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Home My WebLink About042315 Final Minutes - Transportation Workgroup COMPREHENSIVE PLAN TRANSPORTATION WORKGROUP MINUTES DATE: START TIME: LOCATION: April 23, 2015 1:03 p.m. City Hall, Conference Room 3 Members Present: Pamela Adams (City Council), Shirley Calodich (WSU Grow Healthy Kids), Rick Jahnke (Planning Commission), Kees Kolff (1996 update), George Kovich (WSDOT), Monica Mick-Hager (Planning Commission), Catharine Robinson (City Council), Tammi Rubert (Jefferson County Transit), Scott Walker (1996 update/NMTB) Guests: Richard Dandridge, Debbie Jahnke, Fred Nussbaum, Jim Todd Staff Present: Judy Surber (Planning Manager), Samantha Trone (Public Works), Amber Long (Deputy Clerk) Topic Recommendation/Action Follow-up (if needed) Welcome & Introductions Comprehensive Plan Overview Judy Surber discussed the Comprehensive Plan update process and the role of the five workgroups. She described the four fundamental concepts of the Comprehensive Plan: maintaining small town character, achieving better balance between jobs & housing, accommodating the City’s share of county-wide growth, and providing public facilities & services within the City’s financial resources. She noted that the scope of work includes “state-mandated” revisions and, resources allowing, optional amendments selected locally. The workgroups need to identify additional optional themes. Changing Circumstances & Emerging Trends Ms. Surber Ms. Surber reviewed trends data detailed in the meeting materials. She stated that offered to the entire trends memorandum is posted on the City’s website in the 4/23 email the Planning Commission packet. workgroup a copy of the entire memo once finalized and point out 1 Revised 5/19/15 Topic Recommendation/Action Follow-up (if needed) the section(s) pertaining to economic issues related to climate disruption. Optional Amendment Themes Ms. Surber discussed the preliminary optional amendment themes: planning for transition and community resilience, revisiting the mixed-use center designations, policies & capital improvements that support families & youth, and reviewing Howard Street zoning. She stated that jobs/housing balance and a “code audit” were suggested as a theme by prior workgroups. Why Are We Here? Ms. Surber explained that the workgroups are to focus on general ideas for optional themes rather than specific details. She solicited input from the group members. Forming a Scope of Work – Group Exercise During discussion, members made suggestions George Kovich Members expressed the following observations and concerns: including: offered to send Ms. Surber -Comprehensive Plan is car-oriented -Add a definitions section so that the language contact -Workers commuting from the tri-area used in the plan is clear (e.g., information for -Millennials are looking for places to live within walking/biking distance of work open/closed/improved rights of way) Ray Deardorf -Level of service for the ferry is now determined differently than described in the -Add a fifth fundamental concept to the plan: (WSF). element—now based on capacity of vessel rather than wait times addressing the consequences of climate -Free parking undermines the transit system (there was a counterargument that paid disruption parking will not generate enough money to fund transit) -Address vulnerability of capital -Topography of PT and aging population doesn’t make cycling an option for improvements from sea level rise (reference everyone Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe report regarding -Safety of cyclists on main roads is a concern climate change) -Parking spaces downtown are designed for 22’ cars; Smart Cars only need 9’ -Managed retreat from flood-prone areas -FHWA and WSDOT will issue new guidance on “performance measures” by end of -Focus on moving people and goods, not on 2 Revised 5/19/15 Topic Recommendation/Action Follow-up (if needed) year. moving cars -Frequency and routing of transit is a barrier that keeps many people from using it -Look at parking in relation to other goals (e.g., affordable housing, limiting impervious surfaces) Ms. Surber stated that some of the issues raised may be better addressed by the Climate -Must create first-class rural transit system Action Committee or other council committees rather than through a Comprehensive (i.e., a reliable system that will get people out Plan amendment. of cars and will be people’s first choice when they need to get somewhere) Group members generally agreed that resilience is an important theme, focusing on the -Consider transit improvements vs. road City’s ways of addressing climate change in relation to transportation (encouraging improvements to mitigate project impacts. cycling and use of Park & Ride, developing an efficient transit system, addressing -Free bus passes for downtown employees parking) would encourage more people to use the Park & Ride -Change use of Park & Ride (Policy 6.6) from a goal to a priority -Mixed-use zoning will help provide local shopping options to keep people out of cars -Non-motorized transportation path through City -Comp Plan should prioritize bike lanes over parking and direct creation of a bicycle system plan - add to Non-Motorized Transportation Plan (to include: -Wayfinding/signs, map, switchback routes through residential streets for cyclist safety and to avoid steep hills. -Transportation element needs to address new technology (electric vehicles, work from home, etc.) -Explore options for shared cars or shared electric bicycles -Make sure that Comprehensive Plan is 3 Revised 5/19/15 Topic Recommendation/Action Follow-up (if needed) consistent with Regional Transportation Plan -Coordinate with WSDOT on performance measures. -Revisit functionality of Hwy 20/Ferry terminal intersection -Placement of Street lights (existing and future)need to weigh safety concerns with dark skies/energy use/maintenance costs Public Comment Fred Nussbaum, formerly a transportation planner in Portland, suggested that if the mid-range population projection did not include climate refugees, it should. Planning should be based on a range not a single number. He would like to see an evacuation plan for earthquake/tsunami. He stated that Transit is trying to run a rural transit system based on an urban fixed-rate model and suggested that there are creative transit solutions, for example fixed-time with flexible route. He encouraged a ¼-mile standard distance to transit (i.e., calculating areas directly served) and partnership between Transit and taxi companies. Jim Todd stressed pedestrian safety. He would like Council to act on existing policy in the Comp plan regarding pedestrian safety. On the topic of resilience, Debbie Jahnke asked if there is a way to calculate the carbon footprint of transit versus cars on a per rider basis and if there is a way to make public transit more carbon neutral. She would like the City to find creative ways to get people out of cars and onto buses. She pointed out that the Comp. Plan mentions free bus passes for downtown employees. Richard Dandridge stated that he is encouraged by group’s conversation. The Local 20/20 has been frequently contacted by climate refugees. Some realtors are 4 Revised 5/19/15 Topic Recommendation/Action Follow-up (if needed) tracking where people come from, so there may be some data that the City could access. He also suggested motion-sensor street lights. Feasibility of Zip-cars in Port Townsend has been investigated but population is too low to support and Uber has undermined. Next Steps: Judy Surber will work with the Planning Commission members who attended each workgroup session to distill the information and for the Planning Commission as they develop a scope of work. If the workgroup meets again, it will be in the summer or fall after the scope of work has been adopted by Council. Next Meeting: To be determined Adjourn: The meeting ended at 3:02 p.m. 5 Revised 5/19/15