Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Board

Municipal Service Center City of Santa Rosa South 69 Stony Circle Conference Room 5 Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Board Regular Meeting Minutes - Final Thursday, February 17, 2022 4:00 PM 4:00 PM 1. CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL Chair Badenfort called the virtual meeting to order at 4:00 p.m. (Board Member McKenzie arrived at 4:10 p.m.) Present 6 - Chair Kim Badenfort, Vice Chair Elizabeth Ridlington, Board Member Christine Dektor, Board Member Tony Geraldi, Board Member Doug McKenzie, and Board Member Tanya Narath Absent 1 - Board Member Paul Schwarz 2. STATEMENTS OF ABSTENTION BY BOARD MEMBERS None. 3. COMMENTS ON AGENDA ITEMS BY BOARD MEMBERS None. 4. APPROVAL OF MINUTES 4.1 January 20, 2022 Regular Meeting Minutes A motion was made by Board Member Geraldi, seconded by Board Member Narath, approved as amended. The motion carried by the following vote: Yes: 5 - Chair Badenfort, Vice Chair Ridlington, Board Member Dektor, Board Member Geraldi and Board Member Narath Absent: 3 - Finn, Board Member McKenzie and Board Member Schwarz 5. PUBLIC COMMENTS ON NON-AGENDA MATTERS Dylan P. spoke about riding his bike in the Stony Point Road and Highway 12 area and noticing a ghost bike memorial. He stated his concern for safety, prevention of accidents, and wanting to see more changes are reasons he is attending the board meetings. 6. REPORT ITEMS City of Santa Rosa Regular Meeting Minutes Page 2 of 4 Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Regular Meeting Minutes - Final February 17, 2022 Board 6.1 REPORT - Vice Chair Election BACKGROUND: The Board may elect a Vice Chair to serve a one-year term. RECOMMENDATION: The Board shall, by motion, elect a Vice Chair to serve a one-year term. A motion was made by Board Member Narath, seconded by Board Member Geraldi, to nominate Vice Chair Ridlington for a one-year term as Vice Chair, who accepted the nomination. As no other nominations were made, the Board elected Vice Chair Ridlington to serve a one-year term as Vice Chair. The motion carried by the following vote: Yes: 6 - Chair Badenfort, Vice Chair Ridlington, Board Member Dektor, Board Member Geraldi, Board Member McKenzie and Board Member Narath Absent: 2 - Finn and Board Member Schwarz 6.2 REPORT - Elliott Avenue Pilot Closure Project BACKGROUND: Santa Rosa Junior College is requesting the closure of Elliott Avenue as part of a pilot project to improve pedestrian access and safety. RECOMMENDATION: It is recommended by the Transportation and Public Works Department that the Board, by motion, support staff’s recommendation to propose the Elliott Avenue pilot closure project to City Council. PUBLIC COMMENTS Sara Jones, Instructor at Santa Rosa Junior College, spoke in favor of the closure as students and faculty return to campus. She also stated an east west path way connection across the freeway and low stress routes through neighborhoods are important to get students safely to and from campus. Eris Weaver, Executive Director of the Sonoma County Bicycle Coalition, also spoke in favor. She commented on an assumption that there will be more vehicles and noted that reducing congestion and planning and building for getting people out of their vehicles is important. City of Santa Rosa Regular Meeting Minutes Page 3 of 4 Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Regular Meeting Minutes - Final February 17, 2022 Board Dylan P. also spoke in support and agreed with the other public comments. He stated he would like to see bollards used. Cris Eggers spoke in support of the closure to make the campus more accessible to students. She also favors a connection with Elliott Avenue and the pedestrian overpass, and stated our City has a ways to go to improve our entire bike networks. A motion was made by Board Member Dektor, seconded by Board Member McKenzie to approve staff's recommendation to propose the Elliott Avenue Pilot Closure project to City Council. The motion carried by the following vote: Yes: 6 - Chair Badenfort, Vice Chair Ridlington, Board Member Dektor, Board Member Geraldi, Board Member McKenzie and Board Member Narath Absent: 2 - Finn and Board Member Schwarz 6.3 REPORT - Bicycle & Pedestrian Project Funding & Delivery BACKGROUND: The Board may receive an update on the City’s approach to bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure funding and delivery. RECOMMENDATION: This item is for Board discussion. No action is required. PUBLIC COMMENTS Eris Weaver stated she appreciated seeing the attachments and the flow chart, and that she has invited members of the SCBC to attend this meeting. She also noted that more information can mean more confusion, and inquired why street capacity was added. Cris Eggers stated she appreciated the graphs and the information. She commented that she was disappointed that bike expenditures have declined, that striping isn't the solution to make biking safer, and that Class 4 should be the default for the City. She also stated that the City should not spend more money on street capacity while in a climate crisis, that there are opportunities for improvements, and wondered if there is a person who is responsible for looking at the City of Santa Rosa Regular Meeting Minutes Page 4 of 4 Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Regular Meeting Minutes - Final February 17, 2022 Board Bike and Pedestrian Master Plan and making sure the priorities are budgeted for and met. Alexa Forrester thanked the Board and stated she appreciated the work. She also stated she shares the concerns of the previous speakers and that money should be spent on increasing capacity for rapid transit or low stress bike infrastructure to meet climate and equity goals. She stated she would ride her bike more if there was safer infrastructure. This item was received and filed. 7. CHAIR/BOARD MEMBERS' ANNOUNCEMENTS None. 8. STAFF ANNOUNCEMENTS - There will be another Local Road Safety Plan (LRSP) meeting to discuss the section of Dutton Avenue between West College Avenue and West Third Street on March 2 at 5:30 p.m. - Staff has launched our Scooter Share Pilot application to any vendors that are interested and the deadline is April 1. A volunteer from the BPAB to help score the applications would be appreciated. - A bike rack request form will be added to the website in the future so that the public can identify wanted locations in the public right of way. As funding becomes available, this list will be used to target installations in the future. 9. ADJOURNMENT OF REGULAR MEETING Chair Badenfort adjourned the virtual meeting at 6:04 p.m. Approved on: _______________________________ A. Scheblik Recording Secretary