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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2008-01-15 ~ ROADS & RIGHT OF WAY COMMITTEE Aooroved MINUTES January 15, 2008 Call To Order. Chairman Reinhard called a meeting ofthe Roads & Right-of-Way Committee to order at 2:00 p.m. in the conference room at 2 Fairgrounds Road. Members Harvey Young, Sylvie O'Donnell, John Stackpole and Allen Reinhard, a quorum, were present. Also present were author and researcher Fran Karttunen, Nate Porter, Town GIS Coordinator, Jeff Carlson, Town Beach Manager, and Mike Burns, Town and County Transportation Planner. Also, four members of the public from the Second Way area were present. g --{ Minutes. The minutes from October 16, 2007 were approved as submitte~ :::;:; ::co -< Updates. The Chairman commented that the Updates from November 22;,2007 and;;: January 1, 2008 were intended to keep committee members up-to-date on Qlitstandin&:, issues. As committee communication, they are public documents and are posted on ~ website: http://nantucketrna.virtual townhall.net/PageslN antucketMA BCornrn/rowc~ along with minutes, agendas and other documents. Fran Karttunen was then introduced and discussed the research and work she has been doing on Section 3 of the ROW Improvement Plan. She has read through and organized past correspondence and information collected by the Proprietors Roads and ROW Committee. Those documents are now in the Town Clerks office and are being scanned and saved on the Town's digital database. Fran has also located documents and outlined the history ofthe 1799 Roads, the 1975 road takings now being corrected by Home Rule petition before the state legislature, and an account of the native trails and early colonial ways and proprietor's roads established by Nantucket's early settlers. This historical data will be an important part of the Committee's ROW Improvement Plan. Nate Porter and Jeff Carlson were then introduced to discuss the map portion of the ROW Improvement Plan. Nate will use the VBH map overlay the committee examined last spring as the base layer. He and Jeff will work together to develop the map layers needed to show all currently used public and private roads on the island including the single lane sand roads. Another layer will incorporate all known public access points to the beaches and ponds of the island, in addition to currently used privately owned access points. A layer showing all currently used trails and footpaths will be included. Bruce Perry from the Land Bank and Karen Beattie from the Nantucket Conservation Foundation will work with Nate and Jeff to provide trail information and data for NCF and Land Bank Properties. Chairman Reinhard will oversee this section of the map. Jeff Carlson discussed work he has been doing as Beach Manager to identify public access points to beaches and ponds and displayed a file of his research including title searches, maps and aerial overlays. Nate and Jeff have been given the go ahead to begin developing this "definitive" map showing public and private roads, trails and footpaths, and all known places where the public can access Nantucket's public lands and private lands open to the public. This map will be the keystone of this ROW Improvement Plan project. 1 ROW Improvement Plan next steps and timetable were then discussed. The chairman stated his objective was to deliver a well done, carefully thought out, quality result to be delivered when ready. At present, completion of Section 1, the map being compiled by Nate and Jeff, Section 3, the history and terms piece Fran is working on, and Section 4, the trail system are well underway. A time frame from mid-April to mid-May seems, at this point, a reasonable time to present our finished plan to the Selectmen/County Commissioners for adoption as the new board develops it goals and objectives for 2008- 09. First Way, Backus Lane area was discussed next. For several years the R&ROW Committee has been discussing and examining competing interests and needs in this area. Several Second Way and Allens Way residents were on hand to share their thoughts, concerns and suggestions regarding pedestrian and vehicle traffic in this area. Everyone present agreed there was a need to improve pedestrian and vehicle flow traffic in this key area abutting schools, the ice rink, the new skateboard park and Land Bank properties currently being developed as a neighborhood park. Mike Burns said a plan was being developed to improve the safety and slow down and separate vehicles in this important public/private traffic crossroads. This plan will be brought before public officials this spring. The chairman said there was no current plan for the Town to take any part of Second Way or Allens Way. The Town is currently interested in First Way and possible connection to Backus Lane. Andrew Vorce was unable to attend to discuss warrant articles relating to ROW issues on the 2008 A TM Warrant. Those articles are still being developed. Andrew will report to the committee prior to ATM. Other Business included mention by the chairman that the Town had provided funding in the FY2009 budget for a surveyor position, one of the recommendations of our ROW Improvement Plan. If approved by Town Meeting, establishment of a Town/County Surveyor position should greatly improve the ability of local government to establish and preserve public access throughout the island and save the Town money at the same time. Adjournment: The meeting was adjourned at 3: 15 p.m. Respectfully presented, B. ReB ~~ng se::1 ~ ~ 2 ROADS & RIGHT OF WAY COMMITTEE AGENDA January 15, 2008 Meeting to be held at 2:00 p.m. at 2 Fairgrounds Road 1. Approval of minutes from October 16, 2007 2. Introduction: Fran Karttunen, progress to date and discussion of what remains to be done to complete Section 3, History, terms, and rights piece of the ROW Improvement Plan. 3. Introduction: Jeff Carlson and Nate Porter to discuss Section 1, the map layers and how this information will be collected and verified. 4. ROW Improvement Plan: Where do we go from here? A. Formal Plan with presentation and request for endorsement from BOS/CC B. Costs and resources C. Timeline for completion, implementation and oversight of Plan 5. Andrew Vorce: Update on Road and ROW related warrant articles for ATM. 6. Discussion: Second Way, Allen Way, Bacus Lane Area, and resident request for taking. 7. Other business 8. Adjourn