Sprawl and Transportation Committee

Minutes

Meeting Date - February 8 2007

Action items are formatted like this.

(recorded by Alan Streater)

Attending: K.C. Becker, Mark Richert, Scott McCary, Bill Roettker, Eric Stonebraker, Alan Streater.

Announcements and Old Business

Next month’s meeting will be at the George Reynolds Branch Library, March 8, presumably at 7:00 pm (this time needs confirmation), with Train advocates and RTD. Because we are joining their meeting, we will not carry out normal business.

Meeting organized by the Sierra Club Rocky Mountain Chapter Transportation Committee, February 27th, 6-8:30 pm, American Mountaineering Center, 710 10th Street, suite 100, in Golden. This is a major event for transportation and sprawl activists, and includes illustrious speakers from government, RTD, Sierra Club, and other transportation and rail activists. Light refreshments will be served. (Alan S treater protested that Golden is practically inaccessible from Boulder by public transit. Mark Richert offered carpool services. Contact him at guru@markrichert.com.

Discussion on city commission nominations.

Alan Streater noted the poor judgment by City Council on TAB reappointments. Mark Richert might apply for TAB.

Normal Business

“Achieve in 2007” program. IPG Executive Committee has chosen three programs that will be collaborations among IPG committees and will reach out to IPG members to become active. (1) Cool Cities Campaign, asking East Boulder Communities to sign onto a climate initiative to adhere to the Kyoto agreement (plans are to hire a coordinator); (2) 100th Human Campaign, which will aid 100 families in reducing their CO2 emissions by 25-30% in 1 year; (3) A major conservation restoration project, which is not yet determined.

Redevelopment of the Army Reserve Land on Table Mesa Drive. Sarah updated us.

Web Site Review. The structure of the new web site is ready, and Laura Scrimgeour asks that we submit items. Several of us have promised to do so.

Lowe’s and the proposed Lafayette Annexation.

This big box development would be on 32 acres of undeveloped land that is surrounded by rural lands East of Lafayette. The area is currently zoned for mixed use on Lafayette planning maps although it is still technically outside of Lafayette. A mail ballot is currently in progress. The IPG Executive Committee has declared opposition to annexation, and Bill R. submitted a letter on behalf of IPG to the paper. The Transportation/sprawl Committee would normally have proposed this to the Executive Committee, but there was no time. (Did we drop the ball?)

CDOT Appointment.

Mark R. asked us to consider opposing Governor Ritter’s appointment of George to head CDOT. Arguments were (1) CDOT needs a major change in direction that George is unlikely to initiate; (2) George does not have experience with transit issues; and (3) He is likely to fill sub-appointments with highway-oriented people. Many members were resistant to the proposal because they lacked knowledge about Mr. George. Mark agreed to communicate his concerns to the Sierra Club Rocky Mountain Chapter lobbyist, and ask her about Mr. George’s positions.

Local Transportation Issues

Alan S. mentioned the recent invited editorials and columns that support highway expansion and suburban sprawl development. Should we try to counter these? Bill R. did write a letter to counter Bob Greenley’s column, and the group agreed that ignoring the rest might be best.

Density and City Code Updates

Mark R. asked if we should be pushing the city to change city codes that promote auto-oriented development, such as requirements providing for car parking in residential developments. Several members expressed concern that the current makeup of the city council does not favor success. Others suggested that we should at least make a statement that will help frame discussion in the upcoming election. Sarah suggested that a carbon tax might be a better approach because even if the codes were changed the builders would keep building the developments the same anyway. The discussion ended in a lack of consensus.

6000 Pound Monkey

This discussion was on whether the IPG should ask the city to enforce the law prohibiting the parking of vehicles >6000 pounds on residential streets. This law is currently on the books, and Mark R. though that the original intent may have been to prohibit hippy-vehicles. Members were resistant to asking that the law be enforced. Alan Streater commented that so many Sierra Club members have large SUV’s that it might significantly reduce membership. The discussion ended with a lack of consensus.

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