HomeMy WebLinkAbout01-20-2009 PEBTAC MinutesSaratoga Pedestrian, Equestrian and Bicycle Trails Committee Meeting
City Hall Planning Offices
13777 Fruitvale Avenue, Saratoga
MEETING MINUTES
Tuesday, January 20 th , 2009
Meeting started 7:00pm
Meeting adjourned 8:13 pm
I. Organization
Attendees:
Denise Goldberg, Chair
Jim Stallman, Vice Chair
Bill Brooks, Citizen Advisor
Ray Cosyn, Citizen Advisor (absent, excused)
Ann Waltonsmith, Citizen Advisor (absent, excused)
Iv eta Harvancik, Staff
Chuck Page, Council
II. Administration
Minutes approv ed for December 2009.
III. Oral and Written Communication
none
IV. Staff Report
A. Mr. Shankar Mt. Eden Road property easement description surv ey is underway.
Crossing of Mt. Eden Rd. will likely be located at the property’s lower driv eway.
B. Quito Rd. @ RR tracks property will be subdivided into 4 lots and include a trail
easement along the RR frontage and pathway along Quito.
C. Sunnyvale Saratoga Road path across from Saratoga High is being completed as well
as repairs to pathways elsewhere along the road where needed.
V. Old Business
A. Bicycle Circulation Element staff comments will go to City Council in March. It was
remarked by Jim Stallman that the review was triggered by the Saratoga Avenue fatality
where a cyclist went into the back of a vehicle which had pulled over to answer a cell
phone call. Jim suggested that all that was needed from the beginning was to change
the No Parking signs at the crash site to No Stopping signs and that maybe Public Works
could do this without delay.
VI. New Business
A. Trail Relocation at 21789 Villa Oaks Lane – property owner presented property plan
which shows trail easement shifted from actual trail location. It was recommended
unanimously by the committee that the easement description on the plan be changed to
match the existing trail alignment while still matching City Trail specifications of a 15’ wide
easement. Property owner expressed opposition to the General Plan shown proposed
trail easement along the access road between his two properties a trail which would
require a dedication by the property owner in any case. The committee thanked the
property owner for the existing trail dedication and staff will provide a description of what
the owner needs to hav e done so that the City Council can approv e the easement
description change.
B. Lawrence Sidewalk Gateway Beautification Project – a proposed Eagle Scout Project
will do some finishing work to prevent weeds from taking ov er areas next to the sidewalk
consisting of light grading and installation of wood chips and a few ornamental drought
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plantings (iris and redbud). Staff suggested that the City Tree fund could be tapped to
pay for the trees. The Mayor, Chuck Page, commented that he had received an inquiry
asking about possible Eagle Scout Projects that the City might want done.
C. Potential New Trail Maps – a nonquorum meeting will be held next week on
Wednesday to develop recommendations for potential new trail maps which could be
published on the City web site.
D. Mustard Faire – Heritage Preserv ation Committee (HPC) is seeking volunteers to help
with the March 1st ev ent – contact HPC Chair person if interested.
E. Trails Photo Contest – A business is currently sponsoring a Community Photo
Contest and the idea of having a trails theme photo contest was discussed. A suggestion
was made to solicit trails photos coinciding with National Trails Day which would then
be put on display in the Library. National Trails Day this year is June 6th with the link:
http://www.americanhiking.org/ntd.aspx
VIII. Member Reports (information only, no actions to be taken)
Blue Hills School RR Safety Project was discussed. The crossing was closed in 2008
and school families want it reopened. The Blue Hills School RR Safety Project is item
#48 on the VTA project list found at:
http://www.vta.org/studies/vtp2035/bicycles/bicycles.html
Mayor Chuck Page is on the VTA Policy Advisory Committee (PAC).John Cherbone is on
the VTA Technical Advisory Committee (TAC).Jim Stallman is the rep on the VTA Bicycle
Pedestrian Advisory Committee (BPAC). The BPAC already put this project on the
project list and funded it. It is up to the PAC and TAC to make it happen.
This project will likely end up being a grade level RR crossing signal like exists at the
Amtrak Great America Station or any Caltrain Station in Santa Clara County. VTA should
be able to do the footwork on working up what that entails.
VIII. Action Items Summary
A. Staff to consider replacing No Parking signs with No Stopping signs at Saratoga
Av enue crash site.
B. Staff to provide Villa Oaks Lane property owner with trail easement description
actions to be taken information.
C. Jim Stallman to forward information about Eagle Scout Project to the Mayor who can
provide contact information for the Scout inquiry
D. Those who can v olunteer to help at the Mustard Faire to contact HPC Chair person
E. Continue Photo Contest item to next meeting with Jim Stallman to check on Library
Display Calendar opening for first week in June