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2019/03/25 Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee Minutes �O VJNERT Pggk r� g 62 Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee(BPAC) Meeting Minutes CA l7F0 RNt� 5:30 PM, Monday, March 25, 2019 Rohnert Park City Hall, Conference Room 2A 130 Avram Avenue, Rohnert Park, California 94928 Members Present: Creighton Bell— Tim Hensel X_ Shirley Johnson X_ Gary Kenworthy X Katie Musick X Non-Voting Participants: Vanessa Garrett, Deputy City Engineer, City of Rohnert Park; Eydie Tacata, Management Analyst, City of Rohnert Park; Tina Panza, Safe Routes to Schools Director, Sonoma County Bicycle Coalition 1. Oath of Office The Oath of Office was administered to Gary Kenworthy by Eydie Tacata, City staff member. 2. Call to Order Chair Katie Musick called the meeting to order at 5:33 PM. 3. Introductions Chair Musick commenced self-introductions. 4. Public Comments Tina Panza, Education and Safe Routes to Schools Director, Sonoma County Bicycle Coalition (SCBC), said that she was at this meeting for an agenda item, but she would use the Public Comments time to introduce herself. SCBC's Safe Routes to Schools (STRS) program provides comprehensive programming and assistance to schools to increase walking, biking, and other non- motorized transportation to and from school. Ms. Panza is presently working with several Rohnert Park schools: Marguerite Hahn, Evergreen, Monte Vista, and Richard Crane. She offered to return to the BPAC at a later meeting to share more about Safe Routes to Schools if they would like. 5. Consideration of Approval of Minutes of February 25,2019 Committee Member Shirley Johnson moved to approve meeting minutes of February 25, 2019; the motion was seconded by Committee Member Tim Hensel and approved by a vote count of 4 ayes (Hensel, Johnson, Kenworthy, Musick), 0 nays, 0 abstentions, 1 absence (Bell). 6. Committee Election Guidelines Staff member Eydie Tacata explained that Committee Member Creighton Bell suggested revisiting the Committee Guidelines on election of officers. He noted that the City Council does not approve BPAC appointments until the January City Council meeting, yet the BPAC election of officers is in December, when it may not be certain that some members will return. Chair Musick suggested holding elections in February. The Committee Members discussed this idea, as well as whether the newly-elected officers of Chair and Vice Chair would serve at the same meeting they were elected or afterwards, and whether the officer terms would be through December or January. Committee Member Kenworthy suggested that the amendment be written so that the election of officers is at the first meeting after the start of the calendar year, instead of locking it Rohnert Park Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee March 25,2019 Meeting Minutes down to February. Chair Musick suggested a provision for a temporary Chair or Vice-Chair, if there is no January meeting. There was more discussion about the officers' terms being February through January, and also what would happen if an officer finished out their appointment in December, leaving an officer vacancy until a February election. Ms. Tacata said she would draft an amendment for the BPAC's consideration at their next meeting. 7. Mid-Block Crossing: Golf Course Drive @ Hacienda Circle/Mountain Shadows Plaza Shopping Center(Discussion) Ms. Tacata called attention to the memorandum in the meeting packet, explaining that the Golf Course Drive crosswalk from Hacienda Circle to Mountain Shadows Plaza had come up in several BPAC meetings. Tina Panza of the Safe Routes to Schools Program had contacted her about the Hahn Elementary School principal's concerns about the crosswalk's safety. The principal noted that many students use the uncontrolled mid-block crosswalk to travel between the shopping center and Hacienda Circle, where there is access path to the school. There was discussion among the Committee Members about the high car speed on Golf Course Drive, the distance between the mid-block crossings and the nearest controlled intersections, and the draw of the shopping center for users to want to cross mid-block. Ms. Tacata called attention to the proposal created by the BPAC to prioritize and recommend improvements at crosswalks located at uncontrolled locations. She noted that the BPAC had proposed medium/long-term improvements to the Golf Course Drive corridor to address several mid- block uncontrolled crossings, including the Hacienda Circle and Halcyon Place locations. One of the long-term solutions the BPAC wanted the City to consider for this section of Golf Course Drive is a road diet. Committee Member Kenworthy asked what a road diet is. Ms. Tacata explained that a road diet reduces the number of car travel lanes, which in turn reduces the distance that pedestrians must cross through lanes where cars travel. Committee Member Johnson asked the about the function of bulb-outs. Chair Musick explained that they visually"narrow"the travel way for cars, resulting in drivers reducing their speed. Bulb-outs also provide a place where pedestrians can stand and become more visible to car drivers, as well as shorten the distance for pedestrians to cross. Committee Member Kenworthy asked if Golf Course Drive needs to be 4-lanes. Ms. Tacata said that the Rohnert Park General Plan anticipates the annexation and development of the Northeast Specific Plan east of Snyder Lane; Golf Course Drive is probably sized to accommodate the traffic volume for this growth. Ms. Vanessa Garrett, Deputy City Engineer, added that Golf Course Drive would be one of the main arterials needed to serve Northeast Specific Plan at such time that it is developed. There was discussion about the use of rapid rectangular flashing beacons (RRFBs). Committee Member Kenworthy noted that the BPAC recommendations included the Golf Course Drive/ Hacienda Circle location among the crosswalks where RRFBs should be used as a short-teen measure until long-term solutions could be implemented. The Committee Members viewed the road on Google Streetview and discussed the characteristics of the crossing, noting similarities to the crosswalk on Snyder Lane at Capri/Rosana Way. Ms. Panza said that the SRTS program could create a map of where students live in relation to the school, so their likely travel routes could be determined. SRTS also conducts walking audits with schools which could inform solutions. She suggested that the BPAC could observe the crosswalk before school starts and at the end of the school day, and also observe drop-off and pick-up of students. Committee Member Hensel added that the principal or parents could be invited to the crosswalk site visit so the BPAC could hear their concerns. Rohnert Park Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee March 25,2019 Meeting Minutes Ms. Garrett asked whether there have been accidents at this crosswalk. Committee Member Hensel and Chair Musick recalled that in 2016, a Department of Public Safety representative shared collision data that showed no fatalities, althought there were 2 minor incidents at this location. The Committee discussed obtaining updated collision data, but they also noted that near-misses would not be reflected. There was also discussion about whether the crosswalk was within the school zone. Chair Musick asked the Committee if they wanted to do a site visit in order to confirm or revise the prior recommendation for this crosswalk. The Committee generally concurred that no site visit was needed; their recommendations would remain the same, including installing RRFBs at this location and pursuing a road diet on Golf Course Drive. Ms. Tacata added that the BPAC recommendations would be considered from an engineering perspective by City staff, for example, the effects of an RRFB at a crosswalk so close to a traffic light controlled intersection, the shopping center driveway interaction, and other issues. Ms. Garrett said that a study would also look at accidents; the users involved, and their characteristics such as travel speed, etc., in order to develop appropriate solutions. Chair Musick asked to agendize for a future meeting, a review and update of the "Proposal for Improving Safety at Selected Locations of Crosswalks." 8. Site Visit Schedule Ms. Tacata asked the Committee if they wanted to target specific meeting dates for field trips/site visits. Committee Members had previously requested visiting the Myrtle Avenue area and the west Rohnert Park area. The Committee concurred to schedule a field trip to the west Rohnert Park area on May 20, 2019, as well as one to the Myrtle Avenue area on July 22, 2019. 9. Staff and Committee Member Updates on Previous Matters There were no updates on previous matters from staff or Committee Members. 10. Announcements Ms. Panza announced the SCBC Safe Routes to School Program Family Bicycle Workshop on Saturday, May 11, 2019 at the Rohnert Park Cotati Library Parking Lot. This is the first time this event would be held in Rohnert Park. The workshop aims to teach parents and kids together how to become confident with their bicycles and riding on the bike system. With the instructors, families will do bicycle drills and eventually go out on the roads and learn where to position themselves and negotiate how to ride on the paths and bike lanes. The workshop is free, but advanced sign-up is needed. Up to 35 people sign up, with an expectation of 30 to be in the workshop. Ms. Tacata encouraged the Committee Members to attend the Rohnert Park City Council Study Session: Presentation on General Plan Update—Alternatives Choices on March 26,2019. 11. Adjournment The Committee adjourned the meeting at approximately 7:40 PM. 7A- aC_1-1- Eydie Tacata, Recording Secretary Katie Musick, Chair Rohnert Park Bicycle and Rohnert Park Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee Pedestrian Advisory Committee