A meeting of the Planning Board (PB) was held on March l3, 200l at l00 West Houston Street

To: Mayor and Board of Trustees, Village of Saltaire

From: Planning Board

Date: June 1, 2001

Re: Traffic Regulation and Enforcement

8/21/00 CHARGE TO THE PLANNING BOARD ON TRAFFIC REGULATIONS & ENFORCEMENT

The Board of Trustees asks the Planning Board to make recommendations which, if adopted, would through improved management and control of traffic reverse the growth in the number of motorized vehicles traveling in Saltaire both during the season and off season. The Mayor will, in consultation with the other Trustees, identify several persons whom he will ask to join the Planning Board's traffic group. The Trustees ask that the Board make its recommendations as soon as it can manage, but no later than December 15,2000. The Trustees ask that the following matters be reviewed by the traffic group:

· Permitting processes - what modifications, if any, should be made?

· Enforcement and the degree to which our rules can be enforced - what procedures or practices, if any, should be changed?

· Possible changes in Saltaire's Code governing traffic and permits

· Exemptions and exceptions, and the apparent inconsistency with which exemptions from the rules are granted - what policies should guide the granting of any exceptions and exemptions?

· Safety - what changes, if any, are required to assure the safety of all?

· Interdependencies between Saltaire's regulations and procedures and those of other communities, FINS, and the Reg-Neg process - what changes, if any, need be made to coordinate and rationalize Saltaire's rules with those of other bodies?

· Parking arrangements within the Village of Saltaire

DISCUSSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS

PB was informed that the RegNeg meeting scheduled for March 6^th was re-scheduled for March 30^th, May 4^th and, as of this date, has not yet taken place.

PB met several times on the subject of traffic, and it met once with Bill Buteau, Mel London and Harold Wait, appointed by Village of Saltaire ("VOS") as consultants. Appointee Anna Gill was unable to attend the meeting. PB sent Minutes of the meeting to all four consultants which elicited further comments.

This report is submitted following PB's meeting held on May 26, 2001, with all recommendations to VOS underlined.

It is unfortunate that, although lack of enforcement of existing FINS, Islip and Saltaire Codes affects all residents, Saltaire can only enforce its own Codes. FINS and Islip are desultory in their enforcement policies. FINS apparently discussed closing all the ocean cuts and limiting vehicle use to Lighthouse Walk.

Saltaire residents are not perceived as violaters of the Codes; the offenders are those travelling through the Village from east to west and vice versa. Different contractors working on the same site, each with a vehicle permit, result in many trucks clustered in small areas. Contractors often work simultaneously on houses; supplies, tools and manpower have to be transported back and forth. Concern was raised that homeowners will bear the costs if contractors have to ferry workers into Saltaire, but PB's majority expressed the position that that is an appropriate cost allocation.

The matter concerning the village employee's inappropriate use of his vehicle has been corrected.

A list of the Saltaire Golf Carts permits for 00/0l was reviewed. It was emphasized that there is no limit in the Saltaire Code on the number of cart permits (50ll-50-12).

The Permit Application was reviewed and no revision was found necessary (except for timing, see below).

PB urges the Village be strict in policing issuance and use of Golf Cart Permits. They are a nuisance and safety hazard in season.

PB recommends that contractors use golf carts instead of automobiles to transport supplies and tools within the Village whenever possible.

PB recommends consideration of limitation of full-size contractor vehicles (pick-up trucks, Suburbans), replacement thereof with electric carts, and prohibition of driving full-size contractor vehicles on all north-south walks except for Broadway.

PB endorses initiating discussions with LIPA, Bell Atlantic to reduce/minimize use of autos, move around on bicycle or foot.

PB endorses initiating discussions with OB to schedule shift changes to coincide with ferry schedules, rather than using vehicles.

PB recommends that real estate agents be reminded annually in writing that their winter access permits do not allow them to transport prospects or clients into and out of Saltaire Village

PB endorses establishment and active use of a check point to determine the volume of traffic, the legitmacy of permits and the number of round trips.

PB recommends that security vehicles not be used for anything but official business of VOS, including security purposes and medical emergencies.

PB recommends that village personnel use village vehicles only for official business.

PB recommends that all Village personnel use the ferry to gain access to Saltaire. The PB stated that Marguerite Conlan’s situation should be grandmothered.

Discussion was had on limiting future driving permits in Saltaire from mid-October to mid-May, and on reducing permitted daily roundtrips from two to one for current and future winter permits, and on requiring businesses servicing Saltaire to use the ferry to transport work crews into the village.

PB recommends that Saltaire conforms its laws regarding travel, within the Village and across its boundaries, to those of FINS and Islip.

PB recommends that Saltaire consider a "round trip" to consist of a trip into and out of the Village.

PB endorses (1) the existing Code of restricted weekend driving, (2) limiting work-week travel to one round trip during the shoulder season, (3) prohibition of driving Friday 6 pm to Sunday 6 pm between 5/15 - 9/15, enforced with zero tolerance.

(This differs from current status in that:

a. Salt. 50.4.E(1) limits winter access permits to 9/15 to Friday preceding MemorialDay.

b. FINS extends driving season to the School Year, from Tuesday after Labor Day to June 20^th and, for the past 7 years, VOS has matched that extension.

c. FINS weekend restrictions (7.20(10)) prohibit driving from 9 am - 6 pm.)

PB recommends that VOS confer with Ernie Cannava, in charge of issuing permits for Islip, about halting granting of driving extensions to contractors in the Spring, unless the contractor presents proof of a bona fide building or alteration permit for a site in an area not served by ferry. VOS should first confer with Kevin Gillespie, who is well versed in the subject.

PB recommends ban of contractors' full size vehicles between 4/15 and 10/15; permit contractors' golf carts between 4/15 and Friday preceding Memorial Day.

PB recommends moving last day to apply for major project applications from 12/31 to 10/31; and instituting a sliding fee scale for projects of less than $7,500. Permits should require work to commence, and to be completed, within stated limited periods of time. These measures may encourage earlier planning and less traffic during Spring shoulder season.

PB endorses discouraging full sized vehicles from using the wooden walks 10/15 - 4/15, whether by prohibition or stiff fees; and to induce FIF to improve ferry service in March/April.

PB endorses monitoring garbage collection from eastern communities in order to avoid trucking when ferry service is available.

PB endorses the installation of a speed bump on Lighthouse Walk between Surf and West

The proposal to require businesses servicing Saltaire to rely on ferry service was considered favorably. However, this rule migtht require modification of the Security Force’s winter schedule. It was noted that some of the contractors who violate Saltaire’s Code do so with the knowledge that our fines for such offenses are laughably low - and limited by NYS law to $250.

PB recommends that sanctions for traffic violations include the loss of permit after a stated number of infractions within a given period.

PB recommends that permits be issued on large, easily identifiable decals, placed on vehicles by Saltaire security personnel in a prominent,clearly visibile location, issued in a new color each year.

PB recommends that authority to grant exceptions to the permit process be given to the Village Board, and that the Village Administrator be relieved of this responsibility. In emergency situations and/or tightly circumscribed temporary conditions, the authority should lie with the Village Administrator and/or head of Security.

PB recommends changing VOS' permitting period from Sept/Oct to Jan/Feb, in order to enable VOS to establish that applicants have valid current FINS and Islip permits obtained in January.

PB is in favor of the Village hiring additional security to enforce the regulations.

PB endorses the exploration of peace officer status. PB acknowledges that this matter might have implications for the Village budget, and perhaps for the civil service status of certain village employees.

Among subjects with which to arm VOS' Reg Neg representative, PB suggests:

FINS return to its earlier definition of a round-trip as constituting entry into the national park, rather than a trip off-island;

FINS enforce its regulations;

Islip require off-island contractors to show proof of job sites when applying for permits;

FINS reconsider its designation of "essential services".

Respectfully submitted,

THE PLANNING BOARD

Harry Baker

Liv Hempel

Pat McElhone

Margot Mindich

Ralph Perlberger