HomeMy WebLinkAboutMay 16 23 Town and County of Nantucket 2fi23 J61'i 22 AM I I: 2,1
ROADS AND RIGHT OF WAY COMMITTEE
Posted Meeting of
May 16, 2023, at 4:00 pm
Held by Zoom Videoconferencing
FINAL AND APPROVED MINUTES
1. Call to Order,Approval of the Agenda,Approval of Minutes,and Public Comments.
A. Chair Bill Grieder called the meeting to order at 4:02 pm. In attendance were Committee
Members Rick Atherton (left at 4:30 pm), Ed Gillum, Bill Grieder, ,Allen Reinhard, Lee
Saperstein, and Phil Smith;there was a quorum at all times. All participants were established
by roll call.
Absent:Nelson, "Snookie,"Eldridge,Nat Lowell, and Rob Ranney.
The meeting was recorded and can be viewed on the Town's You Tube site (on Town's main
web page as"Watch Meetings Live", select"Playlists"then look for"Roads and Right of
Way"),
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ObVmgMlfnos&list=PL49sKgpy7VAi AArzhvnU4I5D
TnhiVDj 1&index=34.
B. Approval of the Agenda. The agenda was approved unanimously by acclamation.
C. Public Comments.
There was none.
D. Approval of the minutes of the meeting of April 18, 2023.
Allen Reinhard moved approval of the minutes of the meeting of April 18, 2023, Ed Gillum
seconded, and the committee voted positively by roll-call vote to approve them.
2. Ken Beaugrand,Town Real Estate Specialist: 18,51,55 Nobadeer Ave,Surfside.
Ken Beaugrand was unable to attend the meeting; nonetheless,there was substantial
discussion of the three properties.
For 18 Nobadeer Avenue,there had been concern expressed to the committee by neighbors
that work done on this property was blocking the footpath alongside of it. Subsequently,
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Christine Petrella, 16 Pequot Street, reported that it had been found that the footpath,which
was on the paper portion of Woodbine Street,had meandered into private property. There
was a commitment to restore the path within the way of Woodbine Street. Bill Grieder said
that this should be checked sometime in the future.
Again, it was reported by Didi Coyle at the previous meeting that there were older Public
Way monuments in the brush between 51 and 55 Nobadeer Avenue on the paper street called
Hawthorne Street and questions about them were raised. Subsequent to the meeting,Lee
Saperstein checked the "Public Way Master Chart of May 2, 2022, and found that the
markers on either side of Hawthorne Street were included under the heading of"Nobadeer
Avenue." A further search in the Registry of Deeds found an"Order of Taking by Eminent
Domain" (Nantucket Records Book 1186,Page 152 and Recorded Plan 2009-25) of
Hawthorne Street between 51 and 55 Nobadeer Avenue for"general municipal purposes".
Bill Grieder committed to asking the DPW to clear that way. Ed Gillum added that 55
Nobadeer Avenue had been sub-divided and the new lot sold for a large sum. Rick Atherton
noted that several properties nearby had had"One Big Beach"conditions applied to them.
[Action: Bill Grieder to ask the DPW to create a work order to clear Hawthorne Street from
Nobadeer Avenue to the beach.]
Separately from the three listed properties,Bill Grieder mentioned that he had learned that a
way to the harbor next to 49 Hulbert Avenue had been blocked. Ed Gillum reported that this
was not a way but a parcel of land owned by the owners of number 49. As is the case with a
number of waterfront properties along Hulbert Avenue, a deeded right of passage was
assigned to the owners of the house across the street, 48 Hulbert Avenue, and that this was
not an open public passage.
3. `Sconset Bluff Walk Signage.
Bill Grieder reported that Allen Reinhard, for the Sconset Bluff Footpath subcommittee, and
Lyn Filipski, President of the Sconset Civic Association, had attended the May 9,2023,
meeting of the Sign Advisory Council of the Historic District Commission and presented the
concept of a public sign at the entrance to the Bluff Footpath. The Council was helpful but
suggested that it would be best if a mock-up of the sign could be presented at their next
meeting. Lynn Filipski said that the Civic Association would be happy to do that. Allen
Reinhard added that it would go on Town-owned land and that his presence at the meeting
was a sign of approval for the sign by the Roads and Right of Way Committee.
4. Old,New,and Other Business, and Member Comments.
When Bill Grieder asked if anyone had old,new,or other business,Lee Saperstein spoke up
and said that he hoped that the committee would work more formally on marking the route of
the Nantucket Railroad. He suggested that this would mean a formal approach to the Town,
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the Steamship Authority, and the conservation groups that own the railroad bed for
permission to place markers. Much of the in-town route is accessible and there are portions
of the route on the moors that are also accessible. Allen Reinhard spoke of the Nantucket
Island Land Bank efforts in this regard, particularly the stretch of way from Surfside Road to
the beach. Their first step was to clear the walking path from the end of Blueberry Lane
southward toward the beach. Bowing to concerns from the neighbors,the Land Bank chose
not to mow the path,which they own, from the intersection of Surfside and South Shore
Roads to Blueberry Lane. Portions of this route,which was the earliest one from 1880 to
about 1885, lead into the parking lot at Surfside Beach. Station Road is a holdover from
those days. That route was abandoned in favor of the one that led to Tom Nevers and
`Sconset and was in use up until 1918. Allen Reinhard said, yes,that the Land Bank also had
holdings behind Naushop and along Hinsdale Road and the roadbed was easily seen along
there. Portions of that route are visible in the GIS aerial photographs. Ed Gillum added that
the Coffin maps kept by the Nantucket Historical Association at Hadwen House also showed
the railroad.
Bill Grieder said that he would update the "Projects" list to remove those completed and
highlight those, like the railroad,that needed work.
Harking back to the conversation about marking public ways,Agenda Item 2.,Bill Grieder
noted that there are public way monuments that need to go into the ground at the western end
of West Chester Street. Allen Reinhard agreed and said that some of the plans of the Land
Bank to provide access to their lands on the southern side of West Chester had been delayed
by concerns from residents of Hickory Meadows Lane on the north side of the way. He said
that,while the Land Bank is working on this project,they would keep the monuments safe.
Phil Smith,who is Vice-Chair of the new Nantucket and Madaket Harbors Action Plan
Update Committee reported that they had been meeting bi-weekly and anticipate their first
public meeting on Monday, June 5, 2023, from 6:00 to 8:00 pm at a place to be announced.
The Committee is developing eight major topics and hope to have public break-out groups at
this public meeting to provide substance to these topics.
5. Adjourn.
Allen Reinhard moved adjournment,Lee Saperstein seconded it, and the vote in favor was
unanimous,hence adjournment was at 5:03 pm.
The Next meeting will be at 4:00 pm on Tuesday,June 20,2023. It will be hybrid,by
Zoom video call and live,probably in the trailer at 131 Pleasant Street.
Lee W. Saperstein, Secretary Date
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Roads & ROW Ongoing Projects List:
Public Way Monument Project: (Lee&Allen &Snookie)
Install remaining monuments at Sconset Footpath,Hulbert Ave., and other locations
• Need scheduling with DPW
Update file of existing monuments
• In progress
Move monuments at Westchester St. Ext.& Crooked Lane
• Allen Reinhard coordinating with Land Bank
Sidewalk Projects: (Lee&Allen)
Prospect St. (sidewalk to Upper Vestal St.)to Madaket bike path
• Referred to Transportation Planner
Cliff Rd. Coffin Park to bike path at Sherburne Tpk.
• Request sent to Selectboard to add to future sidewalk list
Pleasant St. Gardner Perry Lane to Williams St.
• Referred to Transportation Planner
Lovers Lane Bike path/road reconstruction
• Bids received over budget—need additional funding
Follow implementation of downtown sidewalk improvements
• Updates provided by DPW representative to RROW
Bike/Pedestrian connection from Surfside to Hummock Pond to
Madaket paths • Land takings completed — needs Town Meeting
funding
Chapter 91 Monitor Project: (Lee,Rick, Phil)
GIS department head Nathan Porter working to make available online
Harbor Walk Project, list of permits and approvals
• Plan presented to Selectboard—ReMain Nantucket providing assistance Identify
Chapter 91 licenses along route for the Harbor Walk
• In progress
Locate other locations on waterfronts requiring licenses • Request
sent to ConCom to copy RROW on any received applications or
notices
Nantucket Greenway and Trail System Project: (Allen,Lee)
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Nantucket Central Railroad trail map of existing portions of route
• Locations identified at Easy Street,Washington Street extension,Naushop
development and Bayberry Commons to Surfside
Island Trail Map with all walking trails
• In progress
Sconset Bluff Walk Review: (Allen,Ed,Nat)
• Subcommittee reviewing:possible recommendations
o Update sign verbiage—Increase sign locations—Adjust hours open to the public-
Identify maintenance issues-Identify encroachments—Activity monitoring-Survey
path boundaries
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