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HomeMy WebLinkAbout08/27/2013 B A K E R S F I E L D /s/ Rhonda Smiley Committee Members Staff: Rhonda Smiley Bob Smith, Chair Assistant to the City Manager Harold Hanson Ken Weir AGENDA SUMMARY REPORT SPECIAL MEETING OF THE PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE Tuesday, August 27, 2013 12:00 p.m. City Hall North – Conference Room A 1600 Truxtun Avenue Bakersfield, CA 93301 The meeting was called to order at 12:06 p.m. 1. ROLL CALL Committee members: Councilmember Bob Smith, Chair Councilmember Harold Hanson Councilmember Ken Weir City Staff: Alan Tandy, City Manager Rhonda Smiley, Assistant to the City Manager/PIO Virginia Gennaro, City Attorney Andy Heglund, Deputy City Attorney Doug McIsaac, Community Development Director Jim Eggert, Planning Director Nick Fidler, Assistant Public Works Director Ryan Starbuck, Traffic Engineer Marian Shaw, Civil Engineer IV – Public Works Department Ed Murphy, Civil Engineer III – Public Works Department Dianne Hoover, Recreation & Parks Director Darin Budak, Assistant Recreation & Parks Director Doug Greener, Fire Chief Ross Kelly, Deputy Fire Chief Howard Wines, Director of Fire Prevention Services Greg Williamson, Chief of Police Additional Attendees: Paul Zykofsky, Local Government Commission Jason Carter, Bike Bakersfield AGENDA SUMMARY REPORT Planning and Development Committee Tuesday, August 27, 2013 Page 2 2. ADOPT APRIL 2, 2013 AGENDA SUMMARY REPORT Adopted as submitted 3. PUBLIC STATEMENTS None 4. NEW BUSINESS A. Discussion and Recommendation Regarding Streets Standards and Conformance with Complete Streets Policy 1) Presentation by Paul Zykofsky, Associate Director, Local Government Commission Committee Chair Smith reported that at the April 2, 2013 Council meeting, the City Council passed a resolution in support of a complete streets policy. Staff is actively working towards adding bike lanes and improving design standards that staff and developers will use when building new streets. It is important to balance all interests and generate what is best overall for the public. Wider streets are faster, more dangerous and cost more to maintain. If street widths can be reduced by 10 to 20 percent, there will be fiscal savings, in addition to providing better streets. Mr. Zykofsky gave a report that included examples from various cities, showing different methods of constructing more complete streets. Emphasis was placed on creating roadways that are pedestrian, bicycle, wheelchair and transit friendly. The presentation was obtained from the National Complete Streets Coalition. A survey showed that, on average, 39% of all trips are less than one mile in length and can be made by walking or on a bicycle. However, most trips, regardless of the length, are made by car. While some individuals said they would be willing to walk such a short distance, they believed it was too dangerous to cross major roadways. A major point made was that narrower streets cause motorists to drive more slowly, thereby reducing the number of traffic and pedestrian accidents and deaths. The Federal Highway Administration is preparing action plans with the goal of improving safety for all users by using this model. The economy will benefit from these improvements. One example came from New York, where business owners, in cooperation with the Department of Transportation, devised a plan to narrow traffic lanes and add bicycle lanes, crosswalks, curb extensions and roundabouts. These business owners also contributed financially to the project. Traffic moved more efficiently and the number of crashes and injuries decreased. As the area became safer, sales AGENDA SUMMARY REPORT Planning and Development Committee Tuesday, August 27, 2013 Page 3 increased, which then resulted in an increase in the number of building permits being applied for and approved in the area. Another example in New York was the installation of cycle tracks on major avenues. Cycle tracks are separate facilities from those being used by motor vehicles; however, the two facilities merged at intersections. Retail sales increased and business vacancies decreased in these areas. Some cities have seen an increase in the number of bicycle r iders with the increase in bicycle lanes. While there are many options to construct a complete street, each street, whether urban or rural, must be independently evaluated for specific needs and potential improvements. Improvements can include re-striping, re-programming of signal timing, and adding countdown pedestrian signals. While narrower streets cost less to maintain, these can cause significant challenges to first responders who require a minimum turning radius for their apparatus. A good balance must be made. The National Complete Streets Coalition has determined that a four-step approach is necessary. The first step is to review current procedures, processes and policies with all departments at the table for input. The second step is to review design manuals and standards for potential revision. Staff must then look at the performance measures and all of the benefits, and then ensure everyone is properly trained and informed of the most innovative approaches. Workshops are provided upon request. The Local Government Commission has authorized funding for workshops in six Central Valley counties, and can be made available to Bakersfield. Wider sidewalks are recommended for safety by increasing the width from four feet to five feet. Raised medians can also reduce speeds and pedestrian accidents, as can tighter turning radii on corners, and well-placed, illustrative signage. It is believed that motorists will change their behavior based on the design of the street itself. Mr. Zykofsky stated that a benefit of reducing a roadway from four to three lanes is that traffic moves more efficiently on three lanes. Additionally, pedestrian volumes increase, as it is easier to cross three lanes instead of four. One -way streets are good candidates for this design. One study looked at the impact of reducing street width and found a $61,000 savings per mile in paving costs. From an energy-savings standpoint, narrower streets also created less of a heat island effect, which reduced home cooling energy by approximately 50 percent. AGENDA SUMMARY REPORT Planning and Development Committee Tuesday, August 27, 2013 Page 4 City Manager Tandy asked for a hard copy of the slides. Mr. Zykofsky agreed to provide them and noted that the information can be found on the National Complete Streets Coalition’s website. Fire Chief Greener said he is a bicycle rider, so can unders tand that viewpoint; however, his primary concern is being able to navigate Fire Department apparatus in a timely manner for public safety. There needs to be enough room to move the apparatus into position to hook up to a water supply and initiate critical tasks, and time is critical. A 40-foot width has, at times, been problematic. Mr. Zykofsky said that a key component is creating streets with multiple ways in and out. Many subdivisions are cul-de-sacs, which is a detriment to a timely response. Fire Chief Greener said that there are many other issues that most people are not aware of, such as the distance required when the outriggers are deployed on a ladder truck. Mr. Zykofsky responded that there are other options available to ensure that first responders have enough room for the apparatus. There was discussion between Chief Greener and Mr. Zykofsky regarding the percentage of calls for fires compared to medical emergencies. Chief Greener asked Mr. Zykofsky for contact information for other Fire Chiefs on this issue, so that he can reach out to them for discussion. Committee Chair Smith stated that the goal is overall safety. Balance is needed. Mr. Zykofsy asked how the adopted Complete Streets Policy is working. Assistant to the Public Works Director Fidler said that staff is now re-evaluating each project to ensure space is properly utilized for safety for all users. Quarterly meetings are being held, with all departments at the table. The new policy has helped staff recognize what issues each department or division faces with each development, thereby resulting in a more coordinated project. 2) Staff Analysis and Report City Manager Tandy said he believed Bakersfield has always been a leader and innovator in bicycle and pedestrian issues; however, more is being learned from Bike Bakersfield and Councilmember Smith. The updated Bicycle Transportation Plan is in the circulation and comment period. Discussions are continuing with Councilmember Smith about design manuals and standards. Assistant to the Public Works Director Fidler reported that staff has been very busy since adoption of the resolution. All designers, planners and developers were notified of the new Complete Streets Policy, including City staff and AGENDA SUMMARY REPORT Planning and Development Committee Tuesday, August 27, 2013 Page 5 consultants. Each project is now being reviewed for potential improvements based on the Policy. A focus is being placed on modifying improvements for the sake of all users, based on context of facility. Conditions are being added to new tract maps, parcel maps and the General Plan to make sure developers are aware of the Policy. Quarterly meetings are being held for each project. New American Disabilities Act (ADA) standards are being applied. Whenever a roadway requires resurfacing, staff is looking to add or wi den bike lanes, at other options for increasing visibility on corners for pedestrians, and any other potential improvements. One recent challenge was the opening of the Westside Parkway, which bisects arterial roadways. Challenges were encountered in trying to accommodate pedestrian walkways and bikeways through those new interchanges. A lot of time was spent with Councilmember Smith and Bike Bakersfield to resolve the difficulties. The new Bicycle Transportation Plan provides guidance on where to place bike lanes and routes, and possible funding sources. The Traffic Engineering division is actively working with Golden Empire Transit and the Independent Living Center of Kern to identify bus stop locations that require improvement. These improvements include adding no-parking zones, where applicable, to enable bus drivers to pull up next to the curb. General Services staff is installing new markings for turn bays, constructing signs that instruct motorists to yield to bikes and right turn lanes through arterials, and restriping as much as possible. The Public Works Department is committed to the Complete Streets Policy, and they are looking forward to working with Councilmember Smith and staff in other departments to formulate standards that everyone can be comfortable with and serves all purposes. 5. COMMITTEE COMMENTS Committee Chair Smith complimented the Public Works Department and other staff on the progress that has been made. His goal today was to bring everyone up to date and have a general discussion that will move the City towards a thorough review of the design standards. 6. ADJOURNMENT The meeting adjourned at 1:15 p.m.