Session 06-01 a meeting of the Homer Road Standards Committee was called to order by Chair Marquardt at 6:06 p.m. on February 7, 2006 at the Homer City Hall Conference Room located at 491 E. Pioneer Avenue, Homer, Alaska.

COMMITTEE MEMBERS: Kurt Marquardt, Michael Yourkowski, Steve Smith, Fred Pfeil

STAFF: Deputy City Clerk Johnson

City Planner McKibben

AGENDA APPROVAL

SMITH/PFEIL – MOVED TO APPROVE THE AGENDA.

VOTE: YES. NON OBJECTION. UNANIMOUS CONSENT.

Motion carried.

SYNOPSIS APPROVAL

A. July 26, 2005 Synopsis

SMITH/YOURKOWSKI – MOVED TO APPROVE THE SYNOPSIS OF JULY 26, 2005.

VOTE: YES. NON OBJECTION. UNANIMOUS CONSENT.

Motion carried.

PENDING BUSINESS

None.

NEW BUSINESS

A. Homer Boulevards

Chair Marquardt noted the laydown information – Resolution 05-95(A) directing the Road Standards Committee to finalize the Homer Boulevards document.

Committee Member Steve Smith said after reading the Homer Boulevards document he supports the concept of boulevards. The standards in the document are cookie cutter and they may not be easily applicable in Homer’s side hill community and severe climate. He expressed concern with the defined existing boulevards, as the way they are zoned and currently developed the standards may not apply. The parcel development criteria of setbacks, front and side yards on corner lots, and structures on corner lots within 20% of established boulevards may pose problems. The existing roads have different right of ways and circumstances and applying cookie cutter fencing, landscape and setback requirements after the fact may be problematic. Mr. Smith believes the boulevards document is a great idea, yet a lot will not apply to Homer. He said back in the 1980’s the RSC adopted the Standard Construction Specifications for Public Works projects. It was a beautiful cookie cutter set of specifications, but the intersections required a percentage of grade that doesn’t work in Homer’s side hill community. He said it would be difficult to apply the standards to the existing defined boulevards, although it was a wonderful approach for Town Center.

City Planner Beth McKibben joined the meeting. She told the Committee when the Planning Commission adopted the Community Design Manual it was based on the design manual from Gig Harbor, Washington. Boulevards were another chapter of their design manual.

Ms. McKibben asked if the Committee would have a new City Council representative, as Mr. Yourkowski’s council term expired last year. Chair Marquardt said he would meet with Mayor Hornaday to ask for a City Council member.

City Planner McKibben said Bill Smith prepared the boulevards document and to date no committees have put any time in the document. The document was, however, handed out during the public process for Town Center.

Chair Marquardt agrees with the Boulevards document and likes the concept, although he realizes the standards may not apply to all the streets identified. He doesn’t see setbacks as a problem, except on Bunnell Avenue that is well developed with buildings within the 20 ft. setback already. City Planner McKibben explained the setback requirements are to keep buildings in a similar line so they do not deviate from the streets.

Committee Member Fred Pfeil said he was happy with the landscaping, design for lower speeds, the emphasis on pedestrian crossings and narrowing neck-downs on the streets.

City Planner McKibben pointed out a vegetated median makes snow removal difficult, but not impossible. It is a better alternative than creating bypasses where people will drive around the town, allowing it to die. Chair Marquardt remarked the Sterling Highway has gone from a bypass to an intricate part of the community. With further developments it will become more dense with more traffic and a means to slow the traffic down is needed. Mr. Smith commented that the boulevard will have smaller lanes with a vegetation strip. Commercial trucking traffic will be using the boulevard. Chair Marquardt questioned who they were trying to please, a handful of industrialists or the local population? The boulevard would provide for pedestrians and allow trucks to traverse with slower speeds.

Committee Member Mike Yourkowski said if the Scenic Gateway area is included in the boulevards it will mitigate the commercial aspects.

Main Street was discussed and its lack of sidewalks. Chair Marquardt suggested that the Committee consider from Bunnell Avenue to Pioneer Avenue as a distinct portion of the street. With Fred Meyer proposing a road on Main Street sidewalks will be needed. Mr. Smith said the existing shoulder to shoulder will be utilized with the crown being moved four feet. A 10 ft. lane on one side and 15 ft. on the other side, with a one ft. wide white strip to separate a walking path is in the design.

The Committee discussed planted median strips and narrowing travel lanes to provide for on-street parking. It was noted that theme districts are a carry over from the Gig Harbor plan. There was some talk of themes in the Comprehensive Plan, but it was unwanted in Town Center. Homer does not have a theme, but instead has unique and individual buildings.

Mr. Smith said careful consideration needs to be given to each boulevard individually. Boulevards make sense in Town Center as it is an undeveloped flat and gently sloping area. With the standards applying to future Homer boulevards there is a chance to turn it into a beautiful boulevard. Mr. Smith said it would be problematic to apply the standards to existing streets with setbacks and established buildings. Mr. Pfeil agreed each road needs to be looked at individually, as there are different zones and different right of ways.

City Planner McKibben suggested the Committee identify the intent and purpose of what they were trying to accomplish so the State can incorporate it into their design. The guidelines are not meant to be prescriptive.

MARQUARDT/PFEIL – MOVED TO ADD HEATH STREET AND MAIN STREET AS BOULEVARDS.

Main Street connects Old Town to Pioneer Avenue business and residential districts and Heath Street connects to the Sterling Highway. The State has said they will rebuild a road to standards, but there is no standard. It is important Main Street be added so sidewalks will be added when the road is rebuilt. The Committee discussed adding Lake Street as a boulevard and decided it did not belong on the list, as accommodations are needed for commercial traffic in the city.

VOTE: YES. NON OBJECTION. UNANIOUS CONSENT.

Motion carried.

The Committee discussed Lake Street and the commercial traffic needs and reaffirmed to exclude it from the boulevards. Mike Yourkowski suggested reviewing the Community Design Manual to find guidelines that are practical. Discussion on balancing vehicular needs and pedestrian needs ensued. The Committee determined any reconstruction on existing roads should to the greatest extent possible incorporate boulevard standards.

In the Homer Boulevards document the Committee recommended to add language to the Defined Boulevards: The following roads are defined as Homer Boulevards within the City of Homer: Reconstruction of these roads will incorporate these boulevard standards where practicable.

SMITH/PFEIL – MOVED TO ADD: RECONSTRUCTION OF THESE ROADS WILL INCORPORATE THESE BOULEVARD STANDARDS WHERE PRACTICABLE.

VOTE: YES. NON OBJECTION. UNANIMOUS CONSENT.

Motion carried.

YOURKOWSKI/PFEIL – MOVED TO AMEND THE SECOND SENTENCE OF THE FIRST PARAGRAPH TO ADD: AND BALANCING PEDESTRIAN NEEDS AND SAFETY WITH VEHICULAR TRAFFIC AND LANDSCAPING.

There was no further discussion.

VOTE: YES. NON OBJECTION. UNANIMOUS CONSENT.

Motion carried.

SMTIH/PFEIL – MOVED TO ADD: THIS DOCUMENT IS INTENDED TO PROVIDE A FLEXIBLE SET OF GUIDELINES FOR DESIGN.

There was no further discussion.

VOTE: YES. NON OBJECTION. UNANIMOUS CONSENT.

Motion carried.

INFORMATIONAL MATERIALS

PUBLIC COMMENTS

Steve Smith said he wished Public Works Director Meyer had attended the meeting. He said by default the Road Standards Committee deals with design criteria and planning ordinances. He believes it would be beneficial to have a committee to review construction projects that go through Public Works, as some things from Public Works can stand review. The Road Standards Committee may not be the one to undertake the task, but a separate group could review plans and specs. It would help to have some outside input from the community with a background in construction. They may be able to raise some flags if a sewer line were to be placed 24 ft. deep in the middle of a right of way. He asked if it would be easier for Public Works Director Meyer to get input from a committee that recommended a shallower design with a series of lift stations or end up with a sewer line 24 ft. deep. Mr. Smith said he believes it would be beneficial and would like to know Mr. Meyer’s thoughts on it. He said he would talk to Mr. Meyer to see what he thinks about it and if the Road Standards Committee would be the Committee to review plans or a separate group of people. He said it is worth considering that there needs to be a secondary oversight of construction design projects that come through the Public Works Department.

Chair Marquardt said he would leave the next meeting open and if any committee members wished to have a meeting to contact him. He said the Committee should think of issues the Road Standards Committee could deal with. He asked the Committee members to keep an open ear to the public.

Steve Smith said he had not realized a stop light’s transition from green to red could be timed so quickly. He said the new traffic light works extremely well. He was concerned traffic would back up in the summer, but with the quick timing it will not.

Mike Yourkowski said it was too early to tell (about the traffic light’s impact on summer traffic).

ADJOURNMENT

There being no further business to come before the Committee, the meeting adjourned at 7:53 p.m.

_____________________________

JO JOHNSON, DEPUTY CITY CLERK

Approved: ____________________