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Home My WebLink AboutITEM IV-Cr J ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ { Memorandum 4 :1 - r±~ ~ En ineerin Division ~ g g ~y_ ~ 5 •I ~ J i To: Municipal Services Committee, Mayor Lewis From: Pablo Para CC: Dennis Dowdy, Dennis Selle, Dan Heid, Bob Lee, Bob Karnofski Date: March 22, 2011 Re: School Zone Speed Limits Signage Purpose The purpose of this memo is to present the proposed revisions to code section 10.12.125 defining school zones, speed limits and signage requirements. Background In response to request from the courts for clarification of the School Zone Speed limit ordinance staff has completed the following analysis. The current provisions of the Auburn City Code provide for speed restrictions in posted school zones relating to instances "when children are present" at crosswalks and when lights that have been installed are flashing. Because both criteria for speed limit violations do not always apply given the state definition for when children are present, it would be appropriate to distinguish the speed violations within the Auburn City Code so that each could be used individually or in combination in those areas to which they would apply. Recommendation Attached is the revised ordinance that has been coordinated with Legal and Police departments. Staff recommends making the indicated changes in order to simplify the enforcement process for the police and courts while improving public understanding and consistency with state law. Signs will need to be modified in at least two school zones to implement this code revision. Page 1 of 1 r~~ r n.. l ''A f Y M RMOMMW~4~~~ Wl M 0--F~M ~~M M4,PM:414E~ mr,7 AGENDA BILL APPROVAL FORM * SASH II'Ti Agenda Subject: Ordinance No. 6346 Date: April 18, 2011 Department: Public Works Attachments: Ordinance No. 6346 Budget Impact: None Administrative Recommendation: City Council introduce and adopt Ordinance No. 6346. Background Summary: The current provisions of the Auburn City Code include school zone speed limits that combine the "when children are present" with the "when lights are flashing" triggers to the speed limits. There are instances, however, when not both criteria apply. To clarify the occasions when the speed limit is triggered by one or the other, it would be appropriate to distinguish them within the same section, so that signage could reflect either 20 miles per hour when children or present or 20 miles per hour when lights are flashing. This would avoid the confusion that could occur when one applied but not the other in a given instance. Reviewed by Council & Committees: Reviewed by Departments & Divisions: ❑ Arts Commission COUNCIL COMMITTEES: ❑ Building ❑ M&0 ❑ Airport ❑ Finance ❑ Cemetery ❑ Mayor ❑ Hearing Examiner ®Municipal Serv. ❑ Finance ❑ Parks ❑ Human Services ❑ Planning & CD ❑ Fire ❑ Planning ❑ Park Board ®Public Works ®Legal ®Police ❑ Planning Comm. ❑ Other ®Public Works ❑ Human Resources Action: Committee Approval: ❑Yes ❑No Council Approval: ❑Yes ❑No Call for Public Hearing I l Referred to Until I l Tabled Until I I Councilmember: Peloza Staff: HeidlLeelDowd Meetin Date: 4/18/11 Item Number: rr~Y t 4 ~ i ri' rr ~ :'r }1 •~K SAY J l ~ ~ I i y a fir' ti i f.. ~ ~ .i f ~ Sr 'r9 .AS ~1 ORDINANCE N0.6_ AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF AUBURN, WASHINGTON, AMENDING SECTION 10.12.125 OF THE AUBURN CITY CODE RELATING TO SPEED LIMITS IN SCHOOLZONES WHEREAS, the current provisions of the Auburn City Code provide for speed restrictions in school zones relating to instances when children are present at crosswalks in posted school zones, and, further, provide for those same speed limitations when people are traveling through posted school zones when lights that have been installed in the school zone are flashing; and WHEREAS, because both criteria for speed limit violations do not always apply, it would be appropriate to distinguish the speed violations within the traffic code section of the Auburn City Code so that each could be used individually or in combination in those areas to which they would apply. NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF AUBURN, WASHINGTON, DO ORDAIN as follows: Section 1. Amendment to City Code. That section 10.12.125 of the Auburn City Code be and the same hereby is amended to read as follows: 10.12.125 Speed limit in school zones. A. Notwithstanding the speed limit that would otherwise apply on a city street, road or other right-of-way, the speed limit in posted school zones is 20 miles per hour: 1 inihon Wwhen children are present; o Y V I ~ ~ 7 1A/han lirrh+~ hwa Noon ins+~Ilorl in r+nnii inn+inn ~nii~h ~n~i ~ n n~..l.......~ ra.n~,c~ ..~...i.n ~......a.n rl.......e ~ ~ ~ ~.h~~........a rc~.......f...l a r~r~....... ~v~ rvvr ~~rr r~..y~~~ ~ ru uuv~ ~ rr~r ~r.~ r:x~ ~ r~ur..rr~~~ R. Signage shall be installed at appropriate locations, as determined by the city engineer or designee stating "School Zone - 20 mph when lights. flashing ^r ~"~~hon children are present, per ACC 10.12.125" or "School ?ono _ ?0 m~h ~nY han ~h;l~; on o o~ant hrv°i ° vv Ordinance No. 6346 March 8, 2011 Page 1 of 3 I 1n ~ ~ ~ nr words to that effect. For the purposes hereof, "when children are present" means: 1. Children are occupying or walking within a marked or unmarked crosswalk, as defined by RCW 47.04.010 or successor statute, in a posted school zone; 2. Children are occupying or waiting at the curb or on the shoulder of the roadway in a posted school zone and are about to cross the roadway byway of the marked or unmarked crosswalk; or 3. Children are present on or walking along the roadway, either on the adjacent sidewalk or, in the absence of sidewalks, on the shoulder within the posted school speed limit zone which extends u to 300 feet in either direction from a marked school crosswalk. ~~r+h_ nf___fho____rrifori~____rlofi_ninn_ fho e_noorl____lim_f in____enh_nnl___~n_nae ~(a~~hc~n nhilr~r~an nr~c~an~F and ~n~h~an ~ir~h#c flacl~inr~l~ arcs cc~nara#n rlac~Finn~ anrl. ~~,~..i...rr..~ i...~~ ire+~~ i..~..~.. ~r rrtr-r-r~..r r.....~i~r-r-ti.~ ~ ~~~..~r ~...y~.~rx~ ~~r.., ~-~-.~+~r~--~v~ +~t-r-r inrlor~onrlon~ frnm o~r+h n~hor ii iwvNvi i~avi i~ ii vi i i vc.~vi i vii ivi . B. Notwithstanding the speed limit that would otherwise apply on a city street, road or other right-of-way, the speed limit in posted school zones is 20 miles per hour when lights have been installed in conjunction with any school zone sign and such lights are flashing. Flashing lights shall be installed at appropriate locations, as determined by the city engineer or designee stating "School Zone - 20 mph when lights flashing, per ACC 10.12.125" or words to that effect in conformance with the following requirements: 1. The flashing lights shall be located within 300 feet in either direction from school boundaries as defined by WAC 468-95-330 except the flashing lights may be located more than 300 feet from said school boundaries if the city engineer deems appropriate based on a traffic engineering assessment. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2. In order to enhance public safety around schools, the city engineer shall periodically coordinate with the school principles and/or re resentatives of the school district to evaluate the a ro riate times p pp p when flashing lights adjacent to various schools should be flashing. C. The city engineer or designee may utilize the combined signage and flashing light provisions of ACC 10.12.125A and ACC 10.12.1258 where deemed appropriate. (Ord. 6210 § 1, 2008; Ord. 6073 § 4, 2007; Ord. 5915 § 1, 2005.) Section 3. Implementation. The Mayor is hereby authorized to implement such administrative procedures as may be necessary to carry out the directions of this legislation. Ordinance No. 6346 March 8, 2011 Page 2 of 3 Section 4. Severability. The provisions of this ordinance are declared to be separate and severable. The invalidity of any clause, sentence, paragraph, subdivision, section or portion of this ordinance, or the invalidity of the application thereof to any person or circumstance shall not affect the validity of the remainder of this ordinance, or the validity of its application to other persons or circumstances. Section 4. Effective date. This Ordinance shall take effect and be in force five days from and after its passage, approval and publication as provided by law. INTRODUCED: PASSED: APPROVED: CITY OF AUBURN PETER B. LEWIS MAYO R ATTEST: Danielle E. Daskam, City Clerk APPROVED AS TO FORM: Daniel B. Heid, City Attorney Published: Ordinance No. 6346 March 8, 2011 Page3of3