Bicycle and Pedestrian Commission
December 18, 2003
Regular Meeting Minutes

Roll Call
Members present: John Baxter, Chair Jack Christman, Guy Nutter, David Chapman, and Brad Knickerbocker
Council Liaison: Cate Hartzell (absent)
Staff: Maria Harris, Associate Planner Tom Cook, APD Officer
RVTD Liaison: Dan Masi (absent)
High school Liaison: Vacant
SOU Liaison: None

Call to Order
Baxter called the meeting to order at 5:25 p.m.

Approval of Minutes
Chapman/Christman m/s to approve the minutes of November 20, 2003 as presented. Voice vote: All AYES. Motion passed.

Public Forum
Al Bodin addressed the Commission and said he was representing the people on Nevada Street. Baxter said that the Commission hadn't had the opportunity to review or discuss the project and that it would be on the January 15 meeting agenda so that all interested parties could have a opportunity to participate in the discussion.

Positive Reinforcement Program, Keith Massie
Massie said he lives on Peachey and has a Fourth grader that goes to Walker Elementary. He passed out a summary on the project titled "Increase Safe Bicycling Among Elementary Children." He would like to see through positive reinforcement encouraging kids to ride bicycles to school. He said the positive reinforcement would be certificates to Dairy Queen that would be given to kids who walk or bike to school. Massie suggested that if a child arrived at school without wearing a helmet, volunteers would ask if have a helmet at home. IF the child did have a helmet, the adult would encourage to wear I t next time. If not, a supply of helmets would be on had to give the child. He suggested advertising the program in the school newsletters. Massie said he would like to do the project at the four grade schools and the middle school. Nutter asked how Massie envisioned implementation. Massie said through volunteers. Knickerbocker asked if he had talked to the principals. Massie said he had not, but that he is on the site council for Walker. Nutter asked if Massie would head up the project. Massie indicated that he would. Chapman said it sounded like a good proposal and Nutter concurred. Baxter said the project sounded like it fit the goals of the Bicycle and Pedestrian Commission. Nutter asked about using funds set aside for bicycle and pedestrian projects by the Commission Massie's program. Baxter said he wanted more members to review. Baxter said he was in favor of the project, but didn't want to see the Commission fully fund the $2,720 project budget.

Suggestions to City Council for 2004-2005
Baxter asked if everyone had review the suggestions from Nutter and Knickerbocker via email. Nutter said he wanted to see if the Commission was interested in a master trail commission. He also suggested setting aside funds to acquire easements for trails and more sidewalk installation. Chapman said he would like to see 1) forward movement on the Downtown Plan and to see the bike lane in this area, and 2) to see mass transit expand. Baxter said his persona l interest was seeing a bike lane downtown. He said he rides on the left side of the street because of his route and destination and it is challenging. Christman said he would like to see the bike path extended to Crowson to help people in Oak Knoll get to town. Nutter asked if those people could take Ashland Street. Christman said it is a hard climb up the hill and the path is an much easier grade. Baxter said a sidewalk is needed on the south side of Hersey form Williamson Way on to bottom of Hill. Baxter recapped the suggestions. Chapman/Christman m/s that the Bicycle and Pedestrian Commission forward the following three items to the City Council for things they would like to see happen in 2004-2005: 1) improve hiking trails and easements, 2) bike lane downtown (highest priority) and 3) extend the Central Ashland Bike Path to Crowson Road. Voice vote: All AYES. Motion passed.

Subcommittee Reports
Baxter said he believed all of the subcommittees had met since the full Commission met in November. He asked for reports from the subcommittees.

1. Bike Swap - Baxter said they met and tossed around ideas for the bike swap. Ideas included making a request to the Parks Foundation to receive funds. Baxter spoke to Linda Chesney, Director of N. Mountain Park Nature Center, about holding the event at the North Mountain Nature Center. He said she was receptive, and there may be some logistical issues with the sports fields and parking. Baxter said he told her the tentative date is May 15 and Chesney is checking to see if that will work. Chapman said he checked on wiring a proposal to the parks and Recreation Department requesting that they be a partner in the event.

2. Education/Outreach - Knickerbocker passed out ideas to discuss. He said the subcommittee discussed starting with a brochure on bicycle traffic and pedestrian laws. Harris mentioned the work that was done by Ann Seltzer on the "Where to Ride" draft brochure. She said she would forward the electronic copy to Knickerbocker and Baxter.

3. Bicycle Friendly Communities Application - Chapman said there was nothing to report.

4. Neighborhood Safety/Safe Routes to School - Chapman said he, Nutter and Hartzell had met three times. They had discussed idea of organizing meetings in neighborhoods who believe they have a traffic problem, drafting a toolkit, creating a survey for neighbors to use when approaching other neighbors. He said they had drafted a brochure and a form to use. Chapman said they want to have a page on the City's web site. He said he is looking at radar cameras and radar guns that can be used as tools for a neighborhood watch program. He said he has discussed ways to better use the radar board and he has trained on set up the radar board. He said they want to have statistics such as ADT, speeds, etc. on the City web site. Chapman said they would like to set up a subcommittees to respond to neighborhood complaints.

New Business
Nevada Street LID Project - Baxter said the project recently came to his attention. Harris updated the Commission on the history and background of the project. Christman said he was at the November neighborhood meeting. He said that a subcommittee was formed to work on refining the plan. Bodin said ten people will be on the subcommittee. Baxter said that he believes the Commission should focus on the bicycle and pedestrian facilities. Bodin said his concerns are the impact of new vehicles on Nevada Street and that children playing on Nevada Street. He said Quite Village will not be a quiet village. Bodin said he rides his bike everyday and worried that he wouldn't be able to access the bike path. Nutter asked Bodin if he thought the bump outs as slowing down traffic or as an impediment. Nutter asked what Bodin wanted the Commission to do. Bodin said he wasn't sure and didn't believe the bump outs would slow down traffic. Christman said one of the concerns was that traffic would be redirected to Cambridge to avoid the traffic calming. Baxter said when he lived on A Street the neighborhood went to the Traffic Safety Commission about reducing speeds on the east end of A Street. Baxter said drivers' increased their speeds when they got thorough the congested area at west end of the street. Baxter said he thinks there might be a similar pattern if the new subdivision at the end of Nevada Street has a calmer streetscape and it opens to a wider street. Baxter said he thought the role of the Commission is to review the plan and comment on the bicycle and pedestrian issues. Nutter suggested requesting more enforcement in the neighborhood. Christman suggested the reader board. Chapman said he agreed. Cook said he would pass it on. Nutter motioned that a letter be sent to the neighborhood group and Traffic Safety Commission requesting more enforcement on Nevada Street. Baxter said the item would be on the agenda in January and it would be recorded in the meeting minutes so that the Traffic Safety Commission would have this information. Nutter withdrew his motion. Baxter suggested that the Bicycle and Pedestrian Commission be on the notice list for the local improvement district neighborhood meetings. All other commission members indicated that they agreed.

Baxter asked Cook if he had any other information to add to the statistics. Cook said he did not.

Christman said there was a recent newspaper article underway about creating a bicycle park near the sewage treatment plant. Christman said he was concerned about access by kids since this site is geographically on the edge of town. Nutter said he was at the Parks Commission meting when the time was discussed and it was introduced by a group of young people interested in BMX.

Chapman asked everyone to read his recent email because it includes a proposal for expanding pedestrian enforcement.

Adjournment
There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 7:18P.M.

Next Meeting
January 15, 2004 at 5:15 p.m.

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