HomeMy WebLinkAbout03/16/1999 Adjourned Meeting 420
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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Questions came up as to whether the BRB is out of date and whether the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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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