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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2022-02-01 SB-min Select Board Meeting February 1, 2022 A remote participation meeting of the Lexington Select Board was called to order at 7:01 p.m. on Tuesday, February 1, 2022 via Zoom remote meeting services. Ms. Hai, Chair; Mr. Lucente; Vice Chair, Mr. Pato, Mr. Sandeen, and Ms. Barry were present, as well as Mr. Malloy, Town Manager; Ms. Axtell, Deputy Town Manager; and Ms. Katzenback, Executive Clerk. ITEMS FOR INDIVIDUAL CONSIDERATION 1. Battle Green Streetscape Project • Battle Green Streetscape Project Presentation • Public Comment and Question Period Town Engineer, John Livsey, and Tyler de Ruiter and Kien Ho, BETA Group, addressed the Board. Mr. Livsey explained that traffic trials were completed in 2016 to determine the impacts of making Harrington Road one-way westbound, from Bedford Street toward Mass Ave. That trial found reduced conflict points for Bedford Street at Hancock Street and reflected a reduced crash frequency. The trial did find changes in the travel patterns that negatively impacted area roadways, such as Revere Street and Marion Street, and ultimately, it was determined that the proposal was not desirable. Under the initial evaluations, a roundabout was considered,but deemed inappropriate for the footprint of land. However, design guidelines have changed quite a bit since that time,both in the State and nationwide. The current plan adopts the latest MassDOT guidelines, with Kittleson& Associates hired as a subcontractor by the BETA Group to work on this plan. Mr. Livsey stated that the project goals include improving pedestrian and bicycle safety, improving vehicular safety, and improving connectivity and accessibility throughout the area. The Harrington/Bedford/Hancock intersection has the highest accidents in Town for any intersection, and improvements to it are vital to the project. The proposal includes shortened crosswalks, to make for faster accessibility for pedestrians, and includes connectivity to the old burial burying ground as well as the belfry. Mr. de Ruiter explained that speeds in the area of Hancock Street were measured to be approximately 30- 35 mph. The movements of most concern include through movements along Bedford Street, through movements from Harrington Road to Hancock Street, and left/right turns between Bedford and Hancock. He explained that the Highway Safety Improvement Program is a federal program of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The Harrington Road/Hancock Street intersection has been highlighted as a high craft cluster. Mr. de Ruiter showed a visual representation of the Battle Green streetscape project. He noted that some important items included are to formalize parking, add better crossings to enhance the connectivity between areas like the belfry and the burial ground, and circulation around the battleground itself. He explained that one goal of the project is to introduce more gaps into the Bedford Street traffic so that the number of angle-type crashes are significantly reduced. He showed examples of certain islands that could be used in the area. He also noted that roundabouts could be used to create yielding traffic. The proposal accommodates bikes in two ways. One is that roundabouts will have a bit of a ramp that allows the bicycles to jump up from the roadway onto the pathway that goes around the outside of the roundabout. Then bikes will be able to use the crosswalks or other ramps to get back down onto the roadway. The second option, typically for more adventurous or comfortable bicyclists, is to use the actual circle as a roadway. Also, the proposed widened sidewalks and splitter islands allow for increased for pedestrian access. In response to a question from Ms. Barry, Ms. Hai stated that the Board's email addresses, along with Mr. Livsey's will be provided for additional public comment. Betty Gao, 64 Warren Street and Chair of the Lexington Bicycle Advisory Committee stated that the Bicycle Advisory Committee strongly endorses the proposed roundabout at Bedford Street and Harrington Road. The proposed roundabout can be safer for cyclists and pedestrians than the current intersection. In a well-designed roundabout, interactions between the bikers and the cars can happen at low speeds. The Bicycle Advisory Committee would like to provide further cycling-oriented feedback on the design details of the roundabout to include signage, which would alert cyclists of their options, and also alert drivers to expect cyclists to take the full lane through the roundabout. The committee would like to provide feedback on the design of the sidewalk access for cyclists, as an alternative to riding through the roundabout. The group would also request that this design consider safe access to and from the nearby Minuteman Bikeway as part of the intersection design. Joe Blatt, 7 Linmoor Terrace, asked if it's going to be difficult for people on the intersecting streets to get into the roundabout. He also asked whether the design would consider a sharing signal, similar to what's done in California, where a certain number of cars is allowed to go and then the flow is halted to give the other side a chance. Mr. de Ruiter explained that they believe that slowing down the volume enough will open up enough gaps for vehicles to get out easier than they currently do. Regarding a metering signal, he believes this would be used for a larger scale intersection than this. The idea is to accommodate all of the circulating volume with the least amount of equipment as possible. Ruth Ladd, 15 Pine Knoll Road, stated that she fully supports the proposal. Dave Armstrong, 21 Hayward Avenue, and member of the Bicycle Advisory Committee reiterated how positive this design is for cyclists. The narrowing,placement of the crosswalks, simplicity of navigation for vehicles and cyclists, along with the slowing speeds, makes this a great design. Carol Sacerdote, 15 Loring Road, explained that she finds roundabouts difficult and confusing. She would prefer not to have one in this area. She noted that one of the proposed design options was traffic signals, which would allow for full pedestrian and bicycle protection, and that this might be preferred. George Sacerdote stated that the roundabout is going to create slower traffic than the high-speed traffic coming in from Hancock Street and Bedford Street, creating backups especially during the busy hours. The argument against traffic lights is that these would create idling, and this is negated by the fact that the slowness of the roundabout is going to cause backups on the side streets. Mr. Livsey stated that the data does not specifically show that traffic signals are safer. They do provide what's called a protected crossing for pedestrians. But,research shows that accident rates are typically higher at signalized intersections, and accidents are more severe at signalized intersections than roundabouts. Both signals and roundabouts will have some traffic backing up,but roundabouts allow the other legs to get in easier and there is less driver frustration from those legs, making drivers less aggressive. During non-peak hours, the roundabout will be freer flowing than the signal which will result in less stops and idling. Margaret Counts-Klebe, 8 Hancock Avenue, stated that she is unclear as to why the crosswalk is proposed to move from in front of First Parish Church, where there is a lot of tourist crossing. She stated that this basically makes locals cut through the burying ground and directs them to the cemetery. Mr. Ho explained that the proposal is to reduce conflict points by simplifying the crosswalk in this area. The "T" configuration allows for reduced crossing time and a better sight line for pedestrians. Mr. Livsey stated that walkers can continue along the Mass Ave. sidewalk but there will be better visibility along the way. Thomas and Carla Fortmann, 5 Harrington Road, fully endorsed the proposed roundabout, having used the intersection in multiple ways constantly. This will be far safer than what currently exists. One of the benefits of this arrangement is that it allows confident cyclists to use the roundabout, and others to use the crosswalks. Mr. Fortmann noted that traffic lights force cyclists turning left to be quite vulnerable. Ms. Fortmann noted that she was hit in the statue intersection and agrees with the proposal. Wendy Reasenberg, 16 Garfield Street and Town Meeting Member Precinct 8 noted that the roundabout is proposed to be quite close to the Fire Station. She is concerned about emergency vehicles being able to get through the intersection at high traffic volumes. She is also concerned, as a pedestrian, that it will be difficult to cross the area with constant movement of traffic through the roundabout. Mr. Livsey explained that he spoke to the Fire and Police Chief who both expressed comfort with this design. He also explained that the accident data for roundabouts is quite positive for pedestrian safety. Part of the reason for this is reduced speeds creating safety for crossings. Also, a lot of these crossings have a protected island in the middle. The crosswalks have been pulled back a little further from the intersections in at least two or three of the directions. Yifang Gong, 23 Rawson Avenue and Town Meeting Member Precinct 1, stated that, as a cyclist, roundabouts are confusing to him, and he is unclear as to why one is proposed for this area. He asked about potential increased business and traffic at Hartwell Avenue and if this design will support that. Mr. Livsey stated that this design does account for a potential increase in traffic. Mr. Ho added that research has indicated that roundabouts are that same as any other intersection configurations, whether it's for bicycle or pedestrian commendation. His group has not encountered any safety related concerns related to pedestrians and bicycles associated with roundabouts. David Kantor, 48 Fifer Lane, and Town Meeting Member Precinct 7 asked if the roundabout will have any potential for diverting traffic to other roads that have not been analyzed. He also asked if there are any intermediate actions contemplated that don't require the nearly $SM to be allocated so much in advance of when the project will be solicited. He has concerns regarding the proposed crosswalks being close to the intersections because people turning from the left lane to go down Mass Ave are going to be faced with a crosswalk. Mr. Livsey explained that the project is planned to be constructed in calendar year 2023, so that it will be ready for the 2025 celebration. If funding is received in the spring it isn't really available to use until the summer. Thus, spring Town Meeting 2023 would be too late,because half the construction season would have been missed. Typically, the guidance is to put capital articles in for spring Town Meeting because that one is sure to happen. Mr. de Ruiter explained that the intention is to push the crosswalk as close to the intersection as possible, which increases the visibility for those left-turning cars to be able to see pedestrians before moving. While the approach from Hancock Street does see a delay, it's significantly better than the existing stop sign because the design brings the Bedford Street vehicles into the yield, slowing them down and opening up gaps that don't exist today. Mr. Ho added that the roundabout design will be able to process more cars compared to a traffic light. Part of this design is to alleviate concerns regarding pedestrian safety for tourists standing in the roadway to take pictures. Ms. Hai reminded the public that comments can be sent to the Select Board or Mr. Livsey after the meeting. Nick Gall, 12 Hancock Avenue, stated that he supports the proposal. He noted that the existing intersection can be intimidating, and this proposal looks to improve the traffic flow and also serve as a traffic calming measure. Dawn McKenna, 9 Hancock Street/Chairman of the Tourism Committee/Precinct 19 Town Meeting Member, explained that this project was being discussed 25 years ago. The Tourism Committee has been in full agreement with the proposed for intersection of Mass Ave and Harrington Road. It is important to have an area where a tour group or busload of people can safely cross and stand. She is disappointed that the Tourism Committee was not included in the process regarding the proposal for the intersection at Harrington Road. She stated that putting in the slip lane at Mass Ave is going to make a huge impact on this intersection and she would hate to see this proposal completed before that impact, and the impact of altered markings on the road, are seen. She noted that this proposal takes away a big swath of land that does provide viewing for the Patriots Day Parade. Lisle Swanson, 10 Belfry Terrace/representing the Hancock Church, stated that the Church has concerns regarding parking along the area and street lighting. He stressed the importance of adequate lighting for driveways and the crosswalks, given the amount of evening vehicle and pedestrian traffic. He noted that the Church supports the redesign of Harrington Street and crosswalks as proposed. Mr. Livsey stated that the design for lighting of the Battle Ground has not yet been completed. But the group would follow the recommendations that are in the Battle Green Master Plan for lighting. Details on relocating hydrants for parking have not yet been examined. Handicap parking will also be examined further into the process. Pedestrian activated lights for the crosswalks have not been considered, due to the historic nature of this area. Jerry Michaelson, 3 Clyde Place and Chair of the Center Committee, noted that the 20-mph speed limit has already been implemented preceding any of these intersections coming in from Bedford Street. He explained that looking back left from Harrington Road has always been a challenge, and he questioned the design which would place the driver even further back. Finally, he asked how larger trucks would handle the proposed design heading toward the highway. Mr. Livsey stated that signage has been found to do little for speed reduction, in comparison to road design. Mr. de Ruiter explained that the guidebooks have suggestions for large truck travel around the roundabout. He also noted that the yield condition is trying to be pushed further at the Harrington Road intersection which will help with vehicles yielding coming southbound. Mr. Livsey stated that, once more input is received, he will need to know whether the Town would like to pursue this design further or not. Ms. Hai stated that this will be placed on a future agenda for further discussion. She asked that comments be submitted by February 11, 2022. DOCUMENTS: Battle Green Streetscape Presentation, Letter of Support from LBAC for Proposed Roundabout at Bedford Street and Harrington Road 2. American Rescue Plan Act(ARPA) Discussion Mr. Malloy reviewed his recommendations for funding requests, including Lex Retailer's Association: Discovery Day, Halloween Walk, Holiday Lighting, Taste of Lexington. This is meant to help offset some of the costs that the Retailers Association has picked up in the past. It will also try to expand and strengthen the businesses that are in the center of Town and attract more people to these events. Also, a website rebuild for the Visitor Center, a store back/storefront improvement plan, a set aside of funds for a participatory budget, funding an SPRD consultant, a Pop-Up Business Incubator,bikeways—6 replacement bottle filling stations, Lifepak AED devices, and outside shelters for programming. There are a number of projects already approved by the Select Board and certain items recommended for 2023/2024. The Board heard a presentation on the Pop-Up Business Incubator proposal. Allison Yee, founder, and CEO of UpNext, stated that her company facilitates all different types of non-traditional retail or pop-up experiences. Pop-up incubator spaces essentially allow businesses of all types to test out brick and mortar retail stores in a lower-risk environment and incubate them for the long haul in the communities in which they're testing. This has worked well so far in Newton,Needham, and Melrose. Project Pop-Up is led by an application process. The company would work hand-in-hand to identify an incubator space, such as a single storefront within the community, that can be activated for a year, and serve as a rotating location for businesses to come and pop-up for 2-4 months at a time. This can occur as a standalone brand, or in collaboration with other businesses, depending on the pool of applicants and the types of businesses. Initially, this program was run for a shorter period of time across more storefronts,but it has been refined to be more of a sustainable initiative where an incubator space can be opened for a year-round presence, and the funding is available to build out a space that is really meant for this type of rotation. In response to a question from Ms. Hai, Ms. Yee explained that her company provides the baseline to customize the space for the brand, for example, shelving units, and slat walls. If the company then has very specific setup for their product, they bring in that component of it. It makes sense to have one particular location in Lexington, and then three or four different businesses come in each 3-4 months. In response to a question from Mr.Pato regarding simplifying regulatory processes for these businesses, Sandhya Iyer, Director of Economic Development, stated that the signage and permits are built into the proposal,but most go through the general regulatory processes. Ms. Yee stated that the path of least resistance is to utilize the window space of the building. If there are any specific criteria regarding coverage, her company works within that. Project Pop-Up typically serves as the umbrella signage and entity,but then there is always billing available for the brand to be featured. In response to a question from Mr. Lucerne, Ms. Yee stated that her company works in both food and dry goods retail space. Food does present a bit more of a permitting challenge, in terms of making sure that the space and the brand are up to code and go through the Health Department process. While her company is interested in a Pop-Up location in the main corridor, she is certainly open to consider other locations around Town. In response to a question from Ms. Barry, Ms. Yee stated that hitting the right seasonality for businesses to be successful is important, and that the timeline can be altered to insure this. She explained that landlords that are sitting on vacancies are motivated to take advantage of this type of opportunity to get revenue coming through the door. In response to a question from Ms. Barry, Ms. Iyer stated that Town center has been discussed as a proposed location, given that the location being sought is approximately 2,000 s.£, and due to the vibrancy of the area. In response to a question from Mr. Sandeen, Ms. Yee stated that pop-ups generally rotate seasonally,but usually multiple brands share the space at a time. She explained that Project Pop-Up, thus far, has seen 53% of the brands go on to create permanent storefronts in the same town. It typically takes 2-4 months for a brand to feel comfortable to make a commitment. She explained that her company is generally able to offset the costs of the storefront, while also asking the businesses to have some level of commitment, such as paying rent,paying utilities, etc. In response to a question from Mr. Lucerne, Ms. Yee explained that her company tries to equip the businesses with tools to test a variety of hours and scenarios, and partnerships with existing year-round businesses as well. In response to a question from Mr.Pato, Ms. Yee stated that typically, her company runs an application period, collects all of the necessary information, and then makes recommendations. Project Pop-Up certainly would work hand-in-hand with each municipality, depending on their interests. In response to a question from Ms. Hai regarding the store back/storefront improvement plan, Ms. Iyer explained that the Town will only be receiving $50,000 from the REDO grant and she does not believe this will be able to be used for the store back/storefront improvement plan by June 30, 2022. In response to a question from Ms. Barry regarding the AED request, Mr. Malloy stated that the Town applied for the State grant for the Fire Department,but not the Police Department. Ms. Barry suggested that the DPW picnic table request should possibly be moved up in the list to this year. Mr. Malloy explained that this was put off due to the Center project. Ms. Barry suggested that they could be used in other places until the project is complete. In response to a question from Mr. Sandeen regarding the proposed number for the participatory budget, Mr. Malloy stated that he is unclear as to what suggestions the public will have regarding this budget. He noted that the Town has distributed approximately $126,000 so far to small businesses, and that the full $250,000 will likely be expended. Ms. Hai noted that she believes the budget is for up to $500,000,which would be approved based on whether or not the proposals fit the guidelines. Mr. Sandeen suggested placing the proposal for solar on affordable housing units back on the list. Ms. Hai noted that the idea still needs some work before it can be considered. Mr.Pato expressed concern that the amount allocated for small businesses does not seem to be enough. Ms. Hai echoed the desire for no-touch water bottle stations and picnic tables. She also expressed interest in solar powered electronic sign boards for the Town. Mr. Lucerne stated that the one item he is concerned with is the SPRD consultant. Erin Sandler-Rathe stated that, speaking for the Chamber of Commerce, she believes Project Pop-Up is a great idea. She explained that these businesses are likely already operating on Etsy, or from their home and going to craft shows. These businesses already have some customers and brand recognition. Entering the pop-up space allows them to see whether they're ready to take the leap to that level of a permanent space. She believes the Center is the correct spot for this proposal, as it will feed off the existing foot traffic. Mr. Michaelson stated that he believes Project Pop-Up is a proper use of these funds and that the possibilities for it are endless. He suggested the Board consider acting on this tonight and including it on the approval list. Ms. McKenna stated that the Tourism Committee and Center Committee met about the ARPA funds. The funds should be used to address immediate needs and holding onto $7.7M of this for later, is not what the Tourism Committee had in mind. She asked that the Board approve Project Pop-Up funding as it is an income-generating opportunity for the Town. She hopes that more money will be added to market the Town in the future. She asked that the Board consider replacing one of the Liberty Ride vehicles and allot funding for programming for the cultural district. Ms. Hai stated a concern with not having a landlord identified for the Project Pop-Up space. She also has concerns regarding the proposed timeframe and that these funds will not be going directly to the small businesses that are trying to start up,but to an organization to facilitate this. She questioned if this could be funded through a different source. Ms. Iyer stated that she is sitting on small business applications that are worth$630,000. The pop-up proposal will work to recruit new businesses and help vacancies. She is seeking other grants but hasn't found any available for this. Ms. Hai stated that the request would be for the Board to authorize $100,000 towards a contract for a facilitation of pop-up businesses for a period of a year following the awarding of an RFP. During that RFP process questions, such as the pop-up location, would be answered. Mr. Malloy stated that he would strongly recommend that the Board be prepared for him to come forward when the Town gets close to expending the $250,000 allocated to request additional funding. Upon a motion duly made and seconded, by roll call, the Select Board voted 5-0 to approve the use of $1,066,200 from the ARPA funds as follows: Amount ARPA Department ARPA Funding Request Funds Approved on 2/1/2022 Committee/Community Lex Retailer's Association: Discovery Day, Halloween Walk, $50,000 Requests Holiday Lighting, Taste of Lexington LUHD - Econ Dev Visitor Center website rebuild $25,000 LUHD - Econ Dev Store back/storefront improvement plan $100,000 Town Manager Participatory Budget set-aside $500,000 Select Board Fund SPRD Consultant $25,000 Economic Pop Up Business Incubator $100,000 Development DPW Bikeways—6 replacement bottle filling stations ($6K each) $36,000 Police Dept Lifepak AED devices $22,200 Recreation Outside shelters for programming $160,000 DPW icnic tables for center, made from recycled plastic (12 count) $24,000 Recreation No-touch bottle fillers to replace water coolers (x3) $24,000 TOTAL 1 $1,066,200 Upon a motion duly made and seconded, by roll call the Select Board voted 5-0 to approve the rough outline of participatory budget proposal as presented, with the understanding that there may be some minor edits and refinements. Upon a motion duly made and seconded, by roll call, the Select Board voted 5-0 to approve the use of $20,000 from the ARPA funds for community engagement regarding participatory budgeting. DOCUMENTS: ARPA Memorandum and Recommendations, Pop Up Biz Presentation, Pop Up Biz Overview, Pop Up Biz Incubator, Pop Up Biz Infographic The next regularly scheduled Board meeting is Monday, February 7, 2022 at 7pm. ADOURN Upon a motion duly made and seconded, by roll call, the Select Board voted 5-0 to adjourn the meeting at 10:13 p.m. A true record; Attest: Kristan Patenaude Recording Secretary