HomeMy WebLinkAbout1983-10-06-CRC-min RECEIVED
SELECTMEN
CENTER REVITALIZATION COMMITTEE MEETING
1963
October 6, 1983
The meeting was called to order by Acting-Chairperson
Robert Sacco at approximately 12:00 noon.
Attending members of the C .R.C . were: Robert Sacco , John
Powell , William Gothorpe , Jacqui Bateson, Karsten Sorensen and
Laura Nichols
Attending members of the Land Use Sub-committee were :
Norma Bogen.
Attending in the audience were : Robert Bowyer, Wally Ton-
aszuck, Angela Frick, residents of Forest Street (including Faye
Bussgang, Frank Cavatora, Helen Kilbridge) and residents of Han-
cock Avenue (including Sarah Schulman) .
The agenda for the meeting was as follows:
1 . Review minutes of the August 5th meeting
2 Report on parking survey
3 . Forest Street Concerns
4 . Appointments
5 . Progress Report/ New Business
6 . Adjournment
The minutes of the August 5, 1983 meeting were accepted with
corrections .
PARKING SURVEY
Mr Sacco reported on the findings of the Lexington Chamber
of Commerce-Retail Division's parking survey which indicated a
shortfall of 222 all-day employee parking spaces .
FOREST STREET
Mr. Sacco read an excerpt from the minutes of the 8/05/83
C .R.C . meeting relating to this topic . He then read a letter from
Julian Bussgang, 2 Forest Street, which had been sent to the Board
of Selectmen requesting a NO PARKING regulation on Forest Street
between Muzzey and Waltham Street . Mr Sacco explained that the
Selectmen decided to refer to the C .R.C . on this request, asking
that they reach a decision within 30-60 days . Mr. Tonaszuck spoke
about the policy in effect whereby residential streets adjacent
to the CBD should be protected. He stated that the regulation
which would apply to Forest Street was NO PARKING 6a.m. - loa.m./
2hr. parking 10a.m. - 6p.m. Mr. Bowyer read a memo concerning
Norman Abend's comments on Forest Street which were that Forest
Street should remain a two-way street and that parking, if at all ,
should be limited to one side only.
Mr. Sacco asked the residents if they understood the impli-
cations of the regulation which would apply to Forest Street, that
being that they would have in-and-out parkers as opposed to all-
day parkers . Discussion followed and the following comments were
brought out: residents voiced the following concerns: speed,
visability, heavy volume of traffic , trucks using the street ,
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driveways being blocked, narrowness of the street making it difficult
to pass with cars parked on one side (especially in the winter
months .
Mr. Bowyer reminded those present that the original parking
plan was designed to provide short-term customer parking near
the stores which displaced all-day parkers to the residential
streets . Mrs . Nichols stated that it 's difficult not to impact
residential neighborhoods as business expands . Mrs . Bussgang stated
that she would prefer the 2-hr. parkers to the all-day. Mr. Cav-
atora stated that he wanted to see a no parking regulation on For-
est Street . Mr. Tonaszuck advised that changing the regulation
could take up to 3 months , since approval from the state would be
required . He suggested that the residents try the 2-hr. regulation
before asking the Selectmen to consider a No Parking regulation.
Mr. Sacco pointed out that he did not want to see Forest Street
made an "exception" by adopting a No Parking regulation, expressing
concern about the effect this could have on other residential
streets presently operating under the 2-hr. regulation. Richard
Michelson asked the C .R.C . to consider where the 14-17 parkers on
Forest Street would be displaced to . Mr. Cavatora stated that the
residents should not have to shoulder the responsibility for the
CBD 's shortfall of parking spaces . Mr. Sorensen echoed these thoughts .
Mrs . Bussgang suggested that spaces be reallocated noting that the
Edison Way lot is rarely full except at lunchtime . It was also
suggested that the 1-hr. meters on lower Waltham Street be changed
to 10-hr since they are not being used for short-term parking.
Chairman Sacco took a vote on a motion to post the signs on
the south side of Forest Street, where the signpasts already exist,
to provide for 2-hr. parking from 10a m. - 6p.m. The vote was 5 to
1 in favor.
Mr. Sacco thanked the residents for coming and asked that
they consider the separate issue of permit parking on Park Drive .
APPOINTMENTS
Mr. Sacco advised that David Wells has requested that he be
appointed to the Parking Garage Sub-Committee . This received unan-
imous approval .
NEW BUSINESS
Mr. Tonaszuck asked the committee to think about how much
money he should be asking the Capital Expenditures Committee for
parking projects He outlined several plans for Park Drive which,
if developed, could add upwards of 54 spaces to the inventory of
permit parking spaces .
Mr. Bowyer reinforced the idea of fine tuning the parking
program. Mr. Tonaszuck said he will have some recommendations at
the next meeting. He also reported that 26 new spaces will be
available at Meriam Street within a month.
Mrs . Schulman asked the Committee if they are looking into
making Hancock Avenue a thru-way. Mr. Tonaszuck advised that the
DPW is looking into the physical layout of the area . Mr. Sacco
stated that if anything was to be done the neighbors would be
notified .
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The meeting was adjourned at 2:30p.m.
Respectfully submitted,2uiJaB eson