HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - Bicycle & Pedestrian Committee - 06/14/20231
South Burlington Bike & Pedestrian Committee
APPROVED Regular Meeting Minutes
Wednesday, June 14, 2023 @ 5:30 p.m.
Room 301, City Hall AND Virtual
Committee Attendees: Nic Anderson (Clerk), Donna Leban, Committee Absent: Dana Farr, Joel Klug, Doug Goodman
Committee Attendees – Remote: Amanda Holland, Bob Britt, Havaleh Gagne (Chair),
Other Attendees: Erica Quallen (City Staff Liaison), Susan Grasso (Local Motion)
Public: Ryan Doyle, Hannah (UVM Fellowship Intern for DPW, with Erica), Rick Hubbard, John Dinklage,
Lou Bresee
1. Welcome, Emergency Exit and Virtual Meeting Instructions, Gratitude –Havaleh
a. Havaleh introduced and gave exit instructions
b. Gratitude for Ann who is leaving us.
2. Changes or additions to the agenda – Havaleh
a. None
3. Comments from the public not related to the agenda – Havaleh
a. Ryan making a survey to send out to individuals based on experiences and places that
inspire us, reports. Purpose is to have data driven approaches and different exposures.
Can get a fuller image and share it back with folks.
4. Consideration of minutes from May 10, 2023 – Havaleh
a. Bob asked about timeline for planning and coordinating events at Veterans Memorial
Park
b. Add those to ZZ
c. 5N – GMBC does do time trials but just not in SB
d. Strike AA – Doesn’t read well
e. Motion by Donna to accept as modified
f. Amanda seconded
g. All in favor (4 of 5 present), Bob abstained.
5. Potash Brook Path Discussion – Bob Britt (with Rick Hubbard & John Dinklage) (5:45 PM)
a. Rick gave history on path concept. Vision from 2010. Sat with DPW data person. Not
presented to committee based on bad timing due to finances. Nothing ever happened at
a committee level. Would like to see if we can get it on the city plan, based on
committee approval. Looking to have DPW re-map it so we can have digital copy. Ties in
many neighborhoods. Rick presented map and detailed the plan. Started at Kennedy
Drive and walked it down to Farrell St. May have some boardwalk aspects. More scenic
than the existing Kennedy Drive paths etc. Does not need to be mccaddum path, could
be normal path. 3.7miles. Big project. Huge potential with very positive things.
Understand obstacles. Can address those. Would like committee to support vision and
enable to have map made to view.
b. Amanda – Was the person who discussed it way back. 2018?
c. Rick – Was on the web at some point.
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d. Amanda noted that this was discussed during future facilities dashed lines. Need to
work out how it would be feasible to not impact Potash Brook. Would not support
putting on map first until it has been vetted. Maybe more a dotted generalized line.
Looks very solid right now. Starting an effort to develop a Bike Ped Master Plan where
this could be a great discussion with the consultant.
e. Rick – More of a vision that may need to be tweaked etc. Would like to weigh the
benefits and support in general.
f. Donna – I89 interchange study proposals included changing 189 to a boulevard which
may have shared uses along it. Trail already exists from 116 to High School. Aware of
trail on south side.
g. Rick – Vision that this would be more of a multi use path
h. Bob – Awasiwi Trail
i. Nic – Asked how wide and surface
j. Rick – Wide enough to pass people – somewhere around 8ft. Not just hikers but enough
other users.
k. Donna – Susan may have options on impervious pavers.
l. Nic – Would love to support it being on the south side, using the Awasiwi Trail
m. Amanda – Current mapping is mostly formalized but doesn’t include trails. Feel like the
nature of where this is, we may be talking more about trail, boardwalk and natural path
that is maintainable. Want to have conversations with Parks and Recreation.
n. Rick – Yes, would expect that all to happen. Would leave to expertise and keep as vision.
o. John – Keep as a vision and let people get excited.
p. Ryan – All these neighborhoods were thought of as suburbs when built but now
connections would be great, especially on long paths like Mud Pond. Having network
can be more inviting and allow people to explore without having to get out of town. Lots
of synergy on getting people out of neighborhoods. Old rail line through East Woods is
graded well. Lots of talk in comprehensive plan about parks master plan. Good to
connect lots of parts of city in a recreational way.
q. Havaleh – Agrees with Amandas comments on pulling together into larger plan. Would
need a lot more vetting.
r. Rick – Met with City Planner and she had similar comments
s. John – Just don’t want it lost. Would love it to be conceptually mapped.
t. Committee agreed.
u. Donna has comp plan map from 2016 which shows part of it as “existing”
v. Ryan asked if it would be a layer that could be used or a standalone map.
w. Erica thinks it would be a layer that could be added to the proposed paths map.
6. Bike to the Park for SoBu Night Out – Havaleh (6:00 PM)
a. Susan sent email to Erica and Havaleh about SOBU Night Out. Local Motion doing ebike
lending library demonstration but want to be able to layer other components at the
same time such as safe routes to school, popup demonstration. What could we add
onto ELL demonstration. Valet Bike Parking happening at SoBu Nite out too. Seems to fit
in with a lot of other conversations.
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b. Bob – No longer SoBu Nite Out, its just SB Night Out. Can help.
c. Susan – LM would be willing to help plan an event. Lending library with library in August.
d. Amanda – Likes layering theme. More than one thing does make a difference. Still
interested in helping but cant be the instigator. Have talked to Orchard School principal
to discuss in the summer.
e. Lou – Official Opening of Rec Path had event where people rode to dorset park much
like another gathering when bridge was opened. Doesn’t take much organizing and you
would be surprised how many would come.
f. Nic – If committee members want to help, valet bike parking is always needing
volunteers and good way
7. City Updates – Erica (6:15 PM)
a. Nic asked about AARPA fund potential for Hinesburg Road path.
b. Nic asked about RRFBs on Hinesburg Road crosswalks. Asked to at least keep working on
it.
8. Hubbard Park Shared Use Path Discussion – Bob (6:20 PM)
a. Emails from Bob sent out. Havaleh introduced and detailed history.
b. Nic asked if Paul and others have made sure to point out that it has been on plans for 20
years.
c. Erica detailed the history from 2013 showing the path in that location. Detailed
documents that had been presented to council previously.
d. Donna noted the Land Trusts issue is with asphalt. Asked if Susan knows of other cities
grappling with this issue.
e. Havaleh – Doesn’t think the council can just change the current plan.
f. Susan – Can research other surface options. Has looked into Land Trusts concerns and
goals. Thinks this has already been researched and discussed by committee
g. Bob – Fearful of leaving this one alone. Committee should meet with councillors one on
one to detail all the pieces of our memo. May also need to meet with the others to hear
from them and hear where we are coming from. 95% of the park is natural. We get 5%.
Don’t want to sit back and let the council go back to the vote and impact the many years
of bike path advocacy. Concerned about Long property sale.
h. Erica – New owners do not know what they are doing now.
i. Bob – Concerned with comment that stormwater retention was for just for path. Wants
to know if its for the whole park not just because of path.
j. Erica – 2018 Master Plan detailed stormwater and runoff. Were conversations about it
before design of this project.
k. Lou – Didn’t know this was live until yesterday. Natural reaction was against asphalt, but
realize now that this is a key connection through neighborhoods. Energy Committee
focused on connections so should partner with them, so its not just the bike ped
committee by themselves. Lets not get flanked.
l. Amanda – Need to make sure we are focusing more on getting more multimodal routes
to get people of out cars. While asphalt is not good, until we have a better option we
should focus on the route.
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m. Donna – Important to remember that this path should not consitirute development.
n. Erica – Still would be considered passive recreation by definition. Official name is
Hubbard Recreation and Natural Area.
o. Ryan – Asked who takes issue with the path.
p. Donna – South Burlington Land Trust
q. Ryan – Clarified that SBLT is a private group not affiliated with the City.
r. Susan – Can do a Local Motion blast to South Burlington listserve members. Would like
to work with someone to make sure we have the right message.
s. Susan asked where this is in the process.
t. Erica – Doing an assessment of surface types but no formal action has been made by
City Council since they did the last approval.
u. Amanda – If making Local Motion communication, should use the memo and previous
studies.
v. Bob left meeting
9. FY23 Report and FY24 Priorities and Strategies – Erica (6:35 PM)
a. Erica – Jesse streamlined things this year which is nice. Have FY23 workplan. Can pull
together
b. Nic suggested also referencing times we were in the news or did articles.
c. Erica detailed the priorities and strategies document each committee would complete.
Focusing on strategies tonight as the priorities are laid out.
d. Amanda – Last FY23 plan was put together by sub-group. Could we use that plan as
starting point.
e. Erica – Yes, could look through and see what has been completed, what still is needed
and what we should continue.
f. Amanda – asked if we should whittle this down from the list and repurpose
g. Erica – One approach could be to make a small list or lay out a lot and leave to Council
to combine or decide.
h. NRCC was pretty broad – 6 total
i. Nic – Concerned that we only have 4 people and we only have a short time to do this.
Last time we spent a long time during subcommittee time to get this done. Bob and
Doug will have lots to say who aren’t here.
j. Loretta Marriot – Noticed lots of paths in need of maintenance. DPW has engineers etc.
Parks doesn’t seem to pick up maintenance. Need to keep strong connection with Public
Works. Erica noted that Penny for Paths cannot be used for maintenance. Use DPW
budget. Have incrementally increased this over the years.
k. Nic not sure of the “novel” term for partnering with agencies. Scrap
l. Bob sent small list to be included
m. Loretta – Not sure there is awareness of the state laws around Ebikes. State has strong
laws. If people know them there would be peer pressure
n. Do we just keep them all but delete “novel”
o. Include some mention of speed in safety discussion.
p. Erica will collate over and send to committee via email for individual comments.
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10. Updates Ongoing Committee/Liaison Work ( 7:30 PM) -
a. Chair updates – Havaleh
b. DRB Update
c. DPW/Safety – Bob, Dana, Amanda, Doug
d. Bike Friendly Community Planning/Greenway progress – Nic
e. Communications/Outreach – Donna
f. Mapping – Amanda, Nic
g. Signs – Nic, Donna, Dana
11. Confirm August 9, 2023 Meeting (7:55PM)
a. Nic thinks the agenda item should be Lorettas email and discussion of comp plan vs
official plan map. Erica may have draft set of maps by that meeting.
b. Amanda asked if in August we can discuss possible new Walk Bike Master Plan. Erica
plans to draft RFP in next week. CCRPC typically pushes forward consultant to us, not
our choice unless we really don’t want to work with them. Amanda would like to discuss
what components this plan should have in a broad discussion. Would like to see UPWP
request. Erica can send out request and draft RFP.
c. Donna asked about Climate Action Implementation Plan. Erica noted that there will be
forward movement.
d. Ryan asked about scope of CCRPC control and about Local Motion Bike Ped Committee
member group.
12. Adjourned 8.20PM