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09.09.24 TAB Agenda 3 - 08.12.24 DRAFT TAB Meeting MinutesTAB DRAFT Minutes August 12, 2024 Page 1 of 5 CITY OF BOULDER BOULDER, COLORADO BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS MEETING MINUTES Name of Board/ Commission: Transportation Advisory Board (TAB) Date of Meeting: August 12, 2024 Contact Information Preparing Summary: Meredith Schleske 303.441.3204 Board Members Present: Tila Duhaime, Chair; Triny Willerton, Vice Chair; Darcy Kitchner; Michael Mills; Jennifer Ochs Staff Present: Natalie Stiffler, Director for Transportation and Mobility Valerie Watson, Deputy Director for Transportation and Mobility Gerrit Slatter, Principal Transportation Projects Engineer, Capital Projects Devin Joslin, Transportation Engineering Senior Manager Veronica Son, Senior Transportation Engineer Chris Hagelin, Transportation Principal Planner Lindsay Merz, Transportation Engineering Manager James Smith, Transportation Engineering Manager Stephen Rijo, Transportation Planning Manager Sydney Schieffer, Transportation Senior Planner Daniel Sheeter, Transportation Senior Planner Jean Sanson, Transportation Senior Planner Allison Moore-Farrell, Transportation Senior Planner Chandler Van Schaack, Development Review Principal Planner, Planning & Development Services Alison Blaine, Senior City Planner, Planning & Development Services Meredith Schleske, Board Secretary Also Present: Nicole Speer, City Council Member Salil Payappilly, BioMed Design Kevin White, Perkins & Wills Bill Holicky, Coburn Architecture Danica Powell, Trestle Strategy Type of Meeting: Advisory/Regular Agenda Item 1: Call to Order [6:00 p.m.] Item 2: Technical Rules (not an agenda item) – Veronica Son, technical host reviewed rules and technical operations on the virtual platform. Agenda Item 3: Approval of June 2024 Minutes [6:03 p.m.] Motion: Approval of June 10, 2024 minutes with correction of date of item 8.B.4.b. Ride for Magnus ride from 8/8/24 to 8/11/24. Motion: Kitching Second: Mills 5:0 Motion Passes. Chair Comment: This is last TAB meeting with Director Natalie Stiffler in attendance, appreciation expressed and acknowledged. Agenda Item 4: Public Comment [6:06 p.m.] • Lynn Segal – Next agenda item, Capital Improvement Program, is part of everything, how can I avoid talking about it. Was at Magnus ride. Interested in 15-minute neighborhood. Don’t like waiting at traffic lights, competing with cars, massive lane to Longmont, potholes. Want livability in city. Huge expenses, bollards, all these people who want to ride in mountains, don’t support Iris Avenue being narrowed. Population needs to be narrowed. Agenda Item 5: Staff Presentation, Public Hearing and TAB Recommendation regarding 2025-2030 Transportation Capital Improvement Program (CIP) [6:10 p.m.] Gerrit Slatter made the report to the board. TAB DRAFT Minutes August 12, 2024 Page 2 of 5 Executive Summary TAB is being asked to make a formal recommendation to council. Staff appreciates the beneficial advisory role that TAB provides during CIP development. The funding situation for the Transportation & Mobility Department is of vital importance to the planning and programming of the CIP process for 2025 and beyond. Many factors are reducing their ability to fund and deliver programs and projects consistent with the goals and objectives of the Transportation Master Plan (TMP). When accounting for inflation, sales tax revenue has been relatively flat in Boulder for nearly 20 years, while construction costs have increased significantly with prices going up 24% for asphalt and concrete between 2021 and 2023, for example. Because sales tax funds nearly 70% of Transportation, and because construction cost indexes have been outpacing inflation rates, this has led to reduced spending power and reduced opportunities for matching federal/state grant funds. The funding outlook and condition of the transportation funds are discussed in greater detail in the Background/Analysis section. Action Requested of Board Formal recommendation from TAB to present to City Council as part of the 2025 budget process. TAB Clarifying Questions • Mills – inquiry if there is a timeline on the Sumac project (annexation commitment); Duhaime questions regarding possibility of extending Sumac timeline and how long it has been on the books. o Staff response: street has degraded to point of needing total replacement, concerns about lack of sidewalks including around Crestview school, infrastructure phasing prohibits delay. Project planning began in 2017, ready to go in 2020, deferred by Covid. Funding contributions totaling $2 million are expected over time from the Utilities department, Boulder Valley School District (BVSD) and annexed homeowners. • Duhaime – comments that line item for Iris Avenue does not include construction, sidewalks are missing in several areas. o Staff response: –$450,000 is allocated for design work in 2025, need to pursue grants. Denver Regional Council of Governments (DRCOG) Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) is best for this type of capital project. $5 million for Iris Avenue includes sidewalks. • Mills – observation that some funds are diverted. o Staff response: maintain reputation of delivering projects supported by grants. TIP grants are generally 20% match/80% grant. We typically budget to be able to go after big grants, have the flexibility to reduce to be able to balance the budget then have a few years’ timeframe to come up with greater match. There is also the possibility to phase in as with Baseline. • Willerton – question whether the Safe Streets for All (SS4A) is the largest grant we have received. o Staff response: Yes; a large match is required. Public Participation • Alexey Davies, Community Cycles – understand TIP matching for Iris, big funding challenges ahead. Urgency of problem is big, looking like 2030. • Lynn Segal – can empathize with personal property funding challenges. With Iris you don’t need to spend money, you need to concentrate on planning department, Planning Board, general fund, sales tax. Need to slow down so we’re not constantly overwhelmed. I want local community funds to be distributed properly. Puts my life at risk. Do something about the root problem and prevention. TAB Discussion • Straw poll – Willerton, Kitching in favor. • Mills – concern expressed about funding Core Arterial Network (CAN), encourages City Council to look at entire budget/look at TIP match. • Duhaime – suggestion to send a message to City Council, will work with Mills to write a letter from TAB. Urges staff to put placeholder dollars in proposed budget for Iris. Motion to recommend the staff-recommended 2025-2030 CIP to Planning Board and City Council. Motion: Willerton Second: Ochs 5:0 Motion Passes. Agenda Item 6: Public Hearing and TAB Recommendation on Proposed Amendment to Boulder Valley Regional Center (BVRC) Transportation Connections Plan (TCP) related to a Site Review (LUR2024-00020) at the following addresses: 2504, 2506, 2536, 2546 Spruce St.; 2055 26th St. and 2537 Pearl St. [7:09 p.m.] TAB DRAFT Minutes August 12, 2024 Page 3 of 5 Chandler Van Schaack introduced Bill Holicky who presented to the board on behalf of the applicant. This is a proposed townhome development with a high degree of walkability, oriented to the street. Board Action Requested Staff is seeking a recommendation by TAB to provide to the Planning Board regarding the request to amend the BVRC TCP to remove the north-south multi-use path connection from the project site. A public hearing for this proposal is scheduled for October 1, 2024. To guide the discussion staff recommends TAB answer the following questions: 1. Does the project as shown provide an equivalent degree of connectivity across the site as that anticipated by the TCP? 2. Should the TCP be modified through the Site Review process to eliminate the north-south multi-use path plan line connection? TAB Clarifying Questions • Question concerning if this will be a gated community. o Applicant response: Permeable; not access-controlled. • Inquiries regarding memorandum statement that multi-use path (MUP) would endanger residents, fencing options and configurations, if center lane is intended to be a city street/public access, if MUP is required to be concrete. o Staff response: MUP must be 12’ wide, paved. Public Hearing • Alexey Davies – with removal of requirement for MUP, will developer have any responsibility to provide alternate bicycle access? • Lynn Segal – elitist, affordable housing residents are not allowed to use pools, pushing up cost of properties, should never have been proposed in this area, Boulder should never lose its soul this way. Does not support, high-end housing, enticement of permeability is sneaky. Not appropriate. TAB Discussion • Duhaime – at previous TAB hearing in 2021, discussed whether transportation connection should not be this one midblock, BVCP emphasis. Surrounded by services, highly traveled. Former Development Review Principal Planner Stafford questioned but it does stand as private development. Former TAB member Schuchard commented that it was heavily cycled, less skillful cyclists might be inhibited. Duhaime not supportive of amending as presented. • Kitching - supportive of Duhaime’s comments, there must be a clear public path through. Ensure agreement between documents. • Willerton – questioned how far out construction is scheduled. • Ochs – ensure pavement is ADA compliant. Motion to recommend to the Planning Board to amend the BVRC TCP to remove requirement for multi- use path in exchange for public use path from Spruce to Pearl, approximately through center to slightly west of center to access Pearl Street and for a sidewalk-width public use, public access, easement no less than 5 feet wide. Motion: Duhaime Second: Kitching 5:0 Motion Passes. Chair Duhaime solicits a TAB member to attend the 10/1/24 Planning Board meeting public hearing, will reach out. Agenda Item 7: Request for TAB Feedback on Proposed Parking Reduction, Transportation Connections, and Site Circulation related to Site Review (LUR2024-00036) Proposal for three new buildings at 1855 S Flatiron Ct. [8:10 p.m.] Alison Blaine made the report to the board on behalf of applicants. Request of TAB Key Issue 1: Does the submitted TDM Plan support the proposed parking reduction given the scale of the development, anticipated number of trips generated, and potential impacts to traffic and transit in the area? TAB DRAFT Minutes August 12, 2024 Page 4 of 5 Key Issue 2: Does TAB have feedback on the amount of land dedicated to impervious surfaces for site circulation, especially as it relates to meeting the Site Review criteria found in Section 9-2-14(h)(2)(A)(v), B.R.C 1981? Key Issue 3: Does TAB have feedback on the proposed connection to the multi-use path, as shown in the submitted plans and required by the connections shown in the East Boulder Subcommunity Plan? TAB Feedback • Appreciation for great comprehensive Transportation Demand Management (TDM) plan. • Opinion expressed that TAB should not mandate parking, appreciation for proposed parking reduction. • Comment that that especially south end pavement appears to be excessively wide and could lead to speeding vehicles. o Applicant response: will study. • Questions whether bikes are encouraged to go through the center of the site, if there is preferential parking for electric and shared vehicles. o Applicant response: will talk to transportation engineer about signage for shared vehicle parking. • Suggestion to be cognizant of shade as it relates to snow removal for ADA, pedestrians as well as visibility for wheelchair and walker users. Also plant deciduous trees rather than evergreens to not impede removal. Applicant appreciates TAB feedback. Agenda Item 8: Matters [8:32 p.m.] A. Matters from Staff/Non-Agenda 1. Downtown Projects: Downtown Boulder Station Construction Update (Slatter) – presented plan view concept, have been working with adjacent property owners past year and doing utility coordination. Project will be advertised for construction very soon to implement five additional gates to serve the downtown Boulder station, expect service to begin in Spring 2025. Carefully consider wayfinding signage. 2. Regional Transportation Planning Update (Sanson) – how and why we work with regional partners. Non-resident employees use single-occupancy vehicles (SOV), travel distance is increasing. a. Northwest Area Mobility Study (NAMS) long-term vision i. CO Highway 7 (Arapahoe Avenue) 15% Design Status (28th to 63rd) ii. South Boulder Road Study (DRCOG) iii. Construction phasing for CO 119 Safety, Mobility and Bikeway Project b. Northwest Rail/Front Range Passenger Rail 3. Xcel Energy Streetlight System - Update on Acquisition, Separation and Conversion (Stiffler) – acquisition of about 5,000 streetlights coming to culmination. Driven by climate initiatives, also customer experience, safety. Asset management, net savings. TAB Appreciation of Natalie Stiffler – will miss you. what you have achieved. What sets you apart is candor and plainspokenness. Appreciation for leadership. B. Matters from the Board [9:20 p.m.] 1. CIP Bike Tour Debrief (Duhaime) – all TAB members did it, went well, accessible ride, communication problems. 2. Iris Avenue City Council Study Session Debrief (Duhaime) sending links of past information to TAB members. 3. Upcoming public engagement opportunities (Duhaime) 4. Debrief Boulder County Highway 119 walk (Duhaime) 5. Vision Zero Community Partnership Meeting Debrief (Kitching, Willerton) – representative from Michael Dougherty’s office attended, debate re rebranding, lots of public confusion, meeting again. “It Could Be Me” is so to the point. 6. Open Board Comment a. Willerton – Ride for Magnus, Ride for Your Life – appreciation to City of Boulder, transportation leadership, went beyond expectations. Rally for Change was empowering. Agenda Item 7: Future Agenda Items [9:35 p.m.] TAB members may email Chair with requests. Agenda Item 8: Adjournment [9:35 p.m.] There being no further business to come before the board at this time, by motion regularly adopted, the meeting was adjourned at 9:35 p.m. TAB DRAFT Minutes August 12, 2024 Page 5 of 5 Motion: Moved to adjourn: Kitching Second: Willerton Motion passes 5:0 Date, Time, and Location of Next Meeting: The next meeting will be a regular virtual meeting on Monday September 9, 2024 at 6:00 p.m. unless otherwise decided by staff and the Board. APPROVED BY: ATTESTED: ___________________________________ ____________________________________ Board Chair Board Secretary ___________________________________ ____________________________________ Date Date An audio recording of the full meeting for which these minutes are a summary is available on the Transportation Advisory Board web page.