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TRAFFIC COMMISSION October 11, 2012 STAFF REPORT REQUEST: Add left turn lanes at 30th Street and Harney Street LOCATION: 30th Street and Harney Street APPLICANT(S)/AGENT: City of Laramie OWNER: ROW (City of Laramie) PURPOSE: Add left turn lanes at 30th Street and Harney Street PREPARED BY: Eric Jaap, Civil Engineer RECOMMENDED MOTION: Move to approve placement of left turn lanes at the intersection of 30th Street and Harney Street. BACKGROUND: The City is currently in the process of replacing the traffic lights at 30th Street and Harney Street. Due to the expected growth in the area it was determined that during the replacement of the traffic lights the City should add left turn lanes for the anticipated traffic increase. ADDITIONAL ANALYSIS: City staff has designed the left turn lanes and the striping to conform with the 2004 Edition of the Geometric Design of Highways and Streets, MUTCD and the 2012 Edition of a Guide for the Development of Bicycle Facilities within the constraints of the streets. All travel lanes and turn lanes will be eleven feet in width. The parking lanes all exceed the minimum requirements of seven feet. Bike lanes have been included in the striping and in most locations, exceed the minimum width required by AASHTO. Some parking has been removed near the intersection but has been minimized to not effect residents or businesses in the area. Due to the size of the design it has not been included in your packet but a map will be available in the Engineering Office at 405 Grand Avenue or you may call and ask any questions at 721-5345. PUBLIC COMMENTS: Staff received one public comment on this item. The public comment has been attached to the staff report. STAFF RECOMMENDATION: City of Laramie Community Development Department P.O. Box C Laramie, WY 82073 Planning: (307) 721-5207 Code Administration: (307) 721-5271 Fax: (307)721-5248 Engineering: (307) 721-5250 Fax: (307) 721-5216 TTD: (307) 721-5207 ---PAGE BREAK--- October 11, 2012 Traffic Commission – Staff Report Page 2 It is the recommendation of staff to approve placement of left hand turn lanes at the intersection of 30th Street and Harney Street. ATTACHMENTS: - Email from O’Dell Enterprises - Letter from O’Dell Enterprises - Memo from Randy Hunt ---PAGE BREAK--- 1 Eric Jaap From: Odell Enterprises [[EMAIL REDACTED]] Sent: Wednesday, October 03, 2012 5:20 PM To: Eric Jaap Cc: [EMAIL REDACTED]; [EMAIL REDACTED] Subject: Object to proposal Attachments: City of Laramieo on street parking.doc Eric Jaap, Please forward this letter to the Traffic Commission meeting at 7:00 am on October 11th, 2012. The trust will probably be retaining counsel if the proposal progress dispite the trust's objections. Celie J. Russell Trustee for Earl Douglas O'Dell Trust ---PAGE BREAK--- Celie Russell Broker – Manager of O’Dell Enterprises 263 North 3rd Street Laramie, Wyoming 82072 Tel. [PHONE REDACTED]; fax [PHONE REDACTED] City of Laramie Community Development Department Eric Jaap, Civil Engineer P.O. Box C Laramie, WY 82073 October 3, 2012 Dear Mr. Jaap, This letter is in regards to the City of Laramie’s proposal to remove on-street parking at the intersection of 30th and Harney to accommodate the left hand turn lanes adjacent to the property owned by Earl Douglas O’Dell Trust. As trustee, I have a real concern as to the future negative impact it will have on the value and sell-ability of the land owned by the trust, regardless of current or future zoning. On behalf of the trust, I must oppose the City’s proposal. Currently, the code requires that the distance from an intersection to a driveway or ingress is 75 feet. With the anticipated increase of traffic at 30th and Harney, the proposal will limit the number of access ingresses from either Harney or 30th Street. If this land stays zoned residential, it will be necessary for the trust’s developer to make side street access, like Coaches Row on Reynolds Street, taking away land that should be used to build a residence and therefore, will decrease the overall profitability of the development. If the zoning is ever changed to business or commercial use, the lack of available on-street parking will again negatively affect the value and marketability of the land. The trust would consider withdrawing the objection under these conditions: 1. The City allows the trust to develop under current codes, or under more lenient codes, if applicable. 2. The City compensates the trust for the loss of parking or otherwise accommodates the development’s need for parking. As a trustee to the trust, I have a fiduciary duty to preserve the assets of the trust. In closing, therefore, the trust strongly opposes the City’s proposal as it will negatively impact the current value, and future use, value and possible sale of the property. Sincerely, Celie J. Russell Earl Douglas O’Dell Trustee Xc: Mason Skiles, Attorney for the Trust Jennifer P. Hanft, Attorney for O’Dell Enterprises ---PAGE BREAK--- MEMORANDUM Date: October 11, 2012 To: City of Laramie Traffic Commission From: Randy Hunt, AICP, Community Development Director Subject: O’Dell Enterprises letter opposing parking removal at Harney and 30th Sts. intersection Traffic Commission will note a letter provided with this agenda item that expresses an adjacent property-owner representative’s opposition to removal of on-street parking at 30th and Harney Sts. Community Development staff members have discussed this issue with the representative for several months. We have determined that her concerns are not germane to the Traffic Commission’s consideration of this agenda item. If and when the subject property develops, the Unified Development Code and related regulations contain the applicable standards. No property owner has a vested right in retaining on-street parking. The City does try to accommodate adjacent owner’s wishes in reconfiguring parking vs. traffic lanes, in cases where an identified parking shortage may exist for a previously developed property. This is a vacant property with no vested specific development right; any decision to preserve parking for a non-existent use would be entirely speculative. The Trust’s conditions for withdrawing opposition are: not germane to the Traffic Commission’s review; not within the Traffic Commission’s authority, even if germane; and illegal for the City to grant under Wyoming state law. Community Development staff continues to recommend that the parking proposal for Harney and 30th Sts. be approved. Notwithstanding the preceding comments, there are certainly legitimate and beneficial uses for the O’Dell property, and City staff will be glad to work with the owners’ representatives to achieve a development that benefits the owner while protecting the community’s interests. City of Laramie Community Development Department P.O. Box C Laramie, WY 82073 Planning: (307) 721-5207 Code Administration: (307) 721-5271 Fax: (307) 721-5248 Engineering: (307) 721-5250 Fax: (307) 721-5216 TTD: (307) 721-5207