City to Revamp Traffic Decision Process

Traffic signal locations, speed bumps and other transportation issues will be handled by the city Planning Commission under a plan that won tentative approval from the City Council on Wednesday.

In a 4-0 vote, officials tentatively OK’d a measure to give the Planning Commission and to advise the City Council.

Council members and staff said the measure would increase the efficiency and transparency of traffic issues by bringing decisions into the public eye.

Under the current system, a Traffic Review Panel — made up of the city engineer, the chief of police services and the city traffic engineer — considers traffic issues in-house and makes recommendations to the City Council.

Under the new system, the panel would be dissolved, although the city’s traffic engineer and public works superintendent could take immediate action on certain items without Planning Commission or City Council approval.

For example, the traffic engineer could install a yield sign without a vote of the council.

Larry McCook, a former candidate for City Council, spoke before the council against the proposal, saying the current system was fine and the new plan would be an “unnecessary expansion of government.”

“I don't see that there’s anything to be fixed,” McCook said.

Before the vote, Mayor Tony Beall said the move would “increase the ability of the people who we serve to see their business being conducted.”

“How anybody could object to that is beyond me,” Beall said.

To see a list of what powers the Planning Commission, City Council and City Engineer have over traffic issues, click the attached pd. 

Other Business

—  As part of the city’s student recognition program, the City Council honored Melinda Heights Elementary students Benjamin Pang and Adriana Shutler, and Trabuco Mesa Elementary students Casey Baldwin, Jenna Plesac, Trinidee Stewart and Autumn Williamson.

—  The next council meeting takes place at 7 p.m. May 23 at City Hall, 22112 El Paseo.