MINUTES OF TRAFFIC SAFETY ADVISORY COMMITTEE

March 27, 2001 - 7:00 p.m.

Apple Valley City Hall

COMMITTEE MEMBERS PRESENT: Dick Asleson, Harald Eriksen, Linda Dolan, Craig Jenson, Neal Heuer, Merle Lohse, Andy Pederson

COMMITTEE MEMBERS ABSENT: None

OTHERS PRESENT: None

 

1. CALL TO ORDER

Committee Member Pederson called the meeting to order at 7:02 p.m.

2. APPROVAL OF AGENDA

MOTION: of Jenson, seconded by Heuer, approving the agenda for today’s meeting as written. Motion passed unanimously.

3. COMMITTEE MEMBER INTRODUCTIONS

Committee Member Pederson reviewed the organizational structure of the Committee and asked each Committee member to introduce themselves, why they applied for the Committee, describe the challenges and concerns they have, and what they would like to see the Committee accomplish. Each Committee Member made a brief introduction:

      1. Harald Eriksen, 13740 Hanover Way

      2. Craig Jenson, 15669 Finewood Court

      3. Richard Asleson, 14438 Pennock Avenue

      4. Linda Dolan, 14282 Fresno Avenue

      5. Neal Heuer, Public Works Director

      6. Merle Lohse, Police Department Captain

      7. Andy Pederson, Administrative Assistant to the City Administrator

4. COMMITTEE ROLES, DUTIES, AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Committee Member Pederson reviewed the Committee's roles, duties, and responsibilities, as outlined in Resolution 2000-324. These responsibilities include the Traffic Safety Advisory Committee to:
      1. Serve as a forum of consideration for citizen concerns regarding traffic.
      2. Serve as a forum of consideration for citizen concerns regarding parking on City streets.
      3. Serve as a forum to investigate and develop citywide traffic education and communication programs.
      4. Serve as a forum of consideration for pedestrian traffic safety issues.
      5. Serve as a forum of consideration for bicycle traffic safety issues.
      6. Serve as a forum to evaluate proposals for traffic control devices, signage, and striping.

      7. Serve to perform any other traffic safety related tasks as may be assigned to it by the City Council.

Pending and Projected Issues

Committee Member Heuer reviewed pending and projected issues throughout the City that the Traffic Safety Advisory Committee would possibly be discussing in the future, including:

      1. Fleetwood Avenue - Flagstaff Avenue intersection;

      2. Findlay Way - Firelight Way intersection;

      3. Johnny Cake Ridge Road - 142nd Street intersection;

      4. Diamond Path Road between Pilot Knob Road and County Road 38;

      5. Johnny Cake Ridge Road at the School of Environmental Studies entrance;

      6. 140th Street Corridor Study;

      7. Pilot Knob Road between 140th Street and County Road 38;

      8. Baldwin Drive, adjacent to Valley Middle School.

5. GARDEN VIEW DRIVE AD HOC ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON TRAFFIC UPDATE

Committee Member Pederson provided the Committee with an overview of Garden View Drive Committee process, providing the history of the issue, the Committee formation, process, and final recommendation, as well as the City Council's decisions on the phased implementation approach.

Committee Member Pederson also reviewed some of the residual issues that have been forwarded to the Traffic Safety Advisory Committee, including:

      1. Developing safety education programs,

      2. Examining potential traffic calming measures on streets the Garden View Drive Committee identified as potentially impacted streets, such as Harwell Avenue,

      3. Researching and developing a long range funding mechanism for future traffic issues and expenditures, and

      4. Studying the City's sidewalk policy, especially in lieu of ISD #196 current budgetary discussions regarding the distance children are walking to school.

6. COMMITTEE PROCESS

Committee Member Pederson reviewed a draft process of how issues would come before and be dealt with by the Committee. Committee Member Pederson stated that the City's consultant traffic engineer Mr. Van Wormer is developing a series of programs to help educate the Committee on various traffic related subjects.

Committee Member Lohse distributed and reviewed the Apple Valley Police Department's Traffic Complaint Policy.

The Committee discussed potential process scenarios and requested the flow chart be distributed at its next meeting.

7. MINNESOTA OPEN MEETING LAW INFORMATION

Committee Member Pederson informed the Committee that as a subcommittee of the City Council they are subject to the Minnesota Open Meeting Law and then recapped the handout as outlined by the League of Minnesota Cities information bulletin.

8. COMMITTEE ORGANIZATION AND STRUCTURE

Election of Officers.

Committee Member Pederson reviewed the Committee organization and structure information set forth in Resolution 2000-324 establishing the Traffic Safety Advisory Committee. Committee Member Pederson presented process options for selecting a Chair and Vice Chair.

Committee Member Pederson asked for nominations for Chair. Committee Member Asleson nominated Linda Dolan. Hearing no others, Committee Member Pederson asked for nominations for Vice Chair. Committee Member Asleson nominated Harald Eriksen. Hearing no others, nominations were closed.

MOTION: of Asleson, seconded by Jenson, appointing Linda Dolan Chair of the Traffic Safety Advisory Committee for 2001. Motion passed unanimously.

MOTION: of Asleson, seconded by Dolan, appointing Harald Eriksen Vice Chair of the Traffic Safety Advisory Committee for 2001. Motion passed unanimously.

Set regular meeting schedule

Committee Member Pederson reviewed a tentative meeting schedule for the remainder of 2001.

MOTION: of Asleson, seconded by Dolan, setting the second Wednesday of each month as the Committee's regular meeting schedule. The Committee established April 11, May 9, June 13, July 11, August 8, September 12, October 10, November 14, and December 12, as its regularly scheduled meeting dates in 2001. Vote was taken on the motion. Motion passed unanimously.

Other

The Committee discussed establishing a maximum time limit of three hours for its meetings.

MOTION: of Asleson, seconded by Dolan, establishing a maximum meeting time limit of three hours. Vote was taken on the motion. Motion passed unanimously.

9. OTHER

10. ADJOURN

MOTION: of Asleson, seconded by Jensen, to adjourn the meeting. Motion passed unanimously.

Meeting adjourned at 10:05 p.m.