Traffic Commission Agendas and Minutes

Page 1 of 4 December 18, 2023 MINUTES OF THE COHOES TRAFFIC COMMISSION MEETING HELD ON MONDAY DECEMBER 18, 2023 IN THE COMMON COUNCIL CHAMBERS OF COHOES CITY HALL AT 3:03 PM MEMBERS PRESENT: Chairman Paul Johnston Sergeant Michael Kendrick Assistant City Planner Tess Drauschak Fire Chief Joseph Fahd MEMBERS ABSENT: City Planner Joseph Seman-Graves Commissioner Stephen Hennessey ALSO PRESENT: Theresa Flatley, Recording Secretary CONSIDER THE MINUTES OF THE OCTOBER 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. Sergeant Kendrick seconded the motion. A roll call vote was taken. Members Johnston, Fahd and Kendrick were in favor. Member Drauschak abstained. The motion passed. CONSIDER THE INSTALLATION OF A RESIDENTIAL HANDICAP PARKING SIGN AT 86 YOUNGLOVE AVENUE This request was submitted by Dawn Hunter. 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 “A” to the agenda. Chief Fahd made a motion to approve the request for a Residential Handicap Parking sign at 86 Younglove Avenue in accordance with Attachment “A” to the agenda. Sergeant Kendrick 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 42 McELWAIN AVENUE This request was submitted by Jane DiGirolamo. Chairman Johnston stated that the application and the recommendation from the Center for Independence were both in order with the City’s MIRA policy.  Page 2 of 4 December 18, 2023 The Chairman also stated that Ms. DiGirolamo has a driveway on the west side of her house. Normally this would preclude the approval and installation of a handicap parking sign as it is contrary to the MIRA policy. However, Ms. DiGirolamo has recently installed a handicap ramp for access to her house on the east side of her house. Additionally, in the past he has witnessed Ms. DiGirolamo struggling to navigate from the existing driveway into her house without the aid of the ramp. In this case, he felt that an exception to the MIRA policy was prudent. The Chairman’s recommendation was to approve the request in accordance with Attachment “B” to the agenda. Sergeant Kendrick made a motion to approve the request for a Residential Handicap Parking sign at 42 McElwain Avenue in accordance with Attachment “B” to the agenda. Chief Fahd seconded the motion. A roll call vote was taken. All were in favor. The motion passed unanimously. CONSIDER CHANGING THE SCHOOL SPEED LIMIT FROM 15 MPH TO 20 MPH ON COLUMBIA STREET This request was submitted by Charleen Bell. She is requesting a change in the speed limit because other cities have 20 MPH limits and because she travels from her home to the Senior Center each day on Columbia Street. Chairman Johnston stated that the school speed limit on Columbia Street and all other school zones within the city have been established in accord with Subsection 1643 of the NYS MV & T Law. The law states that school speed limits may be established at not less than fifteen miles per hour. The Chairman felt that in the interest of school child safety the 15 MPH limit should remain. Sergeant Kendrick concurred that the speed limit should remain at 15 MPH. Chairman Johnston’s recommendation was to deny the request. Tess Drauschak made a motion to deny the request for increasing the speed limit to 20 MPH on Columbia Street. Chief Fahd seconded the motion. A roll call vote was taken. All were in favor. The motion to deny the request passed unanimously. CONSIDER RESCINDING REGULATION 11-2011 AND REMOVING ALL THE TRAFFIC SIGNS FROM THE FORMER LIBRARY PARKING LOT This request was made by Amanda Primeau. Chairman Johnston stated that Regulation 11-2011 approved the installation of various traffic signs within the library parking lot. With the former library building having been boarded up and access to the parking lot barricaded off as the plans for the building are to sell it to a developer, there currently is no further need for the traffic signs. The Chairman’s recommendation was to rescind Regulation 11-2011 and to remove all the existing traffic signs within the parking lot in accordance with Attachment “C” to the agenda.  Page 3 of 4 December 18, 2023 Chief Fahd made a motion to approve the request to rescind Regulation 11-2011 and to remove all the traffic signs from within the former library’s parking lot in accordance with Attachment “C” to the agenda. Sergeant Kendrick seconded the motion. A roll call vote was taken. All were in favor. The motion passed unanimously. CONSIDER THE INSTALLATION OF A DEAD END SIGN ON NEWCOMB STREET WEST OF REMSEN STREET This request was made by Chairman Johnston. Chairman Johnston stated that State Law requires that motorists be given notice of certain highway conditions. One of these is a dead end highway. Section 125-a of the General Municipal Law requires that municipalities post signs giving notice of dead end streets and roadways. The current owner of the parking lot at the west end of Newcomb Street has already installed a non-standard Dead End sign on his property near the supposed dead end of Newcomb Street and the beginning of his private parking lot. The Chairman’s recommendation was to install a Dead End sign on Newcomb Street at the Remsen Street intersection in accordance with Attachment “D” to the agenda. Chief Fahd made a motion to approve the request to install a Dead End sign on Newcomb Street and in accordance with Attachment “D” to the agenda. Sergeant Kendrick 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 9 WILLOW STREET This request was submitted by Yvonne Huneau. Ms. Huneau is the owner of the building and she states that none of her current tenants require the sign. Chairman Johnston stated that this sign was originally approved for Michelle Ryan and it has been confirmed by Secretary Flatley that Ms. Ryan has moved and the sign is no longer required at this location. The Chairman’s recommendation was to remove the sign in accordance with Attachment “E” to the agenda. Sergeant Kendrick made a motion to approve the request to remove the Residential Handicap Parking sign from 9 Willow Street in accordance with Attachment “E” to the agenda. Tess Drauschak seconded the motion. A roll call vote was taken. All were in favor. The motion passed unanimously. CONSIDER THE TENTATIVE DATES FOR THE 2024 TRAFFIC COMMISSION MEETINGS.  Page 4 of 4 December 18, 2023 This request was made by Chairman Johnston. He requested review and approval of the tentative proposed dates for the 2024 Traffic Commission meetings that are detailed on the attachment to the agenda. The Chairman stated that the majority of the dates are on the fourth Monday of the month with the exception being in May which has a Memorial Day conflict on the fourth Monday. The Chairman stated that no formal approval of the dates was required that the dates were for the informational purposes of the Members only. Currently, no one voiced any conflicts with the proposed dates. Since there was no further business on the agenda, Chairman Johnston stated that the next meeting of the Traffic Commission would be on January 22, 2024 at 3 PM. Chairman Johnston made a motion to adjourn. Chief Fahd seconded the motion. A roll call vote was taken. All were in favor. The motion passed unanimously. The meeting adjourned at 3:11 PM.