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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2015-6-16I v • � V'-'C_ G r Town and County of Nantucket ROADS AND RIGHT OF WAY COMMITTEE Meeting of 16 June 2015 Conference Room of 2 Fairgrounds Road FINAL AND APPROVED MINUTES CL !/ f ;a 1. Call to Order, Approval of the Agenda, Approval of Minutes, and Public Comments A. Chair Allen Reinhard called the meeting to order at 4:01 pm. In attendance were Leslie Forbes, Nat Lowell (arrived at 4:04 pm and left at 5:05 pm), Joe Marcklinger, Allen Reinhard, Bert Ryder (arrived at 4:13 pm), and Lee Saperstein; there was a quorum at all times. Absent were D. Anne Atherton and John Stackpole Guests: Mike Burns, Town Transportation Planner, Pen Austin, and Elliot Zolot The agenda as distributed was accepted. B. Public Comment. Pen Austin and Eliot Zolot, owners of properties at 53 and 55 Union Street, are interested in installing a sidewalk of brick with a granite curb in front of their properties in the unimproved space between their fences and the road surface. David Barham suggested that they contact the committee. As they explained their needs, Allen Reinhard posed the question, "How can we help ?" He also asked Nat Lowell, member of the Planning Board, to suggest how they should proceed. Nat Lowell said that they should have a plan or survey that they can present to the Town. Pen Austin showed a plan that could easily accept the sidewalk design. Mike Burns suggested that they talk with Kara Buzanoski at the DPW to see if it is possible for the Town to share design and construction costs. Eventually, because sidewalks belong to the Town, the Board of Selectmen would need to approve those actions, even if they, as property owners, install the sidewalk and give it to the Town. Joe Marcklinger said that it should go into our list of needed sidewalks and all agreed. Mike Burns said that he would put it into the revised Nantucket Regional Transportation Plan. C. Minutes. It was moved by Joe Marcklinger and seconded by Nat Lowell to approve the minutes of March May 19, 2015; approval was unanimous. 2. Sidewalk Survey Project: Update and Next Steps. In introducing the topic of the sidewalk survey, Allen Reinhard said that a lot is going on. He met with Libby Gibson, Town Administrator, Kara Buzanoski, Director of the DPW, Silvio Genao, Town Engineer, and Greg Tivnan, Assistant Town Manager, and found that they are receptive to beginning projects that would fix our sidewalks. He said also that Dave Fredericks is working on projects for the Town and they include sidewalks. He said that it was suggested that, instead of merely submitting our report to the Board of Selectmen, we schedule an extended workshop with them sometime in the fall. He reported that the meeting attendees recognized that major repairs and construction of new sidewalks should be divided into a series of affordable capital projects while keeping the smaller parts in house as part of the DPW operating budget. Allen Reinhard said that our assistance to the Town would be to prioritize these projects. There was general discussion in this meeting that reinforced the committee's draft sidewalk- survey report: work first on the heavily used streets in the core district that have been identified as having deficient sidewalks. Mike Burns has provided Allen with a map that will accompany the Regional Transportation Plan and it included specific sidewalks that should be rebuilt, including their area. Allen Reinhard said also that he had met with Selectman Tobias Glidden about additional bicycle routes and was glad for the input but did explain to him that our current focus was sidewalks. As part of the discussion on setting priorities for sidewalk repairs, Allen Reinhard asked Mike Burns to explain what he had put into the proposed revision of the 2015 Regional Transportation Plan (the Plan is available on the NP &EDC web site, http: / /nantucket- ma.gov /)08 /Public- Rcview- Documents). Mike Burns explained that he had included the Committee's recommendations on Road Takings in the plan. Lee Saperstein said that, in the sections on bicycle (6.6.) and pedestrian (6.7.) safety, many of our suggestions in the draft sidewalk - survey report had been incorporated. In addition, several of the proposed bicycle paths and routes would require takings of private roads and that would feed into agenda item below. He also said that he would move that we endorse the section of the Regional Transportation Plan on pedestrian safety by means of a letter to the Nantucket Planning and Economic Commission, with a copy to the Board of Selectmen. He said that he would draft the letter and would ensure that it included reference to our priority -one sidewalk repair list. Bert Ryder seconded the motion and all agreed. Inasmuch as the public hearing on the Plan is June 22nd at 6:00 pm; the letter will need to be sent this week [letter attached]. Mike Burns also reported that he had agreed to supervise one of the Worcester Polytechnic Institute student design projects this fall; it will include a review of pedestrian accessibility improvements. He had thought originally that this would be mostly about NRTA bus stops and passenger safety but realized that it could be expanded to all ADA accessibility issues on Nantucket streets. The students would need to combine design requirements with historic sensitivities. 3. Sconset Footpath Deeds Report. Allen Reinhard reminded the committee that we had agreed to the request that we review deeds for the `Sconset Footpath to see if there was any reference to their movement with erosion of the bluff. Lee Saperstein reported that he had copies of the 1892 Flagg deed of transfer of land to the Proprietors and the 1925 Proprietors deed of transfer to the Town of Nantucket, along with the Land Court recorded plan, and could find no reference to anything but a strict metes and bound survey of the land. He suggested that we should conclude action on this item. 4. Discussion: Potential Takings List Review. Allen Reinhard asked if we should review this issue: "Do we want to spend time on the list of potential road takings ?" Inasmuch as the Board of Selectmen sets priorities, we may only offer Fa advice. He went on to say said that, in his mind, the answer was yes because road takings are back on the Board of Selectmen agenda. Also, the inclusion in the revised Regional Transportation Plan of some streets, such as Winn Street, that are not even on our current list means that our list needs to be revised. As pointed out by Lee Saperstein and Allen Reinhard, funds have been spent on Boulevarde and First Way planning in anticipation of their reconstruction as public ways. This means that they could be removed from the list and allow other ways to move up. Lee Saperstein said that a revision of the plan would remind the Board of Selectmen that this is a subject in which we are interested. Joe Marcklinger asked about Hulbert Avenue and the Willard Street way to the harbor that was to have been taken. Allen Reinhard said that an easement for pedestrian passage was obtained but that it was only for five feet, which eliminated the potential to make for a curving path within a broader 10 -ft easement. The narrower way was part of a compromise whereby the property owners signed on to the One Big Beach easement allowing the entire 33 -ft way over the beach to the water. A meeting has held with the property owners to resolve the issue of encroachments into the Willard Street easement. 5. Old, New, or Other Business. Leslie Forbes asked about the public /private way map that was listed on previous agendas. Allen Reinhard said that Nathan Porter had apologized to him and indicated that his priorities had changed. Leslie Forbes said that this issue was important to her and should be returned to the agenda. 6. Adjournment. Adjournment came at 5:29 pm. The next meeting is July 21, 2015, 4:00 p.m., 2 Fairgrounds Road. R &ROW Committee Outstanding Projects List: Projects Under Way: • Downtown Sidewalk Survey Project • Nantucket Central Railroad Trail Project • In Town Bike Path from Washington St. Ext. to Rotary • Boulevarde to Airport road takings, and reconstruction as Public Ways • Installation of sidewalk from Prospect St. multi -use path to Upper Vestal Street • Bike path linking Surfside, Hummock Pond & Madaket Bike paths via Mill Hill • Surfside paper road/abutters way takings • Access to Sconset Footpath, maintenance and signage Projects in need of advancement: • First Way Pedestrian/Bike Access and Road Improvement Safety Project • Nantucket Open Space Plan Update 3 • Nantucket Greenway and Footpath System • East Creek Road viewing platform and CPC grant • Harbor walk • Update Potential Takings List and process used to evaluate priority for takings • Work with DPW on maintenance plan for public way monuments and trails • Oversight of maintenance West Chester St. Ext., Crooked Lane and Cathcart Road Completed projects needing implementation and follow up: • Chapter 91 Public Access License Enforcement: Harbor Plan Implementation 4 Town and County of Nantucket Roads and Right of Way Committee 16 Broad Street Nantucket, MA 02554 Re: Proposed Revisions to the 2016 Regional Transportation Plan Nantucket Planning and Economic Development Commission; Board of Selectmen of the Town of Nantucket 16 Broad Street Nantucket, MA 02554 Dear Commissioners and Selectmen: The Roads and Right of Way Committee, at its meeting of June 16, 2015, voted unanimously to support the bicycle and pedestrian safety elements of the proposed revisions to the Nantucket Regional Transportation Plan, RTP. Specifically, these are Sections 6.6. and 6.7. of the Plan. Over the past year, our committee has been surveying the condition of Nantucket's sidewalks and has prepared a draft report of our findings. There is no doubt that many of our sidewalks need to be replaced and in several key places provided for the fast time. We are pleased to report the collaborative efforts of Nantucket's Transportation Planner, Mike Burns, who has incorporated many of our findings into the RTP. Section 6.7. on Pedestrian Safety lists many of the streets in Nantucket's core that should have their sidewalks rebuilt. You may be interested in this quotation from our Committee's draft report: "Priority 1. We recommend that the following high - priority streets have their sidewalks rebuilt either in their entirety or with sufficient coverage to improve their rating to one (1). The following streets should be dealt with first. • Main Street, both sides but excluding the recently re -built portion on the north side between Center and Federal Streets. • Federal Street on the west side between Main and Chestnut Streets. • Center Street, both sides between Broad and Chestnut. • India Street, the lower portion (ex -Pearl Street) of the north side adjacent to the Atheneum. • Broad Street, the south side between Center and Federal." "The following streets, listed alphabetically, should be fixed as soon as funds become available. Candle Street, Chester Street, Cliff Road (downtown portion only), Commercial Street, East Chestnut Street, Easton Street, Gardner Street, Jefferson Avenue, New Whale Street, Oak Street, Salem Street, Union Street, Walnut Street, Washington Street, and Whaler Lane." On behalf of the Committee Allen B. Reinhard, Chair