Police Advisory Commission Agenda 02-17-1999
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AGENDA
REGlTTAR MEETING - MONTICELLO POLIO; COMMISSION
WCdllcsdllY, Fchruary 17, 1999-7 p.m.
\1ember", T.iz De,Ma,ois, David Gerads, Rrian Slllmp[ Brad Fylc, Llick Slai,
1. Call to order.
2. COllsiclcrationofclcctionofofficcrsandcommitteeappointmenls
3. COllsiclcration ofa rcqucst to conduct a speed limit study on F.astCOtL ntyRoad}9
(KivcrvicwDrivc).
4. Status update from Sheriffs Department on huurs olwnlraclcol'cragc.
5. Adjournment.
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PoliccCommlssionAgenda-2./17i99
2.
Consideration ofclcction of officers and Committee app"intments. (R.If/,)
A. RHEIlliNCF /\)\0 BACKGKOU'\O
Currently the Police Advisory Commission ~on8ists off()urmcmber~ at large appointed
to staggered tl1Tce-ycar tem\s, and one COllncil m~mhcl' whos~ term C(}lT~sponds Vdtl1
[heir ckcted oilicc. Commission m~mbcr Dave Geraci's term expires December 31,
2000, and the Cily Council recently ilppnwcd adding: Mr. Dick Slais. who lives at
102 Hillcre,t Road, to th~ Police Advi~n1J' COImnissinn to the same term expiring
December 31, 2000. Other members include CouncilmcmbeT Brian Stump]: who,e lerm
would expi"o December 31,2002; I "~I/o DesMarais, expiration <late December 31, 1999;
andllradFyle,Dccember3L200L
A current ordinance cre~ting the Pollee Advisory Commissioll also indicates that a
Chairman, Vice Chairman, and Sccrelary shall be elected fl'Olll its members. Current
officers include Chairman L,Z OesYlarais, Vice Chairman Brian Stumpf; and myself as
Seeretary_ Any or all oflhese position;: should be revic'wed by the group I()ranyehanges
that are neces~ary,
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r()ljc~ Commission Agenda - 2/17/99
3.
Cl)nsiduation of a reauest to conduct a sneed limit stud\' On East County Road :19
(RivcnicwDrivel. (R.W.)
A.. RHERL.\'CL AND BACK(JROUND:
A few months ago, Me. and Mr~_ Donald Meyer ,,1-680 Rivervi~w Dnve requested that
the City Coune,] mveslig'lle the pll~sjbilily of "lowering the sp~ed limit along Riverview
Drive from 45 mph [0 40 mph Irom County RO;ld 75 to Gillard Avenue. The request was
reviewed by the CounciL who IOr\vanJed the COIlCern to the Police Commission for
revic\\'anclrccommemlalion.
It wa~ notcd by (he Ol) Councilthal the wad m question (East County Road 39) is a
County Road, ilOU the proper procedure would be fol' the City Council to pass a motion or
re~()]lLlioll requesting that \Vright County request that M.'JiDOT do a speed limit study for
this area. Even though the road is within the city limits of \lolltieelJo, speed limit
delenninali(11lS are usually established based on a speed limit study that has to be
eondueledhylVfNiDOT.
As a Police Commission, we may want to get inpullrol1l SheriIr~ Departmenl
representatives as to their feelings ol1lhe ~peed lil1lita~ ltCtLrrenlly exish. While]
recognize that the area adjacent to 39 i~ seeing developmenl growth, 45 mph mOlY ~till
seem to bc a rcasonable speed limit for lhi~ area. One 01' the faclors used by 1\.11\/DOT in
d~termining the appropriate speed lim,t is how !asl do c"r~ Ilonn"lly go on a given
s~etion of road, as people do !lave a tendency 10 drive on an average at il speed that they
feel comfortablc with.
Aller reviewing the letter and discussing th~ issuc with Sheritrs Departmcnt
represenlalive~, the Police Commission should make a r~eommelldation as to what action
lhe City Council could considel'.
D. S'CPPORTlNG DATA:
Copy of letter from Mr. and Mrs. !\-1cyer.
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MONTICELLO
Of~"""i,heCi[yAJ",ini,\lr,,,,;r
lSOE,,,tBroaJ,,,"y
Momicello,MK55362.9245
FebfLIary18,1999
Pf-ton~: (612) 295.2711
Metro: (611) 333-5739
Mr.andMr8_0onald"leyer
680 Riv<;fviewDrive
Monticello,i'vIK55362
Re: East County Road 39 Speed Limil Stlldy
f)~<lrMr_andMrs,Meycr:
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Re~enll)' the City Council discussed your memo requesting the City consider lowering the speed limil
along East County Road 39 (Rivcrvicw Drive) to 40 mph. The City Council forwarded your information
to the Police Commission I'or further study
The Police Commission met rec.e11l1y and discussed YOllr concerns, and a recommendation was made to
allow the Wright County Sherifrs Department to set lip traffic control gathering devices thm will allow
the County to get data on the number of cars, trucks, and o!hcr vehicles that utilize County Road 39 and
also to record speeds of the vehicles, time of day vehicles use the road ,andotherdatathatcanbe
aualyzedto detemunetraffic patterns that currently exist. It is anticipated that this equipment w1l1be Sel
up by the County this spring, and the information gathered will then be reported back to the Police
Commissionforfurtheranaly~i,.
Based on the information gathered from the st"dy, the Police Commi8!;ion w1l1 then review whether a
recommendation should be made to request that IvN/DOT do further trani~ studies regarding speed
limit~ or whether the current speed limit seems appwpdate_ The City does not have the authority to
change the speed l1mit without first requesting that the Minnesota Highway Department conduct a speed
~tlLdy. Since Riverview Drive is actually a eOllllty road, the Wright County Board ofCommis,qioners has
to be the agency that requests I\It-i/DOT conduet the study. Ifastudyislequested,iti~1ikelythalil
could take between six months and a year befOre a recommendation is received from Ml\"/DOT on \'v'hm
theappropriate;;peedhmit,hollldbe.
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From Donald E. & Carolyn G. Meyer
Memo
Too Monticello CilyCouncil
Frum: Mr. onlMr.>. Donald E Meyer-6BORiverviewDJive. Monticello. MN55362
ce,
DaB 11104198
Rec Highway Public Safely Issue
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For your immediate attention and action:
We are residents of Monticello, and live on Highway 39 NE, just east of the
townhouses. Each day, we are faced Vvith having to back out of our driveway directiy
into traffic traveling at varying speeds:
1. Cars going east to west are already now traveling at 55 mph, since the speed
limil presently increases from 45 mph about 200 yards to the west.
2. Cars coming from the east are still doing 55 mph, since they have seen a sign of
reduced speed, but have not yet been told thai the lower speed limit is 45 mph.
They do not see that reduced speed limit until they are about 200 yards to the
west of our home_
3. Our driveway also enters a tuming lane on Highway 39/Riverview Drive, so cars
coming from the west are beginning 10 slow down to make their turn in front of our
house onto Gillard Avenue NE.
4. Also, we are one house away from the comer of Highway 39 NE and Gillard
Avenue NE. We also must face this line of traffic thai is turning west and
beginning to accelerate.
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As my wife takes our children to school and tries to back out of our driveway, she
must try to guage all of this traffic, most of which is traveling at 55 mph (or more).
The result is having to back out and turn very sharply and rapidly in order to avoid a
collision. This road is very heavily traveled, especially during rush hours. This is
dangerous even with dry roads, however, it will become very lreacl1erous with snow
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and icY roads. The result could likelv be s1idinQ over the bank and down toward the
river.
It is also very dangerous for our children to play basketball In the driveway. With
traffic traveling at 55 mph, it is much more likely thai traffic would have a hard time
stopping in time, should it become necessary.
In addition to the danger, traffic traveling at 55+ mph past your "doorstep" also
creates a great deal of noise collulion.
Although ours is a dangerous situation, I believe thai there are many other residents
along this stretch of Highway 39 NE who must back out into 45 mph traffic that would
agree that it would be much safer to have traffic travel 8140 mDh all the way to Gillard
Avenue NE instead of 45 mph only as far as the townhouses. (Since the road has
been resurfaced, speeds are often exceeding the posted limit.)
SOLUTION
Lower speed limit on Highway 39 NE (Riverview Drive) from
Broadway to Gillard Avenue NE to 40 mph.
This would involve very little time or cost to the city, and it will create a great deal of
good will and help avoid the possibility of what would be a very costly and
avoidablelregretable accident.
I believe that only 5 signs would have to be changed and one additional post added
to the east to solve the problem. It might also be good to occasionally position the
large-display speed monitor and a squad car along this stretch of Highway 39 NE to
remind motorists to obey the posted speed limit. I happened to be talking to Richard
Carlson (with planning), and he enthusiastically conClJITed with the solution.
t will be happy to meet with you to answer any questions. You may reach me at 295-
6174 or 295-6282.
Thank you for your kind attention to this matter.
D~~CJ~
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Joly23.1999
Mr.Rick\.Volfsteller
OtfjC.(lrCilyAdmin;'tra~>r
250 Ea,t BmJdway
Monticdlo,MN 55362
DcarRlck,
Thankyou for your ICltel', dated July 22. 1999, r<garding the speed I imltJlong E.SlCOllllly Road 39/
RiverviewDrivc
There are actually two issue, thal we along R;.crviewDrive an,concemed aho tit
1. Ttappcor,thatpeopk arc nol slowing dowu appropriately"hereb)' creal ingahazanJousslmationlur
""idcn[,alongthe'lrctchfl'omLibortySaving.>llanktoGlllardAvc_"IE. \Vl1elhorornottl1epalrol
c." have noticed lhc incidents.., [hoy drive by doo, not mean thal the violatin",donoltakeplacc
The most dangeruu,dme is during morning rush hon,.
ITI my Initial Idle, of concern. 1 'laled that it would b. a tragedy ifan .ccide"l ouun-.d"," result ofa
r.ilurctotake llfJpropriate acti,m in a timely manner. Inth.inlerveningm"nlh,.suchanaecidentdid
indc~d occur, Our family's black lab was killed by a carthat wa' going too f.,t to SlOP (55 mph speed
limi!) in flonl "four home. F"rwnately it wa, nolo person this time, however, the l~" "f,his member
ofourf.milywasdeeplyfcllbyourfamily. I have also leamedtha1thcpriorresidcnlalso expericnecd
aslmilaracddent
2. The erlTO i"ue, howevcr. is thmthe ,ccllon ofRivo,,'iew Drive in q~cstiou (BrIladwuy to Gillard Ave,
:\E) should not h",'. a posted speed "f45 mph,an<1 55 mph in frOTl!ofsom ehouse,. Possiblythcse
speedlimil,weresetpriorlothisstrolchberoming,ucharesiden1ialareaand,~ebheavytrarti"
\Vh.nwcpu,chasedlhi,bome,therealilor,olllembe,oftheplanningcouncil,representedthaltheorea
OCIO" the <lreet olong lhe rlver w""cl aside to be a park andthatdi,cu ssions had taken pl"ce 1"
reduce thc 'peed through this are. to 40 mph. Somc momhs later, a member ofcily cOllnciljokingly
commenlod obout tho "park" andthoooretyofturning Into thi,arca Wilh the currcnt speed,
Our recommendation i, tbat tbe are. in auestion be reduced to 40 ronh to better insure Dllblk
satetv and reduce noise. The minimum imorowmenllchanee wnuld be to extend tbe ellrreot45
mnh sneed limit to the ea,! to Gillan:! An. 1\"1:. Tho expense wo~ld be minim.1 (adding anolher
signpost and ehangillg several Sigll'). M<IllY cars rr[)nl the development up Gillard musttryt" aCcess
E">t County Rood 39 each day. When road, arc ,lippel")'oril i, roggy, iti,dangerou,. Also.asl
s(aledearller,everyJaywelllu'tboekoutofo~rdrlvewayacro"ahllllillglaneluto55+mphtraftjc
Iti,li-ighteningandJangerou"""dmodewn"cinpoorwcathercondition'
Ple"w lake the'. recommeud.tinn, nnder .dvi,cment and make needed changes, If)'nLL would like me
to llleClWi[h you 10 di<CllSS int'lTlhcr detail, plca,e let me kno,,", fhonkyou.
Sincerely.
//i, / 1/ /'1'
~2!.~/L'C~'!fJVjvt/if:'1U
tJollaldF,andCarOlyn~er
680 Rivervie",tJ,ive
MOllticdlo.Ml>< 55361
611_295_6174
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Pohcc Commission AgeJ1ua-2117/99
4.
Status Ullclatc from Sheriff'~ Department on hours "rcolJtrafl coveral!c. (R.W.)
A. REf:FRENCF A~D BACKGROL'ND-
Asparl of the 1999 budget proce~s. the Council approved the additiol1 of 1260 hours
annlL"lIytooU1-policemnlracl,hringingthcto4\lh()ur~ofcoveragct0 10,636. The
additional1260hoursofcovuagewast0hcl'eflectcdinaddillg4l1om~per day 10 our
24_hOllreovcrage after taking in loaccoum the 200 hour8 lhat prev iouslyhadb~en
allowed III the contract to be utili~",d at the Sheril'l-, Department', discretion.
Chief Deputy Don Lindell recently noted lhatthe additional 4 hours of cO vcrage had not
yctbeenaddedl()O\1fServicc.aslhcCoUnlylmdnOlyelcompkl~dtheadditionalsraffing
rcquiremcllls Ihey nced"d 10 providc thi8 coverage. Pos~ibly:Ylr Lindell will b~ able to
update thc Commission on when thc additional 4 hours or coverage will bc started and
answer uny other qucstiom commission members may l1'lvC on our coverage levels. No
action is necessary at this lime by thccommissioTl.
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