{"body": "TransportationCommission", "date": "2022-01-26", "page": 1, "text": "Draft Minutes\nTransportation Commission Meeting\nWednesday, January 26, 2022\nTime:\n6:30 p.m.\nLocation:\nPursuant to Assembly Bill 361 codified at Government Code Section 54953,\nTransportation Commissioners can attend the meeting via teleconference. The City allows public\nparticipation via Zoom.\nLegistar Link:\nhttps://alamedaca-gov.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_RdDnLxBeQjuXZhWV-OEQNA\n1. Roll Call\nPresent: Chair Soules, Vice Chair Yuen and Commissioners Kohlstrand, Weitze, Rentschler and\nNachtigall.\nAbsent: Commissioner Michael Hans.\n2. Agenda Changes\nNone.\n3. Staff Communications are as shown in the web link here:\nttps://alameda.legistar.com/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=5385385&GUID=0524F134-2FC5-\n 47DB-8D47-125D50782A68&FullText=1.\n4. Announcements / Public Comments\nJim Strehlow questioned why July 27, 2022, had been recommended for cancelation. He also had\nissues with recent City Council decisions about slow streets and beg buttons. He noted there was\nno public opportunity to question why the City Council had not followed the staff's\nrecommendation. He felt that the public had been left out of the process. He also discussed a recent\ntrip to Orlando Florida where he felt they had very bad bike/pedestrian facilities.\nRobert Vance, Public Work Senior Engineer, introduced Tawfic Halaby who had recently joined\nPublic Works as a Supervising Civil Engineer. He would be working on the Capital Improvement\nProgram.\nTC Draft Minutes\n1\n1/26/22", "path": "TransportationCommission/2022-01-26.pdf"}
{"body": "TransportationCommission", "date": "2022-01-26", "page": 2, "text": "Chair Samantha Soules congratulated Commissioner Randy Rentschler who had recently retired\nfrom MTC (Metropolitan Transportation Commission).\n5. Consent Calendar\n5A. Approve Special Meeting Minutes - October 27, 2021 (Action Item)\nhttps://alameda.legistar.com/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=5385386&GUID=7761655A-3E7F-\n4669-9501-35A0E865E689&FullText=1.\n5B. Approve Meeting Minutes - November 17, 2021 (Action Item)\nhttps://alameda.legistar.com/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=5385387&GUID=9067248C-DC24-\n40D2-9BED-5F5A482C4702&FullText=1.\nCommissioner Rebecca Kohlstrand made a motion to approve the minutes from October 27th and\nNovember 17th, Commissioner Natchtigall seconded the motion. A vote was taken by a raise of\nhands and the motion passed 5-0, Commissioner Rentschler abstained since he had been absent at\nthe meetings.\n5C. Approve Meeting Calendar for 2022 (Action Item)\nhttps://alameda.legistar.com/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=5385388&GUID=3A8E20A9-B5DF-\n4B06-B387-8CC10BC3F5BA.\nGail Payne, a Senior Transportation Coordinator, explained the changes in the calendar for July.\nChair Soules opened public comment.\nJim Strehlow thought that the changes complicated things but he understood and would make sure\npeople knew about the schedule changes.\nChair Soules closed public comment.\nCommissioner Rentschler moved approval of the 2022 Meeting Calendar and Vice-Chair Tina\nYuen seconded the motion. A vote was taken by raise of hands and the motion passed 6-0.\n6. Regular Agenda Items\n6A. Discuss and Endorse the Annual Report on Transportation and the Annual Report on\nthe Climate Action and Resiliency Plan for the 2022 Work Plan (Multiple City staff) (Action\nItem)\nTC Draft Minutes\n2\n1/26/22", "path": "TransportationCommission/2022-01-26.pdf"}
{"body": "TransportationCommission", "date": "2022-01-26", "page": 3, "text": "Staff Member Payne introduced Danielle Mieler, Sustainability & Resilience Manager, who gave\nthe presentation on the Annual Report on Climate Action & Resiliency 2022 Work Plan. The staff\nreport and attachments can be found at:\nhttps://alameda.legistar.com/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=5385389&GUID=CD117554-40EC-\n4D67-9B54-5D65F51F339B&FullText=1\nCommissioner Clarifying Questions for #6A CARP\nThere were no questions.)\nPublic Comments for #6A CARP\nJim Strehlow discussed how many recent council actions (roundabouts) were already slowing\ndown traffic, he felt that these actions would increase carbon emissions as cars wait longer for\nnon-existent pedestrians. He also discussed how the city was not preparing for electrical\nbrownouts, and that too much demand was being put on electricity, especially with plans to get rid\nof PG&E gas lines to homes. He felt that these plans were leading Alameda's citizens and\nbusinesses to chaos.\nCommissioner Comments and Discussions for #6A CARP\nCommissioner Scott Weitze questioned the goal for commuters and if it was on track.\nStaff Member Meiler discussed current traffic demands and telecommuting. She acknowledged\nthat people were returning to work but that emphasis was on public transit.\nCommissioner Rentschler discussed that FHWA (Federal Highway Administration) had\nrecognized that roundabouts reduced greenhouse gases and decreased travel times. He then\ndiscussed how the pandemic had affected the data but it looked like people were going back to\ndriving. He did believe though that the city's goals were on target even if they feel aspirational.\nCommissioner Kohlstrand believed Alameda had done a good job developing the policy\nframework for CARP. She noted this was a critical time to take action against climate change. She\nnoted the importance of funding to take concrete actions.\nChair Soules also discussed the stretch goals and goals that were not on track due to lack of\nfunding. She wholeheartedly would recommend to Council to have revenue priorities.\nTC Draft Minutes\n3\n1/26/22", "path": "TransportationCommission/2022-01-26.pdf"}
{"body": "TransportationCommission", "date": "2022-01-26", "page": 4, "text": "Commissioner Weitze asked about the Easy Pass Programs and free bus tickets. He was concerned\nthey were not targeting the right \"carbon-intense\" groups. He liked the program but wanted to\nmake sure they were targeting people who would otherwise drive.\nAndrew Thomas, Director of Planning Buildings and Transportation, discussed Alameda's role\nwith AC Transit and how they were looking at the E-Z Pass Program.\nCommissioner Kohlstrand noted that the E-Z Pass Program was not on target and wanted to know\nmetrics that were being discussed to get in back on target.\nVice-Chair Yuen wanted to see a dashboard with performance metrics to see where they were on\ntrack. She also wanted to see Greenhouse Gas measurements.\nStaff Member Meiler answered that a dashboard was in the works and explained other metrics that\nwere in the works. She also discussed potential regional greenhouse gas emission measurements\nthat locals could use.\nCommissioner Yuen then asked about existing housing for electrification.\nDirector Thomas discussed existing incentive programs and potential requirements to encourage\nelectrification. He added that this is something that would take time.\nCommissioner Alysha Nachtigall asked about data availability for car, electric vs. non-electric\nownership.\nStaff Member Meiler answered that 2020 was all that was available at the moment.\nVice-Chair Yuen asked about Congestion Pricing.\nDirector Thomas said it was still in the plans and that it needed State Legislation to make it\nsuccessful. They would have to work with the regional partners.\nCommissioner Kohlstrand made a motion to support the endorsement of the Climate Action Plan\nto the City Council. Also to urge the City Council to not only prioritize Climate Actions for funding\nin the city but also to strongly consider new local funding sources to facilitate concrete action\ntowards meeting these goals. Commissioner Rentschler seconded the motion. A vote was taken by\na raise of hands and the motion passed 6-0.\nTC Draft Minutes\n4\n1/26/22", "path": "TransportationCommission/2022-01-26.pdf"}
{"body": "TransportationCommission", "date": "2022-01-26", "page": 5, "text": "Staff Member Payne then introduced Lisa Foster, a Senior Transportation Coordinator, who gave\na presentation on the Annual Report on Transportation. Robert Vance and Areli Vazquez of Public\nWorks and Rochelle Wheeler of Transportation and Director Thomas also presented. The staff\nreport and attachments can be found at\n  https://alameda.legistar.com/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=5385389&GUID=CD117554-40EC-\n4D67-9B54-5D65F51F339B&FullText=1.\nPublic Comments for #6A Transportation Annual Report\nDenyse Trepanier expressed her appreciation to the staff for their work and commented on the\nClement St bike path. She also discussed improvement ideas for Willow to make cycling safer.\nJim Strehlow believed that the Traffic Fatality goals were faulty, he believed that traffic fatalities\nwere usually committed by drunks and bad drivers. He thought the goals penalized good citizens\nwith infrastructure changes. He discussed how roundabouts would not decrease greenhouse gases.\nHe also gave suggestions on how Agendas for meetings should be worded.\nCommissioner Clarifying Questions and Comments #6A Transportation Annual Report\nCommissioner Rentschler discussed roadway striping on Alameda Ave and the paid parking at\nSeaplane Lagoon. He discussed that fares should really benefit the rider and he urged everyone to\nthink twice about charging for parking right now. He also discussed the bike/ped Oakland Bridge\nand the likeness of it happening.\nChair Soules discussed the best way to get updates with PowerPoint and what data needed to be\nseen by the public and the Commissioners.\nCommissioner Kohlstrand agreed with Chair Soules about the mid-year updates through\nPowerPoint. She also discussed parts of the Cross Alameda Trail that said they were completed\nbut were still fenced off. She also wanted the Sub-Committee to get information on the Street\nClassifications before it came back to the Commission. She also discussed and agreed with some\nof the points made by Commissioner Rentschler about the bike/ped Oakland Bridge.\nDirector Thomas discussed the timeline for the Street Classification and agreed it should go to the\nSub-Committee first.\nChair Soules discussed that a subcommittee could help with the prioritization of goals.\nTC Draft Minutes\n5\n1/26/22", "path": "TransportationCommission/2022-01-26.pdf"}
{"body": "TransportationCommission", "date": "2022-01-26", "page": 6, "text": "Staff Member Wheeler said the fencing should be down from the Cross Alameda Trail on the\nfollowing Monday.\nCommissioner Nachtigall asked about the Grand resurfacing project. She discussed other sections\nthat should be included. She also discussed priorities and that completing the Cross Alameda Trail\nshould be high on the list.\nStaff Member Vance explained that sections for resurfacing were chosen based on paving needs.\nCommissioner Weitze discussed the Cross Alameda Trail and how to safely get people to the\nAlameda Landing Waterfront. He also wanted an update on the Alameda Point Adaptive Reuse\nProject and about the EV (electric vehicle) plan for the parking lot at Seaplane Lagoon.\nStaff Member Wheeler answered that Fifth Street was the best option. She also pointed out other\nplaces to find information on the connected network.\nStaff Member Vance gave an update on the Adaptive Reuse Project.\nStaff Member Foster answered that EV chargers should be put in by spring, it was currently only\na small percentage.\nChair Soules expressed the need for equity with having EV charging spots, especially with\nreducing overall parking. She then discussed goals in the Vision Zero Plan and that you have to\nlook at more than one plan to get the full picture.\nVice-Chair Yuen gave her thoughts on the West End Bike Bridge and the feasibility of it\nhappening. She believed that regardless of whether the bridge happened or not it was imperative\nthat the city looked at alternative ways to get on and off the island.\nChair Soules agreed and discussed other potential ideas.\nCommissioner Kohlstrand made a motion to endorse the Transportation Annual Report,\nCommissioner Nachtigall seconded the motion. A vote was taken by a raise of hands, all were in\nfavor except for Commissioner Rentschler.\nCommissioner Rentschler discussed his issues with the ambitious bike/ped bridge. He believed the\ncost was too high, was not feasible and he could not support it.\nTC Draft Minutes\n6\n1/26/22", "path": "TransportationCommission/2022-01-26.pdf"}
{"body": "TransportationCommission", "date": "2022-01-26", "page": 7, "text": "Commissioner Kohlstrand made a motion to endorse the Transportation Annual Report.\nCommissioner Nachtigall seconded the motion. Chair Soules made an amendment to consider the\npriority and the low feasibility of the Bike/Ped Oakland Bridge (West End Bike Bridge) with the\ncomments made by Commissioner Rentschler. Commissioner Rentschler seconded the\namendment. A vote was taken by a raise of hands and the motion passed\n6B. A Public Workshop to Review and Comment on the Draft Housing Element Update to\naccommodate the Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA) for the Period 2023-2031 in\nCompliance with State Law\nDirector Thomas introduced the item and gave a presentation. The staff report and attachments can\nbe found at\nhttps://alameda.legistar.com/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=5385300&GUID=E42261C5-E282-\n4236-BC4A-145AB6AEF4CD&FullText=1.\nCommissioner Clarifying Questions and Comments for #6B\nChair Soules asked for clarification on State requirements.\nDirector Thomas discussed and explained what State Law required and that part of these\nworkshops was showing citizens what the city had to do. This was a State requirement and the city\nhad to do this.\nCommissioner Rentschler discussed the difficulties around this challenge, such as SB-10.\nCommissioner Kolhstrand wanted clarification on where SROs (single room occupancy) were\nallowed. She wanted to ensure there was a mix of housing types. She also discussed the Gold Coast\nand High Street and where multi-family housing could work.\nDirector Thomas went into the details around SROs and what other changes were coming to Park\nand Webster.\nCommissioner Weitze believed that SROs were good and worked. He discussed why they were\nbeneficial. He also discussed Linear Park and why it should be rezoned. He thought it would be\ngreat for more housing.\nChair Soules went into detail about the importance of equity.\nTC Draft Minutes\n7\n1/26/22", "path": "TransportationCommission/2022-01-26.pdf"}
{"body": "TransportationCommission", "date": "2022-01-26", "page": 8, "text": "Commissioner Nachtigall discussed the different barriers they had to remove to be successful.\nChair Soules discussed the possibility of another joint meeting with the Planning Board.\nPublic Comments for #6B\nJim Strehlow spoke against multi-family housing. He also expressed his concerns about safe\nevacuations off the island.\n7. Announcements / Public Comments\nJim Strehlow pointed out that in-person meetings were better because you could see who was\nattending them. He also wanted to hear more about the plans for water taxis.\nAlex Spehr asked about the bike barge idea instead of a bridge. She also suggested bollards for\nprotected bike lanes.\nChair Soules discussed items that should come back such as Estuary Crossing options.\n8. Adjournment\nChair Soules adjourned the meeting at 9:45 p.m.\nTC Draft Minutes\n8\n1/26/22", "path": "TransportationCommission/2022-01-26.pdf"}