Healdsburg Urged to Adopt 'Bike-Friendly Attitude'

Healdsburg's application for status has been rejected, but officials of the national certification program are urging the city to make a host of changes and reapply later.

"Although Healdsburg did not make the cut this year, the League (of American Cyclists) provided 12 pages of suggestions to improve our chances when we reapply," Richard Peacock, owner of Healdsburg's told Healdsburg City Council on Monday.

"This evening we want to encourage the City Council to continue to support this effort over the next few years," said Peacock, who helped the city with the application along with Richard Burg of Healdsburg, a Sonoma County Bicycle and Pedestrian Committee member.

Peacock and Burg said the main thing the city could do was encourage a "bike-friendly attitude." Low-cost programs such as "Share the Road" bumper stickers on city vehicles, "Safe Routes to School" posters, better bike racks on city buildings and possibly more bike signage on city streets could all support the attitude change without too much expense.

Other improvements, such as building more bike lanes or hiring a bicycle coordinator, would not be feasible in the city's current cash-strapped climate.

"I really like the attitude-change idea," said City Councilman Jim Wood. "That's something we can do that costs nothing."

Peacock and Burg said cities that have won the highest bike-friendly "Platinum" status -- Davis, Boulder and Portland -- have embraced bicycling as part of the city's lifestyle.

"What we're looking for is a culture shift," Peacock said.

With destination," the city has much to gain in supporting the culture shift, he said.

A number of families choose where to relocate based on bicycle-friendliness, for example.

"The economic benefits to the city could be significant with designation as a BFC," Peacock said.

Healdsburg Senior Planner Lynn Goldberg worked with Peacock and Burg on the application.