COUNTY OF SAN MATEO

Inter-Departmental Correspondence

Board of Supervisors

DATE:

July 2, 2008

BOARD MEETING DATE:

July 8, 2008

SPECIAL NOTICE/HEARING:

No

VOTE REQUIRED:

Majority

TO:

Honorable Board of Supervisors

FROM:

Rich Gordon

SUBJECT:

Recommendation to Support Grant Application by the City of Menlo Park to the Federal Safe Routes to School Program

RECOMMENDATION:

Adopt a resolution supporting the Federal Safe Routes to School grant application by the City of Menlo Park.

VISION ALIGNMENT:

Goal(s):

6. Children grow up healthy in safe and supportive homes and neighborhoods

7. Maintain and enhance the public safety of all residents and visitors

23. Leaders throughout the County provide the impetus for broader regional solutions in land use, housing, childcare, education, health and transportation.

BACKGROUND:

The City of Menlo Park embarked upon an effort to improve the safety and efficiency of travel for school-age children in the neighborhood of Laurel Elementary School in early 2007. Laurel School is in the Menlo Park Elementary School District and serves grades K through 2. The school is physically located in the Town of Atherton but is directly bordered by the unincorporated area of Menlo Oaks. A majority of the students at the school are residents of the City of Menlo Park. The process began at the request of the community of parents at Laurel School in response to increased traffic and decreasing safety on the roads and paths surrounding the school. The City responded by hosting a series of community meetings and strategic planning sessions designed as the first steps in the development of a new safety plan for the neighborhood. Several of the meetings were attended by County Public Works staff, as well as staff of my office, and those individuals provided limited input to the planning process. The series of meetings were well attended by a broad cross-section of the community and aided in the development of a planning document by DKS Architects on behalf of the City of Menlo Park. The plan includes safety measures such as crosswalks, road signage, road striping, pathway construction and intersection improvements, all designed to improve both pedestrian safety and efficient traffic flow through the area.

The initial plan was submitted as a grant application to the State of California’s Safe Routes to School grant program in November 2007. This application was not successful. Prior to the submittal of the November 2007 application to the State of California there was some controversy regarding part of the plan related to Coleman Avenue in unincorporated San Mateo County. Coleman Avenue was withdrawn from the plan submitted to the State. Because of the controversy regarding Coleman Avenue, I committed to convening a stakeholders group that would meet regularly to discuss the plan and other safety issues related to school travel in the area. Elected officials and staff from the County of San Mateo, the City of Menlo Park, the Town of Atherton, the Menlo Park School District, and the Sequoia Union High School District have met several times and discussed the Laurel School Safe routes Grant Application at length, as well as other school related traffic issues. This discussion has resulted in what I believe to be a significantly improved plan that will better address the safety challenges in the area while reducing impact on residents in the area. It should be noted that the application does not include any improvements on Coleman Avenue, as we continue to work with residents there to address their concerns over any improvements. The Menlo Park City School District, the Town of Atherton and the Menlo Park City Council have so far endorsed the application. Our own Department of Public Works has also indicated their support for the application. The County of San Mateo’s endorsement and a support letter from the President would provide further evidence of community backing for the plan and increase the likelihood that the funding will be grants.

DISCUSSION:

In order to effectively support the grant application it would be beneficial for the County to provide for the following actions:

1. Authorize the Director of Public Works, Jim Porter, to sign on in support of the application on the County of San Mateo’s behalf.

2. Authorize the Board President to send a letter of support on the Board of Supervisors behalf to be included with the application when sent to the Federal Highway Administration. Possible wording for a letter is attached.

FISCAL IMPACT:

None.