2019/10/02 Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee Minutes 0K4ER7 F;Apk
Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee (BPAC)
Meeting Minutes
5:30 PM, Monday, September 24, 2018
East side of Country Club Drive north of Golf Course Drive,
between Hudis Street and Golf Course Drive
Members Present: Creighton Bell X Gary Gutierrez X Tim Hensel X
Shirley Johnson X Katie Musick X
Non-Voting Participants: Eydie Tacata, Management Analyst; Jerry Griffin, Parks and Recreation
Commission Liaison; Brian Mullian, resident.
1. Call to Order
Acting Chair Tim Hensel called the meeting to order at 5:36 PM.
2. Introductions
Acting Chair Hensel commenced self-introductions.
3. Public Comment
Committee Member Creighton Bell asked whether parking tick marks are enforceable.
4. Site Visit Observations
The Committee members met along the east sidewalk of Country Club Drive,just north of the corner
of Golf Course Drive and Country Club Drive. The Committee members, staff, Parks and Recreation
Liaison, and a member of the public who briefly joined the meeting on site,made the following
observations and discussed various issues, including:
• On-street parking for cars: The available on-street parking for cars was mostly occupied. There
were observations of people "saving"parking spaces for drivers looking to park.
It was also observed that on the west side of the street where there is car parking, there is signage
indicating that no parking is allowed on Wednesdays for street cleaning.
• Car speeds on Golf Course Drive: It was observed that cars seem to travel relatively fast for the
narrow street.
• Potential for a shared-use facility on the east side of the street: Commissioner Jerry Griffin said
that the Coleman Valley Homeowners Association worked out an arrangement with the City to
remove trees between the development and the sidewalk, which might present an opportunity for a
future widened multi-use path. There was discussion about whether there is sufficient right-of-way
for a widened path; construction and funding feasibility of the facility; presence of utility vaults and
boxes; and various designs of such facility.
• Potential for a shared-use facility on the west side of the street: Committee Member Creighton
Bell suggested a multi-use path on the west side of the street. There appeared to be no utilities on the
other side, and perhaps it might be less expensive to build.
• Use of the existing bermed on-street bike lane: Four bicyclists were observed using the existing
bike facility. One child accompanied by a walking adult was observed using the sidewalk for biking.
Rohnert Park Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee
September 24,2018 Meeting Minutes
It was felt that this was a significant showing of the facility being used, even in the relatively short
time that the Committee was at the site.
• Safety of the bermed on-street bike facility: Committee Member Gutierrez asked if there would be
a safety issue if berm was removed. Committee Member Musick said that the berm does provide
sense of safety for users in the bike lane to separate them from cars.
There was also general discussion about whether two-way bike facilities encourage bad riding habits
by encouraging bicyclists to ride against traffic instead of with traffic. It was mentioned that they
present conflicts where car drivers who are used to looking to the left for oncoming cars are not
expecting vehicles like bicycles to come from the right side, in the near lane. Committee Member
Musick said that she prefers facilities that reinforce bicyclists to travel in the direction of cars, as
Class II facilities do. Commissioner Griffin said that parents want their kids to ride on the sidewalk,
feeling that it is safer. Committee Member Bell mentioned that kids can be taught to ride with traffic
on street facilities, as he is doing with his own grandson.
• Conditions at the section of bike facility where the berm was removed: The Committee members
noted the temporary storage unit in the bike lane, close to the corner, and dangerous in the bike lane.
Committee Member Johnson also noted the lack of"no parking" signs along the bike lane where the
berm was removed, as mentioned by one of the residents at the August 27`h meeting.
• Lack of tactile surfaces on driveway approaches: It was observed that there were no truncated
domes on the driveway approaches. There was discussion about drawbacks of truncated domes for
some users(e.g. people pushing strollers, wheelchair users,bicyclists using the sidewalk)who find the
surfaces slippery or difficult to travel over,but which are necessary for the visually-impaired.
• Fallen leaves: Member of the public,Brian Mullian, commented about how the leaves cover the berm
creating an unsafe condition: Car drivers do not see the raised berm and have hit it.
• Potential for tick marks to better organize car parking on the street: There was general
agreement that parking spaces marked with tick marks could help gain a few more spaces.
5. Adjournment
The Committee adjourned the meeting at approximately 6:30 PM.
Eydie Tacata, Recording Secretary
Rohnert Park Bicycle and Rohnert Park Bicycle and
Pedestrian Advisory Committee Pedestrian Advisory Committee