Sebastopol City Council
November 19, 2024

CITY OF SEBASTOPOL CITY COUNCIL
AGENDA ITEM REPORT FOR MEETING OF: November 19, 2024
=========================================================================================== To: Honorable Mayor and City Councilmembers
From: John Jay, Associate Planner
Subject: Report out/Recommendation on City of Sebastopol Active Transportation Plan =========================================================================================== RECOMMENDATIONS:

Receive report, provide comments and or modifications to the City of Sebastopol Draft Active Transportation Plan.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:

The Sebastopol Active Transportation Plan (ATP) is an update to the Sebastopol Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan adopted in 2011. The ATP is being developed as part of the Countywide Active Transportation Plan through a grant awarded to the Sonoma County Transportation Authority (SCTA) and a contract held by SCTA.

City staff and SCTA have worked closely with the consultant team, Fehr & Peers and Leshner Planning, to gather data and establish existing conditions, engage the community, conduct technical analyses, and develop the Draft Active Transportation Plan.

BACKGROUND AND DISCUSSION:

City staff and the consultant team previously presented an overview of the project as well as draft projects and policies to the Planning Commission on September 12, 2023, May 14, 2024, and most recently October 22, 2024.

The primary focus of this meeting isto provide an update regarding the Draft ATP content. The Draft ATP is available online (https://fp.mysocialpinpoint.com/sonoma-county-atp) through November 30, 2024 for public comment. Feedback on the presentation contents and the Draft ATP are requested from the City Council to help ensure local needs are prioritized and met through this effort.

The attached PowerPoint presentation provides an overview of the status of the Draft ATP content.

The maps presented in the attached PowerPoint presentation summarize the following:
• Existing Bikeway Network: Shows the existing bikeway network. • Existing Sidewalk Gaps: Shows the existing gaps in the sidewalk network. • Level of Traffic Stress: Shows the existing level of traffic stress a person walking or biking may experience on city streets under current conditions.
• 2025 Bikeways and Corridor Projects: Shows draft proposed bikeways and corridor projects in the City’s Draft ATP.
• Existing & Proposed 2025 Active Transportation Network: Shows the combined networks of existing facilities with the proposed 2025 projects.

For more details, please refer to the attached PowerPoint presentation and the Draft Sebastopol Active Transportation Plan available to download here: https://fp.mysocialpinpoint.com/sonoma-county-atp.

Schedule & Next Steps
Project next steps include:
• Draft Active Transportation Plan Available for Public Comment through November 30, 2024 • Present Final Active Transportation Plan to City Council for Adoption in Early 2025 Agenda Item Number 12 Agenda Item Number: 12
City Council Meeting Packet of: November 19, 2024

STAFF ANALYSIS:

Staff is requesting feedback from the City council on the draft ATP.

COMMUNITY OUTREACH:

This item has been noticed in accordance with the Ralph M. Brown Act and was available for public viewing and review at least 72 hours prior to schedule meeting date.

FISCAL IMPACT:

There is no fiscal impact associated with the action taken tonight.

OPTIONS:

Receive report and provide feedback to city staff and consultants.

ATTACHMENTS:

Draft ATP PowerPoint presentation
Draft ATP
Public comment
APPROVALS:

Department Head Approval: Approval Date: _____11/5/2024_____ CEQA Determination (Planning): Approval Date: _____11/5/2024_____ The proposed action is not a project under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Administrative Services (Financial) Approval Date:_____11/12/24______ Costs authorized in City Approved Budget: ☐ Yes ☐ No  N/A Account Code (f applicable) ___________________________ City Attorney Approval: Approval Date: ___11/7/24____
City Manager Approval: Approval Date: ___11/6/24____
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City Council Meeting Packet of: November 19, 2024

1 1
Milestone #3 Agenda
1 Project Overview
2 Outreach Summary
3 Proposed Projects
4 Prioritization
5 Policies
6 Implementation Considerations
Sonoma Countywide
Active Transportation Plan
Sebastopol City Council
November 19, 2024
Agenda Item Number 12 Agenda Item Number: 12
City Council Meeting Packet of: November 19, 2024

Creating spaces for people to walk, bike, and roll that are low-stress and lower risk to create more opportunities for more people to walk, bike, and roll.

All Ages & Abilities
Regional Connections
Purpose of Plan Update
Implementation
Identifying and planning regional routes between jurisdictions as part of the larger Countywide ATP.

Prioritizing projects and identifying funding to focus and streamline implementation.

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4 VISION STATEMENT
Our guiding principles are to improve safety,
connectivity, equity, and quality of life. Walking,
biking, and rolling shall be safe and appealing modes
for people of all ages and abilities to use for everyday transportation and recreation.

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5 Deliver a continuous active transportation network that links daily activities and housing, and that allows people of all ages and abilities to use a variety of transportation types easily, affordably, and dependably.

Connected and Reliable
Create and sustain a high-quality and low-stress active transportation network.

Employ Vision Zero and Safety Plan policies and strategies to advance this goal. Safe and Well-Maintained

GOALS AND DESCRIPTIONS
Tailor projects to the surrounding community contexts and user profiles. Support a diversity of uses and users and create community through active transportation programs and policies that prioritize walking, biking, and rolling.

Community Oriented and
Place-Based
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6 All Ages &
Abilities
Use analysis
techniques like bicycle
level of traffic stress to
identify needs and
opportunities
regionally and locally
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Existing Bikeway
Network
Sebastopol
ATP
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Existing Bikeway
Network
Sebastopol
ATP
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10 • Planning Commission Presentations: September 2023 & May 2024
• Online Web Map and Survey: Fall 2023 & Spring 2024
• Pop-up Events: Farmers Market in November 2023
& Apple Blossom Festival in April 2024
• Public Workshop: May 2024 at Center for the Arts
City staff and project team hosting an open house at the Sebastopol Center for the Arts Outreach
Summary
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11 Considerations for Selecting Bike Facility Type:
• Community Input
• Speed of Vehicles
• Number of Vehicles
• Space Available on Street or in Right-of-Way
General industry guidance is to provide more
separation for people biking as vehicle
volume and/or speed increases
Bike Facility
Selection
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12 Bike Facility
Types
Bike Route Bike Boulevard
Bike Lane Buffered Bike Lane
Separated Bike Lane Multi
-use Path
Separation Increases
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2025 Proposed Active
Transportation Network
Sebastopol
ATP
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Sebastopol
ATP
Existing & 2025
Proposed Active
Transportation Network
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Sebastopol
ATP
Aspirational Trails
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17 PRIORITIZATION CRITERIA
• Safety – Along or parallel to Vision Zero HIN
• Equity – Various criteria used for federal, state, and regional definitions • Proximity to Existing Transit and Future SMART stations – 1/4 to 1 mile buffer depending on type of transit stop and bicycle or pedestrian improvement • Proximity to Schools/Colleges – 1/2 mile for walking and 1 mile for biking • Regional Priority – Bicycle project on the SCTA Network or MTC Regional AT Network • High Access/Low Stress - low-stress project in priority geographies identified by County/MTC
Potential Bonus Points for:
• Public/Local Priority – Projects with strong support from the community in Round 2 engagement
Equal
Weighting
3 Tiers per
Jurisdiction
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Sebastopol
ATP
Policies
Organized to support each of the three goals.

Generally, include the following types of topics:
• Coordination with other public agencies
• Application of industry best practices and required
standards
• Enhancing safety consistent with the LRSP and SCTA’s
Vision Zero Action Plan
• Facilitating implementation through CIP, private
development, other opportunities
• Maintaining existing and newly built facilities
• Broadening access to walking and biking facilities for all ages and abilities
• Supporting countywide education and encouragement
programs and activities
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Implementation
Funding: Regional &
State Sources
Sebastopol
ATP
Regional Funding Sources
GoSonoma (Measure M) https://scta.ca.gov/measure-m/gosonoma/ Transportation Development Act, Article 3
(TDA3) https://scta.ca.gov/projects/funding/#tda3
Transportation Fund for Clean Air (TFCA) https://scta.ca.gov/projects/funding/#tfca State of California Funding Sources
AHSC – Affordable Housing and Sustainable
Communities https://sgc.ca.gov/programs/ahsc/
ATP – Active Transportation Program https://catc.ca.gov/programs/activetransportation-program CleanCA – Clean California https://cleancalifornia.dot.ca.gov/ HSIP – Local Highway Safety Improvement
Program
https://dot.ca.gov/programs/localassistance/fed-and-state-programs/highwaysafety-improvement-program LPP – Local Partnership Program https://catc.ca.gov/programs/sb1/localpartnership-program PROTECT – Promoting Resilient Operations
for Transformative, Efficient, and Cost-Saving
Transportation
https://dot.ca.gov/programs/localassistance/fed-and-stateprograms/protect REAP – Regional Early Action Planning
https://www.hcd.ca.gov/grants-andfunding/programs-active/regional-early-actionplanning-grants-of-2021 RC:H2B – Reconnecting Communities:

Highways to Boulevards
https://dot.ca.gov/programs/localassistance/fed-and-state-programs/rc-h2b RMRA & HUTA – Road Maintenance and
Rehabilitation Account & Highway Users Tax
Account
https://www.sco.ca.gov/aud_road_maintenance
_sb1.html
SCCP – Solutions for Congested Corridors
Program
https://catc.ca.gov/programs/sb1/solutionsfor-congested-corridors-program Agenda Item Number 12 Agenda Item Number: 12
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Implementation
Funding: Federal
Sources
Sebastopol
ATP
Federal Funding Sources
ATIIP – Active Transportation Infrastructure
Investment Program
https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/bicycle
_pedestrian/atiip/
CMAQ – Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality
Improvement Program
https://ww2.arb.ca.gov/resources/documents/
congestionmitigation-and-air-qualityimprovement-cmaq-program RAISE – Rebuilding American Infrastructure
with Sustainability and Equity https://www.transportation.gov/RAISEgrants RSTG – Rural Surface Transportation
Grant Program
https://www.transportation.gov/grants/ruralsurface-transportation-grant SMART – Strengthening Mobility and
Revolutionizing Transportation https://www.transportation.gov/grants/SMART SS4A – Safe Streets and Roads for All https://www.transportation.gov/grants/SS4A STIP – State Transportation Improvement
Program
https://catc.ca.gov/programs/statetransportation-improvement-program STP – Surface Transportation Block Grant https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/specialfunding/stp/ Agenda Item Number 12 Agenda Item Number: 12
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Implementation
Monitoring
Sebastopol
ATP
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Next Steps • Draft ATP Available for Public Comment
through November 30, 2024
Download here: https://fp.mysocialpinpoint.com/sonomacounty-atp • Present Final ATP to City Council for Adoption in Early 2025 Agenda Item Number 12 Agenda Item Number: 12
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City of
Sebastopol
Active
Transportation
Plan

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Agenda Item Number 12 Agenda Item Number: 12
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Sebastopol Active
Transportation Plan (ATP)
Public Draft: September 2024
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Table of Contents

1. Introduction ....................................................................................................................... 1

2. Community Profile & Walking, Biking & Rolling Today......................................................... 3 Community Characteristics and Travel Patterns........................................................................................ 3 Road Safety in Sebastopol ........................................................................................................................... 4 Existing Active Transportation Network Characteristics in Sebastopol.................................................... 4

3. Community & Stakeholder Engagement............................................................................ 11

4. Vision & Goals ................................................................................................................. 13

5. Advancing Active Transportation ..................................................................................... 15 Infrastructure Improvements .....................................................................................................................15 Considerations for Facility Type..........................................................................................................15 Planned Projects ..................................................................................................................................16 Engineering Treatments Toolbox........................................................................................................26 Policies and Actions ...................................................................................................................................35

6. Implementation: Local Considerations ............................................................................. 39 Timeline.......................................................................................................................................................39 Policies .................................................................................................................................................39 Planned Projects ..................................................................................................................................39 Funding........................................................................................................................................................42 Monitoring ...................................................................................................................................................44 Agenda Item Number 12 Agenda Item Number: 12
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List of Figures
Figure 1. Existing Bikeway Network ................................................................................................................... 7 Figure 2. Existing Transit Network ..................................................................................................................... 8 Figure 3. Existing Level of Traffic Stress & 2022 Countywide High-Injury Network........................................ 9 Figure 4. 2025 Bikeway & Corridor Projects ....................................................................................................23 Figure 5. Existing & 2025 Active Transportation Network..............................................................................24 Figure 6. Aspirational Trails..............................................................................................................................25 List of Tables
Table 1. Bike Facility Selection for Urban, Suburban, Rural Town Centers1 ..................................................16 Table 2. Planned Infrastructure Improvements for Walking, Biking and Rolling...........................................17 Table 3. Catalog of Resources .........................................................................................................................26 Table 4. 2025 Active Transportation Network – Cost Estimates Summary..................................................40 Table 5. Potential Funding Sources, Competitive Grants, and Formula-Based Fundings.............................43 Table 6. Monitoring Progress ...........................................................................................................................44 Agenda Item Number 12 Agenda Item Number: 12
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1 1. Introduction
The 2025 Sebastopol Active Transportation
Plan (ATP) was developed as a component
of the Sonoma County Transportation
Authority‘s (SCTA’s) 2025 Countywide Active
Transportation Plan (Countywide ATP)
effort. This plan focuses on improving active
transportation connections within the city
and creating low stress connections within
and between communities. The Sebastopol
ATP is also a stand-alone document, which
the City of Sebastopol can use to guide
implementation of local projects and
policies.

The primary emphasis of this planning effort
is to increase access to active transportation
modes by planning for infrastructure projects
and identifying supportive policies. Active
transportation refers to “human-powered”
modes of travel, like walking, biking, or using
mobility devices. Creating an environment
that encourages a shift from automobile trips
to walking or biking trips also promotes
improvements to mental and physical health,
air quality, reduces noise, and improves
social equity. A safer and more connected
network gives members of the community
flexibility in their travel, so they do not need to
rely on a personal vehicle to travel through
the city and larger region.

Projects are prioritized based on the needs
highlighted by the community and city staff.

Policies are in line with the city’s near-term
plans and funding priorities. The City of
Sebastopol did not identify any local
programs specific to active transportation
due to budget and staff constraints;
however, they are committed to
coordinating with SCTA and participating in
relevant countywide active
transportation programs.

The previous Sebastopol Bicycle and
Pedestrian Master Plan (BPMP) adopted in
2014 identified a general expansion of
walking and biking facilities. Since the 2014
BPMP was updated, several changes and
advancements have been made in the state
of active transportation planning practices.

For example, SCTA adopted Vision Zero in
2021, which is a regional commitment to
eliminate traffic fatalities and serious
injuries through engineering, programs,
policies, and education. There have also
been policy changes at the national and
state level acknowledging a greater need for
more robust infrastructure, programs, and
policies to make walking and biking safer.

With those and other similar advancements
in mind, this plan focuses on:
• All Ages and Abilities – Creating
spaces for people to walk, bike, and
roll that are low-stress and lower risk
to create more opportunities for more
people to walk, bike, and roll.
• Regional Coordination – Identifying
and planning regional routes between
jurisdictions as part of the larger
Countywide ATP.
• Implementation – Prioritizing projects
and identifying funding to focus and
streamline implementation.

Low-stress network analysis was used to
identify opportunities to upgrade or enhance
existing or previously planned projects. The
network analysis considered community and
regional destinations, traffic safety, and
gaps in existing facilities to help inform
recommendations for enhanced or new
active transportation improvements.

Community input was gathered to ground
truth and expand findings from the network
analysis to create a robust project list and
supporting policies.

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2 Agenda Item Number 12 Agenda Item Number: 12
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3 2. Community Profile &
Walking, Biking &
Rolling Today
Community Characteristics and Travel Patterns
The City of Sebastopol has a population of approximately 7,6001, shares a portion of its eastern border with the City of Santa Rosa and is approximately 15 miles from Bodega Bay and the Sonoma County coast. Additionally, over 50,000 residents of West Sonoma County rely on Sebastopol as their center for shopping, business, and entertainment. Sebastopol is also well known for its Gravenstein Apple Fair and the Sebastopol Apple Blossom Festival and is considered an artistic and creative hub of Sonoma County. Priorities for the Active Transportation Plan include improving the safety and comfort of active transportation uses on Sebastopol’s main arterials, creating a network of low-stress bicycle boulevards on slowspeed residential streets, and providing safer connections to the City’s downtown area and schools. Healdsburg Avenue, Main Street and Sebastopol Avenue are also designated segments of State Routes (SR) 116 and 12, respectively.

In the past two decades, Sebastopol’s population has remained steady but some new development is planned in the city's identified Priority Development Areas to meet statewide Regional Housing Needs Assessment (RHNA) goals. New efforts to study and plan for improved multimodal facilities in town are underway, including the city-led Downtown Streets Planning and Redesign. That effort kicked off in summer/fall 2024, along with the planned, grant-funded Priority Development Area study. Additionally, there is public enthusiasm and support for developing new multi-use trail connections. These new efforts can encourage users to consider active transportation modes while traveling through the city and region.

Sebastopol is home to people of all ages and abilities, including families with young children and older adults. Approximately 58 percent of the city’s population is between the ages of 18 to 64 years old, and 25 percent are 65 and older.2 Creating an environment that accommodates all ages and abilities and makes the first/last mile connections to transit is crucial toward promoting and enabling more walking, biking, and rolling for daily travel needs.

Census data indicate four percent of workers currently walk to work, zero percent bike or take transit, 66 percent use single occupancy vehicles, nine percent carpool, 17 percent work from home and two percent take other means of transportation to work.

As the city continues to grow, there is a need for safer, low stress, and better-connected walking, biking, and rolling facilities.
1 https://censusreporter.org/profiles/16000US0670770-sebastopol-ca/ 2 https://censusreporter.org/profiles/16000US0670770-sebastopol-ca/ Agenda Item Number 12 Agenda Item Number: 12
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4 Road Safety in Sebastopol
Per the California Office of Traffic Safety, as of 2020, Sebastopol is categorized as one of the 74 cities in Group F, cities with a population between 2,501 – 10,000 people. The city ranked 4 in the total fatal and injury collision category.
3 This indicates the Sebastopol had the fourth
highest number of fatal and injury collisions compared to similar sized cities in California.

Over the past 10 years, OTS has ranked Sebastopol among the top ten cities of similar size in the state in terms of number of collisions for both pedestrians and cyclists. Between 2015 and 2020, traffic collisions resulted in one fatality and 27 severe injury victims. There were 12 severe injury collisions involving people walking or biking during this period.4 The city’s LRSP identified Sebastopol Avenue (SR-12) and Bodega Avenue as the corridors along which many of the collisions were reported.
5 Existing Active Transportation Network Characteristics in Sebastopol
Today, Sebastopol’s bike network is comprised of bike lanes along a collection of continuous north-south and some east-west streets such as Petaluma Avenue, Main Street, Healdsburg Avenue, Morris Street, and a portion of Bodega Avenue. Those are supplemented by designated bike routes on what tend to be residential streets. Countywide trails, such as Joe Rodota Trail and West County Trail, that connect to the local network at Petaluma Avenue and Main Street, respectively. They provide low-stress, mostly off-street connections to local and regional destinations such as Analy High School, Santa Rosa, and Forestville. The existing network provides solid basic coverage of the city for individuals who are confident and capable riders. There are opportunities to enhance existing facilities as well as close gaps in the network to enable and attract more people to riding and rolling.

Opportunities to create low-stress connections include between activities centers and schools, like Brook Haven and SunRidge Elementary Schools throughout the residential neighborhoods west of downtown and Main Street/SR-116. There are also opportunities to enhance bicycle facilities on Pleasant Hill Road, Ragle Road and Mill Station to provide lowerstress north-south connections. Improved bicycle facilities on Bodega Avenue would also help create a lower stress east-west connection. The following figures illustrate these needs.

Figure 1 illustrates the existing bikeway network. The bikeway network is organized into several distinct facility types, detailed below.
• Multi-Use Paths (Class I) are fully separated bike and pedestrian paths. They follow their own alignment sometimes parallel to a street, waterway, and/or other configuration through open space or undeveloped areas. Interactions with vehicles are limited to street trail crossings.
3 https://www.ots.ca.gov/media-and-research/crash-rankings-results/?wpv_view_count=1327&wpv-wpcfyear=2020&wpv-wpcf-city_county=Sebastopol&wpv_filter_submit=Submit 4 Transportation Injury Mapping System (TIMS), Safe Transportation Research and Education Center, University of California, Berkeley. 2024
5 Resolution-Number-6428-2022-Resolution-Local-Road-Safety-Plan-050322.pdf (cityofsebastopol.gov) Agenda Item Number 12 Agenda Item Number: 12
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5 • Bike Lanes (Class II) are on-street bike facilities that use a white line or stripe (i.e., longitudinal pavement marking) to designate space on the street for bicyclists that is adjacent to a vehicle lane.
• Buffered Bike Lanes (Class IIB) increase space between the bike lane and vehicle travel lane(s) using a painted buffer. The painted buffer is often made up of two parallel white lines with diagonal white lines painted between them. Green pavement markings can be used at driveways or intersections to draw attention to where vehicle paths cross bicyclists’ paths.
• Bike Routes (Class III) are shared facilities between bicyclists and motor vehicles.

Bicyclists ride in the vehicle lane. Bike routes are sometimes used to provide a connection to another bike facility or designated bike route. “Sharrows” (shared-lane markings) may be used to alert motorists to the presence of on-street bicyclists.

Signs may also be used to mark the route.
• Bike Boulevards (Class IIIB) are streets designed to give priority to people walking and biking. Bicycle boulevards are streets with one vehicle lane in each direction and traffic calming treatments are used to slow vehicle speeds to under 25 mph and discourage non-local vehicle traffic. Treatments can include some combination of speed tables, raised crosswalks, speed humps, traffic diverters, chicanes, curb extensions at crosswalks, and/or neighborhood traffic circles at intersections.

Advisory Bike Lanes could be an alternative facility for existing or planned bike boulevards (or bike routes)6.
• Separated Bike Lanes (Class IV) are on-street bike facilities that include physical separation between bicyclists and vehicle traffic. Ideally, the physical separation provides protection to the bicyclist through use of materials such as concrete medians (with or without landscaping), planters, and/or the bike lane could be separated by a curb to raise the bike lane to either sidewalk height or an intermediate height. Green pavement markings can be used at driveways or intersections to draw attention to where vehicle paths cross bicyclists’ paths as well as additional intersection treatments to enhance safety.

The existing transit network, as illustrated in Figure 2, includes transit services and amenities within or immediately adjacent to Sebastopol. In Sebastopol, Sonoma County Transit (SCT) provides local bus service via Route 24 - Sebastopol Shuttle with weekday headways of 45- 60 minutes and Saturday headways of 45-50 minutes. Route 24 does not operate on Sundays. Sebastopol is also served by SCT Route 20 which provides connections from Sebastopol to the Russian River Area, Forestville, and Santa Rosa with weekday headways of 35-85 minutes and weekend headways of 85-110 minutes. SCT buses are equipped with bike racks. Regional and greater Bay Area connections can be made via Golden Gate Transit (GGT) and Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit (SMART). The closest GGT bus stops and SMART station are approximately 7 miles east of Sebastopol in Santa Rosa. 6 fhwa.dot.gov/environment/bicycle_pedestrian/publications/small_towns/fhwahep17024_lg.pdf Agenda Item Number 12 Agenda Item Number: 12
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6 To enable more people to walk, bike and roll, and to use these modes to access transit, the spaces built to support those uses need to be safe and comfortable. Figure 3 illustrates the results of a Level of Traffic Stress analysis used to gauge level of comfort in traveling along a street. Figure 3 also denotes the streets within Sebastopol that were identified as part of SCTA’s High Injury Network7 (HIN) developed as part of SCTA’s Vision Zero Action Plan.8 An LTS 1 rating indicates the least stressful (most comfortable) facilities. Low stress (LTS 1 or 2) facilities in Sebastopol include the Joe Rodota Trail and West County Trail. LTS 4 indicates the most stressful (least comfortable) facilities. High stress facilities in Sebastopol overlap with the HIN segments on the Healdsburg Avenue/Main Street corridor and Sebastopol Avenue (east of Main Street). As previously noted, these corridors also serve as SR-116 and SR-12, respectively.

Defining Level of Traffic Stress
Level of Traffic Stress (LTS) analysis takes different travel corridor characteristics into consideration, including the number of travel lanes, speed of traffic, number of vehicles, presence of bike lanes, width of bike lanes, and presence of physical barriers providing protection from traffic. Based on these variables, a bike facility can be rated with an LTS ranging from 1 to 4.

The least stressful (most comfortable) facilities are given an LTS 1 rating. Facilities with this rating are typically shared-use paths, separated bikeways, low-volume and low-speed bike routes, and bike lanes on calm and narrow streets. The most stressful (least comfortable) facilities are given an LTS 4 rating. Facilities with this rating are typically major arterials with multiple lanes of traffic (with or without bike lanes in some cases, depending on speeds) or narrower streets with higher speed limits.
7 The High Injury Network is a compilation of road segments with an elevated risk of crashes resulting in an injury or fatality, identified through an analysis of the frequency, severity, and mode of past crashes. https://scta.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Sonoma-Vision-Zero-Action-Plan_Final-1.pdf 8 https://scta.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Sonoma-Vision-Zero-Action-Plan_Final-1.pdf Agenda Item Number 12 Agenda Item Number: 12
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7 Figure 1. Existing Bikeway Network
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8 Figure 2. Existing Transit Network
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9 Figure 3. Existing Level of Traffic Stress & 2022 Countywide High-Injury Network Agenda Item Number 12 Agenda Item Number: 12
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10 Agenda Item Number 12 Agenda Item Number: 12
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11 3. Community & Stakeholder
Engagement
Initial outreach for the Sebastopol ATP began in the fall of 2023. In coordination with city staff, staff from other participating jurisdictions, and SCTA, the Countywide ATP project team prepared a Stakeholder Coordination Plan and Community Engagement Plan to guide community engagement and milestone presentations to local and regional advisory bodies and relevant committees. More details on the countywide community and stakeholder engagement approaches and outcomes are detailed in the 2025 Countywide ATP.

The first community outreach event in Sebastopol was a pop-up hosted by SCTA and the project team at Sebastopol Carbon Conversations in September 2023. This was followed by another pop-up event at the Sebastopol Farmers Market in November 2023, led by city staff with support from the project team and Bike Sebastopol, a local citizen advocacy group. This event gathered input from the general public on existing conditions for walking and biking in Sebastopol.

In October 2023, the Countywide ATP project team published a project webpage and online survey and distributed it through the City of Sebastopol website, social media, and the City’s November newsletter. SCTA/RCPA also distributed the webpage and survey through its newsletter, mailing list, and social media. During the first round of outreach in Fall 2023, 249 comments were received in Sebastopol. During the second round of outreach in Spring 2024, an additional 75 comments were received, for a total of 324 comments.

Project Web Map Survey with 324 comments in Sebastopol
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12 The SCTA, City Staff, and the project team hosted an additional pop-up engagement event at the Sebastopol Apple Blossom Festival in April 2024. This event gathered input from the general public on proposed projects to improve conditions for walking and biking in Sebastopol.

City staff and the project team presented the draft vision and goals, and a draft proposed projects list to the Planning Commission in May 2024. In collaboration with SCTA, city staff and the project team also hosted an open house in May 2024 at the Sebastopol Center for the Arts. Feedback was gathered on draft proposed projects and prioritization and draft policies.

In general, public feedback received through
the first and second rounds of outreach in
2023 & 2024 revealed the following themes:
• Biking: more separated bike paths
and better connections to
existing paths
• Walking: close sidewalk gaps, widen
sidewalks to provide sufficient width
for all users, improve existing
crosswalks, add new crossings, and
treatments or education to increase drivers’ yielding to pedestrians • Traffic calming: implement on collectors and residential streets, especially around schools
• Trails: improve trail access (closing gaps where they exist), expand connections to regional trail systems, and consider new trail projects, if feasible • Destinations: better pedestrian/bike access to and through downtown, and to schools • Roadways: more active transportation improvements are needed along higher traffic roads such as Bodega Avenue, Sebastopol Avenue, Healdsburg Avenue, and Main Street.

In late September, the Draft Plan was released for public comment. In October 2024, the Draft Plan was brought back to the Planning Commission for presentation and comment. In November 2024, the Draft Plan was presented to City Council for comment. Finally, in early 2025, city staff presented the Plan to City Council for adoption.

The SCTA, City staff, and project team hosting an open
house at Sebastopol Center for the Arts
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City Council Meeting Packet of: November 19, 2024

13 4. Vision & Goals
The vision and goals statements were developed to be consistent with SCTA’s Comprehensive Transportation Plan, Moving Forward 2050, and were refined based on input provided by SCTA’s Countywide Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee, the Sebastopol Planning Commission and other regional committees. The City of Sebastopol’s active transportation vision is as follows:
“Our guiding principles are to improve safety, connectivity, equity, and quality of life. Walking, biking, and rolling shall be safe and appealing modes for people of all ages and abilities to use for everyday transportation and recreation.” The city’s active transportation goals are the following:

1. Connected and Reliable – Deliver a continuous active transportation network that links daily activities and housing, and that allows people of all ages and abilities to use a variety of transportation types easily, affordably, and dependably.

2. Safe and Well-Maintained – Create and sustain a high-quality and low-stress active transportation network. Employ Vision Zero and Safety Plan policies and strategies to advance this goal.

3. Community Oriented and Place-Based – Tailor projects to the surrounding community contexts and user profiles. Support a diversity of uses and users and create community through active transportation programs and policies that prioritize walking, biking, and rolling.

Sebastopol also developed a series of Policies and Actions to guide implementation of the ATP, which are aligned with these three goals and presented in Chapter 5’s Policies & Actions section.

Agenda Item Number 12 Agenda Item Number: 12
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14 Agenda Item Number 12 Agenda Item Number: 12
City Council Meeting Packet of: November 19, 2024

15 5. Advancing Active
Transportation
The following are the planned infrastructure and programmatic improvements for enhancing active transportation in the City of Sebastopol.

Infrastructure Improvements
Enhancing the safety and comfort of existing facilities as well as expanding the infrastructure and spaces available for active transportation modes are critical to creating opportunities for people of all ages and abilities to walk, bike, and roll. The section below presents locations, extents, and brief descriptions of planned projects followed by a summary of types of treatments and engineering resources the city may use in designing and implementing the planned projects.

Considerations for Facility Type
As mentioned earlier in this Plan, the bikeway facilities are organized into several distinct facility types (see page 4 and 5 for descriptions). The transportation planning and engineering profession is evolving toward using Multi-Use Paths, Buffered Bike Lanes, Bike Boulevards and Separated Bike Lanes as often as possible to increase safety and comfort for people biking. Those facility types provide more separation between bicyclists and moving vehicles and/or slow vehicle speeds to under 25 mph. Further below in this section is an Engineering Treatments Toolbox that includes photos and images of different bicycle facility types as well as other treatments to enhance walking and biking conditions.

Table 1 summarizes the conditions under which each bike facility type is ideally applied.

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16 Table 1. Bike Facility Selection for Urban, Suburban, Rural Town Centers1 Bike Facility Type Prevailing Vehicle Speed (mph) Vehicle Volume (vehicles per day) Multi-Use Paths2 n/a n/a
Bike Lanes3 25 to 30 mph 3,000 to 6,500
Buffered Bike Lanes3 25 to 30 mph 3,000 to 6,500
Bike Routes4 Under 25 mph Less than 3,000
Bike Boulevards4 Under 25 mph Less than 3,000
Separated Bike Lanes5 30 mph and Higher 6,500 and Above Notes:
(1) Table content summarized based on information in FHWA’s Bikeway Selection Guide.9 (2) Multi-use paths are off-street and follow their own alignment. They can be useful for providing parallel, low stress routes to existing streets regardless of those streets volumes or speeds. (3) Buffered Bike Lanes are preferred over Bike Lanes.
(4) Bike Boulevards are preferred over Bike Routes.
(5) Separated Bike Lanes physically separate bikes from moving vehicles using treatments that provide protection such as medians, planters, or raising the bike lane to a height similar to a sidewalk.

The planned projects identify a facility type to either enhance existing facilities or close gaps in the network. Generally, speaking, facility type selection was informed by the information summarized in Table 1 as well as considerations for feasibility and continuity with existing land use and street context.

Planned Projects
Table 2 presents planned projects for enhancing walking, biking, and rolling conditions in Sebastopol, including bikeway, pedestrian crossing, and ADA improvements. It includes the priority for each project. Tier 1 indicates high priority, Tier 2 medium priority, and Tier 3 low priority. Chapter 6 describes the prioritization process. Projects on Caltrans right-of-way are highlighted in blue in the table below; these projects will require coordination with Caltrans for implementation.
9 https://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/ped_bike/tools_solve/docs/fhwasa18077.pdf Agenda Item Number 12 Agenda Item Number: 12
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17 Table 2. Planned Infrastructure Improvements for Walking, Biking and Rolling Project
# Project Location Project Description Priority
1 Main St between Keating
Ave and Petaluma Ave, and
Petaluma Ave between
McKinley St and S Main St
(one-way couplet)
Planned grant-funded "Sebastopol Main Street Planning and Redesign Project" corridor study, to assess feasibility of lowstress facilities, traffic calming, two-way circulation, or lowstress alternate routes. Planned pedestrian safety modifications include Pedestrian Hybrid Beacon (PHB) signal at Petaluma Ave/McKinley St, Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacon (RRFB) at Petaluma Ave/Weeks Way, and crossing
enhancements at Burnett St, Keating Ave, and Walker Ave along SR-116 (HSIP crossing projects currently in design).

Tier 1
2 Sebastopol Ave between
Main St and Barnes St and
Bodega Ave between Main
St and High St
Planned grant-funded "Sebastopol Main Street Planning and Redesign Project" corridor study.

Tier 1
3 McKinley St between N
Main St and Petaluma Ave
Improve pedestrian connection between Main St and the
Barlow. Improve driveway crossings, roadway crossings, and consider streetscape improvements that prioritize pedestrian traffic and improve pedestrian experience.

Tier 1
4 N Main St / Healdsburg
Ave / Gravenstein Hwy N
between Keating Ave and
City limits (at Mill Station
Rd)
Potential bicycle/pedestrian enhancements to be evaluated as part of upcoming Priority Development Area and Sustainable Transportation grant-funded studies along SR-116. Prioritize pedestrian/bicycle crossings to connect people to West
County Trail. Consider additional signals spaced at regular intervals to enhance crossings and reduce travel speeds (City is planning to install a new signal at Murphy Avenue).

Consider roundabout at Healdsburg Ave / Covert Ln. Add
bicycle detection at all signals.

Tier 1
5 Ragle Rd between Covert
Rd and Bodega Ave
Coordinate with County to implement multi-use pathway and bikeway improvements on Ragle Rd. Tier 1
8 Washington Ave through
Willard Libby Park from
Pleasant Hill Ave to
unpaved section of
Washington Ave
Install multi-use trail using natural materials (e.g.,
decomposed granite) to formalize goat trail on southern edge of park. Trail should connect with marked crosswalk on north leg of Pleasant Hill/Washington all-way stop-controlled intersection.

Tier 1
9 Washington Ave between
Willard Libby Park to
Golden Ridge Ave
Upgrade existing bike route to bicycle boulevard and pave section of unpaved roadway.

Tier 2
10 Washington Ave from
Golden Ridge Ave to
Murphy Upgrade existing bike route to bicycle boulevard.

Tier 2
11 Huntley St from Murphy
Ave to Florence Ave Implement bicycle boulevard. Tier 1 12 Dutton Ave from Huntley St
to Bodega Ave
Implement bicycle boulevard, connect to traffic signal at Bodega Ave / Dutton Ave. Tighten up Dutton/Huntley
intersection and improve school crossing (e.g., shorten with bulb outs).

Tier 1
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City Council Meeting Packet of: November 19, 2024

18 Project
# Project Location Project Description Priority
13 Jewell Ave between
Hayden and Willow
Pedestrian improvements (e.g., sidewalks on west side) and traffic calming. City has developed potential reconfigured intersection alternatives, which provide for enhanced
pedestrian travel and crossings, on the east side of Jewell Ave at Willow St (see project #79).

Tier 1
14 Leland between Jewell and
Robinson
Pedestrian improvements tailored to neighborhood context and/or traffic calming to improve pedestrian circulation. Tier 2 15 Robinson between Leland
and Bodega Ave
Pedestrian improvements tailored to neighborhood context and/or traffic calming to improve pedestrian circulation. Tier 2 16 Willow St to Trail
Connection from Willow
St/S Main St to Trail
Access on Petaluma Ave
Improve trail connection between Willow St and Joe Rodota Trail, including wayfinding. Delineate preferred bicycle route through existing parking lot and improve crossings of S Main St and Petaluma Ave. Consider raised crossings, if feasible, to slow traffic on SR-116 and prioritize people walking and biking to/from trails. Remove bollards and improve design of
connection between trail and bike lanes on SR-116 (e.g., Scurve) so that bicyclists do not need to make a 90-degree turn.

Tier 1
17 Trail connection between
SR-12/Morris St through
parking lot to Joe Rodota
Trail
Improve connection between Morris St and Joe Rodota Trail connector (e.g., at existing marked crossing of SR-12) and improve crosswalks at SR-12/Morris St intersection. Add bicycle detection at signal.

Tier 1
18 Morris St between SR12/Sebastopol Ave and
Eddie Ln
Implement parking protected separated bike lanes. Extend bike lanes to Eddie Lane. New development dedicating
sidewalks. Add crossing improvements at Morris/Laguna
Parkway and Morris/McKinley to improve access to Barlow parking lot and future Americorps Trail.

Tier 1
19 Eddie Ln between Morris St
and High School Rd/N
Main St
Trail improvements (e.g., repaving, maintenance), traffic calming, and improved crossing treatments at stadium where trail crosses and at Eddie Ln/High School Rd intersection.

Tier 1
20 N Main St between Eddie
Ln and Healdsburg Ave
Traffic calming and low-stress bikeway improvements (e.g., buffered bike lanes, parking protected bikeways, or lower traffic speeds) to connect West County Trail, Analy High School, Eddie Ln and Healdsburg Ave. Modify N. Main
St/Analy Ave crossing and school entrance to prioritize trail access. Improve signage of trail and include wayfinding between high school and trail access.

Tier 1
21 Abbott Ave extension and
trail connection between
Abbott Ave/Barnes Ave and
Joe Rodota Trail
Extend sidewalk and street on Abbott Ave and build a multiuse trail connection between Joe Rodota Trail, SR-12, and downtown. Include wayfinding. Near-term improve curb cut at Abbott Ave/Petaluma Ave. Design to accommodate trucks
loading at Feed Store.

Tier 1
22 Tomodachi Park trail
connection
Formalize connection from Joe Rodota Trail to Tomodachi Park. Tier 2
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19 Project
# Project Location Project Description Priority
23 Seasonal ped/bike
undercrossing of SR-12 at
Laguna de Santa Rosa
Build seasonal connection across SR-12, and pedestrian
connection between the eastern end of the SR-12 bridge
sidewalk (after it has crossed the Laguna) and the trail in the Meadowlark Field section of the Laguna de Santa Rosa
Trail. High water flows during peak rain events prevent yearround use of an undercrossing. Further study is required to determine if it is feasible to create a passable year-round undercrossing.

Tier 1
24 Connection between
Americorps Trails and
Meadowlark Field across
Laguna de Santa Rosa
Build connection between Americorps Trail and Meadowlark Field.

Tier 1
25 Lynch Rd from Gravenstein
Hwy S / SR-116 to city
limits
Upgrade existing bike route to bicycle boulevard including traffic calming. Fill in sidewalk gaps.

Tier 3
29 Covert Ln at Zimpher Dr Pedestrian crossing improvements, e.g., ADA ramps. Tier 1 30 Litchfield Ave between
Fircrest Ave and
Gwendolyn Place
Sidewalk Gap Closure (extend to 80 ft south of Gwendolyn Place).

Tier 2
31 Washington Ave (midblock)
between Bodega Ave and
Huntley St
Enhance pedestrian crossing and install ADA ramps adjacent to Park Side Elementary.

Tier 2
32 Laguna Park Way and
Johnson St
Improve existing crossing and install new pedestrian crossing across Laguna Park Way. Tier 2
33 Laguna Park Way and
Morris St
Improve existing and install new pedestrian crossing across Laguna Park Way Tier 1
34 Covert Ln at Norlee St
Pedestrian crossing improvements (e.g., ADA ramps,
pedestrian crossing signs, ladder crosswalk, sharks teeth markings, consider RRFB feasibility).

Tier 3
35 Valentine Ave (midblock) at
tennis courts/park between
Pleasant Hill Ave and
Zimpher Dr
Pedestrian crossing improvements (e.g., ADA ramps, RRFB if warranted/feasible)
Tier 2
36 Johnson St between Morris
St and Sunset Ave
Fill sidewalk gaps (west side) and improve crossings at Sunset Ave/Johnson St Tier 1
37 Eddie Ln/Morris
St/Johnson St
New crossing to connect bicyclists from path on Eddie Ln to bike lanes on Morris St. Reconfigure entry to Eddie Ln for bicyclists at Morris St/Johnson St.

Tier 2
38 Eddie Ln/N. Main St/High
School Road
Add pavement markings to delineate trail entry at western end of Eddie Ln to improve driver awareness of cyclists and pedestrians and improve trail connection across from Analy High School entrance. Consider raised crossing at trail across High School Road as traffic calming measure.

Tier 1
39 N. Main St/ Analy Ave Reconfigure N. Main St/Analy Ave intersection and improve crossings to better accommodate cyclists. Tier 1
Agenda Item Number 12 Agenda Item Number: 12
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20 Project
# Project Location Project Description Priority
40 Covert Ln between Zimpher
Dr and SR-116
Traffic calming that reconfigures/restripes roadway on Covert Ln between Zimpher Dr and SR-116 to address driver
attention and vehicle path.

Tier 1
41 Fircrest Ave/Litchfield Ave Pedestrian Crossing Upgrades. Consider in conjunction with repaving Fircrest Ave. Tier 3
42 Bodega Ave from City
Limits to Valley View Drive
Install separated bike lanes that connects to existing Countymaintained path (across Atascadero Creek bridge). Tier 1 43 Bodega Ave from Valley
View Drive to Ragle Rd Install multi-use path. Tier 1
44 Bodega Ave from Ragle Rd
to Pleasant Hill Rd
Install bike lanes (Bodega Bike Lanes Project, Phase 3). A potential long-term project on Bodega Avenue could include separated bike lanes, pending a feasibility study that
considers constraints such as available right-of-way, utilities, and roadside topography.

Tier 1
45 Bodega Ave from Pleasant
Hill Rd to Nelson Way
Install bike lanes (Bodega Bike Lanes Project, Phase 2) and consider additional traffic calming measures as vehicles approach schools and downtown. A potential long-term
project on Bodega Avenue could include separated bike lanes, pending a feasibility study that considers constraints such as available right-of-way, utilities, and roadside topography.

Tier 1
46 Gravenstein Hwy S / SR116 from S Main
St/Petaluma Ave couplet to
city limits
Potential bicycle/pedestrian enhancements to be evaluated as part of upcoming Priority Development Area and Sustainable Transportation grant-funded studies along SR-116. Consider parking protected bike lanes or pilot project, if feasible.

Planned crossing enhancement at Hutchins/SR-116 (HSIP
project currently in design).

Tier 1
47 Florence Ave from Huntley
St to Wilton Ave Install bike boulevard. Tier 1
48 Wilton Ave from Florence
Ave to Pitt Ave Install bike boulevard. Tier 1
49 Wilton Ave from Pitt Ave to
North High St Upgrade existing bike route to bike boulevard. Tier 1 50 High St from Willow St to
Wilton Ave
Upgrade existing bike route to bike boulevard. Block of High Street between Bodega Ave and Wilton Avenue could
accommodate a separated bike lane adjacent to the library if on-street parking is removed.

Tier 1
51 Wilton Ave from High St to
Main St Install bike boulevard. Tier 1
52 Analy Ave and pathway
from Main St to Sunset Ave Install multi-use path. Tier 1 53 Sunset Ave from Taft St to
Johnson St Install bike boulevard. Tier 1
54 Johnson St from Eddie Ln
to Laguna Parkway Install bike boulevard. Tier 1
55 1st St from Woodland Ct to
Leland St Install bike boulevard. Tier 3
Agenda Item Number 12 Agenda Item Number: 12
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21 Project
# Project Location Project Description Priority
56 Pleasant Hill Ave from
Covert Ln to Bodega Ave Upgrade existing bike route to bike boulevard. Tier 1 57 Zimpher Dr from Covert Ln
to Valentine Ave Upgrade existing bike route to bike boulevard. Tier 1 58 Danmar Dr from city limit
to Gravenstein Hwy N / SR116
Upgrade existing bike route to bike boulevard. Include
crossing enhancements at end of Danmar Drive to connect to bike path. Pave the bike path segment to improve
accessibility.

Tier 1
59 McFarlane Ave from Lynch
Rd to Woodland Ave Upgrade existing bike route to bike boulevard. Tier 3 60 Murphy Ave from Valentine
Ave to Washington Ave Upgrade existing bike route to bike boulevard. Tier 1 61 Norlee St from Bella Vista
Dr to Covert Ln Upgrade existing bike route to bike boulevard. Tier 1 62 Pitt Ave from Wilton Ave to
Healdsburg Ave Upgrade existing bike route to bike boulevard. Tier 1 63 Valentine Ave from Ragle
Rd to Murphy Ave Upgrade existing bike route to bike boulevard. Tier 1 64 Willow St from Jewell Ave
to Main St Upgrade existing bike route to bike boulevard. Tier 1 65 Burnett St from High St to
Petaluma Ave Upgrade existing bike route to bike boulevard. Tier 1 66 Woodland Ct/Woodland
Ave from 1st St to
McFarlane Ave Upgrade existing bike route to bike boulevard.

Tier 3
67 Fellers Ln and Lillian Way
from Litchfield Ave to
Gravenstein Hwy S Upgrade existing bike route to bike boulevard.

Tier 1
68 Hayden Ave from Jewell
Ave to Litchfield Ave Upgrade existing bike route to bike boulevard. Tier 1 69 Jewell Ave from Bodega
Ave to Meadowlark Dr Upgrade existing bike route to bike boulevard. Tier 1 71 Murphy Ave from
Healdsburg Ave to
Valentine Ave Upgrade existing bike route to bike boulevard.

Tier 1
72 Washington Ave from
Huntley St to Bodega Ave
Upgrade existing bike route to bike boulevard. Include
crossing enhancements at Washington and Bodega. Tier 2
74 Litchfield Ave from Hayden
Ave to Fellers Ln Upgrade existing bike route to bike boulevard. Tier 1 75 McKinley Ave from Morris
St to Petaluma Ave Install bike boulevard. Tier 1
76 Bodega Avenue and Main
Street Implement crossing improvements Tier 3
77 SR-116 and Covert Lane Crossing improvements to improve access across SR-116 to/from Covert Lane. Consider roundabout. Tier 2
Agenda Item Number 12 Agenda Item Number: 12
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22 Project
# Project Location Project Description Priority
78 Valentine Avenue and
Zimpher Dr Implement crossing improvements. Tier 1
79 Jewell Ave and Willow
Street
Intersection redesign to prioritize people walking/biking and slow vehicle traffic. City has developed potential reconfigured intersection alternatives, which provide for enhanced
pedestrian travel and crossings, on the east side of Jewell Ave at Willow St.

Tier 3
80 West County Trail and
Dufranc Avenue
Crossing improvements for existing trail crossing. Consider stopping street traffic, converting traffic control on the trail to yield or no control, or using raised crosswalks for the trail.

Tier 2
81 West County Trail and Ellis
Court
Crossing improvements for existing trail crossing. Consider stopping street traffic, converting traffic control on the trail to yield or no control, or using raised crosswalks for the trail.

Tier 2
82 Sebastopol Avenue
between Morris Street and
bridge
Widen shoulder to install buffered bike lanes. Tier 2
83 Eleanor Avenue/Fannen
Avenue to Joe Rodota Trail
Create multi-use path connection between Eleanor
Avenue/Fannen Avenue to Joe Rodota Trail.

Tier 3
84 High Street from Willow
Street to Hayden Ave Create bike boulevard. Tier 1
85 Sebastopol Avenue and
Barnes Avenue
Improve pedestrian crossing between CVS and Napa Auto
Parts, or consider moving the crosswalk further east to increase the safety of crossing Sebastopol Avenue.

Tier 2
Notes
(1) Crossing improvements could include high visibility markings, pedestrian-scale lighting, curb extensions (a.k.a. bulb outs), leading pedestrian intervals at signals, and rectangular rapid flashing beacons (RRFB) or pedestrian hybrid beacons (PHB) at unsignalized intersections.
(2) Sidewalk gap closures to ensure at least one side of the roadway has continuous sidewalks. (3) Project priorities are included in Table 2. Prioritization methodology is explained in Section 5. Implementation:

Local Considerations.
(4) Projects on Caltrans Right of Way are highlighted in blue.

Figure 4 illustrates the location of the planned bikeway and corridor improvements. Crossing improvements could include high visibility markings, pedestrian-scale lighting, curb extensions (a.k.a. bulb outs), leading pedestrian intervals at signals, and rectangular rapid flashing beacons (RRFB) or pedestrian hybrid beacons (PHB) at unsignalized intersections.

Figure 5 shows planned improvements as well as the existing biking network.

Figure 6 shows conceptual alignments of future trails that have been identified and desired by the community. Specific alignments have not been formalized, but the community has expressed interest for these connections to be made by an off-street trail. Advancing these trails will require future study and additional community engagement. The dashed lines shown in the figure are an approximate location only; the final alignment will depend on a number of factors. Examples of factors that would need to be considered include opportunities for land dedication, topography, utilities, maintenance needs and responsibilities, insurance, constructability, and funding availability.

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23 Figure 4. 2025 Bikeway & Corridor Projects
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24 Figure 5. Existing & 2025 Active Transportation Network Agenda Item Number 12 Agenda Item Number: 12
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25 Figure 6. Aspirational Trails
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26 Engineering Treatments Toolbox
In designing and implementing the 2025 Active Transportation Network projects, and taking actions to fulfill the policies and goals identified in this Plan, city staff will use engineering treatments consistent with established industry resources and guidance published by reputable organizations such as the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), National Association of City Transportation Officials (NACTO), American Association of State Highway Transportation Officials (AASHTO), California Department of Transportation (Caltrans), and California Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (CA MUTCD). The following exhibits include examples of the types of engineering treatments the city may use in the design and implementation of enhanced active transportation infrastructure.

Table 3 provides a list of available resources the city can use when designing new active transportation infrastructure. While the design guidance in these resources offer options for a wide range of contexts, this is not an exhaustive list of potential resources.

Table 3. Catalog of Resources
Resource Description
Manual on Uniform Traffic Control
Devices (MUTCD)
Federal standards on traffic signs, road surface markings, and signals.

A Policy on Geometric Design of
Highways and Streets (Green Book) National guidance on roadway geometric design AASHTO Guide for the Planning, Design,
and Operation of Pedestrian Facilities,
2nd Edition
Guidance on the planning, design, and operation of pedestrian facilities
FHWA Small and Rural Multimodal
Networks
Reference guide on active transportation facilities in small towns and rural areas
Caltrans DIB -94 Complete Streets:

Contextual Design Guidance
Design guidance to support implementation of complete streets projects on roads owned by Caltrans
FHWA Bikeway Selection Guide Guidance on selecting and designing different types of bikeways based on street and land use contexts
FHWA Separated Bike Lane Planning
and Design Guide
Guidance for planning and designing separated bike lanes under different contexts
NACTO Guides: Urban Street Design
Guide, All Ages and Abilities Guide Reference guides on best practices for street design NCHRP Report 926 – Guidance to
Improve Pedestrian and Bicyclist Safety
at Intersections
Step-by-step process for selecting intersection safety treatments FHWA Guide for Improving Pedestrian
Safety at Uncontrolled Crossing
Locations
A reference guide on what type of crosswalk and crossing treatments are most applicable in a given location
Public Rights of Way Accessibility
Guidelines (PROWAG) Guidelines that provide best practices for accessibility LRFD Guide Specifications for Design of
Ped Bridges
Guide Specifications address the design and
construction of typical pedestrian bridges
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27 Bicycle Facility Toolbox
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28 Pedestrian Facility Toolbox
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29 Agenda Item Number 12 Agenda Item Number: 12
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30 Agenda Item Number 12 Agenda Item Number: 12
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31 Agenda Item Number 12 Agenda Item Number: 12
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32 Agenda Item Number 12 Agenda Item Number: 12
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33 Traffic Calming Toolbox
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34 Agenda Item Number 12 Agenda Item Number: 12
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35 Policies and Actions
The City of Sebastopol has a series of Policies and Actions to guide the implementation of the ATP including actions to promote active transportation within Sebastopol. The Policies and Actions support each of the Plan’s goals as shown below.

GOAL 1: Connected and Reliable
Deliver a continuous active transportation network that links daily activities and housing, and that allows people of all ages and abilities to use a variety of transportation types easily, affordably, and dependably.

POLICY 1-1: Prioritize and implement bike and pedestrian projects identified in the ATP, given the amount of funding available to Sebastopol.

Action 1-1.1: As budget allows, amend Sebastopol’s Traffic Impact Fee Study to include certain projects identified in the updated ATP.

POLICY 1-2: The city’s 5-Year Capital Improvement Program shall incorporate and include funding for bike and pedestrian improvements identified in the ATP, as well as maintenance of active transportation facilities.

POLICY 1-3: Prioritize closure of sidewalk gaps that connect people to activity centers, schools, transit, healthcare, parks, and the downtown area, ensuring that streets safely serve seniors, youth, those with disabilities, and all members of the community.

POLICY 1-4: Where feasible, all public streets shall have a sidewalk connecting to the broader network, on a minimum of one-side, phased as city funding and/or nexus with private development allows. Determining the appropriate side shall be based on the existing sidewalk network, environmental conditions, and impediments to construction.

POLICY 1-5: As part of city or private development projects, enhance pedestrian and bike facilities along or adjacent to all arterial roadways. With the required amount of existing or acquired rights-of-way, multi-use path and separated bike lanes should be the first choice in the design of all new multi-modal infrastructure.

POLICY 1-6: Provide adequate bike parking that is available citywide.

POLICY 1-7: Prioritize ADA improvements in High-Volume Pedestrian Areas.

POLICY 1-8: Work cooperatively with responsible agencies including the Sonoma County Transportation Authority, Sonoma Public Infrastructure, Sonoma County Parks, and others to close existing facility gaps and ensure the active transportation network is implemented, constructed, and maintained.

POLICY 1-9: Proactively seek opportunities for acquisition of abandoned rights-of-way, flood control rights-of-way, and lands for the development of new multi-use pathways in coordination with SCTA and Sonoma County Parks.

POLICY 1-10: Increase the U.S. Census derived “Journey to Work” mode split percentage for walking and biking by 50% by the year 2040.

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36 POLICY 1-11: Work with federal, state, regional, and local agencies to secure funding to implement the citywide active transportation system. Encourage multi-jurisdictional funding applications to implement the regional active transportation system.

POLICY 1-12: Install wayfinding and directional signage, markers, and stencils on off-street paths, on-street bikeways, local roads, and state routes to improve wayfinding for bicyclists and pedestrians, assist emergency personnel, and heighten motorists’ awareness.

GOAL 2: Safe and Well-Maintained
Create and sustain a high-quality and low-stress active transportation network. Employ Vision Zero and Safety Plan policies and strategies to advance this goal.

POLICY 2-1: Seek opportunities to separate existing and future bike facilities from motor vehicle traffic with buffers or greater protection such as a curb, flexible bollards, delineators, or other more durable barriers on streets where vehicle speeds are greater than 25 mph. Use best practices when designing bicycle facilities where existing right-of-way is adequate, or there is potential for acquiring additional right-of-way through dedication or easement.

POLICY 2-2: Develop and operationalize a sidewalk repair program to ensure the city maintains or enforces maintenance of sidewalks. Continue to engage with the community to prevent obstruction of sidewalks and pedestrian facilities with parking, trash bins, signs, etc.

POLICY 2-3: Maintain all bike lane symbols, striping, green paint, and buffer paint and ensure all bike lanes have standard bike symbols. Ensure bike lanes are kept free of trash bins, vehicles, and debris. Ensure bicycle detection functions properly, or exists, at all signalized intersections.

POLICY 2-4: Require that road construction projects minimize their impacts on active transportation users through the proper placement of construction signs and equipment, and by providing safety detours.

Action 2-4.1: Work with Caltrans to ensure bicycle detection functions at Caltrans operated intersections within the city's sphere of influence (e.g., SR-12 Morris Street, SR-116/Occidental Road).

POLICY 2-5: Provide additional pedestrian safety improvements at intersections and crossings.

Action 2-5.1: Increase pedestrian safety at controlled and uncontrolled crossings, where needed, to complete pedestrian networks and provide access to destinations.

Utilize industry best practices such as the FHWA Guide for Improving Pedestrian Safety at Uncontrolled Crossing Locations, ADA standards, and Caltrans Roadway Lighting Manual. Evaluate yielding behavior at existing flashing pedestrian beacons and make improvements (e.g., signage, lighting, medians), as needed.

Action 2-5.2: Increase pedestrian safety at intersections. Utilize proven countermeasures identified by FHWA including signal phasing, timing adjustments, high visibility crosswalks, curb extensions, pedestrian refuge islands, and pedestrian scale lighting.

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City Council Meeting Packet of: November 19, 2024

37 POLICY 2-6: Improve bicycle and pedestrian safety at controlled and uncontrolled intersections, using proven countermeasures identified by FHWA and other industry resources.

POLICY 2-7: Implement and incorporate actions in SCTA’s adopted Sonoma County Vision Zero (VZ) Action Plan.

Action 2-7.1: Support Safe Routes to School program and school districts to promote safe, active transportation through education, school policies, and pick-up/drop-off procedures (VZ Action 3.1).

Action 2-7.2: Prioritize low-cost quick-build projects to rapidly implement bike and pedestrian safety improvements along the High Injury Network (VZ Action 4.1).

Action 2-7.3: Prioritize closing gaps in bike and pedestrian networks and design facilities for all ages and all abilities (VZ Action 4.6).

Action 2-7.4: Update street design standards to reflect latest research and best practices around safety and Complete Streets, with an emphasis on serving diverse road users of all ages and abilities (VZ Action 4.8).

Action 2-7.5: Enhance training for law enforcement personnel responsible for crash reporting to address the unique attributes required to accurately report circumstances of crashes involving bicyclists, pedestrians, and other vulnerable road users (VZ Action 6.1).

Action 2-7.6: Use regional data sources such as the Metropolitan Transportation Commission's Regional High Injury Network and Regional Safety Data System, and Caltrans District 4 location-based needs identified by their active transportation planning efforts to inform safety project development and funding decisions (VZ Action 6.3).

POLICY 2-8: Review and update speed limits on city-owned roadways based on updated California MUTCD guidance.

POLICY 2-9: Implement daylighting in alignment with California ruling AB 413, painting curbs red within 20 feet of any marked or unmarked crosswalk.

POLICY 2-10: Coordinate with Sonoma County Parks to post appropriate speed limits on multi-use paths to regulate e-scooter and e-bike use.

POLICY 2-11: Consider e-bikes, e-scooters, and other mobility devices when designing bicycle facilities to ensure accommodation through potentially wider facilities as well as forgiving edge treatments (e.g., mountable curbs).

GOAL 3: Community Oriented and Place-Based
Tailor projects to the surrounding community contexts and user profiles. Support a diversity of uses and users and create community through active transportation programs and policies that prioritize walking, biking, and rolling.

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City Council Meeting Packet of: November 19, 2024

38 POLICY 3-1: Explore areas that could be designated or converted into bike/pedestrian-only zones or designed to minimize automobile traffic impacts. Explore opportunities throughout the city to add amenities such as landscaping, shade, public art, seating, and drinking fountains.

POLICY 3-2: Work with transit providers to offer and maintain all-weather shelters and other amenities at transit stops and transportation centers.

POLICY 3-3: Where possible and/or desirable and otherwise compliant with local, state, and federal regulations including ADA, utilize alternative surfaces for pathways such as decomposed granite, crushed rock, or other natural-like materials.

POLICY 3-4: Continue to work with the SCTA to develop a regional bike share/ micromobility program.

POLICY 3-5: Encourage and incentivize more people to walk, bike, and roll through education and encouragement activities such as special events, Bike-to-Work Day, and social media campaigns.

POLICY 3-6: Coordinate with School Districts and the Recreation Department to identify opportunities for increased bike and pedestrian education with a focus on youth education.

POLICY 3-7: Refine the community engagement process to include a diversity of community members who bring lived experiences that represent the full cross-section of Sebastopol residents.

POLICY 3-8: Support community education around e-bike and e-scooter use. Coordinate with local school districts, parks, and public health.

Agenda Item Number 12 Agenda Item Number: 12
City Council Meeting Packet of: November 19, 2024

39 6. Implementation: Local
Considerations
The following outlines a timeline and potential funding sources the city can use to make consistent, steady progress towards achieving its vision and goals for enhancing walking, biking, and rolling.

Timeline
Policies
Putting the Active Transportation Plan policies and programs into action is a critical step in providing a foundation for buildout and utilization of the network. Many of the policies and the broader Active Transportation Program identified in this Plan are ongoing or recurring considerations and activities that, once initiated, will sustain investment in active transportation improvements as well as institutionalize designing streets for safe and comfortable walking, biking, and rolling.

Planned Projects
Prioritization
Opportunities to advance specific projects toward implementation will be dependent on external factors (e.g., land use projects, successful grant applications). With this in mind, the planned projects identified in this Plan have been prioritized into three tiers:
• Tier 1 – High Priority
• Tier 2 – Medium Priority
• Tier 3 – Low Priority
The criteria used to sort the projects into each tier were as follows:
• Safety – Extent to which the project is on a portion of the SCTA Vision Zero HIN and/or if it has been identified in the city’s Local Road Safety Plan as a priority location.
• Equity – Extent to which the project would improve active transportation access or conditions for an equity-focus population as defined at the regional, state, or federal level.
• Proximity to Existing and Future Transit – For a given project, the distance from an existing or future bus stop or transit station.
• Proximity to Schools – For a given project, the distance from an existing school.

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40 • Low-Stress Gap Closure – Scored based on whether the project would close a gap in the low-stress network, with extra points for projects on the Sonoma County Regional Routes network.

For each criterion, each project received a score based on the extent to which it fulfilled the criteria. The collective scores were normalized into a single number or index. Tiers 1, 2, and 3 were established to align with the top, middle, and bottom third of the project scores.

Projects are presented by tier in Table 2.

Once sorted into each of the three buckets, projects are not sorted within each tier to give city staff discretion and flexibility to respond to various opportunities that arise and can facilitate implementation. Within the broader Countywide ATP, the project prioritization criteria is aligned with project selection criteria for the Go Sonoma funding program.

Cost Estimates
This section presents the costs estimates for implementing the 2025 Active Transportation Plan. Project cost estimations were developed to provide a general idea of the anticipated cost for each proposed project type. These estimates are based on an engineering review of unit costs and quantities for the project types shown. They are based solely on construction costs and do not include other soft costs that may be associated with projects (e.g., design, environmental, permitting, construction management, right-of-way acquisition).

Table 4 summarizes project costs by project type and prioritization tier for the 2025 Active Transportation Network. Aspirational routes are not included in the cost estimates below.

Table 4. 2025 Active Transportation Network – Cost Estimates Summary Project Type Unit Cost Quantity Cost Estimate
Tier 1 Priority Projects
Multi-Use Path1 $1,023,500/mile 1.7 miles $1,739,950
Bike Lane2 $176,000/mile 0.52 miles $91,520
Buffered Bike Lane3 $574,000/mile - -
Bike Route4 $12,500/mile - -
Bike Boulevard5 $87,500/mile 5.93 miles $518,875
Separated Bike Lanes6 $1,655,000/mile 0.51 miles $844,050 Crossing Improvement
(Unsignalized)7 $8,000 to $60,000 5 $300,000
Crossing Improvement
(Signalized)8 $8,000 to $120,000 - -
Sidewalk Installation9 $480/linear feet 506.32 linear feet $243,034 Corridor Study $300,000/mile 4.28 miles $1,284,000
Traffic Calming10 $75,000/mile 1.21 miles $90,750
Total Tier 1 Priority
Projects11 $4.9M - $5.1M
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City Council Meeting Packet of: November 19, 2024

41 Project Type Unit Cost Quantity Cost Estimate
Tier 2 Priority Projects
Multi-Use Path1 $1,023,500/mile 0.09 miles $92,115
Bike Lane2 $176,000/mile - -
Buffered Bike Lane3 $574,000/mile 0.14 miles $80,360
Bike Route4 $12,500/mile - -
Bike Boulevard5 $87,500/mile 0.55 miles $48,125
Separated Bike Lanes6 $1,655,000/mile - -
Crossing Improvement
(Unsignalized)7 $8,000 to $60,000 8 $480,000
Crossing Improvement
(Signalized)8 $8,000 to $120,000 - -
Sidewalk Installation9 $480/linear feet 792.15 linear feet $380,232 Corridor Study $300,000/mile - -
Traffic Calming10 $75,000/mile 0.25 miles $18,750
Total Tier 2 Priority
Projects11 $0.7M - $1.1M
Tier 3 Priority Projects
Multi-Use Path1 $1,023,500/mile .01 $10,235
Bike Lane2 $176,000/mile - -
Buffered Bike Lane3 $574,000/mile - -
Bike Route4 $12,500/mile - -
Bike Boulevard5 $87,500/mile 1.58 miles $138,250
Separated Bike Lanes6 $1,655,000/mile - -
Crossing Improvement
(Unsignalized)7 $8,000 to $60,000 3 $180,000
Crossing Improvement
(Signalized)8 $8,000 to $120,000 1 $120,000
Sidewalk Installation9 $480/linear feet - -
Corridor Study $300,000/mile - -
Traffic Calming10 $75,000/mile - -
Total Tier 3 Priority
Projects11 $0.2M - $0.4M
2025 Active
Transportation Network
Total All Projects11 $5.7M - $6.7M
Notes:
(1) 12’ wide AC path, 2’ gravel shoulders, striping and 4 signs per mile. (2) Unidirectional bike lanes on each side of a two-way street. Striping, green thermoplastic for conflict markings at intersections and driveways (assumed to occur every 100feet and are 5’ wide x 20’ long), and 4 signs per mile. (3) Unidirectional bike lanes on each side of a two-way street. Pavement marking in 3’ wide AC buffer lane along entire length, green thermoplastic for conflict markings at intersections and driveways (assumed to occur every 100feet and are 3’ wide x 20’ long), and 4 signs per mile.
(4) “Sharrow” or similar type of pavement marking at 250-foot intervals and 8 signs per mile.

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42 (5) “Sharrow” or similar type of pavement marking at 250-foot intervals, 8 signs per mile, and a combination of traffic calming treatments which could include, but are not limited to, neighborhood traffic circles, raised crosswalks, high visibility crosswalk markings, speed humps, chicanes, and curb extensions.
(6) Unidirectional bike lanes on each side of a two-way street. 7’ wide AC Bikeway, concrete edge treatment/median in buffer, bikeway stripe, pavement marking, 4 signs per mile and three signalized intersection improvements per mile. (7) Improvements at unsignalized intersections include, but are not limited to, pedestrian refuge islands, high visibility crosswalks, rectangular rapid flashing beacons, raised crosswalks, and curb extensions. (8) Improvements at signalized intersections include, but are not limited to, two-stage bike turn boxes, bike signals, high visibility crosswalks, cross-bike or bike conflict markings, pedestrian count down signals, and implementing directional curb ramps.
(9) Both sides of street. 7’ wide concrete sidewalk and underlying compacted base material, including curb and gutter. (10) Traffic calming includes one, or a combination of improvements, including but not limited to treatments such as neighborhood traffic circles, raised crosswalks, added crosswalk markings, speed humps and curb extensions. (11) Price per mile assumes “blank slate” and includes new pavement improvements only. (i.e., no demo, drainage, etc.).

Mobilization, traffic control, etc., are excluded.

Funding
This section describes the funding sources available to fund the projects and programs identified in this plan. In addition to local funding sources such as the Capital Improvements Program and developer fees, Table 5 presents a list of competitive grants and formula-based funding programs that have been reviewed for potential consideration to address financial needs of the projects identified in the plan. Further discussion of regional and federal funding options is included in the 2025 Countywide ATP.

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43 Table 5. Potential Funding Sources, Competitive Grants, and Formula-Based Fundings Regional Funding Sources
GoSonoma https://scta.ca.gov/measure-m/gosonoma/
Transportation Development Act, Article 3 (TDA3) https://scta.ca.gov/projects/funding/#tda3 Transportation Fund for Clean Air (TFCA) https://scta.ca.gov/projects/funding/#tfca State of California Funding Sources
AHSC – Affordable Housing and Sustainable
Communities https://sgc.ca.gov/programs/ahsc/
ATP – Active Transportation Program https://catc.ca.gov/programs/active-transportationprogram CleanCA – Clean California https://cleancalifornia.dot.ca.gov/ HSIP – Local Highway Safety Improvement
Program
https://dot.ca.gov/programs/local-assistance/fed-andstate-programs/highway-safety-improvement-program LPP – Local Partnership Program https://catc.ca.gov/programs/sb1/local-partnershipprogram PROTECT – Promoting Resilient Operations for
Transformative, Efficient, and Cost-Saving
Transportation
https://dot.ca.gov/programs/local-assistance/fed-andstateprograms/protect REAP – Regional Early Action Planning https://www.hcd.ca.gov/grants-and-funding/programsactive/regional-early-action-planning-grants-of-2021 RC:H2B – Reconnecting Communities: Highways to
Boulevards
https://dot.ca.gov/programs/local-assistance/fed-andstate-programs/rc-h2b RMRA & HUTA – Road Maintenance and
Rehabilitation Account & Highway Users Tax
Account
https://www.sco.ca.gov/aud_road_maintenance_sb1.htm
l
SCCP – Solutions for Congested Corridors
Program
https://catc.ca.gov/programs/sb1/solutions-forcongested-corridors-program Federal Funding Sources
ATIIP – Active Transportation Infrastructure
Investment Program
https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/bicycle_pedestri
an/atiip/
CMAQ – Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality
Improvement Program
https://ww2.arb.ca.gov/resources/documents/congestio
nmitigation-and-air-quality-improvement-cmaq-program
RAISE – Rebuilding American Infrastructure with
Sustainability and Equity https://www.transportation.gov/RAISEgrants RSTG – Rural Surface Transportation Grant
Program
https://www.transportation.gov/grants/rural-surfacetransportation-grant SMART – Strengthening Mobility and
Revolutionizing Transportation https://www.transportation.gov/grants/SMART SS4A – Safe Streets and Roads for All https://www.transportation.gov/grants/SS4A STIP – State Transportation Improvement Program https://catc.ca.gov/programs/state-transportationimprovement-program STP – Surface Transportation Block Grant https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/specialfunding/stp/ Agenda Item Number 12 Agenda Item Number: 12
City Council Meeting Packet of: November 19, 2024

44 Monitoring
Staff will track progress towards implementing this Plan’s content as well as achieving this Plan’s goals using the measures shown in Table 6. On an annual basis, as part of staff’s update on the General Plan progress, they will report to the Planning Commission and City Council the most recent status for each measure below.

Table 6. Monitoring Progress
Measures Baseline Data Source Frequency
Goal: Connected &
Reliable
Miles of bikeway facilities
(total) 18.78 miles City data Annual
Linear feet of sidewalk
gaps (total) n/a City data Annual
Goal: Safe & WellMaintained
KSI pedestrian and bike
involved collisions with
goal those are zero
Ped: 7/Bike: 5 2015-2020; SWITRS Annual
Number of crossing
improvements installed n/a City data Annual
Community Oriented &
Place Based
Number of active
transportation
improvements within a
1/4 mile of transit/bus
stop
n/a City data Annual
Number of new or
upgraded bike parking
facilities
n/a City data Annual
Notes:
“n/a” Indicates a baseline number for the measure is not applicable.

Agenda Item Number 12 Agenda Item Number: 12
City Council Meeting Packet of: November 19, 2024

From: City Council
Sent: Saturday, October 19, 2024 8:27 AM
To: Mary Gourley
Subject: FW: [Bike Sebastopol] Comments on the Sebastopol ATP Please see correpondence submitted to the City Council.

BCC: Email BCC to City Council, City Manager and City Staff (as applicable) From: Gavin Waters <[email protected]>
Sent: Friday, October 18, 2024 5:40 PM
To: Tibby Elgato <[email protected]>
Cc: City Council <[email protected]>; John Jay <[email protected]>; Sandra Maurer <[email protected]>; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; Don Schwartz <[email protected]>; [email protected]; Bike Sebastopol <bike[email protected]>; [email protected] Subject: Re: [Bike Sebastopol] Comments on the Sebastopol ATP I support Dr Cruz’s perspective on this. These trails should be included in the plan, if for no other reason than they are laudable goals for the future.

As a professional planner, I know that putting these into writing will create them as something the city wants to do - even if the practicalities aren’t yet ironed out.

We should make our intent clear in the planning document and work on implementation after declaring intent.

Gavin Waters
On Wed, Oct 16, 2024 at 11:49 AM Tibby Elgato <[email protected]> wrote:

Dear Sebastopol Council/Staff/Government and others interested in the Sebastopol ATP, The Draft Active Transportation Plan recently made public includes potential projects that will incrementally improve Active Transportation in Sebastopol. However none of the projects are likely to have a significant impact. Improving an intersection or creating a bike lane are nice but will not lead to many people leaving their cars and trucks to walk, ride or roll.

It is disappointing that the Gravenstein and Apple Blossom Trails are not included as Planned Projects in the Draft Active Transportation Plan (ATP). Public sentiment was overwhelmingly in favor of these two trails which completely fulfill the stated objectives of the ATP and have the potential to greatly impact Active Transportation in Sebastopol. Usage of these trails would likely be similar to the Joe Rodata and West County Trails which can be busy at times. The local group Bike Sebastopol has worked very hard over the past few years to provide inputs to this process.

Agenda Item Number 12 Agenda Item Number: 12
City Council Meeting Packet of: November 19, 2024

The ATP is defective because it does not explain in detail how the project "Tiers" in the ATP were determined from public input or the stated objectives contained in the plan itself. Based on the criteria stated in the ATP itself, the Gravenstein and Appleblossom Trails should be included in Table 2. Planned Infrastructure Improvements for Walking, Biking and Rolling. Public opinion was overwhelmingly in favor of these trails, as the ATP itself states. This has also been seen in many surveys including The Greater Sebastopol Trail Survey conducted a few years ago
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1vP66T8jj5bGW3PZKeNplv6dRyPEXa50d/view?usp=share _link

plan is to create infrastructure for:

All Ages and Abilities – Creating spaces for people to walk, bike, and roll that are lowstress and lower risk to create more opportunities for more people to walk, bike, and roll.

Few of the projects in the various Tiers of the Draft ATP actually actually accommodate all ages and abilities. Most are on-road or intersection improvements that will be beneficial primarily to hard core riders. The Apple Blossom and Gravenstein Trails are expensive, far beyond the Sebastopol budget and it will take time to bring them to fruition since there are many issues to resolve. However state and county grants are available for the cost and other Sonoma County municipalities have created trails like these, Healdsburg, Petaluma and Santa Rosa have secured large grants for multi-use trails and resolved the issues, why not Sebastopol?
According to the ATP itself, the criteria used to sort the projects into tiers were:
• Safety – Extent to which the project is on a portion of the SCTA Vision Zero HIN and/or if it has been identified in the city’s Local Road Safety Plan as a priority location.
• Equity – Extent to which the project would improve active transportation access or conditions for an equity-focus population as defined at the regional, state, or federal level.
• Proximity to Existing and Future hat Transit – For a given project, the distance from an existing or future bus stop or transit station.
• Proximity to Schools – For a given project, the distance from an existing school. • Low-Stress Gap Closure – Scored based on whether the project would close a gap in the low-stress net
The Gravenstein and Apple Blossom Trails fulfill each of the criteria better than any of the other the projects in in the ATP Table 2. Planned Infrastructure Improvements for Walking, Biking and Rolling and should be included as Tier 1. (Except for the Equity Criteria which is difficult for any Sebastopol infrastructure). Since they are off-road they are safe. These two trails connect to existing transit and schools and close a gap between Agenda Item Number 12 Agenda Item Number: 12
City Council Meeting Packet of: November 19, 2024

the Joe Rodota trail and Laguna Trail when the County builds it and the bile lane to Petaluma if the County builds it.

Please explain quantitatively why these Trails have been excluded from Table 2 or add them to the Table if that is not possible. Note that cost and ease of implementation are not one of the stated criteria in the ATP Tier system.

Thanks, Respectfully Yours,
Dr. John W. Cruz
Sebastopol
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Agenda Item Number 12 Agenda Item Number: 12
City Council Meeting Packet of: November 19, 2024

From: City Council
Sent: Saturday, November 2, 2024 8:29 AM
To: Mary Gourley
Subject: FW: Apple Blossom Trailn
Please see correpondence submi%ed to the City Council.

BCC: Email BCC to City Council, City Manager and City Staff (as applicable) -----Original Message-----
From: Jim Wilkin <[email protected]>
Sent: Friday, November 1, 2024 3:46 PM
To: City Council <[email protected]>
Subject: Apple Blossom Trail
I live off of Burnside, and would use the Apple blossom Trail a lot. I am in favor of building it, and think it's a great idea.

Megan McLaughlin
www.themusersband.com
Agenda Item Number 12 Agenda Item Number: 12
City Council Meeting Packet of: November 19, 2024

From: City Council
Sent: Thursday, October 31, 2024 11:39 AM
To: Mary Gourley
Subject: FW: Sebastopol Ac#ve Transporta#on Plan
Please see correpondence submi'ed to the City Council.

BCC: Email BCC to City Council, City Manager and City Staff (as applicable) -----Original Message-----
From: Monique Rubin <[email protected]>
Sent: Thursday, October 31, 2024 11:33 AM
To: City Council <[email protected]>
Subject: Sebastopol Ac#ve Transporta#on Plan
Dear City Council Members ,
I’m happy to see you will soon be considering the Ac#ve Trans[orta#on Plan, and that one can hope for improvements to foot and bike traffic through our town.

As an ac#ve pedestrian and bicyclist in Sebastopol for the last 37 years, I would like you to priori#ze the Apple Blossom Trail over any construc#on on Bodega Avenue. No bicyclist wants to climb that hill sucking in car fumes all the way, even if it could be done safely, which considering the width of the road, is doubAul.

Please priori#ze a dedicated path for cyclists and pedestrians. It would be a huge asset to the city!! Thanks,
Monique Rubin
Agenda Item Number 12 Agenda Item Number: 12
City Council Meeting Packet of: November 19, 2024

From: City Council
Sent: Friday, November 1, 2024 9:03 AM
To: Mary Gourley
Subject: FW: Apple Blossom trail
Please see correpondence submi$ed to the City Council.

BCC: Email BCC to City Council, City Manager and City Staff (as applicable) -----Original Message-----
From: Franny Minervini-Zick <[email protected]>
Sent: Thursday, October 31, 2024 1:34 PM
To: City Council <[email protected]>
Subject: Apple Blossom trail
As an avid bike rider I am totally in favor of this idea! It’s so true that many don’t ride bikes because of the traffic situa<on. Let’s try to make this happen!
I know when this came up before some folks thought it was disrespec?ul to ride through the cemetery but I don’t agree with that. It’s a great use of land. Thanks for your considera<on! Peace and Love, Franny
Tuleweaver.wordpress.com
Agenda Item Number 12 Agenda Item Number: 12
City Council Meeting Packet of: November 19, 2024

From: City Council
Sent: Friday, November 1, 2024 9:03 AM
To: Mary Gourley
Subject: FW: SEBASTOPOL ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION PLAN
Please see correpondence submi,ed to the City Council.

BCC: Email BCC to City Council, City Manager and City Staff (as applicable) -----Original Message-----
From: Lisa Meeker <[email protected]>
Sent: Thursday, October 31, 2024 1:26 PM
To: City Council <[email protected]>
Subject: SEBASTOPOL ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION PLAN
SEBASTOPOL ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION PLAN (SATP) comments
Comments from Lisa Meeker, Sebastopol resident and bicyclist I strongly support the Apple Blossom Trail crea;on and request that the SATP be amended to include and priori;ze the implementa;on of the Apple Blossom Trail. It would provide a safer eat-west route across town than currently exists and would be much safer than the Hwy 12 / Bodega route.

Lisa Meeker
560 Lyding Ln
Sebastopol CA 95472
Agenda Item Number 12 Agenda Item Number: 12
City Council Meeting Packet of: November 19, 2024

From: City Council
Sent: Sunday, November 3, 2024 1:48 PM
To: Mary Gourley
Subject: FW: The Apple Blossom Trail
Please see correpondence submitted to the City Council.

BCC: Email BCC to City Council, City Manager and City Staff (as applicable) From: Suzuki C <[email protected]>
Sent: Sunday, November 3, 2024 7:37 AM
To: City Council <[email protected]>
Subject: The Apple Blossom Trail
I am in favor of building out the Apple Blossom Trail.

Thank you.

Susan Cady
Sebastopol CA
Agenda Item Number 12 Agenda Item Number: 12
City Council Meeting Packet of: November 19, 2024

From: City Council
Sent: Sunday, September 29, 2024 9:09 AM
To: Mary Gourley
Subject: FW: [email protected]
Please see correpondence submi$ed to the City Council.

BCC: Email BCC to City Council, City Manager and City Staff (as applicable) -----Original Message-----
From: Blue Skink <[email protected]>
Sent: Sunday, September 29, 2024 8:04 AM
To: City Council <[email protected]>
Subject: [email protected]
Dear Sebastopol City Council,
My name is Shaun Leavy and I’m currently a student at Santa Rosa Junior College, studying biology. I live here in the beau:ful town of Sebastopol and wanted to reach out to share an experience I recently had that got me thinking about local transporta:on.

I par:cipated in the "Week Without Driving" challenge, and it really opened my eyes to just how cardependent we are in this area. I limited my driving to essen:al trips and quickly realized how difficult it is to get around without a car. It’s not that there aren’t any alterna:ves, but they’re either not convenient or just not prac:cal for daily life. It was a good learning experience, though, and it made me more mindful of how I get around and how much we rely on cars, even for the smallest trips.

AAer doing this, I started wondering how we could improve our transporta:on system to make it easier for people to walk, bike, or use public transit more frequently. Things like be$er bus routes, more frequent service, and safer bike lanes would make a big difference, especially for students like me. I was curious to hear if you have any plans in place for improving our local transit or if there are upcoming changes I can get involved with to support these efforts.

Thanks so much for your :me, and I appreciate any info you can share.

Sincerely,
Shaun Leavy
Agenda Item Number 12 Agenda Item Number: 12
City Council Meeting Packet of: November 19, 2024

From: City Council
Sent: Thursday, October 31, 2024 11:39 AM
To: Mary Gourley
Subject: FW: Apple Blossom Bike Trail
Please see correpondence submitted to the City Council.

BCC: Email BCC to City Council, City Manager and City Sta (as applicable)
From: maryhelen7franze <[email protected]>
Sent: Thursday, October 31, 2024 10:52 AM
To: City Council <[email protected]>
Subject: Apple Blossom Bike Trail
I'm writing to you today in support of the Apple Blossom Bike Trail. It is essential to have more safe bike trails in and around Sebastopol. This is what sets us apart from Marin County and so many others in the North bay. We don't want to fight with cars on Bodega Avenue. That will be completely unsafe. I am an avid biker and I will only bike on the Joe Rodata Trail and frankly that's why I moved to Sebastopol. The future is definitely in more bike riding as means of commuting and
community recreation. It's completely safe if off-road. I find it so strange how the bike trail runs around the city and I guess that was Caltran however it's crazy and not always safe. And frankly very few bikers are on that trail.

It's amazing that all these residents are willing to let the Apple Blossom Trail run through their private property. I find this City Council, after living here 8 years, is not very forward thinking or creative in solutions. It's discouraging to hear that the parking lots that could be so useful in development around here are privately owned I've lived in many states and cannot even imagine that this exists anywhere else. It is time that this Council looks to the Future and understands biking is a part of transportation in our future. It seems all you want to do is put tax on the people- sales tax-instead of trying to come up with creative ways to incent Main Street merchants to take over all the abandoned spaces it's crazy. If Sebastopol needs money do something to incent people to take over these abandoned spaces.

It's imperative to start looking at the future and this Trail has been in discussion for 14 years shame on all of us! That's crazy-it could be completed by now in a time when we need to start doing these things to eliminate
fossil fuels. So I highly recommend you gather all the people and get going on this Apple blossom bike trail thank you very much.

Kindly,
Mary Helen Franze
Sebastopol resident
Sent from my Verizon, Samsung Galaxy smartphone
Agenda Item Number 12 Agenda Item Number: 12
City Council Meeting Packet of: November 19, 2024

From: City Council
Sent: Friday, November 8, 2024 10:08 AM
To: Mary Gourley
Subject: FW: Apple Blossom Multi-use Trail--Comments from Burbank Heights and Orchards
Importance: High
Please see correpondence submitted to the City Council.

BCC: Email BCC to City Council, City Manager and City Sta (as applicable)
From: Lauralee Aho <[email protected]>
Sent: Thursday, November 7, 2024 5:21 PM
To: City Council <[email protected]>; Patricia Raney <[email protected]>; Susanne Wilson <[email protected]>; Leah Lampley <[email protected]>; [email protected]; Laura Hagar-Rush <[email protected]>; [email protected] Cc: Judy Morgan <[email protected]>; Gail Lee <[email protected]>; Kathleen Harris <[email protected]>; Caverly Whittemore <[email protected]>; Laura Ramey <[email protected]>; Royelyn Wootten <[email protected]> Subject: Apple Blossom Multi-use Trail--Comments from Burbank Heights and Orchards Importance: High
Thursday, November 7, 2024
AN OPEN LETTER TO THE SEBASTOPOL TIMES (Laura Hagar-Rush), SAHC/BO BOARD and JOHN STEWART COMPANY (BHO management team) , SEBASTOPOL CITY COUNCIL, THE WESTERN SONOMA COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY, AND LYNN DEEDLER:

Since reading Laura Hagar's article in the Sebastopol Times (October 31, 2024) titled: "Will the Apple Blossom Trail ever get built?" our Burbank Heights and Orchards (BHO) community has been discussing the feasibility of the multi-use trail coming through our property. Technically, the property is owned by the Sebastopol Area Housing Corporation and Burbank Orchards, Inc.), however we residents are the ones who would be negatively affected by the trail.

About ten years ago, we were presented with the same scenario. Hagar-Rush states in her article: "Deedler said that when the Apple Blossom Trail made it to city council in 2014, a group of seniors from the complex appeared to be opposed it, arguing that it would be dangerous to have cyclists sharing the road with seniors." We did not "appear" to oppose it, we vehemently opposed it then as we do now!
Fast forward ten years: After reading the Hagar-Rush article, BHO residents were invited to a brainstorming meeting on November 7, 2024. The consensus reached is that we absolutely do not support the multi-use trail coming through the property, for the following reasons:

Agenda Item Number 12 Agenda Item Number: 12
City Council Meeting Packet of: November 19, 2024

• The proposed exit from St. Stephens church path feeds out onto our very busy and highly trafficked road.
• The proposed trail then climbs up a very steep hill containing a blind turn; it is our main entry and exit for the property.
• The proposed trail site is used daily by residents both walking and driving, delivery trucks, mail trucks, and visitors; weekly garbage and recycling trucks visit that area. It is also used by people working and visiting the Burbank Experiment Farm. It is busy from dawn to dusk; not a favorable atmosphere for recreational cyclists or walkers.
• Emergency vehicles visit our property frequently, many times helping residents in the Orchards complex, which is directly adjacent to the proposed trail. • There are two parking areas at the Orchards with cars entering and exiting throughout the day; some even backing out onto the proposed trail path. • Because the road has a steep incline, only the most able cyclists would be able to manage the climb on their bikes. Recreational cyclists would have to get off their bikes and walk up the hill, causing a major safety hazard, especially at the blind curve.
• Forget about wheelchairs maneuvering the climb or descent. • Cyclists descending the hill at a high rate of speed, especially around the blind curve, would be a major safety hazard for both BHO residents, the cyclists, and other path users. .
• Families with dogs walking in either direction would be very vulnerable. • Residents and staff walking from the Heights to the Orchards would have an additional risk when crossing the proposed trail.
• Are there liability factors for the owners if someone is injured on the trail that crosses the property?
• Many of our residents have hearing challenges, so we might not hear a cyclist approaching, which could lead to a collision.
• Existing wildlife would certainly be disturbed by the additional traffic. • The Sebastopol Shuttle arrives and departs adjacent to the Orchards every 45 minutes. Having to avoid walkers and/or cyclists would be an additional safety issue.
• As we've seen with the Joe Rodota Trail, unhoused individuals find the trails a good place to put up temporary quarters. In fact last year there was an encampment in the area by the cemetery adjacent to the Mitchell Court houses. One of the our vulnerable residents was assaulted by one of the camp's residents. • Having a trail through our property would put an additional burden on the Sebastopol police to monitor it.
• We wonder if having a multi-use trail through the property would lead to more people wandering around the rest of the property unescorted, which could that lead to unwanted property wanderers. This would disturb our peace and negatively affect our vulnerable elder community.

Agenda Item Number 12 Agenda Item Number: 12
City Council Meeting Packet of: November 19, 2024

• We really value our semi-private community. Having it opened up to the public does not feel safe.

We commend Lynn Deedler and his supporters for envisioning an off-road trail, however having a multi-use trail cutting through the Burbank community is both unfeasible and highly unsafe for both the BHO residents and the community of potential users. We also find it strange that in spite of both the Farm and BHO absolutely against the trail ten years ago, that alternate routes have not been proposed.

Submitted by:

Lauralee Aho
Burbank Resident Forum Coordinator
100% of those attending the meeting objected to the proposed multi-use trail cutting through the Burbank property. There are many other residents who are opposed who could not attend, but have given verbal comments. Attendees: Barbara Isaksen, Victoria King, Katherine McNeil, Anthony Phillipson, Rosa Burke Perez, Michale Crang, Sue Nosker, Michael Rinaldini, Annie Fouty, Mary Rushworth, Juliet Rowe, Marjorie Bair, Gayle LaVal, Judy Morgan, Kathleen Conway, Laura Ramey, Cynthia Williams, Robert M. Phelps, and Barbara Lee
Agenda Item Number 12 Agenda Item Number: 12
City Council Meeting Packet of: November 19, 2024

From: City Council
Sent: Thursday, October 31, 2024 11:38 AM
To: Mary Gourley
Subject: FW: in favor of the Apple Blossom Trail getting built Please see correpondence submitted to the City Council.

BCC: Email BCC to City Council, City Manager and City Staff (as applicable) From: Gina Blaber <[email protected]>
Sent: Thursday, October 31, 2024 10:38 AM
To: City Council <[email protected]>
Subject: in favor of the Apple Blossom Trail getting built Hello,
The Sebastopol Times article below makes a compelling case for the creation of the Apple Blossom Trail in our town. It sounds like a welcome addition to our town; one that would enhance the lives of many residents, with good potential workarounds for the few practical issues listed.

I’d love to see this idea put into action!
Best regards,
- Gina Blaber
---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: From Sebastopol Times <[email protected]>
Date: Thu, Oct 31, 2024 at 10:04 AM
Subject: Will the Apple Blossom Trail ever get built?
To: <[email protected]>
Caltrans will soon be building a Class II bike lane on Bodega Avenue. A long-ignored and better option lies just one block over.

Forwarded this email? Subscribe here for more
Agenda Item Number 12 Agenda Item Number: 12
City Council Meeting Packet of: November 19, 2024

Will the Apple Blossom Trail ever get
built?
Caltrans will soon be building a Class II bike lane on Bodega Avenue.

A long-ignored and better option lies just one block over.

LAURA HAGAR RUSH
OCT 31

READ IN APP

The proposed Apple Blossom Trail runs east to west, paralleling Bodega Avenue, but taking a much quieter, safer, and prettier route. A section of it runs through Sebastopol’s historic old cemetery. (All photos in this article by Laura Hagar Rush)
For almost ten years (about as long as I’ve been covering Sebastopol as a reporter), I’ve heard rumors of the proposed Apple Blossom Trail and its creator Lynn Deedler, and for just as long, I’ve seen the whole idea treated by various city officials with barely disguised rolls of their eyes.

Agenda Item Number 12 Agenda Item Number: 12
City Council Meeting Packet of: November 19, 2024

In private, regarding Deedler and the trail, I’ve heard the words “monomaniacal” and “obsessive” bandied about.

But I’ve dealt with Deedler now for several years in his role as a longtime member of the Design Review Board and as a source for other stories, and he never struck me as someone with a screw loose.

He is insistent, however.

For the last few years, he’s been asking me to take a tour of the route that could become the Apple Blossom Trail, a proposed multi-use trail that would run from the end of the Joe Rodota Trail on Petaluma Avenue to Sebastopol Memorial Lawn and westward from there along Atascadero Creek to Apple Blossom School. (A multi-use trail is separated from cars and designed for bikers, pedestrians, horses, and wheelchairs.)
Deedler got the idea for the trail when an exchange student he and his wife were hosting from Germany complained about how difficult and dangerous it was to ride her bike from Deedler’s house on Jewell to school. (Her exact words were “Your route to school is crap.”)
“I checked it out and agreed,” Deedler said. “I called the Bike Coalition and asked them to do something about this. A nice person said, ‘Why don’t you?’” And so he did.

Deedler has been working on and lobbying for the Apple Blossom Trail for 14 years.
“It took a long time to find workable trails through our already developed town,” Deedler said. “It was amazing any trail could work.”
Agenda Item Number 12 Agenda Item Number: 12
City Council Meeting Packet of: November 19, 2024

Sebastopol already has an excellent north-south bike/walking trail in the Joe Rodota and West County trails. The Apple Blossom Trail would be similar to those, but running east to west.

The Apple Blossom Trail, as it’s currently configured, would wind through many city-owned and private properties. Deedler has gotten signed statements from many of the private property owners along the route, indicating that they would support a bike trail through their property.
“Surprisingly, good people said yes to the necessary easement,” Deedler said. “When I checked back with them this year, they still said yes.” Deedler and fellow trail makers Jim Fain and Larkin Morgan made a big push to get the Apple Blossom Trail recognized in 2014, in hopes of having it included in Sebastopol’s last Bike and Pedestrian Master Plan. (It was not included in that plan.) There’s even a website, sebastopoltrailmakers.org, devoted to their early efforts.

That was ten years ago and now there’s another bike and pedestrian plan, called the Sebastopol Active Transportation Plan, and Deedler is once again working to get the Apple Blossom Trail included.

The Apple Blossom Trail has many fans in the local bicycle community. At a recent Planning Commission meeting on the Sebastopol Active Transportation Plan, they came up to the mic one by one to speak in favor of the Apple Blossom Trail and complain about the way it has been sidelined in the new plan.

The trail wasn’t included in the plan’s prioritized list of projects, though there is a whole page dedicated to it as a potential trail for the distant future.

Gavin Waters, Sebastopol’s citizen representative to the Sonoma County Transportation Authority (SCTA), said he was encouraged to see that the Apple Blossom Trail had at least been included in the new plan, but he added, “I’d love to see that prioritized on the tier list as well.”
Agenda Item Number 12 Agenda Item Number: 12
City Council Meeting Packet of: November 19, 2024

City council candidate Phill Carter, an avid bicyclist, threw his weight behind the Apple Blossom Trail at the meeting, and another speaker spoke about the importance of protecting future biking corridors, like those embodied in the Apple Blossom Trail.

William Greenwood, one of Deedler’s neighbors on Jewell, wrote to the Planning Commission. “Why is the Apple Blossom Trail not addressed as part of the Plan? It should be, as many community members have advocated during the 15 years I have lived here. It would cross my property on Jewell Avenue, and I am a strong supporter, as are my neighbors and other property owners the proposed route would follow. It would give townsfolk a safe and beautiful way to walk and bike the two miles out to the school and environs. This is impossible now without going along the death trap that is Bodega Highway.”
Eleanor Leshner, one of the city’s planning consultants for the Active Transportation Plan, called the Apple Blossom Trail “aspirational.” “Right now they [the Apple Blossom Trail and one other] are not in the table [of prioritized projects], and based on discussions with the consultant team, the city, and SCTA, we felt that”—including a page about the trail—“would be sufficient to pursue funding for a feasibility study, which would likely be the next step,” she said. “So we’re seeing it as a good compromise and appropriate way to include it at this time.”
Tor Allen, in a public comment letter from Bike Sebastopol, wrote, “This is disappointing. Bike Sebastopol and other groups have advocated for these trails [the Apple Blossom Trail and the Gravenstein Trail] for the past 8-10 years and have worked patiently to include them in the ATP so that they can take the next step toward being developed. They should be on the table of projects.” A tale of two bike routes
Agenda Item Number 12 Agenda Item Number: 12
City Council Meeting Packet of: November 19, 2024

Ironically, Caltrans is about to install bike lanes on Bodega Avenue, which runs roughly parallel to a section of the proposed route for the Apple Blossom Trail just one block over.

The Bodega Avenue Bike Lanes and Rehabilitation Phase 2 project will add approximately one-third of a mile of Class II bike lanes on Bodega Avenue between Robinson Road/Nelson Way and Pleasant Hill Avenue. (A Class II bike lane is a striped lane on a street or highway that is designated for one-way bicycle travel—think of the ones on Petaluma Avenue). The total cost of the Bodega project, which includes repaving the road, is more than $2.7 million (of which Sebastopol is responsible for $77,000).

The problem is, judging from public comments, no one wants to actually use the bike lanes on Bodega.

After a council meeting on the Bodega Bike Lane project, longtime council watcher John Necker wrote in the Sonoma County Gazette, “During public comment, the executive director of the Sonoma County Bicycle Coalition actually found a bike lane she didn't like—this one. She and other bike riders made it clear that these lanes were way too dangerous because of their proximity to traffic.”
Public comment was so universally opposed to the bike trails along this section of Bodega that the council asked about scrapping them, but they were told by the planning department that the bike lanes were an inextricable part of the grant that was paying for the repaving of the road.

The difference between bike lanes on a main arterial like Bodega and the Apple Blossom Trail is huge. The Apple Blossom Trail is designed to be a scenic, bucolic trail, separated from car traffic, winding through parks and quiet neighborhoods and beside a creek. It’s the kind of trail that most bicyclists—not just fearless urban riders—would be comfortable riding on.

Agenda Item Number 12 Agenda Item Number: 12
City Council Meeting Packet of: November 19, 2024

It’s popular in planning circles to talk about creating bike paths for the 90% of people who don’t regularly ride their bikes because they don’t feel safe sharing the road with fast-moving traffic.

Denver Booker, who owns the Sebastopol Bike Center, is a big fan of the Apple Blossom Trail concept, which he called “amazing.” He thinks it could be part of a climate-friendly reworking of local infrastructure to accommodate bike riders who are currently too intimidated by Sebastopol’s traffic to ride their bikes around town.
“For a lot of people, cycling is recreation, and so they don’t ride from their house.

They go to a trailhead somewhere and park and unroll the bikes. They go for a ride, and they come back, load up the bikes and go home. That’s an indication of unsafe roads. And if you talk to them, that’s what they’re going to say: ‘I’d like to ride more, but I just don’t feel safe on the roads.’ ”
How will this trail be paid for?
Since the city is in financial disarray, you might be wondering how the Apple Blossom Trail would be funded. According to Deedler, “Money will come from State and Federal grants, which will pay up to 90%. The balance can be paid from small grants. Grants are competitive. The Apple Blossom Trail will likely score tops in every criteria. The Federal Highway Transportation Fund will loan cities the balance interest-free for multi-use trails. This trail is a central piece to a Sebastopol trail network that connects with seven other trails, seven Sebastopol schools, our library, three transit bus stops, five parks, and Main Street shopping and friends. It also runs close to the center of our densest housing. That’s why it would score so high.”
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Agenda Item Number 12 Agenda Item Number: 12
City Council Meeting Packet of: November 19, 2024

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On the Apple Blossom Trail
In mid-October, on a beautiful, bright blue day after the first rain of the year, I took Deedler up on his long-standing offer of a tour. We met at the Sebastopol Bike Center, across from the Barlow on Sebastopol Road. Before we started off, we studied the oversized poster of the trail that Deedler often brings to public meetings.

Agenda Item Number 12 Agenda Item Number: 12
City Council Meeting Packet of: November 19, 2024

Lynn Deedler traces his finger along the route of the Apple Blossom Trail.

Agenda Item Number 12 Agenda Item Number: 12
City Council Meeting Packet of: November 19, 2024

Here, roughly, is the route:

Deedler brought along his golf cart for the tour. I climbed in, and we zipped down to the Joe Rodota Trail, where it terminates in busy Petaluma Avenue.

1. The start of the Apple Blossom Trail - The hidden parking lot The Apple Blossom Trail starts across the street from where the Joe Rodota Trail ends. It begins in the hidden, city-owned public parking lot, right behind the Chamber of Commerce building. (I say hidden because most drivers in Sebastopol don’t seem to know that it exists, though many cyclists do.) The Apple Blossom Trail is designed to take advantage of several city-owned properties and right-of-ways the city controls (as opposed to Caltrans)—and this parking lot, which opens onto South Main Street, is the first of those city-owned properties on the trail.

Agenda Item Number 12 Agenda Item Number: 12
City Council Meeting Packet of: November 19, 2024

The hidden public parking lot behind the Chamber of Commerce building.

Agenda Item Number 12 Agenda Item Number: 12
City Council Meeting Packet of: November 19, 2024

2. The hidden creek
We crossed South Main Street by the post office and pulled into that strange little area—mostly parking lot—that houses El Favorito and Hipizzazz Pizza. This is a privately owned lot, actually several contiguous lots, all owned by the same family. It is considered one of the most developable lots in Sebastopol.

The city has an easement over the northmost edge of the property because Calder Creek runs in a culvert below the asphalt. If money was no object, the city would like to daylight the creek through this area. Deedler envisions the Apple Blossom Trail running alongside this creek and through the city-owned parking lot right behind it.

Agenda Item Number 12 Agenda Item Number: 12
City Council Meeting Packet of: November 19, 2024

Agenda Item Number 12 Agenda Item Number: 12
City Council Meeting Packet of: November 19, 2024

Calder Creek runs beneath this strip of asphalt that runs from S. Main Street to High Street, across the street from Sebastopol Center for the Arts. The white building on the right is the back of El Favorito.

3. The trail through Ives Park
The Apple Blossom Trail would then run straight up through the center of Ives Park, past the sculpture garden and playground, following the creek.

Agenda Item Number 12 Agenda Item Number: 12
City Council Meeting Packet of: November 19, 2024

It’s easy to imagine a multi-use trail running through Ives Park. Here you see the current trail, between the creek on the left and the sculpture garden on the right.

Agenda Item Number 12 Agenda Item Number: 12
City Council Meeting Packet of: November 19, 2024

4. Jewell to Leland Street: A street-side pathway
After it comes out of the park, the Apple Blossom Trail would continue westward along Jewell Avenue. This would necessitate the removal of four on-street parking spaces on Jewell, near the junction with Willow.

From here, there are two options: the easiest (and cheapest) one would be to continue the trail up Jewell, then turn onto Leland, where, according to Deedler, the city owns a 10-foot right-of-way at the edge of the road.

Another option—and the one Deedler would prefer—is that the path would turn right into his property, cutting through his and several other private properties, following the open creek to Leland. He has talked to his neighbors about this option. Several of them have signed documents endorsing the idea of allowing a bike trail through their property. One neighbor is opposed to this idea. This detour is noted on the map at the top of the article as a dotted line.

Agenda Item Number 12 Agenda Item Number: 12
City Council Meeting Packet of: November 19, 2024

Deedler at the corner of Jewell and Leland, looking down Jewell towards Ives Park.

Agenda Item Number 12 Agenda Item Number: 12
City Council Meeting Packet of: November 19, 2024

Deedler said a multi-use trail on Leland could take advantage of the 10-foot, cityowned right-of-way that runs alongside the street.

Agenda Item Number 12 Agenda Item Number: 12
City Council Meeting Packet of: November 19, 2024

5. The Saint Stephen’s Episcopal stretch
Leland dead-ends on Robinson Road. The trail would then cross Robinson and go along the northernmost edge of Saint Stephen’s Episcopal Church property, which is currently undeveloped—just oaks, ivy and blackberry. Deedler has a signed document from Saint Stephen’s Rector Christy Laborda Harris agreeing to the idea of a trail on church property, with the caveat that she doesn’t want any oaks cut down.

Agenda Item Number 12 Agenda Item Number: 12
City Council Meeting Packet of: November 19, 2024

Agenda Item Number 12 Agenda Item Number: 12
City Council Meeting Packet of: November 19, 2024

The Apple Blossom Trail would follow what is now essentially a deer trail that runs along the northernmost edge of the Episcopal church property. The garage on the right belongs to the apartment complex next door.

6. The bottleneck: the trail through Burbank Heights and the Burbank Experiment Farm
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City Council Meeting Packet of: November 19, 2024

The main road going up into Burbank Heights. Is there room for a multi-use trail here? Back in 2014, the residents gave a resounding “No!” Agenda Item Number 12 Agenda Item Number: 12
City Council Meeting Packet of: November 19, 2024

The Episcopal Church property backs up to Burbank Heights and Orchards, a low-income senior living community. Deedler said that when the Apple Blossom Trail made it to city council in 2014, a group of seniors from the complex appeared to oppose it, arguing that it would be dangerous to have cyclists sharing the road with seniors.

After a short sprint through the Burbank Heights property—should such a thing ever be possible—the trail would enter the Luther Burbank Experiment Farm, a city-owned park, which is already crisscrossed with pathways.

In 2014, the last time the Apple Blossom Trail came up for discussion, it was vehemently opposed by the Luther Burbank Experiment Farm. The board of the Western Sonoma County Historical Society, which administers the farm, is meeting on Tuesday to discuss the issue, and, according to its president, Teresa Ramondo, they will release a statement after that.

Agenda Item Number 12 Agenda Item Number: 12
City Council Meeting Packet of: November 19, 2024

Deedler is a little vague on where the trail would go through the Luther Burbank Experiment Farm. Here’s one possible option.

Agenda Item Number 12 Agenda Item Number: 12
City Council Meeting Packet of: November 19, 2024

The Sebastopol Memorial Lawn cemetery
One of the longest stretches of trail runs through our next stop, Sebastopol’s historic cemetery, Sebastopol Memorial Lawn, which is privately owned by Steve Lang.

Deedler said Lang was enthusiastic about the bike trail when he heard about it several years ago. Lang fondly remembered riding his bike all over Sebastopol when he was a boy and liked the idea of having a trail through the cemetery.

Deedler has a signed document from Lang indicating his interest in the project.

Agenda Item Number 12 Agenda Item Number: 12
City Council Meeting Packet of: November 19, 2024

One possible route through the Sebastopol Memorial Lawn.

Agenda Item Number 12 Agenda Item Number: 12
City Council Meeting Packet of: November 19, 2024

Our tour ended here at the cemetery, which is only halfway through the proposed trail. Beyond this point, it’s county land, and Deedler said representatives of the county have told him they’d consider the Apple Blossom Trail once the city of Sebastopol had bought into the project.

This means getting the Apple Blossom Trail listed and prioritized in the Sebastopol Active Transportation Plan.
“To let the consultant and the city council know what this trail means to the community is important to get the support it will take,” Deedler said. “We have heard so many times from people how much having safe trails to get around our town without driving would mean to them and their kids, how it would make Sebastopol a better place to live. We need to make sure that the city council and staff know this.”
You can comment on the draft Sebastopol Active Transportation Plan by going to the SCTA ATP webpage and scrolling down till you see the Draft Plan Feedback Form. Comments must be submitted by Nov. 30. To let the city council know how you feel about the Apple Blossom Trail, write them at
[email protected].

For more information about the Apple Blossom Trail, contact Lynn Deedler at [email protected].

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Agenda Item Number 12 Agenda Item Number: 12
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Agenda Item Number 12 Agenda Item Number: 12
City Council Meeting Packet of: November 19, 2024