HomeMy WebLinkAbout2016-5-17Town and County of Nantucket
ROADS AND RIGHT OF WAY COMMITTEE JUN N 12 all
Meeting of 17 May 2016
Conference Room of 2 Fairgrounds Road
FINAL AND APPROVED MINUTES
1. Call to Order, Approval of the Agenda, Approval of Minutes, and Public
Comments.
A. Chair Allen Reinhard called the meeting to order at 4:11 pm. In attendance were Kara
Buzanoski, Dave Fredericks (arrived 4:22 and departed 4:48 pm), Leslie Forbes, Nat Lowell (left
at 5:15 pm), Allen Reinhard, and Lee Saperstein; there was a quorum until 5:15 pm.
Absent were D. Anne Atherton, Joe Marcklinger, Bert Ryder, and John Stackpole.
Guest: Mike Burns, Transportation Planner.
The agenda as distributed was accepted.
B. Public Comment. There was no public comment.
C. Minutes. The minutes of the meeting of March 15, 2016, were moved for approval by Nat
Lowell, seconded by Leslie Forbes, and approved unanimously.
2. Public Access to the Historic Coloured Cemetery: Hospital Plans.
Chair Reinhard explained that he had met several times with the planners for the new hospital to
discuss access to the Historic Coloured Cemetery. The existing (unnamed) lane, which is shared
by the hospital and by the cemetery and Mill Hill Park, will be abandoned from its intersection
with Prospect Street to the boundary of the Hospital's property. Secretary Saperstein projected,
alternately, the site plan for the new hospital found on the Hospital's web site and an aerial
photograph of the existing hospital, the cemetery, and a portion of Mill Hill Park to help with
Allen Reinhard's explanation. The hospital has proposed that two parking places opposite the
public entrance to the Emergency Room will be reserved for visitors to the Cemetery and a
landscaped entrance will be created from there to the cemetery.
Allen Reinhard then went on to say that alternate access to the cemetery exists by way of North
Mill Street to its intersection with the remaining portion of the unnamed way and thereby to the
existing entrance to the cemetery. Kara Buzanoski said that the DPW can clean up these ways to
assure passage by automobiles and construct a turning and parking space by the existing entrance
to the cemetery. All of this work would be done within the existing right of way, which is Town
owned, and would be sensitive to protecting the vegetation in the park. Nat Lowell said that the
hospital plans had been reviewed by the Planning Board and that, should they come before the
Board again, he will watch to see that the promised parking places are included. Lee Saperstein
suggested that our committee go on record in favor of the hospital's plan as well as the North
Mill Street entrance. Kara Buzanoski asked if we should consider opening North Mill Street all
the way to Vesper Lane. The general reaction was negative for doing so would replace a
walking path with a roadway; also, it would decrease security within the park. The committee
members gave their consent by acclamation to the plan to open up North Mill Street just to the
way that leads to the Historic Coloured Cemetery and to have the two parking places in the
hospital grounds.
Leslie Forbes asked if this plan had been discussed with the African- American community on
Nantucket. Allen Reinhard said not yet but that he would work with Kemal McCarthy, the
Curator of the African Meeting House, to arrange for this dialog. It was also agreed that the
directional sign at Vesper Lane directing people to the Historic Cemetery would be moved to the
intersection of North Mill Street with Prospect Street.
3. Installation Plan for Granite Public Way Monuments.
Allen Reinhard reported that we have seven new Public Way Monuments sitting in the yard
behind this building: several flush and the rest upright. There is a plan for installing most of
them and we need to consider where else they might be needed. In Surfside, two uprights will be
installed, one at Irving St. plus one other. Flush ones will go along the Sconset Bluff Footpath at
the lateral ways. Nat Lowell asked how many of the laterals are left to be taken and/or marked.
Two more said Allen Reinhard. There is a possibility that we could put an upright at on Baxter
Road to mark the entrance to the north end of the path. This would be consistent with the wishes
of the `Sconset donors who have arranged for signs at the southern end of the path. Not
everyone was in favor of using an upright in place of a flush one. We will continue to consider
this one. Allen Reinhard will arrange with Bert Ryder to finish the installations in `Sconset; he
will notify the committee when it is to happen in case people wish to watch or help. The next set
of markers will be installed on Hulbert Avenue at the ways to the water but we will need to have
assurance from Andrew Vorce that the takings of these ways are complete. He asked if we
should have markers on the waterside of the ways. Reaction was not favorable. Kara Buzanoski
said that we might consider a small metal post and sign on the beach side. It would be much
easier to install and fix in the case of storm damage.
4. Chapter 91 Project Update.
Leslie Forbes reported that, based on plans made at our last meeting, we have let Jeff Carlson
know that we're ready to go along with any chapter 91 inspections that might be scheduled. She
has also contacted Dave Fronzuto for maps of filled lands and he has told her to visit him at his
office. Allen Reinhard reminded the committee members that there is a difference between filled
tidal lands and historic shoreline. The goal is to have a map or layer (theme) of filled tidal lands
easily identified and found in the Town's GIS.
Allen Reinhard said that another separate goal is to have a publicly accessible file of all Chapter
91 licenses on Nantucket. In our previous meeting, we discussed how the committee could
become a resource for people who apply for a new license. Finally, he mentioned that the work
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on a new bulkhead at the condominiums at 80 Washington Street is nearly complete. It appears
that, even after construction, there is still a lack of Chapter 91 access around the bulkhead.
5. Committee Reappointments and Restructuring.
Chair Reinhard reported that three members' terms expire this June and they should consider
renewal applications: D Anne Atherton, Dave Fredericks, and himself. Dave Fredericks has
already put in his application; Allen Reinhard is considering his renewal as is D. Anne Atherton.
Joe Marcklinger has told the committee that his volume of work is such that he cannot devote the
proper time to the committee and has tendered his resignation to the Board of Selectmen. Both
Allen Reinhard and Nat Lowell asked if we should reduce the committee's number to eight
instead of attempting to replace Joe Marcklinger. This would reduce the pressure on meeting a
quorum. Kara Buzanoski suggested that odd numbers are always easier when it comes to a vote;
therefore, should we be seven? Reaction from committee members was that if there is interest
from new applicants for membership then we should retain eight. Otherwise, we might shrink to
seven. Allen Reinhard explained that the Committee was formed when the prior Proprietors
Roads Committee was merged with the Right of Way Committee in 1993.
Allen Reinhard suggested that we may wish to revisit committee size at our next meeting;
selection of officers and consideration of broad agenda issues will occur at our July meeting.
At this point, Nat Lowell left the meeting and we lost our quorum. Effectively, the meeting was
adjourned at 5:15 pm.
6. Old, New, or Other business: Sidewalk Survey & Railroad Trail Project Update.
These items are reported for information only; they required no decision.
Allen Reinhard reported that our committee's sidewalk survey is now in the hands of the Town
and our role has become one of maintaining a watching brief. Kara Buzanoski said that our
survey and the reports from the Worcester Polytechnic Institute students will be given to a
consultant who will determine which sidewalk segments need a fully developed project requiring
public bidding and which ones are smaller and can be done with DPW personnel.
Allen Reinhard also said that creating historic walking trails along the roadbed of the Nantucket
Railroad was contingent on the landowners opening up the trails. When they do, then we will
seek their permission to mark the trails. The Nantucket Conservation Foundation, who controls
most of the right of way on the eastern moors, wants to make sure that all un- exploded ordnance
surveys are complete before they start to work. He reported that it is likely that trail clearance
will begin next winter. If they are cleared, he reported that they would serve also as firebreaks as
well as trails. In addition, the land behind Cape Cod Five Bank is part of the railroad right of
way and, once title of that strip of land is transferred to the land bank, will be marked as the route
of the railroad.
Finally, he said that purchase of land by the Land Bank at West Chester Street beyond Crooked
Lane meant that it would be a good idea to move the existing Public Way monument to the edge
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of the Land Bank property closer to where it would be obvious to the public. This item will be
brought back to the committee for consideration when there is a quorum. In talking about this
land, Kara Buzanoski said that the DPW is considering ways to re- establish historic drain ways
that would lead to the Head of Hummock Pond. They would reduce standing water along West
Chester Street and, possibly, enhance the water quality in Head of Hummock Pond.
7. The remaining members of the committee disbanded at 5:34 pm.
Next meeting: June 21, 2016, 4:00 p.m., 2 Fairgrounds Road.
R &ROW Committee Outstanding Projects List:
Projects Underway:
• Downtown Sidewalk Survey 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;
• Sconset Footpath installation of Public Way Monuments;
• Chapter 91 Public Access License Enforcement: Harbor Plan Implementation;
• First Way Pedestrian/Bike Access and Road Improvement Safety Project.
Projects on hold or in need of advancement:
• Nantucket Central Railroad Trail Project;
• Nantucket Open Space Plan Update;
• Nantucket Greenway and Footpath System;
• East Creek Road viewing platform and CPC grant;
• Work with DPW on maintenance plan for public way monuments and trails;
• Oversight of maintenance West Chester St. Ext., Crooked Lane;
• Harbor walk.
Transcribed by Lee W. Saperstein, Secretary, and edited by
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Allen Reinhard, Chair