HomeMy WebLinkAbout2008-10-28 - AGENDA REPORTS - PROHIBIT BARRIERS ST POLICY (2)Agenda Item:
CITY OF SANTA CLARITA
AGENDA REPORT
NEW BUSINESS City Manager Approval:
Item to be presented by:
DATE: October 28, 2008
SUBJECT: ADOPT POLICY I-16 TO PROHIBIT INSTALLATION OF
CLOSURES, GATES, OR OTHER PHYSICAL BARRIERS ON
PUBLIC STREETS
DEPARTMENT: Public Works
RECOMMENDED ACTION
City Council adopt Policy I-16 to prohibit the,installation of closures, gates, or other physical
barriers on public streets. '
BACKGROUND
The issue of whether to allow closures, gates, or other physical barriers that eliminate or restrict
access on public streets has recently come to the attention of the City due to the current traffic
situations in the Benz Road and Canvas Street/Linda Vista Street neighborhoods. While closure,
gating, or the installation of other physical barriers may reduce traffic on a certain street, such
actions can have unintended negative repercussions for other streets and overall traffic
circulation.
Many of our residential neighborhoods have limited access, with only a few connections to the
arterial roadway system. Closures, gates, and other physical barriers typically cause motorists to
take new paths that significantly increase their travel distance to schools, shopping, and work
sites. Increased travel distance equates to more lost time on the road, more fuel consumption,
increased pollution, and increased greenhouse gas emissions.
Travel distance and travel time are not only increased for day-to-day travel, but also during
critical situations when fire, police, and paramedics respond to emergencies, or when
neighborhoods must evacuate due to fire, earthquake, or flood.
A,rP,0WE1
While it is true that closures, gates, and other physical barriers reduce traffic on streets where
they are placed, these measures typically increase traffic volumes and decrease quality of life for
residents on adjacent streets. The City's experience also indicates that implementation of these
measures can create divisiveness and animosity among neighbors.
Due to recent requests from neighborhoods to implement traffic -calming measures that restrict
traffic on public streets, this is an appropriate time for the City Council to consider a policy that
prohibits gates or other physical barriers on public streets.
It should be noted that the City's Municipal Code already prohibits gates on public roadways as
follows:
Section 17.17.040 Specific Development Requirements.
P. Gating of Roadways. All proposed permanent gates in residential areas shall be
subject to the following requirements. Temporary barriers erected for emergency response,
repair or special event purposes are not subject to these requirements. Driveways are considered
roadways for the purpose of these gating requirements.
1. Public Roadways. Gating of public roadways is prohibited.
Nothing in this proposed policy would affect private streets within the City from being gated.
ALTERNATIVE ACTIONS
As directed by the City Council.
FISCAL IMPACT
Adoption of Policy I-16 to prohibit the installation of closures, gates, or other physical barriers
on public streets would cause no fiscal impact to the City.
ATTACHMENTS
Policy I-16 Closure of Public Streets
CITY OF SANTA CLARITA
NUMBER I-16
ORIGINAL ISSUE 10/28/08 1 EFFECTIVE 10/28/08
CURRENT ISSUE I EFFECTIVE
SUPERSEDES
I' RESPONSIBLE DEPARTMENT:
CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE
PURPOSE
POLICY/PROCEDURE
SUBJECT
CLOSURE OF PUBLIC STREETS
CATEGORY
CITY COUNCIL
STANDARD MANAGEMENT PROCEDURE
The City of Santa Clarita has developed the following policy regarding the closure of public streets.
GENERAL
The issue of whether to allow closures, gates, or other physical barriers that eliminate or restrict access on
public streets has recently come to the attention of the City. While closure, gating, or the installation of
other physical barriers may reduce traffic, on a certain street, such actions can have unintended negative
repercussions for other streets and overall circulation. The negative repercussions are as follows:
1. Limited access to public streets
2. Increased travel distance due to new paths needed to reach schools, shopping, and work sites
3. Increased travel distance equates to more lost time on the road, more fuel consumption, increased
pollution and increased greenhouse gas emissions
4. Increased traffic volume and decreased quality of life for residents of adjacent streets caused by traffic
diversions
5. Increased travel distance and travel time for emergency responders and neighborhood evacuations
6. Creates divisiveness and animosity among neighbors
POLICY
It is the declared policy of the City of Santa Clarita that the closure of a public street, the installation of
gates on a public street, or the installation of any other physical barriers on a public street shall be
prohibited.
EXCEPTION
There are no exceptions to the above stated guidelines without City Council approval.
S \ALLDEPTSTOL-MAMI-16 Closure of Public Streets doc Page 1
AUTHORITY
By order of the City Council.
Kenneth R.
S \ALLDEPTS\POL-MANU-16 Closure of Public Streets doc Page 2