Active Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Meeting Summary – February 17, 2022

The Active Transportation and Infrastructure (ATI) Committee met virtually via Zoom on February 17, 2022, at 9 a.m. per California Government Code Section 54953G. Committee members participated remotely, and the public was not in attendance. The meeting focused on the FY 2023-2027 Five-Year Capital Infrastructure Planning Outlook, which revealed a $4.32 billion gap between capital needs and projected funding, as well as actions on several infrastructure projects and the 2022 committee work plan. All actions passed unanimously.

Consent Calendar

• Item 1: Approved FY 2022 budget revision to Otay Mesa Fire Station 49 Capital Improvement Program Project S00784.
• Item 2: Approved consultant agreement H2125819 with Trussell Technology Inc. for design and construction support services for the SBWRP reverse osmosis system project.
• Item 3: Approved First Amendment to contract H197073 with Burns McDonald Engineering Company Inc. for the Los Peñasquitos Lagoon Restoration Phase 1 project. Vice Chair Lakava highlighted the importance of the lagoon restoration in reducing flooding for Sorrento Valley biotech firms and supporting climate action goals. The committee approved the consent agenda unanimously. The motion was made by Councilmember Campbell and seconded by Chair von Wilpert.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Janet Rogers (Safe Walkways) raised concerns about the city's handling of rental scooters, citing violations of state law and lack of enforcement, including lack of 'no scooter' signs, geofencing, and dedicated police enforcement. She also mentioned a $30,000 monthly cost for impounding scooters.
• Nicole urged accountability from the RTA office for reckless driversdurga, questioned road expansions in Grantville and other areas for inducing car reliance, and raised concerns about bike lane surface quality on Linda Vista Road and Nimitz.
• Lori Saldania requested assessment of ADA compliance in older neighborhoods like Normal Heights, and raised safety concerns for unsheltered individuals with mobility issues during encampment cleanups, advocating for medical teams on site.
• Daniel Schmioffski strongly opposed rental scooters, calling them 'toys for drunken 30-year-old boys' and demanding their removal, while expressing skepticism about Vision Zero and asserting his trust in his own eyes over statistics.

During the informational item on the capital outlook, public speakers also commented:

• Jonathan Freeman (Safe Walkways) argued that rental scooters increase carbon emissions when life-cycle, charging, and behavioral factors are considered, urging the committee to consider the climate action plan impact.
• Nicole questioned the exclusion of maintenance from the program, and voiced that parks should be considered priority needs given their contributions to stormwater management, sea level rise mitigation, shade, and community health.

On the work plan item:

• Jonathan Freeman requested that the committee ensure operational requirements for shared mobility devices are not removed in municipal code changes, and asked for clarification on how the new contract-based system will be monitored and enforced.
• Matthew Vasilakis (Climate Action Campaign) expressed gratitude for prioritizing the Mobility Master Plan, noting it is six years delayed and critical for achieving mode shift targets.
• Will Radigan (San Diego County Bicycle Coalition) praised the work plan, especially the exploration of quick-build infrastructure, citing the Pershing Drive bikeway as a successful example built in three weeks with Jersey barriers.

Discussion Items

• Item 7: FY 2023-2027 Five-Year Capital Infrastructure Planning Outlook (Informational)
  Presented by James Nagelvoort, Director of Strategic Capital Improvements. The report identified $8.44 billion in total capital needs over five years, with $4.12 billion in projected available funding, leaving a $4.32 billion gap. Priority needs (e.g., life safety, legal mandates, operational needs) accounted for 81% ($6.84 billion). The largest and fastest-growing gap was stormwater, at $1.4 billion (32% of total gap). The IBA noted the gap has grown $2.6 billion since the first outlook. Challenges include rising construction costs, aging infrastructure (post-WWII assets reaching end of life), and increased regulations. The city is forming task forces to pursue federal infrastructure (IIJA) funding. Committee members discussed maintenance, equity, EV charging needs, and grant-writing capacity.
• Item 4: Task Order Modification #4 with Due Right Construction
  Requested authorization to expand the contract by $417,000 for cooling tower replacements at Pump Stations 1 and 2. The total project cost would rise to $1.39 million. Because the modification exceeds the mayoral authority limit, council approval was required. The scope included replacing programmable logic controllers, adding IT conduits, and other unforeseen conditions. Staff also outlined planned municipal code changes to increase task order limits. The motion passed unanimously.
• Item 5: Consultant Agreement with WSP USA Inc. for Gatewood Hills Pump Station
  Requested authorization to award a consultant agreement for design and construction support, not to exceed $889,937.75. The pump station in Rancho Bernardo replaces a 1973 facility. WSP exceeded its 20% SLBE/ELBE goal with 34.1% certified participation and 24.6% non-certified participation. The IBA noted ongoing review of EEO contracting issues. The motion passed unanimously.
• Item 6: 2022 Committee Work Plan
  The work plan emphasized Vision Zero, Mobility Master Plan updates, Council Policy 800-14, and climate action goals. Council members expressed alignment and support. The motion passed unanimously.

Key Outcomes

• All agenda items passed unanimously: consent calendar (items 1-3), items 4, 5, and 6.
• The five-year capital outlook was received as informational; no vote needed.
• The next regular meeting is scheduled for April 6, 2022, at 2 p.m.

Notes

• The meeting was held virtually with public call-in participation.
• The committee chair noted a new mayoral representative and new director for Engineering Capital Projects.