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2008-02-26 TPC MinutesTRANSPORTATION AND PARKING COMMISSION City of Northampton City Hall, 210 Main Street Northampton, MA 01060 -3199 (413) 587 -1249 Fax: (413) 587 -1275 MINUTES February 26, 2008 David Narkewicz opened the meeting at 4:02 p.m. in City Hall Hearing Room 18. Members present Paul Sustick, William Letendre, James Lowenthal, David Narkewicz, Leslie Stein, Wayne Feiden, Ned Huntley (4:1 1pm), Russell Sienkiewicz (4:06pm) and Keith Wilson (4:20pm) Members absent Maureen Carney and David Reckhow 1. Public Comment Ed Hagelstein, 171 Nonotuck Street — Stated that the Gazette had an article about people who plow the City streets and the size of the truck used to plow. There is something a little troubling about a 50 -ton truck pushing snow onto a sidewalk and then residents have to shovel that snow off of the sidewalk. His sidewalk is 130 feet long. Nonotuck Street is 30 feet wide and he has 15 feet of snow on his side of the sidewalk. He is talking about 2,000 cubic feet of snow on his sidewalk. What he initially had was 500 cubic feet of snow and with the new snow that has fallen he now has 1,500 cubic feet of snow to move. Most of the snow from plowing goes on the tree belt but as the winter goes on it is pushed on to sidewalk and it is very dense at that point. This is what he is up against as well as every other resident in the City with sidewalks. Could the DPW plow more slowly so they wouldn't throw the snow so far? Could they push some of that snow at night to the side of the street without sidewalks? He noticed this year that they are not pushing snow to the curb and streets are getting narrower and less of it is getting to the sidewalk. 2. Minutes of January 15, 2008 Continued. 3. Annual Election of Chair and Vice Chair Narkewicz stated that every year a chair and vice chair are elected. He opened the floor to nominations. Letendre moved to nominate David Narkewicz as Chair and Maureen Carney as Vice Chair. Lowenthal seconded. The vote passed unanimously (7 -0). 4. Ordinances ■ Island Road No Parking and Tow Away Zones (4) (continued) Narkewicz stated that this item was carried over at the last meeting so that the Fire Department could be present. Captain William Millin was present and stated that these Ordinances came about because of an incident last year with a fire truck and a parked car (handouts). Three Firefighters did a site visit and initially deemed that they wanted no parking on the entire street. At the site visit, Councilors Dostal and Richards were present along with the acting Fire Inspector at the time and two citizens. A drive through with the fire truck was done and the initial recommendation of no parking the entire length was revised. Ned Huntley arrived at 4:11 pm. Millin explained the photos, attached, in relation to the parking ordinances. The entire southerly side of the street will be no parking. There was a lengthy discussion about similar width streets and whether there are no parking ordinances there. It was also added that on street parking acts as a traffic calming measure. Kathv Sarzent 150 Island Road — Stated that this is a sticky issue because people should be safe and truck should be able to get through. She directed the commission to look at the photo on the third page where a car is parked near a fire hydrant, which she thinks is illegal anyway. At that location she could see how a fire truck would be unable to get through but in every other picture is appears that the truck could get through. She thinks that the people involved have done a good job but also thinks that this could be honed a bit. People should be able to have a car or two on the street. Good job but I would love to hone it a little better. Keith Wilson arrived at 4:20pm. There was a brief discussion about whether fire trucks could use driveway or pull over to the side of the road. It was stated that the snow banks prevent the fire trucks for pulling off the road. Seasonal no parking restrictions were briefly discussed. Phil Sullivan, 96 Island Road — He stated that this is the first time he has seen the winter pictures. He would like to talk about the summer pictures. The bushes in the pictures are his and the bushes have been trimmed back about 1 foot 11 inches. He doesn't have a problem with most of it. But he does have a problem coming down Island Road around the corner and in front of the barn identified on the map as 36 -051. In front of 46 -050, Karen Simon has trimmed her bushes and 40 -foot box trucks come down this street all the time. Pomeroy Terrace has narrow streets and he has never seen a ticket when they are parked on that street. Fire trucks hit cars, it just happened the other day. A fire truck did hit a car parked and the vehicle was parked in the wrong direction, the vehicle owner paid the ticket and he knows parking in the wrong direction is not the right thing to do but it is on a straight away. This town has more signs, do we need more signs, can we afford more signs, and where will these signs go? The no parking makes sense on the corners he doesn't have a problem with that. He hopes that people's heads are clear when they go over this. The only thing he is asking is to try and eliminate the no parking from at least house 46 -043 on the map. He doesn't have a problem with the one in the middle, has a problem with the house and the half of the barn, 46 -050 and 46 -051, it would be good if you could come back a little. This parking isn't abused. And this all started from soccer traffic, there are little kids in this neighborhood and this was politically motivated. This Commission got sucked into this we have never had a problem there. Katherine Zukowski, 99 Island Road — Her house falls in the straight away that Sully was speaking about. Karen's house has 3 /4 of a parking spot and she had to work today so she couldn't come. It is tough to not have space for her guests, it is especially tough in the winter because we have no sidewalks and the streets are icy. The house next door is a 2 family that is for sale right now. They have a narrow driveway and she doesn't know what will happen when new people move in. She wants to remind everyone that this was a dirt road and the houses were built in the 1800's and there were not cars back then, this is a unique area and she would like to keep it that way. Councilor Bob Reckman — stated that he has no problem with the varied street changes or the spot in the middle. He does have concerns about how far the no parking area has to go after the curb but he will defer to the Fire Department expertise. Councilor Jim Dostal — stated that as long as the Fire Department has ample room to swing the truck around the corner there shouldn't be more no parking than needed. There was a lengthy discussion about the site visits and who was present. Discussion included possible amendments to the ordinances that were submitted to decrease the size of the no parking area. Sienkiewicz pointed out that a 10 -12 foot clearance is needed for emergency apparatus. There was a discussion about why ordinances for this street were being brought forward when there is nothing in place for other narrow street. There was a moderate discussion about whether the Fire Department could revisit the area and take more measurements to see if the no parking area could be decreased. If changes could be made by March 10 then the Ordinance Committee could vote on the ordinances as amended. Sienkiewicz moved to recommend the 4 ordinances as written with an exception to the 330 feet no parking measurement, that a recommendation be made to the Fire Department that the Commission would not be adverse to the 330 -foot measurement being reduced. Lowenthal seconded. The vote passed unanimously (9 -0). ■ Edwards Square No Parking (2/21 Council referral) Narkewicz stated that this Ordinance involves removing a section where there is currently on street parking. Councilor Reckman was present and drew a map of the area. He stated that the request is for no parking in front of Joe DeFazio's house and the neighbor's house. This request was made by Joe DeFazio to him and he is bringing the ordinance forward. He stated that it would be virtually impossible to get a fire truck through this street in the winter. Both neighbors are totally in support of this as well as the guy who lives in the house across the street. Currently you cannot back out of the driveway across the street when there are cars parked on the street. Letendre stated that all of the people that live in the multi unit house are fine with this. Huntley stated that it is a private way. Sienkiewicz questioned that a no parking ordinance was being brought forward but not a tow away zone ordinance? Letendre stated that is correct, it is only a no parking ordinance. There was a discussion on the proposed ordinance. Letendre moved to recommend the Ordinance. Feiden seconded. The vote passed unanimously (9 -0). ■ Transportation and Parking Commission Ordinance Narkewicz explained that there were some items that needed to be corrected in the Ordinance that created the Transportation & Parking Commission. The Ordinance references biannually instead of biennially. The ordinance says that the parking director shall serve as staff to the Committee but the Committee discussed changing that to say that the Parking Division shall provide or fund a staff person. This would mean that the funds would come out of the parking division but the Parking Director doesn't have to take the minutes. When the TPC was created the Parking Commission still existed and they didn't want it to be sun - setted. He is proposing that the Commission remove the section that was added because there is a provision in the ordinances that the TPC, as needed, can have had ad hoc committees. TPC has a rep from the downtown business community and can still form its own subcommittees. This is really just completing the sunset process and goes along with how the Commission operates. There was a brief discussion on sending those changes forward. Stein stated that she thinks that the Commission needs more representatives from the downtown business community. There was a discussion over the parking duties for the Parking Director and what subcommittees handle. Letendre stated that he attends meetings at the chamber all of time and knows most of the business owners downtown. Stein moved to accept changes and recommend them back to the Ordinance Committee in response to their initial request. Letendre seconded. The vote passed unanimously (9 -0). 5. Sample Parking Petition — Farao, North Dakota Narkewicz stated that he put this on the agenda because of the amount of calls from neighbors regarding the snow. Items usually come to the Commission in the form of an Ordinance. Sometimes the Commission doesn't have a sense of how the neighborhood feels. This would be at the front end of the process and would be for the ward councilor to have a petition to get a consensus of the neighborhood. We would give this to Councilors to use as a tool. This would be for neighborhood parking not the spaces downtown. There was a brief discussion about the petition. It was stated that an elected or appointed official would only present it. Feiden left at 5:32pm. 6. Bicycle and Pedestrian Committee Report Continued. 7. Public Transit Committee Report Stein thanked Ned Huntley and the DPW for cleaning out the Academy bus shelter. She is still trying to get bus stop signs up in Florence. Narkewicz stated that they are still trying to do some additional measuring in Florence. Stein stated that they have worked on posting bus stop signs around the City over the past few years. She would like to have all bus stops signed so that people know where to get the bus. There was a discussion over what other communities have and whether you have to eliminate a parking space for a bus stop. Once it is established you will not be able to flag buses anymore in between stops. The bus shelter at John M. Greene Hall is still in the works. 8. UPDATE: DPW Traffic Engineer hiring Huntley stated that the DPW hired someone for the Traffic Engineer position and she starts on Monday. She has a master degree in environmental engineering but no traffic experience. He feels she can hit the ground running. Her name is Laura Hanson she lives in Williamsburg and her title will be Assistant Civil Engineer. They interviewed 3 people but the private sector pays very well and we can't compete. She comes with 20 -years experience in civil engineering. Feiden returned at 5:42pm. She will get fully engaged in all of the TPC meetings and subcommittees. 9. Update: Traffic Calming Program Narkewicz stated that we could allow the traffic engineer a chance to review the traffic calming program and maybe have a final public hearing on it at our next meeting. Then we could formalize it. Next final step would require it go to the City Council for approval. There was a brief discussion on the timing of Council approval and whether the program will need to receive Council approval each time it is amended. 10. New Business Narkewicz stated that the Commission needs a vote for the use of the Armory Street parking lot for the Pride March. Letendre stated that the Mayor gave approval for the Gay Pride March on May 3 and the parade will end in the Armory Street lot. He also received a call for a transgender and non - gender pride march. That group would also like permission to use the Armory Street lot. Sienkiewicz stated that Letendre should call Captain Patenaude because he has been working with the group. Letendre stated that he is asking for permission to shut down the lot on May 2 and May 3 to accommodate the event. He said he has no problem with it because they always leave it cleaner than when they found it. Letendre moved to approve the use of the Armory Street parking lot. Sienkiewicz seconded. The vote passed unanimously (9 -0). Narkewicz was asked by Councilor Marianne LaBarge to bring this up and he has also received emails from Stu Estes and heard public comment from David Corbett regarding enforcement of sidewalks being cleared. Sienkiewicz stated that the Police Department tries to go to resident's houses and leave warning notices then they go back and make direct contact with residents or owners. Sometimes enforcement is driven by complaints. The Police Department tries to do as good as job as they can. There was a brief discussion over sidewalk clearing, Ed Hagelstein's comments and plowing and snow clearing operations. Wilson questioned whether cars parking in bike lines when the parking spaces aren't cleared should they be ticketed? Huntley stated that Church Street is one way now and the proposed Ordinance he passed out, attached, will make Church Street a two way street again but you will not be able to enter Church Street from King Street. There was a discussion over the proposed Ordinance and whether it will meet Mass Highways requirements. Feiden stated that he would check with Mass Highway. The Commission agreed to stick with the original recommendation because it meets the same goal subject to Feiden checking with Mass Highway. 11. Adiourn Letendre moved to adjourn at 6:12pm. Narkewicz seconded. The vote passed unanimously (9 -0).