Streets & Roads Commission

STREETS AND ROADS COMMISSION MEETING MINUTES TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 1st 7:00 PM VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE THIS MEETING WILL BE BROADCAST LIVE AT https://www.facebook.com/TownofMountAiry/ Broadcast on YouTube I. CALL TO ORDER AND PLEDGE 9/1/20 Meeting called to order at 7:15pm. In attendance: Chairwoman Lynne Galletti, Mary Hushour, Luci Riegel, Mary Beth Obremski, Bart David, Councilwoman Washabaugh. II. APPROVAL OF PRIOR COMMISSION MEETING MINUTES No correction to the minutes. Member Mary Beth Obremski motioned to approve, and Luci Riegel seconded the motion. The motion was unanimously approved. III. COUNCIL LIAISON REPORT – Councilwoman Washabaugh talked about the road improvement to Park Ave. Park Ave is now one way going from Main Street to Cross Street. Heading down Park Avenue you have to turn right on Cross Street. That will take you to Center Street. Center Street was improved to make a better right and left turn onto Main Street. She thanked the Department of Public Works for the hard work to get that done. Councilwomen Washabaugh also acknowledged Barney Quinn for his work on the project. Second, she mentioned the new Pop Up Park on Main Street. It is being enjoyed by many people and events will be happening there. Councilwoman Washabaugh reported that at the last Town Council meeting, they passed the Mixed-Use Zoning. This is a mix of commercial and residential. Now we can have decoupled commercial and residential property per new town code. There were place guards put into the zone so that there will be public hearings, charrettes, and workshops between Town Council and the Planning Commission and will come to Town Council to be approved in the initial phases. After this, it would be sent back to the Planning Commission to work out the details. This is a big positive move for the town. Next councilwoman Washabaugh reported that coming up is the possible Annexation of the Harrison Leishear property. That was been in discussion for the last 10 years. This came to the last meeting and has been sent to the Planning Commission to review. They have 120 days to review it. When it comes back to us, we will have a chance to review it and decide if it would be beneficial to have the property annexed into the town. There are quite a few people interested in what is happening, especially on Boteler Rd. They have organized a Facebook Page and there has been a lot of information posted that is not acute. First, we have not approved 9000 homes. That is in Frederick County. They are not even close to Mt. Airy. The only property Fredrick County could develop is the Zeltman Property and the most that would be put there would be 20 homes. Member Luci Riegel asked with the improvements to Center Street is anything being done about the fence in front of the Gun Shack? Councilman Washabaugh said that the improvement to the street has helped the turn and given better visibility. They need that fence for safety. Chairman Galletti asked for clarification from member Riegel if she meant the rail in front of the Gun Shack that stops people from walking onto Main Street? Member Riegel replied yes. Galletti said that with the improvement with the right turn lane has helped the right turn sight distance. Councilman Washabaugh gave Kudos to Mayor Pat for getting the planters for Park Avenue going up from Main Street. Next Meetings is September 14th V. COMMUNITY CONCERNS/CITIZENS COMMENTS – There were no other reported comments on Facebook or YouTube from the community. VI. OLD BUSINESS a. Speed and Traffic Studies-Chairwoman Galletti requested a few reports last month and shared the document with the results. On Report: a. Summit Ridge- Scotch Heather and Thornberry. This was reported at 85% of the traffic was within 5 mph of the posted speed. Was max speed of 40. Large volume was a surprise. b. Merridale and Flower. This was also reported at 85% of the traffic within 10 mph of the posted speed. Some higher speeds but nothing to report. c. Rising Ridge at the stop sign. There is regular enforcement on Rising Ridge. We can get an update where this is. There were asking for speed bumps even though we did a study last year we will ask for an updated report New Studies Requested: 1. Ridge Avenue and Merridale- From town turning on Ridge going toward Senior Center. There is a sign that says a stop are you are coming up. There are people rolling through the stop sign. This is out for a Volume and Speed Study. We are following up to get a second solar stop sign. The town is supposed to have two. 2.Kings Forest and Nottingham from last month the study is out for that. 3. Calvary and Main Street-this was requested by a resident to see the volume of traffic to see if they can do something. The street is not wide enough for two cars, so the residents front and back yards are constantly being driven on. Member Riegel asked if they want the road to be one way coming off Main Street. This would make a buildup of cars on Main Street. Town Engineer Barney Quinn clarified that they wanted to avoid the Main Street traffic buildup and they wanted to have the traffic going down Calvary Street. Councilwoman  Washabaugh said we should talk to the fire department to see if they have a preference of which way the road should go. The town had originally put a berm on each side but that has not stopped cars from going into the neighbor’s yards. b. Route 27 speed limit status update- Councilwoman Washabaugh said the state has not completed that report. It has been delayed and will pass along the report as soon as it is received. Action-Keep on Agenda. c. Buffalo Road Speeding Follow Up-Councilwoman Washabaugh was going to reach out to Carroll County Sheriff’s Office for clarification. Action-Councilwoman Washabaugh will follow and report back d. Chick Fil A Traffic Follow Up to Streets and Roads Questions. Councilwoman Washabaugh reported that Town Engineer gave the traffic studies to her and Chairman Galletti. They were too big to copy those for all members. The revised plans looked better but the commission had some reservations. They are concerned about the amount of traffic coming off 70 to get there. Worried about spillover to other roads. They were asked if they could have 3 drive thru lanes and, but they do not have enough space to do that. Councilwoman Washabaugh said they reduced the seating inside and they have curb side pickup. People can also pick up online orders from the drive thru. She asked that everyone have patience as we get through the opening of Chick Fil A. She sent an email saying we still had reservations even though they took the time and adjusted the plan. Galletti reported that we as a committee decided that is town staff is comfortable with the plans than we would be ok with it. There will be an island on Main Street as people turn left into Chick Fil A. You will have to make the left turn if you are in that lane. One benefit is if you are coming out of Chick Fil A you will not be able to make a left hand turn anymore. Another benefit of it is less people will be making a left turn onto 27 North. State Highway will not give us a left turn signal, but they gave us a sign that is directly across from island that give direction to get back to Route 27. Town Engineer Barney Quinn reported that the little triangular island will be painted because of large trucks trying to make the turn. He also said it is a two-foot island will be placed between the two lanes. This will help direct traffic into making the left onto Ridgeside Drive. He also asked for a streetlight in the intersection to help light up the intersection. **Citizen Comments: Gary Fry commented on YouTube that regarding Chick Fil A if approved with a round-about and said that the commission took the position that people would have to rely on signs and on GPS to get to 27 and 70 and he said this logic was invalid. Look at the Winery and the kids that drove down the dead-end street to get to 70. Now adding everything coming out of Chick Fil A and trucks not being able to park there adds to the issue. Chairman Galletti asked if M. Frey was referring to our commission taking the stand that people should rely on GPS. She said this is incorrect. Our Commission  has never said to rely on GPS because we know the problem with GPS trying to get back to 70. We are a big proponent of signs and notifications to help people. Councilwoman Washabaugh further clarified that they contacted Google Maps to check on South Main and Google Maps did not direct cars in that direction. They then decided more action was needed and installed the bigger island there and that has helped traffic to not go down the dead-end road. Mr. Fry went on to comment that the plan is confusing because when you come out of Chick Fil A you have a 27 sign on the right saying go one way and a 27 sign on the left saying go the other way. Town Engineer Quinn said he would verify those signs. Galletti said that it cannot be a right turn only out of Chick Fil A. She can see what he is saying but they are hopeful that people will go out and make a right. Member Luci Riegel asked if we could add a Rt 70 sign to the Rt 27 signs so that people coming from Rt 70 can find their way back. Town Engineer agreed. Action: Remove from Agenda VII. NEW BUSINESS a. Citizen Requests-Beck Drive, Hood Street, Hotel Street, and Leafy Hollow and Rising Ridge Beck Drive-There are Volume studies out for this Hood Street-Several complaints about parking. Volume study ordered for this. Hotel Street-Also a Volume study ordered for this. (Steepest road in town) Leafy Hollow and Rising Ridge-At the stop sign. Action: Studies have been requested. Councilman Washabaugh shared her spreadsheet so that we can look at previous requests and see if they have been addressed. Many of the earlier requests were from Back Acre. May 27th Kallie Beem request for stop sign on Knights Squire and Kings Forest Trail. Action: Volume Study Ordered. June 4th Andrew Jones-Daughter wanted to be able to walk to stores but was shocked when they got to Safeway’s entrance because there is no crosswalk and no sidewalk. Barney Quinn put in a request to be studied by State Highway Admin. Action: Waiting for State Highway Study. July 5th Greg Buckman-Meadow Field Court. Reference to a 12ft wide gravel road built by Village Gate. Barney Quinn reported they will be putting in a fence to help prevent walkers walking into their property and met last week about adding landscaping. Hope to complete by the fall. July 21st Margaret Kershner-Beck Rd. Would like the speed limit changed to 15mph. Action: Traffic study has been ordered.  August 6th by Jonathan Len. He was requiring for information on the road work in the Nottingham neighborhood and wanted to know the timetable and what work was being performed by Sanitation. A cold patch in a manhole that needed to be smooth. This was done and has been addressed. Completed August 11th Ted York, Justin York & Coleen York and Ann Higgins. Concerned about Hood and Hotel Street- Action: Traffic studies ordered. August 24th Tim Enas Leafy Hollow Drive is requesting speed bumps if possible, to be added to the road. He heard that we were doing studies and wanted to know if it would be near his residence. Action: Traffic studies ordered. Councilwomen Washabaugh added one that was not submitted through the website, but it was a neighbor in Twin Ridge and was asking for a four way stop by the fire department. The sight distance is a problem making a right turn onto Main Street. Add to the list for a study to be done. ** Councilwoman Washabaugh wanted to say to people who come near Dear Hollow can you please come to a stop instead of rolling through them. There are many children, and more care needs to be taken when stopping at the stop signs. b. Code Enforcer Email: Email from Matt Betz-Parking that is on E Ridgeville Blvd. When you are making a right out of Walmart and going toward Jimmie Cone. The complaint is about vehicles parking along E Ridgeville Blvd. This causes a problem when trying to pull out of businesses along both sides of the road. He searched the town code but there is nothing in the code to enforce. Barney Quinn said that the road is painted on the shoulder. He said that paint would be a lot of maintenance. He did not think it was an issue because you have a large area to see to pull out. Member Luci Riegel asked how the truck in the picture was prohibiting anyone from pulling out? She asked if we could paint a 10ft yellow zone? Town Engineer Barney Quinn not sure how much of a problem this is, and paint would be a lot of maintenance. It looks like a parking lane. Barney Quinn suggested either no parking signs or 10 minutes parking signs and that would be a lot of signs. You can also restrict specific areas. Councilwoman Washabaugh suggested that we talk to the businesses to see if they use this parking and if parking is an issue for them. Chairman Galletti will get a list together and members Luci Riegel, Mary Beth Obremski, and Bart David will talk to them and report back to the commission at the next meeting. 1VIII. ADJOURNMENT Member Mary Hushour motioned to adjourn the meeting and member Luci Riegel seconded the motion. The meeting was adjourned at 8:47pm. The next meeting date is 11/10/2020 at 7:00 pm. via Zoom.