San Luis Obispo County Bicycle Coalition AboutUs Page

Staff/Board Profiles

HOW WE STARTED,
WHERE WE'RE HEADING

Our History

Former SLO County Bicycle Coalition President Erik Jahnz riding with friends along the ocean in northwest Cayucos.

Local physician and triathlete Jim Hannah dreamed of a bicycle advocacy organization, one that focused on bicycle and pedestrian issues in San Luis Obispo County. In June 2001, he called Philip Novotny, Chief Financial Officer for B.O.B. Trailers, and offered $5,000 to help fund a countywide bicycle-pedestrian coalition that could work to improve cyclist safety and access while raising awareness of motorists.

Within hours Philip had distributed Jim's offer via email to fellow bike activists, bike companies, and cyclists. Mickey Kozuschek, General Manager of Truvativ, USA, responded immediately, saying, "I am personally ready to step up with some money and spare time."

After an initial meeting June 26 at Elaine Simer's Hostel Obispo, 20 cyclists and activists formed a coalition. They appointed a seven-member interim board of directors, and Jim Aaron volunteered to be the interim Executive Director. Dave Snyder, Executive Director of the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition, visited the group to explain what it needed to do to form an effective bicycle advocacy coalition. At monthly meetings the group created a mission statement and filed for 501(c)(3) non-profit status. And in November 2001, Oxo Slayer stepped in as the Executive Director.

Here we are, six years later, with a mission statement, defined values, vision statement, and bylaws. We have a nine-member Board of Directors and hired a part-time paid Executive Director to run the organization. We have a new Executive Director (as of July 2006), Adam Fukushima, and have influenced the development of several major bicycle paths in the County including the Bob Jones City-to-the-sea trail, the Cambria Cross-Town Trail and the Railroad Community Trail.We have an ongoing quarterly printed newsletter called "The Spoken Wheel", in addition to an E-newsletter that keeps anyone informed of our weekly activities. In addition to this website we have an impressive array of ways to keep people informed about bicycling and pedestrian issues in San Luis Obispo County. Daily our membership grows, and we're slowly transforming SLO County into a safer and more livable community for cyclist and pedestrian alike!

Our Mission

To transform San Luis Obispo County into a safer and more livable community by promoting cycling and walking for everyday transportation and recreation.

Our Values

Public Access to Open Spaces
Sustainable Land Use Planning and Urban Development
A Healthy Population and Environment
Economic Vitality
An Efficient Transportation System that Provides Equal Mobility for All

Our Goals

In order of priority, our goals and objectives are:

GOAL #1: Strengthen the organization.
In addition to continued organizational development, we hope to raise our community membership to 500 members. This is a very important goal because a large member base increases our political viability, thus making the coalition a more effective organization!

GOAL #2: Promote pro-bicycle and pedestrian policies.
With a strong member base we can effectively represent the needs of cyclists and pedestrians in local government. Through our involvement bicycle and pedestrian related projects will be more plentiful and move more quickly through their development cycles.

GOAL #3: Improve the transportation infrastructure of San Luis Obispo County to secure the safety and enjoyment of bicyclists and pedestrians.
The coalition will work to facilitate city and county road maintenance projects. We also support a countywide bike path network and are active in support of Class I facilities such as the Bob Jones City-to-the-Sea Trail, The Cambria Cross-Town Trail, and the Atascadero-Templeton Connector.

GOAL #4: Encourage bicycling and bicycle safety in San Luis Obispo County through education.
The coalition will usher in a new era in promoting ‘Bike Month in SLO County.’ The signature event, ‘Bike Fest’ will kick off Bike Month each year on the first Saturday in May, followed by Bike-to-Work activities and other events throughout May. We also will be active year round in promoting and funding bicycle programs in county schools and clubs.

Our Vision

We envision the County of San Luis Obispo as a vibrant community with a vital economy; a community where walking, cycling, and convenient mass-transit make personal mobility safe, simple and fun. Central downtown areas would be designed for pedestrians and cyclists. Well-planned mixed-use neighborhoods would offer a balance of high and low-density housing with commercial resources nearby. Abundant open spaces would make easy access for all. A thriving eco-tourism industry would emphasize the use of public transportation and outdoor recreation.

We also see a future where county residents value and enjoy clean air, active lifestyles, and the natural beauty of their surroundings. Opportunities would abound for people to interact more frequently and courteously in public because they would rely less on the automobile. Pedestrians, cyclists, and drivers would all use our county roads with mutual respect and cooperation.

A majority of students would frequently walk and ride their bikes, and as a result young people of San Luis Obispo County would shift their focus away from automobiles as their primary source of transportation and recreation. Employers would offer incentives to workers to commute to work by bicycle or public transportation. An efficient multi-use tranportation system would make commuting easy by linking the communities of the county to each other, the state, and nation beyond.

More personal and public resources would be channeled into making the county a great place for people to live with less emphasis on accommodation for motor vehicles. Citizens would not only be informed about current events but also eagerly participate in decision-making on all levels with equal say. Visitors and residents alike would appreciate the healthy, harmonious environment of our county.

Transforming San Luis Obispo County into a safer and more livable community by promoting cycling and walking for everyday transportation and recreation.