The URL can be used to link to this page

Home My WebLink Aboutord2000-024WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL AGENDA BILL NO. 2000 - 197 CLEARANCES Date Date Received in Council Office Agenda Date Assigned To Orig. Dept County Council 5/10 12000 5/162000 Introduction Division Head: Dept Henut'sz. Prosecutor. Budget. Executive: SUBJECT: Ordinance amending WCC 12.56, Victim Memorial Signs ATTACHMENTS Ordinance and Exhibit SUMMARYSTATEMENT. Related County Contract #: I Should the Clerk schedule a hearing?(YIN N Pc uested Date: Whitened County Code 12.56 contains a sunset date that must be removed from the Code in order for the Victim Memorial Sign Program to continue. There are currently two victim memorial sign locations in Whatcom County - both have been recently aspected and are in goad repair. Public Works Engineering has received an application to install a third sign, with the applicant requesting the sign be installed before July 5, 2000 (the anniversary date of the accident). MOTION (for final action): COUNCIL ACTION TAKEN. 2000 -197 511012000: Introduced 513012000: Adopted 6-0, Hoag absent, Ord. #2000 -024 Wated File Numbers: Ordinance or Resolution Number (this item. only): ORD fi= 2cm - 024' victim mCmonal sign ord SPONSORED BY: Consent PROPOSED BY: Barbara Brenner INTRODUCTION DATE: May 16, 2000 ORDINANCE NO. 2000 -024 AMENDING WHATCOM COUNTY CODE 12.56, VICTIM MEMORIAL SIGN PROGRAM WHEREAS, in 1995 the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) implemented a pilot program to place drunk driving victim memorial signs along State Highways; and WHEREAS, in 1996 the Whatcom County Council was approached by Mother's Against Drunk Drivers (M.A.D.D.) to establish a drunk driving victim memorial sign program in Whatcom County; and WHEREAS, on November 12, 1996, the Whatcom County Council adopted Ordinance 96 -053, establishing Whatcom County Code Chapter 12.56 and creating the Whatcom County Victim Memorial Sign Program; and WHEREAS, Whatcom County Code Chapter 12.56 contains a sunset date of December 31, 1999; and WHEREAS, in order for the program to continue, the sunset date must be removed from the Whatcom County Code; and WHEREAS, one additional language change is necessary to clarify the intent of Chapter 12.56. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED by the Whatcom County Council that Whatcom County Code Chapter 12.56 is hereby amended as indicated in Exhibit A to this ordinance. ADOPTED this 30th day of May, 2000. WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL QL WHATCOM COU O / Dana Brown - Davis, Clerk of the Coun M lene Dawson, Council Chair AS TO FORM: (*rApp�oved (i) Denied Kremer, County Executive EXHIBIT A (VICTIM MEMORIAL SIGN PROGRAM) Sections: 12.56.010 Installation. The public works department of Whatcom County is hereby authorized to install drunk driving victim memorial signs along county roads in Whatcom County, Washington, subject to the following provisions: A. Signs shall not exceed 24 by 36 inches on county roads, and the memorial plaques shall not exceed 12 by 24 inches on county roads. B. One signpost shall be placed per accident site. Sponsor has option of one sign per each direction, or one sign only. If requests exceed locations, sponsor may add memorial plaque to existing signpost. C. Sign shall be located within one - quarter mile of the accident site for safety reasons. D. Signs must be placed on the back side of the ditch line or outer edge of the right -of -way if no ditch line exists. Signs shall be located and placed by county crews. E. Signs shall be retired after five years unless an extension is requested by the sponsor. The decision to extend will be granted based on a review of the following factors: Sign condition, availability of location, and cost to upgrade. F. Memorial signs shall only be approved for sponsors where there is full immediate family consent. For the purpose of this chapter, "full immediate family" shall consist of spouse, parents, children and siblings. G. The total number of locations in the county shall not exceed 12. Each location shall have one signpost with no two posts located within one -half mile of each other. Additional memorial plaques on the same post will not be considered additional locations. H. Signs may be installed in memory of any person who died as a result of a motor vehicle accident caused by a driver who was convicted of a vehicular homicide under the purview of RCW 46.61.520, and was shown to be driving while intoxicated (DWI) at the time of the accident. Signs for other traffic safety - related fatalities will not be precluded by this chapter. I. The entire sign cost, including billing, together with placing and erecting the signs shall be paid by the sponsors but shall be located and placed by county crews. Replacement costs of the signs due to damage, theft, or disrepair shall be the responsibility of the sponsor. Replacement shall not occur unless sponsor so requests. K. All such work by the sign crews shall be coordinated with the traffic engineer of the public works department for location approval. L. The traffic engineer of the Whatcom County public works department shall be authorized to determine sign locations, whether additional signs would be a hazard to the motoring public, and also to determine when such sign is in need of replacement. (Ord. 96 -053).