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HomeMy WebLinkAbout07/01/2013 - Minutes - Bicycle, Pedestrian, and Greenways Advisory Board (ixt MINUTES c BICYCLE, PEDESTRIAN, AND GREENWAYS rr z,.r;.a r .. ;;:,• ADVISORY BOARD Monday, July 1, 2013 3:00 PM 2n Floor Conference Room #1 1101 Texas Avenue College Station, Texas, 77840 MEMBERS PRESENT: Chairman Blanche Brick, Vice - Chairman Sherry Ellison, Greg Stiles, James Batenhorst, Philip Lasley, Jean Gould and Scott Shafer MEMBERS ABSENT: None VISITORS PRESENT: Gary Ives STAFF PRESENT: Greenways Program Manager Venessa Garza, Director Bob Cowell, Principal Planner Jennifer Prochazka, Staff Planner Morgan Hester and Board Secretary Kristen Hejny AGENDA ITEM NO. 1: CaII to Order. Chairman Brick called the meeting to order at 3:06. AGENDA ITEM NO. 2: Hear Visitors Visitor Gary Ives addressed the Board concerning the Lick Creek Trail project. Mr. Ives provided the Board with a copy of comments about the project that he had given to City Council on May 23, 2013. AGENDA ITEM NO. 3: Consideration, discussion, and possible action to approve meeting Minutes. Board Member Stiles motioned to approve the meeting Minutes from June 3, 2013. The motion was seconded by Board Member Ellison, and was approved (6 -0). Board Member Lasley arrived to meeting at 3:10. AGENDA ITEM NO. 4: Presentation and discussion regarding an update on the following item(s): Program Manager Garza discussed updates on the following items: • Lick Creek Greenway Trail Ms. Garza presented updates on this item. • University Drive Pedestrian Improvements Phase II Ms. Garza presented updates on this item. This item was before the Council Transportation Committee (CTC) to review what was proposed and discussed different alternatives. Ms. Garza stated a community meeting on this project has not been scheduled. Board Member Shafer inquired as to whether the street will be narrowed and sidewalks will be widened throughout the entire section. Ms. Garza stated that this is a topic that is being discussed. AGENDA ITEM NO. 5: Presentation, possible action, and discussion regarding an update on proposed changes to the Bicycle, Pedestrian, and Greenways Master Plan based on the South Knoll Area Neighborhood Plan. Principal Planner Jennifer Prochazka presented updates on this item. Ms. Prochazka presented changes to the Mobility chapter as it relates to biking, walking and greenways. Ms. Prochazka presented the five goal strategies for the Mobility chapter of the South Knoll Area Neighborhood Plan, specifically strategies three, four and five. She discussed increasing pedestrian safety in this neighborhood; stating that amendments are proposed and the Neighborhood Resource Team (NRT) are looking for feedback from residents. Ms. Prochazka stated that on the streets where sidewalks are proposed such as Laura Lane, Pine Ridge Drive and Angelina Circle, letters were generated to residents inviting them to the July 9 th open house. Ms. Prochazka stated Welsh Avenue was recommended to be amended in the Master Plan so that a sidewalk is included on both sides of the street, where possible. Ms. Prochazka stated that the extension of the sidewalk on Caudill Street to Holleman Drive was also being recommended. Other streets with sidewalks recommended included Laura Lane between Haines and Southwest Parkway, Pine Ridge drive between Brentwood Drive and Anderson Street, Angelina Circle between Valley View Drive and Southwood Drive and Valley View Drive from Southwood Drive to Longmire Drive. Board Member Shafer asked how it is determined which side of the street a sidewalk will go on when there will only be a sidewalk on one side of the street. Ms. Garza explained that a number of factors are considered including the number of trees and large mailboxes, among other things. Mr. Shafer asked if it would be easier to narrow the streets than to extend sidewalks into yards. Ms. Garza stated that these three streets contain enough right -of -way (ROW) to not have to narrow the street. Ms. Prochazka stated that strategy number four is to increase bike safety and accessibility in the neighborhood. The recommended change to the Master Plan is the designation of Glade Street as a bike lane. The recommendation is to create a bike route instead of a bike lane. The NRT also wanted the proposed trial connection to Lemontree Park to remain in the plan. Other actions include additional way finding signs in the trail system and on the street as well as adding QR Codes to signs. The NRT is also recommending that Southwest Parkway sidewalks be reconstructed in the future to be wider to accommodate pedestrians and bike riders. This plan has a 5 -7 year life. Ms Prochazka stated that strategy five talks about intersections. The NRT did not consider this strategy but City Staff are making recommendations for improvements to some intersections. Ms. Prochazka stated this includes Anderson & Southwest Parkway with proposed accessible ramps and possible signage for bicyclists and drivers at other intersections. Mr. Shafer asked if there had been any discussion of using sharrows on Southwest Parkway and Glade Street. Ms. Garza explained sharrows are recommended on streets that have a 35 mph or lower speed limit and could be considered. Ms. Prochazka stated that they discussed the sharrows with the NRT and some members expressed concerns with adding paint to the street on Glade Street. Mr. Shafer asked why the sharrows led to concerns. Ms. Prochazka explained that the paint on the street gives the feel of a less residential street. Board Member Lasley asked if the City has ever teamed with the University to talk about doing bicycle education at Fish Camp. Ms. Garza explained that they have discussed the idea; however a decision has not been finalized. AGENDA ITEM NO. 6: Presentation, discussion, and possible action regarding sidewalk projects and priorities. Ms. Garza presented the Board with a new list of prioritized projects based on direction received from the Board at the last meeting. Mr. Cowell explained that this list can help Council evaluate what projects get funded for next fiscal year's budgeting process or could be used to replace previously proposed projects. Mr. Lasley asked if the projects are known. Ms. Garza listed the projects including Guadalupe Street and Langford Street because they were Americans with Disabilities Acts (ADA) requests; as well as Normand Drive, Nunn Street, Puryear Drive; Glade Street, George Bush Drive and University Oaks. Mr. Cowell explained Community Development Block Grant funds as a possible funding source for sidewalk projects. Board Member Stiles asked about the requirements to use these funds. Mr. Cowell explained it can be used in income qualified areas. Ms. Garza reviewed the new list with the Board, which was based on making distance to schools, population density and pedestrian crashes (safety) the same weight in the GIS model. Ms. Garza explained the top priorities that resulted from the model included: #1 George Bush Drive East #2 Dominik Drive #3 Dexter Drive #4 Munson Avenue #5 Dexter Drive (on the other side of Gabbard Park) #6 Dominik Drive #7 Harvey Road #8 Scarlett O'Hara Drive #9 Georgia Street Ms. Ellison asked how many projects in the model the City anticipates being funded. Mr. Cowell explained that it will depend from year to year on how much funding is available. Mr. Lasley asked if the model will include South Knoll Neighborhood plan projects as well. Ms. Garza and Mr. Cowell explained that, yes, any new plans would be included in the approved Master Plan. Mr. Cowell explained that at the last Council Meeting an update for this model was requested for the August meeting and requested a Bicycle Pedestrian Advisory Board member attend the meeting for the update. Mr. Shaffer suggested that the area around the Dexter Drive sidewalk near Munson Avenue be treated as a higher priority area which could mean including Haines Drive and Caudill Street up on the list since they connect the park and school in that area. This would mean grouping the projects to include Dexter Drive, Haines Drive and Caudill Street to create a connection between the park and the school and grouping George Bush Drive, Dexter Drive and Munson Avenue due to proximity to each other. Timber Street and Park Place could also be included if funding was available along with other lower priority projects. The Board was in agreement with the grouping of projects to create connectivity. The Board discussed their agreement in forwarding the project list to City Council. AGENDA ITEM NO. 7: Presentation and discussion regarding the Bicycle, Pedestrian, and Greenways Advisory Board Calendar of upcoming meetings. Ms. Garza presented updates on the following upcoming meetings: • July 9, 2012 « Open House Meeting — South Knoll Area Neighborhood Plan « City Hall, Council Chambers « 6:30 p.m. • July 16, 2012 « Neighborhood Resource Team Meeting — South Knoll Area Neighborhood Plan N City Hall, Council Chambers — 6:30 p.m. • July 18, 2013 — Planning and Zoning Commission Meeting — City Hall, Council Chambers 6:00 p.m. • Aug 1, 2013 — Planning and Zoning Commission Meeting « City Hall, Council Chambers 6:00 p.m. • Aug 5, 2013 « Bicycle, Pedestrian, and Greenways Advisory Board — City Hall, Council Chambers — 3:00 p.m. AGENDA ITEM NO. 8: Possible action and discussion on future agenda items - A Bicycle, Pedestrian, and Greenways Advisory Board Member may inquire about a subject for which notice has not been given. A statement of specific factual information or the recitation of existing policy may be given. Any deliberation shall be limited to a proposal to place the subject on an agenda for a subsequent meeting. No items were mentioned. AGENDA ITEM NO. 9: Adjourn. The meeting adjourned at 4:39 p.m. • ROVE •: / TTE -T: M anche Bri k, Cha an Kris -n Hejny, Boa, %creta