ASHLAND TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION SPECIAL MEETING

MINUTES

February 9, 2017

CALL TO ORDER

Graf called the meeting to order at 6:02 pm

Commissioners Present: Joe Graf, Danielle Amarotico, Dominic Barth, Sue Newberry Corinne Viéville, and David Young
Council Liaison Absent: Stef Seffinger

SOU Liaison Absent: Janelle Wilson

Staff Present: Scott Fleury, Mike Faught, and Kyndra Irigoyen

RVTD Liaison Present: Paige Townsend

ANNOUNCEMENTS
None.

ADJUSTMENTS TO THE AGENDA

None.

PUBLIC FORUM

Willow Denon 132 6^th St

She lives between B St and C St and since May there have to been two wrecks there on the corner. People speed down B St at 40 MPH. She is requesting that there be a four-way stop on 6^th St at B St and at C St. People will have to stop at C St and B St instead of flying through in their car. There are yield signs at C St but people still speed.

NEW BUSINESS

Transportation System Plan Update Request for Proposal

Graf and Fleury gave an overview of what the Transportation System Plan (TSP) is and the process for selecting a consultant for the five year plan update.

Public Forum

Sharon Javna 219 Almond St

Read from attached letter.

Ron Adams 642 Oak St

About 15 years ago he was in Santa Barbara, they have a lot of parking issues during the summer, as a tourist there he found it refreshing to get on the trolley to get around town, it made it easier, and it was popular. The driver of the bus pointed out points of interest and there was a sense of community on the bus, it was like a party. He thinks it would be great to have that in Ashland. The benefits are carbon footprint, fewer cars downtown, pedestrian friendly, reduce traffic and pollution, reduce competition for parking and eliminate for more parking or parking structures. He hopes that the consultant that is hired can incorporate the Climate Energy Action Plan and the Downtown Parking Plan and one that understands municipal public transportation rather than regional. In addition, we need someone who understands our carbon and emission goals, clean energy goals, and our desire to reduce traffic and the need for more parking. We need a consultant who understands the need for renewable and sustainable public transportation.

Marni Koopman 1206 Linda Ave

Read from attached PowerPoint.

James Stephens 640 Oak St

Read from attached PowerPoint.

Roy Sutton 989 Golden Aspen Pl

He agrees with Denon about the traffic on B St. Having an electric trolley will create less pollution for pedestrians. Business has to be supported, a proper shuttle would provide equal access to downtown without searching for parking space. He is in support of a citizen advisory committee to assist the commission.

Susan Rust 42 N Wightman

As the revision of the TSP begins, she urges the commission to include the following in the RFP:

-Ensure all elements of TSP are consistent and supportive with the Climate and Energy Action Plan

-Consultant coordinates closely with both staff and with ad-hoc committee

-Consider how each decision will reduce greenhouse gas emissions

-Coordinate with RVTD in ways the entire system can go from natural gas to electric buses

-Consider methods of providing electric shuttle to transport citizens and tourists in and out of the downtown area

-Coordinate connectivity for all modes of transportation

-Ensure that parking planning is incorporated in the TSP with eye for reducing parking altogether

Elizabeth Hallett 938 Mt. Meadows Circle

She thanked the Transportation Commission for shoehorning us into the new era.

Donna Swanson 863 Plum Ridge Dr

She said she echoes Hallett’s comments.

Huelz Gutcheon 2253 Hwy 99

He seconds everything everyone has said. In the 90’s the buses would pick up anyone who was walking on the side of the road and it was calm. Now everything is faster. Only 20% more people changed the town. The buses now run fast. They ruin the ambience of the town because they are running behind. Accidents happen and we do not know who causes them. The accidents are caused by cars, not the people walking. Everyone is driving fast. Build it and they will come.

Fleury said he has made additions to the RFP based on comments he has received. Graf said we should include the bullet points in the RFP. Newberry liked the comment made about including someone who has a municipal knowledge, not just regional. She asked if it was possible to have a steering committee. Fleury said one of things we would talk about is the schedule for the transit related issues and have meetings associated with the TSP. Last time it was the Transportation Commission and the Planning Committee working together for the update. Javna said they are not looking for an ad-hoc committee right now, they are looking for a citizens committee and call it a steering committee. She would like the Commission to direct them to form it, so they can report who the members of the citizen committee are.

Graf said we have the following three groups: One who evaluate the consultants for the RFP. One who will assist in updating the TSP and one who will help with the transit part of the TSP update. Fleury said all of the meetings that we have for the update will have a public forum, so if someone is not part of any of the groups, they will have a chance to give input.

Townsend said in her experience when doing planning projects, there is a citizens advisory committee that can be a broad reach of citizens from the community and also a technical advisory committee that can be a broad reach of city staff and others who have technical knowledge that can be available to you. Those committees would work together and report back to the Commission or Council.

Graf said there is a group of citizens who have been working hard for a long time who want to be part of this. If we created a steering committee, it might not just be this group and include other members of the community. We neeed to balance this group and have the right makeup of this committee to make the decisions. Young said the scope of this to get to a feasibility study and to help guide a feasibility study, with no assumption that it will be feasible. The charge of this group is to look at many points of view. If we make it too big, referring to the downtown committee, it could be a drag on the feasibility process. He does not think we need to be concerned of the makeup when we have a group here already. Viéville said other people will have the opportunity to come to the regular meetings for input instead of putting them on the steering committee.

Amarotico asked how we go about recommending this group as a steering committee without excluding others who are not aware of it. Fleury said he is envisions a sub-committee to focus in on the feasibility of transit and have a technical advisory committee that focuses on the TSP itself. We have to find a way to give them the power to make recommendations to the Transportation Commission without being an appointed committee. Young said we should have a committee that does not require staff but has a liaison between the committee and the Commission. Viéville said we should have a committee that is loose, where people are not appointed and people can join and participate when they want. Newberry asked to include in the RFQ that the consultant have experience working with citizens and find out their ideas how they would work with various groups.

Commission agreed to have a citizens group as a resource to update the TSP. 

The Commission agreed to have Dave Young as the liaison to the citizens group.

The Commission agreed to include in the RFP that the consultant will consult with the citizens group.

Newberry asked that we have engagement opportunities with the citizens prior to a draft.

Fleury will include updates in the RFP from this meeting. Newberry will be the liaison from the Commission to help grade the RFPs. Fleury will have the RFP in May, grade responses in June, and award in July or August.

TASK LIST

None.

OLD BUSINESS

None.

FOLLOW UP ITEMS

None.

INFORMATIONAL ITEMS

None.

COMMISSION OPEN DISCUSSION

None.

FUTURE AGENDA TOPICS

TSP update process

Nevada St Bridge (February)

CIP Budgeting

ADJOURNMENT

Meeting was adjourned at 8:16 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Kyndra Irigoyen

Public Works Administrative Assistant