HomeMy WebLinkAboutBoards & Commissions - Bicycle Advisory Board - 06/24/2024 (4) Kent Bicycle Advisory Board Meeting June 24, 2024
Minutes Held In-Person
Approved July 29, 2024
BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT: (10) Julie Dunn (remote), Maria Castro (remote), Erik
Jacobs, Prem Subedi (remote), Gordon Dona, Tim Irwin (remote), Allison Hopstad (remote),
Connie Stolpp, Baron You, Wendy Graves.
BOARD MEMBERS ABSENT: (1) Tom Bader.
CITY STAFF MEMBERS PRESENT: Erik Preston, Rob Brown.
Guests: None.
1. Call-to-Order - Graves
The meeting was called to order at 5:45 pm with Wendy Graves presiding.
2. Roll Call - Preston
10 of 11 members present. Two staff present at roll call.
3. Changes to the Agenda - Graves
No Changes to the agenda.
4. May 2024 Meeting - Minutes Approval - Graves
Erik Jacobs motion to approve minutes, Connie second. Vote 10-0 in favor. Approved.
5. Report on Comprehensive Plan Meeting - Irwin
Tim provided a summary of the Comprehensive Plan meeting on May 29t"
• This was a joint meeting of the City Council and the City's Boards and Commissions.
• KBAB members that attended were Prem, Tim, Allison, Connie, Wendy, and Tom.
• The three alternatives for the Comp Plan were explained. No Build is the existing
conditions with no planned development. Nodes is mostly focusing densification
around the intersection of arterials on the East Hill. Corridors and Transit is less on
the East Hill and more on the Benson corridor and Downtown.
• The public input was based on a game with questions that players showed support by
putting markers on locations on a map of the City showing where things should and
should not happen.
• Allison: Increase in pedestrians, non-motorized traffic and car traffic. Housing options
are to build up or out. Kent is missing middle housing.
• Tim: There were five tables so there were different results.
• Wendy: The City hosted this "game" at other locations before the joint meeting. There
were several questions and no table worked on all five questions.
• Allison: Some people wanted to build out into villages or 15 minute neighborhoods.
Other wanted to build Downtown and Valley, not the rest of the City
• Gordon: Did they draw any conclusions?
• Allison: This is all part of the outreach to the public. Game will be played at different
groups around the City
6. Week Without Driving — Subedi
Prem described Week Without Driving is about drawing attention to the difficulties
people without a vehicle have moving around.
• Prem would like KBAB to participate
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• Wendy: There may be some action here for the Board. Do we want the Mayor to
proclaim September 30 - October 6 as the Week Without Driving? Comments?
• Erik Jacobs: This is not always possible. I cannot participate.
• Gordon: Will be on a driving trip that week. All links wanted to emphasize the same
points about showing how difficult it is to go without driving. Need to have someone
to lead this.
• Julie: This struck me as designed as a way to challenge the City Council/decision
makers. Like a target zero activity. One of the videos said as much. KBAB is already
aware of the challenges.
• Prem: Not designed for everyone. Designed to start the conversation. Highlight
inequality. Not everyone can do this. It's for people to try to they understand what
it takes.
• Wendy: The point is to try and do it to see how it works.
• Maria: I see what Julie is saying. Maybe not a week but a day or going to the store.
Maybe not the whole week. Ok with asking the Mayor for the proclamation or work
with Sara Wood/Target Zero to see if there is something there.
• Erik J: It made me thing about the barriers to walking/biking. What would it take to
not drive. What are the barriers. Raise awareness to difficulty not driving.
• Wendy: Agreed. What would it take to not drive? I don't know the bus schedule
even though one is close. This has a focus on people that cannot drive. We are the
Bicycle Advisory Board. The whole thing is to promote biking in Kent and this does
that. Would like KBAB to endorse and ask Mayor to make a proclamation.
• Julie: Didn't mean KBAB shouldn't do it. We want to know who this is targeting. If
the Mayor does make the proclamation, what does that apply to?
• Wendy: Like bike everywhere week. It draws attention to it. Suggest we also send
this to the Council to tell them why this is a good idea and why KBAB wants the City
to do this.
• Maria: Proclamation can say to encourage a Week Without Driving.
• Connie: First thing is the lack of practicality. People only see 5 second sound bites.
A short title will lose people's attention. Having the concept of not driving is going to
lose people that only have cars. Can I ride my bike to Safeway instead of driving to
Safeway?
• Erik J: Residents are encouraged to consider barriers without a car. What if you
couldn't drive, where would you be? What would your life be like? Makes people
more compassionate to people that can't drive.
• Allison: I posted a link to the Overton Window. Ideas in society move from outside
the window to inside the window. That's when politicians start to support them.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Overton window Like clean and simple language of
this.
• Erik P: In addition to a short title, develop a short description so you don't lose
people.
• Wendy: I like the idea.
• Gordon: If we don't can't change the thought, maybe we can make it an awareness
of our dependency on driving.
• Wendy: The reason it was created wasn't for people with disabilities. It was for
people that are not disabled to understand what the people that can't drive have to
do. Show what happens to people that do not have the option. Public
transportation, walkability. Can people without the option to drive get there.
Highlight the disparities.
• Maria: That's perfect. Tag line. "A week without driving, what it's like to not be able
to drive."
• Wendy: Prem, you've researched this more. Let us know if this isn't what you had in
mind.
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• Prem: It's not a good name. That's what it is known as.
• The Board decided to vote on asking the Mayor to proclaim September 30-October 6
and drafting a proclamation. Prem moved. Maria second. Passes 9-0-1 with Connie
abstaining.
• Connie: will KBAB be able to approve the final proclamation?
• Rob: Yes, the final proposed language. The Mayor's Office will determine the
language of the actual proclamation.
• A Week Without Driving committee was formed with Wendy, Prem, and Erik J as
members.
7. Festival & Events Sub-Committee - Graves
A bicycle was given away after the Bike Rodeo. Erik P will send the photos to City
Communications to see if they can make a story out of it.
• Erik J: There were bike rodeos at Maple Valley. Bike challenge and cop class. One in
SeaTac. Members should attend when they can. Maple Valley had one too.
• Wendy: Erik P please get us contact info.
• Maria: Hoquiam had one at the one school.
• Allison: Maple Valley was done by Parks and Rec.
https://www.maplevalleywa.gov/departments-services/parks-recreation/special-
events/bike-challenge-bike-safety-rodeo
8. Bicycle Infrastructure Sub-Committee - Jacobs
• Erik J: Not much to report. City may be paving 256th north shoulder. Need pictures
of green river trail
• Connie: 4th Ave n/o James has a road diet. What's the difference between the white
ones and black ones
• Erik P: some are curb, black are parking bumpers with white reflectors.
• Erik J: Semi broke down in one-lane section. People drove around in bike lane.
Trash day the cans are in the buffer.
• Rob: We can put the road back the way it was
9. Monthly Rides and Promotion - Jacobs
Nothing New
10.Communications - Preston
• Erik P: Road diets are on 4th Ave N between James St and S 228th St, Meeker-
Lincoln-Smith from Washington to 4th Ave N, and S 260th St - S 259th PI from Pacific
Highway to Military Rd.
• Connie: Is 132nd going to get that treatment?
• Erik P: no, walking path coming from S 2281h St to S 2401h St
• Erik J: Kent-Kangley only has a sidewalk.
11.Notice of Upcominq Meetincis - Preston
Upcoming Meeting Dates: July 29, August 26, and September 30, 2024
12.Items for the Next Meetina - Graves
Wendy: Proclamation recommendation
13.Adiournment - Graves
Wendy Graves adjourned the meeting at 6:43pm.
Respectfully submitted by: Erik Preston, Staff Liaison/Secretary, Kent Bicycle Advisory Board
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