Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutJanuary 19, 2021 Town and County of Nantucket ROADS AND RIGHT OF WAY COMMITTEE —, r_ rrl �.q f Posted Meeting of 19 January 2021 co 7.: Held by Zoom Videoconferencing co C -v C?. ; FINAL AND APPROVED MINUTES ? tn • N .73 1. Call to Order, Approval of the Agenda, Approval of Minutes, and Public Comments. o A. Chair Allen Reinhard called the meeting to order at 4:00 pm. In attendance were Rick Atherton (left at 4:25 pm), Leslie Forbes (4:16 pm), Ed Gillum, Bill Grieder, Nat Lowell, Allen Reinhard, Lee Saperstein, and Phil Smith; there was a quorum at all votes. All responded to an attendance roll call. The meeting was recorded and can be viewed on You Tube. Absent: Nelson (Snookie) Eldridge. Guests: Mary Longacre, Chair, Coastal Resilience Advisory Committee (left at 4:50 pm), Rob McNeil, DPW Director(4:18 pm). B. Approval of the Agenda. The agenda was approved unanimously by acclamation. C. Public Comments. Mary Longacre introduced herself and her committee, Coastal Resilience Advisory Committee, CRAC, and talked briefly about its role in advising the Town on flooding potential due to sea- level rise. The Committee has a page on the Town's web site from which more information, including their advisory document, can be found: haps: wwvv.nantuchet-ma.uov 13c)I Cua!,tal- Resilicn_c _Adh isory_Connince. She also announced a public meeting on January 28, 2021, at 5:30 pm, that can be attended by Zoom; registration for the "open house' is available at https:_nantucketcuastalresilienccupenhouse.ev cnthrite.com . Allen Reinhard noted that Roads and Right of Way Committee's goals may overlap with those of CRAC, particularly on access to the Island's beaches. Mary Longacre replied that, if the access is vehicular, then the Town may need to make a decision on beach driving because new access ways may be needed if there is a bluff involved. Allen Reinhard asked if there is a draft plan yet and she noted that their web page carries a draft set of recommendations to the Select Board. Rick Atherton asked about CRAC's role with the consultant and her reply was -advisory.- D. Minutes. Approval of the minutes from December, 15 2020, was moved by Bill Grieder and seconded by Ed Gillum. Unanimous approval was given by roll-call vote. 2. Downtown Sidewalk Update. 1 Allen Reinhard reported on a field inspection conducted by the DPW to learn about proposed plans for reconstructing Easy Street and its sidewalks between Cambridge and Broad Streets and. in particular, the section from Oak to Broad with the turning lane onto Steamboat Wharf Once Easy Street is done, the plan is to work on the cross streets: from Candle Street to Broad Street. Two elements of Easy Street were discussed: parking on the east side (21 and 27 Easy Street() and the current turning lane onto Steamboat Wharf. At this point, Rob McNeil joined the conversation and he added that the parking will be maintained and, possibly, increased by one space because the driveway at number 27, which is now a park, will be removed. The turning lane will also be maintained. The width of Easy Street, however, will be reduced along its one-lane portion to accommodate expansion of the sidewalk. He noted that the no-parking paint stripes are a foot or more from the curb and that tends to narrow drivers' perception of the road width; the stripes will be redone closer to the curb. In related issues, Allen Reinhard asked if capital spending on sidewalks will be continued by the Select Board in future budget years. The capital plan of approximately one million dollars per year was approved by the Select Board after it received the Committee's report on sidewalk conditions. It was noted by several committee members that the plan had been delayed by objections to work on Upper Main Street but that it is expected that the future years will be expended. The work on Easy Street is evidence of this. He also asked if the Select Board has reacted to our advisory letter on the four missing sidewalk sections in the routes from Mid-Island to Downtown, in particular Pleasant Street and the two sections of Prospect Street. Rob McNeil said that they had not but that he had had an opportunity to present preliminary expense information on these projects to the Capital Program Committee, CapComm. Included in his presentation was a three-pronged approach to sidewalks due to the competing interests of several groups: recent Select Board Strategic Plan goals, Roads and Right-of-Way left overs, and the original In-Town sidewalk improvement plan. Lee Saperstein noted that the four projects all have associated plans and could see Select Board and ATM approval within two years. Leslie Forbes returned to the Broad Street and Steamboat Wharf sidewalk issue with a question about crosswalks. People walking to the ferry need to be able to stay on sidewalks but that will take crosswalks on both Easy Street and on the wharf. Rob McNeil agreed strongly and pointed out that they must be located with care so as to ensure that they are used but do not block the flow of traffic onto the wharf Phil Smith noted that there are sections of sidewalks along our historic streets where trees have blocked them completely. Rob McNeil said that he understood the problem and intended to tackle it in the future. Several people noted that the trees on lower Broad Street are in poor condition. These plantings are under discussion according to Rob McNeil, however, inundation by high-tide, saltwater flooding has retarded their growth. 2 Bill Grieder noted that there are loose cobblestones on the Atheneum side of India Street that could be re-laid. 3. Chapter 91: Committee Goals; Focus on Specific Properties; and Way Forward. Allen Reinhard reported that, despite his efforts, he had not been able to reach Jeff Carlson, Director on Natural Resources, to talk about the Town's processing of Chapter 91 Licenses. Therefore, he is proposing that we identify sections of the water front of which we have concern and to doing our own research on licenses on file. This search for data on Chapter 91 licenses would require searching individual deeds. The benefit would be to the development of a Harbor Walk from Brant Point to Consue Springs, Monomoy, and the Milestone Rotary. For example. he posed, if we want to walk from Brant Point to Consue, there are key points that appear to be blocking passage: 30, 32, and 34 Easton Street(and perhaps others on Easton), the Yacht Club. 13 Commercial Wharf, where the building extends to the low-tide mark, the condos at 80 Washington Avenue, particularly 80B, that do not allow access around them, and properties from Goose Pond Lane to East Creek Road. Mary Longacre suggested that the committee also reach out to Vince Murphy, Coastal Resilience Coordinator, for further help in researching Chapter 91 licenses. Lee Saperstein noted that, if one is needed it must be attached to the property's deed and it is up to the Conservation Commission to require this attachment as a condition. He also said that we may need to attend ConComm meetings or at least review their agendas, [Action: Allen Reinhard to talk to Vince Murphy about Chapter 91 licenses.] 4. Outstanding Projects List Review. The projects list is appended to each agenda to remind the readers of our agendas and minutes of the work that they consider of first importance, said Allen Reinhard. He is pleased to announce that the Nantucket Island Land Bank has developed a cross-Island trail hike and will be posting a map and guide for it on its web site. The Land Bank has already developed an Island West End map. With respect to the Rail Trail, the Land Bank has cleared the trail to Surfside—the original route to the water and abandoned around 1892. The status of a trail along the longer-lived route (abandoned in 1917)to Tom Nevers and 'Sconset that crosses the moors is more doubtful. The Nantucket Conservation Foundation, which owns the land, is reluctant to create a trail that may not see, according to them, much use. The Harbor Walk, as noted in the discussion on Chapter 91 Licenses, is still very important to future work. The walk should go, unimpeded, from Brant Point to Monomoy. With respect to the Coast-to-Coast trail mentioned above, Ken Beaugrand reported that. at its next meeting, the County Commissioners will issue a license to the Land Bank for a parking area at the east end terminus at Hoicks Hollow. 3 He also reported progress in the removal of encroachments along Washington Avenue (Madaket). Eleven or twelve encroachment letters were sent out and a number of positive responses have been seen: a parked boat will be removed from Town land and major landscaping encroachments will be removed by the beginning of May. He will follow up on those properties with no response. Once all encroachments are cleared, he will submit a request to the Traffic Safety Advisory Group for parking limitations on Washington Avenue. Phil Smith asked about the mid-Island streets with no sidewalks. Ken Beaugrand and Lee Saperstein said, as mentioned in the sidewalks' discussion, that detailed plans have been drawn up, which will allow planning to move these projects forward. 5. Old, New, and Other Business, and Member Comments, Nat Lowell said that we must not lose sight of the proposed Winn Street taking and the development of a bike route connector between the Hummock Pond and Madaket Roads. Allen Reinhard agreed and said that Winn Street would go on a future agenda, [Action: Move Winn Street to a future agenda.] Nat Lowell also reported that the development of Old Farm Road has gone well but that the posts that mark the end of the vehicular portion should be engraved with "Public Way" to show the pedestrian connection to Mill Hill Park. Ken Beaugrand said that he would check ownership of that way—public or private—and Allen Reinhard said that he would look into replacing one of the posts with an already engraved one that we have. [Action: If the way is public, Allen Reinhard will arrange for a new post with "Public Way' engraved on it.] Bill Grieder asked about the status of development of an up-to-date and accurate list of public versus private roads on Nantucket. Ken Beaugrand said that he would check with the Town Clerk on the status of the new mapping project. 6. Adjourn, Adjourn: The meeting was adjourned at 5:29 pm by acclamation. Our next meeting will be held on February 16,2021. Lee W. Saperstein, Secretary Date 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 4 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 and Lee) • Nantucket Central Rail Road trail • Map existing island trail and footpath systems and identify missing links • How should maps and information be shared? 5