Community Corner

Making La Mesa Streets Safer, Downtown Revitalization at Meeting Tuesday

The La Mesa City Council will review its traffic calming program and a variety of issues surrounding the planned downtown streetscape improvement project at City Hall at 6 p.m. Tuesday.

Every year the city of La Mesa prepares a list of streets where vehicles often break the law and traffic calming measures can make the community safer.

In part due to requests by local residents, 27 streets in La Mesa have been identified to be part of the city's traffic calming program. This year Elden Street between Odessa Avenue and Delta Street and Violet Street between Hoffman Avenue and Pearson Street were added to the list. 

Find out what's happening in La Mesa-Mount Helixwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

A list of streets is made based on petitions from residents, traffic and collision data. 

A point system is used to determine which streets are most in need of traffic calming measures which combines a list of factors like proximity to schools, presence of crosswalks and sidewalks and average speeds. 

Find out what's happening in La Mesa-Mount Helixwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

This year the top streets most in need of traffic calming measures are:

1. Harbinson Avenue

2. Howell Drive

3. Lubbock Avenue

4. Guava Avenue

5. Gateside Road

The city will continue monitor traffic on Amaya Drive near Murray Drive and Grossmont High School where a study conducted last month found that the vast majority of drivers travel 37 mph in both directions instead of the posted 30 mph speed limit. A survey of average speeds in the area conducted in September 2012 found drivers traveling 38 mph.

Continued monitoring will also take place on Dale Avenue.

This is agenda item 9.

A presentation will be given by Bill Jaynes about the establishment of a maintenance district to fund maintenance of the downtown streetscape project. 

Jaynes and other members of the La Mesa Citizen Oversight Group protested a PBID at city council's Sept. 10 meeting. Councilwoman Ruth Sterling requested Jaynes give a presentation about alternatives to a PBID that would collect revenue from each business within the Village District to pay for marketing, a PBID director and maintenance.

See page 3 of the agenda packet to see more information about other presentations to take place Tuesday.

Item 8 on the agenda will be a staff presentation on the cost of street maintenance for the downtown village streetscape project scheduled to begin construction in 2014. 

Maintenance will cost approximately $75,000 annually, city staff estimates.

In agenda item 10, city staff will review the fund balance and monthly gross revenue from parking meters, parking citations and permits sold in the Village District. 

The Downtown Parking Fund had a balance of $1.26 million at the end of fiscal year 2012-13. Fiscal years start July 1 and end June 31 of the following year. Parking meters, which account for around 70 percent of the fund's revenue, bring in approximately $25,000 a month. 

After factoring in expenses, a two-year reserve of $376,000 and allocation of $700,000 of the fund to the Downtown Village Streetscape Improvement Project, the available fund balance is $167,600, according to city staff. 

Parking fund money was used to pay a consultant who assisted the PBID Formation Committee. The La Mesa City Council voted 4-1 to end the contract at a Sept. 10 meeting.

On the consent calendar, multiple items to be approved in a single vote:

  • Approve design of a 56-unit mixed-use development at 7808-7814 El Cajon Blvd.
  • Approval of a Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) to purchase "new ballistic helmets and a new rifle sighting system" for the La Mesa Police Department.
  • Contracts for GIS mapping services and sewage work for items 5, 6 and 7.

The La Mesa City Council will interview Youth Advisory Commission and Human Relations Advisory Commission candidates Tuesday. This is agenda item 11.

A public hearing may be held Tuesday to discuss changes to the city's municipal code related to housing for people with disabilities. 

This is agenda item 12. 

Go to the city website to download a copy of the agenda or agenda packet with documents related to each agenda item.


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