HomeMy WebLinkAboutImplementation Plan (PDF)
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Town Administration Implementation Plan for Economic Recovery Task Force
Recommendations
As of 5/26/20
NOTE: Each item should get an indication of support (or not) from the Select Board
I. Communications:
› Share the Governor’s Reopening Advisory Board Guidelines regarding
regulations for business reopening – and clarify if there are any restrictions unique
to Nantucket
› Available on Town website Coronavirus Page
› Updates with unique restrictions will be sent weekly as changes occur via
Chamber of Commerce distribution list
› “Back-to-Business Toolkit” has been posted on the Town’s website and
distributed via local associations (Chamber, Lodging, Building,
Restaurants, Artists, Musicians)
› Develop a video promoting the Island and allow businesses to share the video on
their websites and provide it to clients
› Working with NCTV to develop a short video about what visitors can
expect in terms of shopping, restaurants, social distancing requirements,
etc; will be updated bi-weekly as changes occur
› Develop a comprehensive written communication for visitors and seasonal
residents that describes the situation on the Island and reviews State and Local
orders
› Currently available on Town website Coronavirus Page – Summer 2020
› Guidance to Cape & Islands Seasonal Community from Senator Cyr
› Post signage regarding mask requirements and recommendations in high visibility
public locations and provide signage for businesses and share appropriate
exceptions
› Distribute signage to ferries, beaches, concessions
› Share with Chamber to distribute to businesses
› Shared with Poets Corner Press to make available to island businesses
and organizations to promote consistency in signage
› Collaborate with schools, camps, and other child service agencies to encourage
parents to educate their children on wearing masks as required
› Health Department is working with these agencies on public health
protocols; State guidance is not yet final
› Encourage use of alternative modes of transportation to minimize need for
parking throughout the Island
› Underway via Nantucket Footprints and Town/NRTA promotional efforts
II. Services:
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› Hire and place ambassadors at all points of entry (airport, ferry terminals) and
provide information on orders and requirements.
› Working to establish up to 6 seasonal “COVID educators” to interact
with public and businesses about public health protocols
III. Use of Public Spaces – Streets and Sidewalks:
› Expanding role of Town’s staff Events Workgroup (“Back-to-Business” Work Group)
with Licensing, Culture & Tourism and Town Administration providing
administrative support to develop responses to recommendations from the Task
Force including street closings, temporary relaxation of regulations related to tents,
sidewalk displays, outdoor seating for restaurants and extension of liquor licenses to
outdoor spaces, alternative use of parking lots mid-island, extending time for parking
outside of the Core district, extended hours for late seating at restaurants, food truck
locations, beach catering.
o Initial Work Group meeting scheduled for week of May 25
› New webpage/form to be developed to organize business-specific requests for all
of the above.
› Advocate for a late night SSA freight boat to allow deliveries to be made early
morning before streets are closed.
o Long-term discussion item with SSA (this discussion has occurred off and
on for 10+ years; logistical and regulatory issues have precluded this in
the past - including a Town of Barnstable ban on early morning truck
traffic at the Hyannis SSA Terminal)
IV. Use of Public Spaces – Outdoor Access:
› Permit and encourage use of downtown pocket parks for carryout dining.
o Pocket parks are currently generally open to the public to use at their own
risk, most of these are not Town-owned
› Approach private organizations (St Paul’s/Atheneum/ Dreamland) to use their open
spaces for dining/take out
o Restauranteurs are encouraged to approach their neighbors to develop these
collaborations
› Provide picnic benches in open spaces (closed streets/pocket parks) for take-out
dining.
o Researching the purchase of foldable tables/chairs to place in these spaces
with signage “recommend users sanitize the tables prior to use; use at your
own risk”
V. Use of Public Spaces – Parking Changes (to allow street closures):
› Encourage use of Valet by partnering with local merchants to share the cost of
subsidizing the valet.
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o Merchants are encouraged to approach the Valet service about this
suggestion; the valet agreement with the Town for the 2020 summer season
already has a reduced rate of what the valet will pay the Town
› Utilize parking lot at Saltmarsh Center for public use.
o Parking lot is available for public use after normal business hours; need to
work with/notify Nantucket Center for Elder Affairs (NCEA) of plan to
promote this use
› Explore allowing parking at mid-island old fire station for use as a potential park and
ride and for local restaurant use (to allow restaurants to use their lots for dining).
o Space is restricted from this use because of the presence of fuel pumps and
trailer
o Back-to-Business Work Group will address identifying and determining
viability of additional parking locations available for public parking in the
mid-island area
› Advocate with NRTA to allow private shuttles from Park & Rides to different
locations.
o NRTA regulations do not allow the use of private shuttles in lieu of public
transit vehicles
› Create longer-term parking outside of Core district.
o Back-to-Business Work Group will review impact of longer-term parking
outside of Core District
› Encourage public transportation/reduce NRTA fees.
o Promotional activity already underway; do not recommend NRTA fee
reductions (lower/no fees means additional charges to the Town in future
fiscal year(s)
VI. Permitting and Temporary Regulations – Proposed Changes:
› Back-to-Business Work Group will discuss and develop recommendations for the
Select Board for proposed or suggested changes to existing permitting and
regulations as described above: street closings, temporary relaxation of regulations
related to tents, displays of merchandise & wares, outdoor seating for restaurants
and extension of liquor licenses to outdoor spaces, alternative use of parking lots
mid-island, extending time for parking outside of the Core district, extended hours for
late seating at restaurants, food truck locations, beach catering.
VII. Permitting and Temporary Regulations- Safety Matters:
› Follow state guidelines and procedures to assist businesses with contact tracing for
employees, guests and customers.
o Health Dept and NCH work together to help educate businesses as to contact
tracing protocols
› Provide local businesses with information on sourcing necessary PPE.
o Information is available on Back-to-Business Toolkit on Town website
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› Develop and publish procedures to keep public spaces clean and sanitized.
o Create and post signage at beaches, concessions, parks and playgrounds: “Use
facilities at your own risk.”; add guidance/information on this to Town website
VIII. Permitting and Temporary Regulations - Child Care
› Assist summer camps with rapid re-openings when orders permit. Can do
› Assist day care centers and summer camps with implementing safety and health
precautions.
o Health Department is communicating with day care centers and summer camps;
state guidance not out yet