16-20RESOLUTION NO. 16 -20
A RESOLUTION OF CITY OF CLEARWATER
SUPPORTING THE VISION OF A BIKE SHARING
PROGRAM IN PINELLAS COUNTY.
WHEREAS, the City of Clearwater has found that bicycling provides health
benefits to City residents and contributes to improved air quality by reducing the
consumption of gasoline and emission of pollutants; and
WHEREAS, bike sharing programs are most successful in dense, urban places
with a prevalence of short trips and extensive public transit, and is ideally suited for
certain areas of Pinellas County; and
WHEREAS, many cities of all sizes across the United States have implemented
bike sharing programs which have been found to increase bicycle access, reduce
parking demands, promote tourism and increase bicycling activities; and
WHEREAS, bike sharing programs are shown to fuel local economies by
spurring more trips to local shops and institutions, including in the Washington, D.C.
metro region, where a study found that 44% of respondents used bike share to make at
least one trip in a month that they would not have made if bike share had not been
available, almost all of which were for shopping, eating and entertainment; and
WHEREAS, the installation of bike sharing stations can be fast and easy,
requiring no digging or roadwork, and instead using solar power and wireless
technology; and
WHEREAS, bike sharing programs can be equipped with GPS that provides
opportunities for open data sharing for system monitoring, evaluation, and analysis; and
WHEREAS, the City of Clearwater finds that implementing a bike share program
in the near term will rely on public, private, and non - profit leadership in order to secure
the resources necessary to establish a program; and
WHEREAS, implementation of a bike sharing program in the City of Clearwater
will require extensive cooperation and collaboration across many sectors including
businesses, schools, civic institutions, Forward Pinellas, Pinellas County, and various
departments of the City to address:
1. Financial support for both establishing and maintaining bike sharing stations at
appropriate locations within public rights -of -way.
2. Planning for site locations including considerations of safety, accessibility, social
equity and environmental justice.
3. Appropriate mechanisms to reduce risk and provide indemnification.
4. Attention to issues of appropriate signage and advertising.
5. Strategy for monitoring maintenance, operations, appearance of the system, and
for evaluating success and community benefits; and
WHEREAS, Forward Pinellas has studied and endorsed bike sharing because it
offers self - service access to bicycles for short trips without the hassle of maintenance or
storage of a bicycle, it complements traditional public transit by serving first- and last -
mile needs, it provides residents and visitors alike with more travel options, it is also a
clean, affordable, healthy and fun option for getting around; and
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the City of Clearwater supports the
vision of a bike sharing program as part of the transportation solution for Pinellas
County.
PASSED AND ADOPTED THIS 4 day of August , 2016.
Approved as to form:
Pamela K. Akin
City Attorney
CITY OF CLEARWATER, FLORIDA
By: ,cteorter\creV-05
George N. Cretekos
Mayor
Attest:
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Rosemarie Call
City Clerk
2 16 -02