Estacada panel approves chair, reviews sidewalks, crosswalks and speed-hump timeline

The Estacada Traffic and Public Safety Committee on an organizational agenda appointed Jim Moriarty chair and Gary Hobbs co-chair, reviewed a large packet on downtown sidewalks and ADA access, and heard that speed humps requested for Pierce will be included in the next fiscal-year budget.

The meeting, led by staff support Elena, opened with a review of committee duties and Oregon public-meeting and ethics rules. Elena told members that “all committees and commissions are advisory boards and as such considered public bodies under Oregon law,” and reviewed requirements on notice, minutes, public-records and conflict-of-interest disclosures.

Committee members spent the bulk of discussion on sidewalk and crosswalk gaps downtown, ADA ramps and how projects are funded. Staff described a mapping effort by Alan to inventory sidewalk and curb ramp needs and said the city will use that map to align work with grant opportunities such as Safe Routes to School. Elena and other members explained that existing code generally requires property owners to maintain sidewalks and that a requirement to install new…