City of Santa Clara
Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee
Policy Guidelines
The Bicycle Advisory Committee (BAC) was established by the Santa Clara City Council on May 28, 1991. On March 25, 2014 the Bicycle Advisory Committee was changed to the Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee (BPAC) by the Santa Clara City Council.
Section 1. Purpose
The purpose of the BPAC is to serve as an advisory body to the City Council on matters relative to modifying or expanding the City’s public recreational and commuter bikeway and pedestrian walkway system. Its intent shall be to encourage recreational and commuter bicycling and walking in the City by promoting safe, convenient, well-designed facilities, and by evaluating local bicycle and pedestrian related projects.
Section 2. Membership
The BPAC is comprised of nine (9) regular members as appointed by the City Council. The Chairperson or alternate will be the Mayor or Councilperson designated by City Council and shall be considered a member. The remaining eight (8) members shall be citizens at large with a representative from the following groups strongly encouraged to be members: Santa Clara Unified School District and the Silicon Valley Bicycle Coalition. BPAC members must either reside or work in the City of Santa Clara.
Section 3. Term of Office and Removal
The term of office for BPAC members will be three years.
Members may be re-appointed but will be considered along with all other new applicants.
To allow for staggered terms, 2 members appointed by City Council in November of 2011 will have a term of office expiring on December 31, 2014, 3 members appointed in November of 2012 will have a term of office expiring on December 31, 2015, and 3 members appointed on November of 2013 will have a term of office expiring on December 31, 2016.
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Any members of the BPAC may be removed from office by a majority vote of the City Council at a regularly scheduled Council meeting.
Section 4. Vacancies
Vacancies will be filled for the unexpired portion of the term, of the member being replaced, in the same manner as the original appointment.
Section 5. Meetings
The BPAC shall hold meetings on the third Wednesday in January, March, June, August and October at 4:00 p.m. at City Hall. The actual date of meeting can be changed or additional meetings can be approved by a quorum of the committee.
All meetings shall be open to the public and notices and agendas shall be posted at City Hall as required by law.
Section 6. Quorum
Any five members shall constitute a quorum for voting on action items.
Section 7. Voting
Only the appointed BPAC members have voting authority. The committee shall determine the voting procedure for items prior to voting.
Section 8. Duties of BPAC to be Advisory Only
It is intended that the BPAC shall be an advisory committee to the City Council.
Nothing herein contained shall be construed as a limitation on the power of the City Council or the administrative staff of the City in their supervision or authority over property or personnel, which are under their jurisdictions.
Section 9. Assistance of Staff
The City Manager of the City of Santa Clara shall provide the BPAC with information and staff assistance but the BPAC’s requests may from time to time be prioritized subject to staff limitations. The City Manager has appointed the Director of Public Works and the Chief of Police or their designees to staff the BPAC.
2 \\VSRVFSPROD01\DEPT\ENGINEERING\ENGINEERING\6-TED\BIKE & PED\BPAC\BPAC BY LAWS & VOTING PROCEDURES\BAC POLICY GUIDELINES REV 03-25-14(FINAL).DOC Section 10. Code of Ethics and Values
The City of Santa Clara adopted a Code of Ethics and Values to provide clear, positive statements of ethical behavior reflecting the core values of the community. The actions and words of members of City's boards, commissions and committees should represent the community's values: ethical, professional, service-oriented, fiscally responsible, organized, communicative, collaborative, and progressive.
Section 11. Amendments
These guidelines may be amended by a quorum of the BPAC membership at any legal BPAC meeting, subject to approval by City Council.
PASSED AND RECOMMENDED FOR ADOPTION by the Bicycle Advisory Committee this 29 day of January, 2014.
PASSED AND ADOPTED by the Santa Clara City Council this 25 day of March, 2014.
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