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2011-05-04CITY OF BEVERLY PUBLIC MEETING MINUTES BOARD OR COMMISSION: SUBCOMMITTEE: DATE: LOCATION: MEMBERS PRESENT: MEMBERS ABSENT: OTHERS PRESENT: RECORDER: Parking and Traffic Commission May 4, 2011 Third Floor City Hall, Conference Room B Chair Richard Benevento, Vice -Chair William Bent, Tina Cassidy, Richard Hutchinson, Sgt. Bill Page. Bill Fiore Eileen Sacco Benevento calls the meeting to order at 8:30 a.m. 1. Approval of Minutes — January 4, 2011 and March 1, 2011 meetings Benevento asks if there are any changes to suggest to the draft minutes of either the Commission's January 4, 2011 or March 1, 2011 meetings. There are none. Bent: motion to approve the minutes of the January 4, 2011 and March 1, 2011 Parking and Traffic Commission meetings as drafted. Motion seconded by Hutchinson, all members in favor. The motion carries 5 -0. 2. Discussion: Comments to City Council Relative to Livery and Taxi Cab Licenses/ City Council Committee on Legal Affairs Cassidy notes that Sgt. Page was to look at the ordinance and make some recommendations regarding possible changes. Page reports that he has not started working on that. Cassidy states that Councilor Slate said the Council hoped to see a draft revised ordinance for its consideration in September, and in order to meet that request there are only two or three meetings between now and then - in June, July and maybe August. She suggests that Page at least distribute copies of the existing Ordinance at the June meeting and the Commission can go from there. Sgt. Page stated that he has the ordinances from Boston and Cambridge and he likes some of the language in them. Benevento suggests taking a look at the Salem Ordinance as well, noting that they also have a train depot and may have the same issues. He also suggests looking at Gloucester, Chelsea and Swampscott for similar reasons. 3. Discussion: Update on Status of MBTA Commuter Rail Parking Garage on Rantoul Street / Cassidy Cassidy updates the Commission on the status of the MBTA commuter rail parking garage. She reports that the second of several public meetings was held on April 27, 2011. She reviews the Final Parking and Traffic Commission minutes May 4, 2011 Meeting Page 1 of 4 presentation made by the MBTA at the meeting and explains that it is also posted on the City's website. She notes that the goal of the project is to reduce the commuter parking on local streets and to assist in the fulfillment of the State Implementation Plan commitment to construct 1,000 additional park and ride spaces by 2011. Cassidy explains that the MBTA is proposing a 500 -car garage which would have 10 handicapped accessible spaces and 76 spaces for compact cars. She explained that vehicle access would be on levels 2 and 3 and the levels would be interconnected by ramps. She also explains that there will be two elevators and 2 sets of egress stairs. Cassidy also notes that the plans call for publicly accessible and secure bicycle storage areas and a covered pedestrian connection from the garage to the platform. She adds that Mayor Scanlon insisted on the covered pedestrian walkway to encourage use of the garage. Cassidy notes that the MBTA reviewed the comments and concerns raised at the meeting held in December 2010 and says that there was concern about the facade and that the preference seems to be a brick facade. Cassidy also reports that they reviewed the concern about the height of the massing of the covered ramp on the top floor of the garage. She says they reviewed the proposed facade renditions for the garage and a straw pole showed that the choice would be facade #5. Cassidy says that there is another meeting planned for September 2011 and notes that the MBTA is doing value engineering studies and traffic studies in the interim. Cassidy states that to the extent that she can she will reach out to the Parking and Traffic Commission with respect to this project. Benevento states that he feels that the MBTA should reach out to the Parking and Traffic Commission because they will be left with whatever is built and he would like for them to be involved. Cassidy states that she would see what she can do about that. Cassidy suggests that perhaps the Parking and Traffic Commission could send a memo to Mayor Scanlon and suggest that they be involved. Benevento states that he would rather send the memo to the MBTA with the concurrence of the Mayor. Benevento says that the Rantoul Street project is a key component of the parking garage project, noting that any reconstruction should accommodate the garage. Cassidy reports that the Beverly garage is ahead of the Salem garage because the Salem garage is only at 25% design completion. Cassidy adds that the garage is being designed so that additional floors of parking can be added in the future. She notes that Beverly is now the second busiest train depot behind Salem but only by about 12 -15 riders per day. 3. Old / New Business Final Parking and Traffic Commission minutes May 4, 2011 Meeting Page 2 of 4 a. Cole Street Project Benevento asks for an update on the Cole Street project noting that the preliminary plan was to be developed by the Engineering Department. Cassidy states that she has not heard any more since then. Sgt. Page reports that a group of neighbors from Cole Street met with him and Chief Ray last week. He reports that they did another speed study and explains how he did it. He reports that there was no significant speeding in the area. He adds that the clearing of the brush on the corner improved the sight lines. Sgt. Page reports that Mr. Overberg had requested trucks be excluded altogether from that roadway. Benevento states that would not happen because it is a state road. b. Dodge Street Lane Delineators Benevento says that he talked with Councillor Martin regarding the delineators at Laurel Street and suggested that the Commission recommend approval. Cassidy answers that Mike Collins does not want to recommend that and feels that fixing the way the train operates is the solution to the problem. Benevento states that he is concerned that if the Commission makes a recommendation to the City Council and the Council passes an order, the Order should be carried out. He states that he is concerned about the credibility of the Commission. Cassidy states that those types of issues should be addressed with the Mayor. C. McKay/Elliott Street Hutchinson mentions that the "Merge" sign near the White Hen Pantry says "Merge Left" and it should say "Merge Right ". Benevento explains that according to the MUTCD, the sign that is there is correct. He suggests that a "left lane for left turn sign" should be installed. Hutchinson states that a "Merge Right" sign would be more correct. Benevento states that he will look that up. d. Police Dept. request to convert 2 hour meters on Thorndike Street to Long Term Meters Sgt. Page addresses the Commission and reports that there has been a request from the Police Department to change the two hour meters along Thorndike Street to 12 hour meters. He explains that the request is to alleviate the parking problems for City Hall and police employees. Cassidy says it is her understanding that the rate would be $1.50 per 12 -hour block. Page explains the history of the parking issues for employees and notes that some police officers cars have been vandalized. That is why parking further down Thorndike, where there are no meters or time limitations is viewed as a problem. Final Parking and Traffic Commission minutes May 4, 2011 Meeting Page 3 of 4 Bent: motion to recommend that 6 meters along the southern side of Thorndike Street be changed to 12 hour meters. Hutchinson seconds the motion. Hutchinson, Benevento and Bent in favor, Cassidy and Page abstain. The motion carries 3 -0 -2. 3. Next Meeting The next meeting of the Parking and Traffic Commission will be held on June 2, 2011 at 8:30 a. m. Adjournment Benevento asks if there is any other business for the Commission to conduct. There is none. Fiore: motion to adjourn the meeting, seconded by Hutchinson. All members in favor, the motion carries 5 -0. The meeting is adjourned at 9:30 a.m. Final Parking and Traffic Commission minutes May 4, 2011 Meeting Page 4 of 4