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HomeMy WebLinkAboutRight-of-Way Minutes - August 16, 2011 (Draft)_201402041506231670 TOWN AND COUNTY OF NANTUCKET ROADS AND RIGHT OF WAY COMMITTEE DRAFT MINUTES August 16, 2011 CALL TO ORDER Chairman Allen Reinhard called the monthly meeting to order at 4:05 PM on Tuesday, August 16 in the Garage Area 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, Bert Ryder, Lee Saperstein and Harvey Young. Also in attendance were Mike Burns, Transportation Planner and Joe Marcklinger, member of the public. APPROVAL OF MINUTES The motion to approve the draft Minutes of July 19 was made by Mr. Lowell and seconded by Mr. Saperstein. The motion was adopted unanimously. ANNOUNCEMENTS CPC: Chairman Reinhard informed the Committee that the Community Preservation Committee (CPC) was hosting a public presentation at this very moment, so Chairman Ken Beaugrand was unable to attend our session. Mr. Reinhard will put the matter of the CPC and possible funding on a future R&ROW agenda. Proposal for ATM2012: The Director of Planning, Andrew Vorce, intends to go through the remaining papers road on the island and initiate the takings process for each. The comprehensive process will involved determining whether any of the parcels are needed for public ways and/or open space. If not, they will be placed in the “yard sale.” Apparently, there are about 100 such paper roads island-wide. Mr. Reinhard said that he would invite Mr. Vorce to a future meting to outline this project. Mr. Saperstein suggested that a helpful role for the Committee would be to initiate community education about the process and the goals of the project. Spring Street: Following the July 19 meeting of the Committee, Mr. Saperstein did further research in regard to Spring Street, an older way from Lincoln circle to Jefferson Street, not the named way near to Consue Springs. He believes that the status is “ambiguous” and that it doesn’t make sense for us to mark this road as a PUBLIC WAY. Apparently this way has been used by neighbors for “generations.” One of the owners is Ambrecht, and McCausland the other, between 13 and 14 Lincoln Circle. The Town has never formally laid out the paper way. We can put this on the “back burner,” but not forget it. It’s a great short cut: go down Pequod and on down the beach to Jetties. DRAFT ROW Committee Minutes, 8.16.11 2 DISCUSSION: EXISTING PLANS FOR SIDEWALKS, REGULATIONS, REQUIREMENTS, PROCEDURES, PROCESS AND FUNDING SOURCES FOR SIDEWALK IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS. A discussion ensued between the Committee and Mr. Burns regarding how the Committee might assist with plans to address existing sidewalks and ways in Town? Which are priorities? Prospect Hill Bike/Pedestrian Improvements: Mr. Burns discussed the proposed FY2013 Capital Project being submitted by the Planning Office to Town Administration. See ATTACHMENT I (2 pages) for map and further information. This is a priority. Additional options were discussed, in terms of cost, safety and citizen support. Mr. Burns believed the original proposal that was not adopted by the BOS was the “best.” Mr. Reinhard raised the possibility of a third option: a sidewalk plan along Prospect. He had previously walked this area with Leo Assadorian: While there are many obstructions, a plan was developed by engineers years ago. Three poles need to be moved, also a hydrant. This option would get pedestrians from the end of the Prospect-Street, multi-use path to Milk Street. All that is needed are the funds. It was agreed that this is a **separate** project. If we cannot yet link the bike paths, we can at least get the sidewalk done. Mr. Burns pointed out that funding for this project would be local, not public TIP dollars. After extensive discussion, the consensus was to support re-examination of the Saratoga route. MOTION  It was moved by Ms. Atherton and seconded by Mr. Saperstein that the Committee establish a Work Group, involving input from area residents and a cyclist or two, to work with Mr. Burns to develop a recommendation to improve the bike and pedestrian ways in the Prospect Hill area and to report back to the R&ROW Committee by October. The motion was adopted unanimously. Additional concerns discussed included: · sidewalk on Pleasant Street? bottleneck; not a plan yet; between Williams and Back; get some surveying done; attempting to obtain fund to define the issue; West Creek is also a part of this; **from five corners to the roundabout** · First Way: what is needed? DPW capital request this coming year · there are other sidewalk situation in Town dealing with encroachments or where there is no sidewalk · ferry access; widening of Straight Wharf; better connection between resorts and the two ferry terminals; also along Easy Street and in front of the Pacific Club · Washington Street Extension and in-Town bike path DRAFT ROW Committee Minutes, 8.16.11 3 The Sidewalk Situation: An overall approach to the sidewalk situation might be something like a Nantucket Sidewalk Survey project. The objective of such a project, as well as an action plan could encompass the following: A. Identify and map existing public sidewalks in the Town of Nantucket; indicate width, surface and condition B. Review data with Planning Director and Transportation Planner and make recommendations to the BOS/CC regarding: · identify gaps in existing sidewalk sections (i.e. Pleasant Street, Prospect Street and Quaker Road) · develop safety recommendations · develop cost estimates · develop plan for improving pedestrian access via sidewalks throughout Town · coordinate grant application for possible CPC funding of project · work with Nantucket Town Association to develop project · conduct discussion of parking on sidewalks; develop appropriate recommendations, if warranted · identify encroachments on public ways and enforcement of by-laws · divide Town into cohesive sections and prioritize problem areas Encroachments: There are other sidewalk situations in Town dealing with encroachments or where there is NO sidewalk. Mr. Marcklinger had prepared several photographs depicting such situations. See ATTACHMENT II (6 pages). The suggestion was made again that we recommend to the BOS that a regulation requiring encroachment-free standard for Building Permits and/or conveyance be enacted. Mr. Young stated that this has been an ongoing problem for many, many years, making it difficult to walk around Town with children and family. The Town should be maintaining rights of ways that we already have. The time is right. Linking this with a Building Permit does it for “free.” Such an encroachment-free requirement deals with the enforcement side of this issue, an area the Committee has been having difficulty in being effective, example: the Coal Alley encroachment letter. TO DO  It was agreed that Chairman Reinhard and Mr. Marcklinger will pursue this idea with appropriate Town officials and report back to the Committee at the September meeting. PUBLIC WAY MONUMENT LIST AND MAP, NEXT STEPS Mr. Saperstein and Ms. Atherton will work on this task, although Ms. Atherton will be out of commission for a few weeks due to knee surgery. OTHER BUSINESS It was agreed that the Committee would schedule a discussion of parking on sidewalks for next meeting. Also, a follow up with CPC. DRAFT ROW Committee Minutes, 8.16.11 4 ADJOURNMENT Having reached the end of the agenda, the Chairman adjourned the meeting at 5:50 PM. The next regular monthly meeting of the Committee is scheduled for 4:00 PM on Tuesday, September 20 at 2 Fairgrounds Road. NOTE: Ms. Atherton, the Secretary, will not be in attendance at the September meeting due to surgery referenced above. Respectfully submitted, D. Anne R. Atherton Secretary 9.15.11 ATTACHMENT I, “Proposed FY2013 Capital Project: Prospect Hill Bike/Pedestrian Improvements,” Mike Burns, Transportation Planner, August 2011, 2 pp. ATTACHMENT II, “Encroachments: Photographs and Sample Plan,” Joe Marcklinger, 6 pp.