PSC 11-13-03 CiTY
CUPEI TINO
MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMISSION
NOVEMBER 13, 2003
1. CALL TO ORDER
At 7:01 P.M., Commissioner Dor called the meeting to order.
2. SALUTE TO THE FLAG
3. ROLL CALL
Commissioners:
Staff:
Absent:
Guest:
Philippe Dot, Nolan Chen, Hugh Riddell, and Barry Chang
Glenn Goepfert, Assistant Director of Public Works
Ben Lopes, Chief, Santa Clara County Fire Department
Vicki Guapo, Senior Traffic Technician
Emma Darknell (called in)
Utsav Sohoni and Alex Cohn
4. MINUTES - Commissioner Riddell made a motion to approve the minutes from the October 9, 2003,
regular meeting. The motion was seconded by Commissioner Chen and passed unanimously.
5. ORAL COMMUNICATIONS-None
o
WRITTEN COMMUNICATIONS - The draft of the General Plan in connection with the Health & Safety
section (Chapter 6 & 7) including the previous recommended comments, changes, or enhancement for
earthquakes, fire hazard, emergency training, and Stevens Creek dam evacuation plan.
7. REPORTS
A. Santa Clara County Fire District - Chief Lopes distributes the September 2003 activity report, which
indicated no major incidents causing a large fire loss or death.
Another item of interest is the response to the fires in Southern California during October 2003. The
District first received word of the fires on the 17"" which was a Friday. The first of several strike teams
(approximately 22 people 5 engines, I Chief Officer, and 1 Suburban) was deployed. Once there, the
fire fighters were assigned without any rest. Within the first 36 to 48 hours, fire fighters experienced
high temperatures, strong wind, and chaotic efforts. Initially, the effort were not well coordinated
because of the magnitude of the fires and Mutual Aid Systems became overwhelmed with orders for
base camp help. In total there were eight fires.
With respect to fire fighters, they were on a seven-day shift as opposed to a typical four-day shift before
relived. In addition, approximately 17 engines, other support vehicles, and 90 people from Santa Clara
County. And, from Northern California approximate 400 to 450 engines were deployed.
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B. Santa Clara County Sheriff No oral report. Written October 2003 Law Enforcement reports were
presented to the Commission.
OLD BUSINESS
A. School Traffic Project - Assistant Director Gocpfcrt informs commission that hc has bccn trading
communication with the Fremont Union School District and that a letter was forwarded to the Board of
Trustees. Trustee Nunes, suggested to contact the Superintendents Office and at that level discuss the
Public Safety Commissions concerns and proposal. Superintendent Fox and Longinetti recommended
that discussion should first be at staff level. Assistant Superintendent Longinetti, gave a brief history of
that fire lane and how it circulated arouud the site and most recently been cut-off by the new gym. It was
recommended to coutact Principal Powell to meet and review the site. Next action, Assistant Director
Goepfert will communicate with Principal Powell.
History of Request
Recommend using an adjacent roadway between Monta Vista High School and Lincoln Elementary
School to tree some cougestion on McClellan Road. The school districts would need to agree to
provide access (open gate) and roadway use during certain hours of a school day. And gain support
of the school districts, perhaps the roadway section could be extended to Fort Baker.
9. NEW BUSINESS - Teen Commissioners Sohoni and Cohn attended the Public Safety Commission
meeting and presented their concerns for pedestrians interacting with vehicles at the intersection of Orange
Avenue and McClellan Road. The Teen Colnmissioners presented a video, which they filmed, of the
intersection displaying AM activities of crossing patterns inside and outside the existing marked crosswalk.
The delay operation of the in-pavement lighting system was also noted. Discussion by Commissioners and
Staff.
Proposal
Remove the delay time from the controller for the in-pavement lighting system.
Install Crossing Soldier (impact recovery system).
Install a shoulder stripe on Orange Avenue.
Install pedestrian barricades with "no pedestrian crossing" signing.
Other improvements and long term proposal
· Propose a marked crosswalk on the west side of McClellan Road at Orange Avenue.
· Relocate the mid-block crosswalk at Lincoln Ele~nentary to hnperial Avenue.
· Recommend a crossing guard for a High School.
10. OTHER
A. None.
11. ADJOURNMENT
The meeting was adjourned at 8:19 P.M.
Vicki Guapo, Rec-"~di~ecretary
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Audio & Visnal: Aerial of Ihe Monta Vista Area and VI IS video prcsented by Teen Commissioners of the xing at Orange Ave. &McClellan Rd.