HomeMy WebLinkAbout6/1/2021 Item 6a, Brooks
Wilbanks, Megan
From:Lea Brooks <
To:E-mail Council Website
Subject:Comments for Item 6a, June 1, 2021
Attachments:City Council 6-1-2021, Item 6a.docx
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Please see attached letter to the City Council. Thank you.
Lea Brooks
San Luis Obispo
1
To: Mayor Harmon and Council Members Christianson, Marx, Pease and Stewart
From: Lea Brooks, San Luis Obispo Resident
May 30, 2021
Re: June 1, 2021, Agenda, Item 6.a. Adoption of the 2021 -23 Financial Plan
Thank you for the opportunity to comment on the proposed 2021 -23 Financial Plan. I
am limiting my comments to active transportation, specifically Bob Jones Trail solar
lighting and $1.7 million in Measure G sales tax funding earmarked for the Anholm
Neighborhood Greenway. Overall, I’m pleased with the financial plan, including capital
improvement projects like the roundabouts at Orcutt Road/Tank Farm Road and
California Taft that will improve safety for all users of our roadway . However, more
funding must be allocated for active transportation to reach the 20 percent trips-by-bike
goal and reduce greenhouse gases.
Regarding lighting on the Bob Jones Trail: I want to clarify that the Friends of the Bob
Jones Trail of which I am a board member opposes the installation of solar lights on the
city’s segment between South Higuera Street/Prado Road and Los Osos Valley Road at
this time. We believe the funds should be spent on Tier 1 projects that will increase
trips by bike upon completion rather than years down the road.
This segment is lightly used now during daylight hours because it doesn’t go anywhere
and there is a perception that it is not safe. We doubt that lighting the trail will suddenly
result in bike trips at night. We learned about the lighting project in the Revenue
Enhancement Oversight Commission’s March 31 agenda packet under allocations for
“Safe and Clean Public Areas.” This project was not considered by the Active
Transportation Committee and is not in th e new Active Transportation Plan. No one
requested it during public outreach.
In the 2021-23 Financial Plan, the Bob Jones Trail and Railroad Safety Solar Lighting
project is listed under ”Infrastructure and Transportation.” The total budget is $1.45
million, although it’s not clear how much would be spent, respectively , on the Bob Jones
and Railroad Safety trails or where the lights would be installed on the Railroad Safety
Trail. Lighting on the Railroad Safety Trail makes sense because it already supports
many active transportation trips, and hundreds of residential units and commercial
projects are under construction in the Orcutt and Tank Farm roads area of the trail. In
addition, there have been public requests for lighting .
Funding earmarked for Bob Jones Trail lighting would be better spent on Tier 1 projects
that will quickly increase active transportation trips. There will be more trips when this
segment is connected to the proposed segment between Los Osos Valley Road and the
Buckley Road extension/Octagon Barn. A reminder that the LOVR-Octagon Barn
segment was designated a Tier 1 project in the Active Transportation Plan when SLO
County received an $18.25 million state grant earlier this year to extend its segment of
the trail from the Ontario Road staging area to the Octagon Barn. The property where
the LOVR-Octagon Barn segment will be built was recently sold, and the trail should be
required as mitigation for development.
In the meantime, the Friends of the Bob Jones Trail has been focusing on increasing
use of the South Higuera/Prado-LOVR segment by scheduling informal monthly trash
pickups to help make the trail more inviting. Since January, we have volunteered 45
hours picking up trash. Our next pickup is scheduled June 5.
Regarding Anholm: Congratulations to the city for the $1.7 million grant from the
California Natural Resources Agency to complete this project connecting the Foothill
Boulevard area and downtown. Please support the Financial Plan and Fiscal Year
2021-23 Budget Resolution, Section 3, that directs city staff to return to the Council
during the mid-year budget review with recommendations for Tier 1 projects that can be
built with the additional unappropriated funds cre ated by the grant.
Thank you.
Lea Brooks
San Luis Obispo