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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2013-01-29-CEC-minMinutes of the Lexington Capital Expenditures Committee (CEC) Meeting January 29, 2013 Date, Place, and Location: January 29, 2013, 8:00 A.M., Town Office Building, Reed Room (111) Members Present: Charles Lamb, Chair; Beth Masterman, Vice - Chair; Jill Hai; Bill Hurley; David Kanter Other Attendees: Keith Ohmart, Chair, Greenways Corridor Committee (GCC); Melisa Tintocalis, Economic Development Director; Sara Arnold, Recording Secretary Documents Presented: • Community Preservation Committee (CPC) Project Application: ACROSS Lexington Pedestrian /Bicycle Route System; GCC • GCC Report to the Board of Selectmen, West Lexington Greenway Master Plan, December 2012 • Board showing West Lexington Greenway; GCC • Mr. Kanter's e-mail to the other Committee Members; January 24, 2013; Subj: Updated List of Projects for FY2014 Support from the Community Preservation Fund (CPF) & CPF Status • FY2014— FY2018 Capital Improvement Projects (CIPs), Department of Public Works; Sidewalk Improvements & Hartwell Avenue Infrastructure Improvements • Photos of Hartwell Avenue Proposed Sidewalk Areas; Economic Development • Draft CEC Meeting Minutes for May 29, 2012 Executive Session • Draft CEC Meeting Minutes for January 22, 2013, Open Session • Draft CEC Meeting Minutes for January 22, 2013, Executive Session • Draft 2013 Annual Town Warrant Table of Contents, January 16, 2013 Call to Order: Mr. Lamb called the meeting to order at 8:01 A.M. GCC: Mr. Ohmart reviewed two projects being pursued by this committee. • ACROSS Lexington Pedestrian /Bikeway Route System: Mr. Ohmart explained that the FY2014 $5,000 request is for the purchase and installation of sign posts, street markings and marketing materials for the Route System. The CPC supports this project and had considered, but chose not to consolidate the projected 3 -year costs (FY2014— FY2016) into a single request. • West Lexington Greenway: Mr. Ohmart explained that the Town's previous allocation of $125,000 was used to prepare the 25% design work for this project. The resulting Master Plan identifies a project that includes an all- weather path extending from Minuteman Bikeway to Wood Street. Construction of the path's middle section, if pursued as designed, would impact wetlands with vegetation removal and bringing in fill. This is of concern to the Lexington Conservation Commission. Also, access for NSTAR personnel and equipment needs to be maintained. These complications resulted in a scaling back of the project. Raised boardwalks may be recommended; it is unlikely that a paved walkway will be pursued in that section. Page 1 of 5 Minutes of the Lexington Capital Expenditures Committee (CEC) Meeting January 29, 2013 The GCC had hoped to extend the path to the Battle Road, but this would require traversing private property, and it was not possible to work out an agreement with the owners. Also, plans for crossing Bedford Street have not been addressed. This Committee is pleased with the interconnectivity that would result if the project were to be implemented. In response to a question about the scale of financial resources needed over the next five years, Mr. Ohmart said that he anticipates needing $50,000 — $100,000 in FY2016 as the next increment. It may be possible to get some grant money from the State's Department of Conservation and Recreation. Member Concerns & Liaison Reports: Mr. Kanter provided updates in respect to projects reviewed by this Committee at previous meetings: • Hastings Park Gazebo Rehabilitation /Restoration: The CPC voted not to recommend this project because the CPC feels there is too much uncertainty about what the Town wants to address now that the planned work would trigger full compliance with The Americans with Disabilities Act. The CPC did not believe it likely that the Massachusetts Architectural Access Board (MAAB) would grant a variance to those requirements (the gazebo is not historic) and it is not known how large a scale project the Town would want implemented at that site. • Lexington Center Pocket Park Design: Town Counsel estimated that legal costs associated with addressing the use of Community Preservation Act (CPA) funds on private property (e.g., researching titles and drafting agreements) would amount to $5,750 per property owner. The CPC decided to support, at this time, just a pocket park in the Grain Mill Alley, which is owned by two private entities. The CPC voted to recommend $21,500 ($11,500 for legal expenses; $10,000 for design) for it. (The CPC is not recommending funding to the 2013 Annual Town Meeting for development of the Pedestrian Alley.) • Lexington Housing Assistance Board (LexHAB): The CPC discussed the status of the uncommitted funds previously provided to LexHAB. They amount to approximately $535,000 —about $85,000 of the $450,000 provided for FY2012 and all of the $450,000 provided for FY2013. Only the standard restrictions on the nature of the LexHAB housing funded under the CPA had applied to both of those appropriations. The CPC voted to require the FY2014 request for $450,000 be earmarked for the community housing planned for the Leary and /or Busa properties purchased by the Town under the CPA. Also, although LexHAB has been complying with the need to record with the title of properties purchased with CPA funding the use restrictions required by the CPA, the CPC has decided to revise the standard restrictions explicitly to do prescribe that. • School Technology Program: The Town of Wellesley has decided to pursue the expansion of its program to purchase iPads, but for the upcoming school year, the Town will purchase them rather than offering parents the option to purchase or lease Page 2 of 5 Minutes of the Lexington Capital Expenditures Committee (CEC) Meeting January 29, 2013 the iPad. Their original plan, that would have given parents that option, also would have had a no- expense -to- the - family option, but those iPads would have to remain at the school. Sidewalk Construction on Hartwell Avenue: Ms. Tintocalis reviewed the $200,000 request for a sidewalk on Hartwell Avenue between Bedford Street and the Minuteman Bikeway (Bikeway) that is included in the Sidewalk Improvement CIP. Construction will be on the Town's 100 -foot right -of -way, and the Town will be responsible for maintenance and snow removal. Ms. Tintocalis reported meeting monthly with the Hartwell Avenue businesses and is soliciting a cooperative approach to improving this business area, which has a 30% vacancy rate and competes with Burlington and Waltham for tenants. It is generally agreed that the area feels isolated and is lacking amenities and connectivity. It is anticipated that a gateway sign will be donated, and the Town is asking the Medical Care Center — operated jointly by Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Children's Hospital — located on Bedford Street, to build a Bedford Street bus shelter and a sidewalk from their facility to the shelter in exchange for permission to add parking spaces. The Town is taking steps to allow food trucks on Hartwell Avenue and is working with the 128 Business Council to begin a shuttle service between the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) Alewife station and Hartwell Avenue. Grant money is being pursued for the latter. The Committee discussed a larger transportation project for the Transportation Management Overlay District (TMOD) encompassing Hartwell Avenue that was outlined by a consultant for the Town and would include major road improvements. This would be eligible for Massachusetts Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) funds, but the Town must complete a 25% design before the project can be considered for TIP funding. Additionally, the State has not been funding TIP projects on a regular basis in recent years. It is estimated that it will take 15 to 20 years before all aspects of this project could become a reality. Ms. Tintocalis supports pursing easily - attainable Hartwell Avenue projects on an immediate basis. The businesses have expressed strong support for the sidewalk project, and she believes that the Town's support of it will send an important positive message. In response to questions about the proposal to extend the sidewalk along Hartwell Avenue from the Bikeway to Wood Street, which is included in the Hartwell Avenue Infrastructure Improvements CIP, Ms. Tintocalis explained that constructing it is complicated and very expensive. She said that this section of sidewalk would be evaluated as part of the $690,000 being requested in FY2014 as the first of three fundings for Design and Engineering (D &E) under that CIP. She will look into what portion of this funding request is for the Bikeway -to -Wood- Street sidewalk. She will also find out why the previously discussed $200,000 Hartwell Avenue sidewalk project didn't include the short distance between the Bikeway and Maguire Road. Page 3 of 5 Minutes of the Lexington Capital Expenditures Committee (CEC) Meeting January 29, 2013 The Committee discussed the $600,000 Sidewalk Improvement CIP that includes both its traditional residential - sidewalks projects and, this year, also a portion of the Hartwell Avenue sidewalk project. There was appreciation expressed for the annual increases over the past three years in funding for residential sidewalks, but the Committee supports more funding than the $400,000 being requested for FY2014; in its opinion, the residential - sidewalk program should be more aggressive. Bill Hurley arrived at 9:05 A.M. The Committee discussed the $690,000 request for Hartwell Avenue D &E funds. Mr. Lamb commented that this is a lot of money for this project. Mr. Kanter said that the Hartwell Avenue sidewalk project belongs with the Hartwell Avenue project. He made a motion to support removing the portion of the Hartwell Avenue sidewalk project from the Sidewalk Improvement project for residential sidewalks and put it into the project for the Hartwell Avenue Infrastructure Improvements. Ms. Masterman seconded. Discussion of the motion identified two points of agreement: The $200,000 for construction of the Hartwell Avenue sidewalks is supported by the Committee; and it should not be included with the project for residential sidewalks. Ms. Hai expressed concern that if the Hartwell sidewalk project is added to the $690,000 D &E request and that article fails at Town Meeting, then the sidewalk project will go unfunded. Mr. Lamb added that someone could serve notice of reconsideration and pursue an amendment, but this is cumbersome. Mr. Lamb also said that he did not want the sidewalk project combined with D &E funds because then the money becomes fungible. Mr. Kanter said that these are two Hartwell Avenue infrastructure projects and they belong together. Mr. Hurley noted the philosophical merit of Mr. Kanter's point, but questioned whether this was a practical position for the Town Meeting process. Vote: 2 -3 Mr. Hurley suggested having a separate project for "Business Sidewalks ", but it was noted that sidewalks are frequently included as part of larger projects, and it was questioned whether sidewalks should be removed from every project. It also would be possible to have two votes under the Hartwell Avenue Article at Town Meeting: one for the D &E portion and one for the sidewalks. Mr. Lamb agreed that this would address his concern about the funds becoming fungible. Mr. Lamb stated he considers this is a policy question. He will ask Mr. Valente, Town Manager, to remove the Hartwell sidewalk project from the residential sidewalk line item, per the Committee's request. He will also share the various Committee members' concerns, including support for a more robust residential sidewalk program, and let Mr. Valente determine the best way to proceed. Minutes: It was moved and seconded to approve the May 29, 2012 Executive - Session Minutes. Of the current Committee members, only Mr. Lamb and Mr. Kanter were present at the meeting. Vote: 2 -0 -3 Page 4 of 5 Minutes of the Lexington Capital Expenditures Committee (CEC) Meeting January 29, 2013 It was moved and seconded to approve the January 22, 2013 Open- Session Minutes. Vote: 5 -0 It was moved and seconded to approve the January 22, 2013 Executive - Session Minutes, with administrative changes, as discussed. Vote: 5 -0 Committee's Report to the 2013 Annual Town Meeting (ATM) and associated Special Town Meeting (STM): Mr. Kanter plans to distribute a Strawman version by the end of the week for Committee members to begin the process for building that report. The Committee identified which members would prepare material for the report, as follows: STM : Mr. Lamb: Articles 1 and 2, unless Article 2 is subsequently assigned to someone else ATM: Mr. Lamb: Articles 2 (or Ms. Masterman), 15, 19, 20, 21, 22, and 25 Ms. Masterman: Articles 10 (with Ms. Hai), 30, and 33 Ms. Hai: Articles 5, 7, 9, 10 (with Ms. Masterman), 11, 12, and 24 Mr. Hurley: Articles 13 and 14 Mr. Kanter: Article 8, 28, and editor To be determined: Article 34 The following schedule for preparing the report was identified: March 4: Draft inputs submitted to Mr. Kanter March 6: Meeting at 8 a.m. to review a draft March 18: Meeting at 8 a.m. for a final review and qualified approval (Town Meeting begins that evening) March 20: Report is finalized by Mr. Kanter for printing March 27: Report is distributed (electronically and in print) April 3: Earliest possible date for Town - Meeting deliberation on a financial article February Meetings: There are three placeholders for February meetings: 5 11 and 26 It isn't clear yet whether these are needed. That will be decided before the postings are required. Adjourn: A Motion was made and seconded at 10:32 A.M. to adjourn. Vote: 5 -0 These Minutes were approved by the CEC at its meeting on February 5, 2013. Page 5 of 5