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2017/08/21 Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee Minutes�ax�xRr p,�pk i3 Gx Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee (BPAC) Minutes of the Special Meeting 5:30 PM, Monday, August 21, 2017 City Council Chambers, Rohnert Park City Hall 130 Avram Avenue, Rohnert Park, California 94928 Members Present: Stephen Gold (Chair) X Terry Gault (Vice -Chair) Gary Gutierrez X Tim Hensel X Katie Musick X Non -Voting Participants: Eydie Tacata, Management Analyst; Jerry Griffin, Parks and Recreation Commission Liaison; Mary Grace Pawson, Development Services Director/City Engineer; Art da Rosa, Deputy City Engineer 1. Call to Order Chair Stephen Gold called the meeting to order at 6:01 PM. 2. Introductions Chair Gold commenced self -introductions. Mr. Gold explained that City staff called the meeting to share information about the pavement project and Camino Colegio striping, and also to get resident feedback. However, since a quorum of the Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee would be present, a "special meeting" of the Committee had to be called. He said the forum was primarily for residents to share concerns and ideas; the Committee would mostly be listening rather than discussing. 3. Informational Meeting about Camino Colegio Restriping Mary Grace Pawson, City Engineer, explained that over the summer, the City would be doing pavement maintenance work throughout Rohnert Park, including on Camino Colegio. Typically on this type of project, the existing pavement striping would be replaced as is. However, to address concerns about parking on Camino Colegio, the project would add tick marks to delineate parking spaces, as well as curb painting and signage indicating "no parking" areas in front of hydrants and behind crosswalks. John Wyman, resident of 7186 Camino Colegio, asked if there were pictures of what the City was proposing to do. Ms. Pawson drew a diagram on a flip chart, explaining that parking was not going to be changed, but the ticking would help fit more cars as well as back cars off the corners. Scott Martino, resident of 7177 Circle Drive, observed that in his career with a contractor, he has not seen main thoroughfares without marked street centerlines, such as Camino Colegio. He also shared concerns about the corner of Circle Drive and Camino Colegio, where motorists coming from Circle Drive need to pull out 12 feet into Camino Colegio to see cross traffic, as cars parked on the corner block the view, and motorists travel too fast. It is especially bad around 5:00 — 6:00 PM. Mr. Martino was also concerned about the absence of crosswalks at this intersection. Kent Dlugokenski, resident of 7235 Camino Colegio, said that it is also hard to see cars coming down Camino Colegio when he is trying to leave his driveway on the east side of the street. There appears to be not enough parking on the street; sometimes on garbage pick-up days when he and his neighbors put out the garbage cans on the street, people move the cans to take the parking spaces. Mr. Dlugokenski asked about the idea that was brought up at the 2011 workshop with the neighborhood, the conversion of this segment of Camino Colegio into a one-way street, which would allow the preservation of bike lanes as well as create more parking. There was brief discussion about making the street one-way; several recalled that a public safety representative at the 2011 meeting opposed the idea because it would hamper emergency response. Rohnert Park Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee August 21, 2017 Meeting Minutes Gary Wood, resident at 7176 Camino Colegio, said that his problem started after the parking was removed on the east side of the street across from his house to make room for the bike lane. It is hard for him to back out of the driveway because cars block his view. The street is busy, with fast-moving traffic and bicycles and motorized wheelchairs using the bike lanes. Mr. Wood said he supports keeping the bike lanes, but would like the parking removed on the west side, and put back on the east side. There was disagreement among some of the participants about whether the parking should be eliminated or retained on the east or west side of the street. Elimination of parking on one side of the street provides more driveway visibility for that side, but moves that problem to the other side of street. Mr. Wyman cited the petition he circulated in 2011, saying that it was signed by over 100 people from the neighborhood who supported retaining parking on the west side of Camino Colegio. Mr. Wyman asked Ms. Pawson if the improvements proposed at this meeting are going to be reviewed by the City Council. Ms. Pawson said that the improvements described at the beginning and being done with the project are at best an interim fix. Mr. Martino asked if bike lanes could be 3' wide instead. He said that he has seen few bicyclists, maybe 7 per day. Alfreda Johnson, resident of 7179 Circle Drive, suggested using a microphone at this type of meeting because it is hard to hear all the comments. She was concerned that thq City did not notify all. Circle Drive residents about the meeting, as anything that is done on Camino Colegio affects all of Circle Drive. Like others, Ms. Johnson has also had to pull out well into Camino Colegio to see cars coming. Additionally, as her house is on Circle Drive just around the corner from the Camino Colegio and Circle Drive intersection, it is difficult to move out of driveway as people speed around the corner. Joe Drescher, resident of 1220 Cala Way, said that on Cala Way, the cars parked on the corner of Cala and Camino Colegio block the view of cars coming around the corner. He said the problem is exacerbated by the road curve, as well as the 45 MPH speed limit, which he believes is too fast. He said that motorists cut through Cala Way to get to and from the high school and to avoid the East Cotati Avenue signal. Like others, Mr. Drescher has observed garbage cans being moved by motorists who want a parking space. He reiterated that the cars parked on the corner and along both sides of Cala Way stay there for days, and despite calling Public Safety, nothing seems to be done to move the cars. Carol Kelly, resident of 7241 Camino Colegio, said that red curb painting along all the curb corners of driveways could help to keep cars from parking right up to driveways and obscuring the view of the street. She said she liked the one-way street idea. Mr. Wyman said that the pavement striping changes instituted in 2011, including the removal of centerline and the addition of bike lanes, has slowed down traffic. He has noticed however, that there are fewer bicyclists, maybe because of the SMART bike path; perhaps the bike lanes could be revisited. Mr. Wyman agreed with others that crosswalks or stop signs might be needed. Maria Hensel, resident of 7405 Circle Drive, said that she is a regular bicycle commuter and urges the retention of the Class 11 bike lanes on Camino Colegio. She commutes by bike to Petaluma and at this point, the SMART bike path is not available for her commute. She asked for consideration of students' usage of the bike facilities, and in general she supports measures that get people out of their cars. Ms. Hensel opposed adding more car parking, and she agreed with previous comments about the problem of cars parked all the way to the corner, blocking the view of approaching cars. She supports the painting of curbs to mark where cars should not park. Ms. Hensel also submitted written comments. Rohnert Park Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee August 21, 2017 Meeting Minutes Melanie Wood, resident of 7176 Camino Colegio, asked if there was a way to prohibit commercial vehicles from parking in the neighborhood. There are large commercial vehicles that park on the north end of Camino Colegio, blocking the view at the intersection. There was general discussion about cars traveling too fast on Camino Colegio, and a request for a speed monitor there. There was also discussion about flipping the parking and bike lanes. Mr. Martino drew a diagram of the locations where he felt that crosswalks should be added, indicating north -south crosswalks on Circle Drive and Casa Way where it intersects Camino Colegio, and a crosswalk across Camino Colegio north of the intersection of Casa Way. Teresa Ruffoni, principal at Richard Crane Elementary School, mentioned that along with being the principal of the school at the north end of Camino Colegio, she has also been a resident in "C Section" as well as a Sonoma State University student, and so knows the situation along Camino Colegio well. She mentioned that she has had to switch her own mind -set from car dominance to being open to alternative transportation. Ms. Ruffoni said that Richard Crane has 145 students, of which maybe 7-15 students ride their bikes to school; this may increase as the school population grows. The school participates in Walk and Roll to School events that encourage students to ride bikes to school. Judy, resident on Cala Way, said that a stop sign needs to be put on Camino Colegio at Cala Way because of the students that frequently cross Camino Colegio to access businesses on the northwest corner of East Cotati Avenue and Camino Colegio. Ms. Hensel asked why Camino Colegio was receiving pavement maintenance when East Cotati Avenue is in worse condition. Ms. Pawson explained that East Cotati Avenue is slated for repaving next summer. She further explained that the treatment on Camino Colegio is meant to be applied to streets in relatively good condition to extend the pavement life between more costly treatments like overlays. Ms. Johnson asked why Hollingsworth Circle was going to be closed for this project. Mr. da Rosa explained that during this pavement project, that one lane would remain open, and cars can drive on the freshly -paved surface within an hour of application. There was further discussion about the flyer from the contractor advising residents about the street work schedule and the clarity of the instructions. Ms. Kelly said that she has noticed where the Copeland Creek paths intersect streets, cars are often parked right up to the crosswalk, blocking the view of the motorists from bicyclists and pedestrians on the path approaching the crosswalk. She requested that the City make cars park farther away from the crosswalks. Chair Gold replied that the Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee has discussed this issue at several of its meetings and is looking at recommendations for these crosswalk intersections. He encouraged the meeting participants to attend a Committee meeting to further share their concerns. Mr. Gold thanked the attendees for their participation. 4. Adjournment The Committee concurred to adjourn the meeting at approximately 7:27 PM. dt -�XCt__ Eydie Tacata, Recording Secretary Rohnert Park Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee - wl),�Jvk ( W - Stephen Gold, Chair Rohnert Park Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee