Active Transportation Advisory Committee Regular Meeting – August 4, 2026

The Active Transportation Advisory Committee (ATAC) met to receive a Brown Act training presentation, elect officers, discuss committee priorities and vision, hear task-force reports, and receive staff updates on the Active Transportation Plan (ATP), Vision Zero, traffic collision data, and capital projects. Note: the agenda included in the source materials lists the meeting date as January 28, 2026, while the metadata supplied for this summary states the meeting date as 2026-08-04; this summary uses the supplied metadata date.

Opening Business

• Chair Laura Gromis called the meeting to order. Roll call showed most districts present; District 7 was absent.
• The committee observed a moment of silence for Minneapolis, with members expressing opposition to violence on city streets.
• The agenda was approved unanimously.
• The minutes of the December 3, 2025 regular meeting were approved unanimously. No minutes document was included in the source materials.

Public Comments & Testimony

• No unscheduled public comments were offered at the start of the meeting.
• During the priorities discussion, Tony Molina, a former chair of the predecessor bicycle/pedestrian advisory body, asked about a Brown Act update he referred to as the SP 707 update. Staff replied that the City Clerk's office advised it would not change ATAC's Brown Act obligations unless the City Council adopts changes.
• Molina also urged ATAC to consider reinstituting an annual priority-project list, use the ATP's high-priority list as a starting point, review the City's standard design drawings (the developer doorway), and aim for around 60% design as the review point.

Brown Act and Advisory Board Presentation

• Public Works staff presented a Brown Act and advisory board overview. Staff said ATAC represents community interests, not personal interests or individual advocacy, and that members are public officers subject to the Political Reform Act, Form 700 disclosures, and mandatory ethics training every two years.
• The presentation covered open and public meetings, agendas posted in advance, a five-member quorum, public comment rights, and the general prohibition on discussing or acting on items not on the agenda.
• Staff warned against serial meetings and social media interactions among members that could amount to majority deliberation outside a posted meeting.
• In response to a question from Sean Zweifler, staff said a past meeting without a quorum should not have occurred; the quorum is five members regardless of how many seats are active.

Election of Chair and Vice Chair

• Nick Yovino Jr. was elected Chair and Sean Zweifler was elected Vice Chair for Fiscal Year 2026. Both votes were unanimous; Mohammad Shaikh seconded both nominations.

ATAC Priorities and Vision Planning

• Sean Zweifler opened the discussion, saying ATAC should re-examine how it operates and work to receive capital projects early enough for its input to matter.
• Members raised the need for shade and environmental comfort in active-transportation infrastructure, earlier involvement in project concepts, and continued emphasis on education and encouragement alongside engineering.
• Public Works staff explained that projects are funded through the city budget or grants and that ATAC input is especially useful when grant-support letters are requested and through eyes-on-the-street reports. Staff invited members to suggest projects for upcoming grant cycles, including ATP Cycle 8.
• New Chair Nick Yovino Jr. suggested improving routine communication with the city's grants team and establishing regular meetings with elected officials. Members expressed interest in reviving ATAC-run social media and increasing community engagement.

Task Force Reports

• Protected Bicycle Parking Task Force: Sean Zweifler and Mohammad Shaikh committed to meeting and advancing the task force. Staff will seek a Planning and Development Department presentation on development and design codes. The task force may expand from protected parking to bike parking more broadly.
• Bike Month 2026 Task Force: The task force prioritized three elements: a bike ride with the mayor on the downtown loop in early May, a park-to-park ride with land trusts in the Tower district, and a bike rodeo pilot with one or two council members, possibly including helmet distribution.

Member Reports and Comments

• District 1: Sean reported that a long-complained-about curb cut at Gettysburg and Hayes was fixed. He also raised repeated dangerous encounters with stray dogs and said he is considering presenting to the City Council on the issue.
• District 2: A member echoed the stray-dog concern, reported construction intrusions into protected bike lanes, golf carts in bike lanes and roads, and growing e-bike safety questions.
• District 3: Jacob reported that sidewalk obstructions on Belmont were cleared but that cars parking on sidewalks and bike lanes remain a problem, especially near Palm and Belmont. He asked for bollards at right-turn slip lanes and better contractor communication about keeping construction signs out of bike lanes.
• District 5: A member reported meeting with Councilmember Bang, attending a groundbreaking for a project with a Class I trail, and proposed holding regular meetings with elected officials at least twice a year.
• Diana Durham referenced a Washington Post article titled America's Plan to Protect Pedestrians Failed, arguing that Vision Zero cannot be only a slogan and needs real funding, enforcement, and implementation.
• Several members expressed concern about e-bike behavior, classification, and safety, and the need for education and culture change.

Staff Reports

ATP and Vision Zero Action Plan Update

• Staff said the ATP steering committee would meet that Friday, after which the draft ATP would go live for a 30-day public review. The plan has 12 chapters plus appendices and toolkits. A workshop will be held at City Council, and ATAC will receive a presentation before formal adoption.
• The Vision Zero Action Plan is being developed by consultants and will go out for public review after the ATP reaches council adoption. Staff said suggestions for Vision Zero policies and programs can still be submitted before adoption.

Traffic Collision Report (Year-End 2025)

• Staff presented year-end collision data from the Fresno Police Department. For 2025, total collisions were 3,801; 254 involved pedestrians and 157 involved bicyclists. Compared with 2024, total collisions decreased, pedestrian-involved collisions increased from 244, and bicycle-involved collisions increased from 131.
• Fatalities reported for 2025 were 28 pedestrians, 1 bicyclist, and 2 e-bike riders. Compared with 2024, pedestrian fatalities increased from 26 and bicyclist fatalities decreased from 7.
• Staff noted that the police department currently combines e-bike collisions with bicycle collisions in the overall counts, and that scooters and skateboards are categorized under pedestrians per the California Vehicle Code. Tony Molina asked how PD defines e-bikes, citing Vehicle Code section 312.5; staff agreed to ask PD and referenced a July 25, 2025 Fresno PD Facebook post on e-bike classifications.

Capital Projects Update

• Fresno Street Overlay (C Street to just west of F Street): This grind-and-overlay and restriping project includes pedestrian ramps and high-visibility crosswalks at C and E Streets. F Street is expected to be handled through the high-speed rail Fresno Street grade separation. Staff noted 12-foot travel lanes, a 30 mph speed limit, and no bike lane due to structure width constraints.
• Church Avenue Complete Streets Project (MLK Jr. Blvd to Elm Street): The project will add missing sidewalk, curb and gutter, street lights, a south-side Class IV cycle track east of Gaston Middle School, and a buffered Class II bike lane on the north side. A design change at Geneva removes a right-of-way acquisition and creates a slight sidewalk bump-out while keeping the bike lane.
• Cesar Chavez Grade Separation (F Street to H Street/Broadway): High-speed rail work is nearing completion. The new bike lanes between F and H will be five feet wide rather than seven feet due to structural costs, with sidewalks on both sides. Mono Street between G and H will permanently close. A member raised a drainage-grate safety concern at a related grade separation and staff said they are working with high-speed rail on it.
• MLK Jr. Blvd/Pottle Avenue and Cesar Chavez Blvd Intersection: Staff presented three draft options: a protected intersection, a signal with protected left-turn phasing, and a traffic-circle/roundabout option. A community meeting at Edison High School did not go well, with residents unhappy about proposed bike lanes. The project includes a bike facility from the corridor to Fruit Avenue and needs right-of-way action by January 2027. A better-noticed community meeting is planned for February, and ATAC members offered outreach lists and school-pickup timing suggestions.

Key Outcomes

• The agenda and the December 3, 2025 minutes were approved unanimously.
• Nick Yovino Jr. was elected Chair and Sean Zweifler was elected Vice Chair for Fiscal Year 2026.
• ATAC agreed to continue working with Public Works on earlier and more useful project input, including grant-cycle communication and possible standing task-force work.
• The Protected Bicycle Parking Task Force and Bike Month 2026 Task Force both identified next steps and priorities.
• Staff will ask Fresno PD how e-bike-involved collisions are categorized and will share relevant Vehicle Code definitions.
• The draft ATP will enter 30-day public review; Vision Zero public review is expected after ATP adoption.
• A second community meeting on the MLK/Pottle/Cesar Chavez intersection project is planned for February with broader notification.