MPO Technical Committee

Technical Committee & Complete Streets Advisory Group Special Meeting Outline September 3, 2015 12:00pm –1:30pm Farmington MPO Office 100 West Broadway 2nd Floor Time Agenda Item 12:00 PM Welcome and introductions 12:05 PM Present Draft Document Concepts Intentions  Accept comments, feedback & editorial suggestions  http://fmtn.org/DocumentCenter/View/5102 1:00 PM Present Draft Resolution for Policy Committee Considerations  Accept comments, feedback & editorial suggestions 1:20 PM Complete Streets Open House (Civic Center) Mid-September TBD  Logistics o Posters o Invitations o Media o Refreshments o Other 1:30 PM Adjourn Meeting  RESOLUTION NO. A RESOLUTION OF THE POLICY COMMITTEE OF THE FARMINGTON NM METROPOLITAN PLANNING ORGANIZATION, SUPPORTS THE PROCESSES, PROCEDURES AND POLICIES ESTABLISHING REGIONAL COMPLETE STREET DESIGN GUIDELINES ADHERING TO THE PRINCIPLE THAT ALL PERSONS OF ALL AGES AND ABILITIES WHO TRAVEL BY AUTOMOBILE, MOTORCYCLE, PUBLIC TRANSIT, BICYCLE OR WALKING ARE EQUAL LEGITIMATE USERS OF ROADWAYS AND SHALL BE PROVIDED SAFE ACCESS TO ALL POLICY COMMITTEE PUBLIC RIGHTS OF WAY AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE. WHEREAS: The Policy Committee seeks to make the urbanized area of San Juan County to become a more livable and lively region, a healthy, economically robust community with system wide choices of safe, convenient access to roadways and trails for all users with a more balanced human scale environment, where a complete streets program is employed; and WHEREAS: The Policy Committee recognizes heavy stakeholder involvement and public feedback, in regards to regional goals, policies and design guidelines encouraging other agencies with transportation jurisdiction within and adjoining MPO boundaries to adopt and implement complete street principles for projects and plans; and WHEREAS: The Policy Committee supports and encourages public involvement and promotion of complete streets principles in coordination with partnering agencies and organizations to provide public awareness for the transportation, quality of life, public safety, and health benefits of the complete streets program; and WHEREAS: Policy Committee seeks to improve existing regional streets through the historic grid system design, the incorporation of sidewalks, residential street speed limits, traffic calming measures, and pedestrian signalization; and WHEREAS: The interdisciplinary integration of land use and transportation planning in the implementation of a complete streets program seeks the goal of safe, accessible community wide, multimodal connectivity, that allows a range of alternative choices for daily functional transportation, including for children walking to school on safe routes to school; and WHEREAS: Unsafe conditions involving bicycles and pedestrians can be ameliorated when proper facilities, roadway redesign, traffic calming, effective signage and other techniques of complete streets are integrated into the rural and urban landscape through Comprehensive Plans, and Bike and Pedestrian Plans; and WHEREAS: Over one-third of Americans do not drive, a figure increasing with our aging of the population, and transportation choice and accessibility are issues of social equity as minorities, the elderly and children are disproportionate among those with limited transportation choices when the affordable transportation options of biking, walking and transit are not sufficiently safe, effective or available leading to significant social and economic isolation and decline, with frequent poor health outcomes; and WHEREAS: Adoption of complete streets program principles is in alignment with the current efforts of the Region to become a recognized fit friendly community and realize measurable positive health outcomes through implementation of the principles of complete streets and safe human powered transportation choices that foster significant improvements in community health parameters, and lowering community health care costs; and WHEREAS: To the fullest extent possible, and with a multi discipline input, consideration of existing natural systems shall be incorporated from the earliest phases of design, planning, and implementation of complete streets, utilizing low impact development techniques to manage storm water with particular emphasis on the use of Shade Trees lining streets, and where possible, transit stops; and WHEREAS: The Farmington MPO participates in the New Mexico Complete Streets Leadership Team along with the Mid-Region Council of Governments, NM Health Equity Partnership, City of Albuquerque, Weston Solutions, Bernalillo County, Urban ABQ, NM Chronic Disease Prevention Council, Laguna Pueblo, Bohannan Huston, University of New Mexico, Mesilla Valley Bike Coalition and other private consultants and advocates; and WHEREAS: A successful complete streets program solicits citizen input throughout the entire processes of planning, design, and implementation and such public input is a critical aspect in the creation of an effective system by providing for regular, formal input and analysis from a citizen advisory board and seeking higher standards of quality and efficiencies through multi-jurisdictional communication, coordination, and the sharing of best practices; and  NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE POLICY COMMITTEE OF THE FARMINGTON MPO that: 1. Significant transportation projects requiring regional coordination will undergo review and alignment with MPO complete streets design guidelines, goals and policies and shall consider the following: a. Balancing the needs for bicycling, pedestrians, public transit, and vehicles with community values including fiscal constraint, public safety, environmental protection, and historic preservation. b. Incorporation of the latest, best, and context sensitive design standards in developing new policies and procedures for complete streets that accommodate all user needs. 2. The Policy Committee recommends that regional municipalities incorporate the complete street design guidelines to the extent practical in the amendment, design, development, construction, operation, and implementation of local standards, projects, facilities, policies, and development reviews. 3. This resolution shall become effective immediately upon adoption.