2006-04-13-LBAC-min - Laserfiche WebLink

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MEETING MINUTES Committee Name: Bicycle Advisory Committee Date, Time and Location of Meeting: April 13, 2006; 7:00 pm; Rm G-15, Town Office Building Members Present: Stew Kennedy (BAC chair), Harvey Bingham (scribe), Erna Greene, Marita Hartshorn, Abe Shenker (FOB Chair), Mike Tabaczynski, Jerry VanHook, Jim Wichmann Others Present: Rich Spencer (FOB), George Gagliardi (FOB), Dick Canale (Planning Board BAC liaison), Hank Manz (BoS BAC liaison), Duke Bitsko (The Bioengineering Group), Michael Lawrence (HKT Architects) Members Absent: John Frey Record of Votes taken and issues discussed. DPW (201 Bedford St.) Plans: Michael Lawrence and Duke Bitsko, representing the team doing the preliminary planning for the redesign of the DPW facility at 201 Bedford St., had been invited to describe some of the concepts being envisioned for the facility and to hear ideas from us on how the site can be better tied to the Bikeway in a way to benefit Bikeway users. It was an interesting discussion, as the BAC enthusiastically endorses the possibilities of aesthetic and functional improvements. Some of the offered comments / suggestions follow. ?? Public parking for Bikeway users would be a boon. It would be most used on weekends, when the DPW is not open and busy. Provision of 20 spaces seems about right. We pointed out our charter in the Comprehensive Plan to find and recommend non-Center parking opportunities for Bikeway users. ?? Public access to restrooms would be great. The facility at the Visitor Center beside Meriam St. is the only spot for miles right now, and it is only open during Visitor Center hours. This results in a toll on “nature”. New restrooms could be closed at night, to avoid vandalism, as the Bikeway isn’t used then anyway. ?? A pull-off spot with bike rack and benches (and easy access to the parking lot – and restrooms) should be added. It could include signage telling the interesting history of the site: the trolley line and off-season storage for the trolleys. ?? Enhancement of greenspace should be designed. Right now the passage by the site is one of the least attractive along the entire Bikeway. A parklike feel should be possible to achieve, as the North Lexington Brook is a beautiful stream when given the chance. ?? The area is 90% impervious surface now, with much stormwater runoff going into the brook. This should be changed. ?? Why not design a green roof and harvest roof runoff for use. Also, the building could have geothermal heating.