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Home My WebLink About2019-6-18Town and County of Nantucket j1`0 1 % P 2: 3 ROADS AND RIGHT OF WAY COMMITTE' Meeting of 18 June 2019 Conference Room of 2 Fairgrounds Road FINAL AND APPROVED MINUTES 1. Call to Order, Approval of the Agenda, Approval of Minutes, and Public Comments. A. Chair Allen Reinhard called the meeting to order at 4:01 pm. In attendance were Rick Atherton (left at 5:00 pm), Nelson (Snookie) Eldridge, Ed Gillum (4:05 pm), Bill Grieder, Nat Lowell, Allen Reinhard, and Lee Saperstein; there was a quorum at all times. Absent: Leslie Forbes and Bert Ryder Guest: Mike Burns, Transportation Planner. B. Approval of the Agenda. The agenda was approved unanimously. C. Minutes. Approval of the minutes of May 21, 2019, was moved by Snookie Eldridge, seconded by Nat Lowell, and approved unanimously. D. Public Comments. There were none. 2. Update: Baltimore Street and Washington Avenue; Ames Street. In this continuing matter, Allen Reinhard brought the committee up to date on submissions by abutting property owners to the Traffic Safety Work Group fordesignation of no parking along the northwest side of Washington and to the DPW to eliminate encroachments. The Traffic Safety Work Group will meet on Thursday, June 20, and may consider the request at that meeting. Andrew Vorce, according to Allen Reinhard, said that all of these requests take a while to implement; takings need even more time. Allen Reinhard concluded that the people concerned in Madaket are doing the right thing. Bill Grieder reported that Baltimore Street has been closed by the builder and that the neighbors are continuing to pursue their complaints. They understand that their efforts should be directed at Washington Avenue, which is public, and not at Baltimore, which is private. Nat Lowell said that this is not a new problem. He said that the Town could help by drawing up plans that show property owners suggested improvements. At this point the committee had a free discussion on the current state of the encroachment policy and its enforcement. The policy is contained at the URL, https: nantucket- ma.eorc/Docl►mentCenter/Vicw!18808/Encroachment-Police-PDF, and is linked to the DPW's web page; it was last revised, based on a committee recommendation, in November 2014. Briefly, Allen Reinhard reported that Ames Avenue is of long-term concern in case Millie's Bridge is lost. Bill Grieder reminded us that the DPW had been looking at alternative routes for Ames; It was agreed that the Department should respect land ownership and previous agreements made to ensure access: The land alongside Ames Avenue to the east is owned by the Town.. 3. Sidewalk Improvements Update. Allen Reinhard reported that the creation of a Downtown Sidewalk Improvement Project Work Group (Select Board agendas of April 10 and June 5) has caused a delay in rebuilding downtown sidewalks. The work group concept includes membership by representatives, one each, from the Planning Board, the HDC, the Select Board, the Committee on Disability, the Tree Advisory Committee, the Nantucket Historical Association, and the Nantucket Preservation Trust; the actual membership has not yet been posted. Allen Reinhard expressed disappointment that operating delays for the proposed work group means delays in badly needed repairs to downtown sidewalks. He proposed that our that our committee's history in surveying sidewalks means that we have a stake in their improvement and that we are obliged to tell the Town that sidewalk repairs should not be delayed. Rick Atherton said that we should distinguish downtown from upper Main Street because the former area has a much heavier foot -traffic volume. Mike Burns reported that the Council on Aging is also concerned about making downtown sidewalks aged friendly as soon as possible. Committee members agreed that they should reach out to other concerned committees and, if we agree, then transmit our mutual concern to the Select Board for expeditious sidewalk repairs. Committees to approach: • Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee, Jason Bridges, Chair, Mike Burns, Town Official • Traffic Safety Work Group, Mike Burns, Chair • Commission on Disability, Mickey Rowland, Chair, Brenda McDonough, Facilitator • Council on Aging, Alison K. Forsgren, Chair, Laura Stewart, Program Coordinator. [Action: Allen Reinhard to contact chairs or coordinators to schedule time on their agendas.) 4. Status of: Stone Alley, Boston Avenue, Coal Alley, Independence Way, and Dock Street Because of a complaint about road maintenance, Allen Reinhard spoke with Andrew Vorce about the ownership status of Boston Avenue (in Monomoy). Andrew Vorce said that the road, along with a section of Brewster Road, had been taken in 2001 and promised a copy of the takings file (2001-38, which was actually delivered during the meeting. As a public road, the Town is responsible for its maintenance. They spoke also about the status of several in -town alleyways. 2 An abutter to Stone Alley complained to Allen Reinhard about a landscaping encroachment into the alley. Ed Gillum mentioned the blockage in Madison Lane behind the HUB, although this was mainly from parked vehicles and not landscaping. In their discussion, Andrew Vorce suggested that if we recommended that Stone Alley be taken as a footpath this would lead to a solution to the encroachment problem. Committee members were generally amenable to the idea but wanted more information before making a formal motion. Snookie Eldridge said that we need to know more about the dimensions of a footpath. Nat Lowell, seeing that the GIS map does not show Stone Alley reaching Union Street even though it does physically, said that we need a title search to see if there is reference to Stone Alley in the deeds of abutting properties. An adjacent alley, Gardners Court, is not a public way and has a gate across it.. After the meeting, Lee Saperstein looked at the deeds for 7 and 9 Union Street and, each respectively, defines Stone Alley (ex -Gunter Alley) as the boundary: "by Stone Alley." The committee members chose not to make a recommendation at this time on taking the other in - Town ways: Coal Alley, Dock Street, Independence Way, and Madison Lane. [Action: Invite Andrew Vorce to a committee meeting at which taking Stone Alley is on the agenda.] 5. Historic Coloured Cemetery Access. Allen Reinhard reported that he continues to monitor building progress at the new hospital, particularly with respect to the landscaping plans around the Historic Coloured Cemetery. The new hospital is functioning and the old one is almost completely demolished. When all of the debris is gone, parking lots will be built and landscaping will begin. The hospital has promised that several of the parking spaces alongside the fence by the cemetery will be designated for visitors to the cemetery. When landscaping is complete, the DPW will renew the fence around the cemetery and provide for a gate. 6. Old, New or Other Business: Member Comments. Bill Grieder remarked that he still has long-term concerns about the protection of the unbuilt portions of Washington Avenue in case the entire stretch is needed for access. Nat Lowell suggested that we could recommend the taking of a narrow way in the middle of the paper layout and then leave it unbuilt. This might be another item that we could discuss with Andrew Vorce. 7. Adjourn, The meeting was adjourned at 5:16 pm by acclamation. The next meeting will be at 4:00 p.m., Tuesday, July 16, 2019. L Lee W. , Sa ersteinSecretary -Date p �' 3 �� Roads and Right of Way Outstanding Projects List: Public Way Monument Project: (Lee & Allen & Snookie) • Install remaining monuments at Sconset Footpath, Hulbert Ave. • Update file of existing monuments • Move monuments at Westchester St. Ext. & Crooked Lane Sidewalk Projects: (Allen) • Prospect St. (bike path to Upper Vestal St.) and on to Madaket bike path • Cliff Rd. Coffin Park to bike path at Sherburne Tpk. • Pleasant St. Gardner Perry Lane to Williams St. • Follow implementation of downtown sidewalk improvements • Bike/Pedestrian connection from Surfside to Hummock Pond to Madaket paths Harbor Walk Project: (Rick) • Identify route and identify sections needing constructed walkway • Concept drawings of construction required • List permits and approvals needed and process to obtain • Funding Chapter 91 Monitor Project: (Leslie & Lee) • Define goals for project • Make local license information available on line • Chapter 91 licenses along route for the Harbor Walk • Locate other locations on Nantucket and Madaket Harbors requiring licenses Nantucket Greenway and Trail System Project: (Allen, Lee, Bert) • Nantucket Central Rail Road trail • Map existing island trail and footpath systems and identify missing links • How should maps and information be shared? El