Traffic Commission Agendas and Minutes

Page 1 of 5 February 27, 2023 MINUTES OF THE COHOES TRAFFIC COMMISSION MEETING HELD ON MONDAY FEBRUARY 27, 2023 IN THE COMMON COUNCIL CHAMBERS OF COHOES CITY HALL AT 3:04 PM MEMBERS PRESENT: Chairman Paul Johnston Commissioner Stephen Hennessey Lieutenant John Shanahan Fire Chief Joseph Fahd City Planner Joseph Seman-Graves ALSO PRESENT: Theresa Flatley, Recording Secretary NEW BUSINESS CONSIDER THE MINUTES OF THE JANUARY 23, 2023 MEETING Chairman Johnston asked if there were any comments, questions or concerns regarding the minutes as published. As there were no questions, concerns or comments, Chief Fahd made a motion to approve the minutes. Lieutenant Shanahan seconded the motion. A roll call vote was taken. All were in favor. The motion passed unanimously. CONSIDER THE REMOVAL OF A HANDICAP PARKING SIGN AT 171 COLUMBIA STREET This request was submitted by Chairman Johnston. Chairman Johnston stated that this sign was originally approved for Judith Morrissey and it has been confirmed that Mrs. Morrissey is now deceased. His recommendation was to remove the sign in accordance with Attachment “A” to the agenda. Joseph Seman-Graves made a motion to approve the request to remove the Residential Handicap Parking sign from 171 Columbia Street in accordance with Attachment “A” to the agenda. Chief Fahd seconded the motion. A roll call vote was taken. All were in favor. The motion passed unanimously. CONSIDER THE REMOVAL OF NO PARKING SIGNS ON GRANT STREET This request was submitted by Chairman Johnston. Chairman Johnston stated that these signs were originally approved in April 2016 at the request of a tenant of the adjacent warehouse. The request was so that delivery vehicles could successfully back up to the building’s loading dock on Grant Street. The Chairman stated that investigation reveals that the signs are no longer required. Removal of the signs will increase the available parking on Grant Street for neighboring residents. His recommendation was to remove the signs in accordance with Attachment “B” to the agenda.  Page 2 of 5 February 27, 2023 Chief Fahd made a motion to approve the request to remove the No Parking signs on Grant Street in accordance with Attachment “B” to the agenda. Lieutenant Shanahan seconded the motion. A roll call vote was taken. All were in favor. The motion passed unanimously. CONSIDER THE INSTALLATION OF A NO PARKING HERE TO CORNER SIGN ON THE EAST SIDE OF MASTEN AVENUE AT THE JOHNSTON AVENUE INTERSECTION This request was made by Chairman Johnston. The Chairman stated that numerous recent inspections of Masten Avenue reveal that vehicles are parking up to the edge of Johnston Avenue. This is contrary to the NYS MV & T Law and City Ordinance #30 for the year 1998 and also impedes satisfactory sight distance of southbound vehicles and precludes vehicles from satisfactorily turning north, from Johnston Avenue to Masten Avenue. This failure, most importantly, is a safety issue. The Chairman’s recommendation was to install a No Parking Here To Corner sign on the east side of Masten Avenue in accordance with Attachment “C” to the agenda. He also stated that if this action does not improve the parking and safety situation, the next course of action would be to request Police enforcement of the prohibition. Lieutenant Shanahan questioned if there was enough remaining space for parking in front of the proposed sign and adjacent to the existing driveway. Chairman Johnston stated that there would be room for parking one vehicle. Chief Fahd made a motion to approve the installation of a No Parking Here To Corner sign on Masten Avenue in accordance with Attachment “C” to the agenda. Lieutenant Shanahan seconded the motion. A roll call vote was taken. All were in favor. The motion passed. CONSIDER THE REMOVAL OF A HANDICAP PARKING SIGN AT 120 LANCASTER STREET This request was submitted by Chairman Johnston. Chairman Johnston stated that this sign was originally approved for George Gamache and it has been confirmed that Mr. Gamache is now deceased. His recommendation was to remove the sign in accordance with Attachment “D” to the agenda. Joseph Seman-Graves made a motion to approve the request to remove the Residential Handicap Parking sign from 120 Lancaster Street in accordance with Attachment “D” to the agenda. Chief Fahd seconded the motion. A roll call vote was taken. All were in favor. The motion passed unanimously.  Page 3 of 5 February 27, 2023 CONSIDER THE INSTALLATION OF A RESIDENTIAL HANDICAP PARKING SIGN AT 23 IMPERIAL AVENUE This request was submitted by Crystal Kelly on behalf of her son Robert McFarland. Chairman Johnston stated that the application and the recommendation from the Center for Independence were both in order with the City’s MIRA policy. Additionally, the house has a driveway but it has been verified that it is not for the use of this tenant. The Chairman’s recommendation was to approve the request in accordance with Attachment “E” to the agenda. Joseph Seman-Graves made a motion to approve the request for a Residential Handicap Parking sign at 23 Imperial Avenue in accordance with Attachment “E” to the agenda. Chief Fahd seconded the motion. All were in favor. The motion passed unanimously. CONSIDER THE INSTALLATION OF A RESIDENTIAL HANDICAP PARKING SIGN AT 3 A STRONG PLACE This request was submitted by Karen Gaspie. Chairman Johnston stated that the application and the recommendation from the Center for Independence were both in order with the City’s MIRA policy. The Chairman’s recommendation was to approve the request in accordance with Attachment “F” to the agenda. Chief Fahd made a motion to approve the request for a Residential Handicap Parking sign at 3 A Strong Place in accordance with Attachment “F” to the agenda. Lieutenant Shanahan seconded the motion. All were in favor. The motion passed unanimously. CONSIDER THE APPROVAL OF VARIOUS STREET CLOSURES FOR THE RE- SCHEDULED COHOES WINTER CARNIVAL This request was submitted by Ed Krajewski of the City of Cohoes’ Recreation Department. He is requesting that the various streets detailed on the attachment to the agenda, be closed, and parking prohibited, to permit the Cohoes Winter Carnival. This request was previously approved at the January 23rd meeting for February 11th, but because of weather not conducive to the carnival, the event was canceled and rescheduled for March 4th. The closures are being requested so that the proposed horse and carriage rides are safe for the horse and riders. The closures would be between the hours of 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM. Chairman Johnston stated that since this is just a rescheduled date for a previously approved event, his recommendation was to again approve the request.  Page 4 of 5 February 27, 2023 Chief Fahd made a motion to approve the aforementioned street closures and parking prohibitions on Saturday, March 4, 2023 between the hours of 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM. Joseph Seman-Graves seconded the motion. A roll call vote was taken. All were in favor. The motion passed unanimously. CONSIDER THE INSTALLATION OF A RESIDENTIAL HANDICAP PARKING SIGN AT 22 SCHULYER STREET This request was submitted by Mark Murphy and Michael Jevons. Chairman Johnston stated that the applications and the recommendations from the Center for Independence were both in order with the City’s MIRA policy. The Chairman’s recommendation was to approve the request in accordance with Attachment “G” to the agenda. Chief Fahd made a motion to approve the request for a Residential Handicap Parking sign at 22 Schulyer Street in accordance with Attachment “G” to the agenda. Joseph Seman-Graves seconded the motion. All were in favor. The motion passed unanimously. OLD BUSINESS CONSIDER THE INSTALLATION OF 30 MINUTE PARKING LIMITATION SIGNS AT 216 COLUMBIA STREET This request was submitted by David Dufresne of the Dufresne Funeral Home for 30 Minute Parking limitation signs in front of 216 Columbia Street. Chairman Johnston stated that this item was tabled at last month’s meeting so that Mr. Dufresne could further review his request. Mr. Dufresne has modified his request and is now requesting that the parking limitation signs be for 4 hours instead of 30 minutes. Chairman Johnston stated that Mr. Dufresne says that the signs are needed when he has a funeral to satisfactorily park the hearse and associated funeral vehicles in front of the funeral home. He states that adjacent homeowners have been parking in front of the funeral home, preventing an orderly funeral procession, and when asked, are refusing to move their vehicles. At last month’s meeting, this item was tabled, after much discussion, involving the need for the signs, based on the available parking the business already has, and the enforcement of any potential limitations. Further research has told me that most funerals utilize the rear entrance of the home to access funeral vehicles and that the frequency of any funeral events is minimal. Recently, I witnessed a funeral being held at this establishment where the business  Page 5 of 5 February 27, 2023 used temporary yellow sandwich board type no parking signs and vehicles from adjacent homes were adhering to the prohibition although they did not need to. In discussion with Councilperson McCarthy, he feels that any parking limitations or prohibitions are not warranted and, if approved, would start a bad precedent. Other funeral establishments within the city do not seem to have any problems holding their events. There was significant discussion amongst the Members about the need for the signs and the time length limitation being requested and the amount of parking the business already has and the available parking which is lost due to the driveways. The members all felt that on street parking is for all the public and should not be limited or restricted unnecessarily to one business especially in an area where on street parking is reduced because of driveways. Commissioner Hennessey made a motion to deny the request for either a 30 minute or a 4 hour parking limitation in front of 216 Columbia Street. Chief Fahd seconded the motion. A roll call vote was taken. All were in favor. The motion to deny passed unanimously. Since there was no further business on the agenda, Chairman Johnston stated that the next meeting of the Traffic Commission would be on March 27, 2023 at 3 PM. Chairman Johnston made a motion to adjourn. Joseph Seman-Graves seconded the motion. A roll call vote was taken. All were in favor. The motion passed. The meeting adjourned at 3:18 PM.