Agenda Item # 1
Columbus Consolidated Government
Council Meeting
06/19/2018
Agenda Report # 134
TO: Mayor and Council
SUBJECT: Amendment to Resolution No. 92-14, Complete Streets
Policy
INITIATED BY: Planning Department
Recommendation: Approval is requested to adopt the proposed amendments to the
local Complete Streets Policy resolution.
Background: In 2014, City Council passed Resolution 92-14, authorizing a
Complete Streets policy based on the statewide policy issued by the Georgia
Department of Transportation. This resolution made clear that Columbus would
make an effort to be inclusive of all modes of transportation including
pedestrians, bicyclists, transit users, persons with disabilities, and would
encourage transportation projects to consider safety and mobility. While this
has been a step in the right direction and new projects are now being designed
with other users in mind, more could be done on the policy side to ensure that
these state and national objectives are being met. Georgia Bikes and the office
of the Mayor have proposed that we look to other cities that are leading the
way in complete streets, such as Reading Pennsylvania, in order to strengthen
the Columbus Complete Streets policy and continue to promote equitable
transportation. The Planning Department has drafted these proposed amendments
to strengthen the policy.
Analysis: The proposed amendment calls for three major changes to the policy
that will strengthen the policy, allowing for more transparency and
accountability. Outlined here are the three proposed changes:
1. Adopt specific engineering design guidelines for the application of bike,
pedestrian, and transit facilities; including acknowledging the role that
aesthetic design can have for encouraging safe and welcoming streets.
2. Create a committee to publicly address and make transparent the process of
how CCG/GDOT decide which roadways may be feasible for Complete Street
implementation. This committee shall abide by objective, quantifiable,
criterion when evaluating a corridor for the feasibility of a complete streets
application.
3. This committee shall report a status update to the public on the state of
complete streets project implementation and other metrics that are crucial to
monitoring and allowing stakeholders to have the data and information available
to them in order to help direct public discourse.
Financial Considerations: Implementation of these policies may have an impact
on the total cost of a future road project.
Projected Annual Fiscal Impact Statement: No projected impact can be made at
this time.
Legal Considerations: None anticipated
Recommendations/Actions: Approval is requested to adopt the proposed amendments
to the local Complete Streets Policy resolution.
A RESOLUTION
NO. _____
A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING AMENDMENT OF RESOLUTION 92-14, COMPLETE STREETS
POLICY, TO STRENGTHEN THE POLICY AND ENCOURAGE WALKING, BICYCLING, TRANSIT, AND
PROMOTING SAFE OPERATIONS FOR ALL USERS.
WHEREAS, the existing Complete Streets policy is too broadly defined and does
not address specific design and aesthetic elements and does not clarify when
and how Complete Streets should be implemented, and,
WHEREAS, an amended Complete Streets policy should include specific engineering
design guidelines for the application of bike, pedestrian, and transit
facilities; including acknowledging the role that aesthetic design can have for
encouraging safe and welcoming streets, and,
WHEREAS, an amended Complete Streets policy should create a committee to
publicly address and make transparent the process of how roadways are selected
for Complete Streets implementation and this committee shall abide by
objective, quantifiable, criterion when evaluating a corridor for the
feasibility of a complete streets application. Such a committee shall include
the district Councilor where the project is located and at-large Councilors as
ad hoc members.
NOW, THEREFORE, THE COUNCIL OF COLUMBUS, GEORGIA, HEREBY RESOLVES AS FOLLOWS:
That the Council of the Consolidated Government of Columbus hereby amends
resolution 92-4, also known as the Complete Street Policy, to include design
standards and aesthetics, while implementing an interdepartmental Complete
Streets Non-Compliance Committee as shown on the attached document entitled
Proposed Amendments to Resolution No. 92-14, Complete Streets Policy.
__________
Introduced at a regular meeting of the Council of Columbus, Georgia, held
the _______ day of ________________ 2018, and adopted at said meeting by the
affirmative vote of ______ members of said Council.
Councilor Allen voting
__________.
Councilor Baker voting __________.
Councilor Barnes voting __________.
Councilor Davis voting __________.
Councilor Garrett voting __________.
Councilor Huff voting __________.
Councilor Thomas voting __________.
Councilor Turner Pugh voting __________.
Councilor Woodson voting __________.
_______________________________ ________________________
Tiny B. Washington, Clerk of Council Teresa Pike Tomlinson, Mayor
Attachments