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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2021-10-18 - MinutesCITY OF FAYETTEVILLE ARKANSAS MEETING AGENDA TOWN AND GOWN ADVISORY COMMITTEE October 18, 2021 1 3:00 p.m. Virtual Meeting Via Zoom The public is invited to provide comment on Committee agenda items and during general public comment as well. Members: CITY COUNCIL & COMMUNITY MEMBERS REPRESENTATIVES • Mark Kinion City Council Member • Zane Colvin U of A Student - Off Campus • Alexandria Howland Community Citizen at Large • Annie Dowling Community Citizen at Large • Megan Duncan Associate Superintendent of Schools CITY OF FAYETTEVILLE STAFF REPRESENTATIVES • Susan Norton Chief of Staff Committee Co -Chair Lisa Thurber Director of Communications and Marketing Jonathan Curth Director of Development Services STAFF RESOURCES WILL BE CALLED UPON AS NEEDED UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS REPRESENTATIVES • Laura Jacobs Chief of Staff/Committee Co - Chair • Mark Rushing Assistant Vice Chancellor, University Relations • Scott Turley Associate Vice Chancellor, Facilities • Coleman Warren President, Associated Student Government • Katherine Dzurilla President, Graduate Professional Student Congress Meeting Video: https://accessfavetteviIIe.granicus.com/plaver/clip/7808?view id=14&redirect=true Presentations and additional materials: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/rxegImbfbavzpig/AADttfBf-o7BePdZETtoZaiga?dI=0 1. Call to Order The meeting was called to order at 3:01 p.m. by Laura Jacobs 2. Roll Call In attendance: Mark Kinion, Zane Colvin, Annie Dowling, Megan Duncan, Susan Norton, Lisa Thurber, Jonathan Curth, Laura Jacobs, Coleman Warren, Katherine Dzurilla Absent: Alexandria Howland, Mark Rushing, Scott Turley 3. Approval of Minutes Jonathan Curth moved and Coleman Warren seconded approval of the July 26, 2021 meeting minutes. The minutes were unanimously approved. Mailing Address: 113 W. Mountain Street www.fayetteville-ar.gov Fayetteville, AR 72701 4. Approval of Meeting's Agenda Curth moved and Megan Duncan seconded approval of the Oct. 18 meeting agenda. The agenda was unanimously approved. 5. Old Business No old business was presented for discussion. 6. New Business a. Welcome new committee members Colvin and Dowling: Jacobs welcomed two new members filling the off -campus student position (Colvin) and community citizen at large position (Dowling). Colvin and Dowling introduced themselves and shared their motivations for joining Town and Gown Committee along with areas in which they hope to contribute. b. Public Transit Update: Peter Nierengarten (City of Fayetteville Environmental Director) advised the committee that the pandemic has had a significant impact on public transit ridership, and he introduced three presenters for different public transit providers in the region: Tim Conklin, NWA Regional Planning Commission; Adam Waddell, Razorback Transit; and Joel Gardner, Ozark Regional Transit. All three reviewed routes, ridership, funding details and projections for coming years. Nierengarten summed up the presentations by noting that while Fayetteville and Northwest Arkansas has perhaps the best transit in the state, more resources and dedicated local funding will be needed to continue this level of service and meet growing needs in the future. Presenters' slides are available here: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/rxegImbfbavzpig/AADttfBf- o7BePdZETtoZalga?dl=0 c. Changes to Default Speed Limits: Chris Brown (City of Fayetteville Public Works Director) shared details on a recent City Council ordinance amendment changing default speed limits to 20 MPH in areas that do not otherwise have a speed limit posted. Brown discussed the safety benefits of reducing overall driver speed, and the City's intention to help drive awareness and education for the speed limit change. Eric Boles (University of Arkansas Sustainability Office) and Amman Jordan (University of Arkansas Active Transportation Coordinator) discussed similar speed limit reductions on UA campus streets in response to safety concerns by the University community. Boles noted that in cases of vehicle/pedestrian impact, a reduction from 25 to 20 MPH has been shown to reduce chance of death by 45%. Boles said that with the City's ordinance amendment just passing last week, the University is vetting campus speed reductions through its shared governance model. He identified several campus groups that support the change, including Student Government, Facilities Management, Transit and Parking and more. Dowling asked about "no cell phone zones" around schools, whether this applies on UA campus streets and any plans for education campaigns. Megan Duncan indicated that parents arrive early to pick up kids at school, making enforcement of no cell phones in these instances a bit challenging. Warren asked about time frames for implementation of campus speed limit changes; Boles indicated there isn't a firm time frame set at this point. d. Vaccine Incentive Program Update: Norton gave an update on application numbers, payouts and denials for the City's vaccine incentive, which allows people who live or work in Fayetteville who have become fully vaccinated between Aug. 17 and Oct. 15 to apply for a $100 payment through Nov. 1, 2021. As of the meeting date 2,104 applications had been received and 1,252 have been paid out. 7. Public Comment/Other Discussion Curth noted that public notice signs will be going up along several streets surrounding campus because of a U of A request for the City to vacate right of way on those streets. Warren said he has received many comments regarding scooters being parked or left in ways that negatively affect accessibility/mobility across campus. Nierengarten indicated that the City's upcoming mobile app See -Click -Fix will help with reporting scooter issues to the City and operating companies. Boles encouraged Warren to send complaints and concerns on campus to the Sustainability Office for follow up; action planning will begin soon with scooter companies to address concerns like parking, riding on certain sidewalks, etc. Dowling noted that October is Crosswalk Safety Month and suggested that planning for next year should begin now. Warren asked about the City's lighting rules and how that applies to campus lighting. Curth said that the City has a "dark sky" ordinance but it does not apply to campus, which is state property. Brown included that the City is regularly working on lighting for improved pedestrian safety in areas of high foot traffic. Norton suggested recirculating existing Town and Gown maps indicating boundaries, lighting and pedestrian safety projects to help orient new committee members. Those maps are available here: https://www.d ropbox.com/sh/rxeglmbfbavzpig/AADttfBf-o7BePdZETtoZamga?dl=0 8. Adjourn Jacobs adjourned the meeting at 4:26 p.m.