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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2019-4-24Town and County of Nantucket ROADS AND RIGHT OF WAY COMMITTEE Meeting of 24 April 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 4:12 pm. In attendance were Rick Atherton, Nelson (Snookie) Eldridge, Ed Gillum, Allen Reinhard, and Lee Saperstein; there was a quorum at all times. Guest: Mike Burns, Transportation Planner, Catherine Slattery. B. Approval of the Agenda. The agenda was approved unanimously. C. Minutes. Approval of the minutes of March 19, 2019, was moved by Snookie Eldridge, seconded by Rick Atherton, and approved unanimously. D. Public Comments. Chair Allen Reinhard suggested, in light of Mike Burns' schedule, that we move to agenda item 6. Transportation Plan Update and all agreed. Catherine Slattery said that she was attending to learn more about Chapter 91 licenses and would make her comments after item 6. 6. Transportation Plan Update: Mike Burns. Mike Burns, Transportation Planner, reviewed those capital items involving roads and bicycle paths or lanes that passed Town Meeting and the subsequent ballot. New bicycle paths along Tom Nevers Road and Wauwinet Road and the next phase of the in -Town (Orange Street) bicycle path and lanes were approved. Planning for the in -Town project is well along and construction may begin soon. Planning for the other two bike paths will begin soon. Projects along Old South Road, Newtown Road and the Surfside -area roads leading to the airport narrowly failed at the ballot. In response to a question from Allen Reinhard, Mike Burns said that there is some money in the existing budget available for design work on the projects that failed at the ballot. To avoid losing those funds, they should be used but construction money will need ATM approval. Use of those funds, however, will require Select Board approval. A general discussion followed on why these projects failed at the ballot: Rick Atherton offered that each of the failed projects had too many separate issues in them and this confused the voters. Mike Burns went on to say that a draft of the update to the Nantucket Long -Range Transportation Plan is available It will be presented to the Nantucket Planning and Economic Development Commission at their meeting on April 25, 2019. He asked if he could return to our meeting on May 21, 2019, when he will be able to bring a summary of the proposed plan changes and fuller information on new projects. Before he left, he asked about the committee's interest in road takings and if there were any major changes. The response was that, given the work that has been done on roads formerly on the list, it is down to four ways: Amelia Drive, Winn Street, Somerset and Friendship Roads, and Warrens Landing Road. Allen Reinhard asked about the status of the work to be done on a bicycle path over Mill Hill. Mike Burns answered that they are waiting on construction progress in the Woodland Hills subdivision so as to coordinate construction of the bicycle path with road paving. Committee members urged starting work on the Mill Hill path. Resumption of Public Comments, Item 1.1). Catherine Slattery said that she was very concerned about public access to the water and, therefore, any structures that blocked access. She had seen in the agenda that we have a Chapter - 91 monitoring project (Leslie Forbes and Lee Saperstein) and wanted to know about its status. Lee Saperstein explained about the researches that have been done, our contact with Jeff Carlson, Director of Natural Resources, and the motion before the Select Board for Nantucket to petition for delegation of authority. He indicated that the motion is awaiting a slot in the Board's agenda. Rick Atherton suggested that we call the chair of the Board, Dawn Hill Holdgate, to ask for time on the agenda. Catherine Slattery said that she is meeting with representatives of the Mass Department of Environmental Protection, DEP, and will explore the issue with them. [Action: Allen Reinhard to call Chair Holdgate.] 2. Public Comments on Sidewalk Improvements: Response Needed? Allen Reinhard mentioned the recent submissions to the Select Board about historic sidewalks and asked if the Committee believed that it should comment on them. Although there was concern expressed about sidewalk safety and the fact that repairs appear to have been delayed, there was no sentiment in favor of comment. 3. Discussion: Bicycle ROW Over Cars at ATM, Warrant Article 71, "Bylaw Amendment: Bicycles" The citizen's article at Annual Town Meeting that would have given bicycles the right of way over cars when bicycle paths crossed roads and driveways was postponed for further study by the Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee, BPAC. Allen Reinhard said that he saw a major safety issue in the interaction between cars and bicycles on bike paths and asked if this was something with which the committee should become involved. There was a general discussion on the problem and any number of anecdotes expressed that illustrated it. Lee Saperstein 2 proposed that we offer to cooperate with BPAC in writing a bylaw. [Action: Allen Reinhard to contact Ian Golding and Mike Burns to offer to schedule a joint meeting to discuss a revised bylaw proposal.] 4. Further discussion: Takings List: Winn Street and Millbrook Road. Allen Reinhard noted that the question from Mike Burns about potential road takings was timely. Unfortunately, with respect to the citizen's request on taking Millbrook road, there has been no new information about abutters' and neighbors' wishes for a taking. He suggested that we defer action on that request. He also noted that Boston Avenue in Monomoy is the only link to Cathcart Road, which is a well -used public way. He thought that Boston might be a private way and, as such, should be taken to ensure access to Cathcart Road and the water. Lee Saperstein says that the Town's road ownership map shows Boston Avenue as public but that Brewster Road, which is undeveloped, is private. [Action: Allen Reinhard will check on the status of these roads with Andrew Vorce and Rob McNeil.] 5. Historic Coloured Cemetery access issue. Allen Reinhard said that he had visited the hospital the day before this meeting and received further assurances that they will build access to the Historic Coloured Cemetery very soon. 6. Transportation Plan Update: Mike Burns. This item was discussed as the first agenda item. 7. Old, New or Other Business: Member Comments. There were none. 8. Adjourn, The meeting was adjourned at 5:27 pm by acclamation. The next meeting will be at 4:00 p.m., Tuesday, May 21, 2019, which is the normal meeting time of third Tuesday. 1 Lee W. Saperstein, Secretary' `^'r Date 1� G 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, Burt) • Nantucket Central Rail Road trail • Map existing island trail and footpath systems and identify missing links • How should maps and information be shared?