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HomeMy WebLinkAboutUpdate - Skyliners Rd EventsDate: To: From: Re: February 17, 2010 Board of County Commissioners Erik Kropp, Deputy County Administrator Work Session on Skyliners Road Event Permits At the conclusion of the February 8, 2010 public hearing on Skyliners Road event permitting, the Board asked that the item come back to a work session. This item has been scheduled for the February 22, 2010 work session. As background, "Attachment A" contains the list of these events for 2009 and likely requests for 2010. No events for Skyliners Road have been approved for 2010. Summary of the Public Hearing The February 8th public hearing included a staff recommendation to adopt Resolution No. 2010- 009, a resolution creating a new $100 Skyliners Road Event Fee and limiting the events permitted for Skyliners Road. The draft resolution included language that the $100 fee would pay for a Sheriff's Office reserve deputy to be present at Skyliners Road events. At the public hearing, testimony from neighbors of Skyliners Road included the following (the list below is not all inclusive of the testimony, but instead a summary of common positions): • The events themselves are not necessarily the biggest problem; it's more the recreational cyclists. However, the events draw attention to the road and encourage more use from the recreational cyclists and cyclists practicing for an upcoming event. • Due to public safety, no events should be permitted on Skyliners Road until bike lanes are added. • Pilot cars during events do not improve safety. • Other roads should be used instead until bike lanes are added to Skyliners Road. • Vehicles cannot safely pass a bicycle due to the narrow width of Skyliners Road. • Adding law enforcement personnel (as contained in the staff recommendation) at the events will not necessarily improve public safety. Testimony from event organizers that use Skyliners Road included the following (the list below is a summary of main points and is not all inclusive): • Skyliners Road is a desirable location for events due to the relative low traffic counts, proximity to Bend, paved parking at Summit High School, the distance of the road, the access to trails for running (for events that include a trail run), etc. • If recreational cyclists are the bigger safety concern, the focus should be on educating recreational cyclists, not banning or limiting events on Skyliners Road. • Event organizers will continue to meet with neighbors in an attempt to mitigate concerns. • Events are important to the cycling community and local recreation industry. • Many events attract tourists from outside the region and state bringing in millions of dollars to the local economy. Alternatives Listed below are a mix of recommendations based on input from staff, various stakeholders, and the public hearing: 1. Not approve any events on Skyliners Road until bike lanes are added. 2. Until bike lines are added, limit events on Skyliners Road to the Cascade Cycling Classic and US Nationals but close the road during these events. This option was suggested by a Skyliners Road resident during the public hearing. 3. Use a lottery system to limit the number of permits for Skyliners Road until bike lanes are added. 4. Create a new $100 Skyliners Road event fee; for events that currently run multiple days, allow no more than 2 "event days;" use the $100 fee to post a "bikes single file" sign along Skyliners Road and educate recreational cyclists about the safety issues on Skyliners Road. As part of the application, require event organizers who request a Skyliners Road event fee to explain why other alternative routes are not practical. 5. Approve all event requests for Skyliners Road — status quo. Staff Recommendation Staff recommends option 4. This option is a variation of the staff recommendation presented at the public hearing by using the Skyliners Road event fee for recreational cyclist education instead of paying for a Sherriff's Office reserve deputy. Using the $100 fee to pay for a reserve deputy to staff the event was removed from the recommendation because of input from neighbors that adding law enforcement personnel to the event will not substantially decrease the danger of the events and concerns from the Sheriff's Office about guaranteeing staffing during the event times. The Sherriffs Office understands the economic and recreational value of events and will make every attempt to have a presence at these events. However, before deploying personnel to an event, the Sheriffs Office must consider the available staff levels, call volume, and other public safety demands throughout the County. In addition, staff recommends that events that merely cross Skyliners Road (such as the Cascade Lakes Relay) or have minimal use of Skyliners Road (such as the High Cascade 100) not be included in a new permit fee or permit limitations since these events have negligible impact on the residents. ATTACHMENT A — Skyliners Road Event Permits Projected for 2010 and Permits Issued in 2009 Preliminary requests for 2010 events to use Skyliners Road Event (sponsor) Date Details Major Impact Events Time Trial/Duathlon Series (FreshAir Sports) 6/3, 6/10, 6/17, 7/1, 7/8 and 7/15 6 p.m. — 8 p.m. Duel in the Desert Duathlon (Mt. Bachelor Rotary Club)* May/June 9 a.m. — 2 p.m. US Elite Nationals T Thursday, 6/24 9:00 a.m. — 4:00 p.m. High Desert Omnium Saturday, 7/10 Afternoon. Time trial portion would be held on Skyliners. Cascade Cycling Classic Thursday, 7/22 Saturday, 7/24 8 10:00 a.m. — 1:00 p.m. 8:00 a.m. - noon Minor Impact Events Cascade Lakes Relay — running event (Smith Rock Race Group) Saturday, 7/31 Small impact on Skyliners. Crosses over Skyliners at Skyliners Ranch Road. Haulin Aspen (FreshAir Sports) Sunday, 8/8 May request to cross Skyliners Road. _ High Cascade 100 (Mtn. bike ride on trials and short distances on Skyliners to Bear Wallow Rd)* Mudslinger Events Very little impact on Skyliners. Didn't use permit last year *Received a permit last year and may request a 2010 permit Skyliners Road Permits Issued in 2009 Event Sponsor Date(s) Duel in the Desert Duathlon Mt. Bachelor Rotary Club 5/30 FreshAirSports Time Trial and Duathlon Series FreshAir Sports 6/11, 6/18, 6/25, 7/2, 7/16, 8/6 Cascade Cycling Classic USA Cycling National Championships Mt. Bachelor Sports Education Foundation 7/23 7/25 Time 9 a.m. — 2 p.m. 6 p.m. - 8 p.m. 10:00 a.m. — 12:30 p.m. 8 a.m. — 10 a.m. USA Cycling High Desert Omnium 7/28 7/31 8 a.m.-2 p.m. 8 a.m. — 4 p.m. Bend Bella Cyclists/ Oregon Bicycle Racing Association 8/2 7 a.m. — 6 p.m. High Cascade 100 (Mtn. bike ride on trials and short distances on Skyliners to Bear Wallow) Mudslinger Events 8/23 6 a.m. — 8 p.m.