Sacramento Active Transportation Commission Inaugural Meeting - August 23, 2018

The Active Transportation Commission held its first-ever meeting on August 23, 2018 at 6:00 p.m. in City Hall Council Chamber. Commissioners introduced themselves, elected officers, received training on the Brown Act and Public Records Act, and reviewed two major agenda items: the West Broadway Specific Plan and the naming of two North Natomas trails. The meeting lasted approximately two hours and included public comments and discussion of future priorities.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Lori Stetson (Upper Land Park Neighbors Association) expressed support for walkable connectivity but cautioned against new large roadways cutting through existing neighborhoods. She noted concerns about the Broadway Bridge and traffic on Fifth Street, and urged the commission to consider pedestrian and bicycle connections that integrate with the existing grid.
• Michael Redino (Vallejo Street homeowner) opposed the designation of Vallejo Street as a primary vehicle outflow point in the West Broadway plan, citing existing traffic and safety issues for his two-year-old.
• Dan Allison (District 4 resident) requested that future commission materials be available online before meetings, suggested field trips to underserved areas (e.g., South Sacramento), called for removal of "no pedestrian crossing" signs, and asked for monthly police data on failure to yield and speeding citations. He also advocated for a policy that crosswalks not be removed without commission review.
• Kieran Kumara (Executive Director, Walk Sacramento) praised the commission's expertise and offered Walk Sacramento and Sacramento Area Bicycle Advocates as resources for training, equity analysis, and policy guidance. He encouraged the commission to prioritize equitable investment, meaningful policy, and Vision Zero goals.

Discussion Items

• Election of Chair and Vice Chair: Commissioners nominated Jackie Cole and Amy Ward Waller for chair. After discussion, Commissioner Haupt moved to elect Cole as chair and Ward Waller as vice chair; the motion was seconded by Commissioner Carpenter. The motion passed with one dissenting vote (Commissioner Cole herself).
• Chamber Training: Staff demonstrated the use of microphones, speaker request buttons, and document viewing screens.
• Approval of 2018 Commission Calendar: Commissioner Coffer (absent) submitted a comment noting that only four meetings remained in 2018, with half on exceptions to the stated third Thursday rule. Staff explained that the third Thursday is the default unless the City Clerk identifies a conflict. The calendar was approved by voice vote.
• Brown Act and Public Records Act Training: Deputy City Attorney Jennifer Gore presented a 25-minute training covering open meeting rules, public participation rights, recordkeeping obligations, and exemptions. She warned commissioners to avoid serial meetings and to treat all written communications about commission business as public records.
• West Broadway Specific Plan (Information Item): Associate Planner Helen Selph presented the plan's scope, study area (bounded by Sacramento River, Broadway, 5th Street, and 4th Avenue), and two preliminary concepts (A and B) for activating Miller Regional Park and improving connectivity. Commissioners asked about marina capacity, tunnel activation, bridge options to West Sacramento, traffic calming, and outreach to Alder Grove, Marina Vista, and Land Park Woods communities. The presentation concluded with a request for future commission input on active transportation elements.
• North Natomas Trail Naming (Action Item): Staff presented two trail names selected through community outreach (269 votes for Fisherman's Lake Parkway, 272 for Redbud Trail). A representative from JIBE (North Natomas TMA) urged approval to enable wayfinding signage. Commissioner Pollins, a Natomas resident, supported both names. The commission voted unanimously to recommend the names to City Council.
• Committee Comments, Ideas, and Meeting Reports: Commissioners requested future agenda items including: a comprehensive list of active transportation projects, bike/pedestrian count data, wayfinding plans, updates on the Del Rio Trail, Two Rivers Trail, Folsom Boulevard complete streets, Jump Bike parking education, landscaping on the Sacramento Northern Trail, infrastructure investments by district, and a Vision Zero/equity presentation.

Key Outcomes

• Elected Officers: Jackie Cole (Chair) and Amy Ward Waller (Vice Chair) for the remainder of 2018.
• Calendar Approved: The 2018 meeting schedule was adopted.
• Trail Naming Approved: The commission forwarded a recommendation to City Council to name Trail #1 "Fisherman's Lake Parkway" and Trail #2 "Redbud Trail."
• Future Agenda Items: Staff will compile a list of priority topics from commissioner requests, with a focus on equity, data collection, and Vision Zero.