Complete Streets Advisory Board

City of Saratoga Springs JACLYN HAKES, CHAIR LOU SCHNEIDER, VICE CHAIR SHARED ACCESS ADVISORY BOARD MARK BENAQUISTA 474 Broadway THERESA CAPOZZOLA Saratoga Springs, New York 12866 KEN GREY _____________________ STEPHAN GODLEWSKI Telephone 518-587-3550 Fax 518-587-1688 CHARLIE SAMUELS Shared Access Advisory Board (SAAB) Meeting Minutes November 27, 2012 City Council Room 5:30 pm Attendees: Board Members: Mark Benaquista, Ken Grey, Steve Godlewski, Charlie Samuels, Lou Schneider, Jackie Hakes, Theresa Cappozola Staff and others: Kate Maynard, Stephanie Seidmon, and Tony Izzo, city attorney Public Comment Period. Public Present. No Comment. 1. Rules and Regulations for Committee • Tony Izzo, City Attorney o An advisory committee doesn’t have the ability to make anything happen, so not subject to the rules of most committees o Meetings can be open to the public or not, but they must be consistent and fair to everyone o Any board can come up with its own rules so long as it doesn’t interfere with state law • Making Decisions o Majority rules via voting—if it’s a tie, the measure does not pass • Public vs. private meetings o All meetings should be noticed to the public o Executive session for private meetings o Not subject to the open meetings law o 4 people is a meeting • Always have to keep reviewable minutes • How to change the name of the board o Motion by Charlie to provide a recommendation to the City Council to amend our name from the Shared Access Advisory Board to the Complete Streets Advisory Board.  second by Mark  no opposed. Motion passes. • Voting o Specify how many votes would be an action (4) • Email address for the board o Kate will check with IT. 2. Ballston Avenue Project Discussion • Charlie o This is a highly trafficked route going to the biggest grocery store in town; bikes will definitely travel it so it should be safe for bikes. o Below supermarket, CDTC sanctioned a bike route o There is room to grow.  City owns parking lots that were not considered in the width  Would like to see two new alternative proposals that would allow bicyclists to travel safely • Ken o Setting a precedent for this committee—this is our first task o There is an opportunity to have shared road access o Might not be comfortable moving forward with this o Concern with racing the timed lights • Steve o Bikes are the missing link o Pedestrian access will be better, transit will be helped out, and other modes are served, but they need to deeply consider the bikes • Current Status o Preliminary design is complete, to move to final design city needs to address the financial gap • Reviewing the city engineer’s response o Request for CMAC funding related to improving air quality, so there might be some additional funding o Vegetation  Appropriately placed—5ft tree belt, then curb, then street—trees in proposed cross-section o Design does accommodate bikes via the shared accommodation o In urban areas, a 5 ft. bike lane is the preferred treatment • Discussion on how to move forward o How to push an agenda without losing partners?  Give suggestions via a comment letter, not a letter of support • Improved bicycle accommodation • Repeat what we’re charged to do and where we’re coming from. • Motion by Steve to revise the draft letter based on the committee’s input regarding this meeting. o Ken seconds o Mark abstained. o No opposed o Motion carried o Circulate draft to approve next Thursday Public Comment Period No public present. 2