Active Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Meeting – June 21, 2023

The Active Transportation and Infrastructure Committee met on June 21, 2023, to discuss development impact fees, streetlight maintenance, a complete streets policy, and an operational assessment of the Engineering and Capital Projects Department. The committee also heard public testimony on non-agenda items and approved a consent calendar. All votes were unanimous 4-0.

Consent Calendar

• Item 1: First Amendment to agreement with Kennedy Jenks Consultants for professional services for design and construction support of the Alvarado Second Extension Pipeline. Approved unanimously.
• Item 2: Award amendment number one to Blue Lake Civil for design and construction support services of AC Water and Sewer Group Job 1033. Approved unanimously.

Public Comments & Testimony

Non-Agenda Public Comment

• Blair Beekman (member of public) expressed concern about the city's approach to unhoused law enforcement, urging a longer timeline (at least one month) before ticketing or jail, and warning that a rushed 1-3 day process could create violence and resentment.
• The original (anonymous speaker) argued that the city is ceding sovereignty to global entities (UN, WHO, World Economic Forum) through a pandemic preparedness treaty, and that local officials are not upholding their oaths.
• Kathleen Lippett (member of public) raised concerns about pedestrian safety due to sidewalk camping, open drug use, and inappropriate content in public libraries; also urged the city to prioritize street lighting as a crime deterrent.
• Becky Rapp (planning group attendee, public health educator) shared a personal experience of witnessing drug use downtown and emphasized that streetlight maintenance is crucial for public health and safety. She also highlighted a presentation by the Mid-City Youth Council requesting park improvements (hydration stations, trash cans, benches, lighting, playground updates).

Consent Agenda Public Comment

• Blair Beekman commented on items 1 and 2, questioning whether federal funding for sewer and water runoff might be used for law enforcement purposes, and urged transparency.
• The original argued that water scarcity is manufactured and that the city should invest in geo-water drilling instead of recycling sewage water, calling the latter unsafe.

Item 3: Development Impact Fees Annual Report

• Sally Small (Emerald Hills resident, new chair of the Choice Valley Community Planning Group, speaking as an individual) stated that the Encanto area is not receiving its fair share of DIF funds because most new housing is affordable (which generates lower fees). She noted that Kennedy Park and Emerald Hills Park are listed but have not progressed, and that engagement links on the city website are broken.
• Blair Beekman supported keeping in-lieu fees consistent to provide developer certainty, and opposed using jail or ticketing systems as solutions for homelessness.
• The original criticized the city for having unspent DIF funds for five years or longer, calling it poor accounting and carelessness with public money.

Item 4: Citywide Streetlight Maintenance

• Sally Small (D4, Emerald Hills) expressed jealousy that downtown gets priority for streetlight repairs, and noted that lights in her area have been out for years. She supported additional funding for repairs.
• Blair Beekman raised concerns about surveillance technology in smart streetlights, urging open conversations about data collection and the role of the Privacy Advisory Board.
• The original accused the city of negligence for not providing enough staff to maintain existing lights while planning to add more, and suggested that smart streetlights with ALPR are a waste of money.
• Francine Maxwell (Southeastern San Diego resident) praised the report's transparency and urged the city to bring in more electricians, deploy solar lights in communities, and balance tourism needs with resident needs.

Item 5: Complete Streets Council Policy

• Clarina Conturas (in-person speaker) recommended that performance measures include mode share and safety, that the exceptions policy be strengthened with clear criteria, and that the policy reference Council Policies 800-14 and 0000-32 to ensure equity in communities of concern.
• Blair Beekman supported the policy and linked it to vision zero and community harmony, but urged open discussion of technology in streetlights.
• Sally Small (D4, Emerald Hills) stated the policy is not ready for prime time, citing poor implementation of complete streets on Market Street and Streamview, and requested that transportation department engage with community planning groups before projects.
• Saad Assad (Mission Hills resident) supported the policy, highlighting the need for multimodal design, strong exceptions, accountability measures, and equity in underserved districts.
• The original argued that the complete streets policy is a front for “15-minute cities” and a UN agenda to restrict movement and impose vehicle miles traveled taxes, and said it would harm elderly and disabled people.

Item 6: Operational Assessment of ECP

• The original criticized the city for prioritizing projects like Pure Water (which she called “poop water”) over geo-water drilling, and argued that pushing electric vehicles and all-electric buildings will burden residents with high SDG&E costs.

Discussion Items

Item 3: Development Impact Fees Annual Report FY2022

• Samira (Assistant Deputy Director, Planning Department) presented the annual DIF report, highlighting that $79 million was collected and $50 million expended in FY2022. The report covers the transition to citywide DIFs and includes a cleanup amendment to the citywide park DIF resolution (5% administration fee taken off the top). The Active Transportation and Infrastructure Livability Fee (ATILF) has been imposed on about 10 projects but not yet collected. The citywide park DIF is fully adopted; fire, mobility, and library DIFs will be fully implemented July 1, 2023.
• Vice Chair Locava asked about the findings pages (23-27) and noted they were missing from the attachment; staff confirmed they were present in the docket. He also requested a fall reminder to council offices about available DIF funds.
• Committee Member von Wilpert questioned the high administrative costs in the Range of Penasquitos fund and the five-year-old unspent funds in District 5. She requested follow-up on project cost estimates and state funding match.
• Committee Member Montgomery Step asked about SB 330 limitations; staff explained that SB 330 protects projects with applications submitted before new fees, but projects submitted after are subject to current fees. The phase-in period will be complete by July 1, 2023.
• Chair Lee commented on the quality of the report and the shift to citywide fees to avoid long-standing cash balances. He asked for clarification on “community of concern” definition and how North University City’s high DIF balance can be used. Staff confirmed that funds must be used for the purpose collected, but the community plan update may identify new linkages.

Item 4: Citywide Streetlight Maintenance and Repair Update

• Juan Aguirre (Assistant Deputy Director, Transportation Department) presented the update. The city maintains over 60,000 lights. The department has 18 electricians, 8 utility workers, and one equipment operator, but carries a 40% vacancy rate (now down to two vacancies). The backlog is over 6,100 cases, and the department receives 5,000-6,000 cases annually but can only complete about 5,000. The backlog grows 30% month-over-month. Funding includes $2.6 million for new lights, $1 million for series circuit upgrades, and $3.5 million in federal earmarks. A $700,000 contract for downtown repairs has completed 30+ lights. The department aims to reduce backlog by 50% with FY24 funding of $2.3 million.
• Committee Member Montgomery Step questioned the prioritization model, noting that District 4 appears to have low priority despite high need. She requested a deeper dive into the analytics.
• Committee Member von Wilpert asked about the spike in backlog between FY21 and FY22; staff cited employee departures, COVID-19, and increased reporting. She also asked how to communicate crime hot spots for priority repairs.
• Vice Chair Locava asked about using outside contractors to tackle the backlog; staff noted the $2.3 million funding is expected to cover about half the backlog, and they requested additional FTEs (not approved). He also inquired about the cost breakdown of repairs (personnel vs. materials).
• Chair Lee noted that the charts in the staff report and presentation differed and asked for the latest data. He also asked about the life expectancy of new LED lights and the backlog for new streetlight installations. Staff reported over 20 projects in the pipeline for new lights.

Item 5: Complete Streets Council Policy

• Christine Mercado (Senior Engineer, Sustainability and Mobility Department) presented the draft policy. The policy aims to create a balanced multimodal transportation system, with guiding principles including serving all users, prioritizing accessibility, creating connected networks, integrating environmental considerations, and promoting equity. Staff recommended establishing an interdepartmental mobility governance group, integrating complete streets into plans and processes, actively seeking funding, developing performance measures, and requiring documented exceptions with approval from multiple departments.
• Vice Chair Locava asked about exceptions (e.g., high-speed roads) and how the policy interacts with Council Policy 800-14 and funding. He also noted the challenge of developer-built streets that may not connect to future networks.
• Committee Member von Wilpert emphasized the need for community communication, citing past instances where bike lanes were installed overnight without notice. She also requested inclusion of external voices (e.g., biking advocates, accessibility advisory board, mobility board) in the governance group.
• Committee Member Montgomery Step suggested adding the Community Forestry Advisory Board to the list of stakeholders, and noted that the policy’s language on green streets needs more implementation detail.
• Chair Lee echoed the need for a strong exception policy, performance measures, and alignment with Council Policy 800-14. He supported the interdepartmental governance group and quick-build pilot projects. The chair indicated the policy would return to committee for further review.

Item 6: Operational Assessment of Engineering and Capital Projects Department

• Ranya Amen (Director, Engineering and Capital Projects) and Erica Dinsdale (WSP) presented the assessment. The study identified four key areas: project management, AMD partnerships, supporting departments, and cost. Recommendations include implementing stage gates, enhancing project controls, expanding the PMO, separating project manager and technical lead roles, establishing client care liaisons, using a risk-based approach for small projects, streamlining procurement, reducing duplication with supporting departments, implementing SLAs and KPIs, reviewing overhead rates, developing a robust asset management system, and balancing in-house vs. outsourced engineering.
• Karen McGrath (Assistant Director, ECP) outlined next steps: formalizing stage gates (starting with project initiation), expanding project controls and dashboards, piloting the separation of project manager and technical lead roles on complex projects, establishing a quick-build team for small projects, and working with the city personnel department to create new classifications.
• Committee Member von Wilpert praised the transparency and noted the personnel system will need reform to create new classifications quickly. She suggested piloting the new project manager system on larger projects, but staff explained that larger projects benefit most from the separation.
• Vice Chair Locava appreciated the hard look and asked about coordination with the city auditor’s work. He also raised concerns about the “burn rate” of project funds on community engagement, the overhead costs, and the need to keep council informed as processes change. He asked whether the assessment looked at outside contractor performance; WSP said it was outside the scope but noted ENCP’s receptiveness.
• Chair Lee supported the recommendations, especially the focus on improving project management, robust asset management, and better staffing ratios. He noted the importance of delivering projects faster and on budget.

Key Outcomes

• Consent Calendar (Items 1 & 2): Approved unanimously 4-0.
• Item 3 (DIF Report): Motion by Vice Chair Locava, second by von Wilpert, to adopt staff recommendations. Passed unanimously 4-0. Staff will follow up on specific project cost estimates and administrative fee questions.
• Item 4 (Streetlight Update): Information item, no action taken. Committee members expressed support for the department’s efforts and requested continued updates.
• Item 5 (Complete Streets Policy): Information item, no action taken. Committee provided feedback; the policy will be revised and return to committee before going to full council.
• Item 6 (ECP Assessment): Information item, no action taken. The committee will receive semi-annual updates on progress.
• Item 7: Trailed to a future meeting.