From: "Tommy Eden" Date: Sun Oct 19, 2003 11:05:52 AM US/Central Subject: Minutes of UTC Bicycle-Pedestrian Subcommittee on 09/25/03 Note that item 2 contains amendments for consideration at the October 20 UTC meeting. Minutes for Bicycle-Pedestrian Subcommittee of Urban Transportation Commission Thu., September 25, 2003, at 6:30 p.m. One Texas Center, 505 Barton Springs Rd. 8th Floor Conference Room UTC members present: Tommy Eden, chair Mike Dahmus Others present: Stuart Werbner Jeff Thorne Bob Sessa 1. CALL TO ORDER The meeting was called to order at 6:40 p.m. 2. AMENDMENTS TO OFF-STREET PARKING, LOADING, AND BICYCLE PARKING REQUIREMENTS The Bicycle-Pedestrian Subcommittee offers the following proposed amendments to the city staff proposals for off-street parking, loading, and bicycle parking requirements. The subcommittee proposed that each of the proposed amendments be considered individually. The proposals will be discussed at the UTC meeting on October 20, 2003. a REVIEW OF WAIVERS BY URBAN TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION: The full UTC should review requests for a waiver of any parking requirements. Alternatively, this requirement could apply only to waivers of bike parking requirements. b. REQUIRE BICYCLE PARKING AT MULTI-FAMILY DEVELOPMENTS: Currently, bicycle parking is not required in multi-family developments. This proposed amendment would require multi-family developments to provide bicycle parking at an amount that is at least 5% of the minimum required motor vehicle parking. In addition, up to 50% of the required bicycle parking may be met if balconies attached to the apartment units are of at least 48 square feet in area. One balcony that meets the requirements equals one bicycle parking space. The balconies may not be part of an exterior fire exiting system. The balconies may also satisfy the covered bicycle parking requirement if completely covered. A definition of "covered" will need to be added to Chapter 25-1 of the Land Development Code. Of the required bicycle parking spaces, the accessory office, if present in the multi-family development, is required to have at least one bicycle parking space and a maximum of 4 spaces. Also, if the apartment complex is gated, other than the parking at the leasing office, all the bicycle parking must be within the gated community. c. REVISE BICYCLE PARKING CATEGORIES Delete the requirement of Type I and Type II (high-security bicycle parking), except for transportation terminal type uses. d. REDUCE MOTOR VEHICLE PARKING IF MORE BICYCLE PARKING THAN REQUIRED IS PROVIDED: A maximum of 20% motor vehicle parking reduction may be approved administratively if more bicycle parking than required is provided. For every 3 additional bicycle parking spaces that are provided, the required number of motor vehicle parking spaces may be reduced by one space. Furthermore, for office and light industrial uses only, for each additional shower + locker, the required number of motor vehicle parking spaces may be reduced by 4 spaces, up to an additional 20%. e. REQUIRE SHOWER AND LOCKER FACILITIES IN NON-RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS: Require ADA accessible shower facilities and lockers in new non-residential and existing non-residential buildings undergoing major renovations. The number of showers and lockers would be determined by the amount of floor area and by primary use. 30,000 square feet would require 2 showers and 2 lockers. 75,000 square feet or more would require 4 showers and 6 lockers. These are minimum standards. The provision should not apply to hotel/motel uses. 3. DISCUSSION ABOUT REVERSE-ANGLE PARKING ON SOUTH CONGRESS AVENUE Stuart Werbner, a member of the Community Advisory Group for street improvements on South Congress Avenue, explained that the city staff is proposing a change to the parking spaces on South Congress Ave. The proposed reverse angle parking would have motorists drive beyond the parking spaces and back into them, so that they would be driving forward when exiting the parking spaces. Jeff Thorne expressed a concern that some drivers having difficulty figuring out how to maneuver. There was a discussion about the relative safety of existing angle parking and the proposed reverse angle parking. The subcommittee reached a consensus that reverse angle parking was a good idea. Mike Dahmus suggested that sharrows should be painted in the appropriate place for cyclists to ride on South Congress Ave., and the subcommittee agreed that this idea was worth pursuing. 4. PROPOSAL FOR IMPROVING PEDESTRIAN SAFETY ON LAVACA STREET DOWNTOWN Tommy Eden reported that he had spoken with Ali Mozdbar, who had determined that the intersection would not meet the warrants for a traffic signal. The department is moving away from the use of flashing runway lights, such as the ones on Barton Springs Road, in favor of overhead lights. This issue will be discussed again in October. Jeff Thorne agreed to count the number of pedestrians crossing Lavaca St. at 16th St., in order to see if a crosswalk is needed at that location. 5. PROPOSAL FOR SHARROWS ON GUADALUPE AND LAVACA STREETS DOWNTOWN Tommy Eden reported that sharrows are not being given full consideration, because such markings are not in the Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD). He suggested that the subcommittee should consider a proposal for either sharrows or bicycle lanes. He agreed to prepare a resolution for subcommittee consideration in October. Mike Dahmus suggested that the wording should indicate that one reason for such treatments is to encourage more people to ride bicycles for transportation. 6. REQUEST TO REMOVE SIGNS WHICH PROHIBIT PEDESTRIANS FROM CROSSING TXDOT HIGHWAYS Tommy Eden had spoken with city staff members asking for an update on the signs prohibiting pedestrians from crossing Loop 360 at certain intersections. He was still waiting for a reply. An update should be available in October. 7. DISCUSSION ABOUT SETTING PRIORITIES FOR NEW BICYCLE LANES Mike Dahmus was making changes to the spreadsheet with criteria for setting priorities in the selection of new bicycle lanes. Tommy Eden requested that he bring a printout from the spreadsheet. The issue will be considered again in October.