2013-02-04-WALKS-min - Laserfiche WebLink

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Lexington Sidewalk Committee Meeting Minutes Monday, February 4, 2013, 9 AM Selectmen's Meeting Room, Town Office Building Present: Mary Hosmer Fanucci, Bettina McGimsey, Francine Stieglitz, Jerry Van Hook, Members absent: Judy Crocker, Jeanne Canale; Liaisons: Deb Mauger (BOS), Marc Valenti (DPW), Elaine Celi (Transportatio); Guests: Dave Cannon (DPW), John Livsey (DPW), Bill Hadley (DPW), residents of the Winthrop Street neighborhood (a scanned copy of the sign -in sheet appears at the end of these minutes) The meeting of the Sidewalk Committee (SWC) was called to order at 9:05 AM by Jerry Van Hook. It was decided to move the discussion of Winthrop Road to the first place on the agenda. 1. Proposed Winthrop Road sidewalk: Mr. Van Hook began the discussion with an overview of the Sidewalk Committee: that it was formed in 2005 and its primary objective is to enhance walking throughout Lexington, with a particular focus on the safety of children as they walk to school. He noted that the all- volunteer committee meets monthly to discuss issues of pedestrian interest to the Town. Francine Stieglitz handles the correspondence log, and Judy Crocker is the current Chair of the SWC. Any resident with an issue is free to contact the SWC via the website or to email Ms. Crocker. Recently, the SWC developed guidelines for people who are interested in new sidewalks for their neighborhood due to vehicular traffic and the need for children and other pedestrians to walk safely. Proponents come to the SWC to describe the scope of the sidewalk project and are then asked to follow the recommended guidelines to create a petition. They are told that the procedure is long, and it is up to them to keep it going. Lacking this support, the SWC may end its involvement. He noted that at the meeting DPW was represented by Marc Valenti, Dave Cannon, John Livsey, and Bill Hadley. Deb Mauger was representing the Board of Selectmen. He then described how the meeting would then proceed: The first person to speak would be Dan Krupka of 40 Winthrop Road Mr. Krupka had asked for five minutes to make a prepared statement to be read into the minutes. Next proponents _ - Deleted: Mr. Krupka had asked for would speak. Once both sides had been heard, the Engineering Department of DPW would elaborate on five minutes to make a prepared the plans for the sidewalk. Mr. Van Hook noted that initial discussions on Winthrop Road were first statement to be read into the reported on in the March 2010 minutes of the SWC. minutes. Mr. Krupka began with a short summary of his complaint, noting that he was representing 10 abutters who are opposed to the sidewalk. He stated that the need for the sidewalk was never established by quantitative analysis, that there is minimal foot traffic, and that the process followed did not include adequate participation of the abutters. He said that the design fails to preserve the non -urban nature of the neighborhood, and environmental impacts were not taken into account. He then read the text of the opponents' statement and asked for its inclusion verbatim along with the signed list of supporters in the SWC minutes. Statement from abutters of the proposed Winthrop Road sidewalk We are here to register a complaint regarding the process followed by the Sidewalk Committee (SWQ in planning and promoting the installation of a sidewalk on Winthrop Road and adjoining streets, and to request that the project be abandoned. The process was initiated without the collection and analysis of data regarding vehicular and pedestrian traffic and other factors that should be considered in establishing the need for a sidewalk. As the process progressed, supported primarily by non - abutters, abutters were not kept informed of plans, and were not given the opportunity to comment on them in a public forum In addition, upon review of the minutes of the Sidewalk Committee for 2010, 2011 and 2012 and comparison of their record and the recollections of abutters, we note the following: 1. From the minutes of October 2011: 'All abutters have now been contacted ...According to Ms. Hai only two abutters have voiced opposition to this plan. "Abutters' recollections: Many deny they were contacted; many of them state they would have opposed it. Formatted: Bullets and Numbering