It's late, but I want to quickly update you all about the results of tonight's Planning Commission meeting. 

Growth Management started their presentation by noting that 100% of the public comment received in advance of the meeting was opposed to amending the comprehensive plan.  I would like everyone to know that at least 9 cyclists were in attendance and several of us spoke against the amendment, including Chris Furlow, Bob Karp, Otis Chandler, and myself.  (Thank you to all who attended, and to those who got up and spoke).  I'm happy to say that 100% of tonight's  live public comment (not all of whom are from the cycling community) also spoke against the proposed amendment.

To summarize: our current Comp Plan requires bike lanes or shoulders to be installed whenever a road is resurfaced (asphalt laid on top, the least expensive type of road repair) or reconstructed (full removal and repaving of a road that is beyond resurfacing, such as NW 16th AVE recently underwent). The proposed amendment to our Comp Plan would eliminate mandatory installation of bike lanes (or shoulders) during resurfacing, but would still require bike lanes/shoulders to be installed during reconstruction (unless one of many cited reasons for that being prohibitively expensive precluded doing so). The amended Comp Plan would give the County a lot of leeway to find reasons not include them, due to the cost of obtaining right-of-way, having to move drain pipes, etc., etc.   Tower Road was cited as an example of a road needing resurfacing, and the question was asked, when would Tower Rd ever get bike lanes, if not during its next expected resurfacing?  The answer was not encouraging.    

Despite this, the Planning Commission unanimously voted to support amending our comprehensive plan.  Their recommendation will be passed to the Alachua County Commission for action on Tuesday Feb 23rd at the regularly-scheduled Commission meeting that starts at 5 p.m. 

I encourage everyone to continue emailing the Commission at xxxxxx@alachuacounty.us whether or not you plan to attend Tuesday's meeting.  But, please try to attend.  

Goodnight,

-Ally