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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - Bicycle & Pedestrian Committee - 12/09/2020 South Burlington Bike & Pedestrian Committee Meeting Minutes Wednesday, December 9, 2020 @ 5:30 p.m. Meeting was held virtually Committee Attendees: Shawn Goddard, Cathy Frank, Bob Britt, Eric Silverman, Donna Leban, Nic Anderson, Amanda Holland, Havaleh Gagne Other Attendees: Ashley Parker (City Liaison), Paul Conner (City Planning & Zoning), Alan Luzzatto (Public), Jonathon Weber (Local Motion) 1. Welcome and review of process for virtual meetings - S. Goddard (5:30 p.m.) a. Dana given role of timekeeper 2. Changes or additions to the agenda a. Will not review item 14 as there has not been a meeting with Justin yet. Will push to January. 3. Comments from the public not related to the agenda a. Alan Luzzatto – Contacted about crosswalk on Dorset St. They are at Nicklaus Circle and want to cross. This is item 12 on the agenda. Cathy offered to move it up to the agenda. Concerned about crossing to path on other side of the road. To get to that path, they have to cross busy Dorset St. Development made up of older folks who enjoy walking and biking. With the new development coming there could be an opportunity. Cannot figure out a simple way to install a crosswalk. Its difficult. There are guardrails and no sidewalks. Currently cross the street and cut through the small path through the line of trees. Physically cannot get across safely. Asking for help solving the problem. Cathy sympathizes due to her current house location too. Asked if there was a crosswalk right there could it be easy to get from road to path. There looks like a ditch. Alan, yes there is a ditch that would need to be crossed somehow. Will be getting a whole bunch more traffic from future development. Cathy asked who owned the property in the small triangle. Alan – The organization owns the front grass area. It’s a raised buffer zone to keep the noise out. Could talk about that. Shawn – If we decided on a crosswalk at Park Rd, how could they get to it. Alan – Thinks crosswalk at Park Rd would be the best solution compared to a crosswalk further down opposite street. Donna asked if association would be willing to install a gravel path or sidewalk to a crosswalk. Alan – No sidewalks or curbs in the association. Difficult to figure out so would appreciate the committees help. Shawn – Will be creating a sub group to talk about crosswalks. Asked if Alan would be the primary contact. Yes, the association has given him the power to be the contact. Nic asked if the depression between the mounds is a ditch. Alan – yes. b. Jonathon Weber from Local Motion in attendance just to listen in. 4. Consideration of minutes from the previous meeting a. Bob sent his comments on the minutes through to committee. Clarifying pieces. Motion to approve November Minutes as amended by Donna. Second by Cathy. Dana abstains. Vote: All in favor. Minutes approved. 5. Minor - Scoping Study Discussion (cont. from October Meeting) - Paul (5:45 p.m. - 15min) a. Williston Road at Kennedy Dr/Airport Dr. Would have some additional delay from vehicles. Recommendation is pursued as shown. The delay costs are outweighed by the benefits. Reducing all lanes to just one, more consistent instead of branching into two for just the intersection. Shawn thinks this is significantly safer because it will stop people using the double lanes to zoom past people. Paul – When it comes to Council there could be a lot of folks who disagree. Asked if we could have a strong statement of support from the committee. Nic – I think this should be primarily focused on safety and how its better for all, not just bike ped. Could we get Police Department to support on that front instead of it being a bike project. Shawn – Making sure it is prioritized to connect bike resources. Donna asked about crosswalk painting. Paul – Not a specific painting plan, that would be at implementation. This study would create legal foundation to be able to get it done. Bob – Asked if bollards to be installed at the intersection to stop right turners using the bike lane. Paul noted that there are not bollards in other parts of Williston Road. Shawn noted that the other work on Williston Road has green paint etc. The latest standards should be implemented like at Farrell. Paul – Primary purpose of the study was to look at feasibility of changes. Design specifics will come later. b. Hinesburg Rd intersection – Median creates challenges. Recommendation is to keep western median and remove eastern median to keep the left turn lane. Garden St proposal has bicycle accommodations with a shared use path on the south side of the street. Challenging transitions and will need coordination with Garden St plan. Bob – Asked about timing of Williston Road rec path? Paul – City Council will be looking at it in the coming weeks. Bob – May be better to do this than wait. Paul – Can’t really do one without the other. Shawn – Asked what was needed. Paul – A motion would be good. c. Motion to approve recommendations above by Bob, seconded by Cathy. Vote: Approved unanimously. d. West Allen Rd – Interested in ensuring it would work best for pedestrians. Would sidewalk be cheaper. Talked with Justin, and topography is bad enough that narrowing would provide substantial savings but could manage 6-8ft instead of all the way to 5ft. Best of both worlds would be paved because it would indicate to a cyclist that it could be used. Bob asked if it was a sidewalk or rec path. Discussion of the options. 6. Updates from the City - Ashley (6:00 p.m. - 10min) a. Nothing major to share. VTrans grant submitted for Spear St and should hear back in February. 7. Major - CIP Impact Fee Discussion - Ashley/Bob (6:10 p.m. - 25min) a. Ashley – Paul and Justin have been looking at revising the various Impact Fee ordinances. They are considering moving bike & ped projects to be funded, in part, through the Transportation Impact Fee instead of Recreation Impact Fees. Looking at how much money that would be in Rec Impact Fees. There is a lot of money in there. Paul brought up some points about the following. Listed on CIP and committee priority list for a bit. Paul asked what bike ped infrastructure needs are for those areas. i. Spear Street Sidewalk 1. In current scoping project it talks about sidewalk but also bike lanes. But the recommendation we did was not for sidewalks. 2. Bob – Mention of sidewalks on Spear in CIP is just grandfathered. What it outstanding in CIP is widening Spear heading south to Shelburne Line. Has been pushed to 2027. Path between South Village to South Pointe is a gap. About $250K. Other path projects are in CIP. North Jefferson Rd to Upswept Rd. 3. Shawn asked for how we clarify the details in the CIP. Ashley said she can just do an easy update. S. Jefferson to Parkside Drive is used now as a dirt path. Nic – Noted that last meeting we talked about S. Pointe to Pheasant and a crosswalk. Need to keep that on the table. Amanda – Concerned about staying thoughtful in the wording of that piece that has a definite start and end. Cathy – Not a long distance. Shawn asked if there are concerns about adding the sidewalk language about connection. Path from S. Jefferson is all C. Longs property. Ashley can update without any more discussion or motions needed. ii. Shelburne Road Bike/Ped infrastructure 1. Ashley - Developers have done some good work lately and need to make sure we know what else needs to be done in that area to be bike ped friendly. Bob – Noted existing conditions. Doesn’t think the street mentions make sense. Should update. Shawn – Agreed that it doesn’t make sense. Still need something. From Fayette down to Uno are the important parts. Amanda would like to make it a priority for people crossing the interstate there. Working with VTRANS for lighting and all other safety needs. Hard for pedestrian crossing. Cathy – There is a right of way somewhere at the end of Fayette that should have a path on it. There is a UVMMC parking lot proposed and should have a better connection through to Queen City Park. Ashley – Need to ensure this is a priority project and wants happening. Feel like Fayette information is part of scoping study that may get worked out. Bob – Think VTRANS should do bike lanes all the way to shopping centers at Market 32 and Shaws. Donna – Historically have always advocated to just get to McIntosh. Have not ever advocated for bike lanes straight up Shelburne Rd to Burlington. This would be new. Shawn – Need to make adjustment to CIP and need to decide. Would need something feasible by January. Nic – Fayette to Imperial is the most important work that could be done easily. Still keep the other thoughts of going further north. Bob – that is what the CIP says now but is shared use paths not just bike lanes. Havaleh asked about scoping study and what they get you. Ashley – Scoping studies are really valuable to have for grant funding requests and get good public input. Shawn – In the next month, if anyone can get out there in the next month that would be good. Look at number of crossings and we can discuss in January. b. Shawn asked for a summary of Impact Fees and how they work. Needs to be projects that we want to do and know that they will happen. c. Bob – New news on the change from Rec Path fees to Transportation fee. Ashley – Think its going to be at City Council next. Showed the committee how to find the Impact Fee ordinance online. Items in CIP need to be truly what the committee want, hence the reason we are doing this project. 8. Minor - Consideration of City Council's question about improving bike/auto/ped interaction - All (6:35 p.m. - 15min) a. Dana – Email from a member of public about being harassed while cycling. Could there be education and other things to help change behavior and interactions. Should make a statement to pass back to council. Ashley – Could be a memo. Nic – Asked if City Council asked for any other entities to give recommendations. Don’t think this is just for our committee to try to adjust. Ashley – I don’t think so. It’s a cultural thing. Does the committee want to be advocates for that. Need to work out how we could respond. Could be information in a newsletter about being kind and courtesy. Donna – Two pieces. 1. There are good places where lines are striped well and they really help people with expectations. Having better marking is super important and would be much clearer. Good opportunity to make out pitch to City Council the importance of updating road markings each year. 2. Local Motion has some wonderful information for “Sharing the Road” and a tri-fold brochure. Jonathon Weber – Have done mailings in the past of brochure which could happen. Also have the “Rides a Bike” lawn signs that could be distributed and could connect with Mary-Catherine. It is an all or nothing information. Should come from other places such as the Police as certain people listen to the police and no-one else. Shawn – Doing some feelgood stuff that does not have the impact. Like the concept of our design of the streets and paint. Burlington does a great job of good design of sharrows and paint. This helps people understand their rights. Could say some words to City Council but need more actions. Cathy – Agree with comments. Local Motion has great stuff. The more signs and paint showing where people belong is important. Stencils are awesome. The right messaging in the right places. Nic – Would like to write the letter to City asking for better funding. Ashley – Need to be careful of the budget and current challenges we have. Shawn – Would just like the city to recognize that this is a major issue that needs to be addressed and will require a systemic change in how its addressed. Could the sub-groups meet and discuss, showing what the things are we each recommend to address all of these components. Shawn – Could we write to City Council to indicate that we are discussing it and hope to get something to them after the January meeting. Havaleh – Culture change is a very hard thing. Are there examples out there where we aren’t reinventing the wheel? These could be people from other towns too. Need to focus on Drivers Ed too. Jonathon – LM do Drivers Ed connections and other DMV interaction. Shawn – Asked if committees can make a point to discuss before next meeting. Dana to send short comment telling the City Council we are addressing their request. 9. Minor - Committee Zoom picture (if all present) - All (6:50 p.m. - 5min) a. Moved to End. Snipped screen shot of meeting. 10. Minor - Spear St to Spear Meadow Rec Path Change Review - Cathy (6:55 p.m. - 10min) a. Cathy – Previous planning showed rec path along property boundary has now been moved to be in front of houses and having to cross lots of curb cuts. Nic agrees that they should keep it. Havaleh asked if this is part of a larger plan. Nic – this is an arterial bike ped route to get people off Spear St that is on the City’s Official Map. Donna – Vale Drive doesn’t have rec paths. Also may not be desirable for selling houses. Concerned about tree removal for a path and going through close to backs of houses. Shawn – Asked if we would be concerned about that. Bob – Not worried about that. More concerned about connecting to Spear St and connecting to Swift. Cathy – UVM has given verbal approval for a right of way through it for a path. Would need to be city to do it. Havaleh asked if there were reasons given for moving the path in the first place. Amanda – If its for connectivity, the back, but if we are thinking of evenings and having lighting then it might be better closer to the street. Bob – Asked if it went around the back, would it still connect down proposed Elm Street to Spear. Cathy – Yes, go around the last house. Shawn – How about we just go to them with our safety concerns instead of trying it to design it for them. They should be able to work this out. Donna – They are saving a ton of money by being able to do just one rec path instead of a sidewalk and path. Maybe we can ask them to pay for the path to connect along Spear St to the light instead of dumping out onto Spear. Cathy – May have been to the DRB twice already so not sure of the timing. Jonathon – Cars backing out of driveway are dangerous for bikes and peds. Would recommend path being in the back. Straw vote to recommend moving path to back. All in favor except Bob who voted against. Cathy to go back to DRB to give our thoughts. 11. Minor – Crosswalks Project Planning - All (7:05 p.m. – 10 min) a. Define sub-group to work on location & priorities for January discussion (Williston Rd/Hinesburg Rd/Kennedy Dr) i. Shawn – Seems like its important to create sub-group. Bob – Would be on it. Important to get moving. Scoped and ready to go. Cathy – Important to have crosswalks as part of any development when its being done. Eric would like to be on sub group. Nic too. No others and need to have no more than 4 to be quorum. For now, sub-committee members are Nic, Eric, Dana and Bob. Discuss and come back to Committee in January with prioritization. 12. Minor – New Crosswalk Request – Dorset St. @ Nicklaus Circle (across from new Park Rd. Development – Cathy (7:15 p.m. – 10 min) a. Discussed in Public Comment above 13. Major - O’Brien Eastview Development - All (7:25 p.m. - 20min) a. Ashley - Earliest the DRB could review is the 20th so could be safe to skip for time purposes. Shawn proposed to move to January. All agreed. 14. Minor - DPW Quarterly Meeting Summary - Shawn/Bob (7:45 p.m. - 10min) a. Bumped to January per discussion in item 2 above. 15. Confirmation: Next meeting Wednesday, January 13, 2021 @ 5:30pm a. Nic – Would love to have crosswalks be higher up on the agenda in January. Shawn – Asked sub-committee to think about and discuss the actual process for planning and installing a crosswalk and how we can streamline the process in the longer term. 16. Adjourn (by 8:00 p.m.) a. Move to Adjourn by Havaleh. Approved. Adjourned at 8.05PM