Eric Lamb

Law & Public Safety Committee Meeting (6/25/2013)

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Excerpts from the meeting appear below –

The Law and Public Safety Committee of the City of Raleigh met on Tuesday, June 25, 2013 p.m. in the Room 303, Raleigh Municipal Building, 222 West Hargett Street, Avery C. Upchurch Government Complex, Raleigh, North Carolina, with the following present: 

            Committee                                                                Staff

Mary Ann Baldwin, Presiding                  Assistant City Manager Howe

Mr. Randy Stagner                                     City Attorney McCormick

Mr. John Odom                                           Captain Jones (RPD)

                                                                       Transportation Planning Manager Lamb

                                                                       Gordon Dash, Transportation

                                                                       Sherry Bellville, Transportation

Chairperson Baldwin called the meeting to order at 3:00 p.m. and the following item(s) were discussed with action taken as shown.

. . . . . .

11-26 – Traffic Calming Major Projects Process – Chairperson Baldwin stated this item is a continued discussion regarding the traffic calming project development and improved public participation process. She pointed out this was discussed extensively before.

Transportation Planning Manager Lamb stated Staff has had discussion on process and structure and basically the feedback Staff received at the previous meeting. He gave a brief summary of the discussion that was held at the March 26, 2013 Law and Public Safety Committee meeting. He stated they talked about how to educate the public on what the opportunities are or are not making sure as they enter into an official process how they could make sure people understand what they are petitioning for…. Continue reading →

“[The Petition] Process Should Not Pit Neighbors Against Neighbors” (Mary-Ann Baldwin, 2013)

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Excerpts from the Law and Public Safety Commission Meeting Minutes, March 26, 2013 (emphasis added) –

.  .  .  .  .  .

Resident Comment: “I think before any…projects are to be planned and implemented by the City, the city should send out a formal letter to all affected residents informing them of the projects. A community organizer going house to house getting signatures does not cut it from my perspective.”

.  .  .  .  .  .

LAW AND PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE (“…Major Projects Process”)

The Law and Public Safety Committee of the City of Raleigh met on Tuesday, March 26, 2013 at 3:00 p.m. in the Room 303, Raleigh Municipal Building, 222 West Hargett Street, Avery C. Upchurch Government Complex, Raleigh, North Carolina, with the following present:

Committee
Mary-Ann Baldwin, Presiding
Mr. Randall Stagner
Mr. John Odom

Staff
Assistant City Manager Howe
Assistant Deputy City Attorney Leapley
Public Works Director Dawson
Transportation Planning Manager Lamb
Transportation Manager Kennon

.  .  .  .  .  .

The Committee’s agenda included addressing the “…major projects process” –

Mr. Lamb suggested holding a pre-project meeting that would include project development participation.  He stated he feels a need to hold smaller meetings on a location by location basis and hold them onsite and see if there is something more powerful that the neighborhood is proposing.   He stated it is more important to dedicate a Staff person for the major projects.  They are looking at a Transportation Planning position that would be available to do project management for these type projects.  He briefly explained neighborhood streetscape projects.   They would create the dedicated Staff person that would be assigned to the streetscape and traffic calming projects. Tom Fiorello’s division would handle the minor projects.  They would like to educate as much as possible.  He stated moving the post preliminary process from the back end to the front end would be good. It is the neighborhood’s responsibility to circulate petitions.  They hope the above shown brochure would make people aware of official process and what it is they would be signing up for.  By educating on the front end people will understand what is being advertised. In sidewalk projects the use of direct mail has allowed the public to respond.  One suggestion is to use yard signs the same way they advertise for zoning cases.  He stated the larger the community is a great part of the problem.  He stated this would encourage too much participation from the outside.

After Mr. Lamb’s presentation the group had extensive discussion on ways to improve the traffic calming process. Continue reading →

N&O Article – Traffic Calming Petition Process

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News & Observer — MIDTOWN RALEIGH NEWS, JUNE 29, 2013

Raleigh looks to tweak traffic calming process, By Colin Campbell

After residents of North Raleigh’s Rainwater Road nixed a traffic-calming project many of them had petitioned for, the city’s transportation planners are trying to avoid buyers’ remorse on the costly street overhauls.

Back in February, bitter neighborhood divisions over the Rainwater Road changes prompted the city officials to review how the process works. After a petition got support from 75 percent of property owners, engineers proposed $125,000 in curb extensions, mini roundabouts and other efforts to slow traffic on the residential street.

But many who had signed the original petition didn’t like what they saw in the plans. They said the changes would limit on-street parking, create less space for emergency vehicles and possibly even cause accidents. In a compromise move, the city council downsized the project to a series of new stop signs.

Continue reading →