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HomeMy WebLinkAboutORDINANCE NO 10-04-610 ORDINANCE NUMBER: 10-04-61 STATE OF GEORGIA COUNTY OF FULTON 1sT READING: APRIL 12, 2010 2ND READING: APRIL 26, 2010 A ORDINANCE TO AMEND CHAPTER 48 ARTICLE IV. TRAFFIC CALMING AND CONTROL OF THE CITY OF MILTON'S CODE OF ORDINANCES WHEREAS, the City of Milton is authorized by O.C.G.A. 32-4-92 to perform all acts which are necessary, proper, or incidental to the efficient operation and development of the municipal street system; and, WHEREAS, on June 7th, 2007 the City of Milton adopted a Community Services Policy which included traffic calming procedures; and, WHEREAS, the City of Milton wishes to amend and update their traffic calming procedures; momNOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED, by the Mayor and City Council of the City of Milton, Georgia while in regular session on the 12th day of April 2010 at 6:00 p.m. that Chapter 48, Article IV. Traffic Calming and Control of City of Milton code of ordinances is hereby ' deleted in its entirety and replaced with a new Chapter 48, Article IV. Traffic Calming as attached hereto. SO ORDAINED AND EFFECTIVE ON THIS 26TH DAY OF APRIL, 2010. Attest: ,4/, , 00" Sudie Gordon, Interim Cit Clerk (Seal) i i JOE LOCKWO _D, MAY ATTACHMENT A PE — Preliminary Engineering CST — Construction fm_' ARTICLE IV DIVISION 1. TRAFFIC CALMING GENERALLY Sec. 48-235. Policy; Introduction. (a) In order to enhance the quality of neighborhood life and the safety of the city's residents, the Public Works Department is establishing this traffic calming program. The goals of this program are: (1) Reduction of traffic speed to a safe and appropriate limit. (2) Encourage community participation. (3) Encouragement and enhancement of pedestrian, bicycle, and transit systems. (4) Limiting traffic calming to local residential streets. (5) Ensuring emergency vehicle access. (6) Use of effective, efficient, economical, and environmentally sound traffic calming solutions. (7) Multi -discipline input from engineers, planners, police, and fire. (8) Continued monitoring of speeds, traffic volumes, and accidents. (b) The Public Works Department shall review applications submitted by neighborhoods, homeowners' groups or homeowners' associations ("Applicants") for traffic calming measures in accordance with this ordinance and the City of Milton Traffic Calming Policy and Procedures Manual as may be periodically amended. (c) It is critical to realize that the approach taken by the traffic calming program is a systematic one. While each situation may be somewhat unique, the same definitions and criteria, as outlined in this Ordinance, are applied. Also, the transportation system of the city should be considered as a whole. Solving one local problem should not cause another problem to appear somewhere else. (d) The traffic calming program is to be used only for local residential streets, as defined in section 48-237. (e) Keeping with the general guidelines and recommendations as set forth in the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices and Institute of Transportation Engineers aids in the recognition and understanding of traffic control devices. Standardization of these devices will help ensure that any given traffic calming measures including the use of speed humps will be equally recognizable and require the same action on the part of the motorist regardless of where they are encountered. „,.-„ Sec. 48-236. Traffic Calming Warrants. (a) For the purposes of the traffic calming program, a traffic calming measure may be warranted on a local residential street if any of the following are found during a traffic study: (1) 50 % or more of the total traffic is exceeding the posted speed limit; or (2) Pedestrian safety related problems, to include: a. a single instance or more of a vehicular/pedestrian accident, b. inadequate road geometry rendering a roadway unsafe for pedestrian travel, c. a higher incidence of pedestrian traffic due to proximity to a school, d. such other hazards to pedestrian traffic as are identified in a traffic study. Sec. 48-237. Local Residential Street Defined. The city shall only support the installation of traffic calming devices on local residential streets within the city. A local residential street must meet the following four (4) criteria: (1) Those streets classified by the city as primarily used for direct access to property and connections to higher order systems; and, (2) Those streets where the adjacent land use is deemed residential in nature; and, (3) Those streets with posted speed limits of 25 mph or 30 mph; and, , (4) Those streets with an average daily traffic count of 400 to 4,000 vehicles per day (VPD). Volumes above 4,000 VPD would be considered a major road per the MUTCD for traffic control purposes, and volumes below 400 VPD would not typically provide enough benefit to warrant the expenditure of public funds for installation and the increased maintenance costs. Secs. 48-238--48-256. Reserved. DIVISION 2. PROCESS Sec. 48-257. Traffic Calming Process. The city's traffic calming process shall be defined in the City of Milton Traffic Calming Policy and Procedures Manual. Sec 48-258. Petition Approval Percentage (a) Prior to the development of conceptual plans at least 67 percent (2/3 majority) of the homeowners in the study area must vote in favor of the installation of traffic calming measures. Where a neighborhood or other defined study area has a mandatory „., homeowners' association or other legal entity which may lawfully represent their position on such matters, this entity may act in lieu of the petition process as approved by the Public Works Director after consultation with the city attorney. (b) The study area shall be as defined in the Traffic Calming Policy and Procedures Manual. Sec. 48-259. Fee. Prior to the development of any conceptual plan the Applicant shall pay a fee to the Public Works Department. Said fee shall be in an amount established by the Public Works Department and approved by the Mayor and City Council. Secs. 48-260--48-280. Reserved. Sec. 48-281. Neighborhood Cost Share. (a) Basic installation of the traffic calming devices will be shared by the city (50 percent) and the Applicant (50 percent). If the Applicant chooses upgrades or enhanced versions of a traffic calming device, the Applicant will pay the entire cost of design, construction, maintenance and other related charges above those of the basic device, as defined by the traffic calming details provided in the Traffic Calming Policy and Procedures Manual. (b) Any landscaping, including maintenance, will be paid entirely by the applicant. (c) Easement and right-of-way acquisition shall be provided by the applicant. (d) Repair and routine maintenance of all traffic calming devices, excluding landscape maintenance and design enhancements, will be the city's responsibility. Sec. 48-282. Removal of Traffic Calming Devices. (a) If the Applicant decides that it no longer wants the previously installed traffic calming devices, the Applicant must follow the same procedure to obtain 67 percent or HOA approval as set forth in Section 48-258 for installation. (b) Active traffic calming devices should remain in place at least 12 months before removal. If devices are removed, the road and right-of-way must also be brought back to city standards. (c) Removal shall be done by a qualified contractor at no cost to the city, where the Applicant assumes all related cost in the removal of traffic calming devices. (d) The city reserves the right to remove traffic calming devices for any reason. Upon approval of the City Manager, the Public Works Director may order the Applicant to remove a traffic calming measure in accordance with Section 48-283(c). „W„ Sec. 48-283. Permit Required "*AN Any work completed by the Applicant within the right-of-way shall require a right-of-way encroachment permit as directed by the Public Works Department. Sec. 48-284. Appeals Appeals to the City Council may be taken by any person aggrieved by any decision of any City of Milton staff member in the administration or interpretation of this Ordinance. Appeals of such administrative decisions shall be made in writing to the City Clerk within thirty (30) days of the date of the decision, interpretation or action being challenged. Any appeal submitted later than thirty (30) days shall not be considered timely and will not be considered. Secs. 48-285--48-301. Reserved.