HomeMy WebLinkAbout1983-11-17-CRC-min CENTER REVITALIZATION COMMITTEE MEETING
November 17, 1983
Present Margery Battin, Chairperson, Robert Sacco, John Powell, Jacqui Bateson
Joseph Trani, David Wells, Laura Nichols, Karsten Sorensen Also in
attendance Robert Bowyer, Marty Rawls, Angela Frick, MAPC, Ex-officio
member
Study Committee of environmental impact on Alewife Brook area around the
new MBTA station No entrance planned for cars in the area until May '85
Station to open in January '85
Minutes of the meeting of October 6, were approved as presented
Wally Tonaszuck suggested dedication of Meriam Street lot - paved, lined
and fenced (Minute Man will not take photo)
MAPC Traffic Survey to be completed by Wally Tonaszuck and Bob Bowyer
Wally Tonaszuck - install 10 meters on the westerly side of Muzzey Street,
from Forest St to Park Drive Submit to Selectmen
Move bus stop from across from Grace Chapel to pool area from December 1 to
April 15 Parking on Worthen Rd and at Pool Send to Transportation
Committee Move on quickly by December 1 for action.
Develop parking around the intersection of Park Drive and Muzzey - relatively
low impact on houses Possibly also close the Waltham St end of Park
Drive as a Park (green area) Tonaszuck to present plans
Traffic Study - improve existing patterns and flow Bob Bowyer hired
Traffice Engineer Norman Abend
1 Central Business Distric
The "Y's" at each end - channelize the intersection - safer inter-
section and help re circulation.
2 Parking area north of Mass Ave -
Open road behind the Edison Bldg Have 90 degree parking
3 Incorporate R. R. tracks into entire area parking
4 Edison Way - right turn only
5 Parking lot south - need 2-way connection
6 Buy land for parking behind Waltham and Muzzey street
7 Waltham Street have two lanes for right turn all the time
Warrant Articles Mrs Battin advised that Town Staff recommends that we focus our
attention on one project for the coming year since that is all that Staff time
and parking fund money will allow for She suggested that we look into
Park Drive as a project At one time Park Drive was in the "considered
but not recommended category" as a means of expanding the parking base Certain
concerns have changed; 1) Park Dr is not a wet-land
2) Student Parking could be prohibited by making it
a "Permit Parking" area ONLY
Wally Tonaszuck recommended that we focus on one area of Park Dr only
for now, that being the "four corners" area where Muzzey St and Park Dr
intersect Mr Bowyer suggested that we experiment with a plan that will
provide about 50 spaces, to see if people will indeed park there. Ms.
Bateson advised that she felt with proper enforcement of Short-term meters,
present violators there could be displaced to Park Drive
Mr Sacco said that he favored a plan whereby we would pursue the
School Administration lot as well as Park Dr and asked Mr Tonaszuck for
cost estimates on both Mr Tonaszuck estimated Park Dr @ $50-60,000
and School Ad Lot @ $30,000 (these two plans could be covered by the Parking
Fund) Mr Tonaszuck also mentioned that Staff time constraints might make
it impossible to work on both and Conservation Commission for in-put
Mr Sacco also informed the committee that property located at #100
Waltham Street is up for sale and that Grace Chapel is rumored to be
leaving Lexington He requested that research be done to see if the Belfrey
Lot might be up for sale in the near future.
Parking Garage Sub-Committee
Mr Sacco said that there are enough questions about the economic,
viability, and asthetic feasability of a garage that he felt it warranted
some public meetings He wondered if we should ask Town Meeting to spend
$3-5,000 to get some specs Mrs Battin questioned whether it would be
pre-mature at this time to make such a request of Town Meeting She suggested
that the Land Use Sub-Committee continue to study the desireability of a
garage and that the Parking Garage Sub-Committee, along with Bob Bowyer,
explore the costs and how it could be funded
Mrs Nichols questioned the perpetual effect that a parking garage
might have on building (more parking leads to more building leads to a need
for more parking )
Mr Sacco pointed out the flip-side argument as parking gets worse
retailers will be forced to leave the center Offices will replace them
which will automatically mean more parking will be needed
Mrs Frick suggested that we investigate the cost of a parking garage
now going up in Medford, Mr Bowyer said we could also take a look at one
in E Cambridge
Mr Powell requested info as to when we could expect the results of
the Land Use Sub-Committee report Mrs Nichols advised that she expected
it to be complete in late January She cited lack of volunteer help as
cause for delay Mrs Nichols will contact Chamber representatives about
providing some volunteer help
Proposed Zoning Ammendments
Mr Bowyer passed out a Planning Board Report on proposed changes
He noted that they did not include a stipulation for financial compensation
as for an alternative spaces that should be provided with future building
-3-
Questions have been raised in the past as to what that money would go
toward if such a plan were enacted
Adjournment approx. 2 30 P.M,
Net Meetings 12/01 and 12/15 @ 12 Noon
Respectfully submitted,
Jacqui Bateson
David Wells