August 25 Meeting Minutes

TRANSPORTATION ACTION TEAM MEETING MINUTES

August 25, 2011
7:00pm
Keller House
Chair: Bruce Lyon

WELCOME:

Dave Pitman, Wes Laubscher, Mary Lou Laubscher, Bruce Lyon, Kathy Renfrow
Jeff Rogers with the City of Concord Engineering Dept.

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

Queen of all Saints Festival, Sunday, August 28, 2011

St. Francis Festival, Sunday Sept. 11, 2011

Monument Health Fair at Meadow Homes Park on October 1, 2011

PEHAB meeting Wednesday, Sept. 1, 2011

CCTA will have a hearing on Wednesday, Sept 28 at 6:00 at 2999 Oak Road Pleasant Hill on senior transportation at the CCTA. Many seniors, concerned about senior transportation options, are expected to come to the meeting. Brad Bick senior link for Para transit advisory group and Elaine Welch is also presenting.

Mary Lou is meeting with Jim Smith East Bay Air Quality District. 29th of Sept at 2:00pm at the Keller house, for those people who are interested in Air pollution. Concord is one of the 10 most polluted area in the county. People could come and speak out about air pollution. The bay area air quality management district has a grant for trees that promote improved air quality, and perhaps that grant would be suitable to pay for the proposed trees on the shared use trail.

Mary Lou shared several news stories related to Complete Streets: Bay Area News Group, Sunday July 17, 2011, “Aging Boomers Strain cities built for the young.” Bay Area News Group, Sunday August 14, 2011, “Cycling sense is best defense.” Bay Area News Group, “Redrawing the road, Lanes get thinner to make room for non-motorists”

Bike repair shop: Community group who did bike repair and bike loan grew to 3 days a week. 100 repaired bikes for people going to work or going to school.

COMMUNITY REPORTS:

Kathy Renfrow reported on the HEAL and HOPE grants:
HEAL Grant: 3 year grant started July 1, 2011 $1,000,000 along the Monument incorporating Cambridge Elementary and Meadow Homes Elementary, increase consumption of fruits and vegetables, reduce diabetes, reduce caloric intake promote physical activity in institutional and throughout the community. The program requires documented outcomes. HEAL promotes Nutrition Classes, Healthy and active zero through five.
HOPE Grant: HOPE Campaign started with Gender Respect working to eliminate domestic violence against women. A group is trying to get 10000 Signatures to get people to commit to promoting gender respect program. Safe family zone. Teenage boys to go door to door to promote gender respect.

Dave Pitman reported on a Neighborhood meeting that took place, Monday August 22, 2011 at senior multifamily building near Todos Santos Park regarding a proposed smoking ban. The multifamily building is non smoking. People were concerned that their right to smoke is being taken away. The park is non smoking by administration but a non smoking area along the sidewalk requires an ordinance and lengthy approval process. E-cigarettes are proposed to be banned. The lawyer speaking at the meeting said that the government has the right to protect public health.

SHARED USE TRAIL UPDATE:

Jeff Rogers, P.E. City of Concord Engineering Dept. reported on the status of the Shared Use Trail.
The engineering plans and specifications by Nolte is 60% complete and the state and county approval process continues.
Preliminary plans and specifications have been prepared and reviewed by the City. Nolte Vertical Five is currently incorporating the City comments on this submittal for the next submittal in September.
Environmental: A biological report has been prepared and approved by Caltrans. An archeological report was also prepared and Caltrans review/approval of the document is expected soon. The City's other consultant (Geocon) is currently testing for metals in the old railroad right of way. We are on schedule to incorporate the results of these efforts in the final plans and specifications and environmental document this fall.
The project plans and specifications and environmental documents will then be submitted to Caltrans for final approval in early 2012 (required due to the federal and state grant funding of the project). Construction is scheduled for completion in late 2012.
Jeff reported on technical requirements.
Mary Lou asked for a detention area or pond 72 hour dissipation. Aerated lakes add cost because of pumps for aeration. Two (2) Call boxes are incorporated in the design.
State environmental process is ongoing.
City is submitting plans for a new grant to support the project again.
City departments are working together to solve the bollard puzzle.

NEXT STEPS:

Invite Ray Kuzbary to our next meeting to report on updated to the Master Trails Plan and update the TAT on the approval process of the Shared Use Trail.

NEXT MEETING: Sept 22, 2011

NEXT AGENDA: Seniors driving.

POSITIVES: Good meeting because the city has been working on the shared use trail and has made much progress in the approval process.

THINGS TO CHANGE: need more concerned residents at the meeting.

Bruce Lyon
blyon@pacbell.net