HomeMy WebLinkAboutBicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee 2018-06-06 Minutes
City of San Rafael
Minutes of the Regular Meeting of the San Rafael
Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee (BPAC)
Wednesday June 6, 2018 @ 6:00 PM
Community Development Conference Room
3rd Floor, City Hall
Members present: DJ Allison, Jim Geraghty, Joakim Osthus, Kate Powers, Jerry Belletto (alt)
Members absent: Amy Beresford, Barry Bergman, Tim Gilbert, Kevin Hagerty, Shoshana
Harlem
Staff present: Lauren Davini, Charmine Solla, Simon Vuong
Others present: Jeff Olson, Carol Galloway, Lori Schifrin, Nancy Zee, Camille Miller, Edith
Lawrence, Eileen Prendill, Sean Prendill, Bill Carney, Phil Abey, Joanne Webster, Craig
Murray, Alezz Laielen, Jean Severinghaus, Patrick Siedler
1. Call to Order
2. Public Comments: 2 min each
a. Carol Galloway – opposed to seat wall removal, has a record of
supporters by petition and e-mail
b. Jeff Olson – opposed to tree removal and seat wall removal. Appreciates
shade trees provide
c. Alezz Laielen – Doesn’t see good justification for tree removal. Likes
benches. Suggested plantings in pots with flowers if roots prevent. Does
not like planters in front of Joe’s. Thinks the pink sidewalks/benches look
dirty. Doesn’t like the homeless meters. Doesn’t want use of glyphosate.
Likes the old lights
d. Camille Miller – Collected 58 signatures in support of keeping seat walls.
Wants to know why the City is considering replacing them. Suggests
regular power washing. Likes the versatility of the benches. Spoke to
some business owners who think they should be cleaned, maintained.
Doesn’t think this is a solution to dealing with homelessness.
e. Patrick Seidler – SMART Board endorsement for the pathway. Thank you
to BPAC. FTA Approval needed, but expects San Rafael to get it. Project
A-10 in BPMP is important and should be ranked as high as other north-
south greenway projects.
f. Lori Schifrin – commented Tamalpais West was a bikeway longer than
one week despite the posters on the A-frames. Doesn’t think it was
useful. Suggested there should have been a call-in number (instead of
just text)
g. Nancy Zee – Lots of traffic (congestion) resulted because of Tamalpais
Project
h. Jean Severinghaus – Expressed thanks to staff for Tamalpais bikeway.
Taxis on West Tamalpais from 3rd to 2nd are becoming a nuisance.
i. Bill Carney – On behalf of Sustainable San Rafael, request keeping the
concrete benches. Removing them would result in a loss of 70% of
seating downtown. Suggested power washing seats and sidewalks.
Suggested phasing tree replacement over a period of time to maintain
canopy. Replacements of similar scale/size. Suggested ornamentals.
Downtown Streets team could help.
j. Joanne Webster – On behalf of Chamber of Commerce. Supports the
BPMP. Seat walls – some merchants have issues with seats along store
fronts. Suggested mosaic tiling art work over existing benches. Trees that
are too large may block signs. City should strive to keep string lights. At
this time, opposes permanent bike lane on Tamalpais. Wants more
careful implementation in the future.
k. Craig Murray – Encourage monthly BPAC meeting. In Richmond, they
have had more success planning in building projects, thanks to more
frequent meetings.
l. Phil Abey – Asked that SRHS connection from 4th/Union be considered in
BPMP
3. 4th Street Rehab/Seat Walls
a. Phil Abey led an informal presentation about the options the City is
considering
b. Simon Vuong said Economic Development Department does not have a
date to bring this to City Council at this time
4. Status/schedule for Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan (BPMP)
a. Kate Powers asked Staff to review original BPMP contract. Asked for
more outreach to get more feedback
b. Main comments are that the text is too small/too light
c. Staff said map size won’t change; it was established early on and re-
sizing the map would result in having to re-format the entire document
d. Committee member asked that the ped/bike overcrossing from Canal to
West Francisco be added back in as a project
e. Committee does not accept BPMP as-is. Staff to reach out to the Canal
and follow up with Alta on readability
f. Staff will ask Alta to provide a revised draft; proposes special meeting to
discuss just the BPMP
Due to time constraints, the following items were not discussed:
5. Status of Tamalpais West Pilot Project
6. San Rafael General Plan 2040 Update
7. Vision Zero