Active Transportation & Infrastructure Committee Meeting - April 27, 2022
STREAMING COPY IN PREPARATION — RECORDING AVAILABLE FROM THE ORIGINAL SOURCE
Active Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Meeting - April 27, 2022
The Active Transportation and Infrastructure Committee of the San Diego City Council met on April 27, 2022, at 10:00 AM. The meeting was conducted virtually with in-person attendance options. Committee members present: Vice Chair LaCava, Council President Pro Tem Montgomery Steppe, and Council Member Campbell. Also attending were IBA Representative Aaron Newell, City Attorney Representative Tina Ray, Mayor Representative Randy Wilde, and Committee Consultant Justin Garber. The committee approved prior actions, advanced a consent agenda item, approved a road maintenance project list, and voted on amendments to shared mobility device regulations. Two informational items were presented.
Consent Calendar
- Approval of Committee Actions (April 6, 2022): Passed unanimously. No public comment.
- Item 1 – Master Administering Agency Agreement with Caltrans: Approved unanimously. This agreement allows the city to draw down state funding for projects, including $2.5 million for road repairs in Rancho Bernardo (District 5) awarded by Senate Pro Tem Tony Atkins. Item 2 was returned to staff for additional review and will return May 25, 2022.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Non-Agenda Public Comment: Brenda Garcia Mijan (Climate Action Campaign) thanked the mayor and council for proposing $350,000 for the Mobility Master Plan (MMP) in the FY2023 budget. She asked whether the city would supplement that amount (since the city applied for $500,000 from the state but was not awarded) and urged that the MMP include mode shift modeling to meet climate action plan targets.
- Item 3 – RMRA Project List: Daniel Schmiovsky (District 2) expressed frustration with poor road conditions and criticized bike lanes, claiming they are dangerous and should be removed. Michael Schmidt (District 5) complained about the terrible condition of roads in Carmel Mountain Ranch and urged immediate action.
- Item 4 – Shared Mobility Device Regulations: Multiple speakers:
- Jacob (Super Pedestrian, operator of Link scooters) supported the proposal, noting their fleet of 1,500 scooters and compliance.
- Justin Ireland (Lime operations manager) supported the amendments, stating Lime has already implemented mandatory parking in corrals.
- Jim Rogers (Safe Walkways) submitted six pages of comments. He praised changes like on-street corrals and sidewalk prohibition but urged enforcement, sidewalk detection technology, geofencing on illegal streets, specific banned areas (e.g., Petco Park, Seaport Village), and changes to ID requirements and speed limits.
- Kathy (Mission Beach) reported seeing 50 scooter violations in a four-mile walk. She requested corral-only staging, a ban on boardwalk use, a 4 AM night ban, and license plates for scooters.
- Charlene (no affiliation stated) supported the proposal but called for enforcement patrols and protection of disabled parking and bike racks.
- Sally Small (Choice Valley Community Planning Group) thanked the city for changes but emphasized enforcement, limiting bike rack use, and zero mph in banned areas.
- Jesse O'Sullivan (Circulate San Diego) supported the climate-friendly nature of scooters but expressed concern that requiring corral parking could exclude neighborhoods without enough corrals, urging a plan to ensure equitable access.
- Jonathan (calling from Lisbon, Portugal) reinforced points from Jan Rogers, urging geofencing of roads where scooters are illegal and a consistent policy of keeping all devices off sidewalks.
- Item 5 – IIJA Implementation: Sally Small commented on the Streamview Drive project, noting it lacks trees and is heavy on cement, conflicting with climate goals. She suggested funding a grade separation at Euclid Avenue and the Orange Line trolley.
- Item 6 – CIP Mid-Year Report: Sally Small requested transparency and community involvement in the prioritization and customer service policy, noting that notification only within 300 feet is insufficient for community engagement.
Discussion Items
- Item 3 – FY2023 Road Maintenance and Rehabilitation Account (RMRA) Project List: Staff (Patrick Hadley, Aida Vance, Josh Lamont) presented. The city has received over $140 million from RMRA since FY2018. For FY2023, $32.2 million is expected to slurry seal approximately 247 miles of streets and include about 10 miles of bike improvements. Street selection is based on OCI (overall condition index, must be >70), traffic type, maintenance history, and coordination with other projects. About 35% of the city street network is in conflict with construction. Six projects were proposed, each about $5 million, with staggered advertising starting August 2022 and construction in November. Council discussed definitions of slurry seal types (type 1,2,3 based on aggregate size), functional classification, and pothole repair methods. Council Member Campbell requested a review of temporary pothole fill material. The item was approved unanimously.
- Item 4 – Amendments to Municipal Code for Shared Mobility Devices (SMDs): Staff (Christy Reeser, Ahmad Ericat) presented. The city has managed SMDs since 2019, with a peak of 22,300 devices in July 2019, dropping to 6,400 in July 2020 due to COVID. Current deployed devices average 6,000–7,000. Proposed amendments include: requiring age verification via ID scan every 3 months, prohibiting sidewalk parking/use via geofencing (with a 3 mph speed limit to allow walk-out), prohibiting parking outside corrals except for bikes locked to racks, reducing operator response time from 3 hours to 1 hour, and adding penalties/termination grounds. The program is transitioning from a permit model to an RFP contract model, with 2–4 operators and a cap of 8,000 devices. Fee structure: $20,000 annual fee per operator plus $0.75 per deployed device per day (65 cents device fee + 10 cents climate equity fee). Annual revenue projected at $1.2–1.4 million, covering program costs. Public comments expressed support and concerns. Vice Chair LaCava offered amendments to add specific locations to geofencing restrictions: (1) public walkway on westerly/northern side of Ellen Browning Scripps Park from Ocean Street to Coast Boulevard, (2) Children's Pool plaza, (3) public walkway on westerly side of Coast Boulevard from Coast Boulevard South to Ocean Street, (4) boardwalks and baywalks, (5) areas primarily designed for stormwater conveyance, landscaping, or dirt/sand. The motion was seconded by Council Member Campbell and passed unanimously. Discussion also covered enforcement via Get It Done app, equity programming in the RFP, and legal protections (tender/indemnity language).
- Item 5 – Informational Update on Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) Implementation: Staff (Adrian Granda, Walt Bishop) reported on city efforts. Four internal working groups (transportation, climate, energy, water) have been established. The city submitted its first IIJA grant application on April 12, 2022, for the Streamview Drive Revitalization Mobility Safety and Resiliency Enhancements Project (District 4) – a $25 million RAISE grant request. The project includes Class II bike lanes, roundabouts, sidewalks, green infrastructure, and bus stop improvements. Regional coordination includes partners like Caltrans, SANDAG, and labor groups. Upcoming NOFOs include Safe Streets and Roads for All, Reconnecting Communities, and SMART programs. Council noted the importance of the funding and the need for personnel to execute projects.
- Item 6 – FY2022 Mid-Year State of the Capital Improvement Program (CIP) Report: Staff (Ranya Amen, Karen McGrath) presented. The CIP budget for FY2022 is over $1 billion after additions. Expenditures through December 31, 2021, were $245 million, growing to nearly $400 million by March 2022. Largest expenditures are on Pure Water, public utilities, parks, streets, and stormwater. Metrics: 6.26 sewer miles replaced (annual goal 40), 28.26 water miles replaced (annual goal 35). Street repairs decreased compared to FY2021. Contract awards increased, with 24% awarded to SLBE/ELBE firms. Challenges include a vacancy rate above 15% (projected to 11% by year-end), pandemic impacts, supply shortages, and inflation. The department is reorganizing, forming a Project Management Office, and updating policies (transparency, prioritization, customer service). Council discussed the need for community engagement and transparency, especially regarding project notification.
Key Outcomes
- Approval of Committee Actions (April 6, 2022): Approved unanimously.
- Consent Agenda Item 1 – Caltrans Agreement: Approved unanimously.
- Item 3 – RMRA Project List: Approved unanimously. Motion by Council President Pro Tem Montgomery Steppe, seconded by Vice Chair LaCava.
- Item 4 – SMD Municipal Code Amendments: Approved unanimously with amendments offered by Vice Chair LaCava (adding specific geofencing locations). Motion by Vice Chair LaCava, seconded by Council Member Campbell. Staff directed to include the amendments and return for full council consideration in May 2022.
- Items 5 and 6 – Informational: No vote required. Noted as presented.
Meeting Transcript
Thank you. Good afternoon and welcome to the Active Congression Infrastructure Committee meeting of April 27th, 2022. Until further notice, committee meetings will be conducted pursuant to the provisions of California Government Code Section 54953E added by Assembly Bill 361, which allows the city to use teleconferencing and to provide the public an opportunity to address the city council via a call-in option or an internet-based service option during a proclaimed state of emergency. While the public is allowed to attend the meetings in person, we encourage you to maintain six feet of social distance as well as follow California mask guidelines where masks are strongly recommended. In addition to being able to attend in person, this meeting is being televised and live streamed on the city's website, and the committee liaison will continue to make arrangements for the public to comment using the Zoom webinar platform. Additionally, members of the public who wish to provide testimony via call-in or internet-based service option must enter the virtual speaking queue within five minutes after the conclusion of an in-person public testimony or before the virtual speaking queue is exhausted, whichever occurs first. This will allow for better meeting management between the two platforms and ensure the council is able to manage and conduct city business. We appreciate the public's cooperation. I will now call the active transportation and infrastructure committee meeting of April 27, 2022 to order. I will now call the role beginning with Vice Chair LaCava. Present. And Council President Pro Tem Montgomery Step. Here. And Council Member Campbell. Present. Present, can you hear me? I can, yes. Sorry, it's all the reading. It's a lot of reading. Um also attending our meeting today is IBA Representative Aaron Newell, who's attending virtually, City Attorney Representative Tina Ray, Mayor Representative Randy Wilde, and our committee consultant Justin Garber. So if you are in person here with us today, please complete a speak speaker slip located at the entrance of chambers and place it in the box indicated at the speaker's lectern at the front of the room. Please do so in a timely manner to ensure proper meeting management. Members of the public can join the webinar by computer, tablet, or smartphone by accessing the link which is listed online in the preamble language of the agenda on the city's webpage. The link to join the committee meeting webinar by computer, tablet, or smartphone is listed on the agenda. To join the Zoom webinar by telephone, please dial 1669 254 5252. When prompted, input webinar ID 160-556-7518 pound. This information is also available on the agenda and will appear on the screen during the public comment period for each agenda item. Members of the public who wish to provide testimony via call-in or internet-based service option must enter the virtual speaking queue within five minutes after the conclusion of any in-person public testimony or before the virtual speaking queue is exhausted, whichever occurs first. Please note that if you're watching via City TV 24 or online, there may be a delay. Please participate via the audio on your phone and mute your TV or computer when it is your turn to speak. I promise we're almost done. Okay. When our committee consultant indicates it's your turn to speak, they will call you by your name as it appears on the Zoom webinar attendee list, or they will read you read out the last four digits of your phone number. If you are in person, please come up to the reserve seats at the front of the room when your name is called and be prepared to come to the lectern in order in the order called. Okay, we will view these instructions briefly again when the public comment period on an item is open. Also, um please mute Yvonne on your TV or computer before you begin to speak if you're joining us virtually. A committee is now a quorum is now present, so we will begin with the actions uh taking up the approval of the committee actions of April 6th, 2022. Justin, please proceed with any public comment. Thank you. Thank you. The public comment period for this item is now open. If you're in person, please be sure to have your slips submitted and come up to the reserve seats and seeing none. Um but if you're online, please go ahead and raise your hand at this time. Members who are calling in, please dial 1669-254-5252. And when prompted, input webinar ID 160-556-7518 pound. As a reminder, virtual speakers will please raise your hand to speak, and you can do so by selecting the raise your hand button or input star nine. So I will close the public testimony on this item for in-person and we will move to Brenda. Please unmute yourself. Um sorry, is this an agenda item? No, this is through the approval of committee actions.
openpublica.com