4 - Vista Del Monte Permanent Installation of Traffic Calming DevicestpW N OF
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DATE:
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FROM:
COUNCIL AGENDA REPOP.T
JULY 19, 2010
BZEETING DATE: 08/02/10
ITEit4 \TO: , i
MAYOR AND TOWN COUNCIL
GREG CARSON; TOWN MANAGER ~"
SUBJECT: VISTA DEL MONTE PERMANENT INSTALLATIOI~x OF TRAFFIC
CALMING DEVICES
ACCEPT REPORT ON THE PERMANENT INSTALLATION OF TRAFFIC
CALMING DEVICES FOR VISTA DEL MONTE NEIGHBORHOOD
RECOMMEI~tDATION:
Accept report on the permanent installation of traffic calming devices for Vista del Monte
neighborhood.
BACKGROUND:
At the December 7, 2009, Town Council meeting, the Council approved the traffic cahnhlg
proposal for the Vista del Monte neighborhood. The proposal included temporary installation of
tluee-way stops signs at the intersections of Harding, Vista de Sierra and Vista del Campo. The
temporary devices were installed in December 2009, with the purpose to slow down vehicle
speeds. Prior to installation, the 8~[I' percentile vehicle speeds averaged 31.8 mph.
Staff gathered traffic data to assess the effectiveness of this proposal for approximately five
months after die stop signs were installed. Data collected indicates vehicle speeds have
decreased to 29 mph. The last step in the Traffic Calming policy process is to inform residents
of. the data findings and conduct a final vote on the devices.
A final ballot was sent to residents in June 2010, asking if residents would be in favor of
permanent installation of these traffic devices. A total of 68 ballots were mailed originally,
however, due to residential vacancies, 3 ballots were retxu-ned. Out of the 66 mailed ballots, 39
residents responded. The Traffic Calming policy requires 67% approval rating from the votes
returned in order to forward the proposal to Town Council for review.
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PREPARED BY: TODD CAPURSO
Director of Parks and Public Works
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Reviewed by: ~S.~Assistaut Town Manager ~~Ufown Attorney Clerk Administrator
!Finance Commxmity Development
NiPP0.r,,~lANAGE~IGNr\COUNCIL~COUNCIL REPORTS'~~010 Repors~Augus[ 2\Vis[adel\~lon[e.Traffic Calmine Permanen[ Devices.docx
PAGE2
JULY 19:2010
MAYOR AND TO~T~~N COUNCIL
SUBIECT: VISTA DEL MONTE PERIv1ANEI~IT Ii~iSTALLATION OF TRAFFIC
CALM11~tG DEVICES
BACKGROUiv'D (cont'd):
The vote breakdown for permanent installation of these devices was as follows:
o In favor of permanent installation 79%
o Against permanent installation 21%
DISCUSSION:
Vista del Monte residents formally submitted a traffic cahning petition in 200, requesting staff
consider their street for a traffic calming project. Over 50% of the residents living on the street
supported the petition. After reviewing the petition, staff collected vehicle speeds and volume
data at two intersections in the neighborhood, Harding and Vista de Sierra, and found the daily
traffic volumes to be approximately 705 vehicles per day. The 8~°i percentile speeds averaged
31.8 mph.
In order to qualify for the Town's Traffic Calming program, the 85th percentile speeds of
vehicles traveling tluough the neighborhood must exceed the posted speed limit by 5 MPH, or
the average daily traffic volume must exceed 1500. Based on the traffic data collected, staff
concluded the Vista del Monte neighborhood qualified for the traffic cahning program because
of high vehicle speeds. This project request was placed on a waiting list while other traffic
calming projects were being processed andlor cmnpleted.
Staff hosted four neighborhood meetings between October 2008 and September 2009, to explain
the Town's Traffic Calming policy process, and to engage residents in a discussion about
possible traffic calming options. Residents were notified of these meetings via US mail. The
average attendance was 17 residents per meeting. The Santa Clara County Fire Department as
well as the Los Gatos-Monte Sereno Police Department were present at these meetings to
provide feedback on the impact of the traffic cahning devices on the neighborhood's streets.
Residents discussed various traffic issues at these meetings; and speeding vehicles was the
consensus of the attendees.
During the neighborhood meeting process, staff ~vorlced closely with residents to discuss
potential traffic calming proposal options for the neighborhood. At the May 14 meeting, staff
presented a traffic calming proposal based on the feedback received at the first neighborhood
meeting. Residents as well as representatives from the public safety agencies provided feedback
on these options. The residents in attendance agreed to conduct a vote on tluee proposal options:
hvo speed humps and two stops signs, rivo stops signs, or none of the above. Because vehicle
speeds are high on Vista del Monte, To«n engineering staff reconunended the combination of
two devices (two speed humps and t\vo stop signs) as the most effective method to reducing
vehicle speeds.
PAGE 3
JULI' 19.2009
MAYOR AND TOWN COUNCIL
SUBJECT: VISTA DEL MONTE TEMPORARY lI~tSTALLATION OF TRAFFIC
CALMING DEVICES
DISCUSSION (cont.):
A neighborhood vote was conducted in June 2009 to see if residents favored one of the above
traffic calming options. Ballots were sent to all residents of Vista del \~Ionte, as well as to
residents on the Vista del Monte intersections of Harding and Vista del Campo. Ballots were
mailed out to 68 residents, of which staff received 50 responses. The vote breakdown for this
traffic proposal was as follows:
® Two stop signs and two speed humps 58%
® Two stop signs only 18%
® None of the above 24%
None of the options achieved the required 67% voter approval, Therefore, the proposal did not
pass. Because of the high voter. turnout and the concerns received from neighborhood residents;
staff decided to hold one final meeting in September to review alternative traffic cahning
options.
On September 10, staff introduced an alternative option to residents which included three speed
Immps and two stop signs. The majority of residents in attendance at this meeting did not
support the installation of speed humps because of the aesthetic impact it would have on the
neighborhood. The consensus of those in attendance was the temporary installation of tluee stop
signs at three intersections on Vista del Monte; Harding, Vista del Campo and Vista Siena.
Residents had the option to vote in favor or against this option.
Ballots were mailed out to 68 residents, of which staff received 48 responses. The Traffic
cahning policy requires 67% approval rating firom the votes returned in order to forward the
proposal to Town Council for review. The vote breakdown for the temporary installation of
three stop signs at Harding, Vista del Campo and Vista de Sierra, was as follows:
hi favor of three stops signs
Against three stop signs
71%
29%
At the December 7, 2009, Town Council meeting, the Council approved the traffic calming
proposal for the Vista del Monte neighborhood. In December 2009, the traffic calming devices
were temporarily installed,
In May 2010, new traffic data ~~~as collected to evaluate the effectiveness of the devices. The
data indicates that the vehicles speeds have decreased to 29 mph on Vista del Monte. Staff
conducted another neighborhood vote in June 2010 to inform residents of the new data collected
and to also solicit input on the permanent installation of the traffic devices (Attachrnent 1).
PAGE 4
JULY 19, 2010
MAI'OR AND TOV,TN COUI~TCIL
SUBJECT: VISTA DEL MONTE PERA~ANLNT INSTALLATION OF TRAFFIC
CALMING DEVICES
DISCUSSION (cont.):
Based on the ballots returned, the Vista del \~Ionte neighborhood residents support the permanent
installation of the three stops signs at Harding, Vista del Campo and Vista de Sierra. Residents
were notified that if the project received the required voter support, the project would be
presented to the Town Council for their review at the regular Town Council meeting on August
2. Upon the Council's acceptance of this report, staff will complete the final steps to make the
signs permanent.
CONCLUSION:
Staff recoimnends that the To~~m Council accept the report on the permanent installation of
traffic calming devices for the Vista del Monte neighborhood.
ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT:
This is a project as defined under CEQA, but is Categorically Exempt (Section 1~301c). A
Notice of Exemption will not be filed.
FISCAL IMPACT:
No fiscal impact.
Attachments:
Final Neighborhood Vote for Traffic Calming Devices
ATTACHMENT 1
'TO~','N OR LOS GATOS
Patusn~oPottt,tC~VoarsDLrnaT~ts~'r Seavic[Crvrea
Pno~e (408) 399-5770 41 A4iLrs Av[xcr
r.tx (408) 35=1-3529 Los arnos, cn 95030
Tune 7. ?010
"1'0: Vista del Monte Residents
P.1/: Pinal \eighborhood Vote for Traffic Calming Devices
Dear Resident(s):
As many of you kuow~, the Vista del Monte nei~?hborhood has beau involved in a temporary- traflic
calmiug project over the last several mouths. "I'he main objective of this project is to reduce vehicle
speeds in the neighborhood. After a neighborhood engagement process. which included
neighborhood meetings and a neighborhood vote, the Town Council approved the temporary
installation of three-way stop sietts at the intersections of Harding; Vista del Campo and Vista de
Sierra.
StatTgatltered tra~[ic data to assess the effeetiveuess oFU'af19c calming- approximately ii~•c iuonths
after the new stop signs were installed. The h'affic data collected show+s au improvement in slowing
down vehicle speeds. On Vista del i~fonte loath of Worcester the 8~'~ percentile speed decreased
from 31 mph l0 29 mph. Additioualh~; on Vista del A~Ionte north of Harding; dte 8~°i percentile
speed decreased Iirom ,3 mph to 29 mph. "Ihe Bata collected demonsh'ates that the temporary stop
signs have bean effective in reducing the vehicle speeds in the Vista del \4onte neighborhood.
As part of the nest step of this project, resideuts are asked to vote to determine w=nether these
temporary stop signs ta~ill remain iu place permanently. 1n order to become permanent, 67°% of the
ballots received must vote in favor of the project. If the project receives the required voter support.
the project will go to Town Council on August 2"`~ for final consideration. Please complete and
return the enclosed btillot by ~~'ednesda}~, June 30.
"Chank}goo in advance ford=our participatirnt in this process.
Sincerely,
~~
Todd Capurso
Director of Parls and Public 1Vmis
TC%rk
c. 9 o~~~n Council
Grey Larson. torvn T`~lana~er
I{evin Rohani, ;~ssistanl DirectorlTown GnRineer
]ally Pu; l'rafGe 6neineer
SergeantJR Lander, Los Gatos-A9onte Sereno Police, Deparunent
VISTA DEL NIONTE NEIGHBORHOOD BALLOT
TRAFFIC CALMING PROJECT
FINAL NEIGHBORHOOD VOTE
Print your name:
Print your sheet address:
INSTRUCTIONS
Check the corresponding box to indicate your vote. Only one vote per street address is
permitted.
If you have any questions regarding this proposal contact Jessy Pu, Traffic Engineer, at
(408) 395-2859.
PROPOSAL
Permanently install tlu~ee-way stop signs at the below street intersections. This proposal
includes all tluee (3) intersections. Refer to the map on back of this ballot for specific
locations.
HardinglVista del Monte
Vista del CampoNista del Monte
Vista de Siena/Vista del Monte
[am:
0 IN FAVOR OF PERMANENT INSTALLATION
AGAINST PERMANENT INSTALLATION
Please submit this ballot no later
than Wednesday, June 30, 2010
by 4 pm to:
Parks and Public Works Department
ATTN: Vista del Monte
41 Miles Avenue, Los Gatos, CA, 95030
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