Complete Streets Advisory Board

SARATOGA SPRINGS COMPLETE STREETS ADVISORY BOARD MEETING MINUTES JUNE 1, 2017 5:00 P.M. COUNCIL CHAMBERS, CITY HALL ATTENDEES: STEVE GODLEWSKI, LOU SCHNEIDER, COLIN KLEPETAR, MAUREEN ROBERTS. STAFF: TINA CARTON ABSENT: KEN GREY, DOUGLAS HALLER, AND ROB WRIGHT. PUBLIC: NONE MEETING MINUTES ARE NOT A WORD-FOR-WORD TRANSCRIPT. CALL TO ORDER: Steve Godlewski called the meeting to order at 5:05 p.m. PUBLIC COMMENT-15 MINUTES None APPROVAL OF MINUTES-05/04/2017 No discussion, Lou Schneider moved and Maureen Roberts seconded to approve the minutes. Ayes - All UPDATE ON COMPLETE STREETS POLICY Steve Godlewski provided an update on the status of the Complete Streets Policy. The policy is still in the process of being reviewed by other departments. UPDATE ON DPW, DPS, SGT, COMPLETE STREETS ADVISORY BOARD COORDINATION MEETING Tina Carton gave an update on the May 24th Complete Streets Coordination meeting between the DPW, DPS, Complete Streets Advisory Board, Saratoga Greenbelt Trail committee, and the Mayor’s office. The group discussed the recent paving schedule and lack of implementation of Complete Streets and SGT elements along Lake Avenue and Congress Avenue. DPS stated that ADA improvements are incorporated when the City uses CHIPS funding. Other elements such as incorporating trail design or additional Complete Street improvements are difficult to implement in these corridors without “shovel ready” projects in place. The discussion’s main take-away was that the group agreed that the focus and highest priority to implementing Complete Streets and SGT improvements from Lake Avenue to Congress Park and from Congress Park to Railroad Run would be by complete a preliminary engineering plan. Then as 1 future projects arise, the City is poised to implement “shovel ready” improvements within this corridor. An engineering level plan would also ready the City for future grant and funding opportunities to support the cost of construction. Peter Goutos thanked the efforts by City employees. Another take-away of the meeting was a better understand of the real life challenges that the City faces when moving forward - financial limitations, lack of staffing, and the need for a real commitment for on-going operations and maintenance. After the meeting, Kate Maynard confirmed with Christine Gillmett-Brown that the $50,000 in the Complete Streets Capital Budget line could be used for engineering. UPDATE ON PAVING SCHEDULE The committee discussed the paving memo received on April 4th and the need to prioritize Complete Streets work into the paving schedule. Steve Godlewski volunteered to draft a memo with the committee’s priorities and will share it with the committee in the coming weeks. UPDATE ON CDTA BIKESHARE AND TROLLEY CDTA will be again running the free trolley service in Saratoga Springs this summer starting in early July. Tina Carton updated the committee that CDTA plans on launching the bike share program in Saratoga Springs in late July. Kate Maynard is the point person working with CDTA to finalize the bike rack locations. DISCUSSION ON 2017 CFA FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES Tina Carton provided an update on the Downtown Connector as well as 2017 CFA opportunities. The Office of Parks, Recreation & Historic Preservation (OPRHP) – Recreational Trails Program (RTP) provides funds to states to develop and maintain recreational trails for both motorized and non-motorized recreational trail use. After discussion with the Mayor’s office, it was determined that the City may pursue funding for the completion of Crescent Avenue to Hemlock Trail. In addition, the Climate Smart Communities Program released the same grant that the City was awarded in 2017. The committee discussed using this grant source for Complete Streets implementation along East Avenue and possibly Lake Avenue. DISCUSSION ON FARMER’S MARKET TABLING Tina Carton has secured space with the High Rock Farmer’s Market to table and promote Complete Streets at the market this summer. Topics to discuss with the public at the table could be the following:  General education on Complete Streets - copy of the plan, policy, and if we have a laptop play the movie in the background.  Complete Streets projects that the City has undertaken and plan to undertake  Map and plans of the Downtown Connector  Map and plans of Geyser Road  Educate residents on the complete SGT 2   Information on the bike share and trolley service  Discuss with residents their ideas/priorities/concerns Tina Carton will be following up after the meeting with a Doodle Poll to sign up for slots during four Saturday’s this summer. OTHER BUSINESS Maureen Roberts updated the committee on the debut of "A Crosswalk in Time" at Bow Tie Cinema on Monday May 22nd. The film was created and produced by Charlie Samuels, Rob Wright, Maureen Roberts and Urvi Kalra, with the aim to promote sustainable transportation in Saratoga Springs and make Saratoga Springs streets more accessible for all. The film includes musical accompaniment by Dustin LaDuke, James Gasgogne and Steve Struss, and was recorded at the Arthur Zankel Music Center at Skidmore College. Local actors in the film are Johnny Martinez, Diane Lachtrupp, Lucas Martinez, Laura Lucy Grillo and Deven Klender. The screening was a success with robust attendance and question and answer at the end. After the screening, "A Crosswalk in Time" was posted to Vimio and YouTube. They are pursuing additional opportunities to publically screen the film. ADJOURN AT 6 P.M. The meeting was adjourned at 6 p.m. NEXT MEETING: SCHEDULED FOR JULY 6TH AT 5 PM IN CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS. 3