HomeMy WebLinkAboutOrd 1088 PDMC 10.12.030 Dissolving the Technical Traffic Cmte - Assigning Duties to the Public Safety CmteCITY OF PALM DESERT
PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT
STAFF REPORT
REQUEST: Dissolve the Technical Traffic Committee
SUBMITTED BY: Mark Greenwood, P.E., City Engineer
DATE: December 9, 2004
CONTENTS: Ordinance No. lobs
Recommendation:
By minute motion, adopt Ordinance Number loss , deleting Section
10.12.030 and Section 10.12.040 of the Palm Desert Municipal Code,
thereby dissolving the Technical Traffic Committee.
Discussion:
In 1974, the City Council established the Technical Traffic Committee to coordinate and
carry out various ways and means for improving traffic conditions and providing
coordination between the various departments and jurisdictions which may have an
interest in traffic issues. The Technical Traffic Committee has evolved, somewhat, in its
scope and has not been serving in its intended capacity. The meetings are relatively
informal and attendance by the members as defined in the PDMC has been minimal
with an average attendance at the meetings of approximately 50%. The Technical
Traffic Committee has not met in over five years.
Another Commission has recently been established that closely parallels the Technical
Traffic Committee. In 1998, the City Council established the Public Safety Commission.
Purposes of the Public Safety Commission include preparing and making
recommendations to the City Council on general public safety issues, reviewing and
recommending to the City Council ordinances to protect the safety of the community,
reviewing plans for greater efficiency and effectiveness in the area of public safety
serving as liaison between the community leaders, citizens, and the public safety
officials. The Public Safety Commission is a panel of five members of the community,
appointed by the City Council, with a published agenda and attendance by the public.
Staff Report Dissolving the Technical Traffic Committee
Page 2 of 3 Ordinance No. 1088
December 9, 2004
Since the Public Safety Commission has been established, several traffic safety -related
issues have been referred to the Public Safety Commission by the City Council. In the
past, these issues would have been referred to the long-standing Technical Traffic
Committee. In an attempt to do a thorough and complete job, the Public Safety
Commission has in turn referred these items to the Technical Traffic Committee. These
referrals between Committees and Commissions have negatively impacted schedules,
resulting in delays of several months on these projects. The duplication of effort, which
is created by the current situation is a very inefficient use of staff time and results in
delays to other projects as well. The Public Works Department strives to complete street
improvement projects during the summer months to provide the best possible traffic
conditions during the peak winter months. The loss of even one month while we wait for
an item to be referred from a committee to a commission or vice versa will usually mean
than the project will not be completed during the desired time frame.
While the Technical Traffic Committee served a purpose in the past, the Public Safety
Commission can now fill that role more effectively. When required, staff can easily seek
input from other departments or jurisdictions to insure that projects are properly
coordinated. Staff frequently uses this procedure for project coordination. However,
traffic and transportation issues have become a much more public concern. The public
forum which is provided by the Public Safety Commission now seems more appropriate
in addressing traffic issues. This has reduced the need for the Technical Traffic
Committee, whereas the Public Safety Commission fulfills our current need for input
from members of the public. Since most traffic issues which would be brought to either
the Technical Traffic Committee or Public Safety Commission are by their nature safety
related, it is expected that these issues can be directed to the Public Safety
Commission.
It is recommended that the Technical Traffic Committee be dissolved and issues which
would have been addressed by the Technical Traffic Committee be referred to the
Public Safety Commission for the following reasons:
■ Reduce delays to projects due to multiple meetings
■ Provide a consistent process for traffic issues
■ Utilize the open forum provided by the Public Safety Commission
■ Eliminate potential for conflicts between committee and commission
recommendations
■ Minimize staff time preparing reports and attending meetings
Staff Report Dissolving the
Page 3 of 3
December 9, 2004
Technical Traffic Committee
Therefore, staff recommends that City Council by minute motion, adopt
Ordinance Number loss , deleting Section 10.12.030 and Section
10.12.040 of the Palm Desert Municipal Code.
Submitted y:
i.) �k
Mark Greenwood, P.E.
City Engineer
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ACM for Devel
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Department Head:
Michael Errante, P.E.
Director of Public Works
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Carlos Ort a
City Manager
GAPubWorkslChristina Canales%Staff ReportsUssolving the Technical Traffic Committee.doc
ORDINANCE NO. 1088
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PALM DESERT,
CALIFORNIA, DISSOLVING THE TECHNICAL TRAFFIC COMMITTEE AND
ASSIGNING THEIR DUTIES TO THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMISSION AND
AMENDING SECTION 10.12.030 OF TITLE 10 OF THE CODE OF THE CITY OF PALM
DESERT, CALIFORNIA.
WHEREAS, the City Council established the Technical Traffic Committee in 1974
for the purpose of improving the coordination and administration of traffic -related issues;
and
WHEREAS, the City Council established the Public Safety Commission in 1998
for the purpose of accomplishing public safety issues; and
WHEREAS, the Public Safety Commission and the Technical Traffic Committee
duplicate purposes for traffic issues.
NOW THEREFORE, the City Council of the City of Palm Desert, California, does
hereby ordain as follows:
Section 1. That Section 10.12.030 of the Code of the City of Palm Desert,
California, is hereby amended to read as follows:
"10.12.030 Technical Traffic Committee
There is hereby established a Technical Traffic Committee which
shall be an additional duty and responsibility of the Public Safety
Commission of the City of Palm Desert, California."
Section 2. The City Clerk is hereby directed to publish this ordinance in the
Desert Sun, a newspaper of general circulation, circulated in the
City of Palm Desert, California, and shall be in full force and
effect thirty (30) days after its adoption.
PASSED, APPROVED, and adopted by the City Council of the City of Palm
Desert, California, at its regular meeting held on the day of
2004, by the following vote, to wit:
AYES:
NOES:
ABSENT:
ABSTAIN:
ROBERT A. SPIEGEL, MAYOR
ATTEST:
RACHELLE KLASSEN, CITY CLERK
CITY OF PALM DESERT, CALIFORNIA