Title
Highlights of the Facilities and Transportation Committee Meeting of October 6, 2015
Body
CITY OF SAN LEANDRO
CITY COUNCIL FACILITIES AND TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE
October 6, 2015
5:00 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.
San Leandro City Hall
835 East 14th Street
San Leandro, California
Sister Cities Gallery
HIGHLIGHTS
1. CALL TO ORDER
The meeting was called to order at 5:00 p.m.
1.A. Attendance
Committee Members: Mayor Pauline Cutter, Councilmember Corina Lopez, Councilmember Ursula Reed
City Staff Present: Deborah Acosta, Keith Cooke, Reh-Lin Chen, Kirsten Foley, Lianne Marshall, Austine Osakwe, Nick Thom
Public Present: A. Colombo (Olidata), Felix Cruz, John Davis (Durant Task Force), Cindy Fonzino, Leah Hall (SL Placemakers), Paula Hansen (SL Placemakers), Geoff Hernandes, T. Jackson (Climatec), Derick Lee (PilotCity), Lynn Mara, Gus Noland (Durant Task Force), Amy Robeson, Azucena E. Sierra-Van Dyke, Felipe Cano
1.B. Announcements
None.
2. DISCUSSION ITEMS
2.A. Discussion Regarding Smart San Leandro: Renewable Energy Mesh Grid - Deborah Acosta
D. Acosta talked about San Leandro as an innovative city and the need for a Climate Action Plan that will involve the entire city in creating a community power grid. She introduced Olidata, a developer of renewable energy micro grids or “smart grids”.
Felipe Cano, President of Olidata, presented Olidata’s proposal for creating a renewable energy grid in San Leandro. San Leandro was chosen for its resources and its leadership in fiber optics; high speed internet is fundamental to their plan for smart grid. Their 5-year plan (to 2020) for San Leandro is to create sufficient power that will yield economic, social and environmental impacts for both citizens and visitors. Olidata’s vision for San Leandro is to have 25% penetration/100 megawatts of energy generated in the next 36 to 48 months.
Olidata will work with Westlake Urban and Enel Greenpower (power company) on a smart grid pilot project
Olidata is proposing a public/private partnership to foster innovation and mutual goals. Zip Power Plan: focuses on industries that are the biggest users of energy and emissions. The proposal is to move the city forward with a program to get the entire city engaged. Solar power is poised for growth. Savings: $520M spent on local rather than remote power sources; saves $120M in transmission costs; $60M saved in power interruptions and potential for job growth. The opportunity is developing a distributed and local generation of power. CPUC is ready to support these programs.
Innovation Row: Bringing Smart Innovations to the public providing focus on engaging and educating citizens and in the 5-year program. Olidata asked for the Committee’s collaboration in obtaining citizen participation by creating favorable financial mechanisms to get the public’s buy-in. They are starting this innovation process in cities such as Los Angeles, Miami, Milan and Barcelona.
Looking to partner with the City to get the plan underway and help to get the community interested and engaged. The Tech Campus is one of the first projects.
Council Member Lopez described our involvement in the East Bay Community Choice Energy for Alameda County that is intent on exploring energy independence and lower energy cost.
Mayor Cutter expressed interest in the program; requests that Olidata share their vision with local forward looking businesses and get their input. Olidata should determine potential obstacles to successful implementation based on concerns and comments of local businesses.
2.B. Discussion Regarding Neighborhood Traffic Calming Policy - Keith Cooke
K. Cooke provided a brief overview of the Traffic Calming Program and asked the Committee for additional input on the program for planning purposes. He discussed how the basic criteria of speed and volume are used to determine a warranted need and effectively use our funds. The FY 2015 - 16 budget for the Program is $60K to $100K depending on the needs and solutions proposed.
Councilmember Lopez would like to expand the traffic calming program to encompass more streets per year so as to address community needs. Mayor Cutter asked if there are any eligible projects that are not funded so community can be on a waiting list. K. Cooke recommended - input, develop a project with a scope and estimate, CIP process (input from residents and Council), rank, staff reviews and evaluates and place on the list. Mayor Cutter asked what the difference is between the traffic calming project list and the CIP list. K. Cooke replied that the size of the project and cost determine where it should be listed. Councilmember Reed expressed frustration that there are streets in her district that are on the list presently but no work has been done.
2.C. Project Updates
None.
2.D. Discussion Regarding Future Agenda Items
None.
3. PUBLIC COMMENTS
Public comment regarding Bancroft and Dowling: Stop sign/traffic signal on Dowling Street and street improvement on Dowling is a concern. Resident asked for a stop light at Victoria. Public asked how streets are prioritized.
P. Hansen talked about her application process for speed cushion on Durant Street between East 14th and Carpentier. K. Cooke and staff will work with P. Hansen on the process. P. Hansen asked how information is gathered to determine traffic calming on bordering streets. K. Cooke said staff coordinates with Oakland.
Mayor Cutter - on what Council does - divides funds differently, more funds into roads and streets with Measure HH. CIP list determined once a year and at that time, projects are prioritized. Council then advocates for citizens.
The Safety Coordinator for 138th asked what the next phase is for the humps on 138th Avenue?
Safety process regarding crosswalks and crossings: How can neighbors know the process and what can they do to get it going faster? Is there anything similar to the traffic calming program in terms of bicycle and pedestrian safety? K. Cooke worked with UC Berkeley extensions on determining problematic areas where with high collisions and staff uses the info as part of project prioritization. Goal is to reduce traffic collisions. The City recently completed a Safe Routes to School program in the schools on the traffic safety practices.
The question was asked at to the number of traffic stops made by police per day. G. Noland estimated that it is in the hundreds and is difficult to say because their staffing is limited to three motor officers and one sergeant. Officers work with E&T staff on areas that get hit the most, but majority of their time is spent at other schools on non-traffic incidents (criminal, parking and parental issues), which takes away from being at those schools that require more bike and pedestrian issues, such as Dutton.
BRT on East 14th Street: Anticipating more traffic on Pershing as motorists cross over to avoid slower area due to one designated lane on East 14th Street. Since Bristol/West Broadmoor has no stops, is there any way to forecast the increase in traffic where people will search for shorter routes to avoid? K. Cooke will have staff perform speed measurement. Northern portion of East 14th Street has designated lane north of Broadmoor. K. Cooke will put Pershing on the list and will do a study at Mayor Cutter’s request.
Mayor Cutter announced that the Committee will be available after the meeting to take additional questions.
4. COMMITTEE MEMBER COMMENTS
Although the committee approves the traffic calming budget, Councilmember Lopez would like to see it increased and asked what project on the CIP list staff and Committee is willing to give up to increase the traffic calming budget. Mayor Cutter will add the traffic calming budget to the agenda in January to an increase. K. Cooke said the budget is a two year process and he will prepare a 6 year look ahead for CIP and work through budget adjustment for 2016-17.
When does CIP report come out and is it based on the last two years? K. Cooke - process will be more inclusive, projects are continually added to the list, staff is evaluating evaluate the process. K. Cooke recommends that Council provides input on ranking of projects.
Staff will update criteria and revise the evaluation process. An informal list will be compiled and the final evaluation will be completed in March 2015. The FY 2016-17 budget is already programmed. Modifications can be made to the budget in the second year of a two year budget cycle, which could happen next Spring.
5. ADJOURN
The meeting was adjourned at 6:31 p.m.