Chapter 1.37
BICYCLE AND PEDESTRIAN ADVISORY COMMITTEE
Sections:
1.37.060 Functions and duties.
1.37.010 Establishment.
There is hereby established within the city of Yakima a bicycle and pedestrian advisory committee, which shall be a subcommittee of the Yakima planning commission, to be appointed by the city council to carry out the purposes listed herein. (Ord. 2024-006 § 4, 2024; Ord. 2023-002 § 1, 2023).
1.37.020 Purpose.
The purpose and intent of the bicycle and pedestrian advisory committee is to provide community-based input for the review, comment and idea generation related to the development, maintenance and planning of the network of facilities for bicycles and pedestrians including public streets, sidewalks, bike paths, pathways and related improvements; and to work with staff, committees, schools, affected residents, and neighborhoods or other interested groups on bicycle and pedestrian projects and implementation. (Ord. 2023-002 § 1, 2023).
1.37.030 Membership.
(a) The committee is comprised of seven voting members appointed by majority vote of the city council, one of which shall include a representative of the Yakima Greenway.
(b) Six members of the committee shall be residents of the city of Yakima. One member may be a resident of Yakima County if they also either own property within the city of Yakima or own a business within the city of Yakima. The residency requirements herein shall not apply to the member representing the Yakima Greenway, nor to nonvoting members.
(c) One employee of the city of Yakima may be appointed by the city manager to act as a staff liaison to provide information and reasonable assistance to the committee, but shall not be entitled to vote on any matter before the committee. Other employees may attend committee meetings on a case-by-case basis as determined appropriate by the city manager or their designee.
(d) One member of the Yakima city council may be assigned as the representative to the committee, but shall not be entitled to vote on any matter before the committee.
(e) Appointments shall be made to ensure that varied community perspectives are represented and, to the extent possible, reflect the current demographics of the city, including consideration of historically underrepresented communities.
(f) Members shall serve without compensation. (Ord. 2023-023 § 1, 2023; Ord. 2023-002 § 1, 2023).
1.37.040 Terms of office.
The term of office for a committee member shall be four years. Unless removed by council, members who have served their full term shall continue to serve until their replacement is appointed. (Ord. 2023-002 § 1, 2023).
1.37.050 Meetings.
(a) At its first meeting of each calendar year, the committee shall elect a chairperson and a secretary, which persons shall hold office for one year and until their successors are appointed.
(b) The committee should hold, at a minimum, regular quarterly public meetings that may be broadcast by the city. The committee may appoint a subcommittee of at least two members, which may meet during other times and at other dates as the subcommittee deems necessary or appropriate, to review and discuss bicycle/pedestrian committee policies and procedures, or relevant code sections of the Yakima Municipal Code. The subcommittee shall formulate a recommendation regarding its work to the whole committee for its consideration. Subcommittee meetings may be staffed only upon written request to the city manager from the subcommittee, and at the city manager’s, or their designee’s, discretion.
(c) Minutes of each meeting shall be kept by the secretary and sent to the staff liaison, or, if there is no staff liaison assigned, the city clerk, and any other city staff person or council person as determined by the city.
(d) All committee meetings shall be open to the public.
(e) To constitute a quorum for the transaction of business there shall be a simple majority of seated committee members present.
(f) An agenda shall be prepared and distributed by the chairperson prior to each meeting which includes a list of individual items of committee business that are intended to be discussed. If staff members are approved for attendance, they shall receive an agenda at least five business days prior to the meeting. (Ord. 2024-006 § 5, 2024; Ord. 2023-023 § 2, 2023; Ord. 2023-002 § 1, 2023).
1.37.060 Functions and duties.
(a) The committee generally shall serve in an advisory capacity to the Yakima planning commission as a subcommittee of the commission concerning the development, maintenance and planning of the network of facilities for bicycles and pedestrians within the city or extending into Yakima County or neighboring communities.
(b) The committee shall assist the Yakima planning commission and, when specifically requested, the city council, on specific projects delegated to the committee by those groups.
(c) The committee shall report to the Yakima planning commission on an annual basis at a minimum. Reports to the Yakima planning commission shall contain a summary of action items taken to date, a list of action items that are pending, and a summary of any findings made as of the date of the report that are relevant to the committee’s purpose or pending action items. The chair of the committee is responsible for writing any report and forwarding it to the staff liaison for the Yakima planning commission for dissemination and inclusion in a Yakima planning commission agenda.
(d) On areas of work where the Yakima planning commission finds that it would be more appropriate to have the committee provide advice and information either directly to the city council, or to another committee, board or commission, the Yakima planning commission will refer the work to the council or to another committee, board or commission for its review and evaluation. (Ord. 2024-006 § 6, 2024; Ord. 2023-002 § 1, 2023).
1.37.070 Vacancies.
Any vacancy in the membership of the committee shall be filled for the unexpired term in the same manner as the original appointment. (Ord. 2023-002 § 1, 2023).
1.37.080 Removal.
The committee may, by majority vote, recommend to the city council removal of an appointed member upon such grounds as may be deemed appropriate. Failure to attend three consecutive meetings may be cause for removal. The city council, either after recommendation by the committee, or independently, by majority vote, may remove any appointed member of the committee and declare the position vacant. (Ord. 2023-002 § 1, 2023).
1.37.090 Expenditures—Budget.
The expenditures of the committee shall be limited to appropriations as determined by the city council. All services requiring appropriations shall be submitted through the budget of the city council; provided, however, the city council may specifically authorize expenditures pursuant to its rules. (Ord. 2023-002 § 1, 2023).