July 8, 2014 Northwest CAC Minutes by Suzette Harrington at Greystone Recreation Center 7:00 p.m.
2 (Community Services -1, Police -1) 4
Welcome
Chair, Jay Gudeman opened the meeting.
Raleigh Police Department Crime Report Because of the continuation of the city upgrading the reporting system, Captain Carrigan was unable to provide the crime report for the Northwest area.
Parks, Recreation and Cultural Resources No report-the New Leisure Ledger is now available.
Traffic Calming presentation “From Petition to Implementation”
Tom Fiorello from Raleigh’s Public Works Department spoke on the process of traffic calming in city neighborhoods and how it’s implemented.
First, the residents that live on the affected street can make a request to the city to have an evaluation conducted to determine how a particular street scores on the following 5 criteria:
- At what speed is the majority of the traffic traveling (most important)
- Volume of traffic that travels on the street daily
- Pedestrian activity
- How many speed-related accidents have occurred along the street
- Roadway geometry/other road conditions
If a street reaches a score of at least 30% (out of 100%), the street will be included in the city’s project list. Traffic calming measures include speed humps or speed tables, medians and curb extensions that force drivers to alter their path of travel to reduce their speed.
Residents along the street for which the request for traffic calming was made are invited to a public meeting, receive information brochures, and a petition that needs to be signed by at least 75% of either the adult residents or the property owners along the street within 60 days. When this threshold is met, the city engages residents into the design process via public meetings. If the petition is not signed by 75%, a one year wait period applies before the request can be made again. A Brookhaven resident inquired about possibilities for her street. Laurel Hills residents offered questions and comments to the process and implementation of the traffic calming project on Laurel Hills Road.
Raleigh’s traffic calming policy and process City Councilor Bonner Gaylord responded to questions and concerns from Laurel Hills residents regarding the Laurel Hills traffic calming project. Main points were that the city’s Public Works Dept. were following city policy in the process of traffic calming, and that policy cannot be altered midstream. The city’s staff is currently working on a draft for an application process to remove traffic calming on neighborhood streets, a process that would be set up similarly to the petition process. He stated that residents could speak out for and against the traffic calming project at the City Council meeting at which the project is scheduled for review. He suggested that they select (a) speaker(s), and prepare a good argument.
Rezoning Proposal
Thomas Anhut, president of Anhut Properties, LLC and John W. Harris president of John W. Harris P.E. presented their plans and proposal of the 3111 Page and 3124 Global Rd. project. This opportunity gave residents a chance to review the plans and ask questions.
RCAC Neighborhood Recognition Award Community Specialist Aracelys Torrez and NW CAC Vice-Chair Dorothee Schmid provided information the upcoming RCAC Neighborhood Recognition Award, and asked attendees to think about possible nominees. The NW CAC will take nominations and will vote on a NW CAC award recipient at the August 8th CAC meeting.
Adjournment: 9:00p.m.
