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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1990-09-25 - AGENDA REPORTS - CIRCLE J RANCH TRAFFIC (2)AGENDA REPORT City Manager Approval Item to be presented by: NEW BUSINESS John Medina DATE: September 25, 1990 SUBJECT: CIRCLE J RANCH TFAFFI Resolution No. q0 170 DEPARTMENT: Public Works BACKGROUND The City received a request from the Circle J RanchHomeowner's Association requesting that the City assume responsibility for traffic law-enforcement and the establishment of appropriate traffic controls in the area. The residents are concerned about speeding on several streets in the development. The Circle J Ranch street system is constructed to public street standards but has not been accepted by the City for maintenance; consequently, the streets are under private control. The development is not currently patrolled for compliance with traffic laws. The California Vehicle Code allows cities to assume responsibility for traffic law enforcement on private streets under certain conditions. The streets must be generally held open for use of the motoring public, and they must connect with the public street system in such a way that the public cannot determine that the streets are private. The Circle J. Ranch road system complies with these conditions. The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department has no objections to traffic enforcement in the Circle J Ranch area. The California Vehicle Code also requires -that the City pass an ordinance or resolution declaring the intention to assumeenforcement responsibility. A public hearing must also be held on the issue, and 10 days prior written notice must be given to the owner of the private roads. The Sheriff's Department estimates that the requested traffic enforcement will involve 10 hours per month at a cost of $350.00. It should be noted that these hours will be provided by diverting officers from their current patrols.in the public streets, thus decreasing the level of service to those areas. Adapfed: :s .. g 6 Agenda Ifem:-�a i Circle J Ranch Traffic Enforcement Page 2 RECOMMENDATION It is appropriate that the City assume responsibility for enforcement of traffic laws in the Circle J Ranch area. It is, therefore, recommended that the City Council: 1. Establish October 23, 1990 as the date for. a public hearing to consider assuming responsibility for traffic law enforcement in the Circle J Ranch area. 2. Direct staff to notify the owner of the private streets, Watt America, Inc., of the public hearing as required by the California Vehicle Code. ATTACHMENTS Staff Report Resolution No. 90-170 /gmm 0 CITY OF SANTA CLARITA INTEROFFICE MEMORANDUM TO: John Medina FROM: Ed Cline DATE: July 19, 1990 SUBJECT: CIRCLE J RANCH.TRAFFIC.ENFORCEMENT REQUEST Residents of the Circle J Ranch development have requested that the City of Santa Clarita assume responsibility for traffic law enforcement and appropriate traffic controls on streets in the Circle J Ranch area. CONDITIONS The Circle J Ranch development currently includes about 400 occupied single family housing units, and additional units are under construction. All of the internal residential street system is still under private control, and it is unknown when the streets may be accepted by the City. Consequently, the City provides no traffic enforcement in the Circle J Ranch area. The street system has no traffic controls except several developer installed stop signs where internal streets intersect Via Princessa. The internal street system is designed with "T" intersections to preclude the necessity for stop sign controls. Several of the internal streets, Oxnard Lane and Cardiff Drive for example, are sufficiently long that drivers tend to travel faster than the residential speed limit. The Traffic Engineering section received complaints about speeding from residents of the area several months ago, about the same time two children bicyclists were hit on Oxford Lane by a speeding motorist. Mr. Urso was one of the complaintants, and he was told of our inability to regulate traffic because of the private streets in the development. He was aware of a similar situation in Los Angeles County where the County accepted responsibility for traffic regulation on private streets. Hence the formal request was made. DISCUSSION The California Vehicle Code permits City regulation of privately owned and maintained streets in Section 21107.5. This section allows any city to enact an ordinance or resolution to apply the provisions of the California Vehicle Code on private roads which are generally held open for public use. The streets in the Circle J Ranch area fulfill the requirements of this Vehicle Code section. Upon adoption of the ordinance or resolution and with a public hearing, the City can regulate traffic on the private streets. A copy of the specific code section is attached. 0 9 RESOLUTION NO. 90-170 A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SANTA CLARITA, CALIFORNIA, AUTHORIZING THE APPLICATION OF PROVISIONS OF THE CALIFORNIA VEHICLE CODE TO CERTAIN PRIVATE STREETS WHEREAS, the interests of residents and the motoring public on private streets in the Circle J Ranch area will best be served by the application of provisions of the California Vehicle Code. WHEREAS, the California Vehicle Code Section 21107.5 permits municipalities to enforce provisions of the California Vehicle Code on privately owned and maintained roads that are generally held open for public use for purposes of vehicle travel. THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SANTA CLARITA does.hereby resolve as follows: Section 1. That the provisions of the California Vehicle Code shall be enforced on the following private streets: Sheffield Lane; Cardiff Drive; Oxford Lane; Stratford Drive; Claiborne Lane; Derby Place; Pembrook Place; Devonshire Court; Newcastle Court; Cornwall Place; Norfolk Place; Birmingham Place; Manchester Way; Hampton Place; Jeniel Court; and Circle J Ranch Road between north of Barnhill Road. Via Princessa and the locked gate Section 2. That the enforcement shall commence after requirements of the California Vehicle Code are fulfilled. PASSED, APPROVED AND ADOPTED THIS 25th day of September , 1990. Mayor Resolution No. 90-170 Page 2 ATTEST: City Clerk 11 • I HEREBY CERTIFY that the foregoing Resolution was adopted by the City Council of the City of Santa Clarita, at a regular meeting thereof, held on the 25th day of September , 1990, by the following vote of the Council: AYES: Boyer, Heidt, Klajic, McKeon, Darcy NOES: COUNCILMEMBERS None ABSENT: COUNCILMEMBERS Bone City Clerk