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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2021-11-18 PBR Minutes • s Caldwell Pathways and Bike Routes Committee Regular Meeting Thursday,November 18,2021,7:00 p.m. Caldwell Police Department,Community Room, 110 S.5th Avenue, Caldwell AGENDA Call to Order APPROVED Review of Proceedings I. Consent Calendar: 1) Approve Minutes of the August 19,2021 meeting. Date_ Z 17 22— Bill Gigray made a motion to approve the August 19, 2021 Minutes MOTION: John Ottenhoff SECOND: Paul Mann MOTION PASSED H.Audience Participation: 1) New possible members introduce themselves: Marc Bybee-Lawyer,cyclist,Caldwell resident.3-4k riding miles/year. Erin Sorensen-Canals Connect Community Coalition.Housing developer. Ryan Haner-More of a visitor than a potential member. III.Presentations: IV.Old Business: 1) Hwy 55 Underpass Grant Update- Robb MacDonald/Jerome Mapp 2) Vallivue Pathway Project Update Robb Macdonald stated that last year,the city built that section, a pathway that was almost a mile long, it went all the way down south to the corner of the school. The city had to terminate,because the remainder of that went along a pioneer irrigation ditch.The city worked out an agreement with Pioneer,we actually tiled the ditch and put it in the ground. The city is ready to do the pathway. The plan is to go back in the spring and finish that pathway. It will run alongside the east side of Vallivue fields and it will go straight up and tie into Homedale Road. From there the pathway supposed to go west along Homedale and then across Montana.This spring should see the completion. 3) Canals Connect Communities Coalition Update-John Ottenhoff Eric Tillotson from the Sierra Club could not make it tonight and would like to reschedule for January. Canals Connect Community Coalition has been around now for least three years.the goal is to develop a network throughout the Treasure Valley making use of canal pathways. The coalition would like this committee to know they have good energy in this group and are ready to help city governments. There have been some pretty good achievements in other cities. The first underpass for a public canal pathway that we've come up with has been in Eagle. The coalition to highlight the success stories like that. They want to highlight places like Twin Falls where they've really been able to do some great things accessing canal pathways. City of Boise has their master plan going to planning and zoning on December 13. It goes to the city council in the new year. That plan owes something to what they've done in Meridian and Nampa. They can shine more of a light on what things like the Boise urban pathway master plan is able to do with canal pathways. Another success story in Boise with it's a right of way road that ACHD has been working on near easier Park. It's a developed neighborhood. They have gotten permission for recreation easement to the city. Initially Nampa Meridian irrigation district said no,but they had to come to the table in part because of ownership. There is a unique problem here with Pioneer that eagle and meridian don't have to deal with in the same way. But,he believes that the committee can learn something from what they're doing in those cities to get something done. Ryan Haner stated that Pioneer Irrigation is resistant to allowing access due to liability issues, which recent court case for the Supreme Court belies that position.This doesn't change their opinion, only the tools that they use to resist. Paul Mann stated that it really depends on what is the legal standing of the irrigation company who owns the real land that the ditches are on. Their easements of the irrigation company do not really control use of that land. That's is what eagle has done.They've done a masterful job of coming up with legal agreements between the city and the irrigation company. John stated in general,those irrigation easements don't preclude other allowed easement use. Gaining permission for recreation easement from the property owner, essentially forces the irrigation districts hand. Marc stated it would be highly uncommon for an easement to entitle you to restrict others access. The ultimate access is still determined by the underlying landowner,not the easement holder. Ryan stated the landowners who have influence with the ditch district are agricultural, and they don't see a benefit to allowing public shared use pathways anywhere near their property because at best, it raises their property values,which is a negative for them and in at worst increases traffic near their,their investment their crop.Talking to individual landowners about the benefits to them in residential areas,developers are on board. As trails go in,throughout the developed areas, it creates a positive sentiment throughout the community. And then you take that positive sentiment and you go to your lawmakers, and you say, Hey, I understand the agricultural concerns.What promises can we make them?What resources can we set aside for this?And you know, long term looking at development, like just looking at this map of the city of Caldwell, and you see where the current development is,it's easy to imagine where what are currently farm fields will soon develop as well,how much justification is there for resisting putting pathways through there,the harm to the farmers versus the overall community benefit becomes clearer. A decade out two decades out, there's no reason to see why they wouldn't be well developed pathways. It really just comes down to a question of finding the way to do it in the most cooperative way possible. John stated you get pathways within separate developments. He asked,then how do you connect on those.There has been progress in Caldwell forcing new developments and put in pathways. Robb stated that some of them are private,as part of the HOA, and then somewhere dedicated, pathways. Pioneer has all the irrigation canals in Caldwell.The Bureau of Recreation owns all of the irrigation drains in Caldwell,and Pioneer maintains those. The city is in a negotiation with the Bureau of Recreation and Pioneer to take over all of the drains in Caldwell. The city is much more inclined to construct pathways and use those drains for pathways then Pioneer or the Bureau. The main reasons why the city wants to take over those drain facilities is so that the city can utilize them as pathway corridors through the city.That is something that's currently in the works and could be finalized within the next year.The city has put the contract agreement together probably three or four years ago,with Pioneer and with the Bureau of Reclamation.There are 20 drains in Caldwell. That includes all the name drains like the Dixie,the Wilson,Elijah,all of those drains will become the cities where the city can start implementing pathways. A drain is collecting water from the fields and taking it out to the river.A canal is feeding water to the fields and so the canals will always be up higher. All the water after it goes across the farm goes down into the drains,and most of the deep drains like the Dixie take the water back out to the river. All of the canals will still be Pioneers. Drains don't have a huge amount of flow. Some that have quite a bit that you want to be careful if you're putting a pathway next. John asked if it would be smart for this committee to be looking down that road. He asked if the Committee should be thinking about that network that would follow those drains. Rob responded that they are pretty sure the transfer of ownership will occur, so it would be prudent to be prepared. Ryan stated that he actually did call Pioneer and ask them about what concerns they had about this just because he want to get a sense of where they were coming from with it. Pioneer mentioned the drains as not a bad idea and being willing to consider. Paul stated that the Committee needs to do is upgrade the master plan. The Committee needs to get all that stuff in the legal document for the future pathway. Jerome Mapp The master plan. By resolution,it's not an ordinance. Which makes a difference in regard to legality. And that's something we can probably talk about coming to the first year. Marc recommended having city ordinance that requires pathways in the subdivision code to provide connectivity. Jerome asked if he was provided the Pathways Master Plan. He stated that he would get that to Marc. Ryan stated that when developers find out that the property values of attaching to a network drastically increased, it will not be a difficult sell.The financial benefit for developers was the same as putting a pool in their development. It's actually a lot cheaper than putting in and maintaining a pool. And if it's a Greenbelt connection,built up with trees,given some time and effort, it's double that. Jerome Mapp suggested that to be one of the things that the Committee should begin with in calendar year in January. Erin stated that there are areas that have high number of canals tend to be in the unincorporated parts of the city. She asked what sort of influence does the planning have on those areas. Jerome Mapp stated that the City has jurisdiction only within the City Limits. The City could partner with the county. The city is not encouraging subdivisions in the county. If they do come in. There is not any requirement for any pathway system in the county. That's something that we can talk about. Erin asked if there is any plan in the near term for land to be folded into the city limits. Jerome Mapp stated that the city's system is subdivision by subdivision.The speed of a number of subdivisions that are going through process is more than has been in the last 10 years. Staff is trying to stay on top of it.Through staff s roundtable meetings that we have with the developer to beginning To try to force it through the permitting process. The city does not have the kind of staff, jurisdictions have that deals with bike paths. Robb stated annexation only happens when the property owner requests annexation,we don't go and just annex land. Erin stated that there is nothing south of Lake Lowell. Robb stated that the city limits go all the way down to Lone Star. The city impact area is fairly large. The impact area is the area that the city has determined at some point in the future will become city. All of the city's sewer and water master plans and pathway plans typically include the entire impact area. Then as development comes in and annexes,we already know what the sewer plan is and the water plan. Erin asked for a map of the impact area. Robb stated that they could provide that. Erin stated Lake Lowell is basically a Bureau facility, and has canals like the New York Canal, which basically starts from Lucky Peak and goes all the way through a bunch of really great cities and Idaho,through Caldwell and to the Snake River. It is an ideal situation for dealing with one underlying landowner,government for connected pathway areas. She asked if the city does negotiate this deal for drainage do any of them lead to Lake Lowell. Robb stated that most of the drains are on the north side of Karcher. Because of the way the topography all drains,they all drain typically toward the Boise River. There's nothing on the south side of Karcher in Caldwell that's draining down to the lake. The pathway section that we're talking about will go down to Mallard Park and then continue on to Lake Lowell. The objective is to make that connection down to Lake Lowell.Then there's supposed to be a pathway that goes all the way around the lake someday that will hopefully connect other pathways. Every city is kind of doing their own thing.The city hopes that everything connects together and it's all makes sense. Jerome Mapp stated that having someone focused from the subdivision,to give them some revision, ordinance modified change, to require that that person have a discussion with the developer, saying these are the pathways. And these have to be constructed.. When the plans come in for review for subdivision plat, where both planning and engineering reviews the plans from the bike network review for that then once those plans are approved. Then in the pre-construction that person can go out and verify that it is built to plan. The city does not currently have a person to do that.There is not a consistent person. There are challenges. Jerome stated that it was time to move on to the last item. V. New Business: 1) Discuss Federal Lands Access Program(FLAP)Grant—Jerome Mapp/John Ottenhoff Jerome Mapp stated that he received a call from Paul about a flap grant,which is a grant that has about six or seven different categories. It is a federal grant that could be used for Pathways. It's due on December 16. Funds would not be available until FY 24 or 25. That is five or six years in the future. He does not know if those are annual grants. His assumption would be that there would be another coming up next year for FY 26. or 27.The city didn't have the staff to do this. John volunteered to do their research on it. The city does not have the staff to write grants. John Ottenhoff has been has looking at the information on this. It's Idaho federal lands access. It would be for fiscal years 2025 and 26. He went back to the Lake Lowell area study. It has a whole list of projects that they say you could do this and you could apply for flap grants. There must be 20 projects in there where they say you could apply for flap grants. In order to submit this proposal, we would have to collaborate with a federal agency. Since it's the wildlife refuge,it would be a US Fish and Wildlife Service.The pathway to like Lake Lowell say down Montana would seem to be a great kind of project for a flap grant. It shows up in the Lake Lowell study, as pathways. Basically using this language providing access from Caldwell to Lake Lowell. Their proposals were down 10ffi and Indiana. There's supposed to be putting some kind of a bike path all around like Lake Lowell,but who knows when that's going to happen. He asked in whose hands does this Lake Lowell area study belong. He asked if there was sort of a coalition of various groups. Paul Mann stated that it came out of the Federal Highway office in Seattle. Robb Macdonald thought it was from Canyon Highway District#4. Paul Mann stated that they have received FLAP grants to do some of that work. John Ottenhoff stated that the work around the lower dam on Riverside and on Lake Shore, where they actually widen the shoulder. Didn't put chip seal on the shoulder. That came from FLAP grant money. Paul Mann stated that highway district boards supportive of us getting a tunnel under highway55. John Ottenhoff stated it's something if we were to find a way to build on that and apply for FLAP money to build on what they've done there. Say down orchard. Marc Bybee stated that doesn't even need to go all the way down to Orchard. If it got even to Indiana would be a huge benefit to Caldwell. Paul Mann stated that there would be not new paths inside the refuge. It all has to be on the surrounding area.The refuge is off limits the way it was presented and understood this study. John Ottenhoff stated is willing to do some more research. If we have any ideas about how to take that as a starting point. And could expand the building of the shoulders. Paul Mann asked when you get to Mallard Park does the highway district deal with Orchard. Robb Macdonald stated that Orchard is theirs and even 1 Oth Ave. All of the roads south of Hwy 55. Some of that has been annexed into the city,but the Canyon Highway District#4 still maintains those roads and Orchard is definitely one of them. Paul Mann stated that they needed to collaborate with Canyon Highway District#4. Marc Bybee stated that there needs to be a conversation about whether that is the plan. But he thinks that they're considering a bike builder on Orchard. It is a couple of years down the road. He asked where the next connection point is if they get under Karcher. Jerome Mapp stated that in the sense of grant writing, is that the committee develops these relationships before making application. Any applications that the committee wants to pursue for grant funding has to be approved by the Mayor and City Council. In January the Council will need to have a new liaison to this committee. The committee needs to look at things with the budget to emphasize what its goals are. Every year the city asks you to provide and develop goals. And the committee may expand on that this year. Paul Mann asked if that meant if the committee gets a proposal together working with the highway district for the December deadline would Mayor Nancoles not approve it. Jerome Mapp stated that it would have to be approved by the Council and the Mayor. Looking at the next Council meeting which is on December 5th and the other on 21 st. He stated that if the committee wants to move forward, there needs to be a meeting set up with the Mayor early next month and walk him through the Federal Grants and their merits. He asked if there is a funding match. Robb Macdonald stated that he wasn't sure. John Ottenhoff stated that the FLAP grant program requires matching funds of 7.34% of the total cost for capital improvements. Ryan Haner stated that it looks like Orchard also runs from Nampa. He asked if it would help to get Nampa on board as they are also trying to create pathways. if somebody reached out to them,you might see support. Marc Bybee stated the more people you get trying to get on the same page,the more communities the harder it gets. He wants to get the north part of Caldwell a safe route to connect on to Orchard. Ryan Haner stated it would be part of larger network,but that might be a further down the road. Erin Sorensen stated there was a new subdivision going in right by Mallard Park. She asked how close it gets to Hwy 55. Robb Macdonald stated that it was a mile away. They are building the pathways through their subdivision and to the park. From there is where we tie onto the whatever orchard pathway is. Jerome Mapp stated that Cheyne Weston said that he would talk to John in order to help.He asked the committee if they wanted to pursue this grant. And take a vote on it. And the need to talk with the Mayor. Get a final confirmation. So that is what the motion would be if we were to pursue this grant. Ann Manning stated that she would entertain a motion to pursue the FLAP grant. MOTION: Paul Mann SECOND:John Ottenhoff MOTION PASSED. Paul Mann asked that based on the timing with the funding for the FLAP grant sort of coordinate with the development of Hwy 55. Robb Macdonald stated that he did not know how long it takes for the FLAP grant to be funded. Jerome Mapp stated FY 25-26. Robb Macdonald stated that construction on the Hwy could be in two years. If the FLAP grant is farther out it is not great for something that you need sooner. He is sure that there are projects out there where a FLAP grant would be good to apply for. John Ottenhoff stated that if we do get the underpass on Karcher at Montana you still have a ways to go to Lake Lowell. Marks point is that if Orchard were safe from 10`h to Lake. There's a ways down Caldwell down to Orchard is what the FLAP grants is about getting access. The two might be a nice link. Paul Mann stated that he would send Tim Richards an email and ask if he has time to talk about the FLAP grants. Marc Bybee stated that if you make this motion for a FLAP grant. He asked what is the project. The need to have an idea of what you have in mind. Including this underpass he asked what is the route that you are connecting to what is ultimately needed. He stated that you must have a defined project that you are pursuing. It might need a project budget. What it really costs. Robb would have to put a budget together for it. Jerome Mapp stated that the reason he asked for the motion was so that we could at least look at it. We would still need to get the Mayors buy in and matching funds. Also with changing administrations, it may be difficult. John Ottenhoff stated that he is convinced that the Lake Lowell Study Plan is a good starting point for the committee. It has done quite a bit of the work identifying specific projects. Orchard is one of them. Marc Bybee stated that as soon as he heard that there would be matching funds, it was clear that the committee needs to have a project identified for the FLAP grant. The need to identify what the matching funds would be to project a budget. Robb Macdonald stated that maybe the motion should be to start evaluating to identify what the project and scope. Then the costs could be worked out. Jerome Mapp stated for the committee to remember that they have a bunch of projects already that go out to FY28. We can talk about it and see if it is a possibility. Paul Mann stated that if it gives them permission to contact other government entities under the name of Caldwell Bike Committee at least to enter into discussions with them. Ann Manning asked if they want the motion to be for the committee or part of the committee is going to communicate with the mayor and Highway District#4 about pursuing a FLAP grant,or identifying project and funding that would be focused on for a FLAP grant. Jerome Mapp stated that it is unlikely that the mayor is going to approve a grant that he is not going to be here in the future. I am laying it out truthfully. The key is to do the research, so we are ready for next year or any other grants that might come up. Ann Manning asked if by doing research Jerome meant identifying projects and finding out how much they cost. Jerome Mapp responded yes. A cost is based on a budget. In January,we have to get ready for the FY23 budget projects. The committee has been relying on the majority for the 40k that they get from the city. 40k does not go very far. The committee has received grants in the past. But, staff time has been very limited. So if the committee is interested in researching grants this is what would be a benefit. He also received an email about another type of grant,a sidewalk grant. That is also due on 12/16. He thinks that research should be done and partnerships need to be there. So when the grants come available, we just hit the trigger and go for it. Marc Bybee stated that he thinks an appropriate approach is that a little more clarity on what the route is and what the project is. When the committed approaches these other partners like the highway district or anyone else they need to talk with. What you are actually asking to be done as that will improve the content conversation. Paul Mann again urges everyone to review the Lake Lowell Study. Jerome Mapp stated that the committee cannot do anything outside of the city boundaries. Marc Bybee stated that would be why the committee needs to partner with CHD Erin Sorenson asked if the committee found a grant without matching funds, could they apply and run with it. Marc Bybee stated that the Mayor has to approve all grant applications. The committee members could research the project,come up with a project plan and then come back and seek Council authorization to actually pursue the grant to fund it. The motion should be to authorize somebody on the committee to research and come up with a more defined project plan and also to have an answer as to what CHD#4's involvement might be.Then they come back looking at what grant to pursue and should request. Jerome Mapp stated that if John is going to do that then there really is no motion to make. Marc Bybee stated that the committee needs to withdraw the previous motion. John Ottenhoff states that he withdraws his motion. Ryan Haner stated that if John needs help with research,he is willing to help. Paul Mann stated that most of Nampa's bike pathways are funded by grants. Ann Manning asked if we need to make a special assignment. John Ottenhoff stated that it should say, The committee discussed the possibility of applying in the future for FLAP grants. Will continue to do research on it and report back to the committee what are findings are. He stated that they might also want to approach either the current Mayor or the Mayor Elect to get a sense of what they want. Ann Manning stated that maybe it can just be added to the January agenda. Jerome Mapp stated that he would talk to the Mayor Elect. VI. Committee and Staff Reports: Jerome Mapp stated that in January the committee began working on the FY23 budget. Every year, the committee requested$40,000 for projects. We need to identify projects and funding for projects. This committee has the authority to make recommendations to the Mayor and City Council. In regards to grants that other cities may have acquired because it had someone on staff to go after grants. Maybe you should recommend to me City Council for the dedicated pathway person position. The committee will not get funding for projects. However,you may get more projects,because you have a dedicated person going after the grants. Robb Macdonald stated that going into this budget year is going be a lot different from previous budget years.The city has new council members that are not familiar with city government. Jerome Mapp stated that the Mayor elect was a senior planner and is familiar with the subject matter. Marc Bybee asked if there was concern that any new person would be consumed by the other department needs. Jerome Mapp stated that the position will be challenged, the bigger challenge is filling the position. He stated that the committee begins to work on the new budget. At the first meeting in January the committee will swear in the new officers for 2022. Everyone needs to be at this meeting and hit the ground running. Our budget has to be done by March. Paul Mann said in light of this he believes that the committee really needs to pursue this contact with State on this tunnel idea in case we need to ask the city for more money. Marc Bybee states that the next agenda items should have something on it as to what the request to the Council is going to be in relation to your budget. Ann Manning about the email Cynthia send out on the notice about the committee training in January. Cindy Brogdon stated that there is a committee-training meeting on January 29`h at 9am. She stated that she would send it to the proposed new members. Marc Bybee was curious about how many are on the committee. Jerome Mapp stated that he would send out the duties of the committee members to him if he sent him an email. Ryan Haner stated that he would like to see the duties of the members as well. VII.Adjourn Ann Manning adjourned the meeting at 8:45pm Next Regular Planning and Zoning Commission Meeting is on January 27,2021.Any person needing special accommodations to participate in the meeting should contact the City Office at 208- 455-3021 prior to the meeting.The agenda packet and minutes can be viewed on the City of Caldwell's website: www.cityokaldweR.org.Cualquier persona necesitando comodidades especiales para participar en la reuniGn debe contactar al las oficinas de la Ciudad o llame a 208-455-3021 antes de la reuniGn. MINUTES APPROVED AND SIGNED BELOW BY ANN MANNING ON THE DATE NOTED BELOW: 1 i Ann Manning, Chair Date ATTE : �,r me Mapp, P Z �bctor ate j For detailed minutes,please request a copy of the digital recording.