Urbana BPAC approves resolution asking council to add MTD representative to advisory commission

The Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Commission (BPAC) voted July 21 to approve a resolution requesting that the Urbana City Council amend city code to include the Champaign‑Urbana Mass Transit District as an organization that may nominate a representative to serve on the advisory commission.

Bruce Michelson, BPAC member, moved to approve the resolution as amended; Carmen Franks seconded. The commission approved the resolution by voice vote. Chair called for the resolution to be forwarded to the City Council and asked that the chair sign the document that night.

Carmen Franks, who read the draft ordinance and resolution, said the substantive change is brief: adding language to chapter 23, article 11 (regulations for bicycles), section 23‑147 to list the Mass Transit District among organizations that can nominate representatives to BPAC. “We are adding this MTD representative to our commission,” Franks said when introducing the draft language, adding that staff will prepare a memo to transmit the resolution to council and that the council may edit the text if it chooses.

Members discussed minor wording and formatting changes (use of the abbreviation MTD vs. full name; whether to use 'BPAC' or 'the commission' in the resolution). After edits, Michelson moved approval and the amended resolution passed by voice vote.

Next steps: BPAC will forward the approved resolution and the suggested ordinance language to Urbana City Council for its consideration; no council action was taken at this meeting.

Details of the proposed code change were read into the record: the commission membership section would be amended so that organizational representatives include Urbana School District 116, Urbana Park District, the University of Illinois, Champaign‑Urbana Mass Transit District, and the City of Urbana Public Works Department.