Title
Amending Chapter 156, Traffic Code - Safe Pedestrian Crossings, of the Saint Paul Legislative Code, to comply with state law changes and to update or eliminate outdated language.
Body
THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAINT PAUL DOES ORDAIN:
Section 1
Chapter 156 of the Saint Paul Legislative Code is hereby amended to read as follows:
Sec. 156.01. Declaration of public policy and purpose.
The council of the city finds that there may be intersections or areas within the city which require extra time for pedestrians to safely cross streets, in addition to the time recommended under the Minnesota Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices for pedestrian signals. This safe pedestrian crossing ordinance is hereby established in order to protect children and other pedestrians from bodily injury and to protect real and personal property from damage by reducing such hazardous traffic conditions.
(C.F. No. 01-277, § 1, 7-5-01)
Sec. 156.02. Safe pedestrian crossings authorized.
The director of public works or council, pursuant to this chapter, may establish and designate intersections or other areas as safe pedestrian crossings. The timing of pedestrian crossing signals for such intersections or areas may be extended consistent with this chapter or, to the extent the timing is consistent with this chapter, the recommendations of the Minnesota Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices for pedestrian signal timing at senior citizen and handicapped pedestrian crossings, as amended from time to time. For the purpose of this chapter, the recommended timing for a safe pedestrian crossing shall be, as follows:
● "WALK" = seven (7) seconds minimum; and
● Flashing "DON'T WALK" = Distance from curb to the opposite curb, divided by two and one-half (2.5) feet/second minimum.
The Council may also by resolution subsequently discontinue or remove any such safe pedestrian crossing designation.
The authority of the director of public works to determine pedestrian signal timing under this chapter is in addition to any other control exercised by the director over the timing of pedestrian signals. The director of public works, on his or her initiative or at the request of members of the public, may establish a safe pedestrian crossing. Therefore, citizens seeking to establish a safe pedestrian crossing should initiate any attempt to create such a crossing by first contacting the director of public works before undertaking the petition process described in section 156.03.
(C.F. No. 01-277, § 1, 7-5-01)
Sec 156.03. Petition.
(a) The designation of a safe pedestrian crossing may also be initiated by a petition filed with the director of public works stating that a particular intersection or area is encountering serious pedestrian safety problems because of inadequate pedestrian signal crossing times. A filing fee of ten dollars ($10.00) in accordance with the fee schedule established by city council resolution shall accompany every petition.
(b) The petition must specifically state the serious pedestrian safety problems being caused by inadequate pedestrian signal crossing times and the specific location where pedestrian signal crossing time is to be increased.
(c) Each signer shall thereon write his or her name and address. It shall be signed by at least twenty five (25) percent of all business property owners and all owners and/or residents of private residences, dwellings and apartments houses located within 600 feet in any direction from the intersection. The signatures shall be verified by the office of the city clerk Traffic Engineer. Any name appearing on the petition not conforming to the ownership/residency requirement at the time the petition is submitted to the city clerk shall be stricken and shall not be included. Any signer may withdraw his or her name by filing a written request with the director within fifteen (15) days of the date that the director receives the petition. If for any reason the number of signers falls below ten (10) percent within fifteen (15) days of the date that the director receives the petition, the petition shall be deemed defective and shall not be considered.
(d) Each separate page of the petition shall have appended thereto a certificate, verified by oath, that each signature was signed by the person purporting to have signed the petition. The petition shall designate an owner or a resident of a dwelling located within six hundred (600) feet of the intersection who shall have the responsibility of verifying each separate page of signatures, as well as the responsibility of assisting the director in the investigation of the request to implement a safe pedestrian crossing in the proposed area.
(e) The petition shall be reviewed by the relevant local district council who may make a recommendation of support or nonsupport regarding the proposed safe pedestrian crossing area.
(f) The petition shall also specify that the signer has read and understands the literature prepared by the department of public works explaining what the pedestrian indications mean and signed a pledge indicating their responsibility as both pedestrian and motorist.
(C.F. No. 01-277, § 1, 7-5-01)
Sec. 156.04. Investigation, analysis, and decision.
After the director of public works receives and validates a petition alleging serious pedestrian safety problems in the designated area, the director shall make an investigation to assess the nature and extent of the safety problems, if any, at that location and determine the feasibility of a safe pedestrian crossing for that area or related areas. This investigation shall last no longer than ninety (90) days from the receipt of the petition. The investigation may include, but shall not be limited to, observations, surveys, studies or any other data-gathering method which will assist the director in determining whether to designate a safe pedestrian crossing. After analyzing the results of the investigation, and after considering any relevant material submitted by any person or group having an interest in the establishment of a safe pedestrian crossing for that area, the director shall issue a written report rejecting or designating a specific safe pedestrian crossing area. If the director concludes that safety problems do warrant the designation of a safe pedestrian crossing, the director shall implement a pedestrian crossing in the proposed area pursuant to section 156.06. The director may provide petitioners with a range of technological alternatives, including the use of push-buttons, by which the extended time may be implemented. If the director concludes that the safety problems or lack thereof do not warrant the designation of a safe pedestrian crossing, the director shall submit that conclusion in a letter with any supporting statements to the local district council and the signer of the certificate. In such an event, the petitioners may appeal in the manner provided in section 156.05.
(C.F. No. 01-277, § 1, 7-5-01)
Sec. 156.05. Appeal and hearing.
In the event the director does not approve the implementation of a safe pedestrian crossing area, the owner or resident designated pursuant to section 156.03(d) may submit a written request for an appeal to the city council. The council shall forward the appeal to a legislative hearing officer for a hearing on the petition pursuant to Saint Paul Legislative Code Chapter 18. At least ten (10) days prior to the hearing, the city council shall provide notice of the hearing in the official city council agenda. At least ten (10) days prior to the hearing, notice shall also be served by mail on the owner or the resident designated pursuant to section 156.03(d). No other notice shall be required. At the hearing, the legislative hearing officer shall hear all interested persons and shall receive and consider all materials relevant to the merits of the petition. The legislative hearing officer shall then make a recommendation in resolution form to the city council, which may appeal or reject the hearing officer's recommendation, as provided for in Legislative Code Chapter 18.
(C.F. No. 01-277, § 1, 7-5-01)
Sec. 156.06. Signal adjustment.
Upon the director's determination pursuant to section 156.02 or 156.04 that safety problems do warrant the designation of a safe pedestrian crossing, or upon passage of a council resolution authorizing the creation of a safe pedestrian crossing under sections 156.02 or 156.05, the director shall cause the safe pedestrian crossing to be created as authorized by (1) this chapter; (2) Chapter 488, article 6, section 5, applicable Minnesota Laws; and (3) the Minnesota Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices, as amended from time to time.
If, after a minimum of ninety (90) days after the implementation of safe pedestrian crossing, citizens who petitioned for the safe pedestrian crossing are unsatisfied with extended time provided, the petitioner(s) may request, in writing, an assessment of the effectiveness of the extended time provided at safe pedestrian crossing. The director of public works shall complete this assessment sixty (60) days after receipt of the written request from petitioner. Upon completion of the assessment, the director shall issue a written report stating the results of the assessment sixty (60) days after receipt of the written request from petitioner. Upon completion of the assessment, the director shall issue a written report stating the results of the assessment and a statement of whether the director decided to extend the time further at the safe pedestrian crossing. This written report shall be issued to the petitioner(s) who requested the assessment and the city council.
(C.F. No. 01-277, § 1, 7-5-01)
Section 2
This Ordinance shall take effect and be in force thirty (30) days following its passage, approval and publication.