02/12/18 Traffic and Parking Commission
My. Speaker, good afternoon, welcome. To the February. 12th, meeting. Of the Metropolitan, Nashville. Traffic, and parking commission, if. You are not satisfied, with the decision made by the traffic, and parking Commission, you, may appeal the decision by, filing for a writ of certiorari, with. The Davidson, County Chancery, Court, or. Circuit Court your. Appeal must be filed within, 60 days of. The date of the entry of the Commission's, decision. We. Advise that you seek your own independent. Legal counsel. To. Ensure that your appeal is filed in a timely manner, and that all procedural, requirements, have been met. To. Ask, for an approval of today's agenda do, I have a motion, we. Have a first is there a second, we. Have a first and a second all in favor say, aye aye. The, the agenda for today's meetings, been approved ask for approval, of the minutes of the January 8th 2018. Meeting, of the traffic and parking commission. There, we. Have a first is there a second. We. Have a first in a second, all in favor aye. Okay. They've been approved. Approval. Of the consent agenda. Please. Note that items. On the consent agenda will be voted on on a single time no individual, public hearing will be held nor. Were the Commission, debate those items, unless a member of, the audience for the Commission, requests that the item be removed from the consent agenda. Consent. Agenda 0 to 18. Resolution. Mandatory. Referrals. Proposal. To 0 180 M 0 0 3, a B 0 0 1 a request, for the abandonment, of alley, number, 1 1 8 9 and alley 1 2 0 5 alley. Number, 1 1 8 9 from, Clifton Avenue Northeast. Were to Michigan Avenue alley. Number 1 2 0 5 from, alley number 1, eight-nine southeastward. To, its terminus, see the map for details, easements. Are to be retained, requested. By jonathan, kingdom, applicant. Parking. Resolutions. Authorized. 30-foot, loading, zone from 8 a.m. to, 5 p.m. on, the east side of 3rd Avenue, south, 67. Feet south of Lee Street. In front, of 615, 3rd, Avenue, South requested, by barge design, solutions. Authorized. A 50-foot, valet zone at two-30. 4th, Avenue, North 24. Hours 7 days a week requested. By parking, management company. Item. D authorized. 50-foot. Loading, zone from 5 a.m. to 5 p.m. on, the west side of Magazine. Street and 20. Feet north of Division, Street requested. By Market, Street enterprise. Item. E authorized. Loading, zone on the south side of the Bumbry and street from 1st Avenue, South to 2nd Avenue south requested. By Metro public works, item. F, authorized. A ballet Zone. Lane increase, from 2 spaces the. Four spaces at to 1/7, Louise Avenue, Jimmy Kelly Steakhouse, requested. By parking, management company. Item. T authorized. Residential. Permit parking 12. P.m., to, 12 a.m. on. 45th. Avenue north, from Nebraska, Avenue to Utah Avenue, requested. By councilmember, kathleen, murphy. Item. 8 authorized. Parking, meter removal. At read hurst Avenue, at 25th. Avenue, North requested. By metro public works, traffic. Regulations. Item, i, authorize. Always, stop control, and Coalmont, drive and kelly drive requested. By councilmember, pods. Item. J authorize, always, stopped at 16th, Avenue, north and Hermann Street requested, by councilmember, O'Connell. That, is the consent agenda do. I have, a, motion.
To Approve the consent agenda, yes. Mistress. Student about item, e. Jeff. What's. Your question miss Williams please. That's. Gonna work because that's, that. Right. There before, you get to second. Avenue. You've got valet. Parking, and then, how. Do the lanes go there because I'm trying to remember that from, between, second, to first, the. Valet parking, is this location, is at 3rd Avenue this. Loading, zone is demanding, first two seconds, to, service, the new business that it's located there. It's. Offset just it's the wloz offset, to the so this parking will not be in the travel lane okay. All, right you. Satisfied okay, mr. Curran did you have a question, yes. I had a question about parking. Regulation, B I. Think. I had emailed you about this chip but my understanding is this is in conflict with a planned. Bike way in. The walk-in bike plan on 3rd Avenue do, we know if that, if there's gonna be a conflict or. Well. We looked at the bike. Plan and you're correct it does call for future, bike lane, so. The, decision, is do we go ahead and put this in for the business and then we just should, that day come or when that day comes but. Right, now it isn't the walk. Bike plan to have a bike lane there or bike facility, of some kind so. Yes. But there's. Also a lot of conflicts already existing out there if we were to put a bike lane we'd had to remove a lot of floating zones and stuff so what we were thinking is go ahead and put. This in and revisit, it when that day comes so. We would have to revoke, it potentially, within a year or two yeah. Chip. Are you indicating that there's other conflicts, like this around, town well. Anytime. You go to you, put in bike lanes you, you. Exclude parking so, yeah when if we were to put bike lanes throughout downtown we, visit a lot of locations where you have loading, zones and ballet zones. Does. It make more problems for us to go ahead if we if we think there's a likely bike lane in the near future to, be adding more, places. For just come to go back and take him out doesn't. I'm. Leaning, more towards, let's get a year use, of the loading zone or whatever it ends up being what, are six months or a year and a half get the loading zone in they use it for a year and then we might, they. May have a different way of loading by there and we can find a place around the corner but I'd, rather get 12 to 16 18 months of use for the loading zone then. Not. Have it in anticipation, of something that may or may not come with. The next time period just. My thinking I. Guess. My concern is that it's always harder to take away parking, but it is. You. Know so. I think it's, just making the bike lane harder, down the road because we're now having to take away something which we knew we would have to take away that's. A good point earlier. So. I think. I'd like to pull that one off okay so, that. Is item. Impression. Okay. All, right all. Right so you would chair. Can we ask if someone from barges here, okay. So if we get to that when we get to that we yeah we'll do that so, mr.. Curran would you like to make a motion to approve the consent agenda. Absent. Item. Okay. Item. C, authorize. 50-foot, valet zone at, 2:30 4th Avenue North 24. Hours a day seven days a week, fourth. Avenue is one of the main thoroughfares, are, we sure we want to do that during rush hour traffic peak traffic times is. That gonna be is that valet offset. We, already, have two valets, that, the Commission, has approved at, this location. And this is one more that we will add there at that location. Officer. Would you any. Further. There, already existing, is. It just going to extend it that. Will be an extension, of the current two when.
Scre Instruction, is finished, at all three of these locations, it. Will be in consecutive, three valet zones. There's. A lane, of traffic it does not take a line it because, in the past this was a parking, right gotcha, okay, are, you satisfied officer, yes, sir oh. Yes. Item. G we need to request to have that removed and defer for one month, okay. So. Mr.. Carlin could I ask you to make a motion to read, to. Modify our attend, to per your request and the one miss Marshall just made please so I make. A motion to approve the agenda but, moving. Item, b2 off. The consent agenda and then, a one-month. Deferral, for item G. We. Make that motion correctly, legal counsel I. Think. We'll. Make a separate, motion for each of them okay first I'll make a motion to remove items bng, okay, can i in there so we have a, first. In first, is there a second okay, well, you have a second, all, in favor removing. Those two items I. Okay. It's approved okay do, I have a motion to approve, the modified, concern, agenda, please I so. Moved okay we have a first, sir. Second, we have a second all in favor. Okay. All, right, okay. I think we need a motion to defer item, G for, one month please. Make. A motion to defer, item G one month we. Have a first and second all in favor aye. Okay, we, have now. Moved. Item. C C. B, off, the consent agenda me, get clear, all, right did, someone from barge here to speak to that please. Okay. Please step forward and state your name and address. And. This. Affects you mr., Matthews okay. Hi. My. Name is Jeff Cundiff I'm with bars design solutions. And. At burg Matthews, with Matthews, company the developer, of 605, third. There. Was there was some discussion about the the, walking bike plan and that was one thing that we considered, early on when, thinking about you. Know potentially, providing loading, and/or parking, up and down third Avenue in front of our building and currently. Is today there's. Parking all the way up and down third Avenue on that side. So. We went and we consulted, with the walk bike plan and there's a planned bike, route for. Second. And fourth but, none for third. Based. Upon what I understand, what we've seen and I brought some of those exhibits here with me so, I'm not sure where. There's. A conflict there but, I think we're trying to design around that and we're trying to provide a convenient. Location for loading and out, of the building I mean it's getting utilized that way today. So, we're just trying to make it safer for everybody. And. I think for us understanding. That if there is going to be a bike. Lane coming in the future that, being able to have it even if it's just for, six. Months a year 18, months would be very, helpful for the building. Jib. Can you dress, the plans for, third Avenue there's well seems to be so no I don't have the you, pi memorized a lot more than anybody in here nor but I don't I don't know if it's a bike lane or bike facility, on 3rd like, I was, just alerted by Metro Planning that they had had. A plan for third and. Wanted. To just make sure we're being. Thinking. Forward, about plans for that and so if there's a way to work I mean with. That so that when it comes along that we can make sure that everyone's, accommodated, our, intent is to be a bike friendly business, I mean we're we're, on your side with regards, to that so in fact we have showers. In the building we have a bike rack in the building we've got those things to try to accommodate so, I we're, trying to make the building work that way also it appears that they've expressed willingness to work ok, with us in the future did you talk to planning about this one or, do. We. Have discussed, this with planning. Mr., Jeff Hammonds with us if you would like to discuss, it with him he's our traffic, engineer, here Public Works. Mr.. Heyman do you have anything to add to, our discussion, here before we conclude. This. This is a bike facility. That is planned, in the future on third I think some of the some, of the earlier sketches, do show on 2nd 4th and it remains 2nd, and 4th as you get into downtown in, the area of this building, it is it is currently shown on 3rd but, we have no timetable, for that we we have worked with, mr..
Bird Mr. briggs with the planning department and. Do that regularly, we know it is on our horizon we think it's probably in the in the relatively, near future in, that one, year to 18 month timeframe, that has been discussed here but. But. As was mentioned we do have this parking, here now and we have a number of projects, all. Over the county that you know will be moving into that and we, would not recommend making. Design. Decisions, now on projects, that may be, coming in the future we we are comfortable, that we can work with this. This loading zone in particular. If. And when that time comes to facilitate. The bike. Lane. This. Current you have a question. Yeah I think. So. Would you like to make a motion sure I'll, make a motion to item. B okay, first. Is there a second, we. Have first in a second all in favor. Any. Opposed, the motion passes thank, you mr. Matthews thank, you. The. Next item is new business item, appeal. Denial, of always stop control on Gordon Avenue and 15th Avenue South requested, by councilmember, sledge, I know councilmember, sledge is here, tip to you, any. Comments. About this after, I've, talked to the councilmen about this intersection, and I've ivory. Looked at the date and actually we, wouldn't got a new traffic counts and um. I'd. Like to pull this off of an appeal and make it a recommend it always, start from staff oh okay. So I just didn't have time to put it back on consent, agenda I didn't want to revise the agenda, officially but, we're recommending installation. All right I get, a motion is, there any other comments from any other members or can we get a motion to. Approve the staff recommendation. Okay. We have a first is there a second we. Have a first in a second, all, in favor of. It. Would be approving the installation, of an all-way stop. Say. Aye. Any. Opposed. Okay. The bosun's been approved, council member thank. You for, coming okay. All. Right we're gonna go to. Item. Number, five appeal. Denial of always stop control, at Darden place and huckleberry, Drive requested. By councilmember. Mina, Johnson, who's present, okay. Chip. Do you have. Thing, to add or, should, we bring well. This very I don't know if Corbin you got any kind of graphics yeah very low volume that those are your daily. Counts, in front of you they're so very low volume. Limited. Sight distance, and. So, when we have. Super. Low volume, and limited sight distance we prefer to address it with a cross road warning sign. At. The same time go back one slide Corby. You. Remember that lesson. We had when you look for even distribution of volume, and we're looking for 50/50. Or 60/40, splits. Well. This falls into that okay, so so if you're looking for that kind of technical stuff. The. Volumes, here, meet. This criteria. Balance, for, a nolle stop. It. Does have a sight distance issue that, you have pedestrians, in the area. Not. A big argument for not putting, it in if you know what I mean it's okay it's not that big, of an issue if you guys were to vote to put it in you might want to get the testimony of the county yes council, member Johnson please, come. Forward. Thank. You commissioner, thank you for having me and Minnow Johnson, representing. District, 23 I, understand. This area, with, a low traffic volume, and typically. You, know for a stop is are not a. Standard. For that kind of intersection. However. That. Particular intersection, is, very, unique. In the, topography. And. In. The prior to this meeting I asked, miss Jackie, to provide you several. Pictures and, I. Don't know if you had a chance to take a look at it the, first picture, you may, show yes this one this, shows just, typical. Two-way, stop picture, this. Is approaching. A dud and to, us northbound. The. Left, right shows, huckleberry. And this. One I took from, my car. So I'm, stopping, at the line and if you take. A look you, see the big beautiful, tree so, that is you, know we love trees, and we don't want to cut it but, that's the reality if, you stop, at the line what, you see is a big tree you cannot see anything and if, you go to the next picture so. That's if, you go, a little forward and, look, huckleberry. East Side so, you can, see the. Street, kind, of hard towards. Darling, so, that will make the street almost, look like wider. So, to make, the strip, further, back so this is the intersection. Of. Huckleberry. And Darin. And the, next, one. Maybe, not so, anyway. So if, you go to. Us. One Street left it will be huckleberry. And. Green. Green. Greenlee. So, that one is actually, for, a stop so that one has unique, topography. Because. It's. Sloped. And the. Corner, of huckleberry, and died and if you especially go, to, us, west. Side to your left one. Blocked, by the tree until if. You go a little bit insane, insane. You, still see the slope, so, actually. It's, so hard, to see car, coming. And not. Only that if you are driving, on, huckleberry. From, west, to east, towards. Town, they. From. After. Passing, the greenery you, tend to kind of speed up so. If there, is no, stop, sign they, kind of go, over.
Darden. In a really, nice speed, and especially you, know that area is walkable, area, and people, tend to walk with. Babies. And dogs. So by, the time, Kyle. Realized, pedestrian. Is crossing. Huckleberry. Over. Dot and sometimes. It's too late so actually. There, was couple, of enemies at, the corner, and I, do have, neighbor are, coming behind me and I feel like to hear, neighbors, testimony, how, dangerous. That intersection, is so. For, that reason I. Am asking to reconsider. I mean, if this. Is the intersection, of blue, Colo with. Georgetown. And, brick Hollow with. Stolid. This, type of intersection. With one Street, is clearly, a, collector, Street and another, Cyrus, cross street is a neighborhood, Street I will, not ask to, reconsider. But. This you, intersection. Huckleberry. Is. Running. Between, hickory, Valley and. Richfield. And another. One Darden, is also, running Hickory. Hickory. Valley to the summary both, are neighborhood. Street so for that reason naturally. Traffic. Volumes, are both, low, volume, but, because, of limited. Very, limited, sight and, because. Of unique, topography, for. The safety I would, like you, to ask reconsider. And install the four-way stop okay thank, you Miss Johnson High. Commissioners. Does anybody, want. To have. Any other comments, or should we proceed with emotion. That's. Yes, councilmember, hey do. We have a count on how many accidents, have been at this particular intersection. Okay. Okay. We have a motion is there a second we. We have a second, all in favor. Any. Opposed. This. Has been approved thank you miss Johnson. You're. Welcome, alright, I, think. What we're going to do next is. Move. To our other item on the agenda since, councilmember, Roberts, is here. Update. On the 51st, Avenue between, Delaware, Avenue Zinta Boulevard, truck restriction. Okay. You. Guys had a chance to check your email today but I sent a document around it's, a, it's. From the Federal Highway Administration. Long. Story short there. Was a question on whether this body has, the authority to. Implement a truck restriction, in the, vicinity of a, highway system the interstate system and. So TDOT, investigated. And sent a letter out and and I did send you a copy but if you hadn't had time to read, it basically, says. We. Should reconsider our vote, implement. The truck restriction, based on access, to the interstate and. Metro, legal can update us on the the, technical and the legal parts of it but that's it sure sweet all right legal, counsel can you provide us an update please on this. Matter sure, so, what. Chip said is basically accurate, I can just fill in maybe a little more detail, but. Federal highway, administration. Requested, the Tennessee Department of Transportation to, look into the question of whether. This. Commission's, action, in restricting, truck traffic on 51st, Avenue North. Violated. Some. Federal, Highway Act regulations. Codified. At 23, CFR, 650, 8.19. And. TDOT did take a look at that and did an analysis, of it they worked with our office, they got full. Transcripts, of I believe, both of the hearings, that, this. Body heard on on that issue at. Two different meetings. And. In, particular, they, asked for a copy of the. Rpm study as, well and.
They. Concluded. Unfortunately. That. 23. CFR, 658. 19, was, violated. They, looked at two provisions, of it subsection. D and subsection. A. Subsection, D, they. Concluded was not violated, because that has to say no state may enact or enforce any law denying access within one road mile from the nashville national, network using the most reasonable and practicable route. Available except, for, specific. Safety reasons, on individual, route so basically they said that was more than one road mile the, distance in question so that one wasn't applicable but. They looked at 23, CFR, 658. Point. 19 a which. Provides more generally, no state may enact or enforce any, law denying, reasonable, access to vehicles with dimensions, authorized, by the surface transportation Assistance, Act, between. The national network and terminals and facilities, for a few, food fuel repairs, and rest in addition, no, state may enact or enforce any, law denying, reasonable. Access between the national national, network endpoints of loading, and unloading to household good household. Goods carriers, motor carriers or passengers, and any, truck tractor. Semi-trailer. Combination. And then it gives certain, dimensions. So. Commissioner. Sharor with DDOT concluded. That. A was violated. Because. It. Does not allow us to limit reasonable access. Between. The national network and terminals facilities, for food fuel repair, arrests and points of loading and unloading household. Goods. And. They also looked, at some. Paragraph. I too and said, based. On that language, that Nashville. Must have an access, review process, providing, among. Other things that, the denial of requested, access to terminals, and services, may be made only, on the basis, of a, safety and engineering, analysis, of the proposed access, route so, even though the Commission did have a great deal of anecdotal. Testimony from. From, witnesses. If. You'll recall that rpm study, actually. Recommended. That truck trucks. Not be restricted, on 51st, Avenue so. Because of the lack, of a, safety in engineering, and now the. Conclusion. Was that, we. Should indeed, reconsider. The action. To. Grant. The truck access, restriction, on 51st, Avenue it. Seems. To take what a safety, study could be made. And. I, do think, that would be possible um I, don't know she may be able to speak to that what. Would be the likely engineering. Conclusion. Of such a study it. Might, also be possible to, do, such a study. With. Kind of a larger, scope to, see if there are any other actions, that could be taken in, terms of increasing pedestrian. Safety on 51st, even, if the trucks were to remain, okay. Shipping. Can you speak very well said safety, I I. Think at a minimum we need to do, due diligence would, be to, follow. Up on the statement, saying. Unless. There's a safety concern we. Need to rescind this vote so we need, to see, if there is a safety concern and, I think that would require a study of some kind similar. To the truck routing study we did the first time put a little more safety emphasis, on it and. And, maybe, it grows into okay. So with if this doesn't pass in the future what else can we do I, mean. I think such, a study could take into consideration. All the testimony, that was offered at. The preceding hearings on this matter. But. Ultimately. I think T Dodd is giving us pretty narrow parameters. For. A. Conclusion. That. We. Would have to do anything other than reconsider, the Commission's prior action.
So. You. Know in with, respect to the commissioner and TDI and federal, highway we, would, like to we'd. Like to follow, their lead kinda you know they, come up with this letter saying we're, not sure you should have passed that in. Addition, to that we. Are jeopardizing, federal, money if we, don't take. Some form of action after getting this kind of summary. Oh yeah. That's correct so our recommendation. Is that you do reconsider. Okay, like, any, other commissioners. Have, any questions. Concerns. Comments. Okay. So you're. Saying we do need to make taking action to reverse our decision, or is. That basically it that. Would be my recommendation yes. So. There's no way around this. Without. Jeopardizing. Things I mean. I'm, not sure how, long they, will give us to, make. That decision. This letter. Was actually dated. December, 20th we weren't able to present it at the January meeting because, by. The time we got it with the Christmas, holidays, the January, 8th meeting agenda had already closed, so we've. Already kind of been sitting on it for. Not. Quite two months. Council. Member Roberts, is here and I know there are some people here, who are. Have. A different, perspective I think it, might be helpful would it be helpful to take counsel if we heard from a person. Kind of each side. Sure. Okay so, councilman, Roberts I know you have concerns. About this do. You have any comments, to make today or. My. Comments in. District. 20 and I'm. Here, on round, 3 to discuss, 51st. Avenue, I appreciate, what you all have done thus far and I know this has not been, an. Easy ride it's, kind of groundhogs, day it feels like every time I think it's done it comes to back up but. You. Know the masses came with me last time and talked about the, safety issues that we have we. Have children, crossing the streets we have you, know tankers. Filled with oil going. Exceedingly. Fast. Down 51st, Avenue. We. Have huge, huge concerns, about safety and I think when we looked at this last I don't think we were looking at, 51st, Avenue is the complete Street that it is today I think, the last studies that have been done on this we were looking at 50 first before the, whole complete, Street was finished this.
Is A huge. Safety, issue and, no matter how deep, the pockets of big oil they, go with these lawyers this is always, going to be something, that is going to it's a it's about safety or about. Money. And I, can't I'm imploring. You to look at this from the viewpoint. Of people, with children and, babies that are growing in this neighborhood 6,000 new houses have been built this. Is not the neighborhood it was this, is a completely. Different Street, please. Look at this from a safety point of view and yes I am asking if, we could do a safety study and I. Don't know what all that entails but, I'm happy to to. Do, whatever it takes to get. Us to that point Thank. You councilmember, Roberts, I know. Some folks, are here mr. Lee are you kind of represent, I, guess. It's been described as big a while. No. Such thing as little oil I guess is there Thank. You mr. chairman my name is Tom Lee and I'm, pleased to represent marathon. Petroleum. Before. You today. We. Think the Commissioner. Of the Department of Transportation has, it right and, and. I think this. Commission, may well remember. There. Were two hearings. On. This. Matter one, in June of last year and then a second one in August, the. August hearing occurred after. Or. At least while the, complete Street project, was was, being, done and and and put into motion and, I think, your. Consultant, from rpm. Indicated. That they did consider, the. Complete. Street project. And evaluating, whether, 51st. Avenue remained. Appropriate. For. Truck traffic pursuant, to both the city streets plan and. Also it's it's its, purpose, the. Letter. From the commissioner. To the, FHWA. States. That the specific, safety reasons. Contemplated. In the federal, regulation, are conditions. That impact the safe operation, of the motor vehicle and. That's because the federal, law the. Surface Transportation Act is, is, law. Passed by Congress to make sure that, motor. Vehicles can operate safely, and efficiently, on, the, national network of highways that's. That's. Really, all we would would have to say we. Accept. That the commissioner's, letter does. Note in in, mentioning, the. Safety study that. Another. Study and and by the way we are happy to participate as we have always said with this commission and staff and members, of the community in arriving, at a number of solutions, but but. The. Metropolitan Government has already retained. And conducted, one study, and, as mr., na frightly, recognized. That study came to a recommendation, that the truck. Restriction, not go into place. What. We would hope we, can do if. This Commission acts today to. Reconsider. Its action is. To. Engage in a conversation that. Includes, the. Neighborhood and the, Public Works Department and, the. Businesses, in the area there, are some real issues and. I think the, council member, would would. Agree there are issues in this area with pedestrian, traffic. There are issues in this area with street parking. Since. The. Neighborhood, has changed, in character she's right about that. There. Are, now multiple businesses. Lining, 51st. Avenue north, north. Of Centennial, Boulevard. That. Are creating, significant, daily. Hazards. We think to pedestrians, in. Automobile, traffic we would like to work with the Metropolitan, Government in the solution of all the problems, in. The in the neighborhood and and appreciate, mr. chairman the chance to say so today, Thank.
You Mr. Cooley appreciate, it thank you sir. Traffic. Commission members is, anyone. Want to. Even. Further comments, questions or do we it. Sounds, like we have somewhat, of a directive, from legal counsel that I guess we need to put into a motion. One. Thing I would say and mr., leak and perhaps expand, upon is, that the, current status, quo is that, there is a. Stay. In place of the, action, of the Commission so, the truck, ban has not actually gone, into practice. Yet. So. The status, quo is currently that trucks are still using, 55. So. Question, is, we. Need to take any action do, we need to request I mean the guidelines, from the. Transportation. Officials, are you, you need safety, so can, this Commission request a safety, study I mean. I think Public Works can entertain that request I think they're receptive to it so, so yes and, their, their. Action. Or suggestion, is to, reconsider, the prior action. But. They do certainly. Leave, open the, option of, a safety study and I think we could share the results of such a study with TDOT as well. Per, Hagar. Can. We defer this and ask for that safety, meeting before we vote on this or how do we proceed, I guess. I'm a little unclear as to whether I, think Commissioner members, here are unclear, as to whether we have to vote. To resent, or since. It's. Kind of the status quo so. If. You ask for a, safety. Study is this, is, because. The. Transportation. Department's consider that this issues been. Addressed and is that impact, I guess the funding, issues another so I can't really give you a definitive answer, on that I can tell you. I did. Respond, to, the, general counsel at the TDOT office, to let them know that we had this item on the agenda that, we'd received their correspondence. And. That. My, recommendation. Would be that, you all do reconsider, your action in light of their conclusions, regarding. The. Non-compliance. With the federal regulations. And, he. Did respond, to that and say that he would advise the Federal Highway Administration I, also, made, it clear that I. Can't. Give you all a directive, that it is the Commission's, decision. So. Whether. We. Have leeway to defer, it and. Have. The study done I'm not quite sure how long such a study would take. You. Know I can't, say for sure but, the fact that the, lawsuit is, stayed. May. Help in that, regard I don't know if mr. Lee would have any further thoughts on that as well so. Question, then would. If. Could. The Commission just say. Well leave the status quo and while we do a pending study, cuts the status quo is there's been no truck restrictions, enforced, that's correct but that's due, to the action of the court not the attrition of the Commission okay. Commission. Members Andy, so. Let. Me just read this sentence, from the commissioners. Letter. In. Conclusion. Accordingly. We believe the appropriate, action at this time is to forward our analysis, to Nashville, and give, them time while. Litigation, is pending to. Reconsider, the Commission's, action and explore. Some other possible, resolution, of the situation. Is. Up to you. We, do have I. Would. I would I do want to restate.
That Federal, funding is very important, to this city and to public. Work so. Just. Think about that please. Well. Jim. The. State can override, anything we do any way, the. Way I understand. Well. Through the court system yeah. Yeah. And. I mean I think, TDOT, was trying, to give us a little time to, resolve this on our own, rather. Than. Would. There be anything that would preclude us from if, we rescinded, the decision, and voted upon and rescinded, the decision, today in, order to comply with federal law is, there anything that precludes, us from doing. The traffic safety study, and then. Coming back with. That traffic safety study, in front of the board. To. Repeat the process all over again but, with the, safety survey. I, think. We, could, however I normally. Bring my book with all the. Operating. Rules and I did not today I know. We have one we have a self-regulated. Six months six, months rule is what I was thinking which it's. Their rule anyways they could probably it's true you can always yeah. It's, your rule that you've adopted so, you could I, guess, suspend, it if you, all agreed to do that in. A particular situation. But. Yes. Alta. Mately I do believe that you could do what you're asking. Okay. There's a card when you well. I mean it does seem like we don't have much choices here, but, I, would say I mean I do think the previous study didn't address pedestrian, safety that, didn't seem to be the focus of the study and so if we do and that seems to be the concerned certainly raised by the community so I think, if we could ask that that be the focus particularly. You know with all with the addition of the crosswalks, and whether or not they're sufficient you know time, for trucks to stop. Then. I mean that seems like the best what. You proposed lieutenant would be the best case scenario would. Someone like to, create. A motion that we repeal. The previous decision, pending. A safety, study and.
Okay. All. Right so. We have a first is there a second, to that. I'll. Second, with the hope that we do this does return shortly. After the safety study hopefully, within several months so that we can reconsider and consider that the. Full picture of the safety concerns expressed by the community, all right so Jackie if you could make sure the minutes reflect that, there's some sense of timely, time, time. Urgency. In this place, all. Right so we have a first in a second. Is. All. In favor. We'll. Do a hand bow. So. The, motion passes, so we'll do we've. Descended our action we'll do a safety study with, a sense of urgency and, come. Back and. We. Can Sarah okay. Thank, You councilmember. Thank. You. Thank. You commissioners, okay. The, Downtown Partnership amendment. To. Contract. With, Metro Public Works regarding, means been at Howard office complex, parking requested. By the Nashville Downtown. Partnership thank. You for your patience while we work through some other items. Absolutely. Thank you for your time today I, wanted. To talk to you just a little bit about, an. Amendment, to the contract we, were approached, from. A mayor's office, and. Some. Of the businesses. In the area which. Is going to be third and Lindsley area it's. Evolving, more, businesses, are coming in and what's really driving us is that we are losing some parking spaces and. It's causing concern, so. It, was thought that, the. Area. Behind, us in, particular the parking, deck and, the 127th. Space surface, lot that. The public uses during business hours, could. Be utilized. During the evening hours after, business hours and on weekends, to support, number one some of the special events in the area as well as future. Business growth so. That is the amendment, to the contract that we are seeking we. Also wanted, to request. That we have the ability to charge up to $10 we needed to bring that before the committee as well and. I will take any questions on the item. Anybody. Has questions please. Pull. Up an aerial of this parking, here, cool yeah, during, the weekends, are people allowed to park out here in the open parking, lot yeah yes sometimes you got the gates open and sometimes you got them closed, it really just depends on what's going on so during tax season, elections.
That Type of thing they. Are allowed we would be required, to work around those dates we. Have developed a, parking. Website. Link that metro departments, can submit, their requests, for need, for spaces, after. Hours and on weekends, so that we are aware that we do not get first pecking order on the spaces, we. Will. Move out when necessary and, also, keep an eye back of our mind what's going on so it's really incumbent, upon us to watch the calendar and make sure the reason I think there's a lot of times on the Titans games sure, I know sometimes y'all have those gates locked and no, parking. Is at a premium, during the Titans game sometimes, and that's why I was asking that question. Yes. Mr. Curran so would this be for the surface lot as well as the. Garage. Or okay it. Is okay okay, I mean. Only at night or would nights. And weekends, okay. Any. Other. Comments, from. Commissioners, is there a motion. We. Have a first, cuz. We, have a post in a second, all, in favor. Any, opposed, your motion, has been approved thank you very much thank you. Next, item is requesting, 100 complimentary, parking spaces Metro, courthouse garage on April 14, 2018. Requested, by the National, Cherry Blossom Festival. According. To the contract, with the National Downtown, Partnership any. Requests, for complimentary. Parking must, be approved by this Commission, this is something, that we've done in years past. Hi. Is there a motion, we. Just we, have a first in a second all in favor aye. Motions. Been approved. Next. Item requesting, to speak to the Commission about requesting additional parking. Spaces for the horse-drawn, carriages requested, by Sugar, Creek carriage, is, Sugar Creek carriage. Present, okay please. Step forward state, your name and address turn, your mic on please thank, you. My. Name is kammo kammo, our, time with sugar gauges, I'm an operator. My. Name is John Smith me and my wife Brenda owns the company. Well. Hello my name is kennel Warren I am, an operator, with sugar creek carriages, and I'm here to speak, to you today about the parking issues with. The carriages in downtown, Nashville. But real quick just a first a little bit about me because I don't know you I've. Been in the carriage industry now for a little over 20, years and in the horse industry for. 42, include, owning showing. Training. Giving. Lessons and driving, I've. Also worked in many different carriage, industry markets, to include California Texas. And now, Nashville. Right. Now in Nashville we have parking space allotted for four carriages, and we have 13, permits issued for. Carriages to work I know. From watching past YouTube videos and reading past minutes, from the Transportation and licensing, Commission that, the parking has been discussed many times with, no resolve to the issues. Right now there is no real ordinance as to where the carriages may go either to load or unload a fair when, the allotted parking, on North 2nd Street is full. We. As an industry here in Nashville, have. Emailed our director Billy fields stating. That the carriages, and he's replied he was stating that the carriages may it load and unload park. And maintain our equines, in the marked parking. For carriages only remember. There is no ordinance, stating. This it is, his email it is not law, we. With. This we come to several. Issues if a carriage is not able to park in the side stand the, carriage with the equine must continue, to walk around. The city until we are able to fit in to one of the four parking slots, remember. Again we have 13, horses that can work at any given time. Our. Ordinance states that for every 50 minutes that, an equine is working they. Must rest for 10 minutes. Also. We are not able to attain a fare at this time according to this email both, saluting the income for both our drivers and our industry. Remember. Also, your. Drivers are your doors to. Your city we, are not only people. That give information about the city we, are your, historians. Drivers. Are also not able to dismount the drivers box to use the restroom unless we are able to park in the, designated areas, and stance, and the, equines are not able to obtain water. So. We are asking, this commission to give us the right to be able to stand our equines in any loading, zone and buy a meaning, standing, the definition, for standing, of a vehicle is otherwise. Than temporary for the purpose of and will actually, engaged in loading on or unloading, merchandise, or passengers. We're, not asking to, park in the loading zones we're, asking, to stand so we can pick, up a fare and unload. A fare so. That when we obtain, these fare we're, keeping our carriages, in business.
And. We are out of the flow of traffic and not impeding, the daily flow of people we're. Not asking to stage in the loading zone but, just to be to load and unload our fares in these spots, remember. Uber. Lift, the pedal taverns, pedicabs, golf carts and taxis. All stand, their vehicles, in these loading zones as, well. We. Are also governed, as a vehicle we, are a form of transportation, not. Just entertainment, as some, people seem to think. We. Are also asking, for two other areas, to park our carriages, so, that one, they can rest and two, so that our drivers can use the bathroom, or eat I have. Supplied pictures, of these two areas to you all the. First spot would be on Second Street just, south of Broadway next, to Rock Bottom this. Is where the tour buses park until, about 6:00 p.m. after, that time it becomes a taxi, stand that, is not utilized by the taxis, but, becomes a free parking to anyone, that is downtown, per. The pictures. It's. Between first and second, on. Second. Hm. The commissioners, has a copy, of this proposal, before, them, that shows, the, locations. That they're requesting. This. Location, could fit at least three. Carriages and would be local to the main stand, where, our stand workers can get to the carriages to let the drivers off the drivers, box so they can go to the bathroom and also, water our equines, and the horses can rest we. Are asking the spot to be turned into a carriage stand after 6, p.m. not. To impede on the tour buses that are already staged, at this location. The. Second, spot would be on Broadway in front of Rock Bottom from, 2nd Street going, towards, 1st Street this, area is not a very, busy, area for traffic, and there's. A pullout and it's a safe place to locate, an additional, stand as well it, is also centrally, located to the Main Stand thus, making it easy for our stand workers to, attend to the drivers and horses, as stated before. Also. We have another issue that is just arised. We. Have seen painting on the ground where our stand is at this time, NES. Is going to be digging up our stand we, will have nowhere to go at all, I've. Seen a lot of changes, in the carriage industry and, been through a lot of ordinance changes as well I have. Worked through the big changes in San Antonio Texas. Back, in 2013, when the city opened, up the, kit to the carriages, where they originally had parking, for five carriages, next to the Alamo making. It so, that the carriages could move freely through the city the. Carriages were, allowed, to park now in any loading zone not, to impede traffic by. The city of San Antonio doing. This they relieve stress, on the drivers and the companies, it, boosted, business at least seventy percent and to. Our customers a hundred, percent. Also. Remember, we, are an impulse, buy, people. Aren't coming to the city they're coming to the bars and to, shop they see the carriages, they, want to ride we, can tell them about the history of our beautiful, city, by. Allowing us these three things here in Nashville, we can believe, we can boost our business lower. The stress, between the companies, and better, serve, our clientele. With. That are wanting our carriage rights as well, as protecting. And maintaining our, animals, in a safe manner per, our ordinance that is that. Are already in effect. The. Our. Yard is approximately. 30 minutes from, the carriage stand so if we had to go on with back to the yard to water the horses or to give the drivers a restroom break that's, an hour. Thank. You very much for coming, and speak today. Japan, what. What. We can do sorry. Please what, we can do at this time we can look at the location. On 2nd Avenue north and talk, to NES, to. See what their plans are for that location. We. Will also meet. With Billy, fields transportation. Licensing, Commission to, see if the taxis are utilized. That's based on second okay that the picture that you're showing is not where we're asking, that is an actual taxi, stand cross the street in front of rock bottom you're at.
Either, Side of the street there is no taxi, stand okay. But what you're saying is modifying, the trolley stand, the. Taxis, are not utilizing, that. Using. That but since it is signed as taxi, stands and the Commission to prove that action, we, would have to meet with Billy fields transportation. License, commission to, see if we can make that modification, and, then bring that back to this commission, for that approval okay. We. Appreciate, that correct, they. Mr.. Fields Commission is the one responsible for declaring, that a taxi, stand or not. This. Body this, body approves, the stands as well this body approves, the location, of the stand but, is recommended, by the transportation. And license, Commission to us then. We bring it to our Commission. Here for their program, mr.. Fields did send, me send to us, yes. I spoke in length with. Mr. fields and for, to, get this ordinance, change or the request he said we had to come and speak to you. Folks today about this all right he has sent us here I think. Thank, you is. Their legal, counsel is there some kind, of. Action. We need to take hordes at the case we can just ask to have to look at this and come back to us in a timely manner I'm. Sorry I'm trying to pull up my I didn't have my Metro code on horse-drawn carriages, with me today yes, I'm trying to pull it up and unfortunately I'm not able to could you. Oh. I. Don't see any reason why you can't defer it yeah, okay, so I think we can just ask, staff. Based, on this president, a 1 what month. Yeah can we ask the least, please, at this hearing you open, the loading zones to us to load and, unload. We, are not asking to park we're not asking to stay there did Smout our boxes, so we can pull in safely, because. Our points, are now having to walk we're not able to work that's not fair to us it's, not fair to our equines. We're, losing the city's losing money by. Not allowing us, to be. Able to use at least utilize. The loading zones we're in and out within three, minutes. Safely. I think, we. Would need to have some kind of notification. To the public that we were considering that wouldn't we there's no ordinance, as it is now it's a loading loading, and I would need to research that to, confirm what you're saying ok so. What. We can do is yeah legal would need to review that that's yeah we just aren't prepared to answer that today and then we will review these specific, locations, for, what I'm, gonna suggest maybe, that, you get a temporary permit, give. It down in and we and pick, some specific, locations, it might not be all loading zones until, we get Metro legal to review ok we appreciate, anything we. And. She, can issue a temporary permit, maybe. That. It's correct we do have the option of granting temporary permits. Ok, can I see you today or, when. Can I meet with you to get these permits because we need to do something we're. Coming in too busy a busy week felon we're in Valentine's, week weekends. Are very hard all thirteen, carriages, are out what. We do is we asked, for the carriage companies, to submit a written request, and.
Then. I reviewed the written request on behalf of the department, and then we grant your request based. On what you're requesting, ok. Ok so. We can turn that in tomorrow mr., marshal that, is correct, okay thank you okay, all right go ahead mr. Brown I. I appreciate. What, y'all are doing, how. Horses, myself. And, we used to ride in the Christmas, parade and, they, made it so, hard on us that, people quit quit, riding in the Christmas, parade and ever, parade that you see all over the countries got horses in it children. Love to see the horses and, with. Us having horses. Even. When we go downtown. The. Kids and, the wife let's. Ride the carriage, you, know and we got one but, they want to ride through town and, I really think as. Far as Nashville, goes what, y'all do is just as important, as the taxicabs. And. I appreciate, it and I hope this. Can be worked out sir, it's also part, of our historical, heritage yes, sir here in Tennessee I was born and raised in this beautiful state and I love it but, it is our heritage yes. Yep. If we could try to have something on the agenda, for next month relating. To this issue since these people. Took the time to come before say that'd be great okay. Hi. Does. Any any. Other commissioners, have any other. Comments. Concerns, please, if you all have questions feel, free to ask so we can answer them if a lot of people aren't, probably not horse people. They don't know our industry it's a very specialized. In just strike them thank, thank you very much okay, all right. No. Other items to discuss officer. I'll. Make a motion we adjourn, checking. It, second. In turn we are adjourned thank you commissioners. This. Has been a service, of the Metro national network if. You would like to see this presentation again or. For more information, about this and other programs visit, nashville, dot. You.
2018-02-20 01:28
