California Legislature—2015–16 Regular Session

Assembly Concurrent ResolutionNo. 58


Introduced by Assembly Member Williams

April 22, 2015


Assembly Concurrent Resolution No. 58—Relative to memorial paths and access ways.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

ACR 58, as introduced, Williams. Ralph Fertig Memorial Bicycle-Pedestrian Path and the Peter Douglas Coastal Access Way.

This measure would designate the bicycle-pedestrian path constructed as part of the project to widen State Highway Route 101 in the County of Ventura as the Ralph Fertig Memorial Bicycle-Pedestrian Path and the pedestrian undercrossing of State Highway Route 101 in the community of La Conchita in the County of Ventura as the Peter Douglas Coastal Access Way.

The measure would also request the Department of Transportation to determine the cost of appropriate signs showing each of these special designations and, upon receiving donations from nonstate sources covering the cost of the signs for which the donations were made, to erect those signs.

Fiscal committee: yes.

P1    1WHEREAS, Ralph Fertig, a longtime bicycle advocate in Santa
2Barbara of such consistency, durability, and selflessness that his
3presence achieved an almost geologic aspect, passed away on July
418, 2014; and

5WHEREAS, Ralph Fertig, a lynch-pin of bicycle activism in
6the Santa Barbara area and statewide, raised the profile of bicycling
P2    1in Santa Barbara and was responsible for bringing the 1998 ProBike
2conference to Santa Barbara; and

3WHEREAS, Ralph Fertig also served as the Regional Director
4of the California Association of Bicycling Organization (CABO)
5for the Central Coast for many years; and

6WHEREAS, Quiet, unassuming, and absolutely dogged, Ralph
7Fertig made it his mission for more than 20 years to attend every
8transportation planning meeting to bear witness to the need for
9more space on the roads for bicycles; and

10WHEREAS, To an uncommon extent, Ralph Fertig understood
11the complicated anatomy of transportation funding; he knew where
12the money was hidden, what it had been set aside for, and far better
13than most, he understood the rules and regulations guiding the
14expenditure of those funds; and

15WHEREAS, Ralph Fertig was respectful, positive, and persistent
16and was the first local bicycle advocate to consistently assess and
17provide public comment on the needs of the bicycling community;
18and

19WHEREAS, Peter Douglas, the former Executive Director of
20the California Coastal Commission, passed away during the night
21on Sunday, April 1, 2012, at his sister’s home in La Quinta,
22California at 69 years of age after a long battle with cancer; and

23WHEREAS, Peter Douglas was the commission’s
24longest-serving executive director, a position he held from 1985
25to 2011, inclusive. Prior to working for the commission, he served
26in the Legislature as an aide to then-Assembly Member Alan
27Siertoy (D-Beverly Hills), and as a committee consultant. During
28that time he was responsible for the drafting and passage of
29Proposition 20 (the Coastal Initiative) in 1972, as well as the
30California Coastal Act of 1976 which created the California Coastal
31Commission; and

32WHEREAS, Over the decades, Peter Douglas’ name has become
33synonymous with coastal protection. His accomplishments are too
34numerous to list, but he played a part in creating, acquiring, or
35preserving many coastal parks and state beaches, campgrounds,
36trails, and overnight hostels, including Crystal Cove, Garrapata,
37Tollowa Dunes, Steep Ravine and Sea West State Parks, San
38Onofre and Doheney Beach State Campgrounds, the Monterey
39Bay Recreational Trail, the Avila Lighthouse Trail, the Point
40Buchon Trail, and many others; and

P3    1WHEREAS, Peter Douglas also worked to protect California’s
2ocean waters from offshore oil development and other industrial
3 practices. During his 34-year tenure at the commission, Peter
4Douglas earned the love, respect, and loyalty of his staff, and
5inspired environmental advocates and stewards statewide and
6beyond. He will be forever remembered for his kind heart and
7unpredictable sense of humor; and

8WHEREAS, Peter Douglas was the first recipient of the national
9Julius A. Stratton “Champion of the Coast” award for leadership
10in coastal management at Coastal Zone ‘95, an international,
11biennial symposium on coastal zone management. He provided
12technical assistance on coastal management issues to other
13countries and served on the China-United States panel on integrated
14coastal management and was a member of the first National
15Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Science Advisory
16Board and served on the National Academy of Sciences Committee
17on Science and Policy for the Coastal Ocean; and

18WHEREAS, In 2008, the Department of Transportation
19approached the California Coastal Commission with a plan to
20improve State Highway Route 101 in the Counties of Ventura and
21Santa Barbara. This ambitious proposal involved adding a carpool
22lane, bicycle lane, and a pedestrian undercrossing, and other safety
23and access improvements. Peter Douglas suggested changes to the
24project that involved a major redesign and, when all was said and
25done, the department proceeded with his suggestions; now,
26therefore, be it

27Resolved by the Assembly of the State of California, the Senate
28thereof concurring,
That the Legislature hereby designates the
29bicycle-pedestrian path (Class 1 Bicycle path) constructed as part
30of the project to widen State Highway Route 101 (US 101 Carpool
31Lane Improvement Project), from Mobil Pier Road to Bates Road
32in the County of Ventura, as the Ralph Fertig Memorial
33Bicycle-Pedestrian Path; and be it further

34Resolved, That the Legislature hereby designates the pedestrian
35undercrossing of State Highway Route 101 in the community of
36La Conchita in the County of Ventura as the Peter Douglas Coastal
37Access Way; and be it further

38Resolved, That the Department of Transportation is requested
39to determine the cost of appropriate signs, consistent with the
40signing requirements for the state highway system, showing each
P4    1of these special designations and, upon receiving donations from
2nonstate sources sufficient to cover the cost of the signs for which
3the donations were made, to erect those signs; and be it further

4Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit copies
5of this resolution to the Director of Transportation and to the author
6for appropriate distribution.



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