Proposed Town of Markham

Cycling and Pedestrian Advisory Committee (CPAC)

Terms of Reference

Table of Contents

1.0 Need for a Cycling and Pedestrian Advisory Committee 2

2.0 Role of the Committee 2

3.0 The Proposed Structure 3

3.1 Proposed Mandate 3

3.2 Proposed Membership (Composition) 6

3.3 Quorum 6

3.4 Working Groups 6

3.5 Recruitment Process 8

3.6 Term 8

3.7 Meetings 8

3.8 Reporting Mechanism 9

3.9 Lead Department 9

3.10 Staff Resources 9

3.11 Support Services to the Cycling and Pedestrian

Advisory Committee 10

4.0 Funding 10

1.0 Need for a Cycling and Pedestrian Advisory Committee

Currently, no cycling or pedestrian committee exists in the Town of Markham. As part of the action plans set out in the Markham Transportation Planning Study (MTPS) – 2002, the Town is currently taking steps to develop and implement a cycling network, to address the need for active transportation systems for residents and businesses.

It is recommended, therefore, that a Cycling and Pedestrian Advisory Committee be implemented as soon as possible to assist the Town in these and other related initiatives.

With such a committee in place, the Town will be able to ensure that a team of dedicated individuals would be available to specifically address and respond to the needs of cyclists and pedestrians. The Cycling and Pedestrian Advisory Committee (CPAC) would represent the interests of cyclists and pedestrians in Markham, focus on their needs and priorities, and bring these interests to the attention of the appropriate staff, departments or standing committees. The introduction of this committee would ensure that cyclists and pedestrians have a “voice” to represent their concerns in the Town and that their needs can be specifically addressed.

Many jurisdictions in Ontario including Toronto, Ottawa, Windsor, the Region’s of Niagara and Waterloo have established cycling and pedestrian advisory committees and have successfully used them to engage stakeholders and members of the public in cycling and/or pedestrian initiatives.

The CPAC would also act to educate, promote and enhance cycling and walking in the Town of Markham.

2.0 Role of the Committee

The CPAC would assist in the development and implementation of future cycling and pedestrian initiatives the Town may undertake, namely the Implementation Plan for the Town-Wide Bicycle System Study. The CPAC would serve as a public outreach vehicle for the Town for the development and promotion of on and off-road cycling and pedestrian facilities. It would advise staff and various departments on matters related to the development, design and delivery of cycling and pedestrian programs and facilities to promote and enhance cycling and walking in Markham.

Key objectives may include the following:

Ø Determine the priority for Town and Regional road projects that may be signed and marked for both recreational and utilitarian cycling;

Ø Assist in the design of appropriate cycling and pedestrian route signs that can be used for identifying proposed cycling and pedestrian routes;

Ø Assist in updating Cycling and Pedestrian facility plans;

Ø Assist in the preparation of a cycling and pedestrian map suitable for broad public distribution;

Ø Provide input and advice, including the interpretation of technical standards and guidelines on proposed Town and Regional Road projects that may have a cycling or pedestrian component;

Ø Provide input on scheduling for the maintenance and cleaning of roads;

Ø Foster the Travel Demand Management efforts which are put in place through the Engineering department;

Ø Provide input as requested to Community, Transportation and Development Services Committees inquiries;

Ø Encourage and support programs for cycling education through school programs, CAA promotional literature and other means; and

Ø Meet on an annual or semi-annual basis with other Town advisory committees to share information and provide advice on current cycling and pedestrian issues;

The CPAC would have no decision-making power over cycling and pedestrian issues. Rather it would develop recommendations and proposals to provide to staff and various standing committees of Council for consideration.

People and leadership are the keys to setting the implementation of the Markham CPAC in motion. The formal relationships between individuals and organizations and their operational practices are important factors in determining whether a cycling initiative will proceed and be successful. Maximizing participation and removing obstacles to the flow of information between participants are two of the main objectives in managing implementation.

The CPAC would also focus on promoting safe cycling and walking in the Town, including the economic, health and quality of life benefits that cycling and walking can offer. The committee can also provide input and assist Town staff in the planning and design of cycling and pedestrian facilities.

In order to implement and maintain the proposed committee and realize its benefits, a clear and practical operating structure needs to be in place. In addition, as the committee evolves, improvements can be considered and changes made as required.

3.0 The Proposed Structure

The CPAC would be in addition to existing Advisory Boards in the Town of Markham. This would ensure that the introduction of this new advisory committee would have a clear place in the Town’s current structure. Figure 1 illustrates the proposed reporting structure for the CPAC.

3.1 Proposed Mandate

The CPAC’s duties and functions would be to advise staff of various departments and Council on the design, development and delivery of cycling and pedestrian policies, programs and facilities to promote and enhance cycling and walking in Markham. Town

Council or Transportation Committee would make the final decision on any cycling and pedestrian initiatives recommended by the CPAC.

The CPAC’s functions are proposed to include the following:

· Represent cycling and pedestrian interests within the Town;

· Compile research and statistics on cycling and pedestrian issues identifying areas where more data or research is required;

· Provide input to assist the Town of Markham with the development of design standards, as well as operations and maintenance practices for cycling and pedestrian facilities;

· Work with local neighbourhoods by collecting and distributing information related to cycling and walking;

· Promote an increased public awareness of cycling and walking as environmentally friendly forms of transportation through such methods as newsletters, display booths and educational / public awareness campaigns;

· Assist in the fund-raising opportunities for the development and maintenance of pedestrian and bicycle facilities, which could include identifying opportunities for grants plus private or corporate donations;

· Advise the Town on cycling and walking issues as they affect the Town and the Regional Capital Work Programs;

· Discuss and resolve any issues between cyclists and pedestrians;

· Work for better integration of transit for cyclists and pedestrians;

· Work for improved cycling and pedestrian access and safety to various facilities in Markham;

· Assist in the integration of bicycle and pedestrian facilities into significant development proposals as they arise;

· Provide cycling and pedestrian-oriented input, regarding the allocation, design and use of public space;

· Monitor municipal, provincial and federal governments and their committees, departments and agencies to support pro-cycling measures;

· Monitor and review the Town’s progress on implementing cycling and pedestrian facilities; and

· Report on an annual basis to appropriate Town of Markham staff and departments, summarizing the work of the committee and identifying objectives for the subsequent year. This information would be forwarded to Town Council for consideration.

Figure 1: Reporting Structure for the Cycling and Pedestrian Advisory Committee.

3.2 Proposed Membership (Composition)

It is proposed that the Town of Markham Cycling and Pedestrian Committee be made up of at least 10 but no more than 20 members. The committee should include representation from the following:

Ø A minimum of one member from the Town of Markham Council;

Ø Maximum of eight members of the public appointed by Council (one per municipal ward), four of whom would be chairs of an appropriate working group (see Section 3.4 Working Groups);

Ø Up to four individuals representing other stakeholder groups such as Bicycle or Walking clubs;

Ø One representative from the Markham Advisory Committee on Accessibility;

Ø One representative from the York Region District School Board;

Ø One representative from the York Region Catholic District School Board;

Ø One representative from the Toronto Regional Conservation Authority;

Ø One representative from Regional Public Health;

Ø One representative from the York Region Police Service; and

Ø One representative from York Region Transportation.

Representatives from the Town’s lead department (e.g. Engineering) should attend every CPAC meeting to act as a liaison between the committee members and Transportation Committee/Town Council. Not all projects or topics may be of interest to each and every Town department. If issues arise that may affect one or more departments, it is recommended that the appropriate representative from each attend the meeting(s) to provide input/address specific issues.

3.3 Quorum

The Quorum should consist of seven members. Should any appointed member of the committee be absent for more than three consecutive meetings without providing any written or verbal notification, that member should be considered to have resigned from their position. If no quorum is present 30 minutes after the start of a meeting, the secretary (clerk) should call the roll and record the names of all the members present and the meeting should be concluded.

3.4 Working Groups

The Cycling and Pedestrian Advisory Committee working groups would focus on the main interests of CPAC. All working group chairs must be members of CPAC. The following four working groups are proposed for the CPAC:

Ø Network Planning and Facilities Group:

- Provide input to Town staff and make recommendations on the design, development and delivery of policies, programs and facilities to improve

physical infrastructure for cyclists and pedestrians, including bicycle parking, on-street bike lanes and off-road routes, development within hydro and rail corridors, signage, maintenance and intersection design.

Ø Education, Public Outreach and Promotion Group:

- Educate Town residents and visitors on issues related to on and off-road cycling and pedestrian facilities, and co-ordinate activities to raise awareness for cycling and walking in Markham;

- Work closely with businesses, government and local community groups to increase bicycle use and integrate bicycle-transit trips; and

- Develop and maintain a communications strategy to make cycling information available to the general public while promoting any cycling and pedestrian programs proposed or underway within Markham.

Ø Program Development / Travel Demand Management Group:

- Provide input and recommendations to Town staff and the CPAC on the design and development of programs to enhance walking and cycling in Markham;

- Encourage and facilitate Town-wide cycling and walking events such as Bike to Work Day, Walk to Work Day, etc.;

- Develop fund-raising ideas for the CPAC projects; and

- Provide input on the development of Town-Wide cycling and walking events.

Ø Policy and Safety Group:

- Provide input to municipal policy decisions affecting cycling and walking in the Town of Markham; and

- Provide input on various safety issues affecting cyclists and pedestrians.

The suggestion of four working groups is based on the structure of other cycling and pedestrian committees across Ontario. Once the CPAC is formed, one of its first duties would be to finalize the working group structure. For example, the committee could deal with all topic areas as a whole, then branch off into individual groups as needed to focus on specific aspects of a project. Alternatively, the committee may determine that the four

noted working groups be collapsed into two or three groups to manage issues that have related issues.

3.5 Recruitment Process

The lead department (e.g. Engineering) would solicit appointments from participating Town departments. In addition, nominations for selections would be requested from identified special interest groups and the public-at-large who would provide profile information on their areas of expertise, walking and cycling experience and other special project interests. Town Council would formally make all appointments.

CPAC members would be appointed on the basis of experience, how their knowledge and skills complement the expertise of the CPAC, diversity of age and gender, and their availability to attend CPAC meetings. This would help to ensure that membership is balanced and that members could focus on both cycling and pedestrian issues.

3.6 Term

It is proposed that the CPAC be appointed by Town Council at the beginning of January of each year for a three-year term. The Chair of the Committee should be rotated on an annual basis.

3.7 Meetings

The CPAC meetings should be held every month or at the call of the chair with a minimum of six meetings scheduled each year. All CPAC meetings should be held at the Markham Town Hall and be open to the public. Meetings could possibly be held at different locations throughout Markham to encourage more participation from all areas.

Every meeting should be advertised at least two weeks in advance and should include an agenda. Meeting announcements and the proposed agenda would be made available through the Town Clerk’s office and could be e-mailed to those who choose to be included on a contact list for this Committee.

Locations and frequency of subcommittee meetings should be at the discretion of the chair of each subcommittee and CPAC.

A Town clerk should attend all meetings to take and circulate meeting minutes. All meeting minutes should include any resolutions to particular issues and should be shown as an information item in meeting agendas.

Meeting minutes and highlights should be posted on the Town of Markham website, and be made accessible to the general public. This would allow the public the opportunity to keep informed of any key issues and resolutions from previous meetings as well as any outstanding issues that may need to be addressed.

3.8 Reporting Mechanism

The CPAC would prepare reports with recommendations for consideration by the appropriate staff and Town Council. This would include any matters related to the Town expenditures, policy or commitments that would require significant staff time and / or resources.

Each report would be prepared at the end of each annual term to summarize the projects undertaken by the CPAC and the progress made on each. These reports would include some assessment of the viability and function of the CPAC.

3.9 Lead Department

The lead department would be the Town of Markham Engineering Department. The lead co-ordinator would be a transportation staff member who would lead the development of the implementation plan. Should a staff member not be available for a particular meeting, an appropriate substitute would be arranged.

3.10 Staff Resources

Discussions within the Town of Markham should be conducted to confirm the departments available to assist the CPAC. It is recommended that Town / Regional staff resources from Engineering, Community and Development Services, Public Health and Police Services and York Region Transportation are made available on an “as needed” basis.

The commitment of additional staff hours would be required to support the CPAC and to co-ordinate efforts by other Town Departments to improve the state of cycling and pedestrian facilities in Markham. In addition to assisting the CPAC, the implementation of a cycling or pedestrian plan undertaken by the Town would need to be monitored and co-ordinated, with one or more individuals to provide support and liaise between CPAC and other Town departments, specifically to:

¨ Liase with the Cycling and Pedestrian Advisory Committee and Town Departments,

¨ Provide cycling and pedestrian planning and design input on various Town projects,

¨ Develop standards for bicycle parking,

¨ Manage pedestrian and cycling related projects,

¨ Co-ordinate cycling and pedestrian related projects with other agencies and adjacent municipalities, (e.g. Vaughan, Richmond Hill, Toronto, etc.)

¨ Inspire participation for cycling and walking throughout the Town of Markham,

¨ Develop and pursue funding opportunities in both the public and private realm.

It should be recognized that existing staff time and their level of participation would be dependent on other departmental priorities as determined by Town Council. It is estimated that in the order of 7.5 to 14 hours per week of staff time would be required to organize and co-ordinate the proposed tasks mentioned above. This time commitment may increase as the role of the CPAC expands and as the Town further develops efforts to improve conditions for cycling and walking. The committee effort would be lead by the transportation staff as mentioned in Section 3.9.

3.11 Support Services to the Cycling and Pedestrian Advisory Committee

In addition to the clerk, it is proposed that support services for the CPAC may need to be provided on a shared basis by participating Town departments. This would include the organization of meetings, meeting rooms, administrative services, agendas and the provision of background information.

4.0 Funding

It is recommended that an amount of $20,000 be included as a line item in the lead departments (Engineering) annual budget. It is proposed that these funds would be used to:

¨ Print posters and other promotional materials,

¨ Host annual bicycle and pedestrian special events,

¨ Initially development a cycling and pedestrian map. This may be completed in-house or by another consulting company,

¨ Develop brochures with the final design and camera-ready copy contracted out and finalized by a professional firm,

¨ Other miscellaneous expenditures,

Additional funding may be assigned, depending on the nature of the studies or events proposed by the CPAC and as approved by Town Council. Management of the annual CPAC budget should be the responsibility of the lead department.

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