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Home My WebLink About09-21-2017 BAC Minutes Minutes Bicycle Advisory Committee Council Hearing Room, City Hall, 990 Palm St, San Luis Obispo Thursday, September 21, 2017 at 6:00 p.m. MISSION: The purpose of the Bicycle Advisory Committee (BAC) is to provide oversight and policy direction on matters related to bicycle transportation in San Luis Obispo and its relationship to bicycling outside the City. Lea Brooks (Chair) called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m. ROLL CALL: Present: Lea Brooks (Chair), Howard Weisenthal (Vice Chair), Ken Kienow, Jonathan Roberts, Jenna Espinosa, Timothy Jouet, and Layla Lopez Absent: Staff: Active Transportation Manager Adam Fukushima, Associate Planner Kyle Bell, Recording Secretary Lareina Gamboa Public Comments on Items Not on the Agenda Jeff Brubaker, Transportation Planner with SLOCOG, informed the committee that the Long Range 2019 Regional Transportation Plan (RTP) is currently in development. The RTP is a document with a 20+ year horizon that focuses on issues affecting our quality of life and environment for future growth and development of the San Luis Obispo region. (SLOCOG will collect input and provide more information at SLOCOG.org) Sarah Flickinger, resident, encouraged protected intersections at LOVR and South Higuera, LOVR and Tank Farm Rd., South Higuera and Suburban Rd., South Higuera and Tank Farm Rd., and South Higuera and Prado Rd., with the possibility of dedicated signal cycles for pedestrians and cyclists. MINUTES: July 20, 2017 No amendments were suggested. CM Jouet motioned to approve the Minutes with no amendments. CM Lopez seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously. DISCUSSION ITEMS Agenda Item #1: Bicycle Education Contract Services Michael Velasquez, Education Director of Bike SLO County, gave a presentation on the achievements and a few challenges with the bicycle education services that it provides to the City under contract. Public Comment: Sarah Flickinger, resident, suggested reaching out to Chamber of Commerce or Business members informing them these are funded events. Also, creating small tutorial areas at events like Sherriff’s Day and Children’s Day in the Plaza would really help children learn bicycle riding skills. Myron Amerine, resident, mentioned how Fort Collins, Colorado started a program of an interactive presentation for professional drivers as well as cyclists which resulted in a significant decrease in bicycle accidents. Kim Bisheff, resident, thanked the City for the Bicycle Education services, which has allowed her and fellow residents the comfort in knowing that children can be safer riding to and from school daily. Bisheff also greatly encourages the city to reach out more to the high school to decrease automobile traffic at peak hours. There is desire for new riders, they just need the staff support and programming to achieve this. Committee discussion centered on ways to get the message out about the Bicycle Education services. Suggestions included reaching out to local bike shops and thinking strategically about new groups to target for outreach. Agenda Item #2: Zoning Regulations Update Kyle Bell gave a presentation on the effort to update the Zoning Regulations relative to bicycle transportation. Public Comment: Myron Amerine, expressed the same desire to include bicycle parking in depth like the 7 pages of vehicle parking guidelines receive. Sarah Flickinger, would also like to see the bicycle parking bumped up to 20% minimum. For every vehicle parking spot, 20% of that space should be equivalent to bicycle parking spaces. Bicycle parking should be accessible from the street and not tucked behind a building, and should include larger spaces for cargo bikes. If cars receive both street parking and parking structures, bikes should receive an equivalent designated percentage of parking space. Flickinger also presented the idea of having a new businesses and change of ownership businesses pay a fee in lieu to the city to help fund off-site bike parking spots and/or structures. Gary Havas, resident, suggested that staff and committee take a look at Flagstaff, Arizona’s verbiage on bicycle rules, laws, and parking. It is laid out directly for easy reading and understanding. James Park, resident, would bike more if the lanes were protected. Jeff Brubaker, brought a comment from a Rideshare staff member, to encourage the city to include the Transportation Demand Management (TDM) ordinance, which educates and encourages employees to use alternative transportation, into the zoning regulations update. And, to consider joining the MTC in regards to creating a bike station or bike central in the development of the new transit center. Committee discussion • The number of bicycle parking spaces should reflect the Circulation Element objective for 20% bicycle trips City wide. • Explore opportunity to incorporate where bicycle parking may be located within the Zoning Regulations rather than Engineering Code and Community Design Guidelines. • Consider bike parking requirements for parking structures • Consider an in-lieu fee program downtown to provide public bicycle parking throughout downtown. • Consider basing bike parking on Land Use instead of Zone. • Consider provisions for providing bicycle parking for cargo bicycles. • There was general consensus that long term bicycle parking should meet minimum building code requirements, but preference should be to provide for short term parking, in conjunction with the existing requirement for 2 bicycle parking spaces per unit. Agenda Item #3: Unleashed Dogs on Trails This item was postponed to the next meeting in regards to time. Agenda Item #4: Active Transportation Plan (ATP) Update Adam Fukushima gave an update on the effort to expand the Bicycle Transportation Plan scope to include pedestrians, creating an Active Transportation Plan. Public Comment: Sarah Flickinger, mentioned that if the committee were to evolve this could open up more opportunities for grant money and other funding. And suggested creating an interactive trouble spot map to engage pedestrians and seniors more. Myron Amerine, brought up that the bike facilities still need improvements and that the graded shoulders do not meet the state requirements as they are now. If those are improved, it would keep cyclists off the sidewalk and pedestrians off the bike lane. Committee discussion included how the Active Transportation Plan chapters would be divided. There was also discussion about the pros and cons of expanding the scope of the BAC to include pedestrians. It was requested that the topic of transforming into an Active Transportation Committee be placed on the agenda for the next meeting. Agenda Item #5: Committee Items • Adopt-a-Trails subcommittee No information was presented. Agenda Item #6: Project Updates • San Luis Ranch and Avila Ranch have both been approved with a certified EIR. There are design issues concerning the public which can be brought back for input. • The committee will be informed about the Froom Ranch when there is something substantial to present. • Lea Brooks gave an update on the Octagon Barn construction including the left turn lane into the Barn. • An encroachment permit was issued to Bike SLO County for the installation of a Ghost Bike at the intersection of Foothill and Ferrini Streets in honor of Kennedy Love. Sarah Flickinger, requested the LOVR construction be divided up into two parts, north and south, so as not to create the same two-way traffic jam the Madonna road construction is creating. COMMITTEE AND STAFF ANNOUNCEMENTS No announcements at this time. ADJOURN CM Kienow motioned to adjourn the meeting at 8:35 p.m. to the next regular meeting of November 16, 2017. CM Weisenthal seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously. Respectfully submitted, Lareina Gamboa Recording Secretary APPROVED BY THE BICYCLE ADVISORY COMMITTEE: 11/16/2017