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HomeMy WebLinkAboutBates 11918-11919 - 01-24-2018 Item 2 - BennettPurrington, Teresa From:Mike Bennett <mike@bikeslocounty.org> Sent:Tuesday, January To:Davidson, Doug; Fowler, Xzandrea; ecreel@swca.com; AdvisoryBodies Subject:FroomRanchSpecificPlanItem2 -SPEC-0143-2017 (12165and12393LOVR) RE: FroomRanchItem2 -SPEC-0143-2017 (12165and12393LOVR) DearPlanning StaffandCommissioners: Thankyou fortheopportunity to commentonthepreliminary reviewoftheFroomRanch SpecificPlan. Pleaseaccept mycomments onbehalfoftheover4800membersofBikeSLOCounty. BikeSLOCountysupportsdenseinfillhousing projects liketheproposed FroomeRanchdevelopmentbecausetheyhavethepotentialtoenableresidentstotakefull advantageoftransitandactivetransportationoptions. Wedohaveseveralpreliminarycommentsregarding theplanandits’ abilitytofacilitateandencouragemultimodal transportation: Fromapedestrian’sstandpoint, thewidening ofLosOsosValleyRoad, especiallytheportion eastofAutoParkwaywill maketryingtocrosstheroadanevenmoredauntingproposition thanitalready is. Itwillrequireapedestrian tocross theequivalentof12lanesoftraffic. Thiswillnotbeappealingorsafeforchildrenortheelderly. Ifthewidthofthe intersectioncannotbereduced, itisrecommendedthatbulboutsandpedestrianrefugesbeintegratedintothedesign oftheintersection tomakeitsaferforpedestriansandpeoplewhomayrelyonmotorizedchairs fortransportation. Specifically, theTransitstopareacanberedesigned/movedfarthereastsothatitdoesnotaddadditionalwidthtothe roadwayatthecriticalcrosswalkarea. TheCirculationplan aspresenteddoesnotencouragebicycleusefortransportation orrecreation. Incomparison, the SanLuisRanchandAvilaRanchprojectsincludedmuchmorecomprehensive onsitebicycleinfrastructure. TheFroome Ranchdevelopmentisapparentlyintendedtoprovidehousing toolderresidents (LifePlanCommunity) andtoyoung families (multi-familyunits.) Bothofthesedemographics includevulnerableroadusers, andadditionalconsiderationof bicycle/ebikefacilitieswillprotectthemandencouragethemtousemulti-modaltransportationoptions. Ataminimum, itisrecommendedthatthecirculation planbeamendedtoaddressthefollowing: TheCollectorRoadBandtheLocalRoadshavenobikelanes. (ClassIIIbikelanes, inpracticemeansnobikelane.) We recommend incorporatingClassIIbikelanesonallroadswithinthedevelopment. Analternativeistochangethe sidewalksintowidermulti-usepaths. Thetrailswithinthedevelopment aredescribedas6-foot-widepedestrianpaths. Werecommendwidermulti-use pathsthatwillpermitbicyclesandadulttricyclesandmotorizedchairstosafelyaccessthetrails. Havingthepublictrail’ssouth-easternterminusnotconnecttoCalleJoaquinisamissedopportunity. Itwouldbegreat forthistobeaconnector similartotheprivatetrail, notadeadend. Respectfullysubmitted, Mike 1 11918 MikeBennett LtColUSMC, Retired ExecutiveDirector | BikeSLOCounty ManagingDirector | CCDDAP mike@bikeslocounty.org W:805.547.2055 | C:760.815.4069 www.bikeslocounty.org www.CCDDAP.org 2 11919