CALL TO ORDER: 6:03pm

Commissioners Present: Mark Brouillard, Joe Graf, Corinne Vièville, Linda Peterson Adams, and Katharine Danner

Commissioners Not Present: Derrick Claypool-Barnes

Council Liaison Present: Paula Hyatt

Staff Present: Scott Fleury and Derek Severson

Guests Present: Mark Knox and Alex Georgevitch


ANNOUNCEMENTS – Chair Peterson-Adams announces that at the August 17th, 2021 City Council meeting the Transportation System Plan Update and Vision Zero items were pulled from the agenda and delayed. The items will be reviewed and discussed at a future study session.
Starting at 7pm on August 19th a webinar titled “Rethinking Streets” is scheduled and Chair Peterson-Adams requests a motion to adjourn the meeting after discussion of the 192 North Mountain Avenue Annexation business item.
Danner motions to adjourn the meeting after discussion of the 192 North Mountain Annexation item and move the Vision Zero Action Plan and Traffic Calming Program agenda items to the September meeting. Brouillard seconds.
Ally Ayes, Motion Carries.
Council Hyatt mentions the tentative study session date to discuss the TSP and Vision Zero program is October 18th, 2021.


CONSENT AGENDA
Approval of Minutes July 15, 2021
Danner motions to approve minutes with stated corrections, Brouillard seconds.
Commissioners approve minutes as amended.
All ayes. Minutes approved.


PUBLIC FORUM
Chair Peterson-Adams references written testimony supplied requesting a marked crosswalk on Pinecrest Terrace at the location of the TID ditch crossing. Public Works will formally investigate the location for a marked crosswalk. Staff believes a marked crosswalk makes sense at that location, but a formal analysis needs to occur.


CRASH REPORT: Officer MacLennan not in attendance and crash report is not discussed comprehensively.


NEW BUSINESS
A. 192 North Mountain Annexation –
Chair Peterson-Adams informs Commission that comments and associated discussion regarding the annexation proposal be limited to the transportation related items within the proposal.
Public Comment: Written testimony received was sent to the Commission for consideration in discussion regarding the annexation proposal.

Rich Rosenthal, Ashland, provides oral comment. He is in support of the proposal and the recommendation to Orchid Street only providing a pedestrian connection only, not a thru street. As a resident of the area for 23 years he has often witnessed vehicles trying to use Orchid and Rose Streets as a traffic signal avoidance strategy for East Main Street. He feels the developer after multiple discussion with neighbors has come to a reasonable conclusion to only connect Orchid Street with a pedestrian connection.

Derek Severson, Senior Planner provides the Commission with an overview presentation of the annexation proposal and details the specific transportation related requirements in the Ashland Municipal Code. The proposal includes annexing a 7.9-acre property and outline approval for a 52-unit subdivision. It also includes installation of a bottomless culvert crossing over Beach Creek and an exception to the Street Design Standards to not install parkrow or street trees along the culvert section of roadway. Severson informs Commission the formal process and associated procedure for the annexation proposal include discussions and recommendations with the Transportation and Tree Commission’s and all the information would then be presented before the Planning Commission who in the end would make a recommendation to the City Council. The ultimate decision on approving the annexation falls to the City Council.

Severson reviews annexation criteria defined in Ashland Municipal Code (18.5.8.050E) specific to the transportation network. The code requires adequate transportation for vehicles, bicycles, pedestrians, and transit exist or be provided by the proposal. Severson review the traffic engineer’s assessment of the proposed development on traffic patterns and impacts to adjacent neighborhoods. Severson also details the specific components in the code related to each transportation mode that must provide adequate transportation.

Planning staff are still reviewing all information associated with the proposal and are crafting recommendations and conditions of approval for the Planning Commission hearing. Any recommendations or input from the Transportation Commission will be considered by planning staff and utilized as part of the public hearing process.

The applicant, Mark Knox of KDA Homes provides the Commission with an overview of the proposal and the public outreach they have done with the adjacent neighborhoods. These discussions included severing the proposed full connection to Orchid Street and also provided the opportunity to build more affordable housing units with Habitat for Humanity. Knox also discusses the streetscape design and user-friendly pedestrian environments associated with the subdivision layout. The road network layout embodies the open space and Beach Creek riparian corridors. They have also managed the design to save existing mature trees onsite as part of the proposal as well.

Chair Peterson-Adams provides multiple comments on the proposal:

1. The Transportation Commission is looking at the bike path crossing for signage/safety improvements
2. Questions if a crosswalk across North Mountain considered as part of the proposal
3. Questions if the pedestrian crossing on the west side of North Mountain over the railroad tracks is planned
4. The subdivision provides for excellent connectivity, supports the adjacent neighborhoods and looks to limit cut through traffic
5. Provides a 12’ multi-use path easement on the north side of the railroad tracks
6. The street standard expectation is appropriate
7. Distance from access to railroad crossing is appropriate
8. Traffic analysis supports a no-adverse impact condition
Traffic Engineer Georgevitch responds to questions regarding estimates of how trips were dispersed through the development and specific to the parking lot connection on Orchid Street to the affordable housing units. The trips are estimates and considered very low overall (4-5 peak hour trips).

Chair Peterson-Adams also references general concern about the increased traffic on North Mountain once the development is completed. Staff explains to the Commission their 2021-2023 Biennium Capital Improvement Plan has a rehabilitation project planned for North Mountain. The project limits go from East Main Street to the interstate overpass. The rehabilitation project will include sidewalk infill, pedestrian safety improvements (crosswalks), traffic calming enhancements throughout the corridor. A speed study was just completed along the corridor and that information will be provided to the selected design consultant. The rail crossing will also be improved for both pedestrians and vehicular traffic. This will be a City funded project.
Danner is concerned about additional traffic on Fordyce given its current layout. Georgevitch estimates that 80% of the new trips will use North Mountain and not connect to Fordyce given that Mountain connects to the downtown and other end user destinations. It is anticipated their will be a nominal change to the adjacent neighborhoods when the development is complete.
Graf supports the proposal and not connecting to Orchid Street due to the narrowness of Orchid Street and Rose Lane. Graf is concerned about off-street parking and potential street parking impacting adjacent neighborhoods. Knox addresses the comment as they are proposing a little over three (3) spaces per unit, which includes garage spaces and does not consider driveway area or other off-street parking areas.

Graf motions to find that the annexation of 192 North Mountain meets the annexation requirements of Ashland Municipal Code 18.5.8.050E (1), (2), (3) and (4). Danner seconds.
All Ayes, Motion Carries.


TASK LIST
A. Not discussed.


FOLLOW UP ITEMS
A. None


INFORMATIONAL ITEMS-
A. None.


COMMISSION OPEN DISCUSSION- None


FUTURE AGENDA TOPICS
A. Residential Parking Program
B. Street User Fee/Gas Tax (budget/TSP)
C. Crosswalk Policy


ADJOURNMENT: @ 7:01pm
Respectfully submitted,
Scott Fleury PE, Public Works Director
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