Staff may determine that the concerns expressed in the petition are either not in the realm of traffic calming or are safety issues that must be addressed immediately (i.e., trimming trees or shrubs, missing signing, etc.). In these cases, issues will be handled as normal citizen requests, outside of the traffic calming program.Neighborhoods that meet initial screening criteria will be deemed eligible for participation in the traffic calming program and will be added to the priority list. Priority on the list is determined on a first-come, first-served basis. Eligible neighborhoods willing to fully fund both the process and implementation of a traffic calming plan may be expedited at the discretion of the Director of Public Works and Community Development, provided the requirements and procedures described in “Privately Funded Traffic Calming Plans” are met.
The most effective traffic calming plans involve a comprehensive treatment to a designated neighborhood or area, rather than a specific block or street. Staff will work with the requestor to determine the most effective boundaries for a given neighborhood. Successful plans will help to improve safety for drivers and pedestrians, provide a greater sense of security, and increase neighborhood livability while not displacing problems to other parts of the neighborhood.
When a neighborhood reaches the top of the priority list, staff will arrange a neighborhood kick-off meeting. Invitations will be sent to all residents within the designated neighborhood boundaries. At the meeting, staff will introduce the Residential Traffic Calming Program and present initial findings. Attendees will have an opportunity to ask questions of staff to gain a better understanding of the program’s advantages and disadvantages.
At the kick-off meeting, staff will ask for volunteers to form a Neighborhood Traffic Calming Committee to work on behalf of the entire neighborhood. The size of the committee will vary, depending on the size of the neighborhood, but should be comprised of between 6 to 12 residents. Efforts will be made to form a committee that is representative of the whole neighborhood, with various ideas and viewpoints. The Traffic Calming Committee may decide to modify the affected neighborhood boundaries if desired.
The ultimate goal and purpose of the Neighborhood Traffic Calming Committee will be to develop a neighborhood traffic calming plan for presentation to the neighborhood. This will be achieved through a series of committee meetings. The role of the committee is to review traffic issues and identify goals, and prepare and promote an acceptable traffic calming plan. Staff’s role is to serve as a technical resource, provide administrative support, administer the voting process, and implement the approved plan.
Once the Neighborhood Traffic Calming Committee develops a draft traffic calming plan, the plan will be presented to the neighborhood at an Open House. City staff will send out invitations to all affected households within the neighborhood. At the Open House, which is conducted by Traffic Calming Committee members, the proposed traffic calming plan and supplemental information are put on display. There are no formal, structured presentations or discussions. Residents may come and go as they please throughout the Open House session. The Traffic Calming Committee will be available to discuss their efforts and answer questions face-to-face with their neighbors. Committee members document feedback from residents and may meet after the Open House to incorporate these comments into the traffic calming plan, if necessary.
Within a few weeks after the Open House, the balloting process for approval of the traffic calming plan begins. City staff will prepare a ballot, which includes a copy of the final traffic claming plan, supplemental information on the traffic calming devices proposed, and a ballot form, which is returned to the City via U.S. Mail. The balloting period generally lasts from two to three weeks. Residents vote on the proposed plan in its entirety, and conditional ballots will not be accepted. Only one ballot per household will be accepted. Ballots may be completed by either tenants or property owners.
In order to be approved, at least 60% of the ballots received must be in favor of the proposed plan and a minimum of 15% of the ballots distributed must be returned. If the plan receives the required number of votes, city staff will take the necessary steps to implement the plan. Every effort will be made to implement the plan as soon as possible, however, if the plan exceeds available funding, implementation of the plan may be postponed until adequate funding is available.
If the proposed plan does not attain the required support, the neighborhood may either abandon their effort, or be added to the end of the active priority list to try again.
If approved by residents, and adequate funding is available, the proposed traffic calming plan will be scheduled for implementation. The City will endeavor to implement traffic calming plans in the most cost-efficient and timely manner available. In the event the cost of an approved plan exceeds available funding, the implementation of the plan will be delayed until adequate funding is available.
If city staff determines that a neighborhood and/or its Traffic Calming Committee is not making a good faith effort to progress through the process in a timely manner, or if neighborhood participation diminishes to ineffective levels, staff may terminate activity with the neighborhood and place them at the end of the priority list.
Neighborhoods determined to be eligible for the RTCP and willing to fully fund the process and implementation of a traffic calming plan may be expedited, upon approval of the Director of Public Works and Community Development. This option is available only to those neighborhoods which have the ability to complete the process phase within 30 days upon initiation. The Traffic/Transportation Manager shall determine, based on staffing and resources, if a qualified neighborhood can complete the process phase within 30 days and to what extent a qualified neighborhood may be expedited. If a qualified neighborhood is willing and able to fund the process and implementation, the neighborhood shall deposit adequate funds with the City (as determined by the Traffic/Transportation Manager) to cover the cost of staff time, resources and materials to complete the residential traffic calming process as prescribed. If a traffic calming plan is approved by the Traffic Committee, neighborhood representatives shall then be required to deposit adequate funds to cover the cost of implementation of the traffic calming plan. Implementation costs shall include the cost of administration, construction and inspection as determined by the Traffic/Transportation Manager.If a neighborhood fails to deposit the proper funding for either the process or implementation within 30 days after notification by the City, the neighborhood will be considered non-responsive, and placed at their original position on the priority list with no recourse.The installation of approved traffic calming devices will remain permanent unless there is interest on the neighborhood’s part to remove any or all devices. Removal of traffic calming devices will only be considered after the devices have been in place for at least one year.
To request removal of a traffic control device, a completed “Residential Traffic Calming Program Petition Form” must be submitted to the City. The petition form must include descriptions of the specific device(s) and reasons for the request. A ballot explaining the request and expected impacts will be distributed to the residents of the designated neighborhood. For approval, 60% of the ballots returned must be in favor of the removal. If approved by the neighborhood, the device(s) will be removed when funding and other necessary resources are available.
