Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes CC - 08/12/2013 - 08-12-2013-Minutes (Migrated from Optiview)Work Session of the Milton City Council Monday, August 12, 2013 at 6:00 pm Page I of8 This summary is provided as a convenience and service to the public, media, and staff. It is not the intent to transcribe proceedings verbatim. Any reproduction of this summary must include this notice. Public comments are noted and heard by Council, but not quoted. This document includes limited presentation by Council and invited speakers in summary form . This is an official record of the Milton City Council Meeting proceedings. Official Meetings are audio and video recorded The Work Session of the Mayor and Council of the City of Milton was held on August 12,2013 at 6:00 PM. Councilmembers Present: Councilmember Karen Thunnan, Councilmember Matt Kunz, Councilmember Bill Lusk, Councilmember Burt Hewitt, Councilmember Joe Longoria, and Councilmember Lance Large. Mayor Joe Lockwood: • Work Sessions are an informal setting to update Council on business items. • No votes will be taken during these sessions. • There are three (3) items on our Agenda tonight. • Public comment is allowed that is germane to an Agenda Item. • If you wish to speak you are required to fill out a comment card and turn it into the City Clerk staff. • Public comment will be allowed for a total of lO minutes per agenda item and no more than 2 minutes per person. • Public comment will be heard at the beginning of each Item. • Once the item is called, no other comment cards will be accepted. Sudie Gordon, City Clerk, read Agenda Item #1. 1. Discussion of Concept Plans for Hopewell at Bethany WaylBethany Bend Project. (Carter Lucas, Public Works Director) Carter Lucas, Public Works Director: Tonight, we want to review the concept plans for the intersection improvements for Bethany BendlBethany WaylHopewell Road. This is an opportunity for you to provide comments. We have had a lot of public comments. Before we come to you with a final plan, we want to share the concept we have developed and all of the public comments that we have received. Each year, our goal is to get an intersection improvement project under construction, one in final design, and one in concept design. This is our annual concept design which you have a copy of in front of you tonight. The concept plans that are designated in "yellow" are the plans that we either have currently underway in construction or in some phase of design. We started the process of this intersection improvement in February 2013. Initially, we conducted a property boundary survey so we could get a better idea of the potential impacts the various proposals would have. We developed several concept alternatives. Work Session of the Milton City Council Monday, August 12,2013 at 6 :00 pm Page 2 of8 Gresham, Smith, and partners was involved in the concept plans. Eric Richard and Nithin Gomez are here tonight representing Gresham Smith. Our first public meeting was held on July 2nd. We also provided an on-line survey for citizens to give their input on the project. We will give you a copy of all of those comments tonight. We held a public information meeting on July 17th for the public to look at the proposed concepts and provide input. The intersection was one of the key intersections identified in the CTP. Intersections are rated A-F with "F" being the worst. The intersection received an "F" rating as far as it being an operational intersection. When an intersection has at least an 80 second delay it is rated an "F". This intersection had a four minute delay which is a very substantial delay. We also look at accidents and speed at intersections. With the development of King's Ridge High School and Cambridge High School, there has been a greater focus on the east/west connectivity which, initially, was not included in the CTP that was done in 2009. Access to the Bethany Oaks neighborhood also creates an additional challenge with this intersection. We looked at the overall activity of the intersection and approximately 15,000 cars go through it each day. 57% of those cars are entering the intersection from Hopewell Road. We also look at accident history. From 2010 to 2012 we had a total of 16 accidents at that intersection. We analyzed each accident to determine which intersection improvements could have prevented these accidents. We discovered that approximately 31 % of these accidents could have been prevented with turn lanes, 44% with turn lanes and signals, 50% with a single roundabout, and 75% with a dual roundabout. We also looked at the benefit to cost ratio. From a construction standpoint, the intersection improvement estimate was $940,000. We increased that to approximately $1.3 million with the addition of traffic signals; $1.1 million for the single roundabout; and $1.7 million for the dual roundabout. Another key component is right-of-way. AH of those options have various impacts on the properties surrounding the intersection. Estimated right-of-way costs range from $180,000 for the tum lanes and signals up to $1 million for the dual roundabout option. The 20 year operational costs would be approximately $200,000 with the traffic signals option. Roundabouts generally have a low operational cost which mainly consists of landscape maintenance. A total project cost would be anywhere from $1.15 million for the basic tum lanes up to $2.7 million for the dual roundabout. The highest cost ratio versus benefit is the single roundabout. Our analysis looks to the future, specifically 2035, with a projected increase in traffic of 1.5-2% per year. That would mean that in 2035, there will be approximately 20,000 cars going through this intersection instead of the approximately 15,000 today. Sara Leaders, Transportation Engineer: We have received a very good response to our on-line survey. In the first week, we had over 100 responses. We had over 40 people attend our public information meeting on July 17 1h • Work Session of the Milton City Council Monday, August 12,2013 at 6:00 pm Page 3 of 8 We sent letters to all the potentially affected homeowners informing them of the meeting tonight. The first question was whether or not the intersection should be improved. Most of the responses to this question were, "yes." We asked which exhibit they would prefer and several respondents suggested phasing tum lanes and then a signal. Another comment was to create one intersection instead of keeping the two intersections that are currently there. One suggestion was to use a policeman to direct traffic during peak hours. Most of the responses came from the residents who live in the project area. Carter Lucas: If we move forward with this project in our normal way then we are currently In the process of completing the concept phase and will then move into the final design phase. The right-of-way phase can take anywhere from 6 months to a year or more. The final phase is construction which can take 12-18 months . Bill Lusk, Councilmember: How many of the 16 accidents had injuries? Carter Lucas: There were four injuries and two fatalities within the vicinity of the intersection but not necessarily associated with the intersection. Councilmember Lusk: How much additional land will be needed for each concept plan? Carter Lucas: Anywhere from ~of an acre to 1 Yz acres. Councilmember Lusk: There is a parcel along Bethany Bend that has been for sale for quite a while. Have we considered that area for an entrance to and from the Bethany Oaks neighborhood? Carter Lucas: We discussed that idea in the past but have not considered it any further. I believe one of the issues was the inability to get far enough away from Bethany Bend Road to establish turn lanes in and out of the neighborhood. Matt Kunz, Councilmember: Looking into the future, if we decided to construct a single roundabout would another council have to re­ do the intersection and add a dual roundabout based on the increased need? Carter Lucas: Over the years, roundabouts become more efficient as people get used to them. A single roundabout can be modified. Work Session of the Milton City Council Monday, August 12,2013 at 6 :00 pm Page 4 of8 PUBLIC COMMENT Pamela Jackson, 2105 Bethany Way, Milton, GA 30004 I have three driveways on Bethany going toward Haygood. I also have three driveways on Hopewell. The map you are showing is outdated because one of my driveways has not even been considered on any of these drawings. I have lived at this comer for over 20 years and the problem is not as significant as it is being made out to be. There is a small problem in the morning from 7:00 to 7:30 at Bethany Way and Hopewell. It is reverse in the afternoon. The problem is from 5:00 to 5:30 at Bethany Bend and Hopewell. Those are your only troubled times . One suggestion is to put a traffic cop at those intersections during those times and your problem can be solved tomorrow. $3 million is a lot of money. These studies do not take into effect the courtesy factor. Milton is still a small town and most people know each other. Most people will stop and let people in. I hope you will take into consideration that we have three high schools right by that intersection, King's Ridge , St. Francis, and Cambridge , which means that a large number of drivers in that area are teenagers. Roundabouts are hard to maneuver for adults much less teenagers. Dale Jackson, 2105 Bethany Way, Milton, GA 30004 I agree with all of the points that my wife just mentioned. The single roundabout looks very confusing and scary to me and I have been driving for about forty years. As a citizen of Milton, I would like to see $3 million used elsewhere in the city. Highway 9 is supposed to be the main thoroughfare through the city and I thOUght it was supposed to be widened at some point in time. Most of the cars that use this intersection are taking a short cut and really should be using Highway 9. Once Highway 9 is widened, this $3 million dollar roundabout won't even be used anymore. This seems excessive considering the intersection is only a problem during 30 minutes in the morning and 30 minutes in the afternoon. I suggest we start with a traffic cop at the intersection and if that doesn't work then we can go to stop lights and then, finally, we can construct a roundabout. I certainly don't want a large roundabout constructed since I own several pieces of property at that intersection. And, in my experience, small roundabouts seem to clog traffic instead of improve the flow of it. Sally Shupert Cavalier, 13850 Hopewell Road, Milton, GA 30004 I own the historical property on the northwest comer of Hopewell and Bethany Way. We have a back driveway on Bethany Way as well. We bought the property in 1989 so we have seen the influx of traffic where we used to ride horses and ride bikes. Now, we can barely get out of our driveway without worrying if we will get hit by a car. I have seen the morning traffic where people are very courteous when they are turning right on Hopewell from Bethany Way. Work Session of the Milton City Council Monday, August 12 , 2013 at 6:00 pm Page 5 of 8 In the afternoon, people are trying to tum left from Bethany Bend to Hopewell and the traffic backs up on Bethany Bend. I think the double roundabouts are a complete waste oftime and money . The biggest problem I have seen is the speed of cars travelling on Hopewell. I think the speed needs to be reduced on Hopewell. I think a lot of things need to be looked at before you go to the extreme measure of a roundabout. My property would be greatly affected by right-of-ways. I think the first step needs to be traffic officers at the intersection during peak hours. Jeff Runner, 13895 Hopewell Road, Milton, GA 30004 I own several pieces of property along Hopewell Road which consist of four different driveways . At least one of my parcels would be affected in all of the options presented tonight. I don't think roundabouts work. I own property in Dawsonville and there is a roundabout located there. Cars cannot get through the roundabout and there have been accidents. Teenagers have a hard time maneuvering through them as well as elderly people. I have seen the simulation that is on the City of Milton website. I know how simulations work from my previous work experience and they are only as good as the data you submit. The data that has been put into these simulations does not represent what is really happening at that intersection. This intersection is only congested for a short time in the morning and in the afternoon. It is not as big of a problem as it is being made out to be . Marc Godwin, 2695 Bethany Creek Court, Milton, GA 30004 I live in the Bethany Oaks subdivision and I am the President ofthe HOA. Our primary concern is safety, especially with trying to make a left-hand tum out of the subdivision and the limited site distance to see the northbound traffic along Hopewell Road. The downward grade of the road makes it difficult to see if a car is coming. The courtesy factor is a very big positive factor as far as our neighborhood is concerned. Most people will let us take a left-hand tum and ease into the line of traffic. If you change the entrance to our subdivision to Bethany Bend, if will be even more difficult for us to make a left-hand tum . We do not have an issue with roundabouts. They tend to improve traffic over time once people get used to maneuvering through them. Karen Thurman, Councilmember Do you think it makes sense to put a police officer at the intersection to direct traffic? Chris Lagerbloom, City Manager: Typically, when you put a human factor into a situation that already has stop signs and a steady flow of traffic, it is not a good combination. If traffic was getting grid locked then I can see a traffic policeman being necessary to remove the congestion to allow traffic to flow. Work Session of the Milton City Council Monday, August 12, 2013 at 6 :00 pm Page 6 of8 Councilmember Thurman: After looking at the comments, it seems as if the people who only travel north and south on Hopewell Road do not see a problem. However, the people who have to travel east and west and wait for the flow of traffic along Hopewell Road to open up want to see some type of fix to the problem. Is it possible to put a roundabout at one intersection and turn lanes at the other? Carter Lucas: We did not necessarily look at that option but just off the top of my head I think that would cause more congestion and make the situation worse for access to the Bethany Oaks subdivision. Burt Hewitt, Councilmember: Is there anything that can be done to calm the traffic speed on Hopewell Road? Carter Lucas: Calming devices such as speed bumps would not work on Hopewell Road. A roundabout can control speed because vehicles have to slow down when approaching a roundabout and passing through it. We are looking at speed detection signs that are initially effective then they become less effective as drivers get used to them. Sudie Gordon, City Clerk, read Agenda Item #2. 2. Discussion of City of Milton Budget -Revenue and Expenditures/Capital Improvement Project Prioritization. (Stacey Inglis, Assistant City Manager) Chris Lagerbloom, City Manager: The budget in front of you tonight is a one to two quarter budget. That means that, hopefully, during the second quarter of this budget year we will have some additional funds through LOST which will allow us some opportunities that do not currently exist. Therefore, we will be able to make adjustments to this budget in the near future. This budget anticipates revenues remaining flat from the previous year at $18,828,400. Revenues are coming in at about $681,000 more than anticipated. Expenditures are less than expected at $760,000. That means that the bottom line will be around $1.4 million as we close fiscal year 2013. Therefore, in 2014 we will not have to dip into the Fund Balance which will remain around $7 million. We are anticipating that a decision will be made on LOST by January or February 2014. At that time, we will be able to further discuss funding opportunities for the city. This budget entirely funds Phase II of the Severe Weather Warning sirens. The North Fulton Radio funding is on track to complete that commitment on time and under budget. This budget will also fund some of our vehicle replacement needs, primarily, in our police and fire departments. We are anticipating $1.9 million for our Pavement Management needs . Work Session of the Milton City Council Monday, August 12,2013 at 6:00 pm Page 7 of8 One of the items that we do not have an amount for at this time is the cost of healthcare for our employees. We are still in the negotiating phase of this line item. Also included in this budget is the cost of installing four gateway signs at selected entrances to the city. The cost of land acquisition that we have discussed during executive sessions is included in this budget. We have also included funds to continue with the agreement with the City of Alpharetta to maintain the Parks Without Boundaries Program that we began last year. Also included in this budget are the funds for Phase I of the HopewellfBirmingham Road project. This budget also recognizes a 2.5% cost of living adjustment for all city employees which is the same amount we have given in previous years. Matt Kunz, Councilmember: Is there funding for sidewalks included in this budget? Carter Lucas, Public Works Director: The sidewalk projects will use capital funds that are currently in the budget. We surveyed all the sidewalks in the city and we have approximately 70 miles of sidewalks. Unfortunately, not all of the sidewalks are connected. We tried to identify areas that we could use the existing funding that is available. So, we have identified some key areas where we can improve sidewalk efficiency. However, some areas are very expensive to connect so we have been looking for alternative funding for those projects. City Manager Lagerbloom: We have also included funding in the budget for our own ambulance service if that need arises. This is a very conservative budget that includes just about anything we may need in the upcoming year. We are also going to try to restructure the lOA we have with the City of Johns Creek for the delivery of IT services. We are going to try to pull out of this agreement and make David Frizzell, our IT Manager, a City of Milton employee and actually save $74,000 this fiscal year . We will still have an option of obtaining an IT person when David is away from the office. However, we are going to keep the OIS function of the lOA we have with Johns Creek. Now, I would like to talk about the priority of some Capital Projects that we keep talking about. Those three projects are: the build out of Bell Memorial Park, the construction of the City Hall facility, and the completion of a Public Safety complex. We are looking at a ten year plan to have all of these projects funded so that at the end of ten years we would have all of them paid for. So, in summary, I have heard that you consider parks as the number one priority, followed by securing the land to build a City Hall, and finally looking at the existing Public Safety complex plans and re­ designing them to possibly construct the courthouse/council chambers at the City Hall facility so that space is not duplicated. Work Session of the Milton City Council Monday, August 12,2013 at 6:00 pm Page 8 of8 Sudie Gordon, City Clerk, read Agenda Item #3. 3. Discussion of Changes to the City of Milton Charter. (Ken Jarrard, City Attorney) Chris Lagerbloom, City Manager: One of the changes that is being brought forward is the way the City of Milton adopts ordinances. The way the charter is written today, it states that an ordinance will be presented twice publicly with more than twenty-four hours apart and if you adopt it after the second presentation, then it becomes law. One of the recommendations of the Charter Commission is to change the law to read that an ordinance will appear for two public hearings. This means that the First Presentation would go away and the ordinance adoption would be presented the first time as New Business and the second time as Unfinished Business for a full public hearing both times. So, in swnmary, I am hearing you say that, at this time, it is not necessary to make this change to our Charter. After no further discussion, the Work Session adjourned at 8:05 p .m. Date Approved: September 4,2013.