Meeting Announcement: Date: Wednesday, July 16, 2008 Time: 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm Place: Sonoma County Transit 355 West Robles Avenue Santa Rosa, California Staff: Steven Schmitz Phone: (707) 585-7516 e-Mail: steven@sctransit.com http://www.sctransit.com/bikes

 

Agenda:

 

I.  Introductions & Public Comments (10 Minutes)

 

II.  Approval of Agenda & Minutes (5 Minutes)

 

III.  Staff Reports (15 Minutes)

 

- Airport Blvd. Bike Lane Striping Issue at Highway 101.

- Bike/Pedestrian Access Issue at Reibli School in Larkfield.

- Santa Rosa Ave./Robert’s Lake Rd. Hwy.101 On-Ramp Issue.

 

IV.  General Meeting:

 

A.  Review administrative draft of updated Sonoma County Unincorporated Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan. (60 Minutes)

 

B.  Consider request for letter of support for Safe Routes to Schools grant application for Burbank Avenue pathway project. (15 Minutes)

 

V.  Other Business & Announcements (10 Minutes)

 

VI.  Next Meeting & Adjournment (5 Minutes)

 

Next meeting of the Sonoma County BPAC is scheduled for Wednesday, August 20, 2008.

 

June 18, 2008 Minutes                                                                        

 

Members in Attendance:                                    

                                                                                                                                                           

Janice Eunice - 1^st District                                  

Sherry Adams - 1^st District (Alternative)         

Bernie Album - 2^nd District                                  

Vin Hoagland - 3^rd District (Chair)                     

Tim Gonzalez - 5^th District (Vice-Chair)         

                                                                               

Other Participants:

                                

Mike Eunice - 1^st District Resident

Linda Picton - 3^rd District Resident

Kate Westrich - 4^th District Resident

Ken Tam - Regional Parks

Todd Holmes - Regional Parks

Steven Schmitz - SCBPAC Staff

                                                                                                                       

Meeting Summary

 

I. Introductions and Public Comments

 

Self-introductions were made.  Ken Tam introduced Todd Holmes as the new Parks Planning Manager for Sonoma County Regional Parks.  The committee welcomed Todd to the meeting and also welcomed 1^st District resident Mike Eunice, 3^rd District resident Linda Picton, and 4^th District resident Kate Westrich.

 

Ms. Westrich introduced herself as a resident of the Larkfield area with children who attend Reibli Elementary School on Mark West Springs Road.  She said that, although her family lives a very short distance from the school,  the speed and volume of traffic on Mark West Springs Road, in addition to the sidewalk itself being so close to such a busy road, prevents most parents from feeling safe walking their children to school or letting their children walk themselves. The result is an increase in traffic and avoidable pollution.  It is her hope that the County and any appropriate law enforcement agencies can assist their neighborhood to ensure that cars driving on Mark West Springs Road are obeying the 25 mile-per-hour speed limit when children are present a the school, that a safer sidewalk can be built along Mark West Springs Road, and most importantly, that a pedestrian access can be built through the neighborhood itself so that young children can walk to and from the school while avoiding Mark West Springs Road altogether.

 

Regarding the speeding issue, staff recommended that Ms. Westrich contact the local California Highway Patrol (CHP) office.  The CHP is responsible for traffic enforcement on all County-maintained roadways, including Mark West Springs Road in Larkfield.  Staff said the County’s Road Maintenance Division would be contacted regarding the feasibility of making safety improvements to the existing sidewalk along Mark West Springs Road.  And regarding pedestrian access between their neighborhood and Reibli School, staff said that the County Permit and Resource Management Department should be able to research whether or not any type of easement was required with the development of the nearby Redwood Christian Academy.  If so, then such an easement would provide an ideal pedestrian route to and from the school that would avoid Mark West Springs Road.  In the meantime, the committee recommended that Ms. Westrich begin working with the school’s Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) for help in approaching the Reibli School administration regarding the issue.  In addition, Tim Gonzalez strongly encouraged that Reibli School consider participating in the annual Walk and Roll to School Day in October to raise a general awareness of the current school access issue.             

 

Linda Picton introduced herself as a 3^rd District resident in the Mountain View Avenue neighborhood.  She said that she was interested in how the bicycle lane striping issue on Airport Blvd. was being addressed.  There is a very similar issue at the southbound Highway 101 on-ramp where Santa Rosa Avenue turns into Robert’s Lake Road.  Cars often accelerate at very high speeds onto this southbound on-ramp and are prone to cut-off bicyclists traveling southbound on Santa Rosa Avenue.  It seems as though the shoulder could be re-striped or warning signs could be posted to help minimize these very unsafe situations for bicyclists.  Staff said that this new issue would be brought to the attention of the County Transportation and Public Works Department.  Hopefully, a resolution at the Airport Blvd. on-ramp will also work at Santa Rosa Avenue/Robert’s Lake Road.       

 

II. Approval of Agenda and Minutes 

 

The agenda for the June 18, 2008 meeting was approved as presented.  The minutes from the May 21, 2008 meeting were approved as presented.

 

III. Staff Reports

 

Because Kevin Howze of Transportation and Public Works was not in attendance, staff said that there was nothing new to report about the Airport Blvd. bicycle lane striping issue at Highway 101.  Other than the upcoming submittal of a Safe Routes to Schools grant application, staff said there was nothing else new to report about the Bodega Avenue and Watertrough Road bicycle and pedestrian access issue.  Staff also reported that W-Trans continues to work on finalizing the text for the Unincorporated Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan Update and that an “administrative draft” version of the plan would be ready for the committee’s review and approval during the July 16 meeting.     

 

Ken Tam reported that Regional Parks recently completed the Cheney Creek bicycle and pedestrian bridge project in Bodega Bay, which connects Bird Walk Park to Doran Beach Road.  A dedication ceremony for the bridge, which was partially funded with Measure M funds, is being planned for July.  The next section of the Bodega Bay Trail to be focused on will be to the north near the Memorial Bell Tower and Bodega Bay Community Center.  Staff said that the Transportation and Public Works Department, in cooperation with Regional Parks, also recently submitted a Bicycle Facility Program grant through the Bay Area Air Quality Management District to install new Class II bicycle lane striping and signs along Occidental Road between State Highway 116 and where the West County Trail continues north toward Graton near Atascadero Creek.

 

IV. General Meeting       

 

A. Review existing and proposed new bicycle and pedestrian projects for the unincorporated areas in the Measure “M” Strategic Plan. 

 

Staff said that this agenda item was resurrected after being tabled several months ago.  The issue was originally raised by former committee member Bob Hasenick regarding whether or not the bicycle and pedestrian projects located in the County’s unincorporated areas were being allocated their fair-share of Measure “M” funding through the current Strategic Plan.  In order to bring the committee up to speed on the issue, staff presented the following background information regarding Measure “M” and the Strategic Plan.      

 

In November 2004, the voters of Sonoma County passed Measure M, a ¼ cent sales tax to address transportation needs throughout the County. The Traffic Relief Act for Sonoma County – Measure “M” Expenditure Plan defines the overall program. The plan is very specific on how revenue will be expended. In general, the plan provides funding for seven (7) program categories as follows:

 

40% for local street rehabilitation (LSR) and local street projects (LSP);

40% for Highway 101 widening projects;

10% for improving local bus transit (LBT) service;

5% for the SMART project to develop passenger rail service;

4% for bicycle and pedestrian projects;

1% for administration.

 

In June 2005, the SCTA Board of Directors passed the first Strategic Plan, known as the 2005 Measure M Strategic Plan. In addition to implementing initial Measure “M” policies, such as audit and reporting requirements, the 2005 Plan defined the project sponsor and the management of the programmatic components, created basic financial policies and initial revenue forecasts, and provided a funding schedule for specific projects between FY 06/07 and FY 10/11.  In order to effectively reflect upon actual revenues and project progression, the 2005 Strategic Plan set a timetable for updates of every two years. The 2007 Strategic Plan was the first update of the Plan and provided a new funding schedule for specific projects between FY 07/08 and FY 11/12.  Discussions regarding programming for the next update of the Plan are to begin in January 2009.

 

The Bike and Pedestrian Projects program in the Measure “M” Strategic Plan provides an estimated $19 million (2004 dollars) over 20 years to fund the construction of new bicycle and pedestrian routes that increase overall safety, close gaps in existing routes and provide safe routes to schools and to transit. Bike safety programs focused on educating the public and, in particular, school children, are also eligible to receive sales tax funds. In addition to the education program, the Measure “M” Expenditure Plan lists 15 projects as high priority needs for the county.  The following specific bike and pedestrian projects were approved by the voters in Measure “M:”

 

1.         Santa Rosa Creek Trail ($1,450,000)

2.         Old Redwood Highway/Mendocino Avenue - Santa Rosa ($500,000)

3.         Central Sonoma Valley Trail ($1,900,000) *

4.         Sonoma-Schellville Trail ($650,000) *

5.         Arnold Drive ($2,000,000) *

6.         Petaluma River Trail ($2,000,000)

7.         Copeland Creek Trail - Rohnert Park ($350,000)

8.         Street Smart Sebastopol ($2,000,000)

9.         West County Trail/Mirabel Road ($500,000) *

10.       McCray Road - Cloverdale ($250,000) *

11.       Hwy.1/Bodega Bay Trail ($950,000) *

12.       Foss Creek Trail – Healdsburg ($3,250,000)

13.       SMART Rail Trail - Estimated 35% in County ($1,000,000) *

14.       Hwy. 101 Overcrossings - Estimated 10% in County ($1,000,000) *

15.       Unallocated - Countywide Bike Safety & Education ($1,200,000)

 

Marked by an asterisk, 8 out of the 15 specific bike and pedestrian projects included above are located in the County’s unincorporated areas.  For the SMART Rail Trail project (# 13), it is estimated that approximately 35% of the trail might be located in the unincorporated areas.  And for the Highway 101 Overcrossings project (# 14), it is estimated that approximately 10% might be located in the unincorporated areas.  A total of $6,700,000 (2004 dollars) in Measure “M” funding is provided for the 8 projects located in the unincorporated areas, which assumes that the County might also receive approximately $350,000 for the SMART Rail Trail project and $100,000 for the Hwy. 101 Overcrossings project.  This equals 36% of the total Measure “M” funding provided for bike and pedestrian projects.  While $240,000 of the funding for project # 15 is already programmed for bike safety and education in the 2007 Strategic Plan, the remainder can still be programmed toward other bicycle and pedestrian projects.   

 

Staff distributed a spreadsheet to the committee that outlines the Measure “M” funding allocated to specific bike and pedestrian projects in the 2007 Strategic Plan between FY 07/08 and FY 11/12.  A total of $1,183,000 in funding was allocated to the following projects that are located in the County’s unincorporated areas:  Central Sonoma Valley Trail ($213,000), Sonoma-Schellville Trail ($100,000), West County Trail/Mirabel Road ($500,000), and Highway 1/Bodega Bay Trail ($370,000).  There was no Measure “M” funding allocated in the 2007 Measure “M” Strategic Plan for Arnold Drive, McCray Road, SMART Rail Trail, or Hwy. 101 Overcrossings.  The $1,183,000 in funding allocated to projects located in the unincorporated areas in the current plan equals about only 20% of the $6,025,000 total that was allocated for bike and pedestrian projects through FY 11/12. 

 

With the next update of the Measure “M” Strategic Plan in 2009, an argument could be made that the bicycle and pedestrian projects located in the unincorporated areas should be allocated funding closer to 36% of the total, or approximately $2,169,000.  This equals an additional $986,000 over what is currently allocated for County unincorporated bicycle and pedestrian projects through the 2007 Strategic Plan.  Staff said that this analysis seems to show that the bicycle and pedestrian projects located in the County’s unincorporated areas are not being allocated their fair-share of Measure “M” funding through the 2007 Strategic Plan.  In making the argument that more funding should be allocated in the next update of the Strategic Plan, staff asked the committee for feedback regarding which bicycle and pedestrian projects should be allocated additional funding.

 

Sherry Adams said that she would advocate that additional funding should be allocated to the Arnold Drive project and the Central Sonoma Valley Trail project.  These are both very important projects to bicyclists and pedestrian in the Sonoma Valley area.  Janice Eunice said that she would advocate that a portion of the remaining funding for project # 15 should be programmed toward the installation of new bicycle parking facilities countywide.  With no further feedback, staff asked the rest of the committee members to continue reviewing the findings of the analysis and to be ready to provide additional feedback.  It will also be important to include staff of Transportation and Public Works and Regional Parks in future discussions since they will be responsible for implementing the Measure “M” projects.  Staff said that this item would appear on the committee’s August agenda for further discussion.

 

B.  Consider requests for letters of support from Transportation and Public Works for Safe Routes to Schools grant applications.

 

Staff said that Transportation and Public Works would be submitting a “non-infrastructure” Safe Routes to Schools grant application in partnership with Health Services.  The grant will fund the implementation of a Safe Routes to Schools educational and encouragement program at schools located in the Bellevue and Roseland school districts in south Santa Rosa.  After some discussion, the committee voted unanimously to approve a letter of support for the grant.  Also, once again, the committee opted not to approve a letter of support for the Safe Routes to Schools grant application for the Burbank Avenue pedestrian pathway until additional information from Transportation and Public Works was provided about the need for more funding.  The committee asked staff to contact Kevin Howze to verify whether or not he would be able to attend the next meeting.

 

V. Other Business & Announcements

 

There was no other business or announcements.

 

VI. Next Meeting & Adjournment

 

The meeting was adjourned at approximately 9:00 p.m.