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HomeMy WebLinkAboutminutes.apz.19950307PLANNING & ZONING COMMISSION MARCH 7, 1995 Present were Steve Buettow, Robert Blaich, Bruce Carr, Roger Hunt, Jasmine Tygre. Aspen Meadows Traffic Mitigation Plan and Review Tygre stepped down. stated that this portion of the meeting would have no motions and no actions would be taken. STAFF COMMENTS Kim Johnson, Planning, stated that the City staff, MAA, RFTA, and various neighbors from the West End have met onsite, City Hall and other locations. Maintain 1994 changes including, new signs, speed bumps and traffic being rerouted. Recommended for the 1995 season, working to install speed bumps on New Meadows road. Traffic enforcement, work closely with the police department. City Council has requested additional street lights on Gillespie and 4th. Status is not known. A pedestrian walkway be established between third and fourth on Gillespie along the edge of the parking lot, it would be more pedestrian friendly and keep them off the actual pavement. MAA and RFTA, trying to fine tune the bus pick up area in the parking lot. Close the road from third and Gillespie to the back of the tent. Streets will mark the area "No Parking". Require courtesy vans, and all forms of public transit to use front drop off area. Move bus shelter area designated by MAA near the bus dropoff and provide a phone for dial-a- ride. PUBLIC COMMENTS George Patoon, stated that the SPA requires the MAA to mitigate auto and bus traffic. Speaking for the people on the bus route. The amount of busses is still beyond a reasonable level. Some factors have worked, however, the popularity of the festival has created more traffic. Another factor, Harris Hall has added two additional concerts one on Tuesday night and the other on Sunday night. The concert hall seats 500 people and on the stage they seat 96 people. We obtained the trip sheets from RFTA for every day last year and had James Daggs accounting firm analyze the data to see how many buses are empty. The drivers instructions are to go to the tent immediately before and after rehearsals and concerts scheduled there. The drivers may go to the tent at other times if they had fifteen or more passengers. Fourteen or less were to be dropped off and they could walk in. The analysis showed that the average ridership on the bus on a Thursday between 8:25, 8:40, 8:45, 9:15, was 1.4, 1.7, 1.1, 2.38. responded that it appears there is an error in the way the data was analyzed. The P&Z would like to have time to do an analysis of the data. If there is a disagreement in the data that is presented than a reasonable judgement cannot be made. Jan, public, stated that a letter in the packet requests a P&Z member to analyze the details and report the findings. In addition, we have repeatedly asked for quieter less polluting buses come through the residential area. Public asked that P&Z move toward this request and not just say that this issue has been looked at again, but resolve some things. Garton, replied that we all would like to have quieter less polluting buses, but it is a question of money. When new buses are purchased, Garton stated that she is sure RFTA will look hard at quieter less polluting buses. Jan, public, after many years of looking at this, the last purchase of buses did not include anything quieter for this run. replied that there are less polluting buses, they are not quieter, but maybe next year or this coming season we can look at getting those on the MAA route. The carbon fiber buses are smaller and may be quieter, are designated to the intercept parking lot. It is potentially something that can be looked at, however, the city controls utilization of that equipment. stated that this meeting is not to gain information from RFTA, but to look at the points that the Planning & Zoning Commission should consider. There have been two points made in a letter to the P&Z. Carr, responded to the points of letter from the "West Side Traffic Committee". Ordinarily, this is something handled by staff, ifMooney would like to volunteer for this, it is fine as long as staff has no problem with it. The other point is the data, which P&Z should not interpret, until discrepancies are resolved before they come to P&Z. Finally, P&Z would support that every bus route have quieter less polluting buses, but P&Z has no money authority whatsoever. The place to go would be City Council, they have the budget to deal with that. replied that at some point in time, P&Z will have to make the call and say "for the next 6 months or the next years well try this", "make these improvements", "buy these signs this year but we are not going to do this". Within the next three months, we'll take the work of this committee and your findings that will be the plan for 95. Then next year we'll look at it again. Carr, responded that the finding in the past was substantial compliance. But there was an agreement to periodically review and try to fine tune. Mack, public, when P&Z found the MAA in compliance, they did not find the institute in compliance. The institute was warned they would be watched carefully. The problem on the West side of the West end relates to the Meadows. Traffic enforcement is a critical issue in the West end. After writing letter after letter, Council instructed the police departement to enforce this area. It has not occured. The danger is to children, churchgoers, pedestrians and cyclists. This is not an issue over the noise of a bus, but physical pedestrian safety. This facility has generated trips a rate 60 times higher per diem, of public transportation vehicles going to the MAA, which only operates a very small portion of the year. The institutes vehicles stop and watch for pedestrians. The problem is there are other vehicles going through these intersections with noncompliance. This has an enormous impact on a residential neighborhood. An upgraded sidewalk was to be built, and has never been done. The residents dare not walk down New Meadows road. I request that motor meters are installed to measure the traffic, and you will find that vehicular traffic in that area is enormous, not just for a few months but year round. asked the enforcement issue, has nothing to do with compliance. Enforcement is not the responsibility of the Institute. Mack, public, replied it is the responsibility of the city. The city made a decision to put in the road and at that time the city guaranteed safety to the neighborhood. The road and the access to The Meadows was a political decision made by City Council and part of Councils agreement under the SPA and under the Institutes guarantee under the SPA, that there would be compliance which includes enforcement for safety purposes. Carr stated that any motions would be tabled until a later date.