HomeMy WebLinkAbout10-27-2009
C ITY O F
1~'~T DOWNTOWN REDEVELOPMENT
~JL'~.1 ~I COMMITTEE
WASHINGT'ON
OCTOBER 27, 2009
MINUTES
I.. CALL TO ORDER
Chair Lynn Norman called the meeting to order at 4:02 p.m. in the Council Chambers
located on the first floor of Auburn City Hall, 25 West Main Street, Auburn, WA.
Committee Members present were: Chair Lynn Norman and Vice Chair Sue Singer.
Member Gene Cerino was absent.
Staff present included: 'Mayor Pete Lewis, Planning, Building & Community Director
Cindy Baker, City Engineer Dennis Selle, Economic Development Manager Dave Baron,
and Planning Secretary Renee Tobias. Audience members present were: Mel Maertz
II. CONSENT AGENDA
A. Meeting Minutes - October 13, 2009
Member Singer moved and Chair Norman concurred to approve the consent agenda
item as presented. -
MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY 2-0.
III. DISCUSSION/INFORMATION
A. Signal Control Boxes
- Director Cindy Baker distributed photographs of traffic signal control boxes within the
Downtown area. The Committee reviewed and discussed various ways to screen
the boxes as well as the location of the boxes. Committee further discussed right-of-
ways and easements in future developments in the downtown area. Director Baker
shared that another jurisdiction had built a brick bench as a screen for a control box,
noting that it was very effective in hiding the box.
City Engineer Dennis Selle stated that the control boxes must be oriented in such a
way that the operator has access and sufficient room behind the doors to work on
the equipment. Further, the operator must be able to see the signal heads at the
intersection from the control box. Mr. Selle indicated that there might be some ability
to set the control boxes back or to one side as well as add some low-level screening.
However, the screening would need to be kept below head height.
In terms of whether iYs a right-of-way (ROW) or easement, Mr. Selle said that either
, one can be accommodated in the proximity of the intersection. The pending
Transportation Standards has a generalized statement that the City can acquire
additional ROW at an intersection if there is a potential for a traffic signal. This would
provide an opportunity to place the control box away from the intersection.
Retrofitting existing signal boxes at some intersections would limit the ability for
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Downtown Redevelopment Committee Minutes October 27, 2009
additional room. In the downtown area, buildings are built right at the ROW line
which does not provide a lot of flexibility for the location of the control box. In
response to Committee's question about control boxes placed in sidewalk areas, Mr.
Selle stated that part of it is to look for opportunities to relocate the controllers during
a redevelopment project. This could provide sufficient space for partial screening
and incorporate them into the design of the adjacent building.
Mr. Selle stated that the existing engineering design standards do not have any
requirement for additional ROW for controllers. The draft standards that are pending
before the Public Works Committee do mention this, but not in detail in terms of
screening or anything special related to the downtown area.
The Committee supported staff's recommendation to establish standards for traffic
signal control boxes in the downtown area. The Committee volunteered to research
the Internet and forward information to staff. Public Works staff will provide the
Committee with the specs in terms of the required sizes and space and other
particulars needed for the control boxes toassist in their research. Committee briefly discussed colors for control boxes. Staff noted that if a special
color was used, it would be harder to do a replacement. By having some type of
screening, standard equipment could be interchanged as needed.
A. City Hall Plaza
Chair Lynn Norman stated that the City Hall Plaza design will be on the next
meeting's agenda for action.
IV. ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business to come before the Downtown Redevelopment
Committee, Chair Norman adjourned the meeting at 4:20 p.m.
APPROVED THISO~ DAY
-LAAr, ( &MkQW,- 6c)
Lynn o an, Chair R ee S. Tobias, Planning Secretary
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