SDCRFA added to TAC

The membership of the county's Traffic Advisory Committee (TAC) now includes a representative from the San Diego County Regional Fire Authority (SDCRFA).

A 4-0 San Diego County Board of Supervisors vote Jan. 11, with Greg Cox at a California Coastal Commission meeting, approved the first reading and introduction of the ordinance changing the composition of the TAC. The second reading and adoption was approved on a 4-0 vote Jan. 25 with Ron Roberts delayed due to the impacts of rain in his neighborhood.

"It's a good improvement," said Supervisor Bill Horn.

The San Diego County Regional Fire Authority replaces the Automobile Club of Southern California, which is reducing the number of meetings to which it sends representatives. TAC and other county Department of Public Works traffic engineering staff sought a replacement for the Automobile Club.

The Oct. 28 meeting of the TAC included a unanimous recommendation to add a representative from the SDCRFA. TAC secretary Kenton Jones noted that fire departments have some of the largest vehicles using county roads as well as some of the most important and that fire engines and ambulances have devices which can switch traffic lights from red to green as the firefighters or paramedics approach the signal.

"Most of the signals are triggered by lights and sirens," Horn said.

Although fire protection in many unincorporated communities is provided by a fire protection district rather than by the SDCRFA, some fire protection districts contract with the SDCRFA for fire prevention services including plan checks for proposed new structures and the fire protection districts work closely with the SDCRFA.

The TAC membership is based on organization rather than a specific individual member, although the same person usually attends the TAC meetings if he or she is available. Deputy fire marshal James Pine will be the original SDCRFA primary member and county fire marshal Greg Schreiner will be the alternate.

The TAC membership also includes the Department of Public Works, the Sheriff's Department, the California Highway Patrol, the California Department of Transportation, the San Diego County Office of Education, the San Diego County Bicycle Coalition, the San Diego Safety Council, Independent Insurance Agents and Brokers of San Diego, a public member from the Second Supervisorial District, and a public member representing the Third and Fifth Supervisorial Districts.

The TAC has eight scheduled meetings each year and reviews requests for regulatory changes such as traffic signals, stop or yield controls, speed limits, road weight or length restrictions, parking prohibitions or other restrictions, angle parking, mid-block crosswalks, and equestrian or golf cart crossings. The TAC recommendations are forwarded to the Board of Supervisors who can ratify, overturn, or modify the recommendations.