Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout2016-03-28-GCC-min Greenways Corridor Committee March 28, 2016 Training Room, Hadley DPW Building Lexington, Massachusetts Members Present: Alex Dohan, Bob Hausslein, Susan Kenyon, Keith Ohmart, Mike Tabaczyn- ski Other Attendees: none Votes : Minutes 2/29/2016: Approved Brookhaven Statement - a letter of support for Brookhaven expansion with access to trails: Approved Belmont Country Club letter - notice to Conservation Commission of GCC support for purchase of property: vote tabled due to lack of quorum for this issue There followed a discussion of the situation regarding the Belmont Country Club (BCC) par- cel. This piece of Lexington property is presently owned by the BCC and a portion of it is leased by the Lexington Montessori School (LMS). BCC would like to sell it. The Town has a right of first refusal. LMS would consider buying the property, but may not be able to raise funds. It would be possible to build a trail through this property giving access to the Western Greenway. At present access is limited. Most of the property is wetland and inaccessible, but a good wildlife corridor and viewshed. Susan asked if the Town, or another entity, has a “wish list” of parcels in town, with or without right of first refusal agreements. Reports/Updates : • Keith updated the Repair Log. Bob repaired a post that had been knocked over. • No update on consideration of private ways/unaccepted streets. • Brochure went to the printer today, will be ready by Patriots’ Day. Website now needs to be updated to reflect latest information. ACROSS won a Richard Bechtel design award from Bechtel Erickson Architects. This will be noted on the new brochure. Congratulations! • Munroe Cemetery re-routing for Route B was discussed at length. Bob will arrange for a site visit. This change would bring trail users through the attractive cemetery and avoid the Fletcher-Woburn-Mass Ave intersection. Ongoing Business : • Route 7 (G) is basically set. We need permission for access through a former school site that is Town land contiguous to Lower Vine Brook between Webb and Laconia Streets. Bob has found a quieter route through LVB and will flag it so we can walk it prior to discussion at next meeting. • Richard Canale is working on the Fiske Hill route option. He is waiting to hear back from Nancy Nelson, director of Minute Man National Historical Park. At present the trail to the ho- tels is not on the Park Service map. For now this proposed trail would end at the hotels, but would eventually run down to Cranberry Hill where there is parking. • Mike presented an alternative trail plan for the MMNHP area that would utilize more off- road/sidewalk possibilities. The crossing at Route 2A is a major concern. Using the Fiske Hill trail option requires that bikes be walked. Mike will email a map of the proposed route to ac- company the text previously sent. Homework: walk the route for discussion at next meeting. All necessary funds have been spent as of today. More arrow signs were needed. For further expenditures we will need to find new sources of funds. New Business: Belmont Country Club property - discussed earlier - meetings April 5 at Conservation Com- mission, and April 14 for Town public hearing at Estabrook Hall (Cary Hall) Community Access Initiative - brief conversation about public/private areas such as ease- ments and unaccepted streets. Keith has initiated a conversation with Linda Vine at the Town Office regarding development of a policy for such situations. Keith recommends attending MARTAB workshop in the fall if possible. Perhaps we can pre- sent ACROSS Lexington at one session. Next Meeting : April 25, 2016, 4:30-6:00pm, DPW Training Room Future meeting dates: May 23, June 27 Future Agenda Items: None at this time beyond continued trail investigation and development Respectfully Submitted by Alexandra Dohan, Secretary