02/06/2001 MINUTESMINUTES
TRAFFIC COMMISSION
Tuesday, February 6, 2001
5:15 o'clock P.M.
Police and Courts Building
811 Bonham Street
Paris, Texas
The Traffic Commission met in regular session Tuesday, February 6, 2001 with the
following members present:
1. Charles Thompson
2. Mary Lane
3. George Robinson
4. Cleo Holmes
5. Ed Ellis
6. Ricky Mackey
7. Kenneth Webb
8. John Gooding
The city staff was represented by Assistant Police Chief James Barnett.
Chairman George Robinson called the meeting to order at 5:15 P.M.
The Minutes of the September 5, 2000 meeting were approved as submitted.
A request to remove the Handicapped Parking designation from the spaces on the West
end of the 100 block of Clarksville Street, on the South side of the street, was the first item
for consideration.
Mrs. June Preston of 2955 Hubbard Street, Paris, Texas, appeared to speak in favor of
removing the designation. She said she owns two business locations that are near the
handicapped spaces and her tenants tell her it is rarely used and they would prefer regular
parking there. Mrs. Preston also said the handicapped parking spaces downtown were not
placed in a uniform manner and she would prefer they be placed at the far end of a block
instead of at the beginning of a block. Assistant Chief Barnett said the handicapped
parking had been placed in response to a request and was usually placed as near the
building a handicapped person wanted to enter as possible. He said they were normally
placed at the beginning of a block because most vehicles equipped with side lifts for loading
and /or unloading a wheelchair were on the Right side of the vehicles and only one parking
space would be needed for a handicapped zone which requires more space than a regular
parking zone.
Commissioner John Gooding said he would recommend someone do a study and come up
with a uniform pattern of placing handicapped parking in the downtown area. Several
other commission members agreed with that and said they would like this recommendation
in the minutes.
After more discussion about why this zone was placed Barnett said the city attorney at that
time had suggested it be placed. Barnett also said that he had looked at the spaces in
question and felt that it was hard to tell exactly which space was handicapped parking and
it would probably be easier to take out the space and then put it back, if requested, later.
Barnett also said he had a letter from Linda Houle, of House Dressing, and Connie Stein, of
The Big Sandwich, 110 Clarksville, asking that the handicapped space(s) be removed.
Ed Ellis made a motion to recommend the removal of the handicapped spaces as requested.
Mary Lane seconded and the motion passes 5 ayes 2 nayes and one not voting.
Next a request for Stop Signs on Van Zandt Street, stopping East and West bound traffic,
at N.E. 16' Street was considered.
Barnett said that this request came from Peggy Miller, Rt. 1 Box 143, Pattonville, Texas,
after she was involved in an accident at this intersection. Mrs. Miller said several people
had told her there had been several accidents at the intersection. The police records did
not show any reported accidents at this location during a twelve month period before the
accident Mrs. Miller was involved in. He also said he had checked the intersection several
times and there is no obstruction of view and recommended the request be denied at this
time.
After discussion Charles Thompson made a motion to deny the request. Cleo Holmes
seconded and the motion carried 8 ayes 0 nays.
The final item for consideration was a request for a 20 MPH Speed Zone on East Price
Street, starting at the West curbline of N.E. 22 " Street, to the East, to the West curbline of
N.E. 25" Street.
This request came from the Parks Department in response to requests they had received
from citizens who live or have children who play at Wade Park. Price is the street on the
South side of Wade Park.
Barnett recommended the request be granted since children may run into the street or
cross the street going to and from the park.
Ed Ellis made a motion to recommend the 20 MPH Speed Zone as requested. Kenneth
Webb seconded and the motion carried 7 ayes to 1 nay.
There being no further business the meeting adjourned at 5:45 P.M.
/James Barnett