3A Public Hearing 2010 0517 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Pla~ii~ing Commission Special Meeting Mireutes March 25, 2010 Agenda No. 10-03 Page 12 of 20 As a carfree, homeowner in Oakland, who depends on transit to get to work and shopping, I wanted to share my views with you. Motion to Close Public Hearing Reed/Brannan; 7Aye, 0 No Commissioner Brannan, referring to comments about dedicated lanes stopping at the monument on East 14`'' Street, asked whether it is possible to amend the recommendation to do that. Chair Dlugosh said the Commission can make any recommendation it wants to make. Commissioner Abero asked if dedicated lanes went to Durant Square or the monument, how many blocks would be involved. Commissioner Collier said about two blocks -from Bristol Boulevard past Durant Avenue to Broadmoor Boulevard.. Commissioner Fitzsimons referenced one of Mr. Gilcrest's comments about a recommendation that City Council made, suggesting that if the Planning Commission and City Council were to do nothing now, Option B would be the "default" LPA. He asked if that understanding is correct. Principal Engineer Cooke said that the City sent a letter in 2007 indicating that San Leandro's preferred alternatives were Options 2 and 4, each terminating at the downtown San Leandro BART station, and each with no dedicated lanes in San Leandro. Commissioner Fitzsimons asked whether that recommendation would stand if the City Council ultimately chose to pick no option at this stage, and whether Options 2 and 4 would still have the weight of LPAs in terms of FTA funding. Principal Engineer Cooke said yes, it would: The dedicated lanes would terminate outside of the City of San Leandro, and BRT would terminate at the downtown San Leandro BART station. Commissioner Fitzsimons asked then if we are essentially discussing modifications to Alternatives 2 and 4. Principal Engineer Cooke said yes, slightly. Commissioner Fitzsimons, indicating that he is generally a strong proponent of public transit, said that he was fortunate enough to live in an area where he could walked everywhere when he was growing up in Berkeley, because AC Transit was "extraordinarily unreliable in terms of changing times, changing routes, timing of those routes." He observed, however, that Berkeley is a much denser city than San Leandro, and San Leandro just does not have the headway. Therefore, he wonders if this is the right time to do these things, and if not, will we be able to do them in the future. Looking at some of the challenges with dedicated lanes, he said San Leandro's population can be served with what exists now. Even if the BRT goes in, he said he isn't sure there is a guarantee that service won't be cut sometime in -the future. Accordingly, he recommends approving neither Option A nor Option B, but stay with Alternatives 2 and 4. Commissioner Reed said he is not sure that these Alternatives 2 and 4 remain on the table. Chair Dlugosh said anything. is on the table. Alternatives 2 and 4 were the mandates given in 2007, both of which terminate BRT at the downtown San Leandro BART station and neither of which include includes dedicated bus lanes.