HomeMy WebLinkAboutRight-of-Way Minutes - February 16, 2010 (Draft)_201402041506567298
TOWN AND COUNTY OF NANTUCKET ROADS AND RIGHTS OF WAY COMMITTEE
DRAFT MINUTES
February 16, 2010 ♥
CALL TO ORDER
Chairman Allen Reinhard called the monthly meeting to order just after 4:00 PM on Tuesday,
February 16, in the Human Services office of the Town Building at 2 Fairgrounds Road. In
addition to Mr. Reinhard, the following Committee members were present: D. Anne Atherton,
Nat Lowell, Sylvie O’Donnell and Harvey Young. Also in attendance were Dr. Sarah Oktay and
Leslie Johnson from the Harbor Plan Implementation Committee (HPIC). Members of the public
included: Rick Atherton, Art Gasbarro, Chris Holland, Linda Holland, Joan Porter and Bert
Ryder.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
The DRAFT Minutes of the January 19 meeting were approved unanimously, with Mr. Young
making the motion and Ms. Atherton seconding it. The Committee thanked Lee Saperstein for
acting as Secretary Pro Tem for the January meeting, in Ms. Atherton’s absence.
PUBLIC COMMENT
Chairman Reinhard asked that the Committee entertain Public Comment at this point in the
meeting, to accommodate the residents from Sconset who were present to discuss Articles 74
and 75, on the Warrant for upcoming Annual Town Meeting (ATM). This was agreed to.
Linda Holland inquired as to the purpose of these two articles. It was explained that the
purpose is to preserve public access to the Town-owned public footpath running along the
Sconset Bluff from Baxter Road. The articles are permissive and would grant authority to the
Board of Selectmen/County Commissioners to begin the takings process of a number of paper
ways running west to east along Baxter Road, for the most part, to the Sconset Footpath, as well
as the Town-owned beach beyond. Chris Holland stated that, according to legal opinion he has
received, the “public path” is not public in certain areas. Mr. Reinhard responded that this is not
so. Ms. Holland went on to say that the abuse of the use of the path has become “appalling,”
particularly in the past five-to-six years and cited a number of examples, including loud and
rowdy behavior, stealing vegetables, picnicking, riding bikes, etc. The suggestion was made
that perhaps the ROW can work with the neighbors to help mitigate uncivil behavior.
DRAFT ROW Committee Minutes, 2.16.10 2
HARBORS PLAN IMPLEMENTATION COMMITTEE (HPIC): DR. SARAH OKTAY TO
DISCUSS ROW ISSUES AND CHAPTER 91 PUBLIC ACCESS LICENSE IMPLICATIONS OF
THE RECENTLY ACCEPTED NANTUCKET AND MADAKET HARBORS PLAN
HPIC Chairperson Sarah Oktay, along with HPIC member Leslie Johnson, whose responsibility
on that group is to focus on public access, briefed the Committee on the recently updated
Harbors Plan, certified by the Commonwealth in December. Of particular focus was the role of
the ROW in assisting with the implementation of the Plan. [The complete Plan is posted at
www.nantucketharborplan.com] As Dr. Oktay explained, we now have a State-approved
Harbors Plan, and 40% of the 96 Action Items in it have been accomplished.
Handouts were distributed that highlighted the four items specifically identified in the Plan as
priorities (yellow and orange) that are within the oversight of the ROW. They are:
2007 RECOMMENDATION
INDEX ESTIMATED TIME
TO COMPLETE % DONE
ESTABLISH HARBOR WALK
WITH PLANNING BOARD
RECORD CURENT ACCESS POINTS
95
96
ONGOING
10%
IDENTIFY VIEWS AND VISUAL
ACCESS POINTS
97
ONGOING
50%
INVENTORY AND MAP POTENTAIL
NEW PUBLIC-ACCESS POINTS.
INFORMATION TO BE USED TO
GUIDE FUTURE ACQUISITIONS.
90
ONGOING
80%
IDENTIFY SCENIC VIEWS OF THE
HARBOR LANDSCAPE AND
WATERSCAPE TO GUIDE DECISION
MAKING ON POTENTIAL IMPACTS
TO VISUAL ACCESS
108
1 YEAR
30%
The issue in regard to the Chapter 91 Licenses is “Who is responsible for enforcement?” What
local governing body will, and is able to, assume this responsibility? Many license holders are
not in compliance. DEP enforces Chapter 91, but the Department is woefully understaffed. We
need to identify the access points that are important to us, gather the information and provide it
to DEP.
NOTE: Suggestion was made to label the streets on the maps handed out, so that they would be
more easily identified. It was also pointed out that some of the maps are our local GIS ones, and
others are MASS GIS maps.
DRAFT ROW Committee Minutes, 2.16.10 3
Dr. Oktay and Ms. Johnson suggested that, in addition to the four matters above, the ROW
could assist the Marine Department with some of their responsibilities identified in the Plan.
Perhaps the Committee could help with the development and distribution of guides identifying
public-access points. The Committee could also work to improve and design appropriate
signage marking such points. ACTION ITEM It was agreed that Dave Fronzuto, Marine
Superintendent and Jeff Carlson, Beach Manager, would be invited to the next Committee
meeting to further discuss these matters.
PUBLIC WAY MONUMENT INSTALLATION PROJECT UPDATE. CONSIDERATION OF
NEXT LOCATIONS FOR PUBLIC WAY MONUMENTS. FURTHER DISCUSSION OF IDEAS
FOR THE PLACEMENT OF THE NEXT TWELVE PUBLIC WAY MONUMENTS.
Since Mr. Saperstein was unable to attend the meeting, it was agreed to table further discussion
of this matter until the March meeting. The focus at that session will be on generating the list for
the next “dozen” markers.
VEGETATION IMPROVEMENTS ALONG WASHINGTON STREET EXTENSION TO GOOSE
POND LANE ROW.
Mr. Reinhard reported that there had been a meeting a week ago with relevant Town and
community members to discuss the condition of the area by the duck pond. Issues include:
drainage; the bike path; culvert, etc. Many of these matters are interdependent. DPW has since
cleared out the path, and there is a view of the Harbor “clear over” to Monomoy.
Mr. Gasbarro asked about the status of an RFP for the bike path and other improvements. Mr.
Reinhard explained that Mr. Burns, the Transportation Planner is handling this, and he, Mr.
Reinhard, is unsure of the status and will find out from Mr. Burns and report back.
OTHER BUSINESS
Citizen Articles: Mr. Lowell called the Committee’s attention to the articles submitted by Mr.
Tom David. He explained that these are sort of “Adopt-a-Bike-Path” in nature and would not
result in giving the DWP further work to do. They would, rather, recruit volunteer citizen help
in establishing criteria and developing protocols for pruning and cutting growth along public
ways such as bike paths on the Polpis Road. Mr. Lowell asked that the Committee consider
taking a position in support of these articles.
Public Access Articles in Sconset: Ms. Atherton asked that Mr. Vorce be invited to attend the
next ROW meeting to brief the Committee on these public-access articles, so that the members
are informed and can answer questions about them, as well as be prepared to speak in support
of them at Town Meeting, if necessary. The Committee agreed this would be helpful.
Miscellaneous: Mr. Reinhard will email copies of a recent article to Committee members, as he
believes it is of general interest to all. He also had prepared a Thank You letter to be sent to
donors to the Women’s Monument Project at Founders Burial Ground and circulated copies for
the members’ information. [See Attachment.]
DRAFT ROW Committee Minutes, 2.16.10 4
ADOURNMENT
Having reached the end of the agenda, the Chairman adjourned the meeting at 6:00 PM. The
next regular monthly meeting of the Committee is scheduled for 4:00 PM on Tuesday, March 16,
2010 at 2 Fairgrounds Road.
Respectfully submitted,
D. Anne R. Atherton
Secretary
2.27.10
ATTACHMENT: Sample Letter to Donors, Women’s Monument Project at Founders Burial
Ground, from Mr. Reinhard on behalf of the Roads and Rights of Way Committee, dated
January 31, 2010.
ATTACHMENT: ROW MINUTES 2.26.10
January 31, 2010
Mr. & Mrs. _______________
Address
City, State, Zip
Dear Mr. & Mrs. ________________:
At its December 9, 2009 meeting the Nantucket Board of Selectmen voted to gratefully
accept your donation of $________ to the Town of Nantucket for the Women’s
Monument Project at Founders Burial Ground. Your gift to the Town, as a municipal
entity, is tax deductible to the extent of current law, and you have not received goods or
services in exchange.
On behalf of the Town of Nantucket, I would like to thank you for your very generous
gift to fund this historic project. The formal unveiling and dedication of the monument
was held on December 6, 2009, with over ninety people present, including descendants of
many of the women recognized on the monument. Your donation helped make possible
this long awaited recognition of the important role Nantucket’s wives, mothers and
women in general have played in the island’s history.
Thank you,
Allen Reinhard, Chairman
Nantucket Roads & Right of Way Committee