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2017/03/27 Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee Minutes \L01 NERT P4,ek Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee (BPAC) 02 Meeting Minutes cA�,FORN�P 5:30 PM, Monday, March 27, 2017 Rohnert Park City Hall 130 Avram Avenue, Rohnert Park, CA 94928 Members Present: Stephen Gold(Chair) x Terry Gault(Vice-Chair) x Gary Gutierrez x Tim Hensel x Katie Musick x Non-Voting Participants: Eydie Tacata, Management Analyst; Art da Rosa, Deputy City Engineer; Vanessa Garrett, Civil Engineer; Jerry Griffin, Parks & Recreation Commission Liaison 1. Call to Order Chair Stephen Gold called the meeting to order at 5:32 PM. 2. Introductions Chair Gold commenced self-introductions. 3. Public Comment There were no members of the public present. 4. Consideration of Approval of Minutes of March 6, 2017 Meeting (Action) Committee Member Katie Musick moved to approve minutes of the meeting of March 6, 2017; the motion was seconded by Committee Member Gary Gutierrez and was approved by a vote count of 4 ayes (Gold, Gutierrez, Hensel, Musick)—0 nays—0 absences— 1 abstention(Gault). 5. Questions for SMART staff(Discussion) Chair Gold introduced the item. City staff member Vanessa Garrett, Civil Engineer, explained that she is the City's liaison to SMART as a participant on their Technical Advisory Committee and would be collecting the Committee's questions to relay to SMART. Chair Gold asked the Committee members if they had questions. The questions and additional comments included the following: • If a citizen has concerns and would like to voice their concern, who do they contact? • Will there be trash cans placed anywhere on the MUP in Rohnert Park? • Is there going to be landscaping along the Multi-Use Path(MUP), in particular, as shade trees? Stretches of the MUP seem hot and exposed; shade refuges could entice more utilization of the trail. • At the SMART crossing on Rohnert Park Expressway, there is a signal light, but people don't seem to know where to stop before the tracks and the MUP crossing. Is there a going to be additional signage, like a"Stop Here" sign? Has the signal light been activated? • What is the timeline to complete the MUP? Rohnert Park Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee March 27,2017 Meeting Minutes • The fencing along the MUP adjacent to the golf course does not allow access to or from the golf course. Also, the long segment of path without a break in the fencing feels unsafe. Are there any plans to provide breaks or gates in the fencing for access? • Are there plans for the MUP to have lighting? Or signage indicating"Path closed after dark" or other indication that the path is dark at night? • Will there be wayfinding along the path and at the SMART train stations? Also, will there be signage on the MUP that indicate jurisdiction(e.g. city limits) so that users can relay location information if needed? • There is a transformer box on the MUP at Copeland Creek that blocks path users' view of the path ahead. Could there be a sign or something on the MUP to warn users of this obstacle? • At Dorotea Park, the City will be installing playground equipment that resembles a train. There is a suggestion to have it be similar colors as the SMART trains. Would that be okay with SMART, and if so, can we get the specific colors from SMART for our playground equipment vendor? • The stop signs that stop bikes going across the intersection—particularly at the crossing of Rohnert Park Expressway—should be moved. • What are the proposed crossings improvements implement the Quiet Zones? We understand that there are measures such as the use of bollards to prevent cars from going around the gate arms to cross the tracks. Are bollards going to be used, and how? • Are there any future plans for any benches or shade areas along the MUP? • What is the plan for bike parking at the station? Bike lockers would be used in Rohnert Park,please consider installing them. Who runs and maintains bike lockers if they are installed here? • Vandalism is already an issue on north end of MUP near the golf course. Who is responsible for abating graffiti? • Are there any future plans for restrooms at the SMART stations or along MUP? There are restroom facilities on the train, but similar to the Joe Rodota Trail, where there are portable sanitary facilities, are there plans to have facilities on the MUP? After providing the questions for SMART, the Committee members expressed excitement about the MUP. Ms. Garrett mentioned that the MUP segment between the Cotati SMART Station and Sonoma Mountain Village is anticipated to happen soon, as funding discussions have been very promising. 6. Camino Colegio between Southwest Boulevard and East Cotati Avenue: Striping and pavement markings (Discussion) Chair Gold introduced the item, commenting that this Camino Colegio segment continues to pose challenges. Committee Member Musick added that traffic moves too fast on this stretch, and there is combination of issues for kids,bikes, and parking. Committee Member Hensel noted the school at the north end will become year-round, which may change the traffic and parking patterns again. Art da Rosa, Deputy City Engineer, showed the subject street on a projection of Google Earth. He explained that he is working on a pavement resurfacing project that includes this segment. He is considering striping and pavement markings that will "flip" the existing parking scheme at the north end of Camino Colegio by removing parking along the west side in front of the Rohnert Park Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee March 27,2017 Meeting Minutes single-family residences and creating on-street spaces on the east side, in front of the multi-family complex. He said that this would provide 23 more parking spaces than is currently on the street. Mr. da Rosa said that he was considering new crosswalks on Camino Colegio at the T-intersection with Casa Way. Committee Member Musick said she supports that, Chair Gold added that the crosswalk markings would emphasize the need to stop at the stop sign there. Chair Gold asked there would be a new centerline. Mr. da Rosa said that centerlines are required on streets designated as major collectors and above, and this street is a major collector. There was discussion about using marked parking spaces to keep vehicles from parking too close to corners, where they block visibility at cross streets and driveways. Committee Member Gutierrez asked if the emphasis on Camino Colegio is to create parking. Mr. da Rosa said that as he is designing the striping plan, he is trying to preserve bicycle facilities as well as retain or even increase parking, as both issues have come up as concerns from the community. There was a discussion about the General Plan and whether there are any future plans for wider sidewalks accommodate both bicycle and pedestrian facilities. It was acknowledged that at this point in time, the sidewalks that exist are narrow, and that there is a debate in the bicycling community about the appropriateness of riding bicycles on the sidewalk. Committee Member Gutierrez pointed out that if the parking lane was removed on the west side and replaced with the bike lane, when the residents of the single-family homes put out their garbage cans, they will obstruct the bike lane. This would not happen on the side of the apartments, as the garbage trucks drive into the parking lots to serve those complexes. Committee Member Hensel asked if further public comment was going to be sought for this change in the striping on Camino Colegio. Mr. da Rosa said that since this is a change, the City owes it to the residents reach out to them. 7. Staff and Committee Member Updates on Previous Matters A. Traffic Control Plan for Construction Projects The committee asked questions about the sample Traffic Control Plan provided to them in their agenda packet. Chair Gold noted that on the plan is written"pedestrian access will be provided through workzone safety", and he asked what that meant. Mr. da Rosa said that the plan addresses flagging, set- up of traffic cones, and signs to be used to indicate detours and travel paths to keep the workzone safe. Chair Gold said that he noticed there was no mention of bicycles in the traffic control plan, and pedestrians were mentioned only to a limited extent. Committee Member Hensel added that he also noticed that no detours are shown for bicyclists. There was a discussion that the traffic control plan generally lacked in dealing with bicycles and pedestrians. Ms. Tacata noted that she has seen construction zones with `Share the Road" signs to indicate that bikes are to use the same lanes as cars when going around construction zones. Mr. da Rosa said that we have not asked contractors to indicate sharing of the road, as it is not required by the Code. Chair Gold asked that the City require contractors consider the needs of cyclists and pedestrians, either by writing it into the construction plans and specifications or into the City standards. B. Other matters Parks and Recreation Commissioner Jerry Griffin asked if there was any movement on a proposed project for a road diet on Southwest Boulevard west of Country Club Drive. Mr. da Rosa Rohnert Park Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee March 27,2017 Meeting Minutes replied that the City first needs to understand how SMART's signal timing plans affect the intersections; it is his understanding that they are working on signal timing now. 8. New Matters for Future Consideration Committee Member Gutierrez said that he would like to discuss the intersections of creek paths with streets. Chair Gold said that this could probably be in the continued discussion about crosswalks at mid-blocks and uncontrolled intersections. He was planning to bring the Committee a proposal to prioritize actions on these crossings. Chair Gold mentioned that he would be unable to attend the April 24th meeting as he was going to be out of town. 9. Adjournment Vice Chair Gault moved to adjourn the meeting; Committee Member Musick seconded. The Committee concurred to adjourn the meeting at approximately 6:58 PM. /01171,0 Stephen Gold, Committee Chair Rohnert Park Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee S-7( -7-74_ Eydie Tacata, Recording Secretary Rohnert Park Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee