Minutes were taken by Greta Mosley of the 19WCA.  After approval the minutes are to be posted at:  http://www.19wca.org/home/committees/public-safety-documents.  I am reposting here for your convenience.

October 30, 2013 Minutes:  PresbHm1030PubSfty2013.docx

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Wednesday, October 30, 2013

Public Safety Meeting – 19^th Ward

Location: Rochester Presbyterian Home

Time: 6:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.

256 Thurston Rd

Rochester, NY 14619

(585) 235-9100

Minutes:

Moderator-John Borek

Introductions

Agenda

1. Speaker from City Hall, Erich Frisch, Transportation Planner –City of Rochester 30 Church St. Rochester, NY 14614

2. Report from Neighborhood Service Center-911 Genesee Street-Officers Andy DiMaria, Carl Dickerson.

Notes

I.     Eric Frisch, Transportation Planner-City of Rochester

Mr. Frisch is the staff person to the City’s Traffic control board-They approve or deny traffic changes within the City. Specifically, the Traffic Control Board regulates matters relating to traffic within the City of Rochester like stop signs, traffic signals, turn restrictions, parking signs, one-way signs, adult crossing guard locations, weight limit restrictions, speed limits, and detour signs.

Any concerns with the Traffic Control Board, or regulations relating to traffic control devices, residents may contact the City's Transportation Specialist at (585)428-6709, Monday through Friday, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.

City residents may petition the Traffic Control Board to establish new, or modify existing placement of traffic control devices. The board will consider proposals in cases where an obvious hazard or operational problem exists, or when 60% of the affected residents sign a petition requesting a specific change. Residents may explain proposals at semi-monthly, public board meetings.

Any petitions should be forwarded to the City Hall addressed to the attention of:
City Engineer, Department of Environmental Services
30 Church Street, Room 300B
Rochester, NY 14614

To have urgent issues addressed or to report a problem regarding traffic signals or traffic signs please contact the Monroe County Department of Transportation maintains traffic signals and traffic signs on all city streets. For problems relating to traffic signals or signs, call (585) 753-7700 this line is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

John Borek read problem parking issues.

The parking violations included: Meter expired, failed to display meter receipt, alternate parking, no parking zone, no stopping zone, less than 5ft of the driveway, less than 15 feet from a hydrant, parking on the sidewalk, double parking, vehicle on crosswalk, parking in prohibited places, regulations regarding, no standing, parking on city property, commercial loading zone, official vehicle only, no lawn parking, displaying vehicle for sale, more than 12 inches from the curb, obstructing a curb cut, motor running with vehicle unattended, no handicap sticker displayed, within 20 ft of crosswalk, broken tampered meter, vehicle in front of driveway, reserved parking, failure to display permit, failure to display a reserved permit, obstructing a curb cut.

Questions:

1. Resident: What can we do about using driveways as a mechanics work place and illegal parking on lawns?

Response: This is a Zoning issue-illegal front yard parking-one would need a zoning variance to be legal-Call 311 to report and report that this is happening regularly. I can look into the exact path for you to follow to get the matter resolved.

Per John Borek: Once this type of activity is repeated on a regular basis it is very difficult to get it stopped.

Recommendation: We realize that 311 is the lowest level of getting the complaint resolved.; continue to report the problem so it is documented. Also, the repeat parking violations offenses (John Borek) will write to our Southwest Neighborhood Service Center, David Hawkes, Administrator about the issue.

2. Resident: Pointed out that commercial trucks always park on Woodbine Avenue. Resident indicated they have reported the occurrences but nothing has been done about it. Next question, How long does it take, or how many calls warrants action by the parking enforcement personnel? The response time seems to be almost non-existent. The resident regretted that parking enforcement officer was not in attendance to answer that question.

Crime Prevention Officers Response: Officer indicated that they have a back log of issues that they attend to but and this is one of the lower level items on their public safety list. The speed with which this will be attended to depends on the other requests are of a more severe nature on the officers cases to handle on their shift. They agreed that these requests are valid. The parking enforcement officers are actually the unit that is to handle parking complaints. Should this be an urgent situation request to have this request become a higher priority. For example, a blocked driveway would be escalated and a police officer would be informed to handle the urgent request.

Eric Frisch’s Response:

Parking Monitors if available will respond and if not it will become a “B” job to police officers. The Parking Enforcement unit has 2 Parking Enforcement Supervisors, 8 fulltime Parking Enforcement Officers and 4 Part-time Officers. This unit will respond to 311 and 911 calls. All can write tickets at any area within the city. The staff hours start at 7 am – 10 pm Monday through Saturday. When they are not available requests are forwarded to the police officers.

Other Responses: The parking monitors are not used late at night as they are not equipped with guns, so police offers are used. It also costs less to use a parking monitor.

Question:

May I park in front of my own driveway?

Officer Response: No. You will be ticketed.

Borek: It appears that we have eroding City Services since the birth of 911 Services. The 911 approach is a relatively recent approach to service calls; and the volume of calls continues to increase. There has been an explosion in terms of the numbers of calls received. How do you keep up with the volume of calls with the unchanging number of officers available to respond? This is a problem that not only affects Rochester, NY but other cities as well across the country and is being looked at by the Rochester Police Department as well. The accessibility has improved and the response time has become uneventful to produce the proper reaction by those that are in violation of the law.

Resident Response: In order to get a response you must ask other neighbors (get a number of residents) on the street to call to get an issue resolved, otherwise nothing happens. One person is not going to get anything accomplished.

Resident Report: Triangle Neighborhood Association-Comprised of the St. Mary Hospital area, West Avenue, Chili Avenue, and Cairn Street.

Our group has been studying traffic issues in that area. We have been looking into getting speed humps on Grover Street. Vehicles that use that street go down the street in an unsafe manner to avoid traffic. We have a petition in hand.

Depew Street is also used to avoid traffic signs, etc. We have also have a petition to install a 4 way stop sign. Currently there is a 2 way stop sign on Forbes Street.

Eric Frisch’s Response: I will take your petitions and will address the process for the speed humps.

Obtaining Speed Humps is a 3 step process.

1. Submit a letter to the City Engineer co-signed by 2 neighbors.

2. Evaluation by the City in terms of length of street and the nearest parallel street to determine if the speed humps are installed will the problem reoccur on a parallel street. (Will look to do an area wide speed hump installation.

3. Last step is to have Monroe County do a traffic study of the area.

Speed humps are not allowed on arterial or collector streets. This is where traffic is to funnel to. Genesee Park Boulevard is a collector street and speed humps would not be allowed based on the regulations. When the county determination has been made and it is affirmative a petition is needed from 75% of the street is required. The entire process takes about 3 months to obtain approval or denial.

Stop Signs-

The only requirement is a written request with the issues identified. It will be sent to Monroe County and evaluated and a determination made and forwarded to the City.

Resident Point of Information: 1) Accident prone corner at Depew and Forbes. Monroe County does not track residential accident. It requires the residents to request traffic changes to take place to City and it will be referred to the County for review and approval. Per Eric Frisch, speed humps may have been tentatively approved- will look and get back to John Borek.

2. Genesee Park Boulevard and Pioneer Street- An accident prone are as well. Students cannot cross without fearing for their lives as cars speed and are generally reckless in that area. The school buses and RTS buses add to the confusion, there is no crosswalk to aid the students or other pedestrians. A RTS bus stop is located near that intersection.

Eric Frisch’s Response-because of previous requests the county has reviewed this area and tried different options. There are alternative calming techniques, for example creative paintings or crosswalks to slow traffic down. Installing signs that indicate “slow down” and/ or reflective vertical signs may be an option. Some of these calming effects have been used in the city, Linden Av at Meigs Street and others in the North Winton Village Neighborhood and in the Neighborhood of the Arts. This was a community building effort using the Boulevart program that allowed all the neighbors to participate in creating a design that will cause a calming effect to help reduce speeds in the neighborhood. Eric Frisch is the go to person for this program.

John Borek: Eric can you do attempt an evaluation of the different options to calm this intersection at Genesee Pk. Blvd and Pioneer to see what resulted? Can you pull the accident reports? See what you may be able to recommend. We will have to go beyond the City to get a solution.

Other issues of concern:

Borek: Student Housing in residential areas and student parking. On the weekend there can be 10 additional cars parked on the street. What does one have to do to establish the Special Permit for street parking? Cornhill is the only area that has such a permit in Rochester to date. It will require the act of state legislature, it is a home rule change, need a sponsor in the state senate and state assembly, city council approval is needed as well as a review and approval by the county Traffic control Board and will need to get a petition of 75% of the legal resident or owners of the neighborhood properties.

II.     Report from Neighborhood Service Center-911 Genesee Street-Officers Andy DiMaria, Carl Dickerson.

366 Thurston Road-Reckless endangerment-gambling at this address-victim was shot in car and later went to hospital but actually just hurt ankle.

256 Thurston Road- Victim was visiting his mother found what they thought was a bomb. This was a commercial hand held personal safety panic alarm covered in foil.

157 Arnett Blvd- two molatov cocktails found but never exploded- Arson squad is investigating.

119 Clifton Street– homicide-a person was found stuffed in the trunk in a house.

211 Genesee Street-gang stabbing-victim was stabbed but gave police no details.

Wellington Avenue- Street robbery an argument ensued-then cell phone was taken.

678 Genesee Street –purse snatching robbery- fought her for her bag-did not get any valuables

521 Chili Avenue- Two guys were firing shots after leaving store one child was shot in the arm and taken to the hospital.

Residents Response—Substation is needed in this area of Chili Avenue and Thurston Road—too much crime occurring.