HomeMy WebLinkAbout2016-12-06-CSDRC-minMEETING MINUTES — 12 -6 -16
Town of Lexington
Center Streetscape Design Review Ad Hoc Committee Meeting
Thursday, December 6, 2016
The meeting was held in the Parker Room, Lexington Town Hall, Lexington, MA.
The meeting was called to order by Mr. Levin. Attendees were welcomed and asked to sign in
and provide contact information. Including Mr. Levin, those attending the meeting were, in
alphabetical order: Virginia Buckley, Nancy Corcoran Ronchetti, Anne Eccles, John W. Frey,
Jonathan A. Himmel, Elaine Doran, Wendall C. Kalsow, Timothy D. Lee, Peggy Enders, Wendy
Manz, Pamela F. Shadley, John Livsey, David Pinsonneault, Eric Michelson, Glenn Parker,
David Wells, Fred Johnson, Elizabeth Brach, Bob Adams. Gerry Paul, Dick Friedson, Lee
Connor, and Margie Sharfin.
The Tier level reports of the Center Streetscape Design Review ( "CSDR ") Ad Hoc Committee
were presented. Numerous topics re: the foregoing presentations were discussed, including
budgeting, cost control strategies, potential /possible CPA funding (i.e., what is, what isn't
eligible) and allowance for project phasing staging re: construction to ease downtown Center
disruption. All three Tiers have /will break down budgeting costs in their reports.
DPW will continue to work with the CSDR Ad Hoc Committee to review information and a
DPW Project Manager will be assigned to, and involved with, the project during its entirety.
DPW will also "look back" at information re: Historic Mid - Century signage design information
to improve visibility. It has also begun the vetting process to identify a historic
design /preservationist person for both the design and construction phases of the project. The
group was also reminded that DPW bids 100% of all its projects with specific enumerated
specifications.
The Committee also discussed CSDR's Ad Hoc Committee Report's preamble, including: (i)
how to state and condense the Committee's purpose statement, (ii) adding a separate
maintenance slide, a Chart with proposed project timelines, project costs, costs savings, and a
suggestion that the Board of Selectmen appoint a Project Oversight Committee for this project.
The three CSDR Ad Hoc Tier Levels have, or will be, discussing project cost controls and
savings and the foregoing information will be included in the three final Tier level CSDR Ad
Hoc Committee reports. As the process continues to evolve, the CSDR Ad Hoc Committee
members and participants were urged to continue to think about how the Center should look,
how it could be improved and how it can be preserved.
Other comments from meeting participants included:
•Committee should highlight ways where public funding/fundraising can help defray costs;
•Be aware of Center area disruptions and its effect on Center businesses; also have an
implementation strategy to minimize business impacts; and
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MEETING MINUTES — 12 -6 -16
•Use graphic designers for all CSDR's signage, including attaching an electronic aspect to each
sign.
Meeting transitioned to sub - committee report presentations for comments, edits, suggestions, etc.
Mr. Lee presented the Tier II report and Ms. Eccles presented the Tier III report. Both Mr. Lee
and Ms. Eccles encouraged comments and suggestions after their report presentations. Some of
the comments and suggestions included: tree species, tree - wells, tree grates and maintenance,
care, and up -keep, flower species, bike rack choices, benches, planters, landscaping and long-
term maintenance, weather impacts re: the foregoing, signage and its visual impact, the state
procurement process, merging historical perspectives with CSDR Ad Hoc initiatives, the Center
gateway and traffic flow, pedestrian and cyclist safety, tack -tile plastic warning strips vs. cast
iron strips and the differences between the two, traffic calming measures, handling historical
land in the Center, info banners on light poles, and the suggestion to "dovetail" this project with
other projects going on simultaneously in Town, i.e., the Battle Green project. It was noted that
all "Tier preferences" should also be stated in the reports.
Participants agreed there should be an Executive Summary at the beginning of each Tier report
along with a statement that each Tier subgroup made its recommendations with costs savings in
mind.
A request was made of Mr. Levin to circulate the most recent update of both the Majority Report
and the Minority Report. Mr. Levin said will circulate the foregoing information after the
meeting.
Mr. Levin looked for an informal vote of the CSDR Ad Hoc Committee's voting members to see
if their previous position(s) with respect to the Committee's recommendations remained the
same; there was no change. A request was also made to ask the Town's Commission on
Disability ( "COD ") to post more recent Committee Meeting Minutes. A short discussion
followed re: COD's positions. CSDR Ad Hoc Committee Member Ms. Buckley will provide
information re: sidewalks (i.e., vibrations) pertaining to persons with disabilities. Mr. Levin also
suggested that the COD's comments, etc. could be reflected in CSDR's Ad Hoc report rather
than having a minority report.
Mr. Levin reminded the group it's next meeting is December 15, 2016 and the CSDR Ad Hoc
Committee's public meeting is Wednesday, January 11, 2017 at 7:00 p.m. in Cary Hall.
Meeting adjourned at 10:16 a.m.
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