HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - Bicycle & Pedestrian Committee - 08/11/2021
South Burlington Bike & Pedestrian Committee
APPROVED Meeting Minutes
Wednesday, August 11, 2021 @ 5:30 p.m.
New City Hall
Committee Attendees: Shawn Goddard (Chair), Cathy Frank (Vice-Chair) – Via phone, Nic Anderson
(Clerk), Bob Britt, Donna Leban, Dana Farr, Amanda Holland, Havaleh Gagne, Matty Larkspur
Other Attendees: Ashley Parker (City Liaison)
Public: Kathy Alarie, Barbara Sirvis, Dalila Hall (City Staff), Jason Charest, Sai Sarepalli
1. Welcome and directions on emergency evacuation procedures
2. Changes or additions to the agenda
a. Moving public comments up
3. Comments from the public not related to the agenda
a. Barbara Sirvis - Lives off Patchen Road. Would encourage to have hybrid meetings.
Noticed on agenda the work plan. Perception that this is the bike committee and walks
a lot and notice a lot of people riding on sidewalk and not using the bike lanes on
Williston Road. Should start educational program about how to ride on the sidewalk and
be thoughtful of pedestrians. Most don’t say “on you left”. Vast majority are kids. See
adults on Williston Road and Hinesburg Rd sidewalks. Peds frequently have earbuds.
Would like to figure out a way to do a campaign in the cycling community about
pedestrians have priority. Asked to do a campaign or program about wearing helmets
too. Worried about the kids and need them to see that it really is important. E-Bikes are
here and not sure they fit within this issue. They belong on the street not the sidewalk.
Need to help those on the pedestrian side feel safe. Would be the first one to support
protected bike lanes on Williston Road. Would help people feel safer to ride on road.
Donna asked if she had ever personally done front porch forums or other outreach?
Needs to come from the public more than from the committee. Needs much bigger
support. Asked if there are ways to have schools help us with helmet use. Shawn – in
the right place. Is the committee’s primary focus. No rules right now that we know of
prohibiting bikes on sidewalks. Barbara - Its about the peaceful coexistence. Matty –
Think it’s an important challenge. Have also had interactions as a pedestrian of being
buzzed. Amanda – Would encourage more people to visit the committee and bring up
these things. All about etiquette. Can only go so far as a committee. Need help
spreading the word. Havaleh – Have a really good bell and it creates good exchanges.
Bells are better than calling out. Would like to see a culture of bell use.
b. Kathy Alarie – Lives next door at Allard Square. More and more people on Market
Street. Lots of bikes on sidewalk. Nic – The construction of Market St is anticipated for
bikes and peds to use the same facilities. Concerned about the electric or powered
things like scooters and skateboards. Have had close calls at crosswalk at Allard Square
with cars traveling through Market Street too. Speed is an issue. She would like a set of
Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacons (RRFB) lights installed at this Market Street
crosswalk. Have had many emails with Kevin Dorn and Justin Rabidoux. Cars are way
worse than the walkers and bikers. Concern of the no-exit sign from the school lot has
50 cars a day come out of there regardless of the sign. Sign is too high. Drivers have
been told not to but people don’t care. Arrows in the pavement. Sign could be changed
to be a better standard. Asked for a flashing light across Market Street at Mary St
crosswalk. Shawn – Have discussions regularly with Justin so this could be one we
discuss.
4. Orientation for new member-Matty Larkspur (refresher for others)
a. Introductions from all committee members and Ashley Parker of who they are, what
they do, their role on the committee and mode of transportation.
b. Open Meeting Law – Committee members expected to refresh themselves on the law
each year. Detailed Quorum.
c. Meeting Schedule – Monthly on the second Wednesday at 5:30pm
d. Online Agendas/Meetings Minutes/Etc
e. Google Drive& Laserfiche – Google Drive great resource for sharing but not for working
at the same time. Laserfiche has all the documents for all committees.
f. Committee Structure & Charge
5. Election of New Officers
a. Post-election the appointed Chair will convene the meeting
b. The appointed Clerk will begin taking minutes.
c. Chair – Shawn not running for chair.
d. Clerk – Nic nominated himself.
e. Havaleh would be excited to share a role. Could do either or.
f. Chairs main role is the agenda. And running a meeting.
g. Havaleh is OK with being chair.
h. Bob would be OK with Vice Chair.
i. Nic asked if virtual is OK for the future.
j. Ashley – Hard for virtual. City still working out a lot of kinks.
k. Havaleh nominated herself for Chair.
l. Cathy – Noted that DRB meeting worked well as hybrid.
m. Ashley – Only in Auditorium
n. Shawn – This meeting is where we hear input. Offering virtual will allow more potential
public to participate. Need multiple locations because there could be overlap.
o. Ashley – This is the feedback Jesse is looking for. Need time and patience. Could be
p. Havaleh – Seconded by Shawn - All in favor but Matty abstained.
q. Bob – Seconded by Amanda - All in favor but Matty abstained.
r. Nic – Seconded by Dana - All in favor but Matty abstained.
6. Consideration of minutes from the June, 2021 meeting
a. Nic mentioned that there are edits that were sent to committee members via email for
version 2.
b. Motion from Donna to accept. Seconded by Shawn. All in favor except Matty abstain.
7. Updates from the City
a. Ashley read through comments posted in packet.
b. Bob – Sub group working on CIP priorities and can send to Ashley.
c. Nic – Has been working on the Annual Report already. Will provide final draft soon.
d. Ashley continued packet comments
e. Underwood Park now renamed for Tom Hubbard as Thomas Hubbard Recreation &
Natural Area.
f. Ashley asked about having Spear Street path on the east instead of the west.
g. Cathy thinks the East side is great and could connect with new development that is
coming in opposite the forest service which is already having a crosswalk as part of the
plan.
h. Havaleh - would need decent crossings. We do not maintain paint well in this City.
i. Shawn – Seems like you are on the wrong side of the road. Spear Street is a corridor and
the path on the west already has a lot of traffic. Would have a lot of use.
j. Amanda – Are you asking for a decision? Will they be doing an evaluation?
k. Ashley – Will need to discuss at the kickoff meeting. Want to do the one that makes the
most sense for that space.
l. Donna – The west side is much steeper on the sides and the east would be cheaper for
construction. Should also make sure we connect Songbird across Dorset. Ashley – out of
scope of this study but can have in CIP.
m. Hinesburg Rd crosswalks have received state permit.
n. Shawn asked where we can track to show how Penny For Paths funds have helped us to
leverage much more grant funding to show our return on investment.
o. Ashley – Doesn’t have that in a spreadsheet but could be good for the committee to
track.
p. Bob asked if there is wiggle room in Williston Rd crosswalks to keep Mills instead of Pine
Tree.
8. Review options for Swift/Spear intersection& provide committee recommendations to the
Planning Commission –Dalila Hall (City Zoning Administrative Officer), Sai Sarepelli (CCRPC), &
Jason Charest (CCRPC)
a. Dalila introduced. Planning Commission asked them to present to our group. Jason
introduced.
b. Sai did presentation.
c. Jason detailed differences between roundabouts and rotaries.
d. Donna concerned about when the roundabout would reach capacity.
e. Dalila the task right now is to get the alternative decided to move forward as the
preferred option so that more analysis could be done.
f. Cathy did note that Spear Street is not always busy.
g. Donna noted that a lot of riders on Spear do not use the path and use the road instead.
h. Dalila wanting to make sure to have facilities for those cyclists that are not comfortable
as more confident would do what they want.
i. Sai continued with presentation
j. Amanda asked about crossing distances between shifted and roundabout and if they
played into the safety considerations.
k. Bob asked about when people cross at RRFB that traffic would back up into the
roundabout.
l. Jason – yes it would slow all users potentially. Also noted that the Shelburne Road
roundabout is started construction now so there would be a real world example of
RRFB’s at a roundabout.
m. Shawn – Seems like from an engineering standpoint that the roundabout was far
superior.
n. Dalila – Based on the criteria, roundabout ticks all the boxes aside from price. It is one
million more.
o. Matty asked about maintenance needs for roundabouts
p. Jason – Signals may need to be replaced at some point so signalized may have more
maintenance
q. Matty – What about plowing
r. Jason – Standard width of lanes so plowing would not be a problem.
s. Dalila – DPW did not flag it as a concern
t. Donna asked about truck traffic
u. Dalila – Being designed for safety of people who live in South Burlington, not through
traffic.
v. Bob – Traffic light right now gives breaks for side roads south and east of the
intersection. Concerned that having steady flow through roundabout may make it less
gaps. Concerned about the $2.8 million price tag and would rather do that at Lime Kiln if
we were going to pick a roundabout.
w. Dalila – Justin is on the planning team so has the ability to discuss. Roundabout has least
amount of land acquisition.
x. Bob doesn’t think that a large enough roundabout would fit in the land available.
Concerned about how many cars can fit before blocking
y. Jason – Depends on how far driveways are from roundabout on if there is constant flow.
z. Cathy – Moved to endorse roundabout
aa. Matty - Seconded
bb. Vote: 7 in favor – 2 opposed (Bob and Donna)
9. Update on the O’Brien Development -bike/ped connector to Hinesburg Rd
a. Cathy gave update about Old Farm Road. Not officially part of O’Brien Development.
Neighbors really against shared use path. Don’t want anything. Planning looked at west
side which may be restricted to 8ft and on east side the path would be significantly
closer to houses. Bob and Cathy walked last Friday with Marla. O’Brien’s current
proposal goes to Tilley along the back of the hill. The developer proposed path would
involve a long, steep hill and would be circuitous. Less steep on Old Farm Road than
path further to the east. Bike Ped Committee should support having a path on the east
side of Old Farm Road.
b. Bob – Biggest sticking point is the impact on one neighbors’ trees which he thinks could
be minimized by narrowing path in that location and moving it closer to the road.
c. Donna asked if it was City ROW and why we should not just say we should do it.
d. Matty – Is it possible to reduce the width of the road?
e. Bob – Road is too narrow. There is 22ft of ROW on both sides.
f. Nic – Would not want to make entire path 8ft wide. Should still do 10ft wide with
narrower sections as needed.
g. Amanda – Does the DRB need an official motion?
h. Ashley – Stronger if we have a motion.
i. Donna – If there is ROW why can’t we just do it?
j. Motion by Shawn recommend that it be on the east side of Old Farm Road and be 10ft
path with reasonable accommodation to be no less than 8ft as necessary.
k. Nic Seconded
l. All in favor
m. Bob asked if we should say in our recommendation why the other option is
unacceptable.
n. Ashley – In the minutes too if you want.
10. Initial planning for revised Work Plan & Annual Report
a. Addressed already. Running out of time so planning on skipping.
11. E-bike safety discussion (prompted from a concerned resident)
a. Skipped until next month
12. Review/Approve final Committee “City Council Charge” wording
a. Ashley had two comments from staff
i. Acknowledging role in reviewing studies
ii. Clarifying DRB role is done consistently with council or DRB policy. Add small
part
b. Bob added new and future paths
c. Shawn moved to approve new City Council charge wording with two additional notes
from Ashley and one from Bob.
d. Seconded by Amanda.
e. All in favor
f. Ashley noted would need council review and approval and may need a member to
present.
13. Confirmation: Next meeting Wednesday, September 8, 2021 @ 5:30pm
14. Adjourned 8:02pm