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HomeMy WebLinkAboutTransportation Board - Minutes - 06/21/2023 TRANSPORTATION BOARD TYPE OF MEETING – REGULAR June 21, 2023, 6:00 p.m. Virtual Meeting Via Zoom 6 /21/202 3 – MINUTES Page 1 FOR REFERENCE: Chair: Cari Brown Vice Chair: Council Liaison: Ed Peyronnin Emily Francis Staff Liaison: Aaron Iverson 1. CALL TO ORDER Chair Brown called the meeting to order at 6:00 PM. 2. ROLL CALL BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT: Cari Brown, Chair Ed Peyronnin, Vice Chair Jerry Gavaldon James Burtis Indy Hart Jess Dyrdahl Rob Owens Stephanie Blochowiak BOARD MEMBERS ABSENT: Nathalie Rachline CITY STAFF PRESENT: Noah Beals Rachel Ruhlen Cortney Geary PUBLIC PRESENT: Anna (last name not given) Megan (last name not given) 3. AGENDA REVIEW Chair Brown suggested postponement of the last item on the new business agenda should the meeting go past 8:00 p.m. Iverson stated there were no other changes to the published agenda. 4. CITIZEN PARTICIPATION Anna tated she is present to observe. Megan stated she too is present to observe. TRANSPORTATION BOARD TYPE OF MEETING – REGULAR 6 /21/2023 – MINUTES Page 2 (**Secretary’s Note: Blochowiak arrived at this point in the meeting.) 5. APPROVAL OF MINUTES – MAY 2023 Rachline provided additions to the snow removal discussion and the Think Bike workshop discussion. (**Secretary’s Note: Vice Chair Peyronnin arrived at this point in the meeting.) Gavaldon suggested postponement of the minutes item until the additions are complete. 6. UNFINISHED BUSINESS a. Volunteer to attend Planning and Zoning Meetings Iverson stated Dyrdahl has offered to attend the meetings when available. Dyrdahl stated she missed the June meeting, but did attend the May meeting and will plan to attend as possible moving forward. 7. NEW BUSINESS a. Land Use Code Updates – Noah Beals Noah Beals, Development Review Manager, stated staff has been directed by Council to begin a new public engagement process after the adoption and subsequent repeal of the updated Land Use Code. He stated walking tours throughout the city, virtual information sessions, an open house, and a deliberative forum have occurred as part of the outreach efforts. Additionally, he noted community engagement will continue once alternatives are developed per the first set of outreach efforts. He outlined the proposed schedule for the coming months culminating in bringing an ordinance before Council in late September. Beals stated the ultimate goal of this phase of the Land Use Code update is to implement adopted plans, particularly the Housing Strategic Plan, and the second phase will address non-residential uses, though its scope has yet to be finalized. He mentioned the five guiding principles used for this phase and discussed the six main topic areas that have resulted in the most public comment, including increasing housing choices, creating more affordable housing, ensuring new housing types fit within the existing character of neighborhoods, ensuring the development review process is clear, addressing the interaction of the Land Use Code with HOA’s, and addressing concerns with infrastructure and utilities. Beals stated there will be many factors in drafting the new language, includ ing input from Council which will be informed from the concerns and suggestions received during public outreach and aligning with the guiding principles. He went on to discuss how building types will be addressed and the importance of getting to a place where housing choices and capacity increase while also having neighborhood compatibility. TRANSPORTATION BOARD TYPE OF MEETING – REGULAR 6 /21/2023 – MINUTES Page 3 Beals discussed the ways in which the repealed Code addressed private covenants, or HOA’s which stated the HOA could not create further restrictions that prohibit the City’s adopted housing policies from being implemented; however, it did not eliminate HOA’s. In terms of parking, Beals noted the repealed Code would have allowed for a reduction in off-street parking requirements for an affordable housing project to allow space for more units. He noted market-rate housing did not have any substantive changes to the parking standards. He also noted the repealed Code did not include a requirement to add an additional off-street parking space for an accessory dwelling unit and staff has heard a number of concerns related to that issue. Beals noted public engagement in the development review process is also being explored. He outlined the three existing types of development review noting the requirements for each level of review do not change; however, the decision maker does change, as does whether a public hearing or neighborhood meeting is required. He stated the possibility of moving housing projects through the development review process more quickly is being considered, though all projects would require public notice. He discussed the possibility of building in a public comment time period for basic development review projects. Beals stated preventing new accessory dwelling units from being short-term rentals will likely be a provision that moves forward and existing situations will need to be addressed. He stated staff is currently forming a memo that will go to Council at the end of the month that provides analysis and overview of the public engagement to date and that will be followed by another memo that will outline possible alternatives. Following that, on July 31st, more solid alternatives will be presented at Council’s work session and public drafts of the Code with additional public and Board outreach will occur subsequently. Gavaldon asked Beals if he plans to meet with the Board of Realtors. Beals replied he was unsure if anything has been scheduled; however, they frequently request presentations and may be waiting until alternatives have been developed. Dyrdahl commended staff work on outreach and asked if the comments and feedback received during this round of public outreach have differed from those received prior to the repeal. Beals replied the six main topic areas were identified in May and those remain the primary areas of comment and concerns. Gavaldon expressed concern regarding reducing parking requirements for affordable housing which will force cars onto streets. He also suggested staff may need to look at HOA’s more closely and do some test cases related to bylaws and architectural review controls. He noted people frequently buy into neighborhoods with HOA’s and metro districts for a reason. He asked if staff has met with the group that initiated the repeal. Beals replied staff has met with certain members of the group and have TRANSPORTATION BOARD TYPE OF MEETING – REGULAR 6 /21/2023 – MINUTES Page 4 engaged with the group as much as they have wanted to engage. Chair Brown stated Rachline’s husband, who is on the Energy Board, recently expressed concern that some of the parking changes could eliminate some options for people to have electric vehicles. She also expressed concern about accessory dwelling units being used for short-term rentals and stated she believes many people buy homes in neighborhoods with HOA’s because they are less expensive. Blochowiak commended staff on public outreach efforts and the mention of alignment with adopted long-range plans and policies. She noted those plan efforts also included a great deal of public outreach. She commended the proposals for development review and public comments which aim to streamline the process while also allowing for a specific public comment period. Burtis asked why transportation is not more obviously tied into the Land Use Code, specifically why more infill around the College and Harmony area is not being pushed given the number of large empty parking lots in the area. He asked why a requirement for mixed-use or some type of reduction in parking requirements is not part of the consideration in the Harmony and College area. Beals replied his presentation focused mainly on the six broad areas of concern, but he noted sta ff looked at the CG, Harmony Corridor, and Employment zone districts that do allow for some residential development and examined the review type. He stated the repealed Code did include some incentives to encourage mixed -use development in those districts found mostly around College. Additionally, staff examined the zone districts around current and future bus rapid transit lines and found them to be primarily LMN. The repealed Code increased the maximum density in the LMN from 9 to 12 units per acre, and eliminated the maximum density requirement entirely for affordable housing developments in the LMN. He noted the second phase of Land Use Code updates will include a deeper look at the TOD zone district. Owens stated it would be helpful to know the times and estimated costs of the various review processes. Beals replied he does not have the exact estimates; however, he noted time is money and the review process timeline particularly affects 100% affordable housing projects as those suppliers are competing for grants. Owens commented on questions related to why more development is not happening around bus rapid transit lines. Beals noted phase one was attempting to not remap anything and future efforts could look at mapping other areas of the city for TOD overlay or refining the existing TOD overlay zone. Owens asked if Fort Collins has such a demand that would cause a massive spike in utilizing accessory dwelling units as short-term rentals. Beals replied a great deal of work has already gone into the short-term rental guidelines; therefore, it was not a focus of the Land Use Code work. However, concerns have been raised regarding using new ADU’s as short-term rentals and the repealed Code stated that would only TRANSPORTATION BOARD TYPE OF MEETING – REGULAR 6 /21/2023 – MINUTES Page 5 be allowed in the zone districts in which short-term rentals are already allowed. He stated the City’s short-term rental licenses fluctuated between 350 and 400 units and he could not speak to whether increasing ADU’s would increase that number. Chair Brown commended public outreach efforts. b. E-scooter Code Changes, Letter to Council from BAC – Rachel Ruhlen Rachel Ruhlen, FC Moves, discussed the history of the SPIN micromobility share program and work to complete a study on SPIN device parking behavior. She outlined the parking counter measures that were developed as a result, including parking boxes, six of which have been installed around town, rider penalties, and education about how to park properly. She noted existing regulations are very strict about where shared micromobility devices can be parked and vary from where personally owned bikes or E-bikes can be parked. She outlined the proposed changes that would simplify the Code to remove language specific to shared micromobility. Additionally, she stated staff can work with SPIN outside of the ordinance to be more restrictive in certain areas, such as downtown, for example. Ruhlen noted the BAC wrote a memo in support of the change. Chair Brown noted the BAC is requesting the Board take action on this item by voting to send the memo to Council. Hart made a motion for the Transportation Board to support the Code changes and forward on to Council the May 22nd E-scooter memo from the Bicycle Advisory Committee. Hart stated it appears the City staff and the BAC put a great deal of effort, analysis, and data into the memo. Blochowiak seconded the motion. Burtis commended the proposed changes and stated additional education may be helpful. Gavaldon stated the red striping on the parking boxes seems to be sending a mixed message and requested it be removed. He questioned whether motor scooters or motorcycles could use the parking boxes and opposed using vehicle parking spaces for bicycles. He stated he is not impressed with the efforts of SPIN to relocate its vehicles. Burtis stated many of the vehicles he has seen strewn into lawns or other areas were moved because they were in the way in the sidewalk and expressed support for other parking options. Gavaldon agreed with Burtis’ statement; however, he stated SPIN should be doing a better job. TRANSPORTATION BOARD TYPE OF MEETING – REGULAR 6 /21/2023 – MINUTES Page 6 The vote on the motion was as follows: Yeas: Brown, Peyronnin, Burtis, Blochowiak, Dyrdahl, Owens and Hart. Nays: Gavaldon. THE MOTION CARRIED. Chair Brown commended the staff work on the item. c. Bicycle Advisory Committee Letter to Council Regarding Recreational Bicycle Facilities – Cortney Geary Hart made a motion for the Transportation Board to support and forward on to Council the April 28th recreational bicycle facilities memo from the Bicycle Advisory Committee. Hart stated it appears the BAC did a great deal of work to produce the memo. Burtis seconded the motion. Cortney Geary, FC Moves, provided some background on how the BAC opted to make recommendations for the City to provide support for recreational bicycling amenities, which started with a discussion about the Hughes Stadium site, though this memo does not mention that location specifically. She noted the memo recommends that FC Moves and Parks and Recreation work together to plan for recreational bicycling facilities. She noted this does have a tie to the adopted Active Modes Plan. Chair Brown noted this memo and Transportation Board support would not require any action on the City’s part. Gavaldon asked if the Valmont Bike Park in Boulder is similar to something that would be contemplated. Geary replied that is the type of facility the BAC is recommending the City plan for. Gavaldon asked if the BAC is recommending the City fund this type of facility at the expense of taxpayers or if the advocacy group will be funding the project. Geary replied the BAC is recommending the City plan for it and that recreational bicycling facilities be prioritized and funded by City dollars; however, it would not preclude some type of public/private partnership for funding. Gavaldon asked about the acreage requirements for such a facility and expressed concern it could be too large for the Hughes Stadium site, which was intended for open space. Geary noted there is no reference in the memo to Hughes Stadium or an acreage amount. Gavaldon thanked Geary for work on the item but stated he would oppose the motion as he does not believe this type of facility is appropriate, particularly for the Hughes site, and it should be privately funded. Burtis noted the Parks budget is running at a deficit and given the expense of TRANSPORTATION BOARD TYPE OF MEETING – REGULAR 6 /21/2023 – MINUTES Page 7 maintenance, he asked if not just the construction of the facility, but also its long-term maintenance would be more costly than other potential recreational uses. Geary replied Parks is one of the areas that is under consideration for sustainable funding and increasing maintenance funding. Additionally, she noted the BAC memo recommends not only prioritizing the creation of the facilities, but also the funding for their maintenance. She stated a new funding source, such as a grant, would need to be found as this is not something the Parks Department could cover in its existing budget. Burtis expressed concern a grant would cover the construction of the facility, but not necessarily the long-term maintenance. He stated he is having a difficult time justifying support for recreational bicycling facilities as the city already has a number of recreational facilities of other types. Vice Chair Peyronnin noted that while this topic started with the discussion of the Hughes property, it evolved into more of a community-wide issue with some acknowledgment that Hughes may not be an appropriate location. He stated the suggestion is more around directing part of the funding pie toward bicycling infrastructure as Fort Collins is a cycling community and it lacks areas to train and teach cycling. Dyrdahl stated this type of a facility has been shown to be a priority for residents and she will support the motion. Owens noted the Active Modes Plan aims to increase ridership to 50% of trips, which will not necessarily just come from increased street infrastructure. He suggested creating spaces for people to ride recreationally does support the Active Modes goals and will likely increase on-street ridership and commuter trips. Hart noted the Board could forward the BAC memo while sending its own letter indicating what it may disagree with, and a motion could be rephrased depending on the vote. Chair Brown noted this item also does not require any action by the City. Burtis stated he would prefer dollars to be spent on bicycling transportation rather than recreation. Geary noted the BAC referenced the survey which indicated mountain bike courses and bike parks being supported by 12.1% and 6.8% of respondents stating these are the highest need for a type of recreation facility in the community, which in combination makes them the highest identified need, and yet there is no reference to future bike parks within the Parks and Recreation Master Plan. She also noted this does not commit Council to providing any funding. Per Burtis’ comment, Hart stated it is also possible a pot of money could be used for bike infrastructure versus street widening for vehicles. TRANSPORTATION BOARD TYPE OF MEETING – REGULAR 6 /21/2023 – MINUTES Page 8 The vote on the motion was as follows: Yeas: Brown, Peyronnin, Blochowiak, Dyrdahl, Owens and Hart. Nays: Burtis and Gavaldon. THE MOTION CARRIED. d. Discuss Letter to Council Regarding Car Removal on Snow Routes Chair Brown stated this item will be postponed to the next meeting. 8. BOARD MEMBER REPORTS Vice Chair Peyronnin reported on a bike ride from Montreal to Manhattan down the Empire State Bike Trail and suggested the infrastructure here could make that type of experience a tourist attraction. (**Secretary’s Note: Chair Brown had to leave the meeting at this point and Vice Chair Peyronnin took over.) Hart congratulated the Board on having a good meeting last month. He reported on going on a number of bike rides, one of which was on the trails and roads out toward I-25 to investigate Poudre Trail connections. He stated nothing has changed in the area, though he knew the concrete work for Timnath to complete the underpass has gone to bid. He questioned Fort Collins’ plan to make the connection once Timnath finishes its part, or if Timnath is completing the trail. Iverson replied he will follow up. Hart noted the Board was previously told the connection would be complete by the end of the summer. Hart suggested Fort Collins needs to look at the trail connections between existing trails and what will be done for the Poudre Trail. Vice Chair Peyronnin stated the underpass trail under I-25 is complete and the connection for Fort Collins is supposed to go back across the development to the Environ mental Learning Center, which he thought would be done around 2025. Owens stated the BAC received an update at its last meeting from Geary though he could not recall the details. Iverson stated he would send out an email update. Hart reported there is no connection from the existing Poudre Trail to Arapaho Bend, and once in Arapaho Bend, there is no connection to where the trail will be. He stated Fort Collins needs to be prepared to make those connections when the other pieces are complete. He also commented on the need for the Harmony overpass. Dyrdahl thanked Iverson for sharing his board member report at the last meeting and reported on Salida’s excellent mountain biking infrastructure. She stated she was chosen as a participant in the E-bike program for the City. (**Secretary’s Note: Chair Brown returned at this point in the meeting.) Gavaldon concurred Harmony Road needs to be addressed for bike infrastructure but expressed concern about funding. He also reported on witnessing a bike accident on Drake TRANSPORTATION BOARD TYPE OF MEETING – REGULAR 6 /21/2023 – MINUTES Page 9 Road and stated cyclists need to take some responsibility for their safety. He announced the bike-in Day of the Dead celebration in October at the Museo de las Tres Colonias and a boat model sailing event Saturday at City Park. Burtis reported he had his first bike accident at the train tracks on North Mason just south of Cherry. He stated he has spent the past two weeks at a workshop at CSU and suggested the possibility of working with CSU to provide visitor bike rentals. Owens reported on the Bike the Rockies event which is a ride from Fort Collins, across Rocky Mountain National Park, to Granby and Winter Park, and back. 9. OTHER BUSINESS a. Bicycle Advisory Committee Report Owens noted Bike to Work Day is June 28th and the closing ceremony will be at Foothills Mall. He also reported the BAC received a presentation on the update to the Strategic Paved Trails Master Plan which will begin in early 2024. b. City Council 6-Month Calendar Review Iverson stated Council will be considering E-Scooter Code updates at its July 18th meeting and will be considering sustainable funding options, the recommendations of the Ad Hoc Council Committee on Boards and Commissions, the transportation capital projects prioritization study, and the Downtown parking study at upcoming work sessions. c. Staff Liaison Report Iverson reported the Ad Hoc Council Committee on Boards and Commissions has one more formal meeting in July and will be discussing the Bicycle Advisory Committee. He noted the Active Modes Plan includes a recommendation to refresh the BAC to be an Active Modes Committee and there will be a discussion as to whether the Committee should be its own Board rather than a subcommittee of the Transportation Board. Gavaldon asked if there is still a possibility of combining the Parking Board with the Transportation Board. Iverson replied he has not heard anything about the Parking Board for a number of months and he will follow up. Hart questioned if the Transportation Board would become a ‘motorized’ vehicle Board if the BAC became its own Board. Iverson acknowledged there are many different structures that could be put in place. 10. ADJOURNMENT The meeting adjourned at 8:05 p.m. by unanimous consent.