Minutes_Resilient Community Advisory Commission 06.08.23City of Dubuque Consent Items # 01.
City Council Meeting
ITEM TITLE: Minutes and Reports Submitted
SUMMARY:
SUGGESTED
DISPOSITION:
ATTACHMENTS:
Description
Copyrighted
June 20, 2023
City Council Proceedings of 5/31/23 and 6/5/23; Historic Preservation
Commission of 5/18/23; Library Board of Trustees of 5/25/23; Resilient
Community Advisory Commission of 6/8/23; Zoning Advisory
Commission of 6/7/23; Zoning Board of Adjustment of 5/25/23.
Suggested Disposition: Receive and File
City Council Proceedings of 5/31/23
City Council Proceedings of 6/5/23
Historic Preservation Commission of 5/18/23
Library Board of Trustees of 5/25/23
Type
Supporting Documentation
Supporting Documentation
Supporting Documentation
Supporting Documentation
Resilient Community Advisory Commission of 6/8/23 Supporting Documentation
Zoning Advisory Commission of 6/7/23 Supporting Documentation
Zoning Board of Adjustment of 5/25/23 Supporting Documentation
CITY OF DUBUQUE - COMMISSION MEETING MINUTES
GOVERNMENTAL BODY: Resilient Community Advisory Commission (RCAC)
DATE: June 8, 2023
TIME: 5:00 pm
LOCATION: Jule Operations and Training Center (JOTC) Circle Conference Room, 949 Kerper Blvd.
MEMBERS PRESENT: Josh Chamberland, Jake Kohlhaas, Katharine Connolly, Adam Hoffman, Robin Kennicker, Sandra
Evans
MEMBERS ABSENT: Dean Boles, Lalith Jayawickrama, Steven Drahozal
STAFF PRESENT: Amanda Lewis
Chair Kohlhaas called the meeting to order at 5:10 pm.
TEST AGENDA
MINUTES APPROVAL: Chamberland motioned to approve the May minutes. Kennicker seconded. Motion carried.
PUBLIC COMMENT:
NEW BUSINESS
a) Trails Team — progress report
a. Jason Duba (City Planner) discussed Trails Team, which includes variety of City Staff. Recognized that bike signage
was recommended in 2021 and recommendation still exists. East Central Intergovernmental Association (ECIA)
Plan is developing the Dubuque Regional Bicycle and Pedestrian Network Plan, which includes the Dubuque
Metropolitan Area Transport Study (DMATS) and certain rural areas in Illinois and Wisconsin. Some of the ECIA
bike routes align with previously proposed routes by RCAC and some do not. More analysis will be needed (Ex.
Rockdale Road was not included in ECIA plan because the road is very narrow). Bike routes are meant to give
wayfinding cues to cyclists and cues to drivers to understand cyclists on the road. Duba offered suggestion to put
together a bike map (example from Eau Claire, Wisconsin), showing bike routes with cyclists' levels of comfort. Eau
Claire map was developed by cyclists. This could be done in conjunction with putting signage on bike routes.
Signed routes exist in Dubuque, but some people don't like the signs and feedback is needed to determine if City of
Dubuque wants to continue using those signs or start over with new signs. There are currently 116 of the round
green signs in Dubuque.
b. Steve Sampson Brown (City Engineer) discussed mobility piece of the Smart Parking and Mobility Study (SPMS),
which focuses on downtown areas. Final draft of plan will go to City Council close to Labor Day. Mobility plans are
used to create high-level themes for further action, planning and policy updates, improving safety, comfort,
convenience, and connectedness of transit, bicycling, walking, and rolling. Sampson Brown attended a conference
that discussed accidents on roads and traditionally, engineers looked at traffic data to see accident levels, rather
than the comfort level of cyclists. Standard levels of cyclists' comfort range from not interested, interested but
concerned, somewhat confident, and highly confident. Transportation is the act of moving someone or something
from one place to another. Mobility is the ease of moving from one place to another. Consistent wayfinding signs
are needed, especially as tourism becomes a larger industry in Dubuque. There is a Capital Improvement Project
for $115,000 to work with consultants to start connecting destinations and choosing routes. There are other
transportation decisions that need to roll out in the next 12 months to determine where it makes the most sense
to put bike lanes. Some traffic and engineering projects are in the works and may need further evaluation.
Questions: Why don't people like the existing bike signs?
Answer: They are not standard. Bike signs look like bus stop signs.
Question: How long have those signs been up?
Answer: Since about 2015-2016.
Question: In the paradigm shift from safety to comfort, how do you determine comfort level?
Answer: The industry is to understand that people have certain comfort levels based on demographics. Comfort is subjective from
person to person, but separation from traffic, the amount of traffic, the speed of the traffic are more standard measurements for
human comfort.
Question: Out of the percentage of people who are comfortable riding a bike, do you know where those people reside?
Answer: Not yet, but as the conversations continue, will start to ask cyclists to define themselves and where they live, as this will
inform the strategy of what kind of bike lanes and where they will be located.
Comment: 60% of general population is interested, but hesitant about biking and 4-9% are confident cyclists. Implementation for the
Climate Action Plan are most likely to be commuters — and carbon offsets are most likely from the group that are already confident
bike riders.
Question: If we standardized signs, can we put them up and then move them?
Answer: Certain types would be able to be moved, but a bigger wayfinding sign isn't easily moved because it would have specific
information.
Comment: We'd like to bring in tourists that need something to do, whether that is biking, canoeing, or kayaking.
Answer: Schmidt Island and DRA is interested in renting canoes because those areas are more interested in tourists and may be
interested in bike rentals as well.
Question: What kind of timeline are we looking at?
Answer: ECIA is looking to finalize plan in July to start going after grants. SPMS is looking to get a pilot bike lane close to Labor Day.
Will evaluate traffic control, how many cars are parked, pavement conditions, etc. to make a recommendation for one street to
create a pilot bike lane.
b) Goal Setting worksheet for City Council Goal Setting
Chamberland motioned to approve. Kennicker seconded. Motion carried.
c) Next Steps on Bikeable City
Possibility to write a letter to encourage support for implementing signs for the pilot program this summer.
d) Review contracts in city facilities (GRC contract + Five Flags contract + Farmers Market contract)
a. Contracts are very different in length. No waste -related items were listed. Contract dates were outdated and
renewal dates were not apparent in the contracts. Possibility to dedicate grant funds from waste agency to make
receptacles uniform colors to help attendees properly dispose of items. Education is the biggest challenge of
informing the public about trash receptacles. There are special event recycling units, but sometimes can become
contaminated by other materials. Suggestion to have staff person near the containers to further educate people
about recycling versus trash. Limiting the total number of materials is easier because putting a picture near the
receptacles is easier to be able to educate.
Question: Why is the Millwork Night Market is much more environmental than the Farmer's Market?
Answer: Millwork is funded through an agency and Farmer's Market could apply for a grant. There is not a compostable
option available in the City to be able to break down compostable silverware, plates, bowls (especially when there is a
coating on the inside).
Follow up Action: Kennicker to discuss with Parks and Rec commission to get feedback about waste management (standard
receptacles, standard colors, and minimizing total number of materials) at city facilities.
e) Request for Education subcommittee
Recommended Action: Table motion until next meeting
Kennicker motioned to approve. Chamberland seconded. Motion carried.
f) Discussion of letter to keep leftover/unspent SD grant funds
a. Motion to have Bell update and resubmit letter
b. Kohlhaas motions. Evans seconds. Motion carried.
OLD BUSINESS
1. Policy Work — Review ordinances and policies as they relate to Climate Action Plan: Updates from lawn chemicals
subcommittee
a. Pesticide use and habitat protection — explore requirement for private citizens to notify when they are using
pesticides (ex. Asking citizens to put up a flag when they are using pesticides). Making all City parks pesticide free.
From 2016 Sustainable Dubuque there is a pest management document — individual City buildings and
departments are responsible for maintaining outdoor spaces. Converting lawns to pollinator habitat — Minnesota
state program; Lawns to Legumes. Minnesotans can apply for a grant, but homeowners pay 25% to convert lawn.
Minnesota has demonstration areas. Dubuque County Conservation might be able to be a resource partner.
Potential for garden tours of lawns that have no pesticides. City might want to host an integrated pest
management session at GSCC.
a) Discuss date of next meeting
HOW DID I SHOW UP? COMMISSIONER REPORTS:
Motion to adjourn by all.
NEXT MEETING: The next commission meeting will occur on July 13, 2023, at 5 pm at the Jule Operations and Training
Center (JOTC) in the Circle Conference Room, 949 Kerper Blvd.
ADJOURNMENT: The Commission adjourned at 7:04pm.
Minutes approved by:
Jacob Kohlhaas, Commission Chair
Prepared by:
Gina Bell, Sustainable Community Coordinator