BPC 03-20-2019 MINUTES
MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE
BICYCLE PEDESTRIAN COMMISSION
March 201h, 2019
CUPERTINO
The meeting was called to order at 7:03pm.
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
Present: Commissioners Pete Heller, Erik Lindskog, Muni Madhdhipatla, Jennifer
Shearin
City Staff: David Stillman, City Transportation Manager
Others present: Vice Mayor Liang Chao (identified herself as "Council"); Residents Wil 1
Fluewelling (identified himself as "Stevens Creek Father"), Linda Wyckoff (identified
herself as "self"), Kathy Chole, and Will Shearin; and Public Safety Commissioner
Hymanand Nellore
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
1. No motion was made for approval of the previous meeting's minutes.
ORAL COMMUNICATIONS
Vice Mayor Liang Chao (speaking as a resident) came to request that the BPC stop
pursuing Option 1 (trail) for the Regnart Creek Trail and work only on Option 4 (use
city streets with minor improvements). Vice Mayor Chao would like to use the funds
for other projects, whether for Bike/Ped projects or for low income housing projects, and
that "it would be better than too-narrow trail that only take the place of La Mar" [sic].
Vice Mayor Chao said she stated this reason and her proposed change of direction
during Council reports at last night's City Council meeting, including a statement that
she would be making a motion to move forward this action, and that Councilmember
Jon Willey would be seconding this motion.
OLD BUSINESS
2. Bicycle Pedestrian Commission Webpage (Shearin)
A proposal was discussed to add content to the BPC City webpage.
Commissioner Shearin will be pursuing and proposing content at future meetings.
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Commissioners Madhdhipatla and Heller agreed that a chart showing the progress of
each project currently'in the pipeline' would be helpful.
The most important content will be explaining the city approval process for projects.
3. Bicycle Pedestrian Commission Workplan (Shearin)
Q: How do we measure if proposed projects increase the City Staff Workload?
A: Transportation Manager Stillman will answer those questions as they arise.
Comment: Vice Mayor Chao stated that work is in preparation for July.
Comment: Commissioner Lindskog recommends adding a standing item to our agenda
to discuss Workplan for next year, as it will be a long effort.
Q: (Commissioner Madhdhipatla): if we'd like to pursue removing street parking,
would that need to go into the Work Plan?
A: (Transportation Manager Stillman): That would need to go into a future Bicycle
Transportation Plan.
Commission agreed to add to future agendas the discussion of things to go in future
Work Plans.
4. Bicycle Boulevard Update (Stillman)
Staff is continuing to have meetings with residents in neighborhoods on Bike Boulevard
updates. Residents are notified via door hangers. The next meeting is Monday, March
25th with the Greenleaf neighborhood. Thursday, March 28th is a meeting with
Merritt/Portal neighbors.
Discussion of Miller/east of CHS/Sterling Barnhart area
Last meeting with residents was in October 2017.
Commissioner Lindskog recommended running the bike boulevard all the way to
Sterling Barnhart. He noted this is a commute route for many cyclists crossing
Lawrence. Commissioner Shearin noted that Bike Boulevards are primarily for
recreational cyclists, not commuters.
Commissioner Shearin noted that she does not support the bicycle channelizers at
specific corners on the current plan as they are a not necessary expense. Other
comments about channelizers from attendees were that they need to be ADA-friendly
for pedestrians crossing and that they can also cause problems in low-light conditions
for cyclists (hard to see the sudden changes in where to go).
City Staff has a future meeting (date TBD) planned with neighbors.
NEW BUSINESS
5. Earth Day Bike Ride Planning (Stillman)
Commissioners Madhdhipatla and Heller will lead the longer ride.
Commissioners Shearin and Lindskog will lead the shorter (family) ride.
Commissioner Shearin asked for the Commissioners to come early to help sign in
participants and bring bike tools if available.
Q: Is there a bike shop coming for repairs?
A: SRTS is looking into getting one still.
Matt Schroeder, SRTS intern, will be designing the routes this year.
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6. Distracted Driving and Steps for Bikers to be Safe (Stillman/Nellore)
Commissioner Nellore from the Public Safety Commission (PSC) presented information
on their planned program to decrease usage of cell phones while biking and improve
bike safety.
PSC is proposing an ordinance to ticket cyclists that use their cellphone while riding.
Commissioner Madhdhipatla noted that cyclists are currently not allowed to use both I
earbuds while riding.
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Commissioner Lindskog stated that a cellphone law should be a California-wide law,
not just for Cupertino as it will be difficult for cyclists as they cross from city to city.
Commissioners Madhdhipatla and Heller agreed that hands-free use of cellphones is
fine, such as using for directions,just like in vehicles.
7. Bicycle Pedestrian Commission Practices and Procedures (Shearin)
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Commissioner Shearin led discussion of current "informal' BPC procedures and how
those compare to other Commissions and why this agenda item was brought forward.
Vice Mayor Chao stated that she personally thinks that commissions can have any
procedures that work for them, and that standardizing is not a concern.
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There was further discussion by all Commissioners present on how BPC meeting
procedures could change and whether they should.
Commissioner Shearin made the motion to change the Bicycle Pedestrian Commission
meeting procedures for each agenda item to have a presentation by the initiator/owner,
then allow 3 minute per person public input on that item, and then have a commission
discussion. Motion was seconded by Commissioner Madhdhipatla. Approved 4-0
unanimously.
Discussion on tenets of Brown Act to determine whether we can have Commissioners
teleconference into the BPC meetings when traveling. Vice Mayor Chao stated that this
was possible, and that other commissioners in other cities do this. Commissioner
Lindskog will be investigating and reporting back.
STAFF AND COMMISSION REPORTS
8. Staff Report(Stillman)
No report given.
9. VTA BPAC Report (Lindskog)
VTA is creating a county-wide program collision database.
VTA board has adopted a plan for determining how Measure B funds will be spent.
Only 4% of funds will go to Bike/Ped projects.
San Jose has recently updated their Bike and Ped plans.
VTA has promotions for drivers who carpool with Waze.
10. Public Relations Subcommittee Report (Heller)
Commissioner Madhdhipatla will attend the next Mayor's meeting. Bike Boulevards
should be the update topic at that meeting. The last meeting Commissioner Heller
discussed the Class IV's and Trails.
BP Commissioners should take notes at that meeting on activities of other commissions
and provide that during the Public Relations time at the BPC meeting.
11. Report on Committee Assignments and General Comments
Next month at the BPC meeting the Commissioners would like to discuss the Regnart
Trail.
Commissioner Madhdhipatla stated his disapproval of an on-street charging station,
instead of locating it in the City Parking lot.
Commissioner Shearin asked whether the Regnart Creek Trail Walkshop should be
cancelled, in light of Vice Mayor Chao's comments during BPC Oral Communications.
Transportation Manager David Stillman stated that current City Council direction is to
design the Regnart Creek Trail recommended alignment [of a trail] and therefore no
public outreach for the Regnart Creek Trail would be cancelled or moved without new j
direction to the City Manager from the City Council.
Adjournment
The meeting was adjourned at 9:10pm.
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Submitted by:
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Jennifer Shear'!, ommissioner
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