Loading...
BPC 01-15-2020 MINUTES MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE BICYCLE PEDESTRIAN COMMISSION Jan 15, 2020 The meeting was called to order at 7:03pm. ROLL CALL: Present: Commissioners Erik Lindskog, Muni Madhdhipatla, Jennifer Shearin, Ilango Ganga and Gerhard Eschelbeck. City Staff: David Stillman, City Transportation Manager. Others present: Liana Crabtree, Chair, Library Commission. APPROVAL OF MINUTES: 1. December 18, 2019 Minutes • Complaint made by Commissioner Ganga that attachments are not electronically attached to minutes from December 18, 2019. It was noted that paper copies are given to each commissioner. Request from Commi ssioner Lindskog to Staff to attach links to agenda and to minutes. • Minutes from December 18, 2019 commission meeting were approved 4-0-1, with Commissioners Lindskog, Madhdhipatla, Shearin, Eschelbeck in favor; Commissioner Ganga abstaining. ORAL COMMUNICATIONS: Commissioner Crabtree (Library Commission): • She thanked our commission for our work • She stated Transportation is not the name of our commission, but safe crossings fall under our jurisdiction. There was a fatality last year on Bollinger Road. There aren’t enough safe places to cross on Bollinger, with only intersections allowing crossings. De Anza crossing at Bollinger is also not safe due to drivers being distracted. A particular concern is the crossing at Clifden and Bollinger. The Crossing at McClellan and De Anza is an issue as pedestrians must cross three times when traveling east to west crossing De Anza from Pacifica to McClellan. • Also noted that Monta Vista High School and Kennedy Middle School are neglected when it comes to transit service. No public transit services those schools. All other middle school and high school are serviced. Commissioner Eschelbeck mentioned the Library Bicycle Tour (Commissioner Crabtree had sent information in a previous email to all Bicycle Pedestrian Commissioners). It is a 30 mile ride, and leaves from a San Jose library branch. It was promised to be a casual, leisurely pace. Event is this coming Saturday. Registration is on Eventbrite. OLD BUSINESS: 2. Commission Proposals for FY 2020-21 City Work Program (Stillman) • Transportation Manager Stillman gave presentation on work program process. Same slides were presented as at December 18, 2019 BPC meeting. • Commissioner Shearin questioned if reprioritizing items from either Bicycle Transportation or Pedestrian Transportation Plans to move them higher in priority is an acceptable request for the Work Plan. David Stillman stated this is possible, because ultimately City Council will be approving the Work Plan, and thus the reprioritization. • Commission had discussion regarding David Stillman’s recommendation to create a study on Bollinger for bicycle improvements. Commissioner Shearin noted that Bollinger improvements are not in the 2018 Pedestrian Plan, and are low Tier 2 in the 2016 Bicycle Plan. • David Stillman stated that Staff was recommending a new combined Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan, to be completed by 2022. He stated he had also recommended this in December 2019. Commissioner Shearin noted that this plan when complete would then be six years after the last Bicycle Plan, longer than typical for a refresh for plans. • Public Comments: Commissioner Crabtree spoke on behalf of the Library Commission. She talked about parking and traffic in the parking lot adjacent to the library. Library Commission is working on how to determine how the available parking at the library can be used most efficiently. Bike parking is limited and patrons have concerns about bicycle thefts. Library Commission is discussing their 2020 work program, but has not yet made decisions about what the final work program will be. Requested the Bicycle Pedestrian Commission (BPC) as part of their work program this year to work with Library Commission to improve access in and out of civic center and promote alternate forms of walking and biking into civic center. She also noted a possible opportunity to have checkout program at library of U locks for bikes. • Commissioners provided their top three ideas for this year’s Work Program. • Commissioner Lindskog endorsed (1) updating and creating combined Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan; (2) Bollinger Road study; and (3) school projects close to schools. He also suggested lowering speed limits around Cupertino, though noted that we likely are unable to do so due to state laws. • Commissioner Madhdhipatla prefers (1) the Bollinger Road project, stating that San Jose will work with us and seems like a good value; (2) an area-wide (catchment/enrollment area) study for biking and walking around specific schools. Having kids bike when young will encourage kids to walk and bike for rest of their lives. Stated that we should stop with piecemeal projects and focus on schools. This will be larger area than school walk audit projects. Would like to approach in a “holistic” way. Item (3) is for Staff to create an ongoing study with small items that could be improved easily and make neighbors happy. • Commissioner Shearin endorsed (1) updating and creating combined Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan, with focus on schools; (2) Study of bike/ped issues at civic center including partnering with Library Commission, and (3) study on Rainbow, especially near Regnart Elementary and at Stelling/Rainbow intersection. • There was some discussion of the current meetings and proposals for the Walk Audit program, as commissioners not involved in that work (all but Commissioner Shearin) are unfamiliar with the process and participants. Commissioner Madhdhipatla would the BPC to review and approve of projects in the Walk Audit process for schools at BPC meetings. David Stillman stated that it is important that the BPC does not change items from Walk Audits as the participants of these meetings of parents, City Staff and school administration are the experts in each school’s site-specific issues. • Commissioner Eschelbeck does not support updating the Bicycle or Pedestrian Transportation Plans, but would like to make progress on the projects currently in the pipeline prior to making any update. He would like (1) to review all projects in both plans for what the BPC thinks is most important so Staff can then focus those top priority projects the BPC has designated. He prefers (2) Bollinger Road and (3) Single school enrollment area wide study as his other two choices. • Commissioner Lindskog changed his third choice: (1) updating and creating combined Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan; (2) Bollinger Road study; and (3) traffic calming in the city. • Commissioner Ganga would (1) like to do the Bollinger Road study and requested traffic and other data from 2016 and 2018 plans for that from Staff. Choice (2) was a large public education on pedestrian and bicycle safety. Stated we should take a lead role on that, including proper locking. He would like it targeted at various groups in the city, rolling it out for students, seniors, etc. Choice (3) was partnering with the Technology, Information, and Communications Commission (TICC) for bicycle and pedestrian safety. Use technology to solve issues. TICC is working on traffic management and flow and using video analytics. Use that data to provide safety. TICC will be bringing in pilot programs. Commissioner Ganga doesn’t want to update any plans because the Bicycle Transportation Plan was approved in 2016 and the Pedestrian Transportation Plan was approved in 2018. • First round voting: Commissioner Madhdhipatla: (1) Bollinger study, (2) study around schools (enrollment area), (3) TICC commission partnering Commissioner Shearin: (1)update combined ped/bike plan, (2) Civic Center study, (3) Bollinger study Commissioner Eschelbeck: (1) Bollinger study, (2) Civic Center, (3) study around schools (enrollment area) Commissioner Lindskog: (1) Bollinger study, (2) update combined ped/bike plan, (3) Traffic calming throughout city Commissioner Ganga: (1) Bollinger study, TICC commission, study around schools (enrollment area) • Second round voting: Commissioner Madhdhipatla elected to change his vote from TICC partnering to the civic center study. No further voting was done, as there were now three options with the most votes. • Final vote totals and Commission top choices to be presented to Council 5 votes: (Unanimous) Bollinger road bicycling study 3 votes (Commissioners Ganga, Madhdhipatla, Eschelbeck)- Study around schools. 3 votes (Commissioners Madhdhipatla, Eschelbeck, Shearin)- Civic Center study, including partnering with Library Commission on their concerns. Clarification requested by Commissioner Shearin on school study item. Commissioner Madhdhipatla stated the following: Make a study on a specific school. Look at the catchment (attendance) are and review everything that is associated with that area and solve all issues related to that area. NEW BUSINESS: 3. Election of Bicycle Pedestrian Chair and Vice Chair for 2020 (Stillman) • Current Chair, Commissioner Eschelbeck, called for motions to nominate. • Motion was made by Commissioner Shearin to nominate Commissioner Lindskog for Chair. She stated Commissioner Lindskog is our most senior member, and has worked diligently on behalf of the commission, including acting as the BPC’s VTA BPAC representative for several years, being a strong advocate for all walking and biking projects in Cupertino, and a consistent participant in events, activities and more for the commission. • Request for discussion and comments was made by the Chair. • Motion was made to nominate Commissioner Eschelbeck as Chair for a second term by Commissioner Madhdhipatla. He states that Commissioner Eschelbeck has been a fine Chair this year and wishes him to continue as Chair. • Commissioner Shearin at this time stated reasons why Commissioner Eschelbeck should not be considered for Chair again, including: ignoring meeting rules agreed to by BPC vote; allowing public meeting participants to abuse commissioners and staff, create disturbances and violate meeting norms; stifling commission discussion of agenda items and motions by commissioners and directing discussion during meetings toward a particular viewpoint. • Commissioner Eschelbeck stated that his goal last year was to have the public have as much time to speak as possible, and this year his focus will be on bringing the commission together. He stated that he doesn’t recall any issues, characterizing them as a “he said she said ” conflict. • Commissioner Madhdhipatla stated that Commissioner Eschelbeck has been an excellent Chair this year and wishes his work to continue. Commissioner Ganga also stated that he was pleased with Commissioner Eschelbeck’s work as Chair when he was a member of the public and had attended meetings this past year. • Second is now made by Commissioner Lindskog for the nomination of Commissioner Lindskog for Chair for 2020, Vote is 2-3-0, with the motion failing. (Commissioners Lindskog, Shearin in favor; Commissioners Ganga, Madhdhipatla, Eschelbeck against. • Motion is again made by Commissioner Madhdhipatla to nominate Commissioner Eschelbeck as Chair for 2020, with Commissioner Ganga seconding. 3-2-0 motion passes. (Commissioners Ganga, Madhdhipatla, Eschelbeck in favor, Commissioners Lindskog, Shearin against.) • Chair Eschelbeck called for motions to nominate a Vice Chair for 2020 • Motion is made by Commissioner Lindskog to nominate himself as Vice Chair for 2020. Second is made by Commissioner Shearin for the nomination of Commissioner Lindskog for Vice Chair for 2020, Vote is 2-3-0, with the motion failing. (Commissioners Lindskog, Shearin in favor; Commissioners Ganga, Madhdhipatla, Eschelbeck against. • Motion is made by Commissioner Eschelbeck to nominate Commissioner Madhdhipatla as Vice Chair for 2020, with Commissioner Ganga seconding. 3-2- 0 motion passes. (Commissioners Ganga, Madhdhipatla, Eschelbeck in favor, Commissioners Lindskog, Shearin against.) (Further meeting minutes were taken by Commissioner Lindskog, as Commissioner Shearin was required to leave the meeting at 9:15pm.) 4. Don Burnett Bicycle-Pedestrian Bridge Bollards (Stillman) David Stillman presented slides regarding the bollards on the Don Burnett bridge. A complaint was received earlier. A cyclist hit a bollard and then the fence and got injured. According to code, there should be a minimum opening of 5 feet and an even number of lanes. There are currently two bollards on the bridge. The proposal is to keep the two bollards but to move them close together so that we get a wide lane on each side of the close pair. STAFF AND COMMISSION REPORTS: 5. Staff Report (Stillman) Bollards for bulb-outs received. David Stillman proposed to report on CIP at a future meeting. 6. VTA BPAC Report (Lindskog) This month’s VTA BPAC meeting coincided with the Bicycle Pedestrian Commission’s meeting so Commissioner Lindskog was not able to attend. He however reported on the agenda packet which included a report on Transportation Systems Monitoring Program (TSMP) Report. Noted that unsafe speed is the largest single primary collision factor. 7. Public Relations Subcommittee Report The public relations subcommittee currently has no members, so no report was heard. 8. Report on Committee assignments and general comments • Mayors meeting: Commissioner Ganga to attend next Mayor’s meeting (in March). • Commissioner Ganga commented on emails among commission members and suggested that David blind carbon copy (BCC) commissioners in emails so that no accidental ‘reply-all’ occurs. • Commissioner Ganga proposed we use more sub-committees. • Commissioner Madhdhipatla: McClellan Rd bike lane ends at church. Something needs to be done to that abrupt end of the class IV lane. Also, cars park in (non- separated) bike lanes. • Commissioner Ganga proposed to report on the TICC commission’s work.