ACTION REQUESTED:
Title
Communication From the City Manager and Director of Public Works With a Request to ADOPT an ORDINANCE Amending CHAPTER 28 of the CODE of the City of Peoria Renaming and Defining the CITY TRAFFIC COMMISSION.
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BACKGROUND: Over the past few years, the City of Peoria has changed its focus on roadway use to incorporate not just motor vehicles, but all users of the roadway, with a desire to become more pedestrian and bicycle friendly. By using Complete Street concepts that are now available, with proper planning, the quality of life in our city will be strengthened, along with encouraging future growth, vitality, and roadway safety and healthy behaviors.
In order for the City's Traffic Commission to help guide these changing attitudes toward the use of the roadway and the future of the city's transportation needs, the Commission's role needs to be redefined. City staff reviewed the existing city code concerning the commission, as well as investigated other City's codes, to draft amended language concerning the commission. After drafting the language, Staff met twice with the Traffic Commission to revise and finalize the proposed code amendments.
Some of the changes proposed to the City Code include:
· Changing the name Traffic Commission to Transportation Commission, to highlight the expanded role for all transportation matters.
· Increasing the membership from 9 to 11 Commissioners, to allow for a broader base of experience.
· Targeting members from all areas of the City, as well as various expertise and experiences, to expand the overall views of the commission to serve the entire community.
· Specify the Commission's areas of concern, and duties, to help focus the Commission in their expanded role.
The attached proposed ordinance changes have been reviewed by the City Traffic Commission and the Legal Department. These changes will allow the Commission to have an expanded role in the City's transportation concerns as we look at all of the users of the roadway system.
FINANCIAL IMPACT: Expenses for the operation and conduct of the affairs of the commission would need to be paid by a separate transportation commission line item in the city budget or where appropriate from specific budgeted projects. These expenses would include training materials, training by transportation experts and travel expenses to visit cities with new transportation concepts. Recommended budget would be $5,000 annually.
NEIGHBORHOOD CONCERNS: The Commission's expanded role will include making recommendations and proposals concerning transportation concerns within neighborhoods, as well as promoting transportation safety throughout the City.
IMPACT IF APPROVED: The Traffic Commission will become the Transportation Commission and will have an expanded role in the transportation issues in the City.
IMPACT IF DENIED: The ordinance language will remain as written and the Traffic Commission will continue as before.
ALTERNATIVES: NA
EEO CERTIFICATION NUMBER: NA
WHICH OF THE GOALS IDENTIFIED IN THE COUNCIL'S 2014 - 2029 STRATEGIC PLAN DOES THIS RECOMMENDATION ADVANCE?
1. Financially Sound City Government, Effective City Organization
2. Attractive Neighborhoods with Character: Safe and Livable
3. Vibrant Downtown: Riverfront/ Central Business District/ Warehouse District
WHICH CRITICAL SUCCESS FACTOR(S) FROM THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN DOES THIS RECOMMENDATION IMPLEMENT?
1. Invest in our infrastructure and transportation.
2. Have an efficient government.
DEPARTMENT: Public Works