Bicycle & Pedestrian Commission
May 17th, 2007 Regular Minutes
Roll Call: Secretary Selene Aitken, David Young, Matthew Seiler, Julia Sommer, Jim Olney
Tom Burnham, Michael Church (absent)
Council Liaison: David Chapman
Staff: Derek Severson, Associate Planner
Steve McLennan, Police Officer
RVTD liaisons: Steve Maluk, TDM Planners (absent)
High school liaison: Vacant SOU liaison: Nathan Meyerson (absent)
Call to Order
Aitken called the meeting to order at 5:15 p.m.
Approval of Minutes – April 19, 2007
Olney/Burnham m/s to accept the minutes of the April 2007 meeting as presented. Voice vote: All AYES. Motion passed.
Public Forum
None.
It was noted that several members needed to leave early, and it suggested that items with outside speakers be addressed first out of agenda order out of consideration for citizens who were in attendance with items to discuss.
Introduction of New Members
New members Seiler and Sommer were introduced to the Commission.
Subcommittee & Liaison Reports
It was noted that the Wheeldon family had contacted the Public Works Director, and that their preferences for a memorial were for a tree and bench with a plaque to honor Carole Wheeldon’s memory. It was noted that the subcommittee would be working with Public Works to finalize placement of the bench and selection of the tree, as previously approved by the full Commission.
Alternative Bike Parking for 308 Laurel Street
Severson explained the bicycle parking requirements from Ashland’s Land Use Ordinance, and noted that there is an option for applicants to pursue alternative methods if they meet certain ordinance standards and are approved by the Bicycle & Pedestrian Commission. Severson noted the alternative design proposal provided by the applicants, and explained that for the Planning Staff the biggest concerns with the alternative proposal has to do with the standards in AMC 18.92.040.J.2 which require bicycle racks to hold bicycles securely by means of the frame, with 1) locking the frame and both wheels to the rack with a high-security U-shaped shackle lock, if the bicyclists removes the front wheel; 2) Locking the frame and one wheel to the rack with a high-security U-shaped shackle lock, if the bicyclists leaves both wheels on the bicycle; and 3) Locking the frame and both wheels to the rack with a chain or cable not longer than 6 feet without removal of the front wheel.
Applicant Rick Landt explained his proposal for an alternative bicycle rack design, consisting of a 1-inch diameter bar of schedule 40 steel, powder-coated and installed by bolting on wood blocks and mounted horizontal on the side of the building within the breezeway at a height of 36-inches above finished grade. Under discussion, members expressed concern not only with the locking requirements raised by staff but also with potentially narrowing the width of the travel corridor for the breezeway to a degree that would create an accessibility concern, and with the height of the installation, the ability to accommodate bikes of different sizes, and the possibility for a locked bike to roll along the bar. Members suggested that mounting the same bar horizontally might address these issues, as well as having it extend farther from the wall face than the four inches proposed. Members added that extending 10-inches from the wall face might be more flexible to accommodate a broader variety of bikes, and it was noted that horizontal and vertical installations could be staggered. It was noted that the applicants were proposing to install three racks more than were required by the parking standards of AMC 18.92.
Sommer/Young m/s to recommend that the Bicycle & Pedestrian Commission is agreeable to an alternative bicycle parking method in this application provided that the applicants demonstrate that the proposed alternative method can accommodate the locking requirements found in AMC 18.92.040.J.2 and do not create access or circulation issues for the Building Division or Fire Department. Discussion: Members noted that a combination of horizontal and vertical installations would be appropriate. Voice vote: All AYES. Motion passed.
Chapman and Olney exited at 6:02 p.m. to attend the Budget Committee meeting. Prior to leaving, Chapman presented a draft Greenway Map being produced with the financial assistance of Siskiyou Velo. He asked for comments, and noted that the map would be presented both to Siskiyou Velo and to the Parks Commission over the coming weeks. He suggested that further comments would be welcome in either of these venues.
Bike Safety for Adult Riders (Matt Warshawsky, TSC)
Matt Warshawsky of the Traffic Safety Commission noted that while bicycle safety education has been a focus of the commission, bicycle safety education for adults has often been neglected. He called for a focus on adult education, requirements for licensing and registration of bicycles, the creation of diversion programs, helmet laws, and for efforts to better integrate parents into the bicycle safety education curriculum offered in Ashland’s schools through the cooperative efforts of the Bicycle & Pedestrian Commission, the Traffic Safety Commission, and the Bicycle Transportation Alliance. Under discussion, it was noted that there are several bicycle safety education instructors available within the community and that Parks is set up to offer classes for adults, and that it seemed like a fairly feasible task to create adult bicycle safety education classes to be offered through Parks that could also address bicycle commuting in general, and which could serve as a traffic school/diversion program for the Municipal Court. Officer MacLennan, Traffic Safety Commissioner Warshawsky, and those present indicated an interest in forming a task force/subcommittee to work further on this issue.
Election of Officers
Severson noted that with the departure of Robbins and Harding, both the Chair and Vice Chair positions were open. He noted that Aitken had been elected secretary a relatively short time ago.
David Young was elected as Chair by a unanimous vote of those present.
Julia Sommer was elected as Vice Chair by a unanimous vote of those present.
Severson questioned whether all present were agreeable to Aitken remaining as secretary and she was elected by a unanimous vote.
Aitken left the meeting at 6:34 p.m.
Goal Setting
This item was postponed until the July meeting, and Young requested that it be the only item on the agenda to allow for adequate discussion time.
Bicycle, Pedestrian & Skateboard Ordinances
Burnham noted that he had found Grants Pass’s ordinance requiring a three foot buffer zone for motor vehicles passing cyclists and was interested in a similar ordinance for Ashland. Members indicated that they would read up on the ordinance materials prior to future discussion. Traffic Safety Commissioner Warshawsky indicated that he would like to be present for this discussion, and left some materials for inclusion in the packets.
Updating Educational Materials
This item was postponed.
Lights, Helmets & Pedometers
Burnham/Seiler m/s to purchase 43 front bicycle lights, to supplement the 43 rear lights remaining in stock at the Police Department, for an amount not to exceed $300 from the Commission’s remaining Program Funds. Discussion: Members suggested that lights could be distributed from a single point along with helmets and pedometers through the Parks Department. Severson indicated that he would verify that Parks was agreeable to this arrangement. Voice vote: All AYES. Motion passed.
Burnham/Seiler m/s to purchase 50 pedometers for distribution through the Parks Department, for an amount not to exceed $500 from the Commission’s remaining Program Funds. Voice vote: All AYES. Motion passed.
Burnham/Young m/s to purchase bicycle helmets with the approximately $900 of the Commission’s remaining Program Funds. Voice vote: All AYES. Motion passed.
New Business
Young noted that the next meeting with ODOT to discuss the two freeway interchange area master plans (IAMPs) would be held on Wednesday, June 20th at the Community Center. [NOTE: This meeting has since been canceled; the next Citizens Advisory Committee meeting will be on Wednesday, July 18th, at 5:30 p.m. The first Public Workshop for IAMPs 14 and 19 will be held on Thursday, July 19th, from 5:00 to 7:00 pm at the Rogue River Room, Stevenson Union building, SOU Campus, in Ashland. It is the building at the corner of Siskiyou Boulevard and University Way. The Public Workshop is open to the public, and is intended to educate and receive comments from the public on the IAMPs.]
Burnham reported that the bump which had been a concern on the Greenway near the Dog Park has been repaired by Parks.
Dubois expressed concern with the way the Central Ashland Bike Path crosses Wightman Street near its intersection with the railroad tracks and the placement of the crossing just before a stop sign. He asked that Traffic Safety be advised and that the stop sign be relocated to before the path.
Agenda Items for Next Month
Vice Chair Sommer asked that the Commission begin to consider “Car Free First Fridays.”
Chair Young asked that the next meeting’s agenda be dedicated entirely to goal setting, which has been an on-going unfinished item since January.
Adjournment
The meeting was adjourned at 7:07 p.m.
Upcoming Meetings:
Regular Meeting – June 21st, 2007 at 5:15 p.m.
