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01 Staff Report.CST Commission Study Session PREPARED BY: Matt Morley Parks and Public Works Director Reviewed by: Town Manager, Assistant Town Manager, and Town Attorney 110 E. Main Street Los Gatos, CA 95030 ● (408) 354-6832 www.losgatosca.gov TOWN OF LOS GATOS COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT MEETING DATE: 03/16/2021 ITEM NO: 1 DATE: March 11, 2021 TO: Mayor and Town Council FROM: Laurel Prevetti, Town Manager SUBJECT: Review and Discuss the Complete Streets and Transportation Commission Accomplishments and Goals RECOMMENDATION: Review and discuss the Complete Streets and Transportation Commission accomplishments and priorities. BACKGROUND: The Complete Streets and Transportation Commission (CSTC) began in August 2019 when the former Transportation and Parking Commission was combined with the Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Commission. The combination occurred as the agendas and interests of the two Commissions were duplicative, with members of each Commission often attending the other’s meetings. The CSTC retains several key roles from the previous Commissions, including: • Fulfills the role of a Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Commission by designation and due to its focus across all modes of transportation. • Undertakes parking related issues as parking plays a significant role in the transportation network. • Appoints a member of the Commission annually to serve on the Valley Transportation Authority Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee. The CSTC meets monthly on the second Thursday at 7:30 a.m. Staff typically meets with the Commission Chair and Vice Chair a week before the meeting to set the agenda. Annually in January, the CSTC begins setting its priorities and workplan for the year, with an adoption of annual priorities targeted for the February or March meeting. This provides the CSTC an opportunity to incorporate the Town Council Strategic Priorities into the deliberation. PAGE 2 OF 4 SUBJECT: Study Session with the Complete Streets and Transportation Commission DATE: March 11, 2021 BACKGROUND (continued): The Police Department and the Parks and Public Works Department serve as liaisons to the CSTC. DISCUSSION: In setting the priorities annually, staff advises the Commission to target between three and five items. This provides the opportunity to focus on accomplishing the goals set out for these priorities. A greater number of priorities tends to be too much to actively manage. The CSTC identified these priorities for the 2020 calendar year: • Implement Bike Valet at Town Events – This priority was hampered by COVID-19 and put on the table for future consideration. • Track and Provide Input to the General Plan Update – The CSTC provided valuable input into the Mobility Element of the General Plan and continue to review and track this item. The initial input from the CSTC successfully completes this item. • Identify Infrastructure Repairs – These items have been identified as being most easily handled through work requests to the Parks and Public Works Department as they are noticed. Commissioners continue to identify needs as they are observed and this item has been successfully addressed. • Identify Los Gatos Creek Trail Improvements – This project resulted in a lengthy matrix of identified work efforts. The work falls into several categories, those that can be handled by Parks and Public Works maintenance crews as resources are available, those that require a capital project, and those that are deferred, meaning an identified need with no plan for addressing the concern. This priority was successfully completed by the CSTC and progress on the matrix will be tracked over time. • Conduct Neighborhood Walk Audits – This priority was hampered by COVID-19 and put on the table for future consideration. The latest meeting of the CSTC occurred on March 11, 2021. During the meeting, the Commissioners discussed topics related to this study session and established their 2021 priorities (Attachment 1). With an eye towards advancing the priorities and inspired by the Council focus on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI), the Commissioners have participated in a University of California Los Angeles Perloff Lecture Series on Race in Transportation. The Commissioners shared notes and engaged in a conversation on insights from the series. Some of the key points include: • The Connect Los Gatos program is inherently inclusive and demonstrates the proactive steps the Town is taking. The program could more explicitly identify the DEI goals especially in outreach and through the website. PAGE 3 OF 4 SUBJECT: Study Session with the Complete Streets and Transportation Commission DATE: March 11, 2021 DISCUSSION (continued): • Outreach and engagement to the community is key. Open ended conversations should balance targeted, project specific efforts. • Capital improvements historically have not always considered the needs of the adjacent communities, especially where the community may be lower income and minority areas that are not politically engaged or represented. • Unconscious bias remains an area of concern, especially in enforcement efforts. The Commission is anxious to engage in a dialogue with the Council on priorities and how the CSTC can best support the Council. The CSTC identified several topics that are of particular interest: • What role would the Council like the CSTC to play with respect to parking and the direction of that effort? • Parking integration with the High School – The CSTC believes the High School is willing to engage on parking management solutions for teachers and students. The CSTC is interested in the Town Council perspective on this portion of the downtown parking challenge and the role the CSTC might play. • Can the Council clarify the Council Strategic Priority of Summer/Rush Hour/School Traffic. Understanding that the Highway 17 Congestion Relief project has a longer-term outlook, are there ways the CSTC help to advance this priority in the short term? • What is the Council perspective on issues with Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion as it relates to transportation? Are there areas that the Council feels are immediate priorities or projects that need extra focus? • How can CSTC help engage seniors in all types of subject matters? Can the CSTC help without overstepping into the work of the Community Health and Senior Services Commission? In addition to these questions, the CSTC would like to provide feedback on the increase of importance the Town has placed on multi-modal transportation efforts. The CSTC appreciates the deliberate change in focus on making the roadways safe for all users from the previous more limited direction on making roadways efficient for automobiles. Examples include the advancing of projects like the Winchester Complete Streets project, the Highway 17 Bicycle and Pedestrian Overcrossing, and the Blossom Hill Road Traffic Calming study, among many others. In addition to their identified priorities, staff relies heavily on the input and participation of the CSTC for many Town activities. Some notable areas where the CSTC provides valuable assistance to the Town include: • Capital Project Programming – Town staff seek input on and review potential capital projects with the CSTC on an annual basis leading into the annual budget process. This PAGE 4 OF 4 SUBJECT: Study Session with the Complete Streets and Transportation Commission DATE: March 11, 2021 DISCUSSION (continued): typically begins towards the end of the calendar year to allow time for creating the scoping and budgeting necessary to include projects in the budget. • Capital Project Development Support – The CSTC provides invaluable assistance in public engagement activities and information gathering, such as bike and pedestrian counts, that are critical to advancing projects. Staff routinely calls on Commissioners to play a role and they are always willing participants. • Capital Project Progress Review – The CSTC monthly agenda includes a review of projects that are in development or in progress. This key activity provides Commissioners with information they need to be a voice and ears in the community, providing for accurate information and maintaining a pulse on resident perception. • Regional Engagement – Commissioners’ span of influence and engagement extends beyond the Town limits, allowing for an understanding of efforts underway in neighboring jurisdictions, activities of the regional Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Commission, and engagement with other interests such as the Silicon Valley Bicycle Coalition and Reach Your Destination Easily (RYDE) program. The CSTC has no recommended changes to the enabling resolution or recruitment questionnaire. CONCLUSION: The Commissioners look forward to the dialogue with the Town Council. COORDINATION: This report was coordinated with the Complete Streets and Transportation Commission. FISCAL IMPACT: There is no fiscal impact associated with this discussion. ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT: This is not a project as defined under CEQA and no environmental review is required. Attachments: 1. Commission Adopted 2021 Priorities 2. Enabling Resolution 3. Commission Recruitment Questionnaire