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HomeMy WebLinkAbout06/24/1991, 1 - BICYCLE COMMITTEE APPROACH APPROVED BY CITY COUNCIL: IDEAS WHICH THE CITY COUNCIL MAY WISH TO DISCUSS FURTHER TING AGENDA �'� -9/ ITEM #= ���►��►��►����i��►►��IIII�IIII ��" "'�I�� I city of sAn tuis oBispo 990 Palm Street/Post Office Box 8100 • San Luis Obispo, CA 93403.8100 May 10, 1991 MEMORANDUM TO: City Council FROM: John Dunn, City Administrative Office rvmy SUBJECT. Bicycle Committee Approach App Council: Ideas which the Cb Council may wish to Discuss Further 1. What is the Committee's task? A. Reexamine adopted 1985 Bicycle Facilities Plan B. Examine public testimony/concerns at meeting of May 7, 1991 C. Examine appropriate relationship of desired bikeways to draft Circulation Element D. Define desired specific direction for bikeways program; prepare as recommendation to the City Council E. More generally, should the task be more broadly or more narrowly defined (which will impact their time involvement)? 2. Who should be on the Committee? A. Perspectives suggested at the Council meeting 1. Air pollution prevention 2. Neighborhood enhancement 3. Circulation (all modes) advocates 4. Alternative mode advocates 5. Other perspectives which could be added B. Alternative to above: Use of organization representation, such as: 1. Planning Commission 2. Parks and Recreation Committee 3. . Chamber of Commerce 4. Sierra Club 5. Citizens Planning Alliance 6. Citizens for Quality Neighborhoods 7. San Luis Obispo Land Conservancy 8. Business Improvement Association 9. San Luis Obispo Area Coordinating Council 10. Bicycle Organization(s) 11. Other Appropriate Organizations to be Represented Page Two - City Council C. Select appropriate Committee size 1. Five or fewer members may leave major,interests unrepresented 2. Generally, 5 - 7 is thought to be an optimum size (see Council Advisory Body Handbook as policy guide) 3. Committees of 10 or more may find it more difficult to reach consensus and to produce a work product 3. Staff Assistance A. Should the Committee be staffed? If so, there should be one designated staff lead person. B. Who should staff the Committee? Concerned departments are Public Works, Community Development, Recreation, and Police. C. How much staff time should be committed? A thorough staffing of an energetic Committee could require a half-time work effort or greater. D. What should be the staffs defined role? 4. Future role of Committee A. Do assigned tasks, then sunset B. Do assigned tasks, then self-define desired continuing role C. Do assigned tasks, reactivate when bicycle issues arise and prior to going before Council Attached is an article describing the approach used by Eugene, Oregon, home of the University of Oregon. Perhaps the best way for the Council to continue this discussion is to schedule the matter for study session. Please let me know your thoughts on this. c: Pam Voges Dave Romero Ken Hampian Arnold Jonas Jim Stockton Jim Gardiner */JD:bw bike May 31 , 1991 To: John From: Penny Re: Bicycle Committee (Plan) As you requested, I offer a few thoughts on the dilemma we face in trying to put together a meaningful Bicycle Plan. From my observations, the process being used to facilitate a Downtown Plan might serve as a model for a new Bicycle Plan. We need a comprehensive-objective committee who will work expeditiously to give the Council something workable to approve. There are a number of "plans" floating around - Ours, Terry Sanville did something, Jim Merkle has one, Rails with Trails and Wayne Williams has one. I would suggest we establish an ad-hoc committee to review all plans and come up with something. I would think 5 Or 7 people. Maybe a cross section of the community (easier said than done) . The plan doesn' t have to be the "perfect plan" , but something we can build upon. I would also suggest the following tasks for the committee: 1 . Prioritize improvements 2 . Research all funding opportunities 3 . Assess the need for a Bicycle Co-ordinator 4 . Evaluate need for permanent committee ( this is where we might look to see if Mass Transportation committee might cover more areas - new name - Alternate Transportation Committee - transit, bicycles, car/van pooling, park and ride or other trip reduction opportunities . I would also suggest that this become a standing committee under the Council . This might indicate a commitment to some councilmembers . Perhaps staff could give some estimate of the cost of outside staff support needed and a time line for the process. These are my thoughts for now. I will continue to think about this issue and discuss any with you. These ideas are only that and I don' t really know if they will work in a timely manner. /- 3 ►►►► ►�����iii�����������lllllll@1°►►�►►����� lllli cityo san vuis omspo 990 Palm Street/Post Office Box 8100 • San Luis Obispo, CA 93403-8100 June 17, 1991 MEMORANDUM To: City Council From: JohnDun Subject: Meetin group of bicyclists on Monday, May 20 At their request, Councilmember Roalman and I met with a group of bicycle users. The group consisted of Miles O'Kelley, Jim Merkel, Ed Rambuski, Pete Norvik, Tela Baker, and John and Christi Cutter. In the wake of the City Council' s decision-making on bike lanes vis-a-vis continuing street parking, this group was concerned about the City's interest and intent in regard to the pursuit of a bikeways system for the City. At the beginning of the meeting they established their agenda which was to discuss (1) a bicycle coordinator, (2) a bikeways advisory committee and (3) funding for bikeways. Though the conversation was free-flowing, I have tried to break their primary thoughts into the three groups of the bicycle plan, the committee, and safety. Planning While the group expressed the desire for a bikeways plan as a long- term guide to action by the City, they emphasized the need to develop some successful short-term projects. One of them had heard a presentation by Terry Sanville on an inter-active planning process, whereby we develop long=term plans and short-term projects concurrently, and they expressed interest in that approach. They stated, "Don't let the long-term goal of preparing an updated bicycle plan prevent you from working on desirable here and now projects" . The group offered to help by coming up with some suggested projects which could be looked at by others. They stated that they feel a certain frustration in that a new bicycle facilities plan would become quite involved and take too long to prepare. They said that by concentrating on developing short-term projects, the longer-term plan would evolve. The City should create the plan as we go forward on projects. We should take appropriate steps now which fit in with the long-term goal. The group wanted to make certain that there was adequate consideration of the air quality perspective. They said that the cheapest way to reduce pollution was to get people riding bicycles. They said if 5% of all trips could be converted from automobiles to cycling, that it would make a discernable air pollution reduction. They said that a goal of the new bikeways plan could be to attract A of new bicycle riders, and to convert A of trips from car trips to bicycle trips. They emphasized that goals should be stated in- measurable performance terms. As a result of the discussion of who should be on the bikeways committee (bicyclists versus representatives from various community interests) , it was stated that a two-tiered approach such as is being used on the downtown plan might be useful. A group of knowledgeable bicyclists could assist to develop projects and develop input for the plan, which plan would be reviewed by a larger committee made up of various community interests. Committee They suggested the formation of a bicycle advisory committee made up of different kinds of bicycle users, the avid commuter, Cal Poly and Cuesta students, representatives of high school and junior high and upper elementary school age bicyclists, etc. They emphasized that the selection process was most important, that you have to get people who are interested in and knowledgeable about problems of bicycling within the community. They strongly stated their belief that there should be school age representatives. They said that safe and 'happy kids riding on bicycles is a sign of a healthy city. They also said that there is a critical time from about 12 to 16 years old when young children can be encouraged to become bicyclists rather than to desire the keys to the car. Safety The constant topic throughout the conversation was the need for a proper bikeways program which would give both the feeling and reality of safety to the bicyclists. It was stated that, "We need to get across town without getting hurt". They emphasized that it is really necessary to get on a bike to see what is really needed in terms of proper bikeways and bicycle safety. They said that. we need to make bicycle paths so attractive that people in automobiles will look at them and say, "I want to ride on that bike path". what is an appropriate safety standard that should be defined? It was suggested that the answer is, "What is safe to a ten-year-ole child?". In order to be a good committee member, one of the members stated, "You have to know the fear of the streets" . It was added that commuter bicyclists and experienced cyclists may feel less danger, but that this feeling of danger has to be reduced for most bicyclists before bicycling will become a common means of transportation for various age groups and experience levels. In summary, the group of bicyclists that Councilmember Roalman and I talked with expressed the following major themes: 1. A proper bikeways system is necessary in order to give a feeling of safety to bicyclists of various ages and experience levels, which is necessary to encourage increased bicycling within the community. 2. Perhaps their most consistent point was that the development of a comprehensive, long-term bikeways master plan should not prevent the City from developing "here and now" bikeways improvement projects, to increase bicycle use, safety and convenience. 3 . Though they recognize that a bikeways plan belongs to the whole community and not just bicycle users, it was also emphasized that leaving out bicycle users, their experience and observations, would be a mistake, and they have a strong desire to be included in the process. 4. They thought that some form of "two-tiered approach" might be workable, in that it would involve both bicycling advocates working on short-term achievable projects, and representatives of various community planning perspectives working on a master bikeways plan, with healthy inter-action between the two. 5. The group felt that bicycling planning would be given more emphasis and credibility by having a dedicated bicycle coordinator on the staff, someone who would be knowledgeable about and an advocate of the interests of bicyclists. 6. There was an initial feeling that there wasn't sufficient money placed in the budget for bicycle path development. After further comment, they were more accepting of the idea that there was approximately $430, 000 for bicycle path development, and that projects should be developed so that the available money would be expended in the relatively short- term future. In summary, the meeting with bicyclists was both informative and productive; they were told that their ideas would be written up and presented to the City Council for their consideration, at the time of discussing appropriate membership on the bicycle committee. JD:mc a/bites. BICYCLES IN CITIES THE EUGENE EXPERIENCE Vol. gII� PORTRAIT OF A BICYCLE COMMITTEE (Ab A key element in the success of Eugene, Oregon's thriving system of bicycle. lanes, paths and bridges is its citizen/staff bicycle committee. At least once a month for more than a decade at the daunting hour of 7:30 a.m. the Eugene Bicycle Committee, composed of five citizens and five staff, has met to solve bicycle problems. HISTORY OF THE COMMITTEE. In 1970 the Eugene City Council, nudged along by a mayor who was a cyclist himself, suggested a bicycle committee. The Committee's first members were five staff persons from relevant departments: public works, traffic engineering, planning, parks and police. Looking back from the perspective of 1980, the former traffic engineer remembered that his division "was not all. that excited about a bicycle committee." The strong emphasis on automobile and pedestrian safety overextended available staff services. In addition, the traffic engineer and other. staff members felt that a good bicycle program was probably not attainable. The City Manager, another cyclist, added five lay members in January 1971 . These members, in contrast, believed a good bicycle program was possible. In the early years of the Committee, the citizens tended to work harder and show more interest than did staff. Now the .reverse is true. It is mostly staff that keeps the well- established program rolling. However, the tradition of a citizen chairman, established during the early years, remains. In 1972 citizen members put together a temporary bikeway plan by simply observing where bicyclists were riding or would be likely to ride if they could. Staff, . principally the traffic engineer, recognized the need for a more comprehensive plan. With 540,000 in Federal Highway safety money, he hired a professional consultant to prepare one. Engineers from DeLeuw, Cather E Company of. San Francisco worked for one year with citizen and staff members of the Committee to develop the Eugene Bikeways Master Plan. Updated every year, the Master Plan guides development of the City's cycling program. A BIC7CLE COMf11TrEE HON RMSL"' ABSDW►Fl7 It1D(CULoib 50(iTs AX X1PD5S&E! Cash BE DONE DO IT. L. LA THE DEVELOPMENT OF ONE COMMUNITY S SUCCESSFUL CYCLING PROGRAM camn;m' 1"'s1ke'ar 01"Oft ux i7- 7 TkE EUGENE E=RIENCE _ COMPOSITION OF THE COMMITTEE. One of the most significant factors as well as one of the most easily overlooked is the staff/citizen composition of the city bicycle committee. This structure makes possible a continuing,' innovative dialogue between staff professionals and lay people. The five citizen members are appointed by the Mayor:. Two of the original five still serve--a homemaker and a professor at the University of Oregon. All use their bicycles regularily for transportation. Staff are appointed by the City Manager and represent the various parts of city government. The staff contingent presently includes the traffic engineer, the city engineer, and representatives from the parks, planning, and police departments. Bicycle experience is not a requirement but converts do emerge from Committee exposure. Though they were initially non-cyclists, the present and former city traffic engineers have grown from grudging acceptance to genuine interest. ROLES OF CITIZEN AND STAFF COMMITTEE MEMBERS. Staff and CIT17EN PLAN STAFF PLAN citizen members complement each other. Over the years, each segment has ARE 'IOU RE jou KIDDING? ERA2) demonstrated particular strengths. T Citizen members often provide o.�... End N enthusiasm, a fresh perspective, innovative ideas and a voice for the bicycle constituency. The staff 0 provides technical expertise, manpower for mundane tasks, and a temperings influence. In case of conflict, the mutual respect among members and their concentration on issues rather than personalities have helped avoid a lay- professional dichotomy. Particularly in the early years of the Committee, it was the responsibility of the citizen members to fight for bicycle funds in the City's budget. The junior staff members who served on the Committee were clearly unable to ask for budget items over the heads of their superiors. However, citizen members could unabashedly go straight to the City Council to seek funding for bicycle projects. In 1972 citizens won from the Council, without staff approval, the first budget entry for bikeways: $30,000. With adoption of the Master Plan in 1974 by the Eugene City Council, the Eugene Bicycle Committee came of age. Not only was a $75,000 bicycle item included in the yearly capital budget, but, equally important, the department directors from public works, planning and parks became staff members of the Committee for several years. Budget discussions in recent years have centered on content, not amount. Special appeals to the City Council are usually unnecessary. Soon after the Council unanimously approved the Bikeways Master Plan in 1974, the first attempt to remove parking and provide bike lanes began. Each segment of the Committee had its own job to do. The traffic engineer guided the parking removal proposal through the notification and appeal process. The citizen members won the crucial Council vote. Between them, the difficult job was accomplished. As early as 1971, the Committee had identified the need for a bicycle-pedestrian bridge across the Willamette River to Valley River Center, a new regional shopping center. In l V r- ,4 Eugene's citizerdstaff Bicycle Committee, meets from 7:30 am,to 9:00 am. City Engineer Bert Teitzel explains a bikeway design on the first Tuesday of each month. During the fall when the Bikeway Master proposal to the Traffic Engineer,the Bicycle Coordinator, Plan is updated and budget items are developed,the Committee meets twice representatives of parks and planning departments, and per month. citizen members. 1975, staff members prepared an application for National Bikeway Demonstration Funds for a 5300,000 bridge. When the project lost at the regional level, undaunted citizen members rewrote the proposal, added pictures, staged a letter-writing and political string-pulling , effort, and pulled the plum from the federal pie. When it came time to dedicate the Greenway Bridge and thank US Senator Robert Packwood, city staff handled the publicity, the appropriate plaque, and the VIP luncheon. Citizen members pitched in with flowers on the bridge, a parade, and even punch and cookies for those who came to the celebration. The City Bicycle Coordinator, a position created and funded in 1975, now provides a central reception point for bicycle matters and is responsible for day-to-day duties involving the construction and maintenance of the bikeway network. Though not a voting Committee member, the Bicycle Coordinator prepares the Bicycle Committee's agendas and oversees distribution of minutes and materials for the monthly or semi-monthly meetings. OTHER ADVANTAGES OF A CITIZEN/STAFF COMMITTEE. As an advisory committee to the City Council, the Bicycle Committee's recommendation carries more weight when. it achieves a citizen-staff consensus. Although it can make recommendations . by a simple majority vote, a vote with even one or two dissenters generally indicates it is wise to back up and talk some more. On the other hand, disputes sure to arise between public works and planning have been settled when the full weight and widsom of the Committee sided with one department director or the other. If consensus is not reached on a bike route, for example, an on-site, on-bicycle review by a subcommittee of staff and citizen members usually provides a plan the full committee will accept. When a city bicycle program relies too heavily on a single person such as the traffic— engineer rafficengineer or bicycle coordinator, that individual's departure can set the program back a year or two--or even damage a fledgling program irreparably. In Eugene, several personnel losses have been accomodated with little loss of momentum. The presence of a regular committee with a body of wisdom shared by the continuing members provides a buffer against these losses. Both citizen and staff members are able to pick up the slack. The program need not die and have to ,be restarted, and replacements are more quickly trained. Under the guidance of the Committee, three bicycle coordinators gained their stripes and two traffic engineers learned to think bicycles. Year-to-year continuity and the regular monthly dialogue fostered by the citizen/staff bicycle committee emerge as major factors in the success of Eugene's bicycle program. dib �- 9 THE EUGENE EXPERIENCE Bylaws written in 1971 and revised in 1975 provide the framework and focus for the Committee. ARTICLE I — NAME. BYLAWS — EUGENE BICYCL11 E COMMITTEE This committee, established by the Mayor of the City of Eugene, shall be called the Eugene Bicycle Committee. ARTICLE 11 — PURPOSE The purpose of the committee is to advise the City government of Eugene in the encouragement and facilitation of the use of bicycles as a regular means of transportation and recreation. The responsibilities of the committee shall include but not be limited to: Section 1. Bikeway Policy a. Review: Reviewing the Eugene Bikeways Master Plan at least annually and proposing plan amendments based on this review. b. Budget and Priorities. Establishing each year a list of recommended bikeway priorities to be drawn up after the annual review and to serve as a proposed bikeway budget for the coming year. c. Coordination: Maintaining contact with metro and state bicycle programs and plans to insure compatibility. Section 2. Bikeway Implementation a. Design Review: Reviewing and approving preliminary and final plans for financing and creating,specific bikeways. b. Conflict Resolution: Seeking consensus among staff, committee, affected citizens, and neighborhood or other interested groups on bikeway design and implementation. Section 3. Education and Enforcement Promoting and implementing educational and law enforcement programs called for by the Master Plan. Section 4. Citizen Contact a. Information: Keeping the public informed about existing and proposed bikeways and bicycle programs. b. Input: Encouraging citizen participation in identifying problem areas, reviewing existing facilities, and planning and implementing new ones. ARTICLE III — MEMBERSHIP Section 1. Composition of the Committee The voting membership of the committee shall consist of five members of the professional staff of the City Govern- ment of Eugene and five lay members who are citizens of Eugene. Section 2. Appointment Citizen members shall be appointed by the Mayor and staff members shall be appointed by the City Manager. Recom- mendations for membership may be made by any interested citizen,the committee,City Council or the City Manager. Secton 3. Tenure All citizen members shall serve until they resign or are removed by the Mayor.If any citizen member of the committee shall be absent from three consecutive regular meetings, the Mayor may, upon recommendation from the Chair, declare this position vacant. Section 4. Voting Privileges Each of the ten voting members of the committee shall be entitled to one vote on all issues presented at meetings at which the member is present. Section 5. Officers The officers shall be a Chair, who shall be a citizen member, and a Vice-Chair, who shall be a staff member. Section 6. Sub-Committees The officers shall appoint sub-committees as needed. Either citizens or staff may be members of a sub-committee. ARTICLE IV — MEETINGS Section 1. Regular Meetings Regular meetings shall be held monthly at the City Hall,unless otherwise agreed upon.Time and duration of the meet- ings shall be determined by the committee. Section 2. Conduct of Meetings a. A majority of members(six) shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at any regular meeting. b. The Act of a majority of the members present at a meeting at which there is a quorum shall be the act of the committee. ARTICLE V — AMENDMENTS TO THE BYLAWS The Bylaws may be amended at any regular meeting of the committee by a majority of the voting membership (six affirmative votes)of the committee,provided that written notice of the proposed amendment is mailed to each member of the committee not less than one(1)week prior to such meeting. Eugene engineers, planners, law enforcement officers, and citizens explain the successful bicycling program of Oregon's second largest city. Twelve monographs examine the planning. BICYCLES IN CITIES design,construction,and use of Eugene's bikeway system. TM EUGENE Single Issues si.so Set of Twelve$12.00 Send check or purchase order to: Bikeways Oregon • P.O. Box 3914 • Eugene, OR 97403• eopynoht M 1Lkeman Oregon Ire SAN LUIS OBISPO BICYCLE CLUB, INC. P.O. BOX 1585 SAN LUIS OBISPO, CA 93406 15 May 1991 Jerry M. Reiss City Councilmember City of San Luis Obispo City Hall 990 Palm Street: San Luis Obispo, CA 93401 Greetings: I understand the City Council is forming a committee to propose bicycle facility improvements and to propose a plan to encourage the use of bicycles as transportation. This letter is to suggest that I could make a contribution to the committee. I have been riding bicycles . as an adult since 1966. Since the oil crisis of 1973-74, I have been an interested observer of the various- studies and controversies about encouraging . bic9cling and. bicycle; safety: Since 1980, I. have . bEen involved in the bicycle advocacy program of. the San Luis Obispo Bicycle Club Inc. = It is Club policy to encourage safe and legal riding of bicycles . and to encourage bicycle riding as an accepted mode of transportation. .. . I am a member of the external advisory committee of the Director of District 5 of Caltrans, and an Area Director of the California Association of Bicycling Organizations. I am familiar with the provisions of the California Vehicle Code pertaining to bicyclists as well as the part of the Caltrans Highway Design Manual pertaining to Bikeway Planning and Design. Your consideration of my application for this committee is appreciated. Yours, President RECEI CLERK - `� ^SAN LUIS OBISPO,CA C.9g1M ITre , , ,y7