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ENFIELD TOWN COUNCIL
MINUTES OF A SPECIAL MEETING
MARCH 9, 2000
A Special Meeting of the Enfield Town Council was held on Thursday, March 9, 2000, in the Enfield Town Council Chambers, 820 Enfield Street, Enfield, Connecticut. Mayor Strom called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m.
ENFIELD TOWN COUNCIL MEMBERS PRESENT: Mary Lou Strom, Mayor
Peter J. Falk, Deputy Mayor
Alice Egan
Lewis S. Fiore
Scott Kaupin
Cynthia Mangini
William McGuire
William Vayda
ENFIELD PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION MEMBERS PRESENT: Francis Costanzo, Chairman
Elizabeth Ballard
Frank Dentamaro
Charles Duren
James Howard
Nicles Lefakis
Anthony Crane, Alternate
ALSO PRESENT:
Scott Shanley, Town Manager Deputy Chief of Police, Raymond Bouchard
Jose Giner, Director of Planning Grant/Transportation Liaison, Ruth Wadman
Jeffrey S. Bord, Town Engineer
John Kazmarski, Director of Public Works
JOINT MEETING WITH PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION MEMBERS TO DISCUSS TRAFFIC CALMING
Town Manager Scott Shanley reported the Town Council requested over two years ago that staff begin the process of looking at various traffic calming options specifically related to St. James Avenue at that time. With publicity on this issue, Mr. Shanley noted it became evident that the Town needed a policy to define where, when and how traffic calming measures are instituted. A staff committee consisting of representatives from Public Works, the Fire Department, the Police Department, the town's internal risk management staff, the town's liability insurer, the School Department and the Planning Department worked to compose a draft policy document regarding traffic calming. The draft document is entitled a "Neighborhood Traffic Management Program." The purpose of this document is to have a policy approved by the Town Council and the Planning and Zoning Commission as to when and where the town institutes traffic calming.
Jack Kazmarski, Director of Public Works, made a presentation regarding the process followed to arrive at the draft document and outlined some of the key points of the draft proposal. Mr. Kazmarski recognized Ray Bouchard from the Enfield Police Department, Ms. Smyth from the Smyth Bus Company, Ruth Wadman from the Enfield Public Schools, Paul Censki, Fire Marshall, Jim Kuhn from Ahrens-Fuller, St. John & Vincent, Kim Marcotte, Deputy Finance Director, Jose Giner, Director of Planning, and Jeff Bord, Town Engineer, for their efforts regarding this draft report.
Mr. Kazmarski stated the report contains descriptions of traffic calming measures that would be adaptable to various areas of the Town along with goals and objectives and recommended policies. The report also contains a step-by-step procedure to be followed for those residents interested in traffic calming measures in their neighborhood. Mr. Kazmarski discussed traffic calming measures which have been instituted in the towns of Bloomfield, Manchester and Mansfield.
Mr. Kazmarski reported Planning and Zoning members are present because when any of the proposed measures are implemented, there may be violations of the present town road standards of the Enfield Zoning Ordinance. Such measures may require a waiver on a case-by-case basis or an overall adoption of those techniques favored. Mr. Kazmarski was advised by the Town Attorney that to implement any of these traffic calming measures without the Town changing its roadway standards could open the Town to liability in the future.
Mr. Kazmarski presented a map showing the roadways targeted for traffic calming and distributed a revised Appendix to the draft report showing those roadways in the Town not candidates for traffic calming. The Town has made arrangements with the Capitol Region Council of Governments to acquire on a loan basis several additional traffic counters to provide up-to-date traffic volumes throughout the town.
Mayor Strom opened the meeting to those present for questions or comments.
Councilman Kaupin had questions and concerns regarding collector roads, roads which come from another community or have traffic volumes exceeding 4,000 vehicles per day.
Councilman Fiore thanked the Committee for the draft document. He asked that the Committee consider not only the strategy the Town wants to use for residential areas but also for collector and industrial roads. Mr. Fiore noted the many suggestions for traffic calming included in the draft report and asked for more specific Committee guidance as to which of those measures are best suited to be implemented in the Town of Enfield. Mr. Kazmarski and Mr. Bord recommended leaving all options in the report and using the best option for the particular street or area identified for traffic calming.
Mr. Kazmarski discussed the procedure recommended to institute traffic calming in a particular neighborhood. The process would begin by having those residents who want traffic calming in their neighborhood submit a petition signed by more than fifty percent of the neighborhood's residents. Mr. Kazmarski discussed the impediments to some traffic calming measures and the test periods that may be instituted prior to any permanent solution.
Councilman Fiore asked about the collector roads identified in the draft report as not being roadways to be considered for traffic calming and noted that most of the complaints received are from residents living on the collector roads. Town Manager Shanley suggested the answer for those roads is more police enforcement and the budget that the Council will be reviewing in April will include a tool for the Police Department to aid the town in speed management. Mr. Shanley and Mr. Giner discussed possible scenarios if traffic calming is instituted on collector roads and noted some of the Town roads were not originally designed to be collector roads.
Planning and Zoning Chairman Francis Costanzo thanked the staff for the report but stated he has a problem with the principal of traffic calming. He detailed his concerns which included reducing traffic in one area would lead to increased traffic in other areas. He made suggestions that could be made to developers to avoid future traffic problems and noted his opposition to restrictive traffic calming measures. Chairman Costanzo suggested the Police Department, the professionals in traffic control, implement those traffic calming measures that are deemed necessary.
Planning and Zoning Commissioner Crane saw a need to be cautious as to where traffic is routed and also noted many of the traffic calming measures are not motorcycle friendly. He discussed particular traffic patterns and further suggested that some of the convenience cut-through areas be made less convenient.
Councilwoman Mangini suggested once the areas of town that need to be addressed for traffic calming are identified that the town hold a public meeting in those distinct areas to obtain neighborhood input.
Councilman Falk discussed the purpose of traffic calming and asked for specific thoughts on this subject from the Committee. He also suggested that other roads, possibly the blue roads identified on the map, could be opened up to allow people to get where they want to go faster and easier. Councilman Falk also would like to see a matrix for each road that included what traffic calming measures could be implemented on each road.
Town Engineer Jeff Bord discussed the needs of emergency vehicles which at times may conflict with traffic calming measures.
Town Manager Shanley recommended the Town Council and the Planning and Zoning Commission form a subcommittee consisting of a few members from each body to work with the staff in order to give some direction as to the kinds of policies and recommendations desired. Mr. Shanley also noted the need to respond to the concerns of the neighborhoods and not dictate town-wide traffic calming measures.
Planning and Zoning member Frank Dentamaro expressed concerns about the major town roads and how traffic can be calmed in those areas. He would be interested in seeing the responses from people who want traffic calming measures instituted on their street. He did not favor traffic from the major roads being rerouted to the side streets and noted the purpose of traffic calming is to slow down traffic to keep neighborhoods safe.
Councilman McGuire saw a need to identify the roads where traffic calming should be instituted and prioritize them. Mr. Kazmarski stated if the Council adopts the draft procedure, the neighborhood would have to activate the project by requesting a traffic management study. Councilman McGuire would like the options for traffic calming on particular roads in place prior to receiving community concerns.
Planning and Zoning Commissioner James Howard did not favor changing the town's regulations and recommended that traffic concerns from residents be considered on a case-by-case basis with options for residents only those included in the final adopted policy.
Mayor Strom requested that a subcommittee consisting of Town Council members and Planning and Zoning members be formed to review the draft and make further recommendations. Mr. Kazmarski also welcomed any additional input from both the Town Council and the Planning and Zoning Commission.
ADJOURNMENT
Councilman Falk made a motion, seconded by Councilwoman Mangini, to adjourn. Following a unanimous vote, the meeting adjourned at 8:25 p.m.
Suzanne Olechnicki, Town Clerk
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