Home

June Mtg 2017

Thursday, June 8, 2017, 7:30pm, Waban Library Center

Zervas community/ construction team meeting 7Pm

WABAN AREA COUNCIL MEETING: 7:30PM (FIRM TIME)

 

I. APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF WAC May 11, 2017 MEETING JC (2 min)

II. APPROVAL OF June 8, 2017 WAC TREASURER’S REPORT RG (2 min)

III. BURNING ISSUES: Community comments for future agenda or immediate resolution. (5 min)

IV. UPDATES:

  1. St. Philip Neri at 1521 Beacon St. - SL
  2. Staples-Craft House at 1615 Beacon Street – July 3 purchase? –SL
  3. WAC Waban Historic District Subcommittee Update RG
  4. “Waban Common” Plan, WAC Sponsorship  & Fundraising- JR & SL
  5. WAC Visioning Community Survey – Results of first section of survey: CP
  6. WAC Business Development –Subcommittee Update
  7. Election Showcases –1) At-large City Council and School Committee races – Oct. 8; Mayoral race and Charter Commission Ballot Question – Oct. 22.
  8. 284 Woodward Street – A year later - SL

V. AREA COUNCIL ELECTION INFORMATION FOR NOVEMBER 7 (5min) SL:

VI. NEW BUSINESS: New items that may lawfully arise for discussion.

VII. ANNOUNCEMENTS: Tour de Newton - This is a 20 mile, 13 Village, Family Cycling Event on Father’s Day, Sunday, June 18, 9:30am to 1pm. To sign up, go to: bikenewton.org/tour-de-newton/.

VIII. ADJOURN. Next regularly scheduled Waban Area Council Meeting: Thurs. July 27, 2017, 7:30pm, immediately following the Zervas Construction Team/Community Meeting at 7PM at Waban Lib. Ctr.

PLEASE NOTE DATE CHANGE: Next Waban Area Council Meeting will be July 27, 2017 at 7:30pm at the Waban Library Center

 

   The location of this meeting is handicap accessible, and reasonable accommodations will be provided to persons requiring assistance. If you need a special accommodation, please contact the city of Newton’s ADA Coordinator, Jini Fairley, at least two business days in advance of the meeting: jfairley@newtonma.gov or (617) 796-1253. For Telecommunications Relay Service, please dial 711.

 

 

 

 

 

Meeting Date: 
Thursday, June 8, 2017 - 7:30pm

Meeting Minutes

 

WAC: MMR, AD, RG, SL, CP, IA

In attendance: W5 CC John Rice (JR), W5 ALCC Brian Yates (BY), Deena David, 4 TBD (Judy, Rod, Carol and Patrick Maher)

Previous meeting Minutes: Unanimously approved to withhold approval of May minutes until next meeting. Issues with corrections

Treasurer Report RG: 1747.53 Balance AD accepted, CP 2nd, all approved

Updates:

AD: neighbors own 2 houses on Winslow voiced concern about Cold Spring path improvements. JR will look at parking restrictions, investigating culvert, and snow removal. Path connects to beacon street, Patrick Maher notes an sinkhole has widened and may be due to storm drain. This is DPW

Beacon Street:

AD: hopes there will be Bike lane striping for Beacon, AD says gas company will be fixing gas leaks. All of Beacon Street will be repaved from Centre to Chestnut. Audience Rod brought up ADA needs (sidewalk repair) may trump.

Rod believes the city has said that many trees are at end of life.

JR: city will use concrete for most sidewalks going forward - more expensive but lasts much longer than asphalt. All trees are marked and community can object but mayor can override, eg for ADA compliance

AD: Marc Welch (Director of Urban Forestry, City of Newton) says 80-90% street trees are Norway Maples which DO lift sidewalk.

Discussion about financing for undergrounding utility wires, etc. Acknowledgment of long time gas leaks and broken sewage lines

SL asks about city design for Woodward and Windsor. JR says WAC should write letter to city regarding plan for village versus piecemeal approach. City councillors will also sign.

Action: SL write letter

MMR says city has protocol on electrical maintenance for trimming of trees.

Barbara Darnell, (NHNAC and Urban Tree Commission) Correction to previous communication: wires on Beacon between Walnut and Centre - but NOT Walnut to Chestnut.

History: Adams Street trees damaged much of the sidewalks - took down 33 of 45 trees - DPW wants to take down the rest now.

POI: All trees along street are considered public trees, any objection goes to tree warden Mark Welch, (any person can object - does not need to live by tree) Objection causes public hearing.

City has hearing scheduled for Beacon Trees on June 20th, also last day to voice objection to tree removals.

Cambridge has workarounds - see picts. Trees have spaces around them, city hall bricks them in. AD says latter is not great solution - hard for some to cross..

Ask for public hearing and notification from Mark Welch on all trees on list, recognizing that many trees legitimately fair to remove due to disease, damage, etc, but would like to discuss those that should be saved. RG surprised that DPW could make a blanket decision to take down trees.

BD: If Welch thought they are not worth saving, he would bring them down without public consult, so marking them with ribbons is precisely to elicit public comment.

BY thinks MMR is correct, entire project should be discussed versus piecemeal.

AD Moves that council write a letter to Welsh objecting to the removal of Beacon street trees. IA seconds. Bullets to be included from these minutes. Passed unanimously.

Action: write letter (who owns?)

MMR: How many houses got letter? Only 5 responses according to Welch. Find out if alternative treatment for sidewalk and are they viable? DPW? Is it contracted out already?

Action: BY and AD will get answers.

SPN: Concerns expressed about island by short street has granite curbs sitting on trees damaging roots.

Action: SL Call inspectional services - Lojeck, and/or DPW

Staple Craft, no news, hope that Suzuki School gets farm.

Historic: June 24th is public meeting. May be prudent to postpone as city is now formally pursuing Highlands and West Newton districts to inform citizens of issues. This would do a lot of the groundwork for Waban and dispel misinformation.

Visioning: 2nd Survey went out yesterday. 1st has 300 respondents, the 2nd already has 150 AD: Some people have had issues and spoke with her.

Action: Will include message to reach CP on last survey.

Commercial Center:

Strong Building Commercial Bldg Manager Tim Daly will meet with Carol and Sallee to discuss future of Property and related issues

Candidate races and Charter

  1. Oct 22nd - Mayoral debate and Charter Question

  2. Oct 8th - 3 Wards at large CC and SC challengers

Action: MMR and RG will write neutral definition of Charter proposal. Pamphlet or 1 sheet

MMR Moves, IA seconds all approve (AD abstains - she is candidate for CC)  to that we ask other Area Councils to host with WAC at Angier for two citywide candidate showcases and charter question debate.

MMR: Tour de Newton June 18th on needs greeters. BY and CBP will do again.

Adjourn

Respectfully,

Chris Pitts

 

Weight: 
-20