1986-03-03 to 1986-05-12-ATM-min

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ADJOURNED SESSION OF THE 1986 ANNUAL TOWN MEETING 43 APRIL 16, 1986 The meeting was called to order by the Moderator, Lincoln P. Cole, Jr. at 8 :01 P.M. in Cary Memorial Hall. There were 169 Town Meeting Members present. Invocation was offered by Sydney Morris, Coordinating Minister, Follen Community Unitarian /Universalist Church. 8:03 P.M. Article 2. REPORTS OF TOWN OFFICERS, BOARDS, COMMITTEES Margery M. Battin, Chairman of the Revitalization Committee, presented an oral report of the committee, with the aid of other members. Mrs. Battin said that the plan for the Center is dedicated to the late Jack Powell, Chamber of Commerce Vice- President, who served on the Committee for two years. She listed the charges to the Committee, such as: Prepare a plan to: Achieve commercial diversity Increase social and cultural activity Improve traffic flow Increase parking and others Some of the working components: Market analysis; land use analysis; parking and traffic analysis; parking and traffic improvements; design and amenities analysis; promotional activities review; etc. 8 :12 P.M. Norma Bogen showed slides of the Center, which is subdivided into six blocks. She spoke of the tremendous growth of restaurants (10 at the present). She said that there has been a growth of office and retail uses and added that there is a strong retail market there. This brings people into the Center at lunchtime, many non-residents. She listed the findings of the CRC, some of them as follows: the Center is thriving and vital; good diversity, mix of use; greater use by non - residents; some traffic congestion; generally pleasant, but on the whole undistinguished; buildings non- descript; lacks amenities (no restrooms, few benches and bicycle racks); signs on buildings are of different types, colors, sizes; Emery Park has deteriorated - worn out grass and mud at certain times; promenade in the Center is the best feature; has a strong basis to become more attractive. Items needing attention: Parking; traffic congestion; undistinguished character; ugly back entrances; litter; lack of unity of storefronts, awnings, signs; few amenities; merchandising. 8 :24 P.M. Stephen Cripps explained that they have an agreement on a set of land use and development. He listed the Role of the Center: focal point;.employment and tax gains secondary;Retail services and office use; Amenities; Litter prevention; Adjoining Residential area; land use —Parking; Responsibility for parking; Commercial growth; Parking as land use. 8:27 P.M. Mary Hastings gave the Program Components: 1) Organization 2) Economic structure /land use 3) Access - Parking. She broke down each of these titles and gave a short explanation. 8 :31 P.M. Mrs. Battin finished by showing slides of both the good and bad features of the Center, explaining that this was a hasty overview. 8:33 P.M. Selectman Chairman, Paul W. Marshall said that the plan for the evening is to bring up the remaining Planning Board Articles and adjourn to April 28, 1986 for the Choate - Symmes article and then adjourn to May 7, 1986. . 8:34 P.M.