HomeMy WebLinkAboutCity Council Committees - Public Works/Planning - 02/24/2014 SPECIAL Public Works Committee Minutes
February 24, 2014
COMMITTEE MEMBERS PRESENT:
Committee Chair, Dennis Higgins and Committee members Dana Ralph and Jim Berrios were
present. The meeting was called to order at 4:03 p.m.
Item 1 — Approval of Meeting Minutes Dated February 3, 2014:
Committee member Ralph MOVED to approve the minutes of February 3, 2014. The
motion was SECONDED by Committee member Berrios and PASSED 3-0.
Item 2 — Information Only/ Vehicle Weight Restrictions:
Chad Bieren, P.E., City Engineer noted that state law allows local municipalities to impose
weight restrictions or vehicle class restrictions on local roads via ordinance or resolution.
Bieren went on to note that in some instances, restrictions may be applicable to protect the
character of a neighborhood or the integrity of local roads from impacts of truck traffic where
cut throughs are occurring.
State law requires school buses, emergency vehicles and vehicles transporting commodities
necessary for the health and welfare of local residents to be authorized by rule or special
permit. Exemptions are also being considered for transit when applicable.
Perry Sobolik who lives on 3r' Avenue South in the Kent SoDo neighborhood handed out copies
of letters from residents including one he wrote himself, the letters stated how long they've
lived in the area; conditions of the road; speeding, and truck traffic. Sobolik also passed out
copies of letters addressed to businesses in the SoDo neighborhood written by Lauren Stephan
on behalf of their neighborhood council, requesting that truck drivers utilize South 2591h Street
to enter businesses, when possible. A petition to the Kent City Council was also handed out, it
has been signed by 30 SoDo residents, and request that an ordinance be adopted to make
truck traffic through their neighborhood illegal.
Councilmembers requested that staff move forward to draft an ordinance restricting truck traffic
in the SoDo neighborhood and put together a plan for where signs will be placed in the area
notifying truck traffic of the restrictions. Staff will also notify local businesses that would be
affected by the ordinance. Staff said they would come back to committee in about a month
with a draft.
Information Only/No Motion Required
Item 3 — Information Only/Snow Response - Update:
Bill Thomas, Street Superintendent briefed committee members on the two significant snow
events that blanketed the area so far this winter. Crews prepared for one of the events on the
Thursday before the snow was due to fall and had everything ready to go when the snow
started falling. Their planning made a huge difference in making the whole event run smoothly.
Information Only/No Motion Required
SPECIAL Public Works Committee Minutes
February 24, 2014
Item 4 Information Only/Updated 2014 Business &Occupation Project List:
Tim LaPorte, P.E., Public Works Director presented the B&O Project list to councilmembers for
any changes before bringing it back to the Council for adoption. Each councilmember discussed
their concerns they had with the list. It was decided to remove Communication to Panther Lake
Area Signals ($100,000) and Traffic Control Inter-Connect and Cameras ($100,000) as well as
the Neighborhood Traffic Control Program Capital projects list ($500,000) for a total change of
$700,000. Councilmembers made it clear that all of the projects on the list are important and
that they will try to find funding for the items through some other means.
Information Only/No Motion Required
The meeting was adjourned at 5:02 p.m.
Cheryl Viseth
Council Committee Recorder