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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2025 02 10 Regular 500 - Review of the Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee and Parks And Recreation Advisory CommitteeREGULAR AGENDA ITEM 500 CITY COMMISSION AGENDA | FEBRUARY 10, 2025 REGULAR MEETING TITLE Review of the Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee & Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee SUMMARY The City Clerk's Office presented a review of all Boards and Committees at the January 13, 2025 City Commission Regular Meeting complete with recommendations. The City Commission subsequently voted to review each board and committee individually at subsequent meetings. Attached to this item is Ordinance 2010-06 and Ordinance 2010-07 which established the Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee and Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee respectively. Also attached are the relevant excerpts from the previously presented report. Staff's recommendation to sunset the Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Commitee is based on irregular meetings since the committee's formation. Meetings that were held were almost exclusively informational in nature and a focus on bicycle trails outside the city's jurisdiction required extensive staff research. Sunsetting the committee would require an ordinance with two public hearings. Staff's recommendation to sunset the Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee is not related to meeting frequency but rather meeting content. All meetings are almost exclusively informational with no matters being referred to the committee and updates focused on projects that have already been completed. Sunsetting the committee would require and ordinance with two public hearings. Another option that could be considered, and has been discussed previously, is merging the two committees and redefining specific areas of responsibility, membership, etc. Staff would recommend a merged committee have no more than seven (7) members to align with all other city boards and committees, additionally the detailed composition of the committee would need to be revised dependent on the new purpose and duties of the committee as determined by the City Commission. FUNDING SOURCE RECOMMENDATION Staff is requesting the Commission discuss the Parks and Recreation and Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committees and make a determination to sunset the committees 328 via ordinance or merge the committees and adopt an ordinance addressing, at a minimum, membership and revised purpose and duties of the committee. 329 ORDINANCE NO. 2010 -06 AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF WINTER SPRINGS, FLORIDA, CREATING THE BICYCLE AND PEDESTRIAN ADVISORY COMMITTEE; ESTABLISHING PURPOSE AND DUTIES; PROVIDING FOR THE REPEAL OF PRIOR INCONSISTENT ORDINANCES AND RESOLUTIONS, INCORPORATION INTO THE CODE, SEVERABILITY, AND AN EFFECTIVE DATE. WHEREAS, the City is granted the authority, under Section 2(b), Article VIII, of the State Constitution, to exercise any power for municipal purposes, except when expressly prohibited bylaw; and WHEREAS, the City Commission adopted the Evaluation and Appraisal Report Amendments to the Comprehensive Plan on September 28, 2009; and WHEREAS, Transportation Element Policy 1.5.18 directs the establishment of a trails advisory committee made up of residents who will work together to pursue the planning and implementation of an interconnected trail and bicycle system and make appropriate recommendations to the City Commission; and WHEREAS, a Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee is needed to pursue the planning and implementation of non - motorized transportation linkages within and throughout the City to supplement and further enhance the value of the Cross - Seminole Regional Trail within the City; and WHEREAS, the City Commission of the City of Winter Springs, Florida, hereby finds this Ordinance to be in the best interests of the public health, safety, and welfare of the citizens of Winter Springs. NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF WINTER SPRINGS HEREBY ORDAINS, AS FOLLOWS: Section 1. Recitals. The foregoing recitals are hereby incorporated herein by this reference. Section 2. Code Amendment. The City of Winter Springs Code, Chapter 2, is hereby amended to create new sections 2 -43 and 2 -44 as follows (underlined type indicates textual additions to the City Code): Sec. 2 -43. Creation; composition; appointment of members. a) Pursuant to Transportation Element Policy 1.5.18 of the city's comprehensive plan, the city hereby establishes a trails advisory committee which shall be known as the "Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee ". b) The Committee shall have five (5) members and membership on the Committee shall be in accordance with the terms of Section 2 -42 of this code except as expressly provided in this Section. The Committee may additionally include ex officio members, who may or may not be residents of City of Winter Springs Ordinance No. 2010 -06 Page 1 of 3 330 the city, who can provide technical support or expertise in any aspect of the Committee's work. Such ex officio members will have no voting power and cannot be used for the purpose of establishing a quorum for m etings. Any commissioner or the mayor may appoint an ex officio member but such appointment is not effective until ratified by majority vote of the city commission. c) Appointees to the Committee shall have knowledge and experience or interest in the planning and implementation of a city interconnected trail and bicycle system network, as determined by application. No person shall be appointed with private or personal interests likely to conflict with the general public interest. d) The Committee shall conduct four (4) quarterly regular meetings each year and may conduct additional special meetings as may be necessary to properly perform its duties and functions. e) The Committee shall establish rules and or bylaws to govern the manner in which its meetings and affairs are conducted, provided that such rules and procedures are not inconsistent with federal and state law, the city code or direction of the city commission. 0 The Committee shall be subject to the Florida Public Records Act and the Sunshine Law. Sec. 2 - 44. Purpose and Duties. a) The purpose of the Committee is to promote trail, pedestrian and bicycle circulation systems and encourage increased use of non - motorized transportation in the city. The Committee shall perform the following duties: 1) Serve as an advocate for the adoption of a Trail and Bicycle System Master Plan for the city. 2) Promote pedestrian and bicycle travel as a viable transportation choice to connect neighborhoods with parks, schools, commercial areas, and other destinations in the city and surrounding area. 3) Assist with identifying funding sources and implementation strategies which further the development of an interconnected network of trails, sidewalks and bikeways within the city. 4) Recommend to the city commission establishment, development, planning, funding and maintenance of specific trail, sidewalk and bicycle projects. 5) Consider all matters submitted to it by the city commission or staff and shall offer suggestions or recommendations on its own initiative. It shall receive petitions and suggestions from the citizens of the city, and shall cooperate with civic groups, governmentalagencies, and other 9rganizations regarding trail, sidewalk and bicycle system planning and implementation Section 3. Repeal of Prior Inconsistent Ordinances and Resolutions. All prior inconsistent ordinances and resolutions adopted by the City Commission, or parts of prior ordinances and resolutions in conflict herewith, are hereby repealed to the extent of the conflict. Section 4. Incorporation Into Code. This Ordinance shall be incorporated into the Winter Springs City Code and any section or paragraph, number or letter, and any heading may be changed or modified as necessary to effectuate the foregoing. Grammatical, typographical, and like City of Winter Springs Ordinance No. 2010 -06 Page 2 of 3 331 errors may be corrected and additions, alterations, and omissions, not affecting the construction or meaning of this ordinance and the City Code may be freely made. Section 5. Severability. If any section, subsection, sentence, clause, phrase, word or provision of this Ordinance is for any reason held invalid or unconstitutional by any court of competent jurisdiction, whether for substantive, procedural, or any other reason, such portion shall be deemed a separate, distinct and independent provision, and such holding shall not affect the validity of the remaining portions of this Ordinance. Section 6. Effective Date. This Ordinance shall become effective immediately upon adoption by the City Commission of the City of Winter Springs, Florida;: and pursuant to City Charter. ADOPTED by the City Commission of the City of W' • er Springs, Florida, in a regular meeting assembled on the 23r day of August, 2010. J t F. BUS ;19l yor ATTES ► : A 'DR / 41 0 RENZO - LUACES, City Clerk Approv • : s o legal form and sufficiency for the C'- 40 r Springs onl : ANTHONY A. GARGANESE, City Attorney First Reading:April 12, 2010 Second Reading:August 23, 2010 Effective Date:August 23, 2010 City of Winter Springs Ordinance No. 2010 -06 Page 3 of 3 332 Page | 2 Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee No. of Members: 5 Meetings: Quarterly Background This committee was formed in 2010 following the adoption of Ordinance 2010-06 1 and pursuant to Transportation Element Policy 1.5.18 of the Comprehensive Plan. The purpose of the Committee is to promote trail, pedestrian and bicycle circulation systems and encourage increased use of non -motorized transportation in the city. The Committee is tasked to perform the following duties: 1) Serve as an advocate for the adoption of a Trail and Bicycle System Master Plan for the city. 2) Promote pedestrian and bicycle travel as a viable transportation choice to connect neighborhoods with parks, schools, commercial areas, and other destinations in the city and surrounding area. 3) Assist with identifying funding sources and implementation strategies which further the development of an interconnected network of trails, sidewalks and bikeways within the city. 4) Recommend to the city commission establishment, development, planning, funding and maintenance of specific trail, sidewalk and bicycle projects. 5) Consider all matters submitted to it by the city commission or staff and shall offer suggestions or recommendations on its own initiative. It shall receive petitions and suggestions from the citizens of the city, and shall cooperate with civic groups, governmental agencies, and other organizations regarding trail, sidewalk and bicycle system planning and implementation. The membership of the board is limited to residents. There are no additional stated requirements or considerations for member appointments. Meetings are staffed by a representative of the City Clerk’s Office and the Community Development Department. Staff Analysis The Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee (BPAC) has met infrequently since its creation in 2010 and a total of 13 times since 2015. Most of these meetings occurred in 2021 following a suggestion to merge the committee with the Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee and subsequent action by the Committee to meet monthly. These meetings were almost exclusively informational in nature and required extensive research and communication between City and County Staff related to the Cross- Seminole Trail, and communication with the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) related to a crossing at State Road 419. 1 See Appendix A 333 Page | 3 Below is a look at the last three years: Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee Cancelled or Occurred Reason Duration 2022 3 Cancelled 1 – No Quorum; 2 – Staff 1 Meetings 33 minutes 2023 3 Cancelled 1 – No Quorum; 2 - Staff 1 Meetings 33 minutes 2024 4 Cancelled Staff Cancellation The main responsibility of the Committee is outside of the jurisdiction of the City of Winter Springs and Seminole County’s Parks and Preservation Advisory Committee covers many of the same functions. Recommendation Staff recommends sunsetting the Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee. If the Commission would like to pursue this course of action, an ordinance with two public hearings would be required. If the Commission does not desire to sunset the Committee, staff would recommend referring matters for consideration to the committee to receive feedback. Another suggestion would be to merge this and other committees to enhance productivity. 334 ORDINANCE NO. 2010 -07 AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF WINTER SPRINGS, FLORIDA, CREATING THE PARKS AND RECREATION ADVISORY COMMITTEE; ESTABLISHING PURPOSE AND DUTIES; PROVIDING FOR THE REPEAL OF PRIOR INCONSISTENT ORDINANCES AND RESOLUTIONS, INCORPORATION INTO THE CODE, SEVERABILITY, AND AN EFFECTIVE DATE. WHEREAS, the City is granted the authority, under Section 2(b), Article VIII, of the State Constitution, to exercise any power for municipal purposes, except when expressly prohibited by law; and WHEREAS, the City Commission adopted the Evaluation and Appraisal Report Amendments to the Comprehensive Plan on September 28, 2009; and WHEREAS, Recreation and Open Space Element Policy 1.1.2 directs the establishment of a Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee; and WHEREAS, a Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee is needed to advise in the planning and implementation of city parks and recreation programs; and WHEREAS, the City Commission of the City of Winter Springs, Florida, hereby finds this Ordinance to be in the best interests of the public health, safety, and welfare of the citizens of Winter Springs. NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF WINTER SPRINGS HEREBY ORDAINS, AS FOLLOWS: Section 1. Recitals. The foregoing recitals are hereby incorporated herein by this reference. Section 2. Code Amendment. The City of Winter Springs Code, Chapter 2, is hereby amended to create new sections 2 -45 and 2 -46 as follows (underlined type indicates textual additions to the City Code): Sec. 2 -45. Creation; composition; appointment of members. a) Pursuant to Recreation and Open Space Element Policy 1.1.2 of the city's comprehensive plan, the City hereby creates a Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee. b) The Committee shall have nine (9) members and membership on the Committee shall be in accordance with the terms of Section 2 -42 of this code except as expressly provided in this Section. The membership of the Committee shall, whenever possible, include the following:. a an active member of the Winter Springs Senior Association; WI an active member of a youth sports organization or program; City of Winter Springs Ordinance No. 2010 -07 Page 1 of 3 335 iii) an individual who is active in planning or assisting with special events of the City; iv) an individual who is active in an adult sports organization or program; v) an individual who uses or accompanies children in the use of City playgrounds; vi) an active member of a conservation group or agency, or an individual with experience in the use of parks for public purposes; viii an individual who participates in or supervises children who participate in the City's summer program(s), civic center program(s), camp(s) or other similar program(s). viii) an individual who is active in fundraising efforts; ix) an individual with general interest in Parks and Recreation. c) Appointees to the Committee shall have knowledge and experience or interest in the planning and implementation of city parks and recreational facilities, as determined by application. No person shall be appointed with private or personal interests likely to conflict with the general public interest. d) The Committee shall conduct four (4) quarterly regular meetings each year and may conduct additional special meetings as may be necessary to properly perform its duties and functions. e) The Committee shall establish rules and or bylaws to govern the manner in which its meetings and affairs are conducted, provided that such rules and procedures are not inconsistent with federal and state law, the city code or direction of the city commission. f) The Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee shall be subject to the Florida Public Records Act and the Sunshine Law. Sec. 2 -46. Purpose and duties. a) The purpose of the Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee is to promote park and recreation programs of the city and to recommend to the Parks and Recreation Director, as well as other city staff and the city commission as needed, policies and actions to promote, plan, design, construct and utilize city parks and related special events, fundraising and recreation programs. The Committee shall perform the following duties: 1) Advise and assist the Parks and Recreation Director, as well as other city staff and the city commission as needed, in matters involving or affecting city parks and recreation; 2) Keep the Parks and Recreation Director, as well as other city staff and the city commission as needed, informed of the status and progress of recreational and parks services, plans, special events, fundraisers and activities; 3) Advise and make recommendations to the Parks and Recreation Director, as well as other city staff and the city commission as needed, regarding the promotion of citizen participation in recreation and park programs and distribution of information about leisure activities offered by the city; and City of Winter Springs Ordinance No. 2010 -07 Page 2 of 3 336 4) Assist the Parks and Recreation Director, as well as other city staff and the city commission as needed, in the implementation of the goals, objectives and policies of the Recreation and Open Space Element of the city's comprehensive plan. Section 3. Repeal of Prior Inconsistent Ordinances and Resolutions. All prior inconsistent ordinances and resolutions adopted by the City Commission, or parts of prior ordinances and resolutions in conflict herewith, are hereby repealed to the extent of the conflict. Section 4. Incorporation Into Code. This Ordinance shall be incorporated into the Winter Springs City Code and any section or paragraph, number or letter, and any heading may be changed or modified as necessary to effectuate the foregoing. Grammatical, typographical, and like errors may be corrected and additions, alterations, and omissions, not affecting the construction or meaning of this ordinance and the City Code may be freely made. Section 5. Severability. If any section, subsection, sentence, clause, phrase, word or provision of this Ordinance is for any reason held invalid or unconstitutional by any court of competent jurisdiction, whether for substantive, procedural, or any other reason, such portion shall be deemed a separate, distinct and independent provision, and such holding shall not affect the validity of the remaining portions of this Ordinance. Section 6. Effective Date. This Ordinance shall become effective immediately upon adoption by the City Commission of the City of Winter Springs, Florida, and pursuant to City Charter. ADOPTED by the City Commission of the City of Winter Springs, Florida, in a regular meeting assembled on the 23` day of August, 2010. J01 F. : USH, ayor A TES( ANDR rA ORENZO - LUACES, City Clerk Appr A as to legal form and sufficiency for odi the ffilrf f inter Spri • ly: de ANTHONY A. GARGANESE, City Attorney First Reading:April 12, 2010 Second Reading:August 23, 2010 Effective Date:August 23, 2010 City of Winter Springs Ordinance No. 2010 -07 Page 3 of 3 337 Page | 9 Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee No. of Members: 9 Meetings: Quarterly Background This committee was formed in 2010 following the adoption of Ordinance 2010-07 5 and pursuant to Recreation and Open Space Element Policy 1.1.2 of the Comprehensive Plan. The purpose of the parks and recreation advisory committee is to promote park and recreation programs of the city and to recommend to the parks and recreation director, as well as other city staff and the city commission as needed, policies and actions to promote, plan, design, construct and utilize city parks and related special events, fundraising and recreation programs. The committee shall perform the following duties: 1) Advise and assist the parks and recreation director, as well as other city staff and the city commission as needed, in matters involving or affecting city parks and recreation; 2) Keep the parks and recreation director, as well as other city staff and the city commission as needed, informed of the status and progress of recreational and parks services, plans, special events, fundraisers and activities; 3) Advise and make recommendations to the parks and recreation director, as well as other city staff and the city commission as needed, regarding the promotion of citizen participation in recreation and park programs and distribution of information about leisure activities offered by the city; 4) Assist the parks and recreation director, as well as other city staff and the city commission as needed, in the implementation of the goals, objectives and policies of the Recreation and Open Space Element of the city's comprehensive plan. The membership of the committee is limited to residents and shall, whenever possible, include the following: • An active member of the Winter Springs Senior Association; • An active member of a youth sports organization or program; • An individual who is active in planning or assisting with special events of the city; • An individual who is active in an adult sports organization or program; • An individual who uses or accompanies children in the use of city playgrounds; • An active member of a conservation group or agency, or an individual with experience in the use of parks for public purposes; 5 See Appendix A 338 Page | 10 • An individual who participates in or supervises children who participate in the city's summer program(s), civic center program(s), camp(s) or other similar program(s). • An individual who is active in fundraising efforts; • An individual with general interest in parks and recreation. Meetings are staffed by a representative of the City Clerk’s Office and the Parks and Recreation Department. Staff Analysis The Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee (PRAC) is the city’s largest committee with nine members. While the committee does meet regularly, the content is often informational with staff providing updates of projects that have been completed. Below is a look at the last three years: Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee Cancelled or Occurred Reason Duration 2022 2 Cancelled 2 Meetings Average 50 minutes 2023 3 Cancelled 1 – No Quorum 1 Meeting 1 hour and 13 minutes 2024 4 Meetings 1 Rescheduled Average 55 minutes 1 – 20-minute late start Recommendation Staff recommends sunsetting the Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee. If the Commission would like to pursue this course of action, an ordinance with two public hearings would be required. If the Commission does not desire to sunset the Committee, staff would recommend reducing the number of members to no more than seven, evaluating and following the membership criteria, and referring matters for consideration to the committee to receive feedback. Another suggestion would be to merge this and other committees to enhance productivity. 339