HomeMy WebLinkAboutApril 20, 2021 Town and County of Nantucket o
ROADS AND RIGHT OF WAY COMMITTEE a �; Y
Posted Meeting of 20 April 2021 N
Held by Zoom Videoconferencing r"
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FINAL AND APPROVED MINUTES = rn
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1. Call to Order,Approval of the Agenda,Approval of Minutes, and Public Comments. -
A. Chair Allen Reinhard called the meeting to order at 4:07 pm. In attendance were Rick
Atherton (left at 4:31 pm), Leslie Forbes, Ed Gillum, Bill Grieder (4:36 pm), Allen Reinhard.
Lee Saperstein, and Phil Smith;there was a quorum at all times. All responded to an attendance
roll call. The meeting was recorded and can be viewed on You Tube.
Absent: Nelson (Snookie) Eldridge and Nat Lowell
Guest: Max Brown
B. Approval of the Agenda. The agenda was approved unanimously by acclamation.
C. Public Comments.
None
D. Minutes. Approval of the minutes from March 16, 2021, was moved by Leslie Forbes,
seconded by Rick Atherton, and approved by roll-call vote.
2. Chapter 91 Civic League Forum March 24 Follow Up.
Allen Reinhard reflected that the Nantucket Civic League March 24th forum on Chapter 91
Licenses went well and was an useful presentation. He was glad that state Department of
Environmental Protection, DEP, personnel were able to participate. He said that the key purpose
of the forum was to raise public awareness as well as educate the public on the workings of
Chapter 91 licenses. The Committee's broad goal is to identify access ways to the harbor and the
beach. He noted that, to do this, the Committee needs to identify lands that hold a license and
those that need one.
Rick Atherton said that he was disappointed that the officialdom of the Town has not responded
to our continued requests for information on Chapter 91 licenses on Nantucket. There were
sounds of helpfulness during the forum but nothing new has been forthcoming. The Committee
would like to know the annual state of license applications along with details of these
applications and conditions applied to the resulting licenses. How, he asked, can we get this
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information; should we file a Freedom of Information Application (FOIA)? Perhaps, we should
write to the Town Manager and the Chair of the Select Board.
Allen Reinhard regretted the lack of response from the Town. The Committee would like to
identify those properties that do not have a license but should. Ed Gillum suggested, even more.
that it would be good to find out those properties with licenses that are about to expire. Rick
Atherton added that, as helpful as the DEP speakers were, they did not elaborate on how to get a
license. Lee Saperstein related the long history of his and Leslie Forbes's pursuit of on-Island
license information. He has seen large paper files in the Department of Natural Resources and
wondered what it would take to have them digitized. Leslie Forbes agreed with the summary
and asked about next steps. Ed Gillum noted that the State does notify the Town, through its
Conservation Commission, of licenses granted. He believes that the Committee should be
copied on these notices. Leslie Forbes suggested that we start with oral communications to the
either the Town Manager or the Select Board. Rick Atherton said that this would be a good
approach and asked Allen Reinhard, as Committee Chair, to contact the Chair of the Select
Board orally and tell her of the committee's concern. Allen Reinhard agreed to make the
contact. [Action: Allen Reinhard to contact the Select Board Chair to inform of the committee's
wish to be notified of Chapter 91 activities.]
At this point, Allen Reinhard focused the discussion by reminding all that the goal of the
committee's interest in Chapter 91 licenses was to look for additional opportunities for access to
the water. Leslie Forbes noted, with regard to the DEP participation that the State officials said
that, in all their years of service, this was the first time that they had presented to a local forum
such as Nantucket's. Phil Smith asked if it was correct that there was no state-wide digital file of
licenses; Allen Reinhard and Lee Saperstein said that this was correct. Lee Saperstein
conjectured that, although intended to be publicly available, the State agency did not want to
throw their files open to everyone, hence their current procedure for in-person research of the
license files.
Allen Reinhard then said that he was looking for a thorough definition of what is allowed on
intertidal lands. The law says "fishing, fowling, and navigation" and then adds "strolling."
Given the variety of walking activities, from slow walking to jogging, it would be nice to know
what the State considers strolling to be. Bill Grieder said that he had received an e-mail from the
land owner at Little Neck Way on what the land owner considered appropriate behavior on the
intertidal lands on his property. Allen Reinhard acknowledged that this particular property had
been in the news and that the Town Counsel has been asked to provide appropriate
interpretations for citizens' use of the intertidal zone. Leslie Forbes said that we need more
information from the State on strolling and will ask one of the DEP presenters for it.
Bill Grieder spoke of following the Harbor Walk from Petrel's Landing to the Great Harbor
Yacht Club and of the barriers he found to exercising the right to use the intertidal lands. Allen
Reinhard said that this entire issue was important and he will return it to the agenda once he has
more information.
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3. Winn Street and Partial Somerset Road Taking Update.
Allen Reinhard said that he had spoken briefly with Rob McNeil, DPW Director, but did not
have an opportunity to get his views on the takings of Winn Street and portions of Somerset
Road. Lee Saperstein suggested that he persist. Ed Gillum reminded the committee members
that Winn Street is a vitally important link in a potential bike route between Hummock Pond and
Madaket Roads. He asked also if we can recruit abutting owners on Winn Street to the cause of
taking it. Allen Reinhard said that he would continue to follow up with the DPW. [Action:
Allen Reinhard to talk with Rob McNeil about DPW interests in taking Winn Street and portions
of Somerset Road.]
4. Sidewalk Project and Public-Private Way Map Project Update.
Allen Reinhard told the group that the Town's sidewalk contractor was working currently on
Broad Street. Lee Saperstein pointed out that the Warrant Article on capital expenditures
includes one million dollars for next year's efforts and that there is a five-year commitment to
repairing all of the sidewalks in the downtown district. Bill Grieder and Ed Gillum commented
that removal of dead and diseased trees has made easier the rebuilding task. Allen Reinhard
added that there is a plan for phased rebuilding of the sidewalks and that the committee's earlier
work on sidewalk conditions preceded this plan,
With respect to the public-private way map project, Allen Reinhard said that the Town's GIS
coordinator, Nathan Porter, has been charged with its update. There is a map on the Town's web
site and it is out of date. New real estate developments have created a myriad of new streets.
most of which are private. In his project,Nathan Porter had created a list of ways for which he
had ownership questions but this task has not been completed. Bill Grieder related his work with
a town planner off Island in assigning street numbers to new buildings. Ed Gillum agreed that
new development ways are mostly private.
Phil Smith asked if the new private ways are signposted by the Town and Allen Reinhard
acknowledged that they are. Lee Saperstein added that signage is important for the fire
department and the post office, not to mention lost drivers. Allen Reinhard related that the Town
keeps a list of acceptable names for new streets. Phil Smith indicated that he was working on
this issue. Bill Grieder thought that the Town Clerk's office was working on digitizing its paper
file of ways on Nantucket. Allen Reinhard has spoken with the Town Clerk to let her know of
the committee's interest in this project.
Bill Grieder noted that many building and re-building projects cause builders' vehicles to park on
road shoulders, which they can damage. The grassy strips between the pavement and the multi-
use paths are particularly vulnerable to this damage. He felt that there should be some
mechanism to assure that they restore these damaged areas. Ed Gillum suggested that builders
be required to bond these areas and Bill Grieder agreed with that suggestion. Lee Saperstein
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suggested that the committee ask the DPW and the Building Inspector of their approaches to
roadside damage. Bill Grieder volunteered to pursue this question and Allen Reinhard said that
he would return this item to a future agenda.
5. Old, New, and Other Business, and Member Comments,
In new business, Max Brown thanked the committee for its willingness to let him attend. Allen
Reinhard said that he was most welcome and this committee, similar to most town committees
was open to the public at all times.
6. Adjourn.
Adjourn: The meeting was adjourned at 5:30 pm by consensus. The next meeting will be held
at 4:00 pm on Tuesday, May 18,2021.
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
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
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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?
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