San Diego Active Transportation & Infrastructure Committee Meeting Summary - June 16, 2021
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San Diego Active Transportation & Infrastructure Committee Meeting Summary - June 16, 2021
The Active Transportation and Infrastructure (ATI) Committee of the San Diego City Council met virtually on June 16, 2021, due to Executive Order 29-20 suspending certain Brown Act requirements. Chair von Wilpert presided, with Vice Chair Lakava and Councilmembers Montgomery Steppe and Ilo Rivera attending. The meeting was broadcast on City TV and live-streamed, and public comment was accepted via Zoom webinar. The committee approved the consent agenda, received an informational update from the Metropolitan Transit System (MTS), discussed major parking policy reforms, and approved funding plans.
Consent Calendar
- Unanimously approved the consent agenda (items 1-4) as follows:
- Item 1: Construction change order #3 for Pump Station 23T Emergency (Flat Iron West Inc.)
- Item 2: Consultant agreement with Blue Lake Civil for engineering services for the AC Water and Sewer Group Job 1033 project
- Item 3: Construction management services contract to Arcadis Inc. for the Harbor Drive Trunk Sewer Replacement Project
- Item 4: Agreement with STC Traffic Inc. for as-needed ITS consultant services
- Motion by Vice Chair Lakava, seconded by Councilmember Montgomery Steppe; passed unanimously.
Public Comments & Testimony
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Non-Agenda Public Comment:
- Noah Harris (Climate Action Campaign) expressed disappointment that the Mobility Action Plan has not been fully funded and is years away from completion, emphasizing that it is essential to meet the Climate Action Plan's legally binding mode shift target and that electric vehicles alone are insufficient.
- Clarissa Reas Falcon (on behalf of BERD) thanked staff for efforts on shared mobility device ordinance amendments, particularly on impound language and equity engagement, and looks forward to future discussions.
- Janet Rogers (Safe Walkways) urged stronger scooter regulations and enforcement, citing statistics: only 5 tickets issued in Q1, 121 impounds through May 14, and over 12,000 get-it-done reports, with over 1,000 illegal parking reports in one week. She requested no permits in July and a reset in January with fewer companies and stricter rules.
- Mike Bullock (Oceanside resident) spoke about climate literacy and the need to convey the severity of the climate emergency, referencing state and AG letters on climate stabilization.
- Jonathan (no last name) criticized the new mayor for not implementing scooter parking in streets, arguing that pedestrian safety is being ignored and predicting injuries and deaths.
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Consent Calendar: No public comments.
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Item 5 (Parking Policy Reform): 13 public speakers.
- Supporters included Carter Rupin (NRDC), Marshall Anderson (Downtown San Diego Partnership), Andy Hanshaw (Mobility Board), Jacob Mandel (San Diego County Bicycle Coalition), Noah Harris (Climate Action Campaign), Kamine Mohammed (City Heights CDC), Katie Christ (UCSD researcher), Paul Jamison (Bike San Diego), Hunter Collins (Circulate San Diego), Angie Kalanog (San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce), and Nicole Burgess (Mobility Board). They emphasized reduced development costs, climate goals, business flexibility, and equity. Many asked to expand the policy to include coastal communities (e.g., Ocean Beach) and to consider stronger measures like parking maximums.
- Opponent: Wally (from Scripps Ranch Planning Group) argued that community planning groups need more time for review, noting his group opposed the item because of limited transit in District 5.
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Item 6 (Community Parking Districts):
- Supporters: Jacob Mandel (Bike Coalition) supported the budgets, particularly the Fifth Avenue Promenade and bikeways; Paul Jamison (Bike San Diego) supported with concerns about a proposed bike diversion in University Heights; Marshall Anderson (Downtown San Diego Partnership) supported the gaslamp promenade; Michael Trimble (Gaslamp Quarter Association) supported the item.
- Opponent: Gordon Freidelick (Pacific Beach Park and Advisory Committee) claimed the public was misled regarding the parking meter pilot's duration and that the shuttle budget was insufficient, reiterating community opposition to parking meters.
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Item 7 (Transnet RTIP): Comments from Paul Jamison (Bike San Diego) praised coastal rail trail funding but criticized missed opportunities for protected bike lanes on West Mission Bay Drive and Friars Road; Mike Bullock (Oceanside) called for a fair road use charge system, noting the regressive nature of sales taxes.
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Item 8 (Architectural Design Consultant Agreements): No public comments.
Discussion Items
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Item 9 (Informational Update – MTS Five-Year Capital Improvement Program):
- Mike Thompson (Director of Financial Planning) and Julia Tour (Manager of Governmental Affairs) presented MTS's 5-year Capital Improvement Program (CIP) totaling $840 million, including $580 million for state-of-good-repair needs and $260 million for major initiatives. Key points included:
- The need to replace 800 buses (including 600 40-foot buses) on a 13-year cycle and 168 trolley cars (costing ~$5 million each), with a $216 million project to replace high-floor vehicles (SC-100) starting in 2019, funded partly by $109 million in savings.
- Transition to zero-emission buses over 15 years.
- Facility needs: five existing bus yards, with a need for a new division (Division 6); South Bay is being equipped with charging infrastructure.
- Other initiatives: San Ysidro Intermodal Transit Center ($30 million additional needed), El Cajon Transit Center third track, and rapid bus projects in South Bay.
- A $330 million deficit over five years, requiring aggressive pursuit of grants and possible future tax measures.
- Councilmember comments: Members emphasized the need for coordination, acknowledged funding challenges, and asked questions about site selection for Division 6 (environmental review ongoing) and grade separations (none in current program).
- Mike Thompson (Director of Financial Planning) and Julia Tour (Manager of Governmental Affairs) presented MTS's 5-year Capital Improvement Program (CIP) totaling $840 million, including $580 million for state-of-good-repair needs and $260 million for major initiatives. Key points included:
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Item 5 (Parking Policy Reform for Non-Residential Uses):
- Staff (Alyssa Mudo, Claudia Brizuela, Tanner French) presented a proposal to eliminate minimum parking requirements for most non-residential uses in Transit Priority Areas (TPAs) and neighborhood-serving commercial uses citywide. The presentation cited studies showing parking reductions correlate with reduced vehicle miles traveled and increased transit/active transportation use. The staff recommendation was to recommend City Council approval.
- Council discussion included concerns about community outreach, equity, EV charging, ADA parking, and the interplay with the Mobility Action Plan. Councilmember Montgomery Steppe requested continued outreach to District 4 groups. Councilmember von Wilpert expressed concerns about District 5's lack of transit options and voted no, while other members supported the item.
- Vote: Motion by Vice Chair Lakava, seconded by Councilmember Ilo Rivera. Passed 3-1 (von Wilpert dissenting).
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Item 6 (Community Parking Districts FY22 Annual Plans and Budgets):
- Staff (Alyssa Mudo, Ben Verdugo) presented the FY22 budgets for four districts (Uptown, Downtown, Mid-City, and Pacific Beach). Revenue was lower due to COVID, but funds were allocated for projects like the Fifth Avenue Promenade ($1.5 million downtown), Normal Creek Promenade and 4th/5th Avenue Bikeways (over $3 million Uptown), and a Pacific Beach shuttle service providing connections to the Mid-Coast Trolley.
- Councilmember Ilo Rivera proposed an amendment to include anti-harassment and inclusivity training policies in operating agreements with several community organizations (Uptown Partnership, El Cajon Boulevard BIA, University Heights CDC, and Discover Pacific Beach). The amendment passed.
- Vote: Motion by Ilo Rivera with amendment, seconded by Lakava. Passed unanimously.
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Item 7 (Transnet Local Street and Roads Program FY22-26 RTIP Amendment):
- Staff (Gene Matter, Ben Batalia) reported on the FY22 Transnet budget of $36.5 million, with allocations for street maintenance ($10.9M) and congestion relief ($25.3M, including $20.4M for CIP projects). They noted a reduction in fund balance held at SANDAG from $55.9M in FY16 to $24.9M, and a clean audit.
- Councilmembers asked about Coastal Rail Trail funding ($6M allocated, with an additional $9M next year to fully fund construction, estimated to start in about two years), and the increase in bike facility funding from $200K to $1.3M annually.
- Vote: Motion by Vice Chair Lakava, seconded by Montgomery Steppe. Passed unanimously.
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Item 8 (First Amendment to Architecture Consultant Agreements):
- The committee voted to waive the presentation and approved time extensions (no additional money) for contracts with Platt White Law Architects and Rossling Nakamura Torada Architects. Motion by Montgomery Steppe, seconded by Ilo Rivera. Passed unanimously.
Key Outcomes
- Approved consent calendar unanimously.
- Approved parking policy reform (item 5) by a vote of 3-1, with Councilmember von Wilpert voting no due to concerns about District 5. Council directed staff to conduct additional outreach, including an evening forum with translation services, and to revisit the proposal at council.
- Approved community parking district budgets (item 6) unanimously, with an amendment requiring inclusivity and anti-harassment policies in certain operating agreements.
- Approved the Transnet RTIP amendment (item 7) unanimously.
- Approved architectural consultant contract amendments (item 8) unanimously.
- No action was taken on the MTS informational update; it was for discussion only.
- The committee scheduled a special meeting for June 24, 2021 at 2 p.m. to discuss CIP projects.
Meeting Transcript
Chair, please proceed. Thank you. Can you hear me? Yes, we can. Um afternoon for executive order 29-20, which suspends certain requirements of the Brown Act. The committee members for the active transportation and infrastructure committee meeting will be participating via Zoom, and no members of the public will be in attendance at the meeting in the interest of public health and safety. In addition, this meeting is being televised and live streamed on the city's website, and the committee liaison has made arrangements for the public to comment using the Zoom webinar platform. We appreciate the public's cooperation. I will go over the specifics of how to join the webinar and will give details on how the public can offer their public testimony. I will now call the active transportation and infrastructure committee meeting of June 16th, 2021 to order. Beginning with roll. Present. And I am also here. Each committee member is attending virtually. Also on the virtual meeting is IBA Representative Jillian Cassie, City Attorney Representative Tina Ray, Mayoral Representative Brittany Bailey, and our committee consultant Justin Garber. The public may view our meetings on public television on City TV, Channel 24 for Cox Communication, and Time Warner Cable, or Channel 99 for ATT. Or you may view our meetings online by going to the City Council Committee's homepage at San Diego.gov and selecting the City Live Webcast. Committee meetings will be held virtually using the Zoom webinar platform. Members of the public can offer public comment on items by accessing the Zoom webinar online using a desktop computer, laptop, tablet, or smartphone, or by calling into the meeting using a smartphone, cellular phone, or landline. Link to join the committee meeting by webinar. The committee meeting webinar by computer, tablet, or smartphone is listed on our agenda. Join the Zoom webinar by telephone. Please dial 1669 254 5252. When prompted, input webinar ID 16056 7518 Pound. This information is also available on the agenda and will appear on the screen during the public comment period for each item. When I ended when I introduce the item you would like to comment on, please raise your hand by either tapping the raise your hand button on your computer, tablet, or smartphone, or by pressing star nine on your phone. You will be taken in the order in which you raise your hand. You may only speak once on a particular item. When our committee consultant Justin indicates it is your turn to speak, he will call you by your name as it appears on the Zoom webinar attendee list. Or he will read out the last four digits of your phone number. If you have called into the meeting, that is how you will know it is your turn to speak. If you have joined the webinar by computer, tablet, or smartphone, you will receive a pop-up notice to select to unmute your device. If you have called into the meeting by cell phone or landline, please press star six on your phone to unmute yourself. We will review these instructions briefly again when the public comment period on an item is open. Please wait until the item you wish to speak to has been called before raising your hand to speak. If you raise your hand during a non-comment period, your hand will be lowered. When you are announced as the next speaker, please unmute yourself and offer your comments for our committee. Also, please mute the volume on your TV or computer before you get to speak. Quorum is now present, and we will now vote on the approval of the committee actions of May 19th, 2021. Do I have a motion to approve the committee actions, please? I'll move. And wonderful. Here a second. I'll sec. Thank you. Um by committee member Lakova and second by committee member Montgomery Step. We will now take council member questions and comments and have each council member register their vote. Uh beginning with Vice Chair Locava. I vote yes. Okay.
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