Bicycle/Pedestrian Advisory Committee - Minutes September 12, 2006
CITY OF SAN CARLOS BICYCLE/PEDESTRIAN ADVISORY COMMITTEE SPECIAL MEETING
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2006 – 7:00 P.M.
Minutes
CITY HALL, 600 ELM STREET, SAN CARLOS, CA WEST GALLERY
1. ROLL CALL
2. APPROVAL OF MINUTES a) Approval of August 1, 2006 Meeting Minutes M/S Rhodes/Panero
3. NEW BUSINESS
a) Staff report – included on specific items below. b) Report from Police Department (If any) - none c) City of San Carlos Stratigic Planning Document ( for information only ) – handout from last City Retreat held in Aug. report accepted and brief comments made. No action. d) Committee Members Terms and Expiration Dates – as discussed in City Council mtg of 9/11. Pertinent to BPAC, suggestion was to merge it with Traffic and Transportation Commission and reduce total membership by attrition. Dir. Mohktari presented reasonable rationale for the merger into one commission covering all transport modes in SC. Much discussion among all commissioners, esp regarding loss of passion for and expertise on bicycling for transportation. Consensus was “cautious support” by all 4 commissioners present.
4. OLD BUSINESS
a) Discussion regarding Pedestrian Safety Plan
Much discussion, including role of traffic calming measures, City Council reaction to Dir Mohktari’s presentation at CC mtg, how to identify areas needing improvement, Safe routes to schools.
Final result was agreement that public input is needed to help identify problem areas. Once public input is received, in combination with staff and BPAC input, on locations that need improvements for ped safety and convenience, then solutions can be developed for each location. An overall plan will permit coordination of solutions and prioritizing of projects.
Solicitation of community input could fit in well with a Safe Routed to School program throughout the city. Parents need to know that the city considers pedestrian safety to be important, and that their comments will make a difference. If schools could be persuaded to support Safe Routes to Schools, then it would be another avenue for understanding parental concerns about pedestrian saety. Publicity involving community input could serve as a good way to make the entire city aware of the pedestrian safety plan and may help discover individuals who could help with various aspects. Given these multiple goals (identification of problem locations, raising community awareness of ped safety, promoting walking to school, recruiting key individuals), it was proposed to use the city web site, or some on-line site, to gather input from a large number of residents. Other methods of listening to residents, such as evening or weekend meetings, usually involve a relatively small numbe of people. Our residents are comfortable using on-line methods of communication. This would also enable staff time to be spent more on the next steps of gathering data on these potential project sites.
Reference distributed by Dir. Mohktari: Streets and Sidewalks, People and Cars, by Dan Burden. Pub. By Local Government Commission and Center for Livable Communities, 2001. www.lgc.org
b) Preparation of a Work Program Plan is to include policies and specific projects with top priority for the next 12 months. c) Alameda restriping in Belmont – done deal, although timing was poorly planned. d) Selecting a bike rack for 700 block of Laurel St. – inverted U, please. Most secure, least intrusive on sidewalk, best support for bikes, therefore, most likely to be used. e) Status of Bike parking for Arts and Wine Faire (Oct 7-8) Gladwyn d’Souza of Peninsula Bicycle Pedestrian Coalition and Sustainable San Mateo (supported by San Carlos) presented specifics of a proposal to have a bike Corral at the oct Art and Wine Festival in San Carlos. They will operte and staff a bike parking lot from 10 am-6 pm each day. Their fee of $200 is waived completely if all advertising for the event includes publicity for the bike corral. Arrangements will be made to have Mr. d’Souza speak to the Chamber of Commerce ASAP. f) Safe Routes to Schools Workshop Still no response from schools. Perhaps more momentum could be generated at a 2+2 school and city meeting. Oct 4th is National Wlak to School Day, Oct is INTERNATIONAL Walk to School month.
g) Crossing Guard program (Senior Citizen Advisory Board). Chair Pye will send a letter to the Senior Center Commission describing the need for crossing guards. Police dept will provide training, if a volunteer program develops. h) Suggestions for future agendas
5. PUBLIC COMMENT none 6. ADJOURNMENt 8:43 pm. Submitted by C Rhodes |
