[00:00:09]
HAS ARRIVED. SO. EXCUSE ME. START OUR SERIES OF MEETINGS THIS EVENING. STARTING FIRST
[I. Staff Discussion Items]
WITH OUR WORK SESSION. THE FIRST ITEM ON THE WORK SESSION IS A PRESENTATION ON PROPOSED ORDINANCES, MISS WESTCOTT. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL. THIS EVENING, WE'RE GOING TO JUST HAVE A BRIEF CONVERSATION ABOUT WHAT IS IN THE CITY'S CURRENT ORDINANCES RELATED TO TRUCK TRUCK ROUTES. TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT. SOME REGIONAL FREIGHT TRENDS, AND LOOK AT OUR OWN ORDINANCE. MAKE SOME SUGGESTIONS TO THINK ABOUT AND HAVE A DISCUSSION. WHY I'M HERE IS THAT ON OCCASION, CITY STAFF HAS ASKED TO INSTALL TRUCK RESTRICTION SIGNS ON VARIOUS STREETS. AND WHEN WE HAVE IN THE PAST LOOKED AT WHAT OUR CITY CODE SAYS RELATED TO THAT, WE DON'T HAVE CLEAR DIRECTION ON HOW TO PROCEED. AND SO WITH OVER 1700 STREETS IN SANDY SPRINGS, OUR CONVERSATION TODAY IS REALLY ABOUT TALKING ABOUT WHERE TRUCKS CAN AND SHOULD TRAVEL IN SANDY SPRINGS. SO JUST IN TERMS OF THE BIG PICTURE, FREIGHT IN OUR REGION IN ATLANTA, SANDY SPRINGS, INSIDE OF THAT IS AN ENORMOUS INDUSTRY. IT ACCOUNTS FOR A THIRD OF ALL JOBS IN THE ENTIRE REGION. AND SURPRISINGLY, YOU KNOW, WE THINK ABOUT BIG FREIGHT PLACES LIKE, SAY, PHILADELPHIA OR CHICAGO OR EVEN LA. ATLANTA IS RIGHT UP IN THERE IN TERMS OF OUR WHOLE REGION AND HOW MUCH FREIGHT WE'RE BOTH GENERATING AND PRODUCING HERE AND HAS A GREAT ECONOMIC VALUE. AND A LOT OF FREIGHT MOVING AROUND ATLANTA IS MOVED BY TRUCK. YOU KNOW, THERE'S ALSO OTHER, OTHER WAYS IT TRAVELS. SO JUST IN TERMS OF AGAIN, BIG PICTURE. THE US IDENTIFIED A NATIONAL NETWORK BACK IN 1982. AND PART OF THAT INTERSTATE 285, WHICH TRAVERSES THROUGH SANDY SPRINGS. AS PART OF THIS NATIONAL NETWORK. THE STATE ALSO HAS A DESIGNATED FREIGHT NETWORK OR TRUCK NETWORK, AND THAT INCLUDES STATE ROUTE 400 NORTH OF 2D FIVE. ANOTHER LITTLE INTERESTING THING ON THE STATE IS THAT MAYBE YOU'VE NOTICED WHEN YOU'RE INSIDE OF 2D FIVE, DRIVING ON 75, 85, 20 OR 400 TRUCKS ARE RESTRICTED. SO THAT IS SOMETHING THAT'S WRITTEN INTO STATE LAW CURRENTLY THAT LARGE VEHICLES, MORE THAN SIX WHEELS CANNOT TRAVEL WITH EXCEPTIONS IF THEY HAVE, YOU KNOW, A REASON TO BE THERE, BUT NOT THROUGH TRIPS. SO WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE IN SANDY SPRINGS RIGHT NOW? SO THESE ARE TRUCK ROUTES OR FREIGHT ROUTES, CORRIDORS ALREADY IDENTIFIED THAT TRAVERSE SANDY SPRINGS THAT EITHER BY FEDERAL OR STATE PARTNERS HAVE IDENTIFIED AS TRUCK FRIENDLY. SO IT'S 285 STATE ROUTE NINE, 140 AND 400 NORTH OF 2D FIVE. SO THE CITY'S ORDINANCE IS FOUND IN CHAPTER 858, ARTICLE TWO. SO WHAT DOES THAT ROUTE TRUCK ROUTE ORDINANCE CURRENTLY LOOK LIKE? IT TELLS US SORT OF THE ROUTES TRUCKS CAN TAKE. IT TALKS ABOUT SIGNAGE, TALKS ABOUT MAXIMUM VEHICLE WEIGHTS, WHERE AND HOW LONG TRUCKS CAN PARK, WHERE THEY CAN BE STORED, THE TIME OF DAY THAT DELIVERIES CAN HAPPEN, AND THEN THE PENALTIES. JUST A COUPLE SLIDES ON SOME HIGHLIGHTS OF OF THAT ORDINANCE. SO JUST IN TERMS OF ROUTES, TRUCKS ARE ALWAYS PERMITTED ON ANY STREET IF THEY HAVE A ORIGIN OR DESTINATION THERE. SO YOU'RE MOVING AND YOU NEED A MOVING VAN TO COME TO YOUR HOUSE. THEY'RE ALLOWED TO DO THAT. IF YOU HAVE A DELIVERY OF, YOU KNOW, AN ENTIRE LIVING ROOM FULL OF FURNITURE. THEY CAN COME TO YOUR HOUSE, BUT YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO DO THAT IN THE MOST DIRECT ROUTE AVAILABLE. WE HAVE CURRENTLY A TIME RESTRICTION, AND SO THIS IS ANYTHING REALLY OFF OF A TRUCK ROUTE IS NOT SUPPOSED TO BE MADE BETWEEN 7 A.M. AND 7 P.M. BUT THAT'S APPLIES EVENLY TO BOTH RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL USES. SO THAT'S SOMETHING WE MIGHT WANT TO THINK ABOUT. WE DO HAVE A WEIGHT RESTRICTION IN OUR ORDINANCE AS WELL, AS WE DO HAVE WEIGHT RESTRICTIONS ON[00:05:06]
THREE BRIDGES IN TERMS OF PARKING TRUCKS. WE DON'T PERMIT THAT ON RESIDENTIAL STREETS. WE HAVE TIME LIMITATIONS. WE KIND OF DEFINE WHAT THAT MIGHT BE IN TERMS OF WHO IS PARKING THERE AND THAT THEY CANNOT BE PARKED, YOU KNOW, FOR EXCESSIVE AMOUNT OF TIME. SO WHEN STAFF INTERPRETS THIS EXISTING ORDINANCE, ONE OF OUR CHALLENGES IS THAT OUR DEFINITION WITHIN OUR ORDINANCE ISN'T VERY CLEAR. WE ONLY HAVE ONE DEFINITION IN THE ORDINANCE FOR A BIMODAL SEMI-TRAILER, BUT IT'S NOT CONSISTENT WITH HOW THE STATE DEFINES A TRUCK. ONE OF THE THINGS IN TERMS OF TRUCK ENFORCEMENT AND THAT QUESTION THAT COMES TO STAFF TO PUT UP NO TRUCK SIGNS, IS THAT OUR ORDINANCE SAYS WE HAVE A ROUTE, WE HAVE TRUCK ROUTES, BUT WE DON'T CURRENTLY HAVE THEM. SO IN THE 20 YEARS OF SANDY SPRINGS EXISTENCE, WE HAVE NOT YET DESIGNATED WHAT ROUTES OUTSIDE OF THE FEDERAL AND STATE ROUTES WHERE TRUCKS ARE ALLOWED. WE DO HAVE THAT TIME OF DAY RESTRICTION FROM 7 P.M. TO 7 A.M. AND SO THAT MEANS GOING BACK TO THE DELIVERY AT YOUR HOUSE OR ANYONE IN SANDY SPRINGS THAT THEY AREN'T ACTUALLY SUPPOSED TO BE MAKING ANY OF THOSE DURING THE BUSINESS DAY. CURRENTLY, IN OUR ORDINANCE, JUST IN TERMS OF ENFORCEMENT, I THINK THERE'S A CONVERSATION TO TALK ABOUT THIS IN TERMS WITH OTHER PUBLIC SAFETY NEEDS. OUR ORDINANCE ISN'T REALLY CLEAR ON WHETHER OR NOT WE ARE PUTTING UP SIGNS TO ALLOW TRUCKS OR TO PROHIBIT THEM, AND THEN WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE KIND OF CONSISTENT WITH FEDERAL, STATE AND OTHER JURISDICTIONS IN TERMS OF WHAT THEY DESIGNATE AS TRUCK ROUTES. SO PUTTING ON OUR PLANNING HAT FOR A MINUTE, WE LOOK TO OUR REGIONAL PARTNERS. THE ATLANTA REGIONAL COMMISSION HAS, OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS, REALLY DONE A LOT OF GREAT PLANNING BECAUSE, AS I'VE SAID, IT'S AN ENORMOUS ECONOMIC DRIVER FOR THE REGION. AND SO JUST KIND OF LOOKING AT THOSE ITEMS, WE AS STAFF KIND OF WENT TO THE DRAWING BOARD AND LOOKED AT THINGS LIKE, WHAT KIND OF STREET IS THIS? HOW IS IT CONSTRUCTED? WHAT ARE THE LAND USES THAT THEY'RE SERVING? CAN WE MAKE A CONNECTED NETWORK? AND WITH THAT, SORT OF STARTED LOOKING AT THOSE CRITERIA. SO RIGHT NOW, AS I'VE SAID, 285 STATE ROUTE NINE 140 ARE ALL ON AND 400 ARE ON THE STATE OR FEDERAL NETWORK. SO THESE ARE KIND OF SOME OF OUR CRITERIA THAT WE WOULD LOOK AT. WE KNOW THAT COMING INTO SANDY SPRINGS FROM COBB COUNTY, THAT COBB DESIGNATES JOHNSON'S FERRY AS A TRUCK ROUTE. WE KNOW THAT COMING INTO SANDY SPRINGS ON MOUNT VERNON HIGHWAY, THEY CALL IT MOUNT VERNON ROAD, DOES WHAT HE HAS DESIGNATED THAT SECTION AS A TRUCK ROUTE. AND THE EXTENT OF THE PRINCIPAL ARTERIAL NETWORK THAT WE HAVE IN SANDY SPRINGS, WHICH IS THE HIGHEST CLASSIFICATION OF ROAD OUTSIDE OF OUR INTERSTATES. SO STATE ROUTE NINE IS ON THAT HAS THAT CLASSIFICATION. STATE ROUTE 140 HAS THAT CLASSIFICATION. AND SO DOES JOHNSON'S FERRY. ABERNATHY UP TO PERIMETER CENTER. AND THEN YOU KNOW, AS WE WE WERE PRETTY FAMILIAR. SANDY SPRINGS DOESN'T HAVE LARGE INDUSTRIAL USES OR PRODUCERS HERE, BUT WE DO HAVE SOME INDUSTRIAL ZONED LAND ON THE NORTH END OF OF THE CITY. SO WITH THAT SAID, JUST KIND OF THINKING ABOUT WHAT MIGHT MAKE SENSE IF WE ARE GOING TO FOLLOW THE EXISTING CODE AND LOOK AT ADOPTING A TRUCK ROUTE NETWORK OR SOMEWHERE WHERE WE'RE GOING TO SAY, THIS IS IF YOU'RE COMING INTO SANDY SPRINGS, THESE ARE THE PERMISSIBLE STREETS YOU CAN DRIVE ON. WE'VE IDENTIFIED FIVE. AND THERE'S A SUMMARY HERE. SO IN ADDITION TO THE REGIONAL NETWORK ROADWAYS, WE'VE ALREADY TALKED ABOUT DESIGNATING THE SECTION OF JOHNSON'S FERRY ROAD FROM COBB COUNTY TO ABERNATHY, ABERNATHY TO JOHNSON, FROM JOHNSON'S FERRY TO MOUNT VERNON HIGHWAY, MOUNT VERNON HIGHWAY FROM ABERNATHY TO THE CITY OF DUNWOODY, CITY LIMITS, DUNWOODY PLACE FROM NORTHRIDGE TO ROSWELL ROAD, AND THEN NORTHRIDGE BETWEEN 400 AND ROSWELL ROAD. SO WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE OVERALL? SO WHAT THAT MEANS IN TERMS OF OUR CURRENT ORDINANCE IS THAT ALL OF THE OTHER STREETS IN SANDY SPRINGS WOULD NOT BE PRIMARY ROUTES FOR TRUCKS, AND WOULD BE THEY RESTRICTED. AND WHAT WE WOULD SUGGEST, IF THIS IS SOMETHING THAT COUNCIL'S INTERESTED IN DOING. IF WE DECIDE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS NETWORK OR A SIMILAR NETWORK, IS THAT YOU DESIGNATE THE ROUTES WHERE YOU WANT TRUCKS, AS OPPOSED TO PUTTING UP NO TRUCK SIGNS ON[00:10:05]
1700, 1700 STREETS THROUGH THE REST OF SANDY SPRINGS, BECAUSE OUTSIDE OF THE TRUCK ROUTES, IF PEOPLE ARE KIND OF USING OTHER STREETS AS ALTERNATIVES BUT DO NOT HAVE A DELIVERY OR DON'T HAVE AN ORIGIN, THAT THAT WOULD GIVE YOU THE OPPORTUNITY FOR ENFORCEMENT THERE. SO JUST IN TERMS OF OTHER INCONSISTENCIES IN THE ORDINANCE, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE IF WE'RE RESTRICTING TRUCKS, WE NEED TO DECIDE WHAT THAT IS BECAUSE EVERYBODY IS RECEIVING DELIVERIES NOW THROUGH ALL OF OUR MAJOR RETAIL SITES. RIGHT. SO THERE'S SMALL BOX TRUCKS. THERE'S TRUCKS WITH MULTIPLE AXLES. THERE AREN'T THAT MANY DELIVERIES THAT COME ON TRACTOR TRAILERS. BUT YOU KNOW, WHEN WE HAVE DONE CLASSIFICATION STUDIES FOR OTHER CITY PROJECTS, WE ACTUALLY DON'T FIND A LOT OF THOSE LARGE TRACTOR TRAILERS TRAVERSING OUR STREETS. WE MIGHT WANT TO THINK ABOUT THE TIME OF DAY DELIVERY RESTRICTIONS, BECAUSE THAT'S AFFECTING ALL THE RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES ALIKE IN TERMS OF THAT TIME OF DAY RESTRICTION.WE'RE HERE TO TALK ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT WE WANT TO ADOPT TRUCK ROUTE MAP AND THEN JUST CLARIFYING, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GOING TO ACTUALLY SAY, WELL, THIS IS THE ROUTES. THIS IS WHERE WE'RE GOING TO PUT OUR SIGNS, CAN LIMIT IT TO FIVE ROUTES, AND EVERYTHING ELSE IS RESTRICTED UNLESS THERE'S A REASON FOR THEM TO BE THERE. SO WITH THAT SAID, I'D LOVE TO HEAR YOUR FEEDBACK. I'M I'M SURE SOME OF YOU ARE WONDERING WHERE THIS CAME FROM. THIS CAME AS A RESULT OF SEVERAL THINGS ONE. CITIZEN COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE LARGE NUMBER OF TRUCKS ON NEIGHBORHOOD STREETS. EXCUSE ME. WHAT YOU WHAT WE'VE WITNESSED WITH 285 AND AND THE CONSTRUCTION AND EVERYTHING THAT'S GOING ON IN THE CONSTRUCTION IS GOING TO BE GOING ON ON 285 AND 400 AT LEAST THROUGH 2036 TRUCKS THAT GET BACKED UP IN THE TRAFFIC IN THE BACKWASH OF THE CONSTRUCTION ARE NOW GETTING OFF AND USING THE VARIOUS SOFTWARE GIS SOFTWARE TO FIND ROUTES THROUGH THE CITY TO BYPASS. AND SO WE FOUND LARGE TRUCKS ON A LOT OF OUR NEIGHBORHOOD STREETS. AND SO A LOT OF COMPLAINTS BY NEIGHBORS THAT THEY'RE GETTING INUNDATED WITH LARGE TRUCKS ON THEIR RESIDENTIAL STREETS. AND THE FACT THAT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT SAID OUR CURRENT ORDINANCE IS NOT ENFORCEABLE. IN OTHER WORDS, THEY CAN'T ISSUE TICKETS IF THEY FIND SOMEBODY WANDERING THROUGH THE CITY WITHOUT A NEW ORDINANCE THAT BASICALLY DESIGNATES WHERE THE ROUTES ARE. AND SO IT'S A COMBINATION OF LACK OF CLARITY AND THE EXISTING ORDINANCE, PLUS COMPLAINTS BY THE COMMUNITY AND THE FACT THAT A LOT OF OUR, OUR RESIDENTIAL STREETS ARE NOT DESIGNED TO HANDLE THE WEIGHT OF AN 8,000 POUND, 16 WHEEL VEHICLE. AND SO IT REALLY DAMAGES OUR ROADWAY WHEN THEY COME OFF AND GET INTO AREAS THAT ARE NOT DESIGNED TO HANDLE THAT KIND OF TRUCK TRAFFIC AND THAT KIND OF WEIGHT. SO TO PROVIDE CLARITY FOR THE POLICE DEPARTMENT SO THAT THEY KNOW THAT THEY HAVE THE BACKING OF OF A CLEAR ORDINANCE THAT DESIGNATES TRUCK ROUTES AND ALSO THE TRUCKING INDUSTRY, BECAUSE THEY THEY WILL GET THIS WILL, THIS WILL SEND NOTICES TO ALL THE TRUCKS THAT, HEY, STAY OUT OF SANDY SPRINGS, OUT OF THE NEIGHBORHOODS, BECAUSE THEY KNOW RIGHT NOW THEY DON'T HAVE THEY CAN OPERATE WITH IMPUNITY IN IN OUR STREETS BECAUSE THEY DON'T WE DON'T HAVE AN ENFORCEABLE ORDINANCE. SO THIS IS BASICALLY TO TIGHTEN UP OUR TRUCK ROUTE ORDINANCES AND MAKE SURE THAT THEY CAN ONLY GO ON STREETS AND ROADS OTHER THAN LOCAL DELIVERIES. AS KRISTEN SAID, IF THEY'RE DELIVERING SOMETHING TO YOUR HOUSE, THEY IF THEY'RE STARTING THEIR OR THEY'RE ENDING THEIR THEY CAN THEY CAN USE THESE STREETS. BUT OTHERWISE IF THEY'RE JUST TRANSIENT TRUCK TRAFFIC, THEY HAVE TO FOLLOW THE TRUCK ROUTES OR THE POLICE DEPARTMENT CAN, CAN CITE THEM FOR BEING OFF THE TRUCK ROUTES. SO THAT'S THE BASIC, BASIC THRUST. SO WITH THAT WE'LL OPEN THE FLOOR FOR ANY CONVERSATIONS OR QUESTIONS.
ALL RIGHT MISS MUELLER. SO I HAVE QUITE A FEW QUESTIONS. BUT THE FIRST I THINK THE ADMINISTRATIVE DEFINITELY IF WE CAN'T I THINK YOU HAD ON THE SLIDE WE DIDN'T HAVE A GOOD DEFINITION OF A TRUCK. I THINK THAT'S GREAT FOR STARTERS. JUST A QUESTION. I'M MORE CONCERNED ABOUT THE THE POLICY CHANGE. I'M. THANK YOU, MAYOR, FOR THE EXPLANATION. I DIDN'T GET THAT WHEN I READ THE SLIDES. SO IF WE WERE GOING TO ADOPT THE PROPOSED MAP THAT'S HERE TODAY, THAT WAS TODAY. WHAT HAVE WE DONE AS FAR AS ESTIMATING THE AMOUNT OF TRUCKS THAT WOULD BE WE WOULD START TO SEE LEGALLY. RIGHT. ASSUMING WE HAVE WE GET WORK OUT THE ENFORCEMENT ON THE
[00:15:05]
ROADS BECAUSE IT'S NOT I GUESS THEY COULD BE EVERYWHERE TODAY. THEY CAN. BUT NOW WE'RE REALLY MAKING IT OFFICIAL. THEY CAN BE SOMEWHERE AND THEY'RE ALREADY THERE BECAUSE MOST OF THE TRUCK TRAFFIC IN SANDY SPRINGS, I WOULD ARGUE, OUTSIDE OF SOME OF THE CALAMITIES ON 285 WHERE SOMEONE MIGHT TRY TO REROUTE AROUND THAT HAVE A REASON TO BE THERE, RIGHT. SO THE COCA-COLA BOTTLING PLANT ON DUNWOODY PLACE IS AN EXAMPLE. SO WHAT WE TRIED TO REALLY THINK ABOUT WAS THESE ROUTES THAT CONNECTED TO THE STATE SYSTEM AND THE THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY SYSTEM, THAT WOULD MAKE SENSE FOR US. AND NOT REALLY TRYING TO SAY YOU CAN DRIVE YOUR. I THINK THEY'RE ALREADY THERE. RIGHT. SO THERE'S TRUCK TRAFFIC THAT HAS TO SAY SERVE DESTINATIONS IN THE PERIMETER. AND THEY'RE USING THE LOCAL STREET NETWORK WITH OR WITHOUT A NETWORK. THEY HAVE TO THEY'RE COMING OFF A 400. THEN THEY'RE GETTING ON ABERNATHY GETTING ON PERIMETER CENTER WEST GETTING ON HAMMOND DRIVE. SO SURPRISINGLY, DUNWOODY I DON'T THINK HAS HAMMOND DRIVE IDENTIFIED AS A TRUCK ROUTE. IS THAT WOULD SEEM LIKE THE SECTION IN PERIMETER WOULD BE A LIKELY CANDIDATE THERE, BUT THEY DON'T HAVE THAT. SO WHY COULD WE NOT JUST ADOPT WHAT WAS ON THE VERY FIRST SLIDE WITHOUT ADDING TO IT? WE COULD. I THINK THAT'S UP TO YOU ALL. IF YOU THINK THAT THAT IS SUFFICIENT AND THAT EVERYWHERE ELSE IS RESTRICTED. I WOULD ARGUE, THOUGH, THAT THE FACT THAT WE HAVE SOME INDUSTRIAL USES OFF OF DUNWOODY PLACE, WE MIGHT WANT TO LOOK AT THAT LINKAGE BACK TO 400 FROM ROSWELL ROAD. BUT IF THAT'S CONSIDERED A DELIVERY, THEY ARE SO THERE. WE WOULDN'T HAVE TO MAKE A CHANGE FOR THAT BECAUSE IT IS DELIVERY. AND THEY ARE RIGHT. THEY ORIGINATE THERE AS WELL. SO WHAT IS THE PROPOSED COST TO DO A CHANGE LIKE THIS. NOT THE ADMINISTRATIVE BUT THE SIGNAGE. AND YEAH I THINK WEAR AND TEAR ON THE ROAD YOU KNOW. RIGHT. WELL AND I THINK WE LOOKED AT THAT TOO. AND THAT'S WE USED THE CLASSIFICATION OF THE ROADS. SO ABERNATHY JOHNSON'S FERRY HAVE BEEN BUILT TO A HIGHER STANDARD WITH THE HIGHER PAVEMENT, YOU KNOW, DEEPER PAVEMENT DEPTH. SAME WITH DUNWOODY PLACE AND NORTHRIDGE. THESE ARE ALL PRETTY MAJOR STREETS. I THE ONLY ONE THAT IS A BIT OF CONCERN FOR ME WOULD BE MOUNT VERNON. AND THE REASON WE HAD THAT IS BECAUSE IT DOES CONNECT TO ABERNATHY, BUT ALSO CONNECTS TO OUR NEIGHBORS TRUCK ROUTE.SO AND ONCE IT GETS INTO DUNWOODY, IT GOES DOWN TO ONE LANE. RIGHT. SO IS THAT A CONCERN THAT WE MIGHT HAVE STACKED COMING BACK TO THE PERIMETER? BECAUSE I DON'T THINK SO. I MEAN, RIGHT NOW I KNOW THAT OCCASIONALLY, YOU KNOW, THE COMMERCIAL USE IS IN DUNWOODY, LIKE THE SHOPPING DUNWOODY VILLAGE. YOU'LL SEE AN OCCASIONAL PUBLIX OR KROGER TRUCK AND NOT MANY OTHERS. IT DOESN'T REALLY MAKE IT A THROUGH ROUTE FOR TRUCKS. I MEAN, THEY DON'T REALLY WANT TO BE THERE ANYWAY. THE ONLY TIME WE HAVE. YEAH, THE ONLY TIME WE HAVE A PROBLEM IS WHEN ONE OF THE OTHER ROUTES IS CLOGGED. AND THEN, LIKE EVERY OTHER PERSON WHO DOESN'T WANT TO SIT ON 285 AND LOOK AT THE TAIL LIGHTS IN FRONT OF THEM, AND THEY GOT THEIR OWN SCHEDULE. SO THEY'RE LOOKING FOR ALTERNATIVE ROUTES TO GET AROUND THAT, THAT THEY DON'T PREFER TO USE OUR STREETS. THEY PREFER TO STAY ON 285, 400. AND I WOULD DARE SAY EVEN THOUGH ROSWELL ROAD IS A TRUCK ROUTE, THEY'RE THEY'RE NOT ON THAT UNLESS THEY HAVE A LOCAL DELIVERY. BUT THE PROBLEM IS, IS WE ALL KNOW THAT WITH ALL THE THE NAVIGATION SOFTWARE THAT EVERYBODY ACCESSES RIGHT NOW, THEY'RE GOING TO TAKE YOU. THE WAZE DOESN'T CARE WHETHER YOU'RE A TRUCK OR A CAR OR A BICYCLE. THEY'RE GOING TO TAKE YOU THE MOST EFFICIENT WAY, WHICH IS OFTENTIMES THROUGH OUR NEIGHBORHOODS. SO THAT'S THE CHALLENGE. THEY DON'T WANT TO BE THEY REALLY DON'T WANT TO USE OUR STREETS UNLESS THERE'S A PROBLEM ON THE ROUTE THAT THEY'RE ON. AND THEN THEY, THEY, THEY ALL HAVE THEY HAVE A LOT OF FEDERAL RESTRICTIONS. THEY CAN ONLY DRIVE A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF TIME EACH DAY. THEY'VE GOT TO GET TO A CERTAIN POINT TO POINT. AND SO THEY'RE ON SCHEDULES AND THEY'RE TRYING TO GET MAKE THOSE SCHEDULES THE BEST WAY THEY CAN. THIS JUST PROVIDES MUCH MORE CLARITY. AND THIS THIS INFORMATION GETS PUT INTO THEIR NAVIGATION SYSTEMS TO SAY, IF YOU'RE GETTING OFF 400 OR YOU'RE GETTING OFF 285, YOU GOT TO STAY ON THESE ROADS REGARDLESS OF WHAT THE CIRCUMSTANCES ARE. SO IT HELPS THE TRUCKING COMPANIES UNDERSTAND THEY JUST CAN'T WILLY NILLY COME DRIVING THROUGH SANDY SPRINGS AND UTILIZING ANY ROUTE THAT THEIR NAVIGATION SOFTWARE TELLS THEM IS THE MOST EFFICIENT WAY TO GET FROM POINT A TO POINT B, SO THIS GETS ENTERED INTO ALL OF THOSE SOFTWARE PROGRAMS ULTIMATELY, AND IT HELPS GUIDE THEM AROUND THESE THESE AREAS RATHER THAN JUST ALLOWING THEM TO COME CHARGING THROUGH SANDY SPRINGS ON ANY ROUTE THAT THE NAVIGATION SOFTWARE TELLS THEM THEY CAN TAKE. AND THESE TRUCKS ARE HEAVY. I MEAN, THE CAP
[00:20:08]
RIGHT NOW IS 88,000 POUNDS ON THE FEDERAL SYSTEM, BUT IN THE STATE SYSTEM, THERE ARE CERTAIN AREAS NOT IN OUR AREA. THEY CAN GO UP TO 109,000 POUNDS. AND THAT'S A LOT OF WEIGHT ON I THINK OUR CIVIL ENGINEER DOWN THERE WILL TELL YOU THAT'S A LOT OF WEIGHT FOR OUR CITY STREETS. THEY'RE NOT BUILT TO THOSE STANDARDS. EVEN JOHNSON FERRY AND THESE OTHERS ARE REALLY NOT DESIGNED TO HANDLE THAT. BUT THEY'RE MORE THEY'RE MORE ABLE TO HANDLE THAT KIND OF WEIGHT. AND YOU ALSO HAVE TO THINK ABOUT THE SAFETY OF OUR CITIZENS, BECAUSE THEY HAVE THE MORE WEIGHT THERE IS, THE LONGER THE STOPPING DISTANCE. THAT'S JUST A MATTER OF PHYSICS.SO WE'RE JUST TRYING TO PROVIDE SOME SOME GUARDRAILS ON TRUCK TRAFFIC THROUGH OUR COMMUNITY.
WELL, QUITE FRANKLY, WAS THERE SOMETHING IN HERE WHERE YOU SAID YOU WERE DOING AWAY WITH THE TIMES FOR DELIVERY? THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE COULD CONSIDER. WELL, THERE NEEDS TO BE A RESTRICTION ON TIMES LIKE IF THEY'RE COMING IN HERE AT ANY TIME OF THE DAY OR NIGHT, THAT LEADS MORE TRAFFIC. I KNOW THAT THERE ARE RESTRICTIONS FOR TRUCKS DURING RUSH HOUR, LIKE FROM 7 TO 9 AND FROM 4 TO 6. THE RESTRICTIONS COULD BE THOSE HOURS FROM 9 TO 4. THAT'S THE ONLY TIME THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO DELIVER DURING THE DAYTIME HOURS. I DON'T THINK I'D HAVE A PROBLEM WITH OVERNIGHT DELIVERY, SUCH AS A LOT OF THESE GROCERY STORES HAVING THEIR DELIVERIES AT NIGHTTIME, SO THEY REALLY DON'T AFFECT THE NEIGHBORHOODS TOO MUCH. WELL, IN SOME AREAS YOU DO. I MEAN, THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS WHY IT'S 7 TO 7 IS BECAUSE WE HAD COMPLAINTS EARLIER FROM NEIGHBORHOODS ABOUT DELIVERIES AT ALL TIMES OF DAY. THESE TRUCKS HAVE BACKUP ALARMS, AND WHEN THEY'RE BACKING IN AND YOU'RE TRYING TO SLEEP, IT GETS THERE'S A THERE'S A CONFLICT THERE. SO THAT'S WHY THE 7 TO 7 FOR DELIVERIES IS TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE ISN'T ANY DISTURBANCE OF THE SURROUNDING RESIDENTIAL AREAS. AND WE DO HAVE SOME GROCERY STORES AND SOME OTHER DELIVERY AREAS WHERE IF THEY CAME IN AT 1 OR 2:00 IN THE MORNING AND MADE THE DELIVERY AND THEY THE BACKUP ALARMS AND THEN THE SLAMMING OF THE DOORS AND THE TRUCKS CREATES A NOISE ISSUE FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD. SO THAT'S WHY WE'VE ALWAYS HAD THE 7 TO 7 TIME FRAME. BUT THAT'S UP TO COUNCIL TO MAKE THAT DECISION. SO JUST A POINT OF CLARIFICATION BECAUSE IT IS REALLY SPECIFIC LANGUAGE RELATED TO DELIVERIES THAT ARE OFF OF THE TRUCK ROUTE SYSTEM. SO IT'S UNDER SECTION 5832, NUMBER ONE, NUMBER THREE OR SUBPART THREE. SO IT READS IF A DELIVERY OR PICKUP IS TO BE MADE BY A TRUCK ROAD, TRACTOR, COMBINATION ROAD, TRACTOR TRAILER WITHIN ANY AREA THAT IS NOT ON A DESIGNATED TRUCK ROUTE, SUCH DELIVERY OR PICKUP SHALL NOT BE MADE BETWEEN THE HOURS OF 7 A.M. AND 7 P.M. AND WHAT YOU KNOW, WHEN I THINK ABOUT THAT IN TERMS OF ENFORCEMENT, THAT MEANS RESIDENTIALLY OR COMMERCIALLY, IF IT'S NOT ON THE RECOMMENDED, YOU KNOW. ANY OF THE BUSINESSES IN PERIMETER, YOU AT YOUR HOUSE GETTING DELIVERIES, YOU AT YOUR HOUSE MOVING, YOU WOULD ALSO BE RESTRICTED DURING THOSE SAME TIMES BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT. THAT'S THAT'S WHY IT'S A CONVERSATION POINT BECAUSE IT'S A LITTLE UNCLEAR. BUT I UNDERSTAND THE CONFLICT WITH.
BUT IF YOU ARE RIGHT NOW ON STATE ROUTE NINE, YOU CAN MAKE A DELIVERY ANY TIME OF DAY PER OUR ORDINANCE. WELL, WE KNOW WE DON'T HAVE MUCH CONTROL OVER STATE ROUTES, BUT THE THE ROUTE FOR FROM ABERNATHY TO MOUNT VERNON, I DON'T SEE WHERE THAT'S A PROBLEM. IF THEY GO STRAIGHT ON OUT. ABERNATHY AND JUST ELIMINATE THAT MOUNT VERNON PART. I UNDERSTAND THAT FROM YOUR TELLING US THAT DUNWOODY HAS DESIGNATED MOUNT VERNON AS A TRUCK ROUTE. RIGHT.
BUT WE HAVE A DESIGNATED THAT I KNOW OF. WE HAVE NOT. SO THAT'S WHAT THIS IS ALL ABOUT, IS IF WE WOULD LIKE TO ADD IT MORE CONCEIVABLE TO LET THEM GO ON A FOUR LANE ROAD INSTEAD OF A ONE LANE ROAD. WE CERTAINLY CAN DO THAT. OKAY. THAT'S WHY WE'RE HAVING A WORK SESSION SO YOU CAN HASH THESE ISSUES OUT. MAYOR PAUL HAD A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS FOR CHRIS AND CHRIS.
THANK YOU FOR ALL THIS INFORMATION. AND CONCERN ABOUT TRUCKS IS ALSO SOMETHING I'VE HEARD FROM DISTRICT FIVE RELATED TO TRUCKS ON HIGH POINT ROAD. SO I HAVE A COUPLE QUESTIONS FOR YOU ABOUT THE ABILITY FOR US TO ENFORCE THIS IF IT WERE TO COME TO FRUITION.
ONE, COULD YOU DESCRIBE FOR US, IF WE KNOW YET, WHAT ARE THE ASSOCIATED PENALTIES? IF SOMEONE WERE TO RECEIVE A CITATION? AND THEN COULD YOU ALSO ADDRESS OUR ABILITY TO ENFORCE THIS? IS THIS ENTIRELY UPON RESIDENTS TO CALL INTO POLICE, OR DO WE HAVE ANY OTHER
[00:25:02]
MECHANISMS FOR TRYING TO ENFORCE THIS? IF SOMETHING WERE TO BE PUT IN PLACE? SO TALK TO OUR CITY ATTORNEY. THE PENALTIES IN THIS CURRENT SECTION, THEY ARE ENFORCED UNDER SECTION ONE DASH TEN, WHICH WOULD BE POLICE. AND SO THEIR ABILITY TO ENFORCE RIGHT NOW, BECAUSE THERE ISN'T A DESIGNATED ROUTE SYSTEM, THEY REALLY CANNOT ENFORCE, IT PROBABLY WOULD MEAN YOU CAN TALK TO THE CHIEF, BUT I THINK IT WOULD LARGELY BE SOMEONE NOTING THAT THERE WAS TRUCK TRAFFIC COMING DOWN THEIR STREET. WELL, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT WOULD KNOW THAT, BUT THEY COULD ENFORCE THIS AREA IS NOT DESIGNATED FOR TRUCKS, AND THERE'S A TRUCK ON IT SO THEY CAN STOP THEM AND ISSUE A CITATION SO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT CAN DO THAT. YOU COULD CALL 911. SO THERE'S A TRUCK, YOU KNOW, ON ON THE ON MY STREET, I DON'T THINK IT BELONGS THERE. AND THE POLICE WILL COME OUT AND INVESTIGATE.I'M NOT SURE IF CODE ENFORCEMENT COULD GET INVOLVED IN IT, BUT IT WOULD HAVE TO BE.
YOU'D HAVE TO HAVE A SWORN OFFICER ISSUE A CITATION. I HAVE A QUESTION ON THAT.
WOULDN'T THEY HAVE TO HAVE SOME SORT OF PROOF OF DELIVERY THAT THEY HAD TO BE THERE BILL OF LADING. SO THEY WOULD THAT WOULD HAVE TO BE PUT INTO THE ORDINANCE, WOULDN'T IT, THAT THEY WOULD HAVE TO IF THEY HAVE SOMETHING, IF THEY, IF THEY HAD A BILL OF LADING SHOWING THAT THEY'RE GOING TO A SPECIFIC ADDRESS, THEN IN SANDY SPRINGS, THEN THAT WOULD EXEMPT THEM FROM THE ORDINANCE. THAT IS SOME OF THE LANGUAGE THAT'S ALREADY THERE, COUNCILMAN. OKAY.
YEAH. DOCTOR. KELLY. THANK YOU. KRISTEN I AM I'M READING OKAY, A LIST. IT SAYS A LIST AND MAP OF APPROVED TRUCK ROUTES ARE KEPT ON FILE WITH THE CITY POLICE DEPARTMENT AND CITY CLERK. THE LIST OF TRUCK ROUTES MAY BE REVISED AS DEEMED NECESSARY BY THE CITY POLICE DEPARTMENT, AND WITH APPROVAL OF THE CITY COUNCIL AND THE ENTIRE LIST REQUIRING RENEWAL BY THE CITY BY ANNUALLY, AND ALL LISTED ROUTES WILL BE FURTHER IDENTIFIED BY POSTED REGULATORY SIGNS. HOW DOES THAT FACTOR INTO THE CONVERSATION WE'RE HAVING TODAY? BECAUSE THIS SAYS THAT THERE ARE TRUCK ROUTES AND WE HAVE THEM SOMEWHERE. WE DO NOT. OKAY, SO THAT'S SECTION 58 DASH 33. CORRECT. THAT'S WHY WE'RE HAVING THIS DISCUSSION TONIGHT.
SO EVEN THOUGH THAT HAS BEEN ON THE CODE BOOK SINCE AT LEAST I'VE BEEN HERE IN AT SANDY SPRINGS, WE'VE NEVER REALLY FORMALLY ADOPTED ROUTES OUTSIDE THE STATE NETWORK. OKAY. THANKS.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? ALL RIGHT, KRISTEN THANK YOU. THANK YOU. WE'LL WE'LL LOOK FORWARD TO ADDITIONAL FEEDBACK. AND IF THE COUNCIL SO CHOOSES, WE'LL BRING TO YOU AN ORDINANCE FOR CONSIDERATION AT AN UPCOMING MEETING. THANKS SO MUCH. ANYTHING ELSE THE COUNCIL WOULD LIKE TO DISCUSS DURING THE WORK SESSION?
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.