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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2003-11-20 Bicycle & Pedestrian_MIN Bicycle and Pedestrian Commission th November 20, 2003 Regular Meeting Minutes Roll Call Members present: John Baxter, Chair Jack Catron, Vice Chair Jack Christman David Chapman Brad Knickerbocker Richard Beaudoin (late) Lexi Delgado (late) Guy Nutter (late) Council Liaison: Cate Hartzell (present) Staff: Maria Harris, Associate Planner Derek Severson, Account Clerk Tom Cook, APD Officer RVTD liaison: Dan Masi (present) High school liaison: Vacant SOU liaison: None Call to Order Baxter called the meeting to order at 5:15 p.m. Approval of Minutes th Chapman/Catron m/s to approve the minutes of October 16, 2003 as presented. Voice vote: All AYES. Motion passed. Public Forum Carol Lee Rogers discussed the bike path from Ashland Middle School to Tolman Creek Road, and from Tolman Creek Road going toward Ashland Street and Bellview School. She noted that at Clay Creek Drive and Takelma Way, just past the railroad tracks on Tolman Creek Road, the entrances to the bike path are difficult for young cyclists due to the fences. She requested that a yield, or some sort of warning sign, be placed to make drivers aware of the presence of kids on bikes. There was also discussion of the possibility of stop signs on the bikepath as a means to slow down the kids on bikes. Catron/Chapman m/s to direct staff to look into the possibility of placing a stop sign at this location. Voice vote: All AYES. Motion passed. Members welcomed new member Jack Christman to the commission, and introductions were exchanged. Goal Setting Catron stated that he would like to move ahead with pedestrian enforcement efforts, and to use the school resource officer to assist in education efforts. He also suggested using high school community service students. He added that he would like to approach the Ashland Daily Tidings, Ashland High School and the Chief of Police to gauge their interest in cooperating with the commission on these efforts. Rogers stated that Siskiyou Velo was also looking at working with the Tidings in similar efforts. Baxter suggested prioritizing the list developed last time. Chapman stated that priorities may not be needed. Delgado suggested that members each identify their individual interests. Hartzell added that members consider where they would like to commit their four to five hours each month. Chapman: Neighborhood Safety and Public Transportation. Also added would like to attempt the application as a bicycle friendly community. Catron: Follow Through, Education and Neighborhoods. Delgado: Swap and Education/Outreach. She added that Education may involve Safe Routes, and that she would also provide back- up for the bicycle friendly community application. Harris noted that the bicycle friendly community application would like require ten to twenty hours of staff time. Chapman and Knickerbocker expressed their interest in seeing where Ashland would fit without necessarily submitting the application. Chapman and Delgado agreed to look at the application materials and see what they could do prior to passing this item on to staff. Christman: Bike Swap and Public Transportation. 2003-1120 Bike & Ped Min.doc Page 1 of 3 Beaudoin: Skills Training, Bike Swap (especially a ride/event the weekend of the Swap). Also interested in merging or restructuring. Knickerbocker: Skills Training; Bike/Hike Events either as part of Swap or separate, regular events; Swap; and merging commissions. Nutter: Monitoring (improved reporting of enforcement efforts in the paper), Education/Outreach, Neighborhood Safety, and Bicycle Friendly Community Application. Baxter: Bike Swap, Education/Outreach Hartzell: Neighborhoods, Bicycle Friendly Community Application, Skills Training. Based on these preferences, members agreed to form the following four subcommittees. SUBCOMMITTEES BIKE SWAP EDUCATION-OUTREACH/SKILLS TRAINING/SAFE ROUTES Delgado (lead), Baxter, Christman, Beaudoin, Catron (lead), Delgado, Baxter, Beaudoin (skills), Knickerbocker Knickerbocker, Masi (RVTD) (skills), Masi (RVTD) BICYCLE FRIENDLY COMMUNITIES NEIGHBORHOOD SAFETY/SAFE ROUTES APPLICATION Chapman (lead), Delgado, Nutter, Brad Jones (citizen Nutter (lead), Chapman, Hartzell who referred item), Harris (staff) Baxter stated that this provided a starting point. It was suggested that the Safe Routes program could fall under both the Education and Outreach subcommittee and the Neighborhood subcommittee. Members discussed that this program would be funded and implemented outside of the commission. Catron stated that he would contact the Police Chief, Daily Tidings and High School to discuss safety issues as part of the Education and Outreach item. There was general consensus in favor of this initial contact. Hartzell suggested merging the Skills Training item with the Bike Swap and conducting bi-monthly classes as preparation for the Swap. Baxter noted that the Swap could not generate funds to the city, and added that the process is underway to create a non-profit. He clarified that while the commission could be a source of volunteer labor it cannot be a city event. Delgado clarified that the commission could sponsor events in conjunction with the Swap. She added that there would likely be subcommittees of the Swap subcommittee. Chapman recognized that Swap funds may ultimately go to fund a skills workshop. Hartzell added that the Parks Foundation could be approached for co-sponsorship and as a vehicle for handling the funds. Hartzell added that subcommittee meetings needed to be publicly noticed and minutes kept. Severson pointed out that in years past, members split into subcommittees during the regular meeting time and then reconvened to discuss their efforts. Baxter suggested that members look at how they would like to spend their four to five hours per month in deciding which subcommittee(s) to choose. He suggested that members could further specify their interests at the subcommittee level, and he noted that his interest was in a commuter workshop as part of the Bike Swap. Delgado suggested planning on holding the Swap the second weekend in May. She added that the successful completion of the Swap could serve as an expression of the commission completing its goals. Baxter pointed out that the Bicycle Friendly Community Application was also time specific. Nutter questioned what the vision of the Neighborhood item was. Chapman stated that his intent was to evaluate the city, neighborhood by neighborhood, and identify areas in need of improvement. Members discussed subcommittee meetings as part of the regular meeting time. General consensus was to establish subcommittees in outside meetings to get a feel for them first. Baxter suggested that the subcommittees meet one time by the next regular meeting 2003-1120 Bike & Ped Min.doc Page 2 of 3 th scheduled for December 18. He stated that subcommittees would report at that time and the decision would be made as to how future meetings will be handled. Discussion of Member Expectations Baxter restated the discussion from last month, and explained that the expectation was that membership would need to involve more action than just attending the monthly meeting. Catron suggested that he felt eight hours per month, including meeting attendance, was a reasonable expectation of members. He emphasized that there needed to be plenty of advanced notice of time specific items. Delgado suggested that one hour per week in addition to the meetings was her idea of a reasonable expectation. Hartzell added that while there cannot be a specific requirement placed on members, members could certainly hold themselves to the agreed upon expectation. Delgado added that the expectation could also be expressed to potential new members. Harris questioned how Delgado would like to communicate this; Delgado responded that the expectations could be included in the advertisement of an available seat on the commission. Baxter added that non- profits typically have a base expectation of volunteers. Hartzell stated that the commission could adopt language to the effect that members “serve X hours per month.” Harris stated that she would check with Administration to verify whether there were any regulations governing requirements on commissioner service. Catron emphasized the need to communicate something more than just meeting time. There was general consensus to express an expectation as a general guideline. Baxter added that this expectation can be plugged into the goal setting process. Baxter/Delgado m/s to adopt as a general guideline the expectation that members serve a minimum of one hour per week or four to five hours per month in addition to meeting times. Voice vote: All AYES. Motion passed. Harris stated that she would investigate how to best communicate this expectation in future advertising. Bike Lights Harris reported that the money generated from light sales was placed into a separate account that was earmarked for future light purchases. She stated that roughly one box of each type of light was left. Cook stated that officers are selling more lights than are being given away; he noted that several lights were found to be defective. Christman stated that he would pick up the defective lights and see if he could fix them. Youth Liaisons Bike Delgado agreed to contact Katie at the Wilderness Charter School to discuss interested liaison candidates attending a future meeting. Baxter stated that he could follow up with the Mayor’s office. Hartzell suggested encouraging multiple liaisons. New Business Members discussed packet information relative to the Illinois town that has forbidden students to bring bikes to school. Hartzell suggested drafting a letter. Nutter noted the Weisbard letter relative to railroad crossings. He questioned the cost and delay involved in getting work done on crossings. Harris explained that the city cannot work in the railroad right-of-way so all work must be done by the railroad. Delgado discussed a letter. Harris noted that the railroad was located in Nebraska and was somewhat difficult to contact. Harris stated that she would pass on the idea of a letter simply announcing that the city was going to grind the crossing to the Public Works and Legal departments. Chapman questioned the status of the North Ashland Bikepath. Harris explained that the city has easements for the entire route, but is now in the process of discussing alternatives. Harris stated that she would follow-up. Adjournment There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 6:47 P.M. Next Meeting th December 18, 2003 at 5:15 p.m. 2003-1120 Bike & Ped Min.doc Page 3 of 3