Town of AMenia
Enhancement Committee
Minutes
to: ENHANCEMENT Committee Members
subject: Minutes from Nov. 3, 2004 – in note format
PRESENT: Fire Company, John Macura, Warren Gordon, Bill Dutton, Trustee for Company, Andy Murphy, Chris Howard, Shawn Howard, First Assistant Chief, , Bill McGhee, Bill Carroll, Collette Maas, Peter Riva, Lisa Coon, Mark Morrison, Jim Devine, Michael Zwerling, Judge Manning, Jack & Linda Gregory, Jackie Dedrick, Mimi Babcock, Steve Benardete, Andy Durbridge, Nan Seeburger, Jeff Shelters,
Peter opened the meeting at 6:45 to address Fire Company comments on Mechanic Street pedestrian access plan. Plan has not been adopted, Town has given us ability to do fact-finding at this stage, get comments early.
Mark Morrison – Rail trail has been extended, even more traffic, want to draw them safely into downtown area.
Paved path, fence, trees, haven’t budgeted for curbing at this time. Survey shows existing conditions, defined right-of-way (Town has ability to build in the right of way).
Can’t stop increase of traffic to Hlm. Valley Rail Trail, have increase in cars, parking. DOT is asking us to help control parking.
Question: Didn’t they connect to train station so they could park there? Peter: That’s not the reason they extended.
Warren: To bring more traffic on west side of road is not a good idea because of all the trucks, 40-50 ton trucks during emergency is a huge risk. Site of View is also an issue.
Peter: We can address this, there are regulations for this.
Warren: Housing, Ducillos have sidewalk, keep pedestrians on the east side is better.
Mark: Reason for east side: #1 is economic. In conjunction with rail trail, will be channelized traffic. Bikes should not be on the road.
Mark; sidewalks are too narrow for bikes, so they will use the road which is more unsafe.
Fire Co. – we are protecting people who are rude and we have to take care of them.
Peter: We have no jurisdiction over rail trail.
Warren: You are hurting businesses and safety of fire company by putting pedestrians on the east side. Trucks, vehicles need aggressive, safe access in and out of drive way. Use parking lot a lot for carnival, comment about sight view is good – do trees obscure sight?
Peter: They can be moved. DOT and Mark will make sure there is adequate sight distance. R.O.W.: Town’s can be used for this function. 100 people a week are going to be using rail trail from MTA, some will park here in Mechanic St.
Warren: Can handle 20 people on sidewalk, making it more unsafe by putting it on the east side.
Peter: Given the economics of east side of street, is there some way this could work for you?
Warren: The operations of fire company – cannot adapt this plan. Driveway may be blocked regularly when trucks are parked on the aprons.
Peter: We have to be able to adapt. Do you need to work on trucks, could be out there all weekend?
Warren: Why not proposed for west side? What is economic effect on businesses?
Fire Company – Tourists are not good for town, have garbage, don’t use restaurants.
Warren: Very hard to adapt to more pedestrian traffic on this side. Two years ago had an accident – if pull out, it is a task now to get out.
Andy: Trees, sidewalk is obstruction, bikers go out in front of me as I pull out.
Warren: If had more attractive way to put sidewalk on opposite side, within Fire Company will do anything within our power to enhance the street and access.
Peter: Town’s got the right of way, but you’ve been forced to utilize it.
Mark Morrison: The plan could radically change. Could shift the whole road over. If we had the money could shift. Bridge, bank drops off precipitously. Look at it as a wide sidewalk.
DOT: Have this meeting, get feedback – either we voluntarily find a way to get people safely from rail trail parking to downtown or they do something. Should meet with DOT and walk this through.
Morrison: Can have signage to help safety for crossing in front of businesses.
Peter: Looking at early input for Mechanic St. property: Survey completed, overlaid with streetscape plan – conceptual. One difficulty with fire company is more chaotic than east side would permit in their opinion. Town Board will have to deal with right of way however they choose to deal with it. West side: unlikely to have sufficient funds for adequate access on that side. Businesses on the east side. If beginning on west side. E-mail, phone address at back of room to get communication back and forth. Fact finding mission:
Primary issue is safety – increased use on Hlm. Vly Rail Trail
Right of ways – for utilities, sidewalks Morrison, proposed a railtrail fence: feasible to go to right of way. Varies from 15’ to 9’, is a starting point.
Manning: There are 3 Utility Poles in right of way.
Mark: they, one would have to be moved, west side all the way down. Paved area is 43 ‘, change to 65’. Planning guidelines, is a minimum, but could be bigger for him. From safety point of view, would be striping, signs, some enhancements with channelization – are two openings OK?
Manning: Is DOT concerned with lack of sidewalk on 22? Conversation will begin next week. People across the road are low income and are carrying their groceries every day on Route 22. Priorities is his question. Funds were available for rail trail access and downtown revitalization. Manning has lots of opinions on his property, not in my best interest to do this project, but where does this fit on the town’s agenda? A grant was written for this which paid for Morrison’s work
Jackie Dedrick – reason not to choose Rt. 22 was that until that is repaved, no chance of getting sidewalk there.
Riva: had investigated walkway from FoodTown to downtown.
Manning: Why on east side versus west. Pedestrian and sidewalk – one path, 6’ wide. Because of the right of way, 41/2 – 5’ strip of lawn and 6’ sidewalk. Technically, 8’ is better, but do have constraints. Need a small, timber bridge, other side is not wide enough. Is a bridge at this moment.
Ducillo – does not care which side of the street. But seems west side would be cheaper as the sidewalk exists. Look in Sharon for example. West side, utility poles would have to be relocated, be expensive, also grade changes. Very narrow, radical slope, missing sidewalk. Only way is to either excavate or put a wall, or fill, raise to level of street. Jeff (Contractor): Isn’t it cheaper to bury the wires? Moving is about $3,000 / pole. Where move them. If everyone wants to build on the west side, could shift.
Ducillo, why need to have level?
Mark: Because it is too narrow. Relocating utilities,
Bill McGhee: Property owners were left to fend for themselves, If parking lot was adequate, would reduce pedestrian traffic. Rail Trail never concerned themselves with inconvenience of businesses unrelated to tourists.
Peter: Need defensible, defined lines between where pedestrian should be and where road traffic should be. This enhances cultural value, safety.
Manning: Go to time and trouble to maintain who are up to rail trail. Do like to keep it nice. Trees are a maintenance, hard to clean up around trees, leaves, railings. Have contract for mowing, will estimate cost to town for maintenance. Question amount of traffic.
Jackie: Can add to the Wassaic train station parking lot – was part of the deal. 350 people/weekend using rail trail.
Manning: How many legal parking spaces at trail head?
Jackie: The trail does not own any of the land, this is the problem.
Jeff: Have emergency people coming in (15 responding) plus businesses
Ducillo – no problem with on my side
Conklin – Where is my parking? 25’ to sidewalk, some trucks to 23’, 25’ long. Our an existing business, 40 years, trying to take all my parking and put us out of business.
Riva; Just starting a conversation.
Coklin: 15’ back: Can’t get same number of parking space. Double park most of the time on both town’s and own property. I have maintained this site, put fill in, in past 20 years just taken care of west side.
Riva: If could move utility poles, The Town is not removing parking – this is there land.
Manning: Have had free rein, unrestricted access across right of way. Have not had to have permit. Now giving them defined driveways, We built and designed based on what we had, looking to take something from us. Riva: We’re giving you something: defensible.
Jackie: How difficult would it be to estimate cost for west side. Jack: Can’t you leave the poles and work around them? Linda – can you go down railroad ave? No. Grant is for downtown revitalization.
Morrison – People that know about Mechanic St. come here, just a point along the rail trail. Parking at rail trail at train will be free on weekend. Idea is to put signage at trailhead to attract to businesses.
Manning: biggest day is Sunday. Opposition is an inconvenience outweighs minimal benefits. Do tests, to see how safely trucks can pass – personally would ride in the road Controlled entrances build in safety. Keep it organized, those in the thoroughfare also understand where ingoing, outgoing.
Morrison: Gave plenty of room for proper parking for Manning ingress, egress. It has been nice to have this, but to have increased buffer would make sense. DOT thinks this is an appropriate direction at this time.
Jackie: Taking away some trees, relocate to other sides to reduce impact on parking.
Morrison: is endless configurations, trees can be planted
McGhee: double parks in front all the way into Sears: now have good relationship with Mike, Cozy Corner also uses this parking. Bump out at intersection was from.
Zwerling: Concerned about impact on Cozy and Conklin, but have not obligation to provide parking for them, are my colleagues. Michael, no benefit, no detriment, except for truck deliveries (bump outs will not allow. Zwerling: Objective?
Riva: Safety – Enhancement, beautification, increase business vitality. Town should re-pour the sidewalk.
Mark: Would like to know typical day’s parking needs, can include this into the plan. 12 poles - $36,000 to move Sewer – Ducillo – may have 6’ line if raise up near bridge. Would need concrete foundations.
Bill: Who pays for this?
Peter: grants and in-kind work by volunteers, organizations.