, John Klingele, and Mary Place were present. Council Member Bernard Sims was absent and excused. Assistant City Manager Rice; Chris Waarvick, Director of Public Works; Bill Cook, Director of Community and Economic Development; Shelley Willson, Traffic and Street Operations Manager; Assistant City Attorney Larry Peterson, Marketa George Oliver, Administrative Assistant to the City Manager; and Deputy City Clerk Skovald were also present. Interlocal Agreement with County Regarding GMA Mayor Puccinelli opened the meeting and invited staff to bring the Council up to date on, the most recent draft of the GMA Interlocal Agreement with Yakima County. Bill Cook, Director of Community and Economic Development, provided a brief historical perspective of the March 5, 1999 draft. This version Was been under review for over a year. It includes policy revisions reflecting most of the issues of mutual interest between Yakima County and the cities within Yakima County; the exception, however, is the planning policy for future annexations; it needs further review. Mr. Cook asked for Council direction concerning any changes. Council Member Barnett objected to the 60 -day provision for the Countywide Planning Policy Committee to prepare a report after execution of the agreement by the cities. After extensive discussion, it was the consensus of the Council to review the proposed agreement before signing the document. Members of the Council also discussed the purpose, duties, membership, and jurisdiction of the Boundary Review Board (BRB). Questions came up as to whether the BRB is out of date and whether the County should be encouraged to abandon the BRB, or whether to ask the State Legislature to change the process all together. Two counties, Clallam and Franklin, have abandoned the BRB, and staff was directed to visit with those jurisdictions about the outcome of that decision. Members of the Council also discussed the current annexation appeal process, as well as the pre- zoning process, which is a provision mostly used by other cities within Yakima County. It was the consensus of the Council that more information is needed before precise details could be changed. A verbal report is needed on what transpires at the upcoming Cities meeting being held on March 17, 1999. 421 ADJOURNED MEETING - MARCH 16, 1999 Members of the Council inquired as to whether Yakima County's road development standards are compatible with the City's street design standards. The Council is also interested in transportation concurrency for roads within Yakima County that will eventually become part of the City of Yakima. Also, there was discussion about how road development in the county will impact city streets, such as the Terrace Heights road construction project. Mayor Puccinelli reiterated the general consensus of the Council that the GMA Interlocal Agreement document would be reviewed before it is signed by the cities. This will be after the Countywide Planning Policy Committee reviews it and makes its recommendation within 60 days. Traffic Signal Optimization /Timing Chris Waarvick, Director of Public Works, noted that staff's recommendation is to coordinate the timing of traffic signals and to make other operational changes to improve traffic movement through various intersections within the city. He pointed out that the suggested revisions, as extensively outlined in the staff report, are based on data gathered and analyzed during weekday afternoon peak traffic hours. Traffic signals are computerized' and a fully optimized traffic signal operation system would improve traffic flow by utilizing the full capacity of the streets. Traffic signal and queue length revisions to several signalized intersections ,throughout the city would efficiently move the traffic through the intersections, thereby reducing vehicle delays and increasing the level of service. Mr. Waarvick also identified some situations that impact traffic flow at intersections, such as curb cuts or slow moving vehicles. Shelley Willson, Streets and Traffic Operations Manager, used large charts as a visual aid to briefly define some of the traffic terms. She also provided examples to help explain how individual intersection timings, coordination of arterial streets, and fixed and actuated signal operations impact traffic flow efficiency. Ms. Willson also pointed out that the recommended revisions would not only respond .to the delayed traffic movement by improving the flow of traffic through various intersections, but would utilize existing arterial capacity of the street. Implementing this phased approach and adjusting the queue length would move the traffic more smoothly and increase the Level of Service. The increased Level of Service would temporarily delay having to do major road improvements to the streets. Ms. Willson also noted that there potentially could be some funding available through the Clean Air Act for traffic operations to reduce carbon monoxide (CO), a vehicular generated pollutant, in the air. I/ Mayor Puccinelli asked if ,additional left turn cycles (conditional service) would improve traffic flow at 16 Avenue and Yakima Avenue and also at 48 Avenue and Tieton Drive. Ms. Willson explained how a simultaneous gap out or clearance interval along with failed loops could cause longer traffic signal cycles to create inordinate delays in traffic movement. 2 422 ADJOURNED MEETING - MARCH 16, 1999 Steve Knopp, Traffic Operations Supervisor, provided a report on the current systems inventory. There are many components needing replacement because the equipment is either not properly working or is outdated. He pointed out that video detection systems are more efficient in most cases and cost less to replace and maintain than are loop detector systems. He urged the Council to endorse and approve future funding requests to keep the equipment and systems up to date. Shelley Willson also reported that signs will be put up and lanes will be restripped to warn drivers to not block the Fire Department driveway. The more efficient alternative would be to install a flashing traffic signal, an expensive option that would have to be budgeted by the Fire Department. Discussion followed about whether additional signs and stripping would be an effective deterrent. The Traffic Operations Division provided a computerized overhead traffic simulation for the Council to observe, and then the meeting adjourned at 9:15 a.m. • READ AND CERTIFIED ACCURATE BY: � ! / , s ONCILM 40v/7 NCIL M R DATE t CIL MEMBER / DATE ATTEST: 9 A CITY CLERK JOHN 'UCCINELLI, MAYOR Minutes prepared by Deputy City Clerk Skovald. An audiotape of this meeting is available in the City Clerk's office. 1 3