Live blogging context sensitive streets subcommittee

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Getting set up, about to go live.  Handful of advocates who attended last night's Council meeting in favor of the Mobility Fee moratorium to expire. 

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Roll call: Greg Anderson, Lori Boyer, Jeff Clements, Dylan reingold, Doyle carter and downtown Don Redman

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Jack Shad up.  Parking extraordinaire.  Speaking about state law that requires parallel parking unless otherwise not required by local ordinance.  Using Margaret Street example (Black Sheep), that wanted to use angled parking (get more parking spaces and reduces speed on roads, safer for pedestrians auto and cyclists) and gave up bc Council dragged their feet with inaction.  Wants committee to consider angled parking approved by right.

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Councilwoman Daniels checking in.

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Wayne reed talking about design process of Laura St.  City standard examined  Used charleston and savannah as examples to slow motoring traffic down and recognizing there are multiple users.  Found that reducing stall width and increasing width of sidewalks preferable.  Jax standards do not recognize these values. 

Speaking to standards giving indemnification to engineers.  If standards do not allow for safety, engineers liable for lawsuits.

Lane width on Luara was 11 ft. With stall wifdth of 8ft... Both 1 ft lower than what was required.  DDRB had to approve this deviation despite safety preferances of a proper design.

Redman, cobblestones are disaster for cyclists. Reed, design included pedestrian crosswalks.. Cobblestones are successfully traffic calming measure.. Especially in front of Landing

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Boyer asks was it envisioned that the roadway was to be used for cyclists?

Reed, focus was more in slowing traffic and pedestrians.  Cyclists are users but were not necessarily accounted for.

Boyer says we need to take I. Consideration multiple users and pedestrians and cyclists are underrepresented in design process.

Reed, San Marco Blvd had more community input and therefore more users were considered. 

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Anderson asks about liability issue.  Reed, there is a standard but a process is needed that allows you to stray from that standard.  One standard depending on neighborhood, whether rural or urban.  Need more flexibility, with anither process that reviews on case by case basis. 

Boyer, even as PUD 10-set review can reject alternative roadway designs

Stephen this committee is about Adopting a context sensitive street policy city-wide. 

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Doug Miller, CEO of England Thames-Miller

Have to rezonePUD to implement small scale changes.  Need alternate process for these deviations. 

Riverside Ave example... You can narrow lanes and widen sidewalks... But infrastructure not up to snuff.. Says this is fallacy of infill.  You don't have enough space to upgrade utilities and having less room for accomadtions for these upgrades takes away from a particular project.  Development needs more flexibility.  Utilities are outside of the right of way and may hvpave their own easements which complicates things. 

Smart guy but clearly he is part of the problem and not solution.  Thinks st johns towns center is perfect because you have so much more space to work with.  On Riverside Ave, you compete with JEA ROW.  Utility lines should take priority over roads.  Wants more space, not less.

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NEFBA can get behind this.  Development needs to be sped up and not slowed down by unnecessary layers.

Pretty big news! 

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NAIOP on board with anything that can provide flexibility with govt and private development is preferential.  Having only one set of of alternative standards may not be enough. 

More big/good news.  Current process is flawed and needs flexibility. 

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Jim Robinson, tying Mobility Plan to context sensitive streets.  MP is already our master plan.  It already sets up mobility zones that articulate context sensitive transportation modes.   

Any process of context sensitive streets should not be random, but should follow Mobility Plan.  Public Works is on board and we need to relax tension of rigid dimensional guides that are all encompassing. 

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I'm not surprised by the comments from Doug Miller....good to hear Jim Robinson is on board

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Current standards only plan for vehicular safety and not other forms of transportation.  Robinson says process is too complicated, needs to be simplified and look at big picture.

Boyer agrees.  Says its disheartening very time new cycling or pedestrian deaths are on news.

Redman agrees.

Daniels wants to know what NAIOP means. 

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Redman.  We're way behind.  Personally been hit 4 times in bike in two years.  Feels as though he's been the lone voice for years on Council.. And is excited to see attention is finally on the matter. 

Daniels makes a point that this may conflict with her health committee.

Boyer says we should consider health planning.  But not conflict.  All interrelated and thats why Bishop put Daniela on this committee. 

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The pro(Stephen) has arrived.  I can retire in peace. 

Steve Lovett emailed Boyer a completes street checklist that they are adopting in Seattle that he is working on.  Steve's a good and very smart guy.